by Davis Ashura
“What?” she asked in protest after seeing his eye roll.
“If you haven't noticed, every child in Ashoka now has Talents not of their birth Caste. We've become a city of OutCastes. We were just smart enough to come up with a better name.”
Sign stared at him silently through measuring eyes. “Are you making fun of my people?” she finally asked.
Jaresh held his hands up in surrender at her feigned annoyance. “Never.”
“So you don't think your parents would care if they had two of my kind as daughters-in-law?”
Jaresh had to laugh at her presumptuous question. “Daughter-in-law? Don't you think you're making a rather large assumption?”
“I don't think I am,” Sign replied. She arched a challenging brow. “Am I?”
“You're not,” Jaresh said with a sigh, wishing the world were something other than it was. “And if I could go with you to Defiance . . .”
Sign put a finger to his lips. “I'll stay,” she said. “I've thought about it. When Stronghold died and I survived, I ended up outliving nearly everyone I love. Jessira is the only family I have left. And now there's you. You're staying, and I can't survive such a loss ever again.”
Jaresh gathered her in his arms. He knew there was nothing he could say to change her mind. “We sure picked a lousy time to fall in love.”
“There's never a terrible time for love.”
Jaresh took her by the hand. “Let's go see my parents.”
“What happen when the Ashokans leave?” Chak-Soon asked. “Seem cowardly.”
Li-Choke didn't answer at first. The setting spread out before him held him entranced.
He and Soon stood within a large field in Dryad Park. Before them grazed a herd of Bovars, munching contentedly on the lush grass. A couple of claws of Tigons dozed in the warm sunlight while the newborn Baels played amongst the tails and hooves of their slumbering, older brethren. A group of old Humans played chess beneath unlit firefly globes as wind chimes rang gently in time to the soft breeze.
Nothing Li-Choke could have ever imagined would have been as graceful as this moment. This sylvan scene perfectly encapsulated all the hopes and aspirations of generations of Baels since the time of Hume, of peace and fraternity amongst those who should have always been brothers.
And this lovely vision would end in a flood of blood and fire.
“No. It's not cowardly,” Choke disagreed, finally responding to Soon's earlier words. “It's pragmatic. Whether they stay or go, the Inner Wall will come down. It's why the Ashokans created the Maharajs. So their young might live on in some other city.”
“An arrogant name,” Soon muttered. “Not right. Make sound like . . .” he rambled to a halt, apparently running out of words.
Choke shared the Tigon's distaste for the name given to the new Caste. A memory from several seasons ago came to him, a story he'd once heard, one that left him uneasy. “Li-Dirge told me of the time before the First World,” Choke said. “He said that before the coming of the First Father and the First Mother, the world was riven with blood and brutality. Tribes of Humanity warred against one another. They battled for scraps of sustenance scattered throughout the wasteland that was the world. Dirge said that these tribes were vicious and cruel. They tortured their enemies. They fed their weak to wild animals as sport. And their rulers were known as 'Rajs'. I suspect the First Father wasn't always known as Linder Val Maharj. More likely, he changed his name to be some kind of play on words, to make himself something greater than a mere 'Raj'. He was a 'great Raj'.” Choke snorted. “Now the Humans return to the names of their amoral ancestors.”
“Karma,” Chak-Soon pronounced.
“Perhaps,” Choke replied. “Or maybe this new Caste can redeem the savage name they were given.”
Soon grunted in reply. “What we do when Wall fall?” Soon asked.
“You and I will do as we must,” Choke replied, somehow managing a smile.
“Your small ones die?”
Choke shook his head, and his feathers of command rattled. Some of the other Baels had long since removed their symbols of authority, preferring to try to forget their time as slaves to Mother's lust for rampage and ruin. They wanted to wash away any remembrances of the evil they had committed under Her command, but Choke felt otherwise. He didn't want to forget what he'd done. He wanted to remember it all. Such knowledge was what inspired him, impelled him to continue on the path he had chosen.
“The newborn Baels won't die,” Choke told Soon. “The Ashokans will allow them passage aboard their ships. Li-Silt will go with them. Of all of us, he is the one most dedicated to Hume's ideals. He is the one best suited to teach them what they need to know.”
“And us?”
Choke rested a hand on Soon's shoulder and turned to face the Tigon. “We will fight, my friend. We will protect one another as brothers should. Until the last light fades from our sight”
“And Devesh will welcome us into his warm embrace,” Soon answered, for once not mangling the words.
Choke's gaze grew distant. “Yes,” he whispered. “And the singing light will call us home.”
Aia stretched out and rested her head on Rukh's lap. He idly scratched at her neck and ran his wonderful fingers through her fur. For some reason, letting Rukh groom her always brought her comfort. She didn't understand why. Perhaps it had to do with the bond she felt for Rukh, a connection which was strongest in these quiet, private moments. It was just the two of them, with her human caring for her as he rightly should.
Thinking back on it, Aia realized that in the past, only as a cub lying between Amma's strong paws had she ever felt this quiet contentment, this serene certainty that the world was exactly as it should be. She laughed at the thought. She was no longer a cub, and Rukh was most certainly not her amma.
A breeze blew and carried the scent of blood and ashes. The area where Aia and Rukh rested had once been her favorite place within the lands of the Shektan House Seat. It was hard to remember what it looked like before the burnt bushes and trees, the dead, blackened grass, and the smell of ground steeped in smoke and ruin. This was the place where Rukh's family had almost died, the place where her Human had fought and defeated the wretched Hal-El Wrestiva.
Aia curled her lip in disgust. Hal'El had been a wicked man with a heart full of evil. It was good that he was dead. She growled again.
Rukh must have noticed her anger. *What's wrong?*
*I was thinking of Hal'El Wrestiva,* Aia answered.
*Why?*
*The smell of this place reminded me of him,* Aia said, going on to explain what she noticed. She nosed the black blade sheathed at Rukh's side. *Why don't you get rid of that? It smells wrong.*
*I can't just leave it lying around, and the Magisterium made no mention of what they wanted done with it.* Rukh said. *It's best if I hold on to it for now.*
Aia huffed. *I don't like it. And I don't like the smoky smell around here.*
*Do you want to go somewhere else?* Rukh asked, moving as if to rise off his bench.
*No,* Aia answered quickly. She used a paw to hold one of Rukh's legs in place, careful to keep her claws sheathed.
If they went anywhere else, there would likely be others around, and if there were others around, then Rukh's attention would be diverted. And that just wouldn't do. Right now, Aia wasn't willing to share her Human with anyone else, not even Jessira. Tomorrow would bring great change, and she likely wouldn't see Rukh much afterward. He would be too busy, either seeing off the Ashokan young on their journey across the waters, or manning the Inner Wall. In both cases, Aia couldn't be with him.
Starting tomorrow, their time together would be limited.
The future, generally cloudy and murky, was clear now, and it was bleak. There was a certainty about what was to come. The Demon Wind, Suwraith, would soon breach the final wall around Ashoka. She would pour into the city like a flood of hate and hunger with murder and destruction trailing Her wake. Ashoka would fall,
burned even worse than the grounds around the Shektan House Seat. It would happen soon. Aia could sense it. She tasted death on the air. It hovered like a storm cloud whose presence was felt before it was seen.
But before that tragedy occurred, Aia wanted to savor this moment as thoroughly as possible. She wanted to enjoy the few times she had left with Rukh because in that future she sensed, Rukh would almost assuredly die. She might die.
*You need to leave the city while you still can,* Rukh advised.
Aia didn't bother answering. Instead, she merely bumped his forehead with her own. It was a thump that was hard enough to be affectionate but still hurt. He'd gone over the same advice with her several times already.
*Females,* Rukh muttered.
*Jessira said the same thing to you, didn't she?* Aia said smugly. She always knew Rukh's mate was special.
*She won't see reason,* Rukh responded. *And neither will you.*
*We are females, which means we are wise,* Aia said. *Perhaps you should think on that.*
*You mean you're wise enough to stay in danger when safety can be had?* Rukh said with a laugh. *Not much wisdom in that.*
Aia switched her tail in annoyance. She had wanted a quiet time with her Human; not an argument or mockery. It was unacceptable. *Quiet,* she ordered.
*I will not be quiet,* Rukh responded. *I know you think I'm your Human, but you're also my Kesarin . . .* he began.
Aia had heard enough. She belonged to no one, Human or otherwise. She placed a paw on Rukh's forehead, letting the claws out, just enough to put sharp pressure on his skin. *I choose who belongs in my life.*
*And when you let me in your life, you put yourself in mine,* Rukh said. *You are my Kesarin as much as I am your Human. I will grieve if you die just as much as you would for me if I passed away first. It's how love works.*
Aia eyes slitted in irritation. *You don't own me,* she growled.
*I never said I did,* Rukh said.
*Love means you think you own me or at least a part of me,* Aia said, growing steadily more aggravated with him.
*No it doesn't,* Rukh countered. *Now take your paw off my face.*
Aia didn't like his tone. It was too demanding. Who was he to demand anything of her? Her tail swished, and her ears flattened in annoyance, but still, she did as he asked.
Rukh sighed a moment later and surprised her by pulling her face close to his, touching his forehead to hers. *I wish I could see you run across the Hunters Flats. I wish I could see Shon and Thrum chase after you and never catch you. I wish I could see you live free, even of this bond we share if that's what it takes to see you safe and alive. That's what it means to love.*
Aia tested his words, searching for the flaw that indicated he thought he could control her. She found none. In fact . . . Aia blinked surprise when she realized that she wanted something very similar for Rukh. She loved her Human.
Rukh rested his head against her neck and hugged her tight. Aia had grown to enjoy that expression of his affection, and her eyes closed. She purred, and all was forgiven.
*My chin itches,* she whispered. *Can you scratch it?*
*Always.*
Centered within the dining hall of the Shektan House Seat was a long table, easily able to fit the nine people seated about it. It could have managed twice that number. The firefly lamps in the wall sconces and in the chandelier hanging from the coffered ceiling had been turned down. It left the room luminous, soft with a golden light reflected off the almond-colored walls, the wide-paneled mahogany wainscoting, and the teak table. The scents of spiced food filled the space, but the platters from which the aromas originated were all but empty.
The meal was over, and Bree wished this moment could be frozen in candle wax. Her family was gathered here, laughing, teasing, and loving one another. It was likely the last time she would see all these people she loved so much.
Her eyes glistened. She was leaving tomorrow and nearly everyone else in this room was staying, even Sign. Bree wasn't sure she could still go through it and leave them. In some ways, she had trouble accepting that Ashoka was actually in danger of falling. So much about the city was still normal. There were still people going about their work, cooking, cleaning, running their errands, opening their restaurants, and even performing or singing in the playhouses. She wondered if she was making the right decision by leaving.
“You have to go,” Nanna said. He sat to her right while Rukh sat to her left and Amma sat directly across the table.
“Is it that obvious?” Bree asked with a smile.
“Only to those who know you,” Rukh said.
“We really should have convinced her to play cards with us more often,” Jaresh quipped. “She has absolutely no ability to hide her emotions.”
Farn grinned like a shark. “We'd have left her penniless every time.”
“You're lucky you didn't play me,” Jessira said. “I would have taken all your money.”
Farn eyed her askance. “You never struck me as someone who could . . .” He seemed to run out of words and simply waved his hands in Jessira's general direction.
“You don't think she has the ability to maintain a distant, unreadable focus?” Laya provided for him even while she grinned. “If you truly believe so, then, by all means, please teach her these gambling games.”
Sign chuckled as well. “Am I allowed to wager on the outcome?”
Farn looked from one woman to the other, an expression of uncertainty on his face. “Er . . .”
“Just to provide you some perspective,” Nanna began, “Jessira often beats me at chess. She does so while wearing the most bland expression imaginable. Most times she doesn't even seem to be paying attention to the game until it's over and she's won.”
“Jessira is good at everything,” Rukh said in a patently ridiculous, cloying voice. “It's why I love her so.”
Bree threw a roll at him.
Amma laughed. It was good to see her enjoying herself. Though she tried to hide her grief, Bree knew how much her paralysis continued to pain her.
Rukh surprised Bree when he reached over and squeezed her hand. He flicked a glance at Amma, who was engaged in a conversation with Sign. “I'll watch out for her,” he whispered.
Bree squeezed his hand in return. “Thank you,” she whispered back to him.
Nanna must have overheard their brief interaction, and he shook his head in disbelief. “All the arguments the two of you got into when you were children,” he said. “Who would have ever thought that you would get along so well as adults?”
“Sign and Jessira were the same way,” Laya said. “When they were children, they fought like two cats in a sack.”
Bree looked at the two women in surprise. “But you're so close now,” she said. “I would have never guessed you didn't always get along.”
“We didn't,” Sign confirmed. “Growing up, I was always closest to my brother, Court.”
“And I was closest to Lure,” Jessira said. “We did everything together.”
“And now it's you and Rukh who do everything together,” Jaresh said.
Bree stared at him, perplexed and unsure as to what he meant. There were so many odd and lurid meanings to what he'd just said.
Jaresh must have replayed the words in his mind because he was reddened with embarrassment. “You know what I meant to say,” he said.
The table laughed, while Sign reached over and playfully pushed his head before running her fingers through his hair.
Bree had known Jaresh and Sign had been seeing one another, but until tonight, she hadn't realized just how deep their feelings went. Sign was willing to stay in Ashoka because of Jaresh. Their love had come as a pleasant surprise to her, and she was glad for them.
Bree smiled at a sudden recognition. It seemed both her brothers found OutCaste women irresistible.
She chuckled over the notion before turning her attention back to the discussion at the table.
Rukh was in the midst of describing
a conversation featuring the Bael, Li-Choke. “So Jessira tells him that we don't think of one another as brother and sister, and Choke asks us, 'then how do you think of one another?' It took him a moment to figure it out, and then he says in his most solemn surprised tone, 'oh'.”
Once again, the table broke out in laughter.
“Well, I'm glad he found you, and that you saved Chak-Soon,” Laya said. “I wouldn't be here if not for that Tigon.” She smiled fondly.
Farn took her hand. “We both owe those two Chimeras quite a lot,” he said.
“They aren't Chimeras,” Rukh corrected. “Not anymore. They haven't decided on a name for themselves, but Chimeras isn't it.”
“Speaking of the siege,” Jaresh said. “Has anyone heard how much longer the Oasis is supposed to hold up?”
“We aren't to talk about the siege tonight,” Nanna said. “That topic is banned. Tonight, we're a family having dinner. Nothing more. There will be no talk about death or destruction.”
“In that case, to life, family, and love,” Jaresh said raising a toast.
Like the dullest of animals, even after the rope has noosed 'round our necks, still we struggle vainly for life.
~Attribution unknown
Lienna paused in Her work. On the far side of the city, something unusual was happening. Curiosity roused in Her mind, and She rose skyward, extending Her vision. There, along the shores of the Sickle Sea, a thousand boats had been launched into the water.
Lienna's gaze sharpened.
All of them were crammed with the stink of Ashoka's most repellent refuse: Humanity. It seemed the rats hoped to flee the sinking ship by boarding a different one.
Lienna smiled. Their hope was misplaced. She would drown them all, baptize them to death in the pure water.
“There are children aboard those vessels,” Mother cried out. For once, She didn't sound distant and distracted but rather all too awake and aware. “You can't kill them.”
“You must kill them,” Mistress Arisa proclaimed. “Though young, still they are My enemies. Remember, Hume was once a child. You should use the power with which You were gifted and kill them before any of them reach adulthood and become a scourge.”
