Author's notes:
I'm planning to have Hurk be badass soon, whether that'll affect the reading experience i dunno yet till i've proof read. I even have a cool codename to call him by prepared.
Its been some time since i wrote some action and fight scenes. Dun worry laddies and ladies, It'll come soon enough. My writting style requires a few chapters of rest and a few for constant fighting or planning for an attack.
"What do you think, Ajay? Does this dress make me look fat?" Noore asked the most cliche wardrobe question to ever exist. She wore a crimson gown not different from the one she wore during her Arena days. Ajay was wearing a suit that Chiffon sent to his house and insisted he wear it tonight.
"Like you're ready to devour all the guys in the party." He said without much thought as he pictured a semblance between the drooling men in the arena audience with the gentlemen of the high society.
"What's with that response? Making me sound like a man-eater!" She pouted.
"Aren't you? To begin with, you already possessed looks that could kill. Anything you wear just forced multiplies." Ajay praised her in a more technical way.
"Some how I still don't like the way you phrased it. Not that you ever had interest in me to begin with." Noore chuckled in self-pity. Making Ajay really seem like the bad guy here.
Ajay turned his head to find Bhadra had also finish dressing, but she stood where she was glaring at him. Apparently she had heard their earlier conversation, and was inclined to side with Noore.
-Hey, what's with that face?-
"Say something nice." She forced him.
Ajay sighed and looked to Noore.
"You look gorgeous tonight, I bet all the nobles will be sneaking glances at you. Or be too timid to approach such a goddess of the evening."
"Why thank you, Ajay. You are simply most kind." Noore smiled contently as she raised her hand towards him for him to kiss it like she were a Marquess which by Pagan's account still was.
-You've got to be-… Arrrhhh…. Whatever!-
Ajay beckoned forward to hold and kiss the back of her slender hand. Noore giggled joyfully at his admit defeat, and it was all thanks to the power of Bhadra.
"I told him to compliment you, but not to take it too far, Noore." Bhadra let her know who she was behaving in front of.
"Urgh… Sorry." Noore bend her head remorseful.
Yes. Without them knowing, Bhadra had assumed the mantle as the head of the household. Why? Because she cooked up the delicious cooking that none of the local food vendors or restaurants could outmatch. Being so used to her cooking their meals made them dependent on her, she had domesticated them. Noore and Maya were just as obligated to letting her have her way.
To think that Amita got to eat like a king everyday from the moment Bhadra was made to cook as a chore. Ajay was now reluctant to let her go and join the Tigers or live with Pagan for that matter. It was the subtle tastes that made it rather memorable every time they ate at dinner or lunch.
"Now what about me?"
"Striking as ever, Bhadra. I hope those rich kids have their buckles tight." Ajay chuckled gave a more natural compliment this time. Noore nodded in agreement.
What made Bhadra attractive was her striking eyes that seemed to be as immerse as an ocean, it added to the indigo dress she wore with silver inlay worked into the fabric.
Bhadra smiled with satisfaction.
"No doubt about it." She replied coolly.
Ajay followed them to the SUV parked outside of their house to be escorted to the event at a very special place of Yuma's. There their escorts, the Palace Guards waited to escort them to the place. Ajay was just glad they could leave, he'd waited for them to get ready for almost a hour, but being girls that was a given he had to wait patiently. If only the palace guards could share the same sentiment when they arrived early to pick them up and waited for them just as long.
They obediently boarded the row of SUVs that escorted them to the New Year Ball at Crystal Falls. Before Ajay left, he made sure that Elina had announced to the Arsenal to close shop and enjoy the New Year with their families. Longinus had prepared a concoction of fireworks with Samar which they would release at exactly twelve. Knowing them, they'd take the mixture too far and make the night into day in the valley where they were launching from. Samar gave his assurance that it was visible from Crystal Falls so they could enjoy it as well.
"It really must be a special place, Crystal Falls. Has an almost romantic element to its name." Bhadra started a conversation on the place they were heading.
"I've only been there once, when I came with-….." Noore stopped midway as she recalled a painful past.
"Mmm?"
"Um-…. It's nothing." Bhadra didn't know what she wanted to say. Noore didn't complete the sentence, yet Ajay knew what she was referring to. She was referring to her family.
Her hands grip tightened on the hem of her evening gown as she thought about it. Ajay reached out and placed his hand upon hers.
"You're not alone on this now, Noore. Show me that its possible to forgive someone whose committed wrong against you." He whispered into her eyes careful not to let Bhadra know.
"How sure are you I won't just up and murder Pagan on the steps?" She whispered back to Ajay, careful not to let Bhadra hear as she looked out the window curiously at the beautiful sunset.
"If you did, you would have maintained that façade until the very last moment. Besides, I've come to trust you won't sully the memory of your family. You've endured for years, what's a single night in comparison. If you want to quench in some way, let him know how you feel. So he can feel guilty enough to make immediate reparations." Noore chuckled at Ajay's suggestion.
"I'm not kidding, when I said Pagan was sorry for all the shit he's done I really meant it. If you kick him in the butt during the ball he might just let it slide as well." Noore raised an eyebrow.
"Interesting….." Noore started to have ideas of venting her anger on Pagan. Ajay just shrugged his shoulders, if she really did smack him or something he'd feel a little relieved as well. Because after he went to work with Noore on procuring the various herbs and fauna he heard from Gary that Pagan threw his paperwork to Eric to sign since Eric could forge a similar signature. What a way to let him down after he staged the entire farce he was actually getting off his arse for once. Pagan was all about face and showiness in front of his subjects.
-….. Like a goddamn Peacock.-
"If you're gonna kick him, make sure you hit him really hard." Ajay double confirmed with Noore after thinking that.
"What's with you? What do you mean hit him hard?" Noore was shocked that Ajay had actually supported her on teaching Pagan a bit of manners but she figured it was well deserved some how a rather.
"In any case, I didn't think Yuma would even hand me an invitation."
Ajay still had difficulty believing the letter holding three invitations to the exclusive Crystal Falls for of course Bhadra, Noore was still a Vice-Lord so it was about giving her the face as one. But for his case, it was clear she didn't like him one bit over the course of his journey and campaign against Golden Path. He wondered what was the reason for her inviting him as well. Was it because Maya pleaded with her? It was least likely the case since she knew Ajay wasn't interested in these sort of events so why force two people to do things they were reluctant to comply with.
Or was it a trap to humiliate him in front of the high society echelons. As much as he thought about the possibility it didn't seem very like Yuma's style of doing things which was usually quick and efficient. Speaking of Maya he hadn't seen her for over a week, whatever she was doing in regards to Yuma's own missions against Golden Path he wasn't made aware. There was almost no reports from Army G2 who kept reporting her Special Deep Strike Group and Grenadier Regiments were out on maneuver exercises. It was a nicer way of saying that they couldn't tell Ajay as they've been given strict order not to.
In all likeliness, Maya was bound to be at the ball with Yuma as the host of the event in the first place. In truth, Ajay never knew what Yuma had been doing all this while. She hadn't been indulging in ancient relics like before, the status of Captain Sandesh made it clear to him she hadn't dug into the mountains and lost her sanity yet.
From Maya's descriptions, Yuma rarely spent time out of Durgesh as well. Was she a reclusive? From the behavior she showed so far it was hardly that.
"You're been thinking about something for a while now, wanna share?"
"No. It's just unnecessary thoughts I've been having for tonight that's all." Ajay replied with a smile of assurance that nothing was off.
"Ok."
"Instead, where do you picture yourself in this party? Surrounded by higher echelon nobles eager to get to know milady better perhaps." Ajay changed the subject. Noore sighed exhaustively confirming to Ajay that was exactly what happened.
"Seriously? You have my sympathy."
"Or. You could go as my escort then I'd have nothing to worry about." Noore smiled.
"Sure, I guess. I might be in a similar situation, and worse still, I don't know anyone there." Ajay scratched his head honestly.
"Why can't both of you have a little faith in yourself? Both of you are Vice-lords or have you both forgotten." Bhadra gave a :- expression.
"Even if you say that, it's not that they frighten me or anything but being around this sort of folks is troublesome. Hmmm… Why don't we just enter without making our presence known?"
"That's sounds like a plan!" Noore agreed, she was also facing the dilemma of nobles crowding around her merely for her looks and power of appointment which made her feel uncomfortable.
Bhadra sighed at these hopeless fools.
When he first entered their cell, they were filled with uncertainty concerning this burly fellow named Hurk. During Jason's exploits, they had spent most of their time isolated under Doctor Earnhardt's house upon the hill. Liza rarely found out stories from Jason after their return because of his and her trauma experienced upon the Island. His appearance stuck out like a sore thumb, partly because he was one of the few Caucasian people in Kyrat at the moment on this side of the region.
He was just as surprised to find fellow Americans imprisoned here, he had his suspicions about their identity and confirmed it with them. True enough he guessed everyone from their description except for Steven much to his displeasure and couldn't reconcile with Hurk calling him Keith.
Seeing that he guessed everyone meant he had knowledge on them from Jason. Hurk also proved he was on Rook Island at the time because of the similar tattoo on his arm to the one Jason had as he was accepted amongst the Rakyat thanks to Jason's helping hand.
Daisy brought him aside to sponge up as much of the landscape and geography Hurk knew on Kyrat. There she and the group learnt that there was more to burly baby faced man than meets the eyes. But among all other things, Hurk was an associate to Badala, the legendary Northern Demon that cause the Golden Path fighters and renegade soldiers alike to shiver their feet.
Like Jason, Badala was declared his "Tatbro" though the lord never had any tattoos to match. It was just Hurk's trademark name for his closest friends. He told them about the reason he ventured into the South was to tell Jason they weren't in the North. He never expected to be brought right where they were to be locked up and tortured.
"Can you help us?" Daisy implored.
"I'll do my best for the sake of both of them." Hurk replied.
Daisy indulged him on the plan to escape on new years eve in three nights time. Hurk carefully listened and assessed the inventory they had at hand. He added preparations to escorting all of them safely to Royal Army safe territory where he could reach Badala.
On the day of New Years Eve he went through a course of precautions in their escape with them, what to watch out for and what were the steps to take.
"There's definitely gonna be a sober guard left to watching all of the prisoners tonight, you'll need to find out which one. He's also the most likely to have access to the armory, if we can get in there I can get equipped to protect all of you on the journey."
"You?" Riley had some doubts due to Hurk's appearance that looked like he couldn't even hurt a fly.
"Have you killed anyone before, kid brother?" Hurk asked in a serious tone which surprised Riley.
"N-No. Of course not!"
"You shouldn't have to bear the weight of guilt, let me dirty my hands on your behalf since I'm already used to it."
"Y- Have you killed before, Hurk?" Riley asked wide eyed as he found it hard to believe.
"I've killed in self-defence, killed for money and for friendship even. Every time it's a whole new problem all together, more nightmare fuel added to sleepy nights." Riley stopped asking as Hurk presented it to be a consequence he wasn't ready to take.
"Hurk, I've been meaning to ask but what if Badala doesn't accept us into Royal Army controlled zones, what if he doesn't want to help us as you said when he didn't want to help Jason." Steven as pragmatic as ever wanted to confirm the worst case scenario.
"He will, I'll make him understand as many times as possible!" Hurk assured them he would do his best to convince Badala. It made them reevaluate their impression on Hurk and his reliability as a companion.
".… I'm sorry, Hurk." Said Liza apologetically.
"What for?"
"For Jason, because of him, because of us you landed yourself in this prison town as well."
"I'm here because I wanted to help, what's wrong with that?"
"Uh- Nothing?"
"Exactly. You don't need to worry your little socks off. Let me take care of all of you so that Jason no longer has to fight my friends."
"….. Alright."
Hurk spent the afternoon talking stories about what he did with Jason in Rook Island with those that listened while the rest took to resting for the long journey ahead.
As Liza listened to the trials that Jason had to overcome for their sake she couldn't help but hold her hands tightly as she listened to the story of how he went from hopeless grad student to monster in a matter of months. And all that time they were in a single focus to return back to society.
"I wasn't there when most of this stuff happened, I left once my business was done with the Rakyat. Whatever happened to Jas after he traveled to the South Island where Hoyt was is what I heard from my bud Jack who gave me a lift to India. It was a nice little yacht too, had the name of that snakehead lady from that show, clash of the titans. What was it-….? That was the second nameship he owned, although he never told me what happened to the first." Hurk's conclusion on the episode in Rook Island went in a personal direction.
"(Sigh)…. When we find Jason, we're gonna have a long talk." Daisy said exhaustively, she held a hand to her head to hold back the headache she was having. It was clear to Hurk that they were all having regrets regarding their treatment and interaction with Jason whilst remaining ignorant to what he'd been doing.
"No use blundering over it, he's not here and we're not out. When you're safe and sound you can tell him all you need to tell him but for now, rest. I can't guarantee it'll be a straight path back."
"Ok." Liza who was the only other listener lay down on the straw bed that was provided to them. Daisy also went to hers and lay down facing Hurk who was sitting against the bars.
"Hurk."
"Yes?"
"Thank you." Daisy said with a sincere beautiful smile that made Hurk's heart palpitate.
"N-No worries, as I said before I'm doing it for Badala."
"Badala must be really something that you'd go out of your way, out of a safe place all the way here to warn Jason and risk your life to bring us out."
"He is… my friend, just like Jack, Jas… Kamala. I don't pick favorites amongst them, Miss Lee….. But, that being said. If there was I was forced to pick one to save out of all of them it'll be him."
"Can I ask why?" Why was Badala, a demon in human skin so important to a man like Hurk? A person who had a kind and playful personality want to associate himself and still call himself a friend to a butcher of men and women even if they were insurrgents. Daisy had to know, she found the situation between Hurk and Badala to be an exact replica of their own situation with Jason. Only they chose the route that best served their convenience where as Hurk did his absolute best even when the stakes were high enough to cost his life. Daisy began to admire Hurk for his willingness to do what was right.
"I'm not gonna lie, I know I'm a failure."
"Um?" Daisy wasn't sure what he meant, coming this far how could he be a failure?
"In my forty years of living, there has never been a moment I truly relished than now. I've been running away from my problems almost all my live, I did try a few times to correct it. But all were met with failure, so I stopped trying and moved on thinking that was the solution to my problems, but I never grew up."
"When I settled in one place I never stayed more than a month because when I got too comfortable I'd miss the place more than i should have left. There were a few people I've known that could I could genuinely call friends but only because they were like me or they were so distant from society because of their freakish abilities that they were willing to listen to be blabber on."
"But then I came here, on a suggestion from a friend of mine. And then I met him, Badala. Fresh from a crushing victory against Golden Path in the odds of twenty hundred versus barely two hundred." Daisy had heard the rumor but didn't think it was possible.
"I know when people have ill thoughts about me, I can feel it every time I have my back turned they'd talk about me in less than optimistic remarks. But Bad's eyes and expression never once showed it, not even Jason was that tolerant of me then. It wasn't just his treatment towards me, he actually depended on me during one of his infiltration missions into Golden Path once. It was only until I entered the North did I realize the significance of it. Then I fucked up once when the Marines, then our enemies got intel out of me when I was on a drunken spur and destroyed his Arsenal-… no, everyones Arsenal. It was a commitment that took the sweat and tears from everyone that lived there and I blew it because I opened my big fat mouth. Did he punish me, yes he did. But did he lose trust I me? No. Instead he proceeded to have the Condotierri, a band of Italian mercs that joined him at the airport offensive after Solomon betrayed them, they trained and taught me how to fight. Everyone in the town held me in high regard because I was Bad's friend, it wasn't something anyone could easily call themselves given his prowess. Soon I broke my own golden rule about short term stays, I'd overstayed my welcome. But the more I thought about it the more my mind was settled in making the most important decision of my life.
I chose to stay.
But if I stayed I had to earn my keep, so when Ricardo and Stella pushed me hard I pushed myself harder in their training regime. I went to Samar's workshop to learn how to build my own craft and kit. The Condotierri were missing a sniper, so I would fill in that gap with my all. I wasn't going to let down the people that believed in me but most importantly, I wasn't going to let myself down.
And then I received the news, Jas had come but this time he was on the other side. It was the most agitating feeling I've ever had. I hoped that in the same instance that Bad's accommodated the Marines and Captain Goh, he could accommodate Jas. But I was wrong. Dead wrong. When I brought it up he began to shout back, something he rarely did as a person we knew who was always composed when dealing with military matters. It surprised all of us, not just me. But the reason he was like that was made apparent later. Jas caused the death of Kamala."
"The hero girl in that stronghold place right?"
"Yes. To me, she was one of those dear friends I have as well but to Bad's….. Although he never admits it. Bad's loved her." Daisy was surprised to hear this bit but thinking about it in that perspective it became clearer.
"How could you tell?" She asked out of curiosity, because she was once an enemy to him and was his greatest contender due to the influence she held with the people.
"Him burning down Jalendu Temple wasn't a commitment he had against tradition. It was his declaration of war against Sabal and Golden Path for letting her die. See, about a few months ago when we were in Banapur, the Golden Path hometown we encountered a young girl. To them she was their spiritual leader the Tarun Matara. I don't know the specifics to their culture but it was said that if their wasn't a King fit to rule then the Tarun Matara was automatically the next ruler of Kyrat. Sabal wanted her bad, reasons were quite obvious but he couldn't because standing in his way was his then rival Amita. "
"During our time in the Golden Path, Bad's and I met and got close to her, partly because Bad's saved her from a fire back we took her out to seek asylum in the North when a coup broke out and Sabal's goons tried to nab her from Amita's caretakers."
"I see…."
"As for Kamala, in that short three weeks the bond that Bad's formed with Kamala was something even an idiot like me could see. Perhaps he doesn't even realize it himself, but to the rest of us it was quite clear. He held affection for her."
Daisy thought about the events she heard on the radio with Hurk's account. She could recall the rage and agony in his voice that couldn't be faked, from there she could tell that Hurk's words were genuine.
"Why are you so convinced Badala will risk all of this for the friends of the person who was responsible for the death of someone he…. Knew?" Daisy just couldn't see the possibility, even she was inclined to side with the way Badala viewed Jason so why did Hurk see otherwise.
"I know he will, he just needs time to get over his anger. Because while he hates Jas and the Golden Path he hates himself more for not bringing Kamala away sooner."
"That…" She was inclined to agree with Hurk's logic now even if the odds were low. She had no choice but to put her trust in him for everyone's sake.
"I think at this rate I'll talk till the appointed time, better get some shut eye Miss Lee."
"Um, right!" Hurk closed is eyes and fell asleep rather fast, albeit snoring. Daisy was left to ponder on what she learnt. What Hurk said regarding the possibility of providing them asylum in the North till everything blew off. It made sense.
-But to despise himself more than the real perpetrators meant that beneath that cruel exterior there was still something human underneath.-
Daisy began to think.
In a similar situation, what would she have done?
The convoy went through a series of snaking paths up the hill and at the top was the gates to Crystal Falls mansion. The private abode and function area to Yuma Lau, why she ever built such a place was contrast to her personality. Or perhaps Ajay was had not fully understood her even if he'd been tortured by her for weeks in Durgesh in the previous timeline.
In the back drop of the exquisite mansion was a cascading waterfall that had the most mesmerizing view under the remaining sunlight of the evening. Hence, aptly named Crystal Falls.
"Where the hell did she find this place?" Ajay said under his breath.
They weren't the only ones to arrive by transport, there were well-dressed individuals walking up the steps towards the gate where some of the Palace Guards were waiting to receive their written invitations.
"Let's go already, Badala!" Bhadra said excitedly as she went ahead of them up the steps to the grand gate where the guards checked their identities of the guests. She was quite nimble on her feet despite wearing heels that Noore lent her.
"Give us a second, we're earlier than the appointed time so there's no need to rush." Noore reminded her but she fell to deafen ears as all Bhadra wanted to do was meet with Yuma. Ajay hadn't been around to know what Bhadra did during her free time but it was mentioned by Noore that on the weekends Yuma had come all the way down the mountains from Durgesh just to have tea with Yuma at the Homestead. Ajay wasn't aware because weekends was a working day for him as well, he only took breaks when he felt like it and not routinely.
With the kind of unparallel skill in the kitchen that Bhadra possessed, it was no wonder Yuma made it a must to come every week. Ajay had no word for what type of relation to categorize them in, it was something akin to a goddaughter and godmother perhaps.
Ajay and Noore took awhile to catch up to Bhadra who waited in the line of guest to enter the mansion through the gate.
Ajay had to admit, there was a lot of guest coming to the new year ball Yuma hosted. They definitely weren't just well off citizens either, just from the clothing alone their wealth could be portrayed. All of them spared no expense in getting an invitation from Yuma it seems, but to them it was a worthy investment. Because gathered here tonight were one of the most powerful individuals of the Kyrati Kingdom that included King Min. This meant connections, getting hooked up with the right crowd. Wealthy traders offering their wares and higher up nobles buying them off of them. Or it could be even as simple as owing a favor for a deed done.
Bhadra insisted they cut the queue for likeliness of the front desk recognizing their persons, Ajay answered her insistence with silence this once with Noore inclining to agree with him. They both wanted to spend the least amount of time within Crystal Falls. Bhadra took to not talking to them for the entire time they were waiting.
"Well I'll be, never thought I'd see the day Mistress Yuma would allow commoners in through the front doors." An extremely rude comment was spoken for all lining to intentionally hear.
"Who is that bastard?" A merchant spoke quietly to his companion.
"Shhhh… It's Old Hamal's second son, Jeevan Hamal." A decorated soldier told them.
"What? I thought he only had one."
"Didn't you hear? That was to his legal wife, this one was apparent born out of wedlock from his mistress."
"Then what's there to worry, he's only a second heir."
"(Sigh) You must have not been there when they announced, the elder one Sugun died in combat over in Banapur where the Golden Path terrorists' reside."
"Quiet or the Hamals' will hear you and send you to their dungeon."
"You have to really push your boundaries do you, Jeevan." The last remaining heir wasn't alone, accompanying him was a gorgeous escort in a vibrant regal purple evening gown. Although, in comparison to the young heirs age which was around eighteen the woman's age was evidently in her late twenties and older than Ajay but the way she conducted herself was similar to a lady. She apparently in a high position within their dysfunctional family than the heir for the moment.
Ajay listened to the gossips from the nearby nobles and wealthy merchants. It seemed that this fella was Sugun's half-brother and since the parasite was killed by yours truly, this second son stood an almost clear chance at inheriting whatever former General Hamal left for the next head of their family.
Hamal's kid walked ahead of his family member and passed all those who were lining, making it so he was cutting the queue. All of the people that lined glared at him with dissatisfaction but it only served to make him chuckle more evilly.
"What are you lot staring at, who asked you to be born plebes!" Jeevan laughed madly. Now Ajay was starting to think he was too full of himself just for being first in line for succession and taking it too far.
-Whatever, he'll only serve to pull down an already collapsing house. It has nothing to do with me any longer.-
"I take back what I said about cutting queue, if it makes me no better than this piece of trash I'd rather follow the line." Bhadra said to his ear.
".…"
Jeevan walked triumphantly up the steps and was on his way to the front desk to have the guards move aside from him when his eyes landed on the young girl with captivating eyes, though not looking in his direction the glint was shining at him. His soul felt like it was being dragged into a pleasant state of calmness. She also had striking features, a beautiful face and slender form fitting into an indigo dress.
All thoughts went to the girl…
-I must have her.-
And acquiring her.
"Hey there! Yes, you! Have you ever had the pleasure of serving a Viscount?" As he said these absurd words to Bhadra in the presence of Ajay, Noore and his female acquaintance. Bhadra frowned at his rude words and turned away to look in her friends' direction.
Being denied something for the first time since his ascension from second son to heir was something he couldn't accept. His female acquaintance sighed with her hand to her forehead and walked forward to apologize and bring this fool away. But then-
"Repeat what you just said again…. I dare you." A chilling voice fell down upon them.
It wasn't just Jeevan, it was everyone within the proximity of them that could hear the voice immediately felt a frigid cold hand wrap around their heart and froze them in place. The next words Jeevan wanted to say to rebuke the audacious fellow who dared to call him out refused to come out due to natural fear of receiving full retribution for answering back.
He looked to the source of where he last heard the voice come from. The in front of the stunningly beauty of a young adult girl stood a man with dashing features that made Jeevan feel inferior in looks. Where the man wore high quality garments that weren't showy whereas Jeevan's was all about appearance, glossy polished black. It added to the feeling that he was outclassed by the man.
But Jeevan refused to believe that in spite of all this that man could possibly be of the same pedigree as him, a man of noble birth though half only but still one. So he would use that to his advantage and suppress this cretin to make sure he knew his place.
Jeevan's initially distorted expression reformed into a calm look with a disdainful smile at said man.
"Putting up airs in front of your escort, quite admirable. But foolish, I wonder if you have the guts to tell me your name so I may pay a visit to your outfit and perhaps have my men take a look at it." He threatened him with assault.
The man snorted and turned to the guards by the gate and handed them his groups invitations. Seeing the man ignore him caused all of his calmness to fade from his face.
"Look at me when I'm talking, filth!" He roared at him infuriated.
The man didn't bother to turn around to speak.
"(Sigh) And here I thought Sugun was an exception. I guess this trait runs in the family, one of these days it's bound to land you into a pickle just like it did to your dead fool of a brother."
"I AM NOT THAT PIECE OF FILTH! I AM JEEVAN!" Jeevan burst into anger from being compared with his cruel elder brother that mistreated him and his mother in the past.
"Then you're a fool."
"You!-…."
The guard ignored the dispute and read the names upon the invitation one by one.
"Miss Bhadra Rishal, our Mistress has informed us of your imminent arrival, she awaits you in the balcony." The guards attitude changed as he acknowledged how important Bhadra was on the list that fell under the VIP category.
"Mnn!" Bhadra nodded.
"Wha-!" Jeevan couldn't believe what he heard.
"The two of you, escort her to the quickest route to Mistresses quarters!"
""Yes, Sir!"" The two guards on standby saluted and led the way for Bhadra. She made a glance to Ajay which said it all.
-Destroy this brat!-
Ajay chuckled at her display to him, even Bhadra had her limits and this was one such limit that shouldn't have been crossed.
The youth's mouth gaped to the shock of the young girls status to be granted immediate audience with Duchess Lau, even his father couldn't arrange a meeting like that. She was truly of no ordinary background and now he had gotten on her bad graces where she could report his misconduct to Duchess Lau directly. Jeevan gulped and prayed it wouldn't happen as even his father couldn't get him out of this situation.
There, Ajay and Noore were snickering away at the look on his face, even his acquaintance was stunned for a while due to Bhadra's hidden status. It also meant they had to submit an explanation to her for his actions, an apology was in order.
"Quit your obnoxious laughing!"
"You can't tell someone not to laugh at something that so hilarious it'll break their funny bone kid!" Ajay was hardly angry now as it was a waste of energy to get angry at a kids vicious rants.
"Next up is-….. M-Milady Najjar! Forgive my humble self for not noticing you sooner!" The crowd begun to whisper as another big shot was in the line with the rest.
This time Jeevan's face dropped when he heard the surname that was unmistakably that of Marquess Noore Najjar the Vice-Lord of Shanath.
"Please let me through quickly out of this fools sight."
"Uh- Y-Yes, Milady! Quickly attend to Lady Najjar!" The attendant guard dispatched double the previous amount to escort her into the mansion.
"Ha! The look on your face is priceless every time someone with bigger status passes by! If I had a higher rank than dear Noore then would you start melting into the ground with shame?" Ajay said chuckling, the crowd couldn't help but snicker at his words and laughed together in silence.
Jeevan couldn't help but boil in rage but couldn't do anything, this bastard had shamed him right in front of the doorstep of Duchess Lau's mansion in front of a crowd. If he didn't get back at this lowly serf some way his anger wouldn't be cooled.
Ajay could see the pattern of his next move before this brat even thought it and turned to the guard.
"I'd advise you to keep him out of the ball in case he embarrasses himself again, then he'll truly be in a world of hurt not by me but Yuma herself."
"Ah- Yes! I think we've seen enough action for one night Mister um…. hang on a second, let me open the envelop and there we g-…" The guard turned paled upon seeing the name that was written on Ajay's invitation letter and was scared to look up.
"Is everything alright, soldier?"
"That's the look of you being denied entry for tonight, I guess even a falsified invitation can't get you far, what were you hoping. That if you mixed with powerful individuals you'd get a free pass? Hahahaha!" Jeevan's laugh was malicious, the crowd suddenly sympathized with Ajay for his dubious background although he had been brave enough to challenge that horrible person.
(PACK) The sound of a slap against very soft flesh was heard by those at the line.
Jeevan fell to the floor with a red face. Shocked by the actions of the attendant guard had dared to lay a hand on him an heir to a Viscount's nobility.
"The words you've said go beyond your boundary, son of Hamal." The guards' glares burned at him with sworn.
"The hell do you think you are?! I am your future Commander!"
" We are the Royal Guard of Yuma Lau and our Commander is Duchess Lau, our charge was never to Sugun Hamal or General Hamal for that matter. But today your misconduct has gone too far! You've insulted the guest of our Mistress, you scowl Marquess Najjar who is of higher nobility that you or your Father. But worst of all, you consistently denied the grace that Marquis Badala had given you and chose to continue to berate him. Our Mistress will hear of this!"
When that name left the guard's mouth, Jeevan turned pale and looked around. Trying to find where the Vice-Lord of the Valley was to beg forgiveness. He was looking in the wrong directions as the person in question was right in front of him.
"Men, take this incompetent fool away from the gate. And tear his invitation!" The men went into position to remove him from the premise when Ajay held out a hand.
"Wait." He said and in an instant the guards stopped at his command.
"Yes, Milord?"
It was then that Jeevan realized who the guards were refering to when they said Badala's name. The man who he directed all his rage against was the very individual that had been the talk of legends and fear amongst the House of Hamal being his opposition once.
"I don't think it's appropriate to do that without authorization from Yuma."
The guard realized he was too taken to impulse and had nearly forgotten his duty. The invitations were handwritten by their Mistress and to tear a written order from her was equivalent to treason. The guard wiped the sweat of his brow.
"I thank your lord for reminding me."
"Also this dispute between me and the kid shouldn't concern you or your Mistress. It's best not to bother her over such trivial matters, you can let him through it wouldn't matter to me."
"I- I understand, Lord! I will do as you say."
"Good man, if you don't mind I'll walk in myself if it isn't to difficult for you."
"But of course! Please Milord, I apologize for delaying you this long!"
Ajay walked through the gates and stopped halfway and turned back.
"Hey, kid!"
"Y-Yes!….M-Milord!" He said with a shaky voice. The escort of his stood helpless to lend him aid when he most needed it, then again she neglected to pull him away when he was making such a scene so in Ajay's books she was almost as bad as he was. She was wearing the same shocked face of disbelieve as the kid was, although she had yet to recover.
"You haven't answered my first reply to you. Repeat what you just said to Bhadra."
Thunder flashed through Jeevan's mind, he could hear the dead ringer bells chime as we speak. He tried to mouth words of apology but the words failed to form. Instead his escort went on her knees to kowtow on his behalf.
"Please forgive this foolish brats transgressions against your lordship! He's but a young adolescent brat who doesn't understand the ways of aristocracy!" She said with emotion and without fear of shame before the crowd for causing a scene. It made Ajay reevaluate her all together, perhaps she was just too stunned to move from the events that transpired one after another. If he was going to let it go it was because of this woman's earnestly.
"Hardly the excuse to not speak or conduct one's self like a proper human being, wouldn't you agree?"
"Uh!-….." The woman was too shocked to say anything as Ajay was stating words that weren't wrong in their analysis.
"But it's as you say, I shouldn't get to blundered by a brat. Please stop kneeling."
"Th-Then-…!" She thought Ajay would forgive him. Ajay walked away towards the mansion where he was waited upon by Noore and Bhadra but turned behind once more to say a last word to the kid..
"Does it make you feel proud? To make a woman kneel on behalf of your mistakes, kid?" He directed those words to Jeevan as he left.
Jeevan lowered his head in shame and humiliation, gritting his teeth in frustration. As Ajay had proposed, the guard let them through, albeit glaring at him whilst he scanned their invitations. The escort received the invitations back and held Jeevan's hand as they walked up to the mansion where they would try at every possibility to avoid Marquis Badala, or what House Hamal affectionately call the Northern Demon.
The crowd got to witness something interesting while barely even entering Crystal Falls compounds. On the following day, they would spread the news of Badala's age and appearance. But most of all they wanted to portray him as the hero of the common people whom he conducted himself as and stood up against the class.
The loud music blared loudly throughout what was the City of Pain. Men were indulging in the kegs of booze, the mountain of cocaine and the female prisoners who were unfortunate to attend to their libido for the longest night of their lives.
"Hey! Hey, Guard! Hey! Hey! Hey, Guard! Guard!-" Called out one "annoying Riley".
"What! What! What is it?! Damn brat!" The sober Guard happened to make his routine stop at their cell to check their conditions.
"Must be a real pity, I mean everyone's drunk as hell and your the only one sober. Pity!" Riley antagonized the guard.
"Don't make me come in there! You'd piss your pants on what I might do to you."
"Do I hear a chicken? BuckBwakBwakka!"
"Mmmm… I guess I could bruise you and the ladies up a bit and De Pleur wouldn't even know the difference." The Guard knew they couldn't fight back as it was stated by the file reports on them.
The Guard locked himself within the cell with the group and Riley who was now backed into a corner.
"I'm gonna enjoy this, very much. And after I'm done perhaps I'll enjoy your lady friends undisturbed or rather you'll be watching. Hehe!" He let out a perverted smirk at the girls who were back against the corner.
"Hey! Hey guard!-."
"Geez, you are annoying!" The guard swung his baton had struck Riley in the gut, flattening him against the floor. He proceeded to pick Riley by the neck, throttling him against the walls of the cell, confident there would be no retaliation from the other members of the cell as they were all foreign civilians who'd never even touched a gun or knife.
"Knife." Riley finished his sentence.
"Knife? Gurrgghh!" Blood oozed from his mouth from the trauma of a table knife impaled in his throat.
"That's right, knife." Hurk stabbed the knife which Daisy had snuck away from Sabal's villa. The guard fell slumped against the cold hard floor.
The group were left wide eyed at the corpse that lay there motionless due to their plan. Despite not directly responsible for the guards death they had organised it for their escape. Hurk was the only one that wasn't in a state of stupor as he took a kneel and searched the pockets of the guard for the anything to use besides his weapons that were detailed to him.
Hurk smiled as his fingers came into contact with something important in the dead man's pockets.
"Looks like we're in luck, he had the armory key."
Author's thoughts:
(The Annoying Riley) "Hey! Hey, Guard! Hey! Hey! Hey, Guard! Guard!-"
(Guard) "Shut up!"
(The Annoying Riley) "Hey, Guard! Why you so sour? Nahahaaha!"
(Guard) "Fuck off!"
(The Annoying Riley) "Hey! Hey, Guard!"
(Guard) "Like hell if I fall for that trick twice! (Bang)
(The Annoying Riley)(Dies)
Moral of the story:
Don't be annoying.
