A/N: Guys guys guys guys guys! I FOUND WHAT I THOUGHT WAS GONE FOREVER! Sorry for the rant, I just looked at stats at the wrong time, and it wasn't pretty :) But thanks for everyone who responded. I really am grateful. Oh, and, by the way, everything about Hanuman, I made up. I wrote this all while I was without Internet at camp, which was actually amazing, but I'm not even sure I would have researched anything if had been able to, because I'm not getting paid, and as much as I adore writing, I have to do things that will actually make me money ;) And the idea for the Key came from VampyreDude when he (I'm assuming?) messaged me right after I started this, and he had a good idea, and he should write it himself, if he is still reading my story :) Sorry for the long Author's Note! R&R!
A few hours after my break down, another monkey comes to call us to the fight. He presents a pair of pants made of white silk to Ren. Ren nods his head in return, and turns back into our room to change into them. When he comes back, he is wearing the pants, and only the pants. They fit snugly at the hips, the string holding them tied in a sloppy bow, and the color sets off the dark tan of his skin. They are loose around his thighs down to a few inches below his knee, where they were tightly tied to keep them from snagging, I assume.
"Wow. Nice pants," I snicker half-heartedly.
Ren raises an eyebrow. "Should I ask if I can keep them?"
I let loose an outright laugh at this. "I don't think so." I walk over and retie the bow at his waist. I reach up and kiss him softly and slowly, twisting my fingers in his hair. "Get our baby back, and I'll think about it. And there's more where that came from, as you well know," I say suggestively, doing anything I can to give Ren some incentive, and Ren pales.
"If I wasn't already one-hundred percent sure that I would do whatever it takes to get him back, then I would be now," he growls, dropping his head down for another soul-searing kiss. "And I expect you to be waiting when I come back."
"I'm never leaving," I promise, stepping back at Kishan's playful cough. "Now go save our baby."
"Of course, iadala," he says with a sweeping bow. Then very seriously "I will do whatever it takes to win him back. You know that."
"I do. Now go," I say softly, praying to whatever gods are out there that my son and husband will be returned to me.
~TR~
When we reach what I believe was previously the throne room, it has been completely remodeled. There is a huge arena with a circular dirt area in the center and stadium seating surrounding it. Hanuman, with his golden fur, is standing in the center of the dirt, clothed in pants seemingly identical to Ren's, but black as opposed to white. Ren is led to stand opposite Hanuman as Kishan, Sunil, Nilima, and I are led to a row of seats at the edge of the arena with the best view of the fight, which has both pros and cons from my point of view. A pro is I'll be able to tell when ever Ren gets hurt. A con is that I'll be able to tell exactly when ever Ren gets hurt, and that will drive me crazy.
The rest of the seats are filled with monkeys screaming and hollering like gibbons. Hanuman and Ren are glaring at each other, and Ren's fury is so clear on his face is such that I can't see a scenario in which Hanuman get the better of it.
"Silence!" Hanuman yells, and all the noise stops immediately. "I have challenged this man to a duel. Since I am a generous competitor, I will not make this a fight to the death, as I am impossible to kill. Instead, I will make it a duel to first touch."
Here, Hanuman smiles wryly, and my heart sinks. Monkeys are already fast and agile, and I can only imagine how much more so the king of them is. The light in Ren's eyes also dies a little, but only enough that I would be able to tell.
"The rules are as follows. Neither of us may leave the walls of the arena. There shall be nothing brought into the arena that is already here."
At this, Ren's eyes begin to sparkle, and I can't fathom why. The only thing on him is the pants that Hanuman gave him, and we didn't pack anything like-oh. I smile at Ren's craftiness, and even though I am still worried, I relax a little bit. Ren has an advantage about which I am hoping Hanuman has no idea. This could be what puts him over the edge.
I look over at the other three with me, and their faces have fallen. I can't risk anyone overhearing, so I can't tell them anything. I try to arrange my face into despair, but I know I have always been a terrible liar.
"Finally, should either party be injured, that party automatically wins," Hanuman finishes. I grimace. That could be problem. Ren's temper often gets the best of him, and if Hanuman knows what to say, Ren would not hesitate to tear him apart.
"Keep it together, tiger," I whisper. "You can do it."
Ren looks up at me and winks. I smile, and Hanuman lunges.
But Ren is faster. He dodges, and sidesteps around Hanuman. He jumps and flips over the monkey, and reaches out to touch Hanuman's shoulder, but he ducks and rolls. I can see Hanuman's lips moving and Ren's anger becoming more and more intense, but I can't hear the words.
"Come on, Ren. Come on," I whisper. "Bring him back." I twist my wedding ring around my finger, and hope for a quick fight.
But it goes on.
And on.
And on.
I pray that Ren uses what I know he has, but he seems to be waiting for something. Both my husband and his adversary are tiring rapidly, but neither is giving in. And Hanuman seems to be winning. If the attempts seemed to be close before, then the touches might as well be called now.
Suddenly, Ren isn't there. I look around the arena, the same as everyone else, knowing that Ren would never break the rules. Suddenly, a white blur flies through the air and a thread crawls into my palm. I grin, finally understanding what happened.
Ren the tiger had Hanuman pinned to the ground, a paw resting lightly on his shoulder, claws carefully retracted as to not break skin. The arena is silent.
"What is this trickery?" Hanuman screams. "I provided the clothing, I designed this arena so the ceiling would be too high for even a tiger to jump into the beams, yet you managed! You cheated, so I win!" he says triumphantly. "You shall never see your son again!"
"I beg to differ," Ren says lightly, back in human form in the white cotton pants and shirt that are so familiar. "You see, I was highly trained in wordplay and negotiations during my time as the High Prince of the Mujulaain Empire, and I can get around the vast majority of rules put in place to specifically stop me.
"You see, you never actually said that I had to wear the pants you provided me, so I asked the Divine Scarf make me a pair identical to them. I knew that doing that would allow me to use the threads in the pants to create a pair of ropes to carry me to the rafters, or ceiling, or give me some kind of advantage, since I didn't know how I would be fighting you. I also knew that most monkeys are inherently afraid of tigers, so it surprised me when you chose me, but I was happy. I just didn't want to use that right away.
"I broke no rules. I had the Scarf on me when I entered the arena, so that rule was never broken. I never left the walls of the arena. I just went up, so that rule was not broken. And I never injured you, so I win. Now return my son."
Hanuman narrows his eyes. "You do not wish to anger me, boy."
"The battle is over. I will not hesitate to harm you," Ren says seriously. "My anger far surpasses your abilities. Return. My. Son. Now," my glorious husband demands.
Hanuman considers Ren for a moment. "Very well. You have passed the fourth and final test. You may retrieve your son from the Silvanae. I can help you to the gate, but you must find your way through Shangri-La on your own."
I can see Ren starting to say something else, so I run up in front of Hanuman.
"Thank you," I say to him. "Thank you for returning our son, and thank you for being most generous and showing us the way up the mountain."
"You are most welcome, my dear," Hanuman says. Then his face twists in pain. "Yes, yes, I understand," he murmurs. "Unfortunately, my lovely girl," he says at a normal volume, "I have just been informed that the climbing of the mountain is part of the Silvanae's test, so I cannot send you to the gate. I do apologize. Your mate was a worthy opponent," he says with a short. "And now, I believe there is something you require of me."
He walks toward his throne, which has suddenly reappeared at the opposite end of the arena. He rubs his hand over one of the vines several times and then pushes at a point somewhere near the middle. The front half of the chair slides to the right, like someone cut it in half and then moved the front half. Suspended where the back of the seat was is a large, ornate, golden key inlaid with precious stones. It has a thick red ribbon dangling from the top, and it is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.
Hanuman reaches for the key, and removes it from the cavity. He beckons Ren and me over, and we take each other's hands as we slowly approach the god.
"This man rightfully beat me in battle. In return, he earns the right to attempt to retrieve his son, and the key to open the Box, which contains the Holy Book!" Hanuman shouts to the crowd, holding the key up high. "That which has been in our care for hundreds of years has been justly won from us, and we accept this fact with grace and will now seek out a new purpose! All monkeys and friends of monkeys shall aid these five on their quest and any quest in the future!
"And now," he says more quietly, "I ask Alagan Dhiren Rajaram to step forward."
Ren takes a few steps ahead of me, and I miss the pressure of his hand in mine.
Ren ducks his head to Hanuman's level after he gestures for Ren to do so.
Hanuman places the ribbon around Ren's neck gently.
Ren and Hanuman lock eyes for a moment.
Hanuman addresses the crowd. "It is done," he says victoriously. "We have fulfilled our purpose put to us by Durga the goddess."
Ren turns to look at me, both victory and regret in his eyes, though I can't figure out the second.
Ren sweeps me up in a kiss, and when we are finished, I look over to find that Sunil has done the same to Nilima, and Kishan is looking into the distance wistfully.
I look at Ren and he nods. I take Ren's hand and pull him towards Kishan. I go to Kishan's side and give him a kiss on the cheek.
"I know," I say softly. "You will be with her again. With everything I have been through and my life now, there is no way I couldn't believe in happy endings," I tell him, giving him a tight hug.
"I know, bilauta," he says with tears in his voice. "I just... I didn't know I could love someone like I love Mika, and now I can't see her, and... I miss her. So much," he whispers torturously. He holds me close and buries his face in my hair, sobbing.
"You will be happy again, Kishan," I say, pulling his face up to mine. "You thought you deserved to be exiled after Yesubai, didn't you?"
He nods.
"Then you must believe in the opposite. You did so much good with us that you deserve a forever of happiness. I refuse to believe that you will be denied that," I say seriously, believing every word I am saying.
"I know, it's just easier to punish myself than reward myself," Kishan says sadly.
"I know," I say back. "But you can."
"Kelsey, I don't think you understand how much I love you," Kishan says. "Not the way I used to, but you are closer to me than any sister would have been," he says, standing straight again.
"And you are closer to me than any brother would have been," I say with a smile, taking Ren's hand again.
"You are a lucky man," Kishan says to Ren. "No luckier than I am, but still lucky."
I snort, but Ren nods seriously. "I know. I become luckier every day."
"Don't forget Sunil," I tease. "If we are talking about how amazing the women are in this family, I'd say he got pretty lucky."
Sunil grins, his hands wrapped around his fiancée's waist.
"And he'd better remember it," Nilima says with a grin bigger than I've ever seen her wear.
I smile and look back at Ren. "Now let's go get my baby."
~TR~
"I know that I cannot send you all the way to the Spirit Gate," Hanuman says graciously, "but I can transport you to the Ocean Teacher. You will need to be tested by him as well," Hanuman says. "I can deliver you to the Temple there, and I have given the Teacher instructions to welcome you though, so you will have no need to prove yourself to anyone to approach the Ocean Teacher," he explains.
"Thank you very much," I say. "I appreciate your help in retrieving our son."
"Even though you are the one that took him in the first place," Ren grumbles next to me.
Hanuman smiles. "I am sorry about that. It was necessary to determine that you were the correct questers. We have had others searching for the Holy Book that have not had sincere intentions, and your concern for your son shows your dedication to family and your consideration for others' feelings is shown in Miss Kelsey's concern for her brother-in-law. I am glad that my purpose has been fulfilled at last," he says with a bow.
"Please, just send us on our way," Ren says. "I would like my son as soon as possible."
Hanuman smiles. "Very well. Be gone!"