Solace

...But once I had him in my net, breaking that promise was about as easy as snapping a finger.

Kai awakened from his nightmare with a scream. He rubbed his sweaty face with his hands, trying to get the voice out of his head. His soft, purring tone, juxtaposed by the hardness of his green eyes. The way that Overlord had stroked him their faces so close that Kai could smell his cloying breath.

Do you realize how easy it is to break a finger? How immensely satisfying the bone sounds when it snaps in two?

Feeling claustrophobic, he pulled off his shirt and threw it aside.

How wonderful the screams of pain can be as the victim's hand begins to swell?

"No," Kai whispered. "No, no..." Now that he had no shirt, his slick skin grew cold. He did not dare wrap himself in a blanket, though: that was too constricting.

Looking across the floor to where Besai rested- at Kai's insistence, she had taken the bed- and was relieved to find that she was still asleep. How loudly had he screamed?

Had he even screamed, or had that been a part of his dream?

Perhaps I am going about this all wrong. You will not crumble under pain, like Cole did. It will take careful planning to break your mind.

"No," Kai said again. After wiping his eyes, he realized that he was crying. His hushed sobs shook his shoulders and tightened his throat.

Hearing a sound at the door, Kai hastily pulled the blanket up to his chest to hide the tattoo.

"Kai?" Nya opened the door and peered into the darkness. "I heard you scream. Did you have a nightmare?"

Kai did not answer. He didn't even look up as she shut the door and went to where he sat in his tangle of blankets on the floor.

"What's wrong?" Nya asked, touching his arm.

Kai recoiled. "Nothing," he said. "I just...hurt myself. That's why I shouted."

"Where are you hurt?" Nya searched his eyes, evidently not believing him. "Why can't you trust me?"

Kai felt guilty for shutting her out. Really, he did. But how was he supposed to talk about his experiences to his sweet, innocent little sister? How was he supposed to explain that her big brother had been replaced by this empty shell who was afraid of wearing shirts because they reminded him too much of the constricting ropes in the Overlord's dripper?

Nya reached out to touch him again, and Kai forced himself sit still. "I hate seeing you like this," she said.

"I can't change," Kai said. He held his blanket a little closer to his breast.

Nya gently patted his arm as she spoke in a soothing tone. In this way more than anything else she reminded Kai of their mother. "You don't have to change, Kai. But you should at least try to be more open about your pain. You can't just...hold it in and expect it all to get better."

"Pain?" Kai forced a laugh. "What pain? I'm fine, sis."

Nya looked hurt. "I only want to help." She reached up to stroke his cheek.

At the sudden touch, Kai gasped and slapped her hand away.

I'll need to use more...intimate...methods, yes? My canary does love the pillow, after all.

Nya drew her hand back, then stood. "I'm...sorry," she said.

Before Kai could say anything, Nya rushed from the room, leaving the door open in her rush.

Kai dropped the blanket and lowered his head into his hands.

Listen to me, prisoner. Your name is no longer Kai. You are the Sanguine Knight.

This is wrong, Kai sobbed into his fingers. This is so, so, so wrong. He was losing his sister. After everything he had gone through to keep her safe, this had to happen.

What was wrong with him?

Running as fast as she dared in the darkness, Nya ran to the bridge and slammed the door shut behind her.

Zane looked up from the table and spoke softly. "Nya? What's wrong?"

Nya slumped down into a chair beside him, suppressing a strong urge to cry. "That's what I tried to ask Kai," she said quietly.

Zane offered her his tea. "I see," he said. "He isn't very...communicative lately, is he?"

"Not at all," Nya said, eagerly cupping the aromatic beverage between her cold hands. Since they were near the Eastern coast, the air was brisk. It was close to winter. "I tried to touch him, and he-" she took a deep breath, tears blurring her vision. "...he slapped me."

"Oh, Nya," Zane said sympathetically. He scooted his chair closer and wrapped an arm around her. "I'm sorry... We don't know what Overlord's done to him yet. Just be patient, I think."

"Be patient?" said Nya, pressing her lips together. She let go of the mug and fell into his embrace. "Wh-what am I waiting for?"

"For him to open up," Zane said. "He's had a hard time in the Overlord's prison camp. He hasn't said anything to me either, but I fear that...he may have been sexually assaulted."

Nya stared at her hands, shocked. No wonder he had tried to get away when she touched his cheek. "Why would anyone..."

It was no use. She pressed her hand to her lips and sniffed, chest shaking with sobs. "He's...so gentle, Zane," she said. "Why would anyone want to take advantage of him like that?"

"I have no proof," Zane said. "It's just a theory. If his body wasn't abused, his mind certainly was. Maybe the Overlord only threatened to rape him? One thing I have noticed for certain is, he's averted to certain...sounds. Water dripping, and the like. You'll notice he's shirked all his cleaning duties on the ship. He may have been..." He trailed off, eyes hard with unpleasant thought. "...I just don't know."

Nya closed her eyes and pressed her face into his chest. His mechanical heartbeat was steady and strong, encouraging her to take another deep breath. Nad another.

"I'm sorry, Nya," Zane said. "I'm worried about him too. But if you could just make sure that he knows you're there for him, it could help him to open up."

Zane. He was so dependable, even when both their worlds were falling apart. He was never too absorbed in his own problems to help out a friend. She knew she did not deserve his companionship. No one did. Such a servant. Such a loving heart. He'd better hurry up and find a wife because I'm starting to like him.

Nope. That was the last thing she needed to add to her pile of confusing relationships.

"You feeling better?" Zane asked after a few minutes.

Nya nodded, then wiped her eyes.

"Good. We can-"

He was interrupted by a voice. "Hey, Zane? Why aren't you watching the map? I can see..." Lloyd trailed off, blushing slightly. "Sorry. Am I interrupting something?"

Nya sat upright in her seat and picked up the teacup. "No, Lloyd. You're fine."

Zane leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs. In an instant, his bearing shifted from 'comforter' to 'commander.' "Please continue, Lloyd."

Lloyd jabbed a thumb over his shoulder. "I can see Ninjago on the horizon," he said. "And...well, I was wondering why you weren't surveying like you were supposed to. Never mind that, though. I see you were busy."

"It's all right," Zane said. He held out a hand, gesturing for Nya to hand him the mug. She did, and he took a long drink before handing it back. "We were just finishing up. Prepare everyone. We can disembark when we reach Lord Kaytake's estate." He considered something a moment, then seemed to come to a conclusion. "But leave Kai and Besai alone, please. They can come out when they are ready."

"When they're...ready?" Lloyd's face contorted in disgust. "They aren't in there, like, making-"

"No," Nya and Zane said in unison.

"Absolutely not," Zane said crisply. "Please, child, go and do as you were told."

With an eye roll and casual salute, Lloyd left the room.

Nya's shoulders relaxed- she hadn't realized she was tense- as she took a sip of the sweet herbal tea. "Lloyd can be pretty weird," she said. "Kai and Besai. I never..."

"I can see it," Zane said. "Just not as extreme as in Lloyd's...fascinating...imagination."