Alexia's Berceuse is the inspiration behind this chapter. Just like the Ashfords, our fair lady Mileena couldn't guess what was happening right beneath her nose. Just because one acts as a servant, certainly doesn't mean they are subservient to your will.
-Rachel
Outworld was in uproar, the civil war erupting between Kahnum was tearing their very realm apart. Mileena had assaulted village after village, with absolutely no regard for her former subjects, in fact, the only 'mercy' they were shown, was her devouring their flesh and blood. Whether or not their death was instantaneous, completely depended on the individual. If they decided to do something quite foolish, such as attempt her harm, fight back against her army, yell out obscenities, then, well, they would learn of the punishment the Mad Empress could deal out. Death didn't always have to be a swift release, she could draw it out for many days, slowly bleeding her victim, allowing the hungry Tarkata to take their fill. Well, not necessarily all that they could devour, as every male could handle more than one individual in a single sitting, but it did instill fear in her many victims.
Maybe she would be nice, and maybe she wouldn't. In either case, you didn't want for Mileena to be the one you dealt with. Rain and Tanya, though they could indulge in many different brutalities and cruelties, they couldn't match that of the hybrid Empress.
"Empress, are you finished?" Tanya asked, stepping in to her tent, seeing the fresh pool of blood that had poured out from another victim. There was faded bits of the crimson liquid staining the soils around her chambers, leaving a definitive mark that most certainly wouldn't be removed from the earth. A woman slowly pleaded for her life, her lips chapped, face devoid of any colour, and certainly on death's door. Tanya would be no salvation, she didn't care who the Empress toyed with, it just meant that she was that much closer to achieving her goals.
"I suppose." Mileena was no longer interested in the woman in question, "I think it's time I find a new toy, one who still wants to live." walking past Tanya, she sent a look back to her, saying that she should follow. Upon hearing the other set of footsteps behind her, Mileena answered the question she believed Tanya pondering, "My Tarkatans are going to eat her, and you wouldn't be quite so...safe around them in a frenzy."
"The Empress is too kind." Tanya said, smirking softly as she walked beside Mileena.
Before Mileena answered to her remark, she summoned a Tarkata before her, "Go and finish the woman off, be as rough as you wish, I do ever so enjoy the cries of the 'innocent'."
"Yes, Empress." he subserviently bowed to her, before bringing two more lucky Tarkatans with him, each smirking wickedly, showing off their rows of razor sharp teeth, drawing out their blades.
Tanya watched them go, "Won't the other males be jealous?"
"Those who serve me well, are well rewarded." Mileena mused, "If jealousy inspires better servitude, then so be it. Shao Kahn demanded blood, in exchange for those who could serve him, who is to say I cannot rightfully do the same?" although she wasn't quite able to ask centaur and shokan to kill one another, the Tarkatans served her, unwaiveringly.
"Perhaps it will do just that." Tanya agreed, but how was she to contest Rain? Mileena had taken him on, saying promises of declaring him royalty, by her side, and Tanya wasn't given promises of anything, but a freed Edenia. That was the original deal, but it seemed Mileena was attempting to bargain with her former konsort. Not being one to lose, she would just have to step up her game, "Is there anything the Empress wishes to indulge in?"
"I need to speak with Kano, and being the snake that he is, I would very much like for company." Mileena said, glancing at Tanya, "Bringing Tarkatans would be far too suspicious and costly. Rain can bring you just outside of their camp, make your way to the tent that I am meeting him in, and, if you are to see any threat- kill them."
"With pleasure, Empress." Tanya bowed her head, since Mileena loved the gestures that servants gave to royals, then she would be forced to give them at any point in time. "And when shall we depart?"
"As soon as Rain returns." Mileena said, waiting somewhat impatiently for the son of Argus to return.
As if on cue, Rain materialized before both women, the son of Argus turning to Mileena, first. "Something you need, Empress?"
"It is time for us to go and meet Kano. Take Tanya outside of his camp, not too far, and make sure she isn't spotted. She'll be our secret weapon, if need be." Mileena twirled her sai, placing them within the sides of her boots.
"Understood." Rain took off with Tanya, finding them a key destination, it wasn't that far off of the camp, and well hidden enough for neither of them to be seen.
"Quite the regime you have, with Mileena." Tanya mused, walking to the edge of the small cliff they had arrived on.
"We all do what we must, in order to ensure we get what we want." Rain didn't hesitate to call her out on the same things, "Is this not true, 'Dearest Tanya'?" he asked, mimicking Mileena's tone of voice while using her 'title' for Tanya.
"Oh, I believe you know the creed all too well, 'Beloved Rain'." Tanya smirked at him, glancing at the self-proclaimed Edenian Prince out the corner of her eye. "Is it wise, to keep the Empress waiting?"
"The Empress would not be angered at I; were she to arrive late." Rain said, his tone of voice making it very clear that Tanya would be the one to take the brunt of things. He would not be the one to incur her wrath, and most certainly not take the fall for someone else.
"We shall see." Tanya wondered who would 'win' when it came to Mileena; originally, she had started out ahead, but it seemed that things were taking turns for the worse. He didn't reply to her, instead, he left her alone on the cliff.
"Trouble?" Mileena asked, wondering if he and Tanya were already assaulted. At first glance, she didn't see any signs of a fight, but it didn't stop her from worrying if her already frail 'alliance' with Kano had fallen through. Without his assistance, things would be more difficult, but, it was a minor setback.
"Just finding the prime location for her to be based in, Empress." Rain explained, kneeling before her, "Excuse my making you wait."
"Granted." Mileena raised his head to look at her, "Let us go."
Rain transported the pair of them to Kano's camp within Outworld, many of the Black Dragon 'welcoming' them. The son of Argus was on guard, knowing fully well that Kano could turn on them at a moments notice. Glancing over, he could vaguely see Tanya, using her intricate form of gymnastics to ascend down the cliff, and not allow herself to be detected. Ignoring the weapons in their faces, Rain waited for Mileena to speak of their situation.
"What is the meaning of this!?" Mileena asked, narrowing her eyes at their weapons pointed firmly at them.
"Just a precaution, Mileena." Kano laughed, making his appearance, "Considering how these 'alliances' usually turn out, ya can't really blame me for being cautious. Who was to say ya wouldn't just bring in your Tarkatan horde? 'specially with your little friend over there." he motioned to Rain, turning his attention back to Mileena, "Stand down, boys, less you wanna be stuck here without pay." at that, all of the Black Dragon lowered their weapons, their laser sights switching off. "Ya comin'?" he asked, glancing back at the pair of them, before striding off, not bothering to wait for them to follow or not. It was a business arrangement, of course they would follow him anywhere he said to go. Mileena wanted his services, and it would be done on his terms.
Once Mileena and Rain arrived within his tent, the real bargaining could come. "Despite the 'warm welcome', I'm still willing to make a deal, Kano."
"Love, I think you'd be 'willin' to make a deal regardless of the 'welcome' you got here." Kano mused, sitting in front of the former Empress and her companion, "So, what makes ya think you can afford my services? Last I checked, you don't have any of the royal treasury fundin' your rebellion." that part was perplexing, was she only stalling him? Attempting to barter with nothing to give?
"Oh, I have more then enough to bargain with, Kano." Mileena said smoothly, "Unlike Kotal, I will pay the sum we agree upon."
"Well, just to ensure my boys and I don't get stiffed, thrown into the dungeon and all around betrayed after winnin' your side of the...disagreement." he had picked that word out, carefully, not wanting to deal with a sai or two tossed his way. "Not to say I don't trust you, or anything, but I think it goes without saying, those of us who aren't on the 'goody-two-shoes' side of things tend to...betray before carrying out our ends of the deal."
Rain grew to be outraged at that statement, well, at least he conveyed that, as he spoke before Mileena could reply. "You think the Empress would go back on her word, for a moment? Such remarks should have your head on a pike."
Mileena was pleased at how he had instantly turned on the offensive for her, but she wasn't at all offended by what Kano had to say. "Yes, I am no stranger to betrayal, as you may have guessed, Kano." she said smoothly, stepping forward, leaning over the desk that stood between the three of them, "As I said before, I am not Kotal; I will pay the sum, and, in advance." she paused, "What was the original fee you agreed upon?"
"50 million." Kano said, waiting to see if the number resonated with her well.
"I'll double it, and any counter offer Kotal thinks he can give to you. I have more gold then he could ever acquire, even the remnants Shao Kahn left behind will dwindle before it." Mileena was determined to make him an ally. At least, so long as she needed him.
What she had to say placed a glint within Kano's eye, smirking at her, "Very well, I think..we can come to an arrangement."
Tanya watched Mileena and Rain interact with the Black Dragon, seeing them already at their mercy, she wondered if she'd need to step in. A fireball conjured in her hand, prepped and ready for her to toss at a moments notice. It instantly extinguished, upon seeing Kano greet them, and begin walking off. Rain's eyes had flicked to her, "Amateur." she remarked, somersaulting off the cliff, grabbing onto a tree branch, she flipped from tree to tree, until coming to the clearing. Sitting upon it, she watched them go inside the tent, which was now guarded by Black Dragon members. Would they be foolish enough to believe they could betray Mileena, without so much as a second thought? Only time would tell. Wanting to listen in on the conversation unfolding, Tanya jumped across a few more trees, hiding behind the trunk as she noticed a few eyes flicking toward the noises. Once satisfied, and they looked away, she jumped onto the roof of the tent, carefully walking along the top.
betray before carrying out our ends of the deal. Tanya heard Kano say that, bracing herself for kombat, she formed yet another fireball, "Snake." she remarked. Mileena's counter offer seemed to appeal to the leader, but even so, anything could turn at any moment, and Kano was always a tricky one.
Very well, I think..we can come to an arrangement. It seemed her services weren't actually needed, so, Tanya just decided to simply wait.
"Edenian!" glancing over, Tanya could see many laser sights pointed at her, they opened fire without second thought. Barely cartwheeling out of the way in time, Tanya burned the few fools that believed they could take her on.
"And here I thought I wasn't going to get any action." Tanya mused, smirking at the men, they were attempting to fire upon her again, so she melted their weapons with a few tosses of her flame.
"What was that!?" Mileena demanded, hearing gun fire.
"It sounds like the annoyance of betrayal." Kano didn't at all sound pleased with it. "Who'd ya bring along, Mileena?" he asked.
"An insurance policy." Mileena hissed, "Someone who wouldn't attack unless assaulted!"
Rain transported both he and Mileena outside, in time to assist Tanya.
"And here I thought I was just the third wheel." Tanya said, glancing over at the pair of them, "Glad to know I'm important enough to receive back up."
"They assaulted you!?" Mileena asked, outraged as she drew her sai.
"Without hesitance, Empress." Tanya nodded.
"Then they shall pay with their lives!" Mileena twirled her sai, nodding to Rain and Tanya, it would seem these mortals would need to learn their place. Outworld may have become their make-shift 'home', but the realm was most certainly not where they were natively from.
All individuals were surprised, as Kano's own knife embedded within one of his living Black Dragon, "Enough!" he called out, walking over and pulling the blade out of his former employee. "Ya didn't come here for this, Mileena, and I'm more then willing to let bygones be bygones, considerin' the pay you offered."
"Rain." Mileena spoke his name, before the Edenian disappeared with a nod, reappearing with many wagons filled to the brim with gold.
"Quite the bargainer." Kano mused, "Well, consider the Black Dragon at your service, Mileena. When do we begin the actual action of our plan?"
"5 years from now." Mileena said simply.
"Why the wait? We could take him on right now, get rid of the bastard." Kano was surprised at that.
"He would be expecting it. Many have already tried to assassinate him, and we will have the element of surprise when it happens." Mileena explained.
"And I suppose that I won't be hearin' from ya until the time comes?" Kano asked.
"Of course." Mileena nodded, just as Rain took her and Tanya from the camp. "Although we suffered a setback, I do believe we did well."
"Killing one of his own men..." Tanya mused.
"It proves just how expendable they are." Mileena glanced over to her tent, the Tarkatans most certainly were no longer in there, as no shrill screams of pain were heard. "I need a new toy." she said, looking expectantly to both Rain and Tanya.
"Yes, Empress." came the cumulative reply. Both shared a look, it would most certainly be a competition between the pair of them to appease Mileena and earn her favor.