AN: Ps I started a new set of light, cute Nausicaa/Asbel drabbles! Its called 'Eternal as the Wind', and writing a couple of those stories resurrected my passion for this fanfic haha! Take a break from here and check it out! There's not very many yet, but I'm working on it!

Date: 7/9/13 (edited 24 Apr 2020)


Chapter 15 Secrets Revealed

"How much did Kerlin tell you about mulsa and its origins?" Sarkil launched immediately into what would become a lengthy account of the past. Nausicaa simply remained silent; she had waited days for this information and did not plan on interrupting him anytime soon.

"Mulsa was never found in the wild. It was a species created here, inside the Conservatory." He threw a sidelong glance at her and flashed a knowing smirk that sharply contrasted the shocked frown on Nausicaa's features. He clearly enjoyed the consternation he was effecting upon the listener.

"Gullera had visited Merinth already, and we searched for the specific combinations of toxins that triggered such a miserable disease. One of the main suspects was a plant from the Sea of Decay called cyathea temulsa. My brother, the head scientist at the time, sought to convert it into a non-toxic plant, hoping the non-toxic version could induce immunity to the cyathea temulsa toxin. He performed the procedure successfully here in the Conservatory, and behold, mulsa was born."

Pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together: it had no scientific name because it was not a natural species. It looked inexplicably strange because it was not a product of mother nature. Not a single botanist in Merinth could recognize the name because it had never been found in the wild.

"How did he do it?" She bounced back almost disbelievingly, still grappling with the information. The Princess had never even considered altering what the earth gave up, and wasn't sure whether to marvel at such a novel idea or gape in terror at committing such a crime.

"A mixture of grafting and inventive treatments of the seeds and roots." Sarkil answered. "The idea existed long before the Seven Days of Fire, recorded within ancient manuals. Kerlin had been experimenting on it for some time and this was the first time he tried it on an entire plant." Silence hovered for a few moments as the Princess continued to absorb and accept.

"And did it successfully treat Gullera?"

"Yes."

"Then why is it still trapped within the palace? Why have a cure but withhold it" She questioned; this is where answers evaded her.

"My brother and I disagreed on the utilization of mulsa; so much that he left Merinth on his own." He replied in a roundabout manner. "Unfortunately, I cannot elaborate any further on this."

"Then has anyone with Gullera received mulsa?"

"Secrets," he mused with a knowing smile, then turned dangerously serious. "Child, most people would have been killed if they even came to know of Mulsa's existence." He rumbled threateningly. "I am sparing your life because of your usefulness in the Conservatory."

"Where is it stored?" She demanded, but Sarkil read her mind.

"Don't even try to steal it. It is closely guarded." He informed plainly. Silence hovered for a few seconds.

"I suppose I have given you all the information I could about mulsa," he sighed a little wearily. "At this point I would offer to release you and your friend - if you agree to leave without attempting to search for mulsa again." Nausicaa glared at him sulkily in silence; impassive olive eyes noticed her frustration.

"I told you that I am insistent on getting my way; you will not be leaving with mulsa." He declared resolutely. "If you attempt to uncover any additional details on why mulsa is withheld from general usage - the information is sensitive enough that I have silenced people by killing them. Do not seek further if you care for your life." He ended his warning in a grave tone.

"I will give you one day to think about it." He stated, as he waved for a guard to escort her back to the conservatory. "I hope you will be wise. You have much talent and potential; I would not throw it away if I were you."


Nausicaa was at a loss on what to do next. She didn't doubt the legitimacy of Sarkil's warnings, given how ruthlessly he arrested them overnight and gathered intel on her past whereabouts and the locations of her friends. She contemplated the best course of action: should she and Asbel leave without a fight? Could she possibly look for other options to cure Gullera? Or should she push to understand the mystery behind mulsa's restricted use? Regardless, she needed more information on Gullera, and she presumed that the best person to ask was Hammond, the former head scientist, who knew of mulsa's secrets. After spending some time wandering through the conservatory to gather her thoughts, she came across one of the scientists and asked for directions to Hammond's office.

Nausicaa finally located the retired botanist's workspace, hidden in a remote corner of the building, behind some colossal palms and ferns. The door was already open; she assumed the wise sage had stepped out momentarily. She tip-toed her way inside the room and meticulously observed a cluttered office full of diagrams, sketches, and laboratory data gathered from sixty years of a career in plant biology, strewn all over the place in a chaotic fashion. Her eyes then noticed a curious red notebook laying on the desk; her inquisitiveness was too strong to refute and she picked up the well-worn item, unaware of its significance.

The moment she glanced through the data stored in it, she realized this was no ordinary notebook.

Pages of data on Gullera. Experiments investigating the effects of hundreds of toxins extracted from numerous plants. Cyathea temulsa's impact on the nervous system, respiratory system, and digestive system... she couldn't believe her eyes. They had essentially figured out how to induce Gullera in the body.

The next set of pages were equally astonishing: mulsa's development and creation. Mulsa's stability in various climates, life cycles, medicinal properties, extracted components... scientific details on how mulsa gave the body immunity against Gullera. Her heart was racing as she skimmed it, page after page. They truly did know everything about Gullera as a disease, and mulsa as a cure.

The last section of the notebook, however, turned her excitement into abhorrence. It documented the narratives people who were given the toxins deliberately, and what symptoms they exhibited. Her stomach churned at the vile thought; purposely giving someone an illness - for what reason?

Then realization hit her like a sledgehammer. She reread the victim's names: high officials in Merinth, foreign ambassadors, people of prominence in Merinth's surrounding regions. Even the former king was written in here. Gullera was the weapon; mulsa was the antidote. He could willfully give anyone the sickness, then either coerce them into compliance to receive mulsa in return, or assassinate them altogether.

For a moment Nausicaa regretted opening the book. She should have left; she should have taken Sarkil's advice and remained oblivious of the despicable practices that occurred within this scientifically advanced nation. Was this how he ascended to the throne, how he kept his reign secure? Revulsion surged through her veins at the very thought and she cursed under her breath, while her mind still reeled in shock.

Suddenly she heard footsteps; Hammond appeared in the doorway, wearing gloves and holding a plant specimen in one hand. The venerable sage was pleasantly surprised to see her.

"Nausicaa-" he stopped abruptly when he recognized what she held in her hands, and the color noticeably drained from his face.

"What have you done?" He gasped in apprehension. "How far did you read?" He only needed to see the look of horror on her face to know that the secrets had been revealed.

"No; not you." He breathed, then hissed urgently under his breath: "If you want to keep your life, do not tell a soul what you read."

No sooner had he said that, a tall, sinister frame entered the room. Sarkil stared suspiciously at the scientist first, then at the girl holding the notebook, and raised an eyebrow. His eyes revealed no emotion whatsoever.

"Nausicaa, you really have a talent for trouble don't you?" Green eyes narrowed at hers, now clearly disappointed.

"Why would you do such things?" She deplored angrily. "Use mulsa for your own gain, to force others to do your bidding?"

"I don't use it often," He justified, his voice calm and indifferent. "I save it for the most obstinate people, and the most formidable enemies." He decided to explain further; she had already discovered too much.

"You see, I could kill them brutally with my own hands, or I could allow Gullera to kill them instead." He paused, musing the ingenuity of it. "Makes for a great cover. A rare, incurable illness just so happened to take over them."

"You can't do that!" She cried in outrage. "People are dying from this!"

"Indeed; but the cases of people acquiring Gullera accidentally are far more rare." He reasoned coolly. "I already chose the tool that would cause the least collateral damage."

"I wasn't planning on using it originally," He continued. "At the time my late father was ill with Gullera himself; that was the reason we even began researching the toxins that triggered the illness. And when the toxins were discovered and mulsa was finally developed; I had a choice to either disclose all of it, or perhaps wield it to my advantage."

"Give it to the people." She demanded indignantly.

"I will, maybe at the end of my reign," He intoned. "I have use for it yet."

She had no words; rage filled her soul and rendered her speechless. She stared furiously back at the man, utterly disgusted. The man now sighed, a little exasperated. It was time to clean up the mess.

"I warned you plenty of times that I did not wish to kill you in cold blood. You seem to have left me with no choice." The slightest hint of sorrow seemed to flit through his eyes.

What a shame, he thought to himself. She would be the youngest person to be sacrificed to keep his secret.

"On what basis?" She hissed.

"What basis would you like, my dear?" He replied casually. "Treason sounds pretty good, don't you think?"

A million thoughts ran through her head, but she fought to suppress the panic. Could she physically outrun them? Escape the Palace? Even so, she couldn't leave Asbel behind.

"What about Asbel?" She snapped obstinately. She cared little about her own safety, but panicked at the thought of him. The king seemed surprised.

"I think you should be worrying about yourself at this point, don't you?"

"Don't touch him," She snarled. "He doesn't know any of this."

"He won't take your death very well," Sarkil contemplated. The woman felt determination rise within her; she may be resigned to her own fate but there was one thing she would never stop fighting for.

"Not if he doesn't know about it." She viciously grabbed her only chance of letting him live. "I will accept my fate, but after you release him first. My death for his life." Sarkil cocked his head curiously at her; did she love the Pejite? When he seemed unconvinced, she pushed ahead with her arguments.

"I can persuade him to stop searching for mulsa." She bargained with cold precision. "There is no reason to kill him when he knows nothing of mulsa."

"Eventually he'll figure out what happened;" Her opponent mused. "What if he returns to avenge you?"

"That's a separate problem for you to deal with. He will be in too much grief to pursue mulsa by then; isn't that what you want?"

The king paused to consider her proposition, while Nausicaa became rather introspective herself; since when did she become so cold and calculating? If Asbel did return for vengeance Sarkil could still harm him; but at least for now he would be removed from imminent danger. She only hoped he would not be so impulsive as to re-enter Merinth.

"Very well; you will pass by the cells on your way to the execution chambers." He finally decided. Then he turned to the guards. "Release the man right after Nausicaa sees him."

Internally she heaved a huge sigh of relief.

"Thank you." She uttered in cold, unfeeling detachment. The King regarded the child before him, a dark expression on his features.

"I'm sorry it came to this. Truly I am." For a brief moment she saw remorse flicker through his eyes, before resuming his usual emotionless demeanor. Without another word he continued on his way.


24 Apr 2020 AN: I needed a much stronger, villainous premise behind mulsa, which is why I ended up rewriting much of this chapter. Hope it gives a new and interesting twist to the old plot. (It used to be that mulsa was such an invasive species that it couldn't leave the palace or else it would wreak havoc on the ecosystem.. and I didn't feel it was a strong enough reason for Sarkil to murder over.)