Hell's Juwel

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Ch. 1

Deserted Ways - A meeting

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Ann.: Contains profanity against Khura'inism ...!

~o

I can't help but wonder how I ended up in this situation.

I never leave things up to chance and only idiots would listen to their feelings over pure reasoning. I'm not an idiot, never have been and never plan to become one. Especially not for a guy who looks like a woman and thinks he can soothe all revolutionaries with his kind words and soft ways and bwah, I wanna throw up so badly – I have to make him see that humans are animals and the only way to treat them is to tame them. The tamer must wield all the power, subject every resistance to his own will and rule them while staying in the shadows – it works, trust me.

So okay, let me tell you a little story about a break-out first. It all began earlier: Dogen got sick. And the old man told me that he felt in his bones he'd die, so he asked me to listen to his last will and to do everything possible to fulfill it.

"Young acolyte", he said, lying stretched out on the plank bed, unusually pale. "My time on this earth is coming to an end."

I didn't know what to say so I just stood by his side and listened to the assassin's secrets. He told me things that no human ear should ever hear and warned me to keep the information hidden until my very death. I laughed then but my laugh died with Dogen's hard grip around my wrist, twisting my skin around my bones so hard that I thought he'd break my arm. "I'm not joking, young acolyte", he coughed, his face suddenly only millimeters away from mine. I nodded, scared, and the grip around my wrist loosened. And thus, packed with secrets Dogen told me to escape prison.

It wasn't hard. Yes, the break-out was surprisingly easy. I knew Dogen had his ways around and out of there but I never knew how and he never told me no matter how hard I had tried to get the truth out of him. But with my new acquired information it was a piece of cake to get out of my cell.

My flight hadn't been discovered until I was already safe and out of the country (I saw my face on the airport TV monitor once but at that point I was about to board a plane, so bye bye shitheads).

You'll be asking what Dogen wants me to do. Simply said, I won't tell you. I can't.

Not yet.

But Dogen was very clear about my target location and thus I arrived at Khura'in posthaste.

"Ugh", was my first impression of it. It was very crowded (I hate people) and noisy (I prefer silence) and so … colorful. At least the colors were beautiful. No really, the Khura'inese fabrics and fashion are otherworldly. Beautiful, to say the least.

With gaping mouth I walked on the main road, turning to every side to see as much as possible. The smells of the bazaar around me mixed in my nose and I, pleased, noted that there was not one sweet smell in there (I can't stand sweet for life).

"Hap'piraki! Do you need a city guide?" A boy, maybe 12 years old, on a yak that was trotting through the crowd in slow steady pace, addressed me as he passed by. The boy, wild haired, his grin lacking some teeth, waved at me and I followed him several steps because of instinct. I haven't thought very far ahead about what to do after landing here.

"Is there a place where tourists can go to … register?", I asked.

"Tehm'pul Temple is your place then! Just up there, you'll find a registration office!" The boy pointed ahead, to a staircase leading to what seemed be a gigantic temple whose peaks were touching the sky.

"Temple temple?" People forced themselves between the yak and me and I was tugged into the opposite direction of the boy. Good enough, at least I had a slight idea about where to go first.

You're a prisoner on the run, Simon, and on the other hand this is a very religious country by the looks of it. The chances of getting this country's refugee support are 50/50. Do I want to risk it? Do I go with the being-a-tourist plan?

I pressed against the next house wall, suddenly feeling dizzy in the afternoon sun. I wasn't used to that many people at once. I have been in prison for so long, seeing the same limited amount of people all the time and mostly talking to either the new warden or to Dogen but – so many sensations at once while being deprived of them for so long …

I lifted my shaking hands and hit my cheeks. Prisoner on the run, I reminded myself again and started moving, not enticed by the bazaar atmosphere anymore. Always remember who you are.

~o

~o

To cut a longer story short, while the registration itself went smoothly I still ended up screwed. And I didn't even know why.

"H-hey, what is the meaning of this?" Two guards appeared by my side out of nowhere. I turned to the registration lady, whose sympathetic smile turned into horror when they seized me by my arms and told the other people around us to stay calm. "What are you doing?", I asked, trying to keep my calm. Why were those guards arresting me?

"You are to come with us!", one of the guards answered mechanically and lead me forcefully with him. Sudden adrenaline rushed through my body and maybe I would have been able to free myself and make a run for it but I thought: There is no reason for them to arrest you, Simon. They must mistake you for someone. Surely, it must be because of the revolution the registration lady mentioned. So you have no reason to flee.

"Nowaynowaynowaynoway", I muttered, keeping the facade of the innocent panic stricken tourist to the outside.

We were walking so long that at some point I really thought I'd land in prison again. Funny idea, no? To escape from America's prison to be incarcerated in a religious prison instead (and yes, everything in this country is religious, you can't change my mind about that). Honestly though, I didn't expect to be brought into a fancy room, seated on a nice chair and left without supervision instead. Well, without direct supervision, that was. Surely those guards would be standing directly in front of the door and checking if I'd escape or not.

But why would I? I did nothing wrong.

Those are the mind games I'm familiar with.

I stood up from my chair and walked around, inspecting my surroundings. Judging by the state of things this room belonged to a very tidy and regular person – the bed was made perfectly, trinkets (all religious, duh) lined up as if their position measured via ruler and there was not one unnecessary detail lying around.

The door swung open.

I turned around, snarky remarks on the tip of my tongue – I forgot every one of them. I was never religious or remotely interested in it but at that moment I was contemplating joining Khura'inism – the woman who entered was deadly beautiful and my mind went blank with the lack of words to describe her appearance.

She was dressed in light royal colors, white and gold and red, and her braided hair rested over her shoulder – but nothing of those trivial details were of any importance. They were mere facts but facts didn't fit her beauty; instead, I immediately thought about one dialogue I had with Dogen years ago – Dogen once asked me to describe how the dawn outside the prison's window looked like and it's too hard to put sight into comparison with other sensations;

but the silver color of this woman's hair reminded me of the dawn that I used to watch every morning; and her eyes, her face, like artistry from Dogen's hands, not a single detail out of place or made lovelessly. Dogen's chess pieces were just as elegant and detailed (and Dogen was blind, mind you). However, there was a certain edge to her beauty as well, and it captivated me on a whole different level than true art ever could.

"My guards told me that a suspicious looking person was at the residence."

"No way", I said and aghast sat down on the nearest thing around, which happened to be the table. I had always relied on my ability to evaluate a person at first sight but to be so harshly mistaken … "No way", I repeated.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Nahyuta Sahdmahdi and I'm Khura'in's regent until Her Benevolence comes of age." He put his middle and ring fingers against the thumbs of his respective hands and stretched his pointing and little finger out, one hand next to his chest and the other one turned in my direction. "Karma ...", he added, closed his eyes and tilted his head to the side. A soft smile played around his lips as if someone whispered a pleasant secret into his ear, and I forcefully looked away.

"Okay", I began, jumped off the table and tried to collect myself. A man, king of Khura'in, what else do you know? Try to assess him once more Simon, you can do it. So what, that's a man, not a woman, that's fine, just concentrate. His hair is not the color of dawn, it's just silver, and he's not-

I lost the train of thought when our eyes met. Green. Piercingly green. I grabbed behind me and my hands closed around something. I intensified my grip, feeling rough edges bury into my skin but it helped me clear my thoughts.

What would the regent of Khura'in want with me? He called me a suspicious person. Why suspicious?

I saw that he saw it too but he didn't comment on my mental state. "I'm here to question you", he simply stated and lowered his arms.

I'm not here to talk.

"Nowaynowaynowaynoway", I let go of whatever I was holding, raised both hands and put them over my ears, sinking back. "I don't like being questioned."

Nahyuta swiftly crossed the room, sliding his hand over the back of the chair where I had previously been sitting, and halted behind the chair, both arms resting on its back.

"You're misunderstanding your situation", he observed. He had absolutely no facial expressions when talking, nothing to read and judge on. I looked at him but I couldn't tell what I was seeing, couldn't help myself and the situation made me shake. I had rarely felt terror before. And with every word this man was saying the feeling of terror grew. "I'm quite familiar with the English ways. Even though I'm currently indisposed to traveling I had a lengthy stay in America not too long ago. And you will be surprised to learn that I'm a Khura'inese prosecutor, acquainted with the English Chief Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth. Thus, you can drop your play and come to the point, Simon Gustavia."

I'm a prisoner on the run.

We stared at each other for several breaths. Slowly, I felt anger rising in me next to the terror that held me with deadly grip, and I exhaled audibly.

"Never fucking call me by that name again", I growled, my fingers closing around the table's edge in search for support. The last time I heard it out loud was in trial and every time it had been said it had been a punch to my stomach, violently twisting my guts and waking demons that should stay asleep forever at best.

"Are you inclined to Souta Sarushiro?" Nahyuta took out a flat file folder from a crease in his clothes and let it drop onto the chair's seat. I followed his movements with my eyes, dizzily clinging to the table, not feeling my breaths anymore.

"Keyes", I breathed. "Simon Keyes. I still dig that name." I crossed my arms in front of my chest, stopping them from trembling so obviously. "So what are you waiting for? Do you want a confession?" My voice dripped with my soul's trouble and I found back to ways I thought were long forgotten. "Does it give you pleasure to torture prisoners until you're satisfied? Is that why you're here?" I laughed hysterically. "Go on! I'm not scared!"

"Mr Keyes, I came to offer the blessings of the Holy Mother in the first place." He tilted his head to the side but his face showed no traces of emotion – can any person be so damn good at hiding? It made me angry. Did he think he was better than me? "Your karmic flow … is very strong. You did not come to Khura'in to do evil and as such I am left to wonder ..." He did that hand thing against, this time with only one hand. "Your prison sentence would have ended soon. Why escape now? What business do you have here?"

"You think you're so smart", I sneered. "Aren't you afraid that I will assault and hurt you before your guards can come in? Are all of you Khura'inese people-"

"Satorha!" His voice cut through the air like a whip and I was surprised to see anger written all over his face.

Huh, so he does know what feelings are.

"If you behaved like an adult for even a moment, Mr Keyes", his eyes were burning into mine (the passion in them impressed me deeply), "we could solve the situation at hand like men on equal eye level. Instead you show that your country had little success with rehabilitating you and that you prefer to behave worse than a barbarian than using the gift of discourse, very unbefitting of a man of your caliber." He sighed, brows furrowed. "If your pride allows it join me for lunch in half an hour to discuss the state of things. But be warned, once you leave these holy grounds you will be hunted and turned over to Los Angeles without mercy."

He rushed gracefully towards the door without giving me time to answer, and left me behind wordless.

What. In. The. World.

I stood there for a while. I looked at the chair where Nahyuta had been standing. I walked over and picked up the folder Nahyuta had left behind. Those were my file papers, listing my crimes, my final sentence, all data that existed on paper but not in my mind anymore. I scoffed, dropped the folder and walked out of the room.

Nobody was in the hallway and I didn't meet anyone until I was outside and could see Tehm'pul Temple in the distance again. There I stopped, sat onto a low wall surrounding a garden and started thinking about what happened. Trying to process what happened. Trying to understand.

You're misunderstanding the situation you're in.

"Turned over to Los Angeles without mercy, huh?" I shrugged, jumped off the wall and walked in direction of Tehm'pul Temple.

~o

~o

Nahyuta played with his prayer bead, running his fingers over its individual elements up and down, looking out of the window in the Audience Chamber. From here he could look over the courtyard and today, he saw, were especially many people present, waiting to be admitted.

Nahyuta sighed.

It seemed he had been wrong about this Simon Keyes. When notice about his escape had reached Nahyuta he had wondered why Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth would call him personally to tell him about the prison break-out. He had wondered even more when his guards told him that Edgeworth's assumption had been correct, and his wonder reached its peak when Keyes didn't appear at lunch with Nahyuta. He had thought that the escapee would take every possibility to be able to fulfill whatever he came to fulfill here – but obviously not.

"No trespassing!" Nahyuta could hear the commotion at the gate. "Wait until you're admitted." He took a step back from the window to see what was happening and saw the guards fending off a familiar face.

"Let him enter", he called, evening his facial expression to neutrality. The guards saluted and straightened at once, and Simon pressed past them with annoyed sounds, heading towards Nahyuta. He halted before him and frowned at him, his eyes searching over Nahyuta's face (What are you searching for?).

"So so, doing your royal duties now?" Simon looked over his shoulder. "There is a gigantic mass of people outside."

"I'm well aware, Mr Keyes. I take my time to listen to my peoples' concerns and problems. The Holy Mother then bestows her blessings upon them or rules in holy judgment." Nahyuta saw his mouth's corners twitch slightly. The man was probably not aware but his karmic flow told Nahyuta everything he needed to know, as little as the changes in it were. He had vibrant strong colors, different from most people in Khura'in. "We should head to the throne. Her Benevolence will arrive shortly as well."

"We?" Simon followed him. "Are you telling me some random stranger will be allowed to be seated next to the king of Khura'in?"

"A great honor for a guest of Khura'in." Nahyuta smiled. Maybe he hadn't been so wrong after all.

"Pah, it will be boring as fuck. Listening to Khura'iners all day long – I rather", and while Simon continued his rant Nahyuta was stunned about the other man's words. "So why would you give me that honor, holy king?"

"You make it sound as if I cursed you unjustly instead of treating you kindly." Nahyuta sat down on the throne, avoiding looking at Simon but keeping his gaze forward, down the isle of the audience chamber. If he looked at him he would struggle to keep his neutrality. And he needed to stay even, now more than ever. "I like your eyes. That is all." He saw a movement on his side and in the next moment heard Rayfa say: "Braid Head, you could have already begun the audience, why wait for me? This is such a nuisance."

"It would not be befitting to start without you, Your Benevolence." He gave a little bow in her direction while she sat down on the throne next to him. But her eyes weren't focused on him.

"Who's that? And why are you here?", she asked pertly, ignoring Nahyuta's words. "And what's with your get-up? You're not from Khura'in."

Nahyuta closed his eyes and prayed that Simon would not say anything bold as answer.

Holy Mother, may this individual show manners once.

"My name is Simon. I'm Nahyuta's guest today and it's an honor to be allowed to listen to the Khura'inese royals perform their duties." Nahyuta opened his eyes. Did the Holy Mother hear his prayers?

"Ah, I see. You must be one of those English lawyers then, like Barbed Head. Well, then you'll be … Dyed Head. Yes, that will fit you."

"Don't you think his hair looks like the feathers of a Warbaa'd, Your Benevolence?" Nahyuta turned his head slightly to look at Rayfa from the corner of his eyes. Her cheeks started burning red and she showed her teeth but there was no time to start a dispute because the first people for audience were already coming in.

~o

~o

And thus I wonder how I ended up in this situation. I never leave things up to chance and only idiots would listen to their feelings over pure reasoning. I'm not an idiot, never have been and never plan to become one.

During this audience I learn a lot about Khura'in, more than I would learn from talking with simple people. There is a lot of praying and Holy Mother and religious things that don't tell me anything (like, they're playing something similar to a guitar and singing and the people are happy. Since when does music cure problems? … Maybe I just listen to the wrong type of music?)

But I also learn that a revolution has changed this land and not necessarily to the better. Some people follow the revolution and some don't and some have a specific imagination about how things should look like in Khura'in and others think they can influence the royal family to do their bidding. And after a while it starts annoying me that Nahyuta keeps calm and thinks he can soothe all of those revolutionaries with his kind words and soft ways – is he really that goody-two-shoes?

"Your Holiness!" The man at the other end of the staircase looks like a high priest to me (and I have no idea how a high priest has to look like). He puts his hands together with a clap and bows so deeply that his forehead touches the carpet. "After the incident at the Inner Sanctum nobody has been taking care of it as a holy place anymore! I would like to offer my help to the High Priest to restore the sanctuary and eradicate the rebel's hideout behind the Warbaa'd statue."

Aha, so he's not the high priest then. I study his get-up. But he must be trying to get a point across, with this clothing.

"I have been thinking about the Inner Sanctum for some time now", Rayfa whispers to Nahyuta.

"You may contact the High Priest about that matter." Nahyuta nods. The man grins, claps with his hands together once more and bows another time, while I give a little "Tch" from me. I lean closer to Nahyuta, covering my mouth with my right hand so that this priest wouldn't see me talking.

"He's hiding something."

Nahyuta lowers his head thoughtfully and answers my accusation with silence. The priest already turns to leave but Nahyuta holds him back with asking out loud: "What expenses are you ready to offer to the High Priest?" I watch the man tensing up and know that my gut feeling was correct. Yes, I might have messed up with my judgment before but I'm still a mastermind. I still know how to scheme and to do my thing. And I still know the right words to whisper into the right ears.

I smile.

"I don't have much money, Your Holiness, I fear I only have my hands and body to offer." He falls onto his knees and lifts his hands up, lowering his head. I keep my eyes fixated on him but feel that Nahyuta turns to me ever so slightly. I shake my head in response.

"Let people you trust accompany him", I suggest.

"The Holy Mother thanks you for your gift no matter how small it is. I will add to your efforts, priest, and grant you two of my guards for company. You may contact the High Priest and make the climb to the Inner Sanctum together with him. But do not touch the rebel's hideout without my and Her Benevolence's consultation first. Return tomorrow to give your report."

"He hates you", I whisper. Nahyuta's fingers twitch.

~o

Way later, in the evening after the audience, we walk to have dinner. Princess (and priestess, judging by her titles) Rayfa walks directly with Nahyuta and they're surrounded by guards, while I follow them several steps behind, thinking. I didn't notice how starved I am and am grateful for the food once we're seated inside a large but unadorned hall.

The food isn't anything like what I have seen at the bazaar. For example there's plain rice with vegetables and sauce that tastes like milk, or smashed corn with butter and fruit but it gives off curry fragrance. I'm too caught up with my own mind and the food to participate in the conversation or listen to the music that's being played because

what am I actually doing here?

I try to review my situation. Dogen told me to come here (and for some reason, Edgeworth knew that I would be traveling to Khura'in and told Sahdmahdi). I have a job to do but first I must confirm that my target is here in Khura'in. Currently, I'm the king's guest but who knows where I'll find myself tomorrow morning?

I look up from my food and look at Nahyuta to my left, several seats away from me. He doesn't quite look happy even though he smiles but he most certainly is politely listening and talking. I think back to the sight in his eyes when I first met him, the anger and passion in them, and I wonder why he's giving his best to keep it away from himself.

The dinner seems to end as Rayfa and Nahyuta stand up. Everyone stands up as well and bows to them (all but me) and Nahyuta looks directly at me and jerks his head, a sign to follow him. I slowly rise and prowl past the others, leaving the dinner hall with them.

"Good night, Braid Head and good night …. Dyed Head." The princess gives me a condescending look and turns away, her arms crossed in front of her chest.

"Good night, Your Benevolence. Sleep well", Nahyuta answers and I echo him. It's funny how unwell Rayfa feels towards our friendliness, and it feels like teasing her. I like teasing her.

She leaves without an answer.

"I take it you don't have a place to sleep?", Nahyuta turns to me.

"No. I was busy listening to Khura'inese problems. With the king." I shrug and place my hands on my hips, grinning. I'm enjoying this. I haven't been able to make fun of people for such a long time – and Dogen wasn't exactly the person you'd want to make fun of.

"Indeed. Well then, follow me and I'll lead you to your chambers. I'll have to attend a meeting soon." He takes out a watch from one of his clothes' pockets and nods.

"Another meeting? Does that ever stop?" We start walking down the hallway. I can't help but notice that there are no guards following us. The only guards here are positioned at doors from time to time down the hallway but otherwise we're alone.

"Without a doubt. I only asked some friends to join me tonight." He joins his hands behind his back while walking. "I won't have time to ask you the questions that should be asked and thus I hope you will find it in your heart to excuse me. Naturally, tomorrow will be another day. I will include your name in today's prayers."

Should I be honored?

We walk through a half open hallway, the moonlight shining in from the side. In this light Nahyuta's hair doesn't look like dawn but like silver water. I wonder how it looks like when it's not braided.

We stop in front of a door, which must be our destination, and he turns to me, the moonlight in his back painting his face with shadows.

"Do you trust me?", I ask, tracing his face with my eyes – the form of his nose, his eyebrows, his chin and and his lips. His lips curl into a mocking smile.

"Is it wise to trust a snake?", he asks back, moving his head to the side and into the moonlight.

"Am I a snake to you? I thought I'm a warbaa'd." I take a step closer to him and he evades me. I repeat the dance until there's only wall behind his back and he has nowhere to go.

He's just a little bit taller than me, smaller than Knightley was, but I lean forward and put my head back to look him in the eyes while coming closer still, pressing into his personal space. I'm enjoying this to the fullest. "I killed the last man who truste me", I whisper against his lips. One centimeter closer and I could kiss him if I want to. But this man is so collected and calm, it's more fun to play with him, to tease him, to see to what he reacts.

"I read all about it, Mr Keyes. I'm no stranger to your plays." He lifts a hand between us and presses his pointing finger against my lips, pushing me back. With enough space between us he turns his palm to me and I see a tattoo on his palm, a black dragon on his soft skin. "A dragon never yields", he says, watching me attentively. I take a step back and play with a streak of my hair, suddenly annoyed.

"Good night then, King Sahdmahdi." He sighs, smiles and shakes his head, letting his hand sink into the familiar gesture next to his chest.

"I wish you wouldn't stress my position this much, Mr Keyes. Would I act as regent of Khura'in I would have punished you several time for your insolence. Was I acting as prosecutor then you'd be on your way back to Los Angeles where you belong to. No, I simply act as your equal and I plan to stay this way for at least a while."

What for, huh?

"Uh-huh. So you're telling me you're a prisoner on the run too? Equals, what bullshit." I cross my arms in front of my chest.

"You … know very little for being a smart man, Mr Keyes. Open your eyes and take in knowledge for it will only benefit you." Sadness scurries over his face as quickly as the wing beat of a butterfly and he looks to the side, his hair covering his eyes and hiding his face from me. "I will leave you for now. My duties are calling me. Have a good night, Mr Keyes."

"Simon." I put two fingers against my eyebrow and do a weak salute. "And I will be calling you Nahyuta."

"Oh … Of course. Simon, then." He fiddles with his prayer bead around his neck, nods, wishes me a good night and then walks away.

I'm alone in the hallway, without any guard near me to put me under supervision.

So, you're not trusting me, huh? And yet you trusted me with the priest business earlier.

I open the door and give off a whistle as I see the room. Sure, I got used to sleeping in a cell with Dogen and Anubis for so many years … so even a room like this is a luxury for me.

It basically is a king-sized bed with a baldaquin in Khura'inese colors, the floor is covered with deeply green carpet and the walls decorated with those strange looking nines that seem to be Khura'in's religious symbols. There's a desk, chair and some statues of the Holy Mother in the room, and a wardrobe with Khura'inese dress-up. I guess I'm expected to change into traditional clothes starting tomorrow.

Snake my ass.

I change out of my clothes and step to the desk to inspect myself in the mirror that's put there against the wall. I look pale, sick. I'd want to dye my hair flaming red again but I had no color and so my natural hair was dominantly showing and my beloved hair color was practically grown out.

Who of us two is a snake, Nahyuta? What game are you playing with me?

I still can't believe I thought he's a woman. From who does he have his appearance from? His father? His mother? His grandparents?

What does it matter, Simon? You're not here to learn about the royal family.

I stare at myself in the mirror. Nahyuta said he liked my eyes but I saw hate in them, and anger. Why would he like them …

"Whatever." I turn away, jump into bed and cover myself in several sheets of blanket. I press my eyes together and hope for sleep to come fast.