Disclaimer: Yeah, I wish I owned it, but no such luck.
Eyelids flickered and pupils dilated as light streamed in, quivering with the numerous candles illuminating the room. River groaned, her throat a desert cactus, scratching itself at any sound she dared to try and make. Her body was in pain, so much pain, all she could remember was hearing a guttural scream, her own scream, a sound she never thought a being could make let alone her. And then the crack, the awful deadening crack of the whip before it tore into her back. How she was alive she did not know, until an unfamiliar face passed over. Commanding her to drink, and as she did the pain began to subside to a dull throbbing as opposed to the overwhelming roar.
"How is she?" River could hear in the background, a voice, faint, but distinct, one that filled her with comfort and assurance. Willow. At least we are safe, but what happened to her? Did they give her the same treatment for being my companion, no, they can't, it wasn't her fault, she was an innocent. River started as these dark thoughts began to cloud her mind. And then a mess of black appeared, keen eyes peering through.
"River?" Willows hand clasped Rivers cold one, massaging circles in an attempt to comfort and reassure.
"I'm alright River, I'm alright, you're alive, I can't believe you're alive, I was so scared, I was so sure…" Willows words tumbled out and strayed off, there was a look in her eye that River couldn't quite place, one of horror and pain and fear, she had witnessed something, a sliver tear slid down the pale girls cheek and River realized. She had seen, she saw them do it to me. This was her second, worst-case scenario. The first would have been them torturing or killing Willow, the second having her watch it, having to witness the bloodshed and the horror, having to let her see the pain and bear that in what may fill her nightmares and spare moments. She knew what it was to deal with trauma, and she did not want to add to Willow's burden.
River tried to croak again, needing to tell her it would be alright, wanting to explain, to make it all go away. But Willow was fierce, and determined that she not over exert herself.
"River please, you need to shh now, it's ok, me and Yekon have got this, you need to rest and we will look after you. Please, I need you to recover, I need you." Willow had startled herself with these words. How had she come to rely on the other woman so quickly. Running away from death together will do that to you. She thought, but it was then that she realized, River was the one who had saved her, back on earth, yes, she had saved her life from those Daleks, but more than that, she had taken her with her and saved her as best she could from toppling into the abys of grief. This woman is all I have left, my family are gone and dead, and I couldn't save them, but I can save her, I can and I must, I need her.
"You're going to be alright River, you're going to be alright." Willow muttered, moving to stroke the blonde curls that rippled in the candlelight. Rivers eyes closed then, taking the scene and heading Willow's words, they were going to be ok, they had to be,
they had to be.
Two weeks, two weeks they had been there, Willow should be thankful, was thankful. Without Yekon River wouldn't even be alive right now, let alone on the way to recovery. But she couldn't help but feel restless. They were stuck, stuck in this hut, on this planet, in this galaxy. The Tardis was god knows where. And despite the desire to leave, to be on the Tardis just casually floating in space, to be safe with River, there was a niggling sensation in the back of Willows head, warning her, reminding her, there was work still yet to be done.
"You seem in deep contemplation child." Yekon's rough voice had become a source of comfort to Willow, something still lingered though, some strange notion that all was not well, but she knew here that at least she was safe, and River was cared for.
"Just pondering." She sighed with a smile, a failed attempt at relieving their host from any concern. Yekon gave the girl a knowing smile, before seating itself next to her. An old hand reached into a small leather pouch, tied tightly to Yekons side. Their thick fingers grasped onto powdered crystal. Willow would have mistaken them for salt if they had not been shining a shimmering blue. Yekon pressed them to her forehead, muttering words that Willow could not make out, and then cast them into the fire. The flames leapt into the air, dancing and tickling the top of the fire place. Willow felt her eyes drawn, unable to take her eyes away from the mesmerizing light. Then something change, a cool breeze wrapped around her skin, but she could not tear away from the display in front of her. The fire turned a violent shade of red, striking up into the air before shrinking back to the very coals. Has she somehow killed the fire? Willow thought, aware of Yekon by her side but not moving, not touching, always watching. Then something stirred, she was not sure what but something was moving amongst the coals where the fire had seemed to die down to the faint cherry glow. Small as a nut, there seemed to be an orb moving around, almost peering out. Then it lifted and Willow saw something she was not expecting. The orb was a head, attached to a small body, a being made of the flickering flames. The being stood onto one of the coals, and bowed to both her and Yekon, before moving to lift two others from beneath the coals.
Yekon's voice rolled over Willow, adding to the atmosphere.
"They have been waiting child, the three have been waiting, waiting for the three who would right their wrongs." Yekon stared into the fire before bowing her head.
"My Majesty's, it has been too long." One of the fire beings held out his small hand, and lightly brushed it against Yekon's, causing her skin to glow slightly before receding as her pulled back.
"I could not tell you my child, not until I was sure, what I had foreseen, I had to be sure it was not just hope. I have told you of the three princes, Rada, Napa and Smoa, although there is more to this tale. Rada was the day, he was the light and the life of the kingdom, he radiated beauty and passion, all his people loved him. His brother Napa was the night, when the darkness came he would cloak it with an ethereal beauty, there was once comfort in the night, before fear and sadness, the lonely, the lost and the forgotten took solace in him and never felt alone. Their final brother, Smoa, he was the mystic, the seer, the eye to look between worlds and see what had, what could, and what should, unfortunately he was unable to see what would. The three together were unstoppable, they were the universe incarnate, which is why they were so blind and stumbled into their quest. They have been waiting for their counterparts. The Day, the Night and the Seer. To retrace the path and right the wrongs that they made." Yekon's face fell, almost in solemn understanding of the gravity of the moment. Willow was able to tear herself away to look at the old being.
"You speak as though you knew them, how, it must have been hundreds if not thousands of years at least." Willow gasped her mouth open, unable to comprehend how this being was still here. Yekon however chuckled.
"Ah, you who are more mortal than most, time does not bear on the soul of one still yet to fulfil their destiny. Yes I knew the sons, I tried in vain to advise them, to warn them. That was because I was scared, because I knew what could come, what my role would be to play, and I did not want a part in it. I have had long to dwell on the past, the present on the future, and now I am ready to do what must be done." Yekon sighed, they moved over to the table, retrieving an ornate box that seemed to be carved of wood. As she moved over Willow realized that the wood was glowing, shimmering, like some kind of precious stone. Yekon opening the box to find coals, a stick from the nearby fire lighted the coals, and Yekon laid it in the fire and Willow watched as the three sons of the Mesapate climbed into the container.
"Then who are the other two?" Willow asked, sure that there must be some other old Mesapate rather than what she was beginning to fear.
"My child, Night is present, and we are now awaiting the recovery of Day."
AN: The plot is starting to become a bit more apparent now I hope, keep on reading and reviewing, helps to make me write faster ?