Chapter 1
Protect the Avian
Story idea/couple/request from Hack Generation, it is a fantasy world with the AC1 characters and my OC, Krosis Alonso
The one armed prince was returning home with his small militia of guards after a hunting trip, it was then that one of the younger guards gasped out in surprise and pointed. Looking up they were given the sight of a man sitting calmly on some rocks no more than a few feet above them. Close enough for them to reach out and touch him.
It was the massive black wings, with some of his feathers looking like crystal sending beautiful light shards through the air that made them gape in amazement, his a creature known as the Avian. But he was the wild Human Avian, a very rare creature and this one was legendary in the city. He was known to protect the roads from bandits, taking men out at the speed of light with his spear and sharp wings but at the same time was a bandit himself as he robbed caravans of meat and fabric.
The guards looked like they were prepared to fight the wild Avian to protect their prince from danger, but Malik raised his arm halting his guards. It looked like the Avian was not looking for a fight but only observing them.
Malik met the pale eyes of the large Avian through the sockets of the giant bird's skull it wore over its head like a helmet and felt a chill rattle up his spine, this Avian was very intelligent and also screamed danger, a warrior Avian. "Don't attack him, he will kill us all in an instant." The guards nodded their heads and rode past the watching creature with tense shoulders, Malik turned back to look at the being.
The Avian spread his huge wings and lifted his pitch black spear-staff before it scaled the rocky cliff walls with his bare feet and flaps of its wings making his long white sarongs flutter around his legs. Some of the guards looked back also to watch with amazed expressions, Kadar would find this story unbelievable. And Altair would probably go out to seek the beast for his own, and that was dangerous… for his brother.
"You will not speak of the wild Avian to anyone, that creature will be a danger to anyone hunting it." The guards nodded in understanding, Malik had a better sense for danger then anyone. And they also knew about Altair's arrogance and desire to please his father.
-A-
"You are in grave danger." The old nomad looked up at the tall Avian as he sat next to it on some rocks sharing the cooked fish meat the Avian caught in the nearby oasis, the both of them held their spear and walking staff almost the exact same way, leaning over a shoulder lazily and their hands folded over the wood shafts, "I have seen a small army of Templar's coming to capture you, and you won't get away so don't give me that look."
The Avian slit his eyes and watched the nomad silently as the old man explained that which he saw with his sight of the future and danger, he was waiting for the nomad to explain while listening with a higher intelligence then many of his Avian brethren, that was a Human Avian's gift and curse. This one had been left behind by his tribe which was where the Nomad had found him years ago when he was younger.
"They have an artefact that will track you and will chain you to the ground... it will make you very docile, they will use you as a resource." Pale eyes met the old man's in understanding and continued to wait patiently, "I will not let the bastards take the last Human Avian from this land, and you are my son!"
The old nomad spoke strongly and with pure conviction, the Avian paused and gave a small smile from beneath his bone helmet at the man's words. He lowered his head as if silently asking if the nomad had a plan making the old man grin with a mischievous glint in his eyes. It made the Avian eye him nervously, he recognised that look. The first time he had seen it he was only eleven and was thrown into a deep cavern to learn how to fly by using fear and instinct.
-A-
"Happy birthday brother!" Kadar placed his small gift into Malik's hands and bounced around with his cheer, Altair sniffed in boredom and annoyance at the youngest son's actions from his place behind Malik and their father while drinking wine, Kadar was almost nineteen for crying out loud. The eldest son ignored him while opening the box of Kadar's gift.
"Thank you Kadar, it is beautiful. Did you make it yourself…?" Malik pulled out the carved bone amulet and felt his throat clench, it looked like an Avian but a full one, one completely looking like a demonic bird. One of the guards that had been with Malik yesterday noticed the carving and looked away with a stiff look. "I will treasure it."
Quickly Malik tied the straps around his neck and smiled at his little full blood brother, happily Kadar skipped off to sit with the others. An image of the Avian and its unnaturally large black wings kept haunting him, and those piercing bright eyes that seemed to stab into Malik's very soul like a reapers blade. Never in his lifetime did he think he would ever see the legendary wild Human Avian so closely.
Looking around with almost pitch black eyes, Malik eyed the guests his father invited. In one side he could see the Assassin order keeping amongst themselves, in another there were a group of Templar nobles and soldiers, and wandering between these high up Orders were the common folk and other normal nobles.
It took hours but all the gifts were finally given to Malik, ranging from trinkets to land and business partnerships. But then a young boy from the gates rushed over with a pale face making the path part, "Sire that old mad Nomad from the desert is here with his 'gift'"
"What is wrong boy…?" The King who was sitting beside Malik went silent with a breathless gasp as he spotted the nomad coming though the gate, Malik stood with wide eyes while everyone gasped. The old mad man of the desert was walking towards them with the Avian following him while clenching his spear tightly in one hand. As they grew closer Malik caught a look in the Avian's eyes that he recognised from his little brothers.
Curiosity and awe. He was like a child seeing something cool and new. Peering around at his guests, Malik spotted the Templar's eyeing the Avian with a hunger making him feel very defensive for the amazing creature.
The mad nomad bowed weakly while the Avian stood with disinterested look even as his eyes flashed towards the tables of food in curiosity, "You Highness, Prince Malik… BOW!" Everyone flinched as the nomad smacked his staff with surprising power into the back of the Avian's head making him stumble slightly. Pale eyes glared down at the old man who looked up without fear, "That is the King and eldest Prince, you will show some respect or I swear I will tie up your wings and throw you off a cliff!"
The Avian bristled and shook its wings in anger before giving a small stiff bow to the King and stunned Prince, a faint growl could be heard, like a child grumbling under their breath.
Bowing again, the nomad spoke calmly. "Prince Malik I wish to gift you with this Avian in hopes you will protect him from those that wish him harm." At that the man sent back a look at the Templar's along with a sniff of disgust.
"How did you get him to follow you?" The King asked, his mouth was dropped with awe.
"I asked him to." The old man answered as if it was common sense making everyone bristle at the rudeness towards their King, but the King didn't seem to mind and instead smiled knowing the old man will answer properly after some time, "Wouldn't your sons follow you if you asked them to?"
"Yes, but he is not your son is he?"
"Not by blood, but I raised the little bastard." That made the Avian bristle again and hunch up making him look very threatening but the nomad simply looked at him like a disinterested parent, "Krosis, do you want me to hit you again?"
The Avian, Krosis, growled in annoyance and loosened the tenseness in his shoulders making people sigh out. It was amazing to watch the legendary Avian of the desert being teased by the old mad man of the desert.
"Good boy, Milords is there a chance we can speak privately?"
"Of course old man, come." The King stood and gestured his sons to follow. Altair stayed back away from Krosis to eye him with a jealous frown while the others didn't mind him much, Kadar skipped a few feet from Krosis and grew closer and closer.
"Can he understand us?" Krosis looked down at the happy young boy as they entered the castle halls and gave a slight nod while the nomad and King spoke, "Cool! Are your feathers soft or hard?"
Krosis paused before slightly spreading a wing and pulled out a long crystal feather with a wince, it was the length of a forearm, and handed it down to Kadar. The youngest Prince took with shaking hands and made awe sounds, it was like a mix of soft feathers and a fine metal.
"This is so cool! Look Malik he gave me a feather!" Kadar skipped around and the nomad looked back with a raised brow of suprise.
"He did? You must be very pure in the heart, Krosis is very protective of his wings. Due to his intelligence he knows about Avian slavery and how precious the feathers are."
"Precious?"
"Yes, a single of those smaller soft black feathers from the top close to his back are a minimum of 500,000,000 gold. The longer black ones are about 700,000,000…" Kadar went pale and looked at the large feather in his hand with sudden nervousness, "And the crystal one you have is twice that much, then there his longest feathers at the ends of his wings here, that will be ten times that again." The nomad gestured at the really long black feathers that looked like a meter long right at the tips of his wings and curled slightly at the ends.
"I… didn't know that. I will keep it safe!" Kadar rushed off to hide the feather from thieves and Altair, who would most likely try to sell it as to pay for all his whores and buy them expensive gifts.
"Altair, go check on your mother's." The King send the middle child away, Altair grimaced in anger and stomped away very un-prince like. The King led the way into his throne room and sat on the large golden seat, the nomad and Krosis stood at the bottom of the stairs while Malik stood to the side between them.
"So why did you bring the Avian here to give to Malik?"
"For protection, the Templar's are after him with plans to use him like a lifeless resource. They are in procession of a dangerous artefact from the distant past." The old man leaned on his staff with a sigh, "Krosis is a protector of your land, I believe there is no better protector for him then you and the future king."
A single nod of his head signalled the kings understanding to the old man, his eyes filled with trust that surprised Malik. Wasn't this nomad the mad man of the desert? One who always spoke of the future he saw when he closed his eyes at night?
"I understand, I swear me and Malik will watch over the Avian. He is an important creature to our land and should not be chained." The King, who hates slavery and the imprisonment of magical beasts like Avian's, looked to his son. Malik nodded in agreement.
"Thank you sires…" THONK! Krosis grunted as the old man hit him in his bare stomach and bent over sightly at the sharp pain, "Good bye Krosis. Behave yourself." The old man then waddled away leaving Malik, the King and Krosis in silence.
"Malik, take the… Krosis to your room and speak with him. Let him feel comfortable around the castle, Avian's a sky creatures so being inside for ages..." He didn't need to finish, Malik nodded and gave his father a bow before leading the giant bird man through the castle to his massive room one of the top floors.
Malik sighed and pulled out his heavy earrings and jewellery with relief, he hated wearing such things. He was pleased he had the excuse to escape his own birthday party for once.
Stepping around his room lightly from years of training with the Assassin guards, Malik undressed and folding his clothing around the room. He pulled on his light silver sleeping ware and looked back at Krosis, the Avian was watching him silently, waiting for Malik to finish.
A shiver ran up Malik's spine when he noticed a look in the creature's eyes as he stared and pretended not to have seen it, "Welcome to the castle, Krosis was it?"
He nodded once, Krosis stood straight like a soldier while holding his staff with its butt pressed to the ground. It was an amazing sight, even with the wings folded tightly behind him. Slowly Malik rubbed his face with a sigh, looking back up he caught Krosis eyeing the stump of his left arm.
"Bandits attacked Kadar, my cheerful little brother, and me when I was teaching him how to hunt. Altair had run off to flirt with his whores beforehand so we were with a small company of guards alone…" Krosis tilted his head in a curious twitch and listened, "One of the bastards try to kill Kadar…"
Malik shivered, all he remembered was the blinding pain and nothing. When he woke up Kadar was kneeling beside Malik's bed and he was missing an arm. Understanding, Krosis moved and leaned his staff-spear against the wall and looked away as if saying this conversation was ended.
After some time eyeing Krosis up and down, Malik turned and went towards his clothing hall. "Best if we make you look like you are protected by my family." The burn of Krosis' eyes followed Malik as he walked into his massive clothing hall and went through the things with tight lips, when he becomes king he will give away his old clothing to the poorer people. He had too much and it cluttered him.
"Here take this." Krosis had followed him into the cupboard and took the silk white sarong with blue embroidery, "And this to go underneath it as a second layer." He threw backwards the simple silk blue one that matched the white one, the sound of Krosis grunting following the sound of fabric hitting flesh meant the fabric hit him in the face rather hard. But there were no complaints as Malik went to where jewels were kept.
After some time Malik pulled out a collection of matching jewels and turned back to Krosis, his dark skin turned bright red as Krosis was stripped behind him. The Avian looked up and gave a humorous smirk before wrapping the first blue sarong around his hips to cover up his manhood, then tied the shorter white one above it.
Clearing his throat, Malik stood up to the tall bird man and placed the first of the golden jewels around his neck as Krosis bent his knees and back so Malik could reach. Three necklaces of different length and thickness hanged against Krosis' muscular chest, the sea blue jewels glinted from the fading light reflecting from the many mirrors along the roof. It was going to be night time soon so they needed to leave the hall before it became black.
Next were the wrist jewels, Malik eyed them when they were done and wondered if he over did it as the jewels almost went to Krosis' wrists. "Is that too much?" Krosis gave them a pleased look and shook his head, "What about the… skull?"
Cautiously Krosis raised his hands to the bone helmet and removed it, Malik knew he was ogling but he didn't care. The Avian was both handsome and beautiful. He had a slight scruff on his chin and thick eyelashes. His skin was almost flawless besides a couple of faint wrinkles in his eyes and around his mouth showing he must be older then Malik by a few years. His hair was chopped short by a dagger and dead straight in the longer strands in his fringe that sat messily in his eyes, it was also as black as his wings with flecks of silver in the roots.
Careful as to not startle the bird man, Malik pushed the dark fringe back. Krosis closed his eyes and waited as Malik felt the soft locks and got it out of his face, "You are a very handsome creature…" Malik flinched back and went red when Krosis opened his eyes with a smirk, he had not meant to say that out loud.
Quickly he rushed past the Avian to return to his room, night was falling. He lit a single lantern on his large table so the room was given a dull orange glow before he climbed onto his massive round bed covered with soft pillows, wrapping up in his warm blankets as the cold air began to come through his open balcony, Malik eyed Krosis from the folds.
Krosis looked at the Malik sized lump under the blankets and gave a smile before he went to the balcony and perched himself on the railing. Slowly Malik fell asleep and for the first time since he lost his arm, he had no nightmares of that terrible day.
-A-
Servants came by to make sure Malik wasn't murdered by the Avian through the week as the oldest Prince spent his time in his bedroom with the creature. It wasn't unusual for Malik to hide in his room for a day but it was unnerving that he wasn't alone and that his guest was well known for being a powerful warrior.
Sighing Malik slumped on his hand, the young woman eyed the Avian standing on the balcony beside where Malik sat like a statue with awe before she ran out with fright as her prince sent her away with an annoyed glare. Krosis looked kept his eyes close in silent meditation while Malik TRIED to read without eyeing the Avian's tight muscles.
It made him jump when Krosis spread his wings wide. A deep sigh of relief came from Krosis, Malik watched as Krosis dived from the balcony and flew around the area while never leaving Malik's eyesight. It was always a sight to see the Avian soaring through the sky to stretch his wings and to observe the city around the palace. The crystal feathers sent glints of colourful light through the air, reflecting the fading light.
After a short amount of time Krosis returned, once he was back beside Malik, the prince went inside to change into his sleeping wear. He felt the eyes burning along his flesh and shivered, it was always like this and it was making it harder to be around Krosis so much.
Malik went to pull on his clothing over his arms and torso but froze, Krosis was there behind him running lips gently along his neck so it felt like the tickle of feathers. When Malik tensed Krosis seemed to jump away and hunched up with his wings around his body and backed into the corner almost like a wounded animal.
Swallowing nervously Malik pulled on his clothes and hid in his bed without looking at Krosis. Beneath the covers he ran his trembling fingers across his neck while blinking in surprise.
Did the Avian just try making the first move on him?
