Author's Notes:
I figured since Ajay was at the ball with all the nobles he might want to gain allies first for the coming conflicts. This chapter wouldn't cover Hurk just yet but one of Ajay's most important coming Allies. Mohan's Devas aren't something I'll make easy for him to handle alone or with the help of the people he has at hand.
So Trump got elected. Good for 'Murica, no good for Australia especially. The Aussie dollar will rise and our trade falls because of this and the stock markets reaction to this. Wonder how Hillary's gonna handle this, will she show her face after this?
Update from 07/2017:
What a fucking mistake that turned out to be.
That night in the City of Pain was all about debauchery, over-indulgence in alcohol and substances. Although it was only consumed by one party which was the renegade soldiers of the City. Shadows lurked in the dark corners quickly and out of the spotlights that shone around like crazy not surveying the compound but adding to the party mood of the drunk and intoxicated soldiers. Taking the lead amongst the shadows was Hurk who took point. Hurk had instructed them to maintain a low silhouette throughout their time in the City with him until they were safely outside.
They had spent a good fifteen minutes mazing through the streets and corridors patiently and silently. And it paid off, they had reached the destination they had intended. The Armory, where the weapons were the only things that were needed for the journey that were inside. Hurk slid the key into the keyhole and twisted to unlock with a minimum amount of sound.
He opened the door and looked inside for a while but the place was dark and empty, he then waved the rest to enter.
"Pheew! That may've just been crawling but I worked up sweat just from that." Huffed Oliver ever honestly.
"Then take a rest, we'll start searching for the necessary items." Daisy told him and turned to the stacked crates. But Hurk was already one step ahead and placed a crate containing rations in front of her.
"Pack some, we'll be out in the wild for at tops three days." He said before opening the gate to the weapons cache.
"Ah- I'll help you out, Hurk!" Riley offered as he saw that Liza was helping Daisy sort through the rations into bags for each of them, Steve was searching through the armskort office for topographic maps and a compass in the desk drawers.
Hurk pulled the sack from the drawer and placed it on the table. "Take the rifle magazines in the crate and stash'em as many as you can. Make sure you get only the ones that look like these." He held up the metal 5.56x45mm STANAG magazines for Riley to use as reference.
"Will you teach us to shoot, Hurk?"
"Maybe later, for now lets prioritize escape over everything else. And we'd better hurry."
"Ok!" Riley went to work.
"As in double it! I don't know for how long till Sabal pays a visit." Upon the mention of Sabal all the faces turned to Hurk in fear and shock.
"That-... That's not possible, why would he come?! W-What makes you think he'll come?" Liza was the most frightened of Sabal and didn't wnat to accept it.
"..." Daisy had already foreseen this happening but wasn't to sure until Hurk shared her opinion too and announced it to them.
"Don't mean to make you uncomfortable but its New Year, even the Golden Path celebrate as well. My guess is that Sabal will find his own way to entertain himself, from the stories you've been telling me. There's a chance he'll come around nighttime to pay you both a visit."
Liza started to speed up her pace to quicken their time here and didn't slow until Daisy put her hands on hers and tried her best to assure her friend.
"Hey, girl! It's gonna be alright, we're just halfway till the end, just persevere a bit more and we'll be home-free! I promise you that nothing will happen to you in the mean time."
"...Ok."
"Found it!" Steven declared excitedly behind the desk as he found something of importance.
"The compass?"
"Even better!" He held up a GPS which he turned on to show them it worked.
"Make sure you find a compass and map just in case, Steve."
"Already on it!" He went back to searching diligently.
Hurk piled up some refurbished M16 rifles on the table for them to use, he found the armory to have a wide assortment of firearms without consistency in just one type of rifle so finding four of the same weapons was difficult. Apparently the renegades and Golden Path were on desperate measures to scrounge up any weapon they could find or loot from the Royal Army patrols and convoys. Most of it was from Solomon who had it brought via Pakistan.
"You guys know how to use the good old M16?" Hurk asked them, but he received replies in the form of shaking heads.
"I know a bit! Grant used to take us to the Army open houses when we were just kids. He did show us how to operate it once if I could remember all the drills-..."
"No need, if you know how to shoot and reload that's enough." Hurk handed the rifle to Riley.
"I'm not expecting you to fight but in the event we're forced into a desperate situation, you could at least provide them with some form of protection. Counting on you, Kid Brother!" He patted Riley on the shoulder. Daisy was a little anxious that Hurk had placed a gun in Riley's hands but relaxed when he said it was just for contingency sake.
Hurk went through the racks of weapons that were available to them until his eyes landed on a rifle lying on the work bench. He turned on the lamp on the table to have a look at the rifle that was obscured by the darkness but careful enough the light wasn't seen from outside.
Sitting on the stand was an M110 sniper rifle. Hurk of course recognized it from pictures but never seen it for real and now it was sitting in front of him begging to be taken away. He reached out and picked up the precision rifle and inspected the condition of the rifle. Strange as it was to see such a weapon in a place like this, but then the Golden Path had Willis and Solomon on their side. Sourcing equipment that shouldn't even be here and according to Captain Goh was taken from US armories and depots. How the logistics would miss these quantities of weapons was a mystery all together. The M110 sniper system as it was call happen to have a thermal optic attached to the end of the rail and aligned to the scope that was also mounted. Rather useful now that it was nighttime. A suppressor can was screwed on the the end of the threaded barrel for silent action. There were a lot of questions on Hurk's head like who was the end user of this gun, it seemed specially calibrated for someone and who was the Armorer who adjusted it. But now it no longer mattered.
Because it was now his.
"I couldn't ask for a better weapon right now." He said smiling as he picked up a magazine of subsonic rounds and loaded it. While the suppressor couldn't mask the report entirely and only the shot. The loud blasting music that played throughout the City would mix with whatever audible sound came from the end of his muzzle. So he'd remain perfectly stealth throughout the period they were here.
*Madarchod! This party was suppose to be over an hour ago!* An intendant announced over the PA.
*Nobody's got this shit cleaned up, move it!*
*If this shit isn't cleaned up by morning you have to answer to De Pleur personally!*
"Looks like we've overstayed our welcome." Hurk exclaimed as he came out of the Armory equipped with body armor and a combat harness, slung behind his shoulders was his new rifle. All of his former gear had been confiscated by Sabal and the Golden Path fighters but the new additions more than made up for it.
"You look ready." Riley told him from Hurk's appearance.
"Some of the stuff in the Armories given me more options to chose from. There'll be a change of plans. I'll be separating from your group and covering your departure first."
"W-What'll you be doing then?" Daisy asked.
"I'll take the high ground, keep you briefed on the road ahead and clear it for you. Once you're all out, I'll create a diversion." Hurk tossed a radio he had finished adjusting to use a private two-way channel between the set he had on him and the one that Daisy received.
"Alright, is everyone ready?" Daisy double-checked with everyone after she zipped the bags.
"Got the map and compass!" Steven finished his objective.
""Ready!"" Said Riley and Liza.
"(Yawn) 'sit time to go?" Oliver stretched from his power nap.
They slung their newly acquired items for their journey.
"Right, Let's get out of this hellhole!"
Ajay treasured that moment of quiet before reaching the entrance to the mansion lobby where the guards standing by each of the doors opened it for him.
"Greetings, sir. Would you require a herald?" The butler asked, what he probably meant was if Ajay wanted him to announce his arrival.
"No need. Thank you for asking." The butler nodded and went back to his post.
"Care for champagne, sir?" Immediately, Ajay received service upon entry for waiters holding condiments and refreshments.
"No, thank you." Ajay responded, the last thing he needed right now was to get tipsy in an unfamiliar place.
He looked around for Bhadra or perhaps Noore. But they were nowhere to be found, so he settled for loitering around through the crowded lobby and many corridors looking for familiar faces.
He so happened to chance upon the exit to the back garden which was dominated by a central fountain in the courtyard. Yuma's place was unlike anything he'd ever seen in Kyrat, it was something more akin to a palace than a manor. It was no wonder that Yuma's mansion was such a prestigious place to host an annual party. Having a European theme to its design as well, and all this while Yuma spent her time in the Fortress like Durgesh instead of a comfy and luxurious estate such as this.
Ajay found himself drawn to the fountains mesmerizing artistry, its intricate engraved stone that said all about its craftsmanship and time taken to build.
"You have my condolences, old friend." Ajay heard a familiar voice behind the row of bushes.
"I'll eventually overcome my grief one of these days, for now. I'll have to concentrate on developing the other young fellow, the weigh of House Hamal will fall onto him to manage in my absence. Can I count on you to nurture the young lad, Arjun?"
"Of course, I'll make sure he turns out to be a gentlemen that will make his old man proud as rain." Ajay found it to be the General speaking to an elderly gentlemen whom he seemed to have an acquaintance with for a long time.
Ajay wanted to walk away to leave them to talk with one another but then.
"Ah! Fancy seeing you here, Milord!" Arjun called out, making his departure less convenient. Ajay turned around and waved as he greeted him.
"Calling me Lord when it suits you, general? It should just stay as Badala like it always has." Ajay responded back to Arjun.
"Uh- I Yes! Of course!"
"I don't believe we've had the pleasure, Raghu Hamal at your service milord."
"Badala will do, General."
"Former General, milord. And I would like to apologize on behalf of my house for the transgression my poor faulted son had put you through early during your campaigns. I had spoilt him rotten early in his life because he was the last living legacy between me and my beloved first wife." He said with earnesty, Ajay could tell from a glance he was genuinely sorry. From his voice to his gesturing to the motion of his body, all showed him that old man Raghu was a humble man, in contrast to his departed son.
"You have my sympathies, sir." Ajay bowed.
"It is quite alright, I didn't mean to foul the mood for us here. Besides, I'm hoping the next one doesn't make the same mistakes in the near future. I only hope I'll be around long enough to know he is truly alright."
"You have another son, general?" Ajay asked for the sake of asking but already knew who the fella was. It was the brat he met at the gate entrance.
"A young man with a steady set of shoulders to carry our family burden. He's currently at military age, I was hoping Arjun could take him under his tutelage to train to be a proper soldier."
Ajay took a moment to exchange a glance with Arjun who smiled awkwardly. Being Arjun's intern meant succeeding him and therefore it was clear that it was nepotism at play here currently.
"So what was Marshal Roka's response?"
"Well I've yet to receive one, how about it Arjun. Could you help an old friend out?" The old man chuckled. If it was before, Arjun would gladly accept and shove the kid in some desk job. But with Ajay around to witness this scandal taking place, he felt slightly shameful in Ajay's presence.
"I'm a little curious, if I may General." Ajay asked Raghu.
"Yes, Lord Badala?"
"Do you intend to have your son take an active military role where he'd be sent out into the field to fight with the Golden Path upon graduating or will it be a position safely behind the confines of the Royal Fortress?"
"Uh- If possible, behind the lines. I've already offered up one son for Kyrat, this one is the only one i have left. If you would understand Milord."
"I see. Although forgive me for eavesdropping on you earlier but i heard the Marshal promise to make your son an exemplimary example among officers within the Royal Army, no?"
"That is correct, milord."
"From personal experience, I don't think your son would achieve much in the reserve, much less within a desk job. It doesn't suit him."
"May I ask your lordship why?"
"Isn't he a scion of House Hamal. Doesn't he possess the blood of a warrior family in his veins?"
"Of course he does! Forgive my bluntness!" Raghu suddenly got worked up.
"Then I think he's unsuited for the desk. His very nature is on the battlefield, as his father before him and his late brother. As for his survival, it comes down to his competence in his craft. His intellect and of course his prowess in combat. He'll be leading men, I'm sure of it so he would need to be at least three times as strong and intelligent than the men he leads. Again, this would boil down to his aptitude in learning and a willingness to understand the nature of war."
"Yes! Yes! What his lordship says is exactly correct!"
"So I have a proposition."
"Oh? Please enlighten this old one's thoughts, milord."
Arjun was surprised at Ajay's interaction with the father of the man he killed. He was shuddering internally at Ajay's ability to hide emotions.
"Let me take him under my wing."
(Glass breaking)
Arjun dropped his glass of champagne to Ajay's proposal. He had no clue what Ajay was getting on about.
"You, milord? Forgive me for asking." Ajay nodded.
"With me, they'll be no shortage of combat missions. Something to build on his understanding of warfare as well as help him earn recognition early in his age for participating in some of the engagements against Golden Path would do him some good."
"I-...uh-..." As reluctant as Raghu seemed, the Vice-Lord was offering his son a once in a lifetime opportunity compared to Arjun.
"I don't mean to brag but as of now, I still haven't sustained significant combat loss. Your son would be as safe as he was in the Royal Fortress but playing an active role in the field. While i won't say he's one hundred percent safe, no combat vocation can. But at very least I'll know when to pull him back if the heat is too much."
"C-Can I leave him in his Lordships hands then?"
"Of course, if you would give me the honors!" Ajay said with an assuring smile.
"You have my gratitude, milord! If there is anything you require of us, House Hamal will do their best to fulfill it!" Raghu patted his proud chest.
"I might keep a rain-check on that, General."
"Raghu, please milord!" Raghu corrected Ajay.
"Only if you call me Badala then."
"Then I shall, Badala. Once again thank you for undertaking this duty of teaching this young sproutling. I'll go find the little rascal to let you have a preview of what you have to work with then, he should be somewhere nearby." Raghu waddled off with his walking stick to look for the poor boy.
"What are you trying to do, Badala?!" Arjun asked impatiently once Raghu was out of sight.
"Ever heard the phrase, Keep your friends close, Keep your enemies closer." Ajay said looking in the direction of where Raghu left.
-This boy!-
Arjun felt Ajay was too cunning and devious for his stomach to handle.
"With this, the Hamal family is no longer my enemy but my good friend that'll support my actions as they would their heir apparent."
"... But at the same time, holding their heir hostage?" Arjun tried to complete the sentence to what he interpreted Ajay's actions implied but-
"Geez, Arjun. Not everything has to be so cynical! I meant everything I said to old man Hamal. I'm currently short on friends in high places in Kyrat, the Hamal's are a good place to start."
-Too scary!- Arjun could see that with a few simple polite words he turned his biggest opposition into his ally, how scary was that?
"That Raghu, he's a lot smarter than he makes everyone believe." Ajay's comment gave Arjun quite a surprise. Meeting him for the first time, he could already tell whereas it took years of working together to realize this.
"How could you tell-?"
"He was the former Chief of the Royal Guard, how could he not be scheming. Especially with an idiot like Sugun succeeding him. He made sure to erase all his enemies from the playing table before Sugun settled into that post."
"..."
"Perhaps it's the situation his dumbass first son, Sugun put the present family in that made him adopt a submissive vulnerable old man persona."
"Sometimes you say the scariest things."
"In any case, he played along. Beggars can't be chosers, and if the biggest rival is willing to reconcile at the families weakest time period, its a godsend."
Arjun now realized that their was an internal delegation going on between the two of them without him realizing. He realized when Raghu tried to plead with Arjun to take his son under his wing he was being a little too earnest in his friendship with others.
"So-.."
"We were making peace with one another, only because our interests coincide."
"Interests?"
"I want connections to the High Society, the more financial supporters for the S-Program and civil matters the better. He wants to ensure the families continued existence against rising houses and firmness in high military position. Who better to entrust their greatest pride in tutelage than the fabled Northern Demon of Kyrat."
"Do you want my job instead?" Ajay was a political genius. But then again, why was he so surprised? He'd done the same with the Mukti Tigers months ago, then he even managed to bring the mountain savages, the Hun tribe into submission. Ajay's mouth was more deadly than his blade swings.
"Why? You're doing perfectly well, Arjun! In just two months from receiving full control over the de-facto Royal Guard army you actually merged them fully into the Royal Army. Guess the Marshal of Kyrat title isn't for show, isn't it!" Ajay laughed.
"You had this all planned out from the start didn't you?"
"Ha! Hardly." Ajay replied honestly. "I'm not that good, it just seemed you gave me the right opportunity to speak to him that's all."
-And you worked with just that?!-
Arjun never thought of that when he called Ajay over, he was merely giving compliments to Ajay's title as Marquis. And just like that, Ajay used the options available to him.
Arjun was now starting to feel that Manisha was right about Badala, he knew very little in comparison to his Daughter. Not everything with Badala was blood and gore, the arsenal and the newly built and bustling town following it was the best example of that. It was no wonder, the King placed such high regard and favor upon Badala, but the most disgruntling thing about Badala was the absence of his history. Only the King seemed to have information on that.
Manisha's words begun to take root in him, "Don't interfere with our daughter's personal life." She warned him, as reluctant as he was to open his mouth to tell him to stay away from Saraswati.
"What do you think of our daughter, Badala?"
"Hmmm? That's pretty random, but whatever. You should be proud of her, she's come this far on her own. The first woman Major in the history of Kyrat, that's something you can brag about to your colleagues."
"I meant as a woman." Ajay squinted his eyes at Arjun.
"Why? Are you trying to matchmake me Arjun?" Ajay chuckled.
"No I-... Just want your opinion on Saraswati... That's all." He said unsure if the later would be obliged to tell him.
"(Sigh)... I do enjoy having her around. But... she doesn't seem to get it still."
"?"
"When this civil war is over, Arjun..."
"Badala will cease to exist." Ajay said with a darkened expression.
-W-What?!- "Uh-..." Was the only sound that came out of Arjun's mouth.
"Oh look, he's back!" Ajay turned to face the returned Raghu and following closely behind was Jeevan and his escort with their heads lowered. Obviously because of Ajay's presence they didn't know how to approach this situation.
-Badala will cease to exist?!-
Arjun stared intently at Ajay still unable to decipher the meaning to those words. Was he suffering for an incurable ailment that he had to retreat from the limelight? It couldn't be that he didn't want to continue on as the Vice-Lord?... It definitely couldn't be that he was tired of living and would end his life after Kyrat was finally free of civil war?
But as he looked at those voidless eyes he had the strangest feeling that the last possibility, there was some truth to it. It couldn't be that after all he'd done for King and Country, the fame and glory he was entitled to he wanted to throw it all away. Arjun again fell into the dilemma that he couldn't truly fathom the extent of Ajay's intentions.
The world isn't fair.
I've known that for a very long time, from the day I left the crib. For my name is Jeevan Hamal. Though i hold the surname of house Hamal, I'm not treated like one.
"Move aside, substitute! You don't own the foot paths!"
"Ohhff!" He kicks me to the floor.
"Nobody asked for you to be born, you existing is evidence that bitch is planning to usurp my rightful place as Head of the Family!"
"Stay down, filth!" A friend of his pressed his foot on my back as i tried to get up.
"Hey, Sugun. Why don't we take him on a trip and throw him to the wolves? Then we'll say he fell on his own accord." Another of his colleagues suggested a cruel ploy against my life.
"Why bother, he'll never amount to anything even in a hundred years. Hahaha!" Sugun finally leaves me laughing with his friends. Kaanan would appear and try to wipe those blood stains off of my face but I shove her aside.
-I don't want your pity!-
Sugun would always find reasons to antagonize me, and I have no way of rebuking. Because as he said, I'm a substitute. Though eighteen years difference lay between us, I had to lower my head in his presence. Not just me, but Mother and her parents as well. Her marriage to our Father was out of necessity, to save her parents from financial ruin. Although my father doesn't treat us poorly, he absolutely dotes his first son, Sugun. The child to his deceased first wife who died at childbirth, I thought she got what she deserved for bringing a bastard into this world but Mother barred me from ever speaking ill of her. Mother had a prior relation with the late first wife who was a good friend to her in the past.
Perhaps if she were around today, Sugun wouldn't be this much of a jerk but then I wouldn't have been conceived as Father wouldn't have taken Mother to be his Second Wife then.
I was born into this purgatory without choice. I thanked my stars that Sugun had military training to attend to in preparation to replace Father as the Chief of the Royal Guard Elite. Though he returned during the breaks it was less than before until very soon he barely returned home. But when he did-
"It's been awhile, substitute! I'll make sure you get a whole weeks work of "lessons"!" He said with a malicious grin. If it was just me I would be fine, but he also abused Mother. At the end of the day, she'd just smile and say she'd been clumsy and gotten those bruises. I hate him! I hate him! Why can't a stray bullet kill him?
Because i was a child of a mistress, I was shunned by society. When I was a kid, no one would play with me nor even talk to me. So i grew into books, there were plenty of books in the villa. Some were bought by Father, others were given to me by Grandma and Grandpa. In this lonely place I called home, there were people I at least could share my woes with besides Mother and my Grandparents. My half-sister, Kanaan would always teach me on etiquette and how i should behave. Despite only sharing half-blood with me, she treated me as if I was her full blood brother, why couldn't Sugun be the same? Why did he have to make life hell for me intentionally?
There was also another person that didn't judge me based on my position. That young miss from House Roka, Saraswati. How she meet us was by mere coincidence. Father was discussing a marriage proposal between Sugun and her with her father who was a fellow General in the Military. At that time, Sister Saraswati came venturing around in the backyard and found us. We became friends, rather it was her and my sister that became friends. I was just the little brother looking for companionship. Even so she wasn't judgemental of me as a half-noble. I felt that if she became Sugun's wife, perhaps we could accept her as an in-law.
Upon their departure, Sugun smashed the ornaments on the table in frustration and created a scene in the house. A little while later, I heard from the servants that Saraswati's father, General Roka rejected the marriage proposal. The reason being, she was already engaged to the son of Mohan Ghale. Ghale, though I wasn't born during that time it was a name everyone knew.
The arch-traitor, the former Royal Guard Captain that turned his back upon King Min along with his alliance of disgruntled Officers forming the Golden Path movement. Why the general held on to the previous agreement, nobody knew. In any case, Saraswati told us she didn't think highly of Sugun either and thought to use this as an excuse to avoid marriage meetings. What she wanted to pursue was a military career, it was something unheard of in Kyrat at the time. But she did it anyway and succeeded.
Of course, seeing Sugun show his face of disbelieve and angst was a refreshing sight, even if he took it out on me. At least he was hurt on the inside.
The years went by and I reached sixteen, my sister was in her twenties though she looked older but still pretty. Life was the same old same old. Until that day. The day Sugun brought home a colleague of his, he invited guests before so it was nothing new. Only... this person was a scumbag that had his eyes on my sister upon getting a glimpse of her as she headed to the showers. Sugun let the bastard have his way with Kanaan in exchange for a favor while he blocked off all the moving traffic to the baths. I was at the study when I heard her scream, no one else was in the house at the time. Nor our parents. When i went in the direction of the baths i encountered Sugun who stood in my way. At the time, my only thoughts were to attend to my sister immediately. He got annoying so I punched him in the face causing his to fall on his back stunned. I wasn't large or strong in physique but Sugun wasn't either. Despite being a military man, he was round in shape and plump, so he rounded about struggling to get up.
When I entered the baths, I found an unfamiliar person over my sister who's wet clothing was torn aside, tears flowing from her eyes.
Something cracked within me, the next moment after i blinked, I found a shaving razor in my hand full of blood and that man that assaulted Kanaan shivering in the corner with blood pouring from him. Kanaan yelled at me to stop as she held me back from possibly killing him.
Later, Father returned and I was brought before the ancestral hall where Sugun accused me of attacking him and going on a rampage through the place before assaulting a guest of his. I had enough of these sort of cowards and liars, it was already clear they didn't want to find out the truth as the family members demanded punishment, hoping to suck up the Sugun who had a troubled expression. So I replied-
"You already see me as guilty, what are you waiting for? Let's get it over with, the less I see your faces the better. I've done nothing wrong. But remember this, you better not let me out, because if you do... god will give me retribution!" That's what I believed.
And so Father under pressure ordered me to be thrown into the pit, a place where people who wronged our family were captured and thrown to die.
For a whole day, I laughed because for the first time in my life I stood up to Sugun and it was a feeling that I cherished. So liberating, to break from the shackles made by cowards like him. My sentence was worth every bit of it, there was no time limit set to my release. Mother and Kanaan pleaded everyday before the family elders and Father for leniency, in vain. In the stone pit, the only company i had were the birds occasionally resting on the bars above. Food and water were lowered everyday by Kanaan. At first, the beginning few weeks she did nothing but apologize to me from outside the pit. But I didn't want to hear it, this was my choice and mine alone.
When Kanaan had slowly accepted the situation i was in, she begun to make it her mission to inform me on the developments outside. At first, I wasn't the least bit interested. But having nothing to do, I listened, she lowered new books she bought from the bazaar for me to read which I was always hungering for more to learn.
At some point, I requested survival and military books and manuals. I was under the impression I could break free and live my life free in the wilderness where no one would bother me.
Two years passed by in a flash, despite being confined to a ten square metre box area I made it routine to exercise every morning. Fifty push-ups, fifty sit-ups and twelve pull-ups on the bars overhead.
I heard that Mother was bedridden from misery, she still couldn't accept my imprisonment. I felt sorry for putting her in such a stressful situation despite my place i should have kept. Kanaan kept convincing me I wasn't wrong for what i did and told me if i wanted I she could sneak out to get the key. But then, she would have to take my place in the pit for releasing me and Mother would be forced out on the streets now that our grandparents had left the world. In that state she was in, I couldn't leave even if i wanted to.
It was like I was curse from the very beginning to live out my days in the pit till i died.
-That's just the way the world is, unfair.-
The days went by as i felt my grip on reality slipping, if i couldn't get out on my own accord without giving the ones I loved some way to live then I was trapped by my vulnerability. I hated them all for throwing me in here, but most of all... I hated myself for being so weak.
That's how I thought, that was my ideal. I knew that in the end, people never had choice but no choice but to comply. It was how things were and would always be.
At least that was how I thought before I heard about him.
The King's own grim reaper, Badala. No one knew where he came from, the guess was that he was of common birth. Badala fought in the most unbelievable scenarios to ever form up in his fight against Golden Path. The Battle at Ratu Gadhi, the Airport offensive. Each one more audacious that the other, and at some point he was made Vice-Lord by the King. The tale was so incredible, so inconceivable. I found myself yearning to hear more about him, so I made Kanaan update me the moment she heard about this fellow. I could hear Sugun trashing the study from within the pit shouting Badala's name, he obviously didn't like him. Kanaan said it was because his one sided affection for Saraswati was lost to Badala. Apparently she made it big over the years and was commanding her own unit and had a place in the War Council. She also happened to be involved in the very assault for the airport.
-How lucky of her!-
It was clear Badala was something akin to a Hero in my life. Not just because he was strong, but he didn't make excuses. He didn't limit himself to how he should act or behave in front of less than reasonable people. When the opportunity was there he grasped it. That's what I admired him for, the strength to dare. He was my role model. So I begun questioning my current situation, should I stay or should I go? That was the question. Going meant taking a leap of faith and trusting myself in being able to succeed in life outside alone and to take care of Mother and Kanaan by myself.
I called Kanaan one morning and asked her if she wanted to leave this place. Her response was less than satisfactory, Mothers condition had seriously deteriorated and now depended on expensive medicine to keep her condition stable for a while. Again, i was pushed back into a situation where I couldn't decide my own fate. Why did god have to be so cruel?
Out frustration, I banged the bars and assaulted the stone walls with my barehands till it bleed. Shouting at the top of my voice that I'd kill all who voted to put me here, that I'd kill Sugun given the chance. The elders came a few times to threaten to beat me if I continued to make a racket but I ignored them. Then, something I the house took place that was strange. I could hear the family in anarchy from the pit. Kanaan came to me with a brightened look.
"Sugun was killed in action." She said in a low voice to avoid being heard, as the family, Father was still in grieving. Then after the mourning period the elders sent men to retrieve me from the pit and stand at the ancestral hall. It was clear what they wanted, to keep me in check even when i was the next heir apparent.
"Have you learnt your lesson?" One asked on behalf of everyone.
"There was no way I could have learnt, I was locked in a pit with the intention of staying for life."
I looked around at the family members gathered there, Father was absent, still grieving. Kanaan stood at the back but Mother was no where in sight.
"Where is my Mother? She's still part of this family, and yet you started without her?"
"How dare you talk back! If you weren't the next heir apparent I'll-."
"You'll what! You can't do anything, or are you gonna send your goon to do it instead for doing a better job than you?"
"Tsk! This rascal!"
"Back to topic, go get her. We're not starting any meeting until everyone's here."
"That won't be necessary. Boy."
"The hell did you just say?"
"Daya died in her sleep days ago."
The words came like lightning to my ears. Daya, my mother's name, Mother had died... died? Died?!
I remember collapsing to the ground with a welling feeling and the urge to vomit or cry, I don't know. I turned to look at Kanaan who looked away with a painful expression, only confirmed her departure. My head felt dizzy and I wanted to puke, but nothing came out.
I heard talking, occasional snickers in the crowd and that's when it snapped, my belief in others.
"Do you remember what I said two years ago in this very room?"
"What in the world are you pulling here?"
"Seems no one remembered, no matter. I'll refresh your memory." I walked forward and grabbed two elders by the beard and pulled them along. The family watched helplessly as i presented an action that frightened them. We walked towards the pit that i called home for two years and threw them in.
"Take them out and you'll join them." I gave my warning as sternly as possible for them to understand. I threw five more in a separate pit before leaving that place. When Father had returned from the wake and found my handiwork, he didn't question it but instead commended my use of authority. But I didn't care what he had to say.
"Were you there when Mother died?" I asked but he avoided the question with promises of appointment and power in the Military. As if I needed that, it became clear what he saw me for. I was Sugun's substitute.
That was my purpose.
Again, my life was decided not by me but but the will of others.
-Fine! Whatever! Have it your way then!-
If they wanted a heir, they'll get one. Nothing matters anymore!
Kanaan followed me everywhere I went trying to educate me on etiquette and how to behave as the "Heir of Hamal" but it was obvious there was nothing left of it. Especially after what Sugun had done, the greatest embarrassment in Military history. The family believed he fell for a trap Badala laid for him after he repeatedly got in his way. I was inheriting what was left of the Hamal clan. I guess I have him to thank for getting out of the pit, my only regret was not getting out sooner. I indulged in the alcohol that was available, going down to the gambling den to bet and come home penniless. Spend the slowly diminishing money on women and drugs when it was conveinent for me. And I have to say, I could really get use to this heir thing, no wonder Sugun felt like there was nothing that could touch him. With no real way for our family of recovering from the disgrace acquired at Sugun's death, at least this wretched line will end with me.
But as I came to understand much later, fate had a funny way of reversing all of your odds. Mine was on New Years day when the old man told us to meet him at this place called Crystal Falls. For two reasons, one was to have a hook me up with a high ranking military official and attain a high rank position like Sugun. I laughed at the prospect of going into the Army. The other reason was to find a suitor to marry out Kanaan, at age twenty-two her time was short for marriage.
I particularly didn't like that idea but Kanaan insisted on going so she wouldn't be a burden.
-Idiot!-
When we neared the area, i thought to myself. Here was the place where my fate gets decide, or then again my fate was never for me to decide. I had just been pulled out from the pub to attend this farce of a party when I could have been drunk on new years day. Maybe fetch some broads from the winehouse next door.
Boy! If I knew what would happen later I would have been sober for a week in preparation for the ball.
Then perhaps I wouldn't have said those stupid things.
"Your lordship, this is Jeevan my son."
I froze in place just as my sister did, just when we thought we had it clear we bump into the worst possible person and the worst possible time.
"Have you meet by any chance?" Father inquired.
"We just had a chance encounter this evening, quite the lively chap might i add." Badala chuckled without looking upset.
"Then it was fate then, aren't i right son?" father laughed like he was on cloud nine.
I frowned at the word he used, fate. There was no such word in my vocabulary. Badala seemed to have caught my expression as he quietly observed.
"Could I have a moment with the kid? A little man to man talk, nothing too evasive."
"Of course, I'm sure Jeevan will be more than delighted to." Father seemed to decide everything for me, then again that was the entire purpose of attending the party. Badala motioned for me to follow him to the water fountain that was currently empty as everyone had gone indoors to prepare for King Min's arrival.
"Allow me to follow." Kanaan insisted.
"Kanaan."
"I have no qualms with that, it'll be just the three of us then." Badala did not deny her which was strange.
"Be nice to his lordship, children!" Father begun to chat happily with an old guy that looked rather familiar. Maybe he visited our villa before, I can't remember.
As we reached out destination without speaking a single word between one another, he finally turned around from taking the lead.
"First, allow me to apologize on behalf for my brother's actions again." Kanaan had taken the initiative in make amends on his behalf.
"Sis-."
"I know that doesn't excuse him for insulting your dignity nor that of Lady Najjar and your younger escort. But... the circumstances at home are complicated for him. I implore your lordship to forgive him this once. If-... If your lordship so wishes, I could perhaps-..." Kanaan begun to remove some fabric from her shoulders to mean what she failed to say. But we both got what it meant. As much as i was reluctant to agree with her doing this for my mistake, what could I do? The more i intervened the deeper this would go.
But instead of the result she hoped to achieve with Badala like all the other scumbags-
"(Sigh) When did you go about deciding that i was the villain here?"
"Uh-..."
"Didn't I say it was a trivial matter?"
"Um- Mn!" I and Kanaan nodded.
"That's not the reason I called you aside, kid."
"It isn't? I mean, is it not the case, your lordship?"
"Badala will do."
"Um... Badala."
"Did you at least hear from your father regarding our arrangement?"
"N-No. He only guided us here saying something about a- Oh!" About me having a mentor!
"So Jeevan will be under his lordships, tutelage?!" Kanaan finally got it as well.
"MmmHmm!"
I could feel the strength from my body vanish and struggled to stand straight.
"Um- Milor-... Badala. May I ask a question?"
"Sure."
"Why would you be willing to be a mentor to me? Especially after I had should such an unsightful side of me to you?" That was a question that Kanaan also wanted answered if possible.
"Well personally, I don't know a single thing about you except for the fact that you don't cling to pride as tightly as most nobles. I guess its complicated matters in the family perhaps." Just from this first encounter he could already tell that about me.
"The real reason I volunteered to train you was because I'm facing a dilemma of the lack of friends in high places."
-Friends?-
I could feel my heart beat rapidly, but shouldn't he have plenty of them given his status? But… some part of me had always wanted friends.
"Friends?" Kanaan asks.
"Yep. It's not easy to find some amongst the nobles when your the "commoner that rose through the ranks" even if I'm not actually a commoner but I let the rumors spread for the sake of polls."
".…"
-So then he only wanted me for my families connections, again I'm being used.-
I know I should have left it at that but my urges got the better of me when I said-
"I decline. Between being used as a tool by you and my own choice I'd rather chose the latter."
"Jeevan!-." Kanaan was shocked by my words and why shouldn't she be, I was sinking my own ship to power and glory. But at least it was my own choice.
But instead of getting angry, Badala snickered. It caused us to be very confused.
"I see, so it looks like like-minded friends are closer than I thought they'd be."
"Like-….minded…. friends?"
"Are you familiar with my policies, Jeevan, Miss Kanaan?" To which we nodded, it was common knowledge he was trying to break the traditional system and boundaries.
"Then I think we'll be great friends!" He said with a warming smile.
-W-What?!-
Even after I rejected him in the most unprofessional way possible he-
"Maybe I can sympathize with you in a way for following your life the way others dictate it for you. But if you want to follow your own path, be ready to face consequences for going against the flow of the river."
It was exactly as I wanted to do.
"I've known a few people who are like that. But they don't seem to have the patience for it."
"P-Patience?"
"Why yes. Patience. The trick to getting strong enough to be independent is to obediently follow them till you've built sufficient strength to turn against them." His words came to me like thunder. He suggested I bide my time so as to build strength to usurp Father.
Because I was weak I needed to depend on others, so I reluctantly received help from others. But I should have hidden that reluctance was what he mentioned.
"But that's entirely your choice."
"you really think so?"
"I didn't get this far because someone showed me the way, but I did graciously accept advice when I needed it. Perhaps that'll be my role with you. I'll mentor you on how to take control of your own fate."
-….…To take control of my own fate.-
How long I had yearned to here those words.
"So how about it? Wanna come along for the ride?" Badala held out a hand to ask if we had an agreement.
My hand instinctively reached out and clasped it, sealing the deal immediately. But for the first time in my life, I could control the course of my own fate.
"Please take care of me from now on, teacher!"
