Book I: BORN IN DEATH
By: NEVAEVA
Chapter six: ASPECT'S WATCH
Lakshmi sighed in frustration as she paced around Anwaar's quarters, her nerves getting the better of her. She was ashamed of the way the celebration had turned out and wary of what Master might do to vent his anger. And he had every right to be furious, too, after the way he'd been made a fool of in front of everyone. There was sufficient blame to go around, certainly. Tamika should've known that the King's first wife was still alive, and that she was with child; and Endwin should've checked his records more thoroughly. But above all others, Lakshmi placed the blame upon herself. She was in charge of the entire event, she had to make sure that it would go smoothly. But it did not… and, for what it's worth, a small part of her was relieved that Anwaar didn't get his way. She couldn't help but dread the day when he meets the new God and forgets all about his other subjects.
"Where the bloody hell might he be at…" she cursed under her breath as she waited tensely for Anwaar's return. But her patience was wearing thin and her nerves could take no longer. Her head felt like it might implode, she was so frustrated; she swung at the bedside table and knocked it over, sending the dishes and the food they contained flying across the room. Sweet cranberry juice soiled the linen like stains of blood, red splatters striking harsh against the white silk. Lakshmi stared at it for a long moment, a similar sight emerging in her memory. Once upon a time, it was her blood that stained Master's bedding, her previously untouched body lounging among those pillows. But as the time went by, Anwaar grew tired of her, as he did of all his lovers. He was never satisfied, never close to anyone to share his soul, never at peace. Jealousy ate away at her as she stormed out of the room, angry at the whole world for the way her Fate had turned out.
She ran down the hall and along the terrace, her feet skipping several stairs at a time as she rushed downwards. Her sari fluttered behind her, and long black hair threatened to tangle up at her feet. She had to talk to someone, maybe even cry on a sympathetic shoulder. Very quickly she found her way to Kane's quarters and pushed hard on the heavy iron trimmed doors, the hinges screeching at her intrusion. She shivered when she stepped inside, her eyes getting used to the dark fog all around her. She hated Kane's room; visiting him always left a foul sensation on her skin. Unclean and itchy. Fog clung to her like a spider's web as she hurried along a humid, dimly lit corridor, its stone walls ominous in the fading light of scarcely mounted torches. She stopped momentarily and listened to muffled sounds coming from one of the openings in this maze-like construction.
Cries of pain… They were soft and infrequent but someone was definitely pleading for mercy.
Worried, Lakshmi made her way in the direction of the sound, dreading what she might find at the end of the tunnel. The illumination improved when she reached a large cave-like opening, its walls lined with red brick in part with raw gray stone. What she found inside made her skin crawl with aversion.
Endwin stood by the far wall, his hands desperately grasping at blood-stained chains that were mounted to the ceiling. He wasn't restrained as he willingly accepted his punishment at the hands of another man holding a whip, his back turned to her. Fresh welts burned red on Endwin's back, his skin torn here and there and trickling crimson. Those wounds will not heal quickly, she knew that, not when inflicted by another deity. The punisher's torso was muscled and bare, glistening with sweat and marred by multiple old scarring of his own. It looked like he'd been repeatedly whipped in the past, and in a much more severe capacity than Endwin.
"Ah here you are, my incompetent child," Anwaar smiled when he noticed her, but his face held no kindness. He was seated on a rough iron bench, with Tamika propped awkwardly on his lap. The young girl didn't look up, hiding her face in Anwaar's shoulder. She didn't want to be here or see Master's entertainment any more than Lakshmi did. The Aspect of Wealth smiled nervously and approached the God of Gods, her eyes quickly darting to another man seated on the bench near him.
"Master… and master Colus, how unexpected to see you here…" she murmured with a low bow, curiously looking at the spectators of Endwin's punishment. Colus, the God of War, was quite possibly the only person whom Anwaar considered a friend. Or at least with whom he shared some of his more private moments. Colus was older, a man in his late thirties, and about the same height as the other. An old scar ran the length of his tanned face, splitting his left brow and cutting into the cheekbone, its end hiding somewhere behind the ear. He had short black hair and hazel eyes that sparkled with excitement as he watched the whip tear into the old Aspect's flesh, his wide mouth stretched in a smile.
"Lakshmi, my dear… Come sit with us," Colus answered with a cheerful wink that gave her a shiver, "or better yet, get a head start on your own performance. You're next on our entertainment schedule, after all. Might as well step out of those clothes of yours and give Kane a hand."
She froze, afraid to look at the muscled man who delivered the punishment. She'd never seen Kane without his black cloak, never knew how truly strong he was or how his voice sounded. Kane's hand dropped limply at his side when he turned to face her, the iron mask hiding any emotion he might have shown. His black eyes seemed to give out a faint glow in the dim light of the torches. His breathing was shallow and quick but she didn't know whether it was due to the exertion or something else. He simply stared at her, the whip gripped tightly in his hesitating hand. His shoulder-long silver hair was oily and wet, clinging to his skin in untidy chunks.
"As much as I'd love to partake in this thrilling and… well-deserved… activity," she answered when she was able to get her voice under control, "I'm afraid that time is of the essence. I need to track down the child immediately if I am to correct this whole unfortunate incident."
"Oh? Do tell!" Anwaar peered at her curiously as he waved for Kane to stop his actions. He couldn't hear Lakshmi well over Endwin's exaggerated moaning. Tamika tensed and held her breath when he let go of her waist, hoping that she'd be free to leave now that Anwaar's attention was elsewhere. But Colus had other plans for her. He reached out and grabbed her wrist, drawing her to him as his hands slid under her short skirt, her young breasts and her one good horn, tracing the jagged edge of the broken one. She bit her lip and looked away, knowing that struggle would only fuel his desires.
"As you know, we're unable to track the new God herself… But Mimiko informs me that he's aware of the location where the death had occurred," Lakshmi continued dryly, trying not to look in Kane's direction or show her distress in any way. "By working together we can find and retrieve the child before any other unexpected events interfere with your will. I do require Endwin's assistance with finding some maps and a giving me a brief description of the area and its people. Do we have your permission to proceed with this plan, your Brilliance?"
"Yes yes… certainly! And take Kane with you when you go down to Emriell; he's very effective at conflict resolution," Anwaar frowned and stood up, sharing a quick understanding glance with Colus. The God of War also got to up to his feet and softly touched Anwaar's shoulder, then leaned in to whisper something into his ear. It must have been something comforting because the God of Gods smiled with the corner of his mouth and gave the other man a long hug, nodding in Tamika's direction as he gave Colus his permission to keep her. She shuddered.
"How is he? Mimiko?" She asked as she watched Lakshmi gather up Endwin's robes and cover the old man's body, his moans and pleas for forgiveness growing quieter. She knew that her little brother was in a bad way but wasn't allowed to be with him. It was a lot to take in, the struggle and suffering of another soul in his mind when he hasn't had the practice of dealing with it for such a long time.
"He's… adjusting," Lakshmi answered as she quickly glanced at the girl, Colus' large hands weighing on her shoulders. She liked Tamika; she reminded her of her younger self. "He'll be alright, and Lucatero is with him. Time heals all, you know," she said reassuringly and smiled, not about to tell her the whole truth. She didn't want Tamika to know that he was crying and asking for her repeatedly, the soul of that dead woman tearing him up within. It was unnecessary cruelty to make them both suffer.
Kane dipped his hands into a basin with water, splashing some on his chest and neck; then he dropped the whip into it, watching the liquid turn a light red color. He grabbed his tattered black cloak, wrapped it around his massive shoulders and walked out of the chamber, making sure that everyone was gone before he locked the doors. He followed Lakshmi and Endwin as she led the old man back to his room. He deliberately avoided looking Endwin in the eye and remained standing outside as he waited for her to prepare for the imminent departure. As always, he gave no indication of what was really on his mind. He was as silent as ever; he had his own way of dealing with pain, and for a good reason. Kane was the Aspect of Pain, after all, bound to Colus and required to do the God of War's bidding.
"Well then… shall we?" Lakshmi's voice pulled him out of a trance-like state as she finally emerged from Endwin's room. She looked different and Kane stared at her, making her fidget uneasily under that long grim look. She was wearing a simple long pastel-blue dress and a gray cloak, her feet clad in matching knee-high boots. Her extravagant decorations were gone save for a large heavy copper necklace that wrapped loosely around her neck and formed a semi-circle just above the cleavage. The black tattoo and piercings were also gone from her face which made her look like someone else entirely. "Oh never mind that," she waved him off when he pointed at her cheek with some confusion, "I don't want to draw extra attention, you see. This way we can pass for a middle-class traveler and her escort. One can never be too careful when entering the mortal realm… could run into some trouble like a stray Eth or… even a mage."
Kane shrugged with disgust at the mere mention of a mage. The Magi were like a thorn in a deity's side. They refused to obey the Gods' law and tried to manipulate Raya themselves, causing nothing but trouble for both sides. Kane's feelings for them were more passionate than those of the others'. He'd been captured once by a company of Magi and had to endure much worse things than simple physical pain. He wouldn't have been standing here now if Colus hadn't come for him that time.
He shrugged off the memories and followed Lakshmi to the well, releasing his black tattered wings after he'd fallen through the portal of Raya. It pained him deeply to use his wings for flight – another late gift from the Magi. Nonetheless, he matched Lakshmi's speed as she descended quickly, aiming for a small village at the foot of a visibly large mountain range called White Dirt. He thought it odd that a child of noble blood and divine power would be born here, at the edge of human civilization where no one would know she even existed. He shrugged it off and looked around as they landed some distance away from the housing among some shrubbery. His was supposed to follow orders, not think about them. That's what Lakshmi was there for.
"It looks like there's some sort of a commotion," Lakshmi stated as they came in closer, "These people are all riled up. They must be aware of the death that happened here, in which case I can get more information about the child. Maybe even find her… hopefully alive and well." It was an early wet morning and the wind was mercilessly bone-chilling, blowing about fallen leaves and white sandy soil. She shivered and snuggled into her cloak, making a mental note that there were way too many people rushing about for such unpleasant weather. A flock of children ran by them and turned the corner as they headed for the village square, and she decided to follow them to see what was going on.
Kane stayed back and found shelter on the south side of a smithy where he could be hidden from the wind. He liked the smell of freshly forged steel and the heat of the fire, the hard but rewarding work of a blacksmith. He used to be one, he reminded himself as he curiously peeked in through the barred window to see an array of newly made tools and weapons. But that was in another life. Now he was the wearer of an iron mask that hid him from the world, the Aspect of Pain that no one would ever choose to get up close to and personal.
He watched with mild curiosity as a processions of Seers made their way up the path, heading for the village square. Four blind middle-aged men following a child, they murmured something softly in time with the swaying of white lanterns on long reed-wood poles. They were dressed lightly in rough spun linen robes, with rows of black and red beads hanging loosely over the shoulders. They were barefoot and bald, as if unafraid of the cold, as if the lack of one of their senses – the sight – somehow made them impervious to other external sensations.
Kane scowled and pressed himself back against the smithy's walls, becoming one with the shadows. He hated all these newly formed exploitations of Raya. The Seers, the Magi, the Hunters – he hated them all. They answered to no one and had no regard for the Gods, no fear of divine authority. He had to tell himself over and over again that all this disorder was only temporary; that once Fate took her place among his kin that everything would go back the way it used to be.
Lakshmi came back sometime later, a grim expression on her face. She motioned for Kane to follow her and led him to small house a few blocks away from the smithy. Inside, it was just like any other room in any other one of these huts, small and dingy. But both the Aspects sensed a strong presence of Raya emanating from within.
"So it happened here…" Lakshmi whispered as she took a long deep breath, inhaling that sweet tangy scent that reminded her of home. Kane nodded. "According to the locals, the woman who died here was killed by a dangerous demon. She bore a child before she died, so at least that part of the story lines up. They were all gathered at the square where they burned her body. Also, they said that the demon took the child and disappeared in the depths of the earth… which I find a little hard to believe, don't you?"
Kane shrugged and reached for a satchel thrown over her shoulder. He pulled out a parchment with a hand-drawn map and studied it for a few minutes, then pointed at the nearest town this side of the mountain and south-west out the window.
"You reckon?" She thought for a moment, wondering what she would have done if she were the 'demon' in question. Naturally, the young man from the locals' description was not a demon; he could have been the father of the child if she didn't already know that the King Lehi was not that young. Regardless of the youth's relation to the new God, he was on the run and had no immediate means of caring for it. It was only logical to get to the closest place of safety to take care of the baby. And, according to Endwin's map, RedHot was an easy target.
"Very well, we'll head there," Lakshmi finally decided as they made their way out of the house, reluctant to leave the presence of Raya so soon. Once affected by A'Rayan, no deity could survive living in Emriell for too long – not unless they wished to retain their power and youth. "We should probably do as mortals do, travel on foot that is. They are already on full alert given the circumstances and it would be awfully inconvenient if they saw something else not of this world," she sighed, not looking forward to hours on horseback. Nevertheless, she found a horse merchant and acquired a pair of well-groomed mares, one spotted gray and one charcoal black; a sack of provisions and sleeping furs; and a set of three steel weapons at Kane's insistence which consisted of a long great sword, a double-edged bastard sword, and a dirk that he fashioned on his hip. One perk of being the Aspect of Wealth was that her pockets were never empty.
The trip to RedHot was surprisingly smooth and uneventful. They've joined with a small merchant procession a few miles in and traveled with them the rest of the way. Kane was anxious and would've preferred to make better time, but seeing as how Lakshmi was thoroughly engaged in a conversation with the merchants, he thought he'd better not disturb her. He liked it when she was happy. She laughed and chatted excitedly as they discussed inflation, current supply and demand, local prices on wool and spices and dyes and copper, and other fascinating topics of ways and means of making coin. Kane thought he might go mad with boredom. They parted ways when they reached the town and Lakshmi assured her new friends that they will stop by for a cup of tea before the road takes them elsewhere. The old trader offered them his hospitality but she refused politely, in which case he'd recommended that they stayed at the 'Drunken Mare' which was locally somewhat famous. 'It's definitely an experience', the old man said and she nodded, waved them farewell and sighed contentedly.
"Charming people, don't you think?" Lakshmi said when the merchants continued on their way down a wide cobble town road. Kane shrugged and turned in the direction of the professed pub, eager to drown the indignity of the day's conversation in a bottle of beer. "Sometimes I wish we could spend more time down here, you know? I miss this simple, uncomplicated life… I miss being in control of myself and the things that I do." He glanced at her, wondering where she was going with this. "Did you… would you have… hurt me? I mean, would you have hurt me if Master Anwaar or Colus ordered you to? Would you have drawn pleasure from it? You must do, being an expert at inflicting and receiving pain, that is. I don't judge, you know, I just… wonder, I guess. Would you enjoy the pain that came from me?"
Kane stopped his horse abruptly and Lakshmi bumped into him. He reached out and placed his hand on the back of her head, drawing their foreheads together until they touched. His breath was hot and uneven and his hand trembled slightly on her head, his fingers sliding through the black strands of her hair. He shook his head slowly, his grip tightening and drawing her face even closer until her lips brushed against the metal of his mask. She gasped silently and pulled away, embarrassed by her fear and mistrust of him, and wary of the way she felt when he was so close. She didn't want to feel that rush of excitement for anyone other than her Master…. And yet the silence of this man spoke to her louder than Anwaar's half-forgotten words of love.
"Forgive me, friend," she whispered breathlessly and looked away, her olive skin flushed and her eyes blurred with moisture. She urged her mare forward and didn't look back at Kane, feeling his gaze on her back. 'He must have thought my misgivings to be silly… silly and selfish,' she thought, shaking the odd thoughts out of her head, 'and besides, I'd be happy to endure a light whipping if it meant that he'd be in Colus' favor. Master Colus might have killed him if he'd shown any sing of disobedience, that's for sure.'
The night was drawing near when they stepped through the doors of 'The Drunken Mare' and found an empty table in a corner. Kane felt right at home here, surrounded by a mass of tipsy locals and not-too-modest wenches. Lakshmi shivered but joined him in a mug of apple cider, figuring out that she will not be bothered by potential suitors - one look at Kane's massive armed form and the iron mask warded them off. They looked around once their eyes adjusted to the hazy twilight, soon realizing that Raya was on their side. They saw a young man drinking in the opposite corner all by his lonesome, checking in now and then at a woven basket placed at his side. He rocked the basket and tucked something in, whispering gently to it. Could it be him, the Aspects wondered, the young man with the God-child? It would have been all-too-easy for Kane to just go near them, draw his sword and split that youth in half, take the basket and leave before anyone had the sense to stop them. And that's exactly what he would've done if Lakshmi didn't stop him.
"Kane, wait…" she said softly and placed a hand on his shoulder just as he stood up, "Let's make sure that we're not mistaken this time. We must learn more about this young man and his ward, don't you think? I hate to spill innocent blood when we don't have to. Look!" She pointed at another newcomer who was also curiously eyeing the black-haired youth, indecision written on his face. The stranger, too, looked out of place, what with this unusual platinum-blonde dreads and shoes not suited for work in the mines. It seemed as though he'd finally worked up the courage to talk to the young man with the baby, so Lakshmi quickly waved in his direction to let Kane know she wanted him stopped.
Kane sighed deeply but obeyed. He came up to the blonde and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, ignoring the cursing and a few punches that landed on his mask with little to no effect. The stranger moaned and nursed his fist, suddenly becoming more cooperative when he realized that it was a beautiful lady who demanded his attention.
"Well hallo there, lovely!" He said cheerfully as he shook Kane's hand off his shoulder and sat down, openly undressing Lakshmi with his bright brown eyes, "ya didna have to send yer boytoy if ya wanted me, ya know. All ya had to do was ask. I do usually ask for coin for erm… special services, but for you, m'lady, it's free of charge. It's not often that I get a two-for-one deal, beauty and the beast kind of thing… should be fun, eh?"
"Slow down, boy…" she smiled and looked him over, her fingers playing with her bottom lip as she assessed his potential, "what is your name?"
"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yers," the man answered teasingly but groaned when he earned himself a smack on the back of his head. Kane was anything but gentle. "Koren… Name's Koren!…Good Goods, must you lay yer hands on me so soon? Whatever happened to wining and dining first?"
"You think yourself a charmer, hm? A lover… not a fighter?" Lakshmi asked sweetly, gazing up at him from under thick black lashes. He grinned.
"I'm whatever ya need me to be, honey. Say a word and I'll pick a fight with any of them boys round here, just maybe not this one," Koren muttered conspicuously and pointed at Kane over his shoulder, all the while flashing a perfect white smile at the woman. She laughed gently.
"Ah I see… An easy-going man in need of some coin. How wonderful!" She reached out and touched Koren's hand, urging him to lower his head as she whispered into his ear, "I can provide you with enough coin to make it worth your while if you tell me why you're interested in that young man in the corner and his infant," Koren paled and pulled away, all flirtation gone from his eyes.
"I'll tell ya my… interest… if you tell me yours," he answered stubbornly and ducked to the side as if expecting another punishing smack from Kane. The large man didn't move and still said nothing.
"Alright, listen to me and listen carefully…" Lakshmi said in a deep, sensual voice that demanded attention, "It's none of my business why you fancy him and I won't ask for an explanation. What I want from you, charmer boy, is to do what you were already set on doing. Go talk to him. Make friends. Make more than friends, I care not. I want to know his name, who he is, what he does, and any other information no matter how insignificant it might seem to you. And… also keep your eyes and ears open when it comes to his baby. Do this for me and I'll reward you handsomely…. Refuse, and well… I can't keep my friend from snapping your neck for too long. Do we understand each other?"
Koren glared at Kane, then at Lakshmi, then back at Kane. He had no desire to play a spy for these two, but he was also pragmatic. He figured that they were not poor, far from it. The woman was well-groomed and wore a priceless necklace on her chest. It was a collage of a multitude of coins from different cultures from all over the world – Koren even recognized a few. And if her charm wasn't enough to persuade him, her companion's demeanor certainly made his decision an easy one. With a wink, Koren reached out and grabbed Lakshmi's chin, planting a quick forceful kiss on her plump lips. She gasped but allowed him this little victory, a blush tinting her lovely olive skin.
"Your wish is my command, m'lady," Koren purred loudly and this time was successful at avoiding a heavy hand aimed at his person. "But how do I know ye honor the deal, eh? A bit of payment in advance is in order, I reckon." He could have sworn that the coins just appeared in her hand out of thin air, so quick she was to dislodge a heavy pouch on the table in front of him. He wasn't all-that-sober, though, and thought nothing of that neat trick as he grabbed the payment. "Come find me in a week's time, I'll be a good lil spy for the lovely lady and tell ya all I learn." He stood up shakily and bowed, making his way to the snoozing young man in the corner.
"Oh shut up," Lakshmi hissed at Kane's disapproving glare as she watched the two men engage in what must have been quite the riveting conversation, "I know this might be a mistake but one must try and remain civil, right?" She waved him off casually and continued to keep watch, happy to be an anonymous observer. She noticed that the young black-haired man kept glancing worriedly at the stairs that led up to the rooms above the tavern, his hands twitchy on the handle of the basket. Then, just as she thought that this was going rather well, something unexpected happened.
Two town guards made an appearance and seemed to be very interested in Koren and his new friend. Nothing good could come of it if they managed to catch either one of them, Lakshmi knew that. So when the inevitable bar brawl commenced and the two men in question attempted to flee, she had to make sure that they would do so with little resistance. Kane stood up and pushed his way through the fighting crowd, grabbed the guards by their collars, one in each hand, and slapped them together like a child would do with stuffed toys. They fell to the ground with a loud thud and Kane looked back at Lakshmi over her shoulder, as if asking 'what now, dear?' She smiled and stepped over the unconscious bodies, heading for the rooms upstairs.
They soon found the one where the young man stayed earlier. Kane grabbed hold of a large satchel and emptied its contents, studying his possessions with curiosity.
"A healer…" Lakshmi commented, pointing at the various little jars and bottles with herbs and liquids, a big leather-bound tome, some spare clothing, and other knick-knacks one might expect to find in a traveler's bag. "Or… a mage, perhaps? If so, we were wise not to engage him directly. But first things, first. He will need these things if he's to care for the infant." And with that, she gathered the young man's belongings and left the tavern, Kane following her step-in-step in silent disapproval. "Now, let's track down that informant of ours and find out what he knows. We could even hand this to him to be delivered to its rightful owner," she smiled and shook the satchel playfully, earning a deep-throated sigh from her companion. He did the most foolish things for her and he knew it.
T B C
Character art available at nevaever. deviantart. com (no spaces)