A/N: After waiting with bated breath for this site to get its stuff together, it finally seems to be working again. Yay! Let's get on with the show!


Chapter 12: Awake

Q'Wasim tried to open his eyes. After moving his lids enough to catch a glimpse of a dim room, a wave of pain began with his eye sockets and spread down to his toes. He let his eyelids fall shut, feeling exhausted from that small movement.

However, he was to have no rest, for his efforts had not gone unnoticed.

"You're awake!" a voice boomed. "Priyansi, he's awake!"

Q'Wasim moaned softly and wished they would stop making a fuss. He would be asleep again in moments if given the chance.

He was not.

"Hush, Kaxa, you're talking too loud," Priyansi whispered in a voice that made his ears ache.

Q'Wasim felt someone take hold of his hand. The person held it gently, so it only hurt a fraction more than the rest of him.

"Welcome back," Priyansi murmured sweetly. At least Q'Wasim assumed she said it sweetly. In his current condition, it was hard to tell.

"I'll go get a doctor," Kaxa's voice blared out.

Q'Wasim moaned again.

"Kaxa, I said—"

A door slammed shut. Q'Wasim felt the sound with every bone in his body.

"—hush."

Priyansi sighed. "I'm sorry Wasi. She's just relieved that…that you're alright." Priyansi continued to hold his hand and talk quietly.

Q'Wasim's body seemed to accept this treatment by degrees. Soon, her voice became more soothing than irritating and her touch ceased to bother him, but there was another problem. He was being subjected to a strange rain. It was hot and…salty?

Oh!

Q'Wasim's hazy thoughts came into focus. Those were tears, Priyansi's tears. She was crying.

"No," he rasped.

"No?" Priyansi said, pausing her monologue of nice-sounding empty words.

"Don't," he managed.

Priyansi tried to let go of him but Q'Wasim squeezed her hand ever so slightly and he told her, "Don't. Cry."

"Wasi." Priyansi let out a sob and fell upon his chest.

Q'Wasim stifled a grunt. She was heavy as a mountain.

"You could have died, died while I just sat and watched. I…I…"

"No," Q'Wasim repeated. He wanted to say more, but his mouth was so dry and useless. He changed tactics and fought gravity. Everything was sore and aching. His limbs seemed to be made of solid Cinnabar, but somehow, he managed to briefly lift his right arm so that he could wrap it around Priyansi.

"So many people have died and are going to die because of me," she said, "I can't…" Her words were lost as she descended into more tears.

"Hush now," Q'Wasim said, but his wisp of a voice went unheard.

"Mom, Dad, Gaven, Chinmay, and now you…" she continued.

Q'Wasim could not stand this talk. He ignored the cries of agony from his body and squeezed Priyansi as tight as he could.

"Ow!" she said. He could feel her glaring at him.

With the same determination, he made his desert of a mouth eke out some audible words, "No more of that. High Princess. I'm not…dead." Then he cracked his eyes open to make his point clear.

Priyansi's face was closer than expected. He could actually see her skin drying and her eyes losing their bloodshot appearance. However, even her divine powers didn't erase the bit of dried drool on her left cheek. Not that any of that mattered because the look of astonishment she wore on her face right now was the most beautiful thing Q'Wasim had ever seen.

The expression was only there for an instant before her gaze turned critical and she said, "You could have fooled me."

Q'Wasim's mouth quirked. "You sound…like Kaxa."

Priyansi smiled at him. "You silly man."

"The silliest," he agreed.

This was another moment. Q'Wasim could almost ignore his pain entirely as he looked into her laughing tear-filled eyes. If he could just summon a bit more of his strength and lift his head a few centimeters, he would be able to give Priyansi a kiss.

There was a knock at the door. Priyansi scrambled up and away from him.

Q'Wasim groaned.

"Sorry," she said. "Did I hurt you?"

"No," he lied.

Another knock.

"Come in," Priyansi called softly.

Kaxa and G'Ruvu strode in.

"He is still awake?" the elder asked.

"Yes, but…" Priyansi began.

"We cannot delay this, High Priestess," the elder said. "We must complete the ceremony."

It was then that Q'Wasim remembered. The ceremony. The tournament. He had lost the tournament. Priyansi was…she was…

"And I told you," Kaxa put in, "You can't burden him with all that now. He can barely move."

"The Saanp Tribe assured me that he would be better by tonight," the elder said. "We need to press on."

"No," both girls protested.

"Who won?" Q'Wasim asked, suddenly desperate. "Who won?"

G'Ruvu put a hand on his shoulder. "No one has won, Q'Wasim."

"But…" that didn't make any sense. Nayan had beaten him, so either the hunter or Chinmay should have won the tournament.

"The lotus found the other competitors unworthy," the elder explained, "You are the last."

"But Chinmay," Q'Wasim began.

In the background somewhere, Priyansi was making an odd breathy sound and Kaxa said something comforting to her, but Q'Wasim wasn't focusing on them. He was staring straight into the elder's eyes.

He watched the man's grim expression as G'Ruvu said, "Chinmay is dead, my boy. They're all dead."