Disclaimer: I do not own Baten Kaitos or any of its characters.
Chapter 1: The Past
It had been months after the ocean was restored when Lyude finally found a place he could live. Despite the cancellation of his exile from Mintaka, he found that he wasn't welcome there. Many of the people did not understand what had really gone on; they still saw him as a traitor to the empire. And that was true, he supposed. No matter how wrong Emperor Geldoblame had been in his mission, Lyude had still stood up to him and betrayed his own people. Any thoughts of ruling the empire himself had dissipated with the realization that he was not going to be understood by his people.
Those had been lonely months. Even though he stayed with Kalas, Savyna, and even his brother and sister for a short time, he knew he wasn't exactly welcome. Kalas had a blooming relationship with a cute girl, Savyna was used to being on her own and his brother and sister despised and hated him. They made this known the few days Lyude was with them. Skeed was especially cunning in making his hatred felt. Whispering seemingly sweet words with a tone of sorrow into Lyude's perceptive ear. Twisting and bending those words into hurt. Skeed made sure guilt had settled into Lyude's soul before he entered the room that last night.
Lyude was in bed when he heard the door to his room swing open, when he heard Skeed's soft, even steps to the side of the bed. He felt the mattress dip in back of him with Skeed's weight. He smelled the smoke and mint from Skeed's skin and hair. The smell was earthy and natural, totally opposite from Skeed himself. He felt the weight on the mattress shift as Skeed lay down behind him, almost touching. He felt Skeed's cold fingers glide up his bare back, his shoulder, his jaw and his cheek. He felt Skeed's breath on his neck. "It's cold tonight, isn't it? Ah, but it must be nothing compared to what you are feeling. I hope you don't think I want you here, little brother. Even if your skin is so soft against mine, you are rough inside." Lyude felt Skeed sigh against his neck, felt his cold arm wrap around his waist and pull him close. "You have caused me so much trouble. I have done so much for you. And yet you haven't given me anything in return. How selfish," Skeed hissed. "I know what you can give me. I know what I can take." Skeed drew formless shapes on the skin of Lyude's stomach, on the dip between his hips. "Take out your wings. I want to see them." Skeed sat up, forcing Lyude up with him. Lyude was shaking now. He was dizzy with fear. So he did what his brother asked.
Lyude's wings were almost luminescent in the darkness as he hesitatingly infolded them, turning to face his brother. He was ashamed of his wings. He felt exposed and vulnerable. Somehow he wanted to, though. He was afraid. So he wanted to get lost in the darkness.
Skeed didn't see any of these emotions pass slowly over his brother's face. He waited, not breathing, watching. He reached out and plucked a feather, the hiss of pain gratification. He brushed the feather across his face, then Lyude's. Across his lips, his eyes, his brow, his cheek. Intensity of wonder changed to anger. "Aren't you an angel? Your wings are ugly as your soul." Blood dripped from the wing, onto the bed and into the mattress. Staining.
Skeed forced Lyude onto his back, one wing twisted and crushed under the weight. He stared into the shocked eyes below him. Skeed's breath came quicker now as the excitement rose within him. "Didn't you expect this?" Lyude began to shake more violently. Skeed plucked another feather, this one bloodied. He trailed it down Lyude's stomach. Then another feather. Tears welled up in Lyude's eyes as his feathers were torn out and thrown to the ground. Skeed was enjoying himself. "Is this punishment enough? I won't stop until they're all gone." Lyude moaned in pain, surprising Skeed. Making him pull each feather faster. Making him pull handfuls of feathers out of the already disfigured wing. But it wasn't enough, Skeed wasn't done. There was still something Lyude had that he was going to take.
Lyude stopped himself from remembering further his misery. Now, he was on his way to Diadem. Hopefully he could stay at Nashira for a while, somewhere he wouldn't know anyone. Somewhere he could hide.
He looked outside, and down at the ocean. It was strange to see it there, blue and glistening in the sunlight. Something so huge so suddenly appearing bothered Lyude. He couldn't quite adjust to the salt smell. "Hello, your Lyude, right?" Lyude turned to face a young boy, but didn't recognize him.
"Yes, but… I can't seem to remember you. Excuse my forgetfulness, but who are you?"
"You and your friends saved me from drowning in the river, remember? Thank you so much. I wouldn't be here without your help." The kid smiled. "Well, we're docking now, so I should go. See you around!" He smiled and ran off to his mother and younger brother. Lyude already felt better about coming to Nashira.