70
"We're here on vacation, Cole! And you're putting us to work?!"
It was the next morning, and after a relatively bland breakfast Jay seemed to be in a bad mood. Cole just shook his head.
"Doesn't look like you got a lot of sleep last night…that time difference sure can take a lot out of you, huh?"
Jay narrowed his eyes at his friend's smug smile.
"An irrigation system…. seriously? You mean in the hundreds of years of Oni history they never thought to make one of those before?"
"Maybe they did a while ago…but ever since the Purge their civilization more or less fell apart and they've been forced to be focused on other things," Cole pointed out defensively. "Anyways, if you don't want to, I suppose I could just find another inventor…"
Jay sighed dramatically, leaning back in his chair.
"Fiiiiiiiineeeee…."
Cole slapped him on the back and Jay grunted as his friend gave him a wink.
"Thanks."
"I'll be with you Jay, so it won't be so bad," Nya teased, rolling her eyes at her husband's antics. Cole turned to her, a little sheepish.
"Actually….I was wondering if you and Kai could go teach some Northern villages the basics in blacksmithing…."
"The 'basics'? You can't learn blacksmithing in a day, Cole." Kai pointed out dryly, and the Master of Earth sighed.
"I know….but we're in the middle of trying to iron some stuff out in the realm and it would mean a lot if you could at least help them getting started on a shop or two…and maybe some techniques?"
Kai folded his arms.
"I wouldn't have come early if I had known we were just gonna work…"
"On the bright side, it is a way to see new parts of the realm," Zane cut in, coming in the room. Kai looked over at the Nindroid and rolled his eyes.
"…I guess…."
"If they show up without one of us, the leaders will have a fit…" Keyda pointed out, and Cole rubbed his head.
"I guess that means one of us goes with each group then, yeah?" he finally suggested. "Who do you want to go with?"
Keyda blinked and turned to look at Jay, then slowly turned to look at the dark-haired girl and her brother, before looking back at the ninja in blue. After a few moments of her not saying anything Cole finally chuckled and put his hands on her shoulders.
"How about you go with Jay, huh? I've been wanting to go see how the mine situation up North is anyways…"
"And Pix and I can come along as well!" Zane offered, not really wanting to get left behind at the fortress. Keyda sighed.
"Whatever. Tala will no doubt be upset no matter what we do." She turned back to Cole and raised an eyebrow. "Is your back feeling ok enough to ride a dragon?"
He gave her half a smile.
"It's tender…and I woke up pretty stiff. But the shooting pain stopped…."
"Shooting pain? What shooting pain?!"
He just kissed her forehead and didn't answer as he left to get ready, and she shook her head, irritated and worried.
"You sure you'll be…"
"I'll be fine!" he called as he walked away.
Lloyd looked at Keyda and gave her a comforting look.
"I'll go with them…make sure he doesn't get into any trouble…"
"Easier said than done," Keyda said dryly and Lloyd chuckled.
"Yeah…to be honest…we've always been pretty good at getting into trouble…"
Lou walked into the dining hall right as Cole was walking out. He paused, looking at his father.
"Hey, Dad…are you gonna be ok here, or do you want to…"
Lou waved him off.
"I'll be fine, Cole. I'm quite capable of taking care of myself. Been doing it for a while now,"
Cole smiled softly and nodded.
"K. We'll be back…" he trailed off. "Um…I'm not really sure when we'll finish up there. But before dinner, ok?"
Lou shooed him and Cole smiled, scoffing as he headed towards his room to grab a few things.
"Oh yes…I remember you."
Keyda eyed the blue dragon with her arms crossed, and the Guardian of Lightening looked just as displeased to see her.
"If you would like, you can ride with us on the Guardian of Ice…."
"I don't remember that one liking me any better," Keyda pointed out bitterly, shooting a cold look at the white dragon. If dragons could roll their eyes, the beast would have.
"He says he'll be on his best behavior if you are…." Jay said from his perch on his guardian. Keyda clenched her jaw and began to mount the electric blue dragon.
"I am always on my best behavior."
"I do not remember seeing mountains in our last visit!" Kai called over from his red guardian. Cole couldn't help but smile.
"Yeah…that's because we never really came up this far when we were running all over the place…"
"It's a pretty long journey….especially if you have to make it on foot," Lloyd pointed out from his perch behind Cole. Ret sat silently behind them both, and every once and awhile his presence would catch Lloyd off guard because in his silence the ninja kept forgetting the dragon master was there.
"We're looking into hoofer travel…hopefully it will be more effective…" Cole mused, and Lloyd furrowed his brow.
"What on earth is a hoofer?"
Cole's reply trailed off as they caught sight of the Northern Fortress. Cole suddenly felt a little sick; sure, Ymil had to respect him…but he felt a little isolated without Keyda to back him up. Besides, he wasn't entirely sure how the snively leader would react to four more outsiders on his doorstep…
The dragons dove down and stopped outside the fortress, and Cole took a deep breath.
"Ok…fair warning, this guy can be a little…"
"Outsider! What is the meaning of this, bringing two dragons to my fortress, unexpected?"
Kai raised an eyebrow at the number of guards surrounding the leader as Ymil came out to meet them, his head held high on his thin neck.
"Ymil, I said that I would bring friends of mine to help figure out how to get you set up with blacksmith shops…"
The Leader harrumphed.
"We've been doing that ourselves. We certainly don't need help or pity from yellow-skinned foreigners!"
"Well, we've come to help regardless…because apparently your economy is more important than sightseeing," Kai snapped angrily, and Cole groaned internally as Ymil puffed himself up.
"We did not ask for…"
"I'd like to see the mine, Ymil."
The leader paused and glaced over at where Cole was folding his arms.
"…what mine…."
"You know which mine. You wanna come with us or are we going to go check it out ourselves?" Cole pressed, and Ymil narrowed his eyes, shifting from foot to foot as he thought.
"Oh, very well. I expect you to report to the actual ruler the progress we've made…" He trailed off as he caught sight of Lloyd, his eyebrows raising. The younger ninja became uncomfortable under his gaze, shifting slightly as Ymil contined. "What an interesting hair color…is it naturally like that?"
"Yup. It's called blonde. Now: the mine?" Cole answered dryly. Ymil shook his head and beckoned to his guards to surround the group as they headed to the mine they had visited before. Kai, Nya and Skylor looked around suspiciously at the guards that were more or less blockading them as they walked, and Lloyd moved to be near Cole.
"No offense Cole, but I think I may just wear a hat to your wedding…"
Cole chuckled.
"That might be a good idea."
"Tala was not pleased."
Keyda dipped her spoon into her soup and Cole chuckled.
"I can imagine…"
"Yeah, what's up with spending our vacation time visiting people who really didn't want to meet us?" Jay complained, reaching for a second loaf.
"I do feel like it was a beneficial visit, even if the leader was initially irritated by our presence…." Zane chimed in.
Everyone was seated in Keyda's personal dining hall. Cole smiled a little, leaning back in his chair as he studied all of his friends at the table. It felt pretty surreal, having big team dinners in the first realm.
"Did you at least set up an irrigation system?" he asked and Jay shrugged.
"Eh…kinda. I drew em some plans, at least….but we wouldn't have been able to do it all today."
"Sounds easier than trying to set up blacksmith shops!" Kai pointed out. "That took forever! And we didn't technically accomplish a lot…"
"Not to mention that snively northern leader guy was pretty poor company," Nya added, finishing her own bowl of soup and leaning back.
Jay slapped Cole on the back.
"You sure got your work cut out for you. I'm beginning to see why you've been so tightly wound lately…"
Cole scoffed.
"Tightly-wound?"
"Don't even try to deny it!" Nya added. "You were so bad before our wedding, even Kai noticed!"
"Hey!" The Master of Fire protested, sputtering crumbs out of his too-full mouth.
"But you did seem to do better after Keyda showed up," Zane assured, wiping Kai's crumbs away from his own food. Keyda glanced up at Cole as the nindroid spoke, and he met her eye to give her a little smile. The conversation lulled for a bit as everyone ate the meal, lost in thought. Jay finished the last of his food and chuckled to himself, causing the others in the room to look over.
"I was just thinking…the Oni and leaders and stuff are mad now and you guys aren't even married yet…just think about how everyone'll react when you have kids!"
Cole had been drinking the last of his soup, but at Jay's comment he choked, and soup spurted out his nose. Keyda stiffened as Cole coughed and choked.
"Jay Walker!" Nya chastised, shaking her head. "It's a little early to be bringing that up…"
"It is interesting to consider that future…" Zane commented, looking pensive. "If you had children they would have the potential to carry both Oni and Elemental Power…."
"Like Lloyd!" Kai added, slapping the blonde youth on the back. Cole was still coughing, using a napkin to wipe his mouth and nose. Keyda was rigid as she stared down at her empty tray with an unreadable expression. Right then Jaqah approached the Ruler, clearing her throat.
"There are a few more things to discuss…if you have time…"
Keyda glanced up but didn't say anything for a moment. She finally shook her head as if to clear it.
"Oh, right. That's probably fine."
She pushed herself up from the table and left the room without making eye contact with anybody, though most everyone was still looking at Cole anyway as he tried to clear the rest of the soup from his lungs. Jay smacked him on the back.
"I'm sorry, boulder-brain…I was just saying…"
"Why don't you worry about your own future parenthood…" Cole finally managed, his voice hoarse as he wiped his eyes again. Jay shrugged.
"What's there to worry about? I'm going to be a great father…"
"Ok, it's REALLY too soon to be talking about that!" Nya cut in, pushing herself up off the table. "Kids are a discussion for another day….a very, very distant day!"
Cole spotted the female guard as she was headed to the barracks and waved her down.
"Jaqah! Have you seen Keyda?"
The new Captain of the Guard frowned.
"She went to bed…"
"She…did? When?"
"Right after our meeting. Severe headache, apparently…."
"Oh." Cole frowned as well. "Um, how was the meeting? I'm sorry, did I need to be there, or…"
"Oh, no, not at all…" she cleared her throat. "No need to pull you from your…friends. We just had a few things to solidify before the binding tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
Jaqah raised an eyebrow at Cole's shocked expression.
"…Yes…as we have been planning for the past week…"
Cole dry washed his face.
"Right, right…I know. I guess with everything…." He swallowed. "I guess it just kinda snuck up on me…."
They stood in silence for a few moments and Jaqah finally shifted.
"If there's anything else…"
"Oh. No, sorry." Cole said, still looking a little distant as he nodded goodnight and headed down the hall. Keyda had gone to sleep? He hadn't even seen her much today…and she had left early from dinner. In fact, she had left around the time Jay had brought up kids….
He winced. He loved his friend, but there were times that he wished Jay wasn't so…Jay. There was no reason to start talking about kids now…he wasn't even married yet! Or bound! Or…or whatever…
He pressed a hand to his brow. The binding was tomorrow…why did he suddenly feel sick to his stomach? This was what he wanted…what he was dedicated to. So why did he suddenly feel so unprepared for it? He had the sudden desire to go talk to his father, but he was pretty sure his old man had already gone to bed as well. He considered it a moment longer and finally shook his head. He wouldn't wake him up; it was fine. He was fine. He bit his lip and headed to his own room.
"I don't think I can do this…."
Keyda was pacing, and Echo watched her for a few minutes, a soft smile playing on her lips.
"Keyda…."
"No, I'm serious…I mean…" she paused, wrapping her arms around her middle. "I mean this is…this is a huge thing! This is more than just Cole becoming a sudo-Ruler or Oni being against us or change in general….there's so much to this decision that I haven't even thought about yet! And the binding is tomorrow!"
Echo shook her head and put her hands on Keyda's shoulders.
"Keyda…you don't have to do anything you don't want to do. But you were so excited before…what's scaring you so badly now?"
Keyda bit her lip, looking up at Echo without answering. The older Oni continued to look at her tenderly for a few minutes and finally sighed.
"You…"
Echo trailed off as a small white fleck floated past her face. She looked up as more flecks drifted down. Keyda glanced up as well and they watched for a while.
"What is it?" Echo finally asked softly. She had dropped her arms so she could more fully appreciate the phenomenon around them. Keyda's expression had softened as well.
"It's called snow. It's like…little pieces of ice."
Echo held out her hands to catch the flakes. Around them the snow was dusting bobbing poppy heads. Keyda bent down to pick one of the flowers, twirling it in her fingers as she thought.
"It's so pretty," Echo finally commented, and Keyda nodded.
"Yeah. It is." She rubbed her arms, the flower still clutched in her hand. The flakes around them slowed and eventually stopped and Echo looked back over at Keyda.
"Are you going to call off the binding then?"
The younger Oni took a shaky breath as she shivered.
"…No...no. I just…"
The poppy in her hand was becoming blurred as tears filled her eyes. Echo came over and wrapped her into a hug, and Keyda buried her face into the other Oni's shoulder as she cried. It was a few moments before she managed to speak again.
"What if something goes wrong after all? What if we can't actually do this?! What if we get to a point where we can't work things out anymore, where we can't reconcile the horrible things that will happen…"
Echo stroked her hair, shushing her softly.
"Oh, Keyda…you are strong…both of you. There won't be much you guys can't…"
"But what if there comes a time when we aren't strong enough anymore?!"
Echo smiled sadly and pulled back so she could wipe the younger girl's tears.
"You do not lose your strength…and from what I know of you and him, you will only get stronger as time goes on. Hard times will come…but hard times already have and you both still love each other. It is going to be alright."
Keyda didn't say anything and finally exhaled shakily.
"You're right….you're right. It's just so intimidating…and suddenly it's right in front of me."
She looked up at the Horned Oni and felt a jolt of saddness as she saw the outline of the Oni and the world around her fade. The older Oni pulled her in for a last hug.
"It's your choice, Keyda…and whatever you choose, I'm sure he'll support you. Just like he always has…"
And with that, the world faded to black around her.
Cole bolted awake, drenched in a cold sweat. It took a few moments for the nightmare—and the flashing gold eyes- to fade in the darkness of the room. He ran his hands through his wet hair, taking shaky breaths to stave off the nausea. He pushed himself out of bed and after a moment of hesitation he headed down the hall. A few minutes later he reached a door and was surprised to see light coming out underneath. He knocked softly and after a minute the door opened to reveal Lou.
"Cole!..."
"Sorry Pop, I know it's late…." Cole rushed, and Lou just opened the door wider to allow his son to enter. There were a few candles burning, and Cole could see that the small bed pallet was still made.
"It's alright son, I was up anyways."
"Doing what?"
Lou shrugged and sat on his bed, patting the spot next to him. Cole joined his father as Lou stroked his mustache.
"Oh, you know, struggling through time difference and inspiration and all that. Didn't realize how late it had gotten, honestly…" He turned to Cole with a concerned smile. "Now, tell me what's up. No doubt this is about the wedding tomorrow…"
Cole sighed heavily.
"It's…yeah…It's like…I guess it's that I'm not sure why but I can't help but be…" he sighed again, this time in irritation at his inability to articulate what he wanted. "I was finally feeling so much better about everything, but now I'm just so…scared…"
Lou was silent as he thought.
"Still about the change?"
"Kinda? I don't know…it's more than that, actually."
Cole's brow furrowed as Lou tugged his mustache again.
"You're not sure how the future is going to turn out…and that's intimidating. You're afraid of losing everything you've gained…."
The ninja looked over at his father with surprise.
"Then…you felt this way too?"
The performer couldn't help but chuckle.
"I think that to some degree everyone feels like that before their wedding. It's a big step, and it leads to future changes…." he couldn't help but give his son a meaningful look. "Like children."
Cole shuddered again, a flash of his nightmare coming to mind.
"I don't think we'll have to worry about those for a while…" he commented softly, and Lou scoffed and slapped his son on the back.
"No need to view offspring so morosely, Cole! After the initial shock and fear it's quite the adventure, parenthood…"
"No, not that, it's just…" he trailed off and they sat in silence for a few moments. When Cole finally spoke again he wouldn't meet his father's eyes.
"Pop…I…I wish Mom was here. I just want to talk to her…ask her for her advice as well…I don't know. But I'm not saying that because I don't like your advice, it's just…"
"I wish she could see this as well, Cole," Lou assured softly, patting his son's knee. "I wish she could see you. She would be so proud…and so excited…"
Cole's eyes got misty and he didn't trust himself to talk. Lou had fallen silent as well and after another five minutes or so Cole turned and gave his father a hug. The performer raised his eyebrows in surprise before pulling his son into a tight embrace of his own.
"I'm proud of you too, son. Just…in case you didn't know…"
Cole chuckled a little into his father's shoulder.
"Thanks Pop. I know."
Keyda watched the sun inch up slowly on the horizon, shivering and pulling her night robe closer as a breeze raced across the roof of the fortress. The silence was suddenly interrupted by soft scraping noises followed by padding footsteps.
"Couldn't sleep either?"
She smiled softly without turning and Cole sat down next to her. He put his arm around her and she snuggled in.
"Should you really be climbing with the state your back is in?" she chastised softly, and she felt him give a little shrug.
"It's doing better…not so stiff. Besides…I took the stairs."
They sat in silence as the light continued to stretch across the landscape, creating long shadows that stretched out under all the rock formations.
"Something about sunrises, huh?" Cole mused softly. Keyda shifted a little in response.
"Cole…I need you to do something…"
He moved slightly so he could look at her, but she didn't look away from the horizon as her eyes filled with tears.
"I need you to promise that nothing will go wrong….that everything will be alright from here on out…"
Her voice cracked and he pulled her closer to him.
"I…can't promise that, Keyds…" he murmured into her hair, and she let out a shuddery laugh.
"I know...but I wish you could…"
"Keyda."
She finally looked up at his face to meet his eye, and he slipped a hand behind her neck.
"As long as we're together…we'll be alright. We can make it. That much I do know."
She gave him a shaky smile and he leaned in to kiss her as the sun finally bathed the fortress with light.
71
"Cole!"
Cole stopped at the sound of his father's voice and turned with a smile.
"Hiya Pop…"
"I forgot to bring it up last night," the performer continued, coming up to the ninja. "But your friend mentioned that you don't have anything to wear to your own wedding…"
Cole winced a little and shrugged sheepishly.
"Um, well…"
Lou put a hand on his son's shoulder, steering him towards the performer's room.
"Now, we can't have that."
Keyda turned the lock on the door, just in case. She had even sent Masha to her own room, preferring to be on her own at that moment. She faced the full-body polished-metal mirror, and then looked down at the soft material in her hands. She felt excitement stir at the thought of trying on the dress…but also terrified that she'd destroy it as easily as she had the last one. She fingered it a few moments longer and finally sighed. She slipped it on and looked down at the material, smoothing it with her hands. She finally had the courage to look up at the mirror, and she flushed with a thrill of pleasure. It really was a beautiful dress, and the cloth felt so soft compared to the scratchy cloth woven by the Oni. She turned around and admired the laced up back, marveling at the way the darker grey cloth showed through the gleaming silver that overlaid it.
A knock sounded suddenly at the door, snapping her out of her musing. A jolt of panic rushed through her, even though all she was doing was trying on a dress and the door was locked at any rate.
"Who is it?" she asked, rushing to pull the dress off; no need to wear it until that evening, anyways.
"It's Jaqah," came the muffled reply through the door. "There are a few final things that need your approval…"
"I'll be right out!" Keyda called as she laid the dress gently on her armchair before pulling on her usual outfit. As she reached the door, she turned and gave the dress one last glance before heading out into the hallway after her new Captain of the Guard.
"What are all these people doing here? The wedding is still a few hours out…" Jay commented as he stared at the masses of Oni that were flocking to the fortress. Nya frowned.
"Maybe to protest? I thought everyone was upset that this binding or whatever was happening…"
"Some will undoubtedly protest." Omar said from his spot nearby. "But I think that for many of them it's curiosity…"
"What, they've never seen a binding before?" Kai asked dryly, and Omar shifted.
"No. I highly doubt any of them have. They'll be disappointed at any rate; there's enough of a security issue without allowing the whole realm to witness the binding…" he trailed off with a sigh. "In fact, I should probably go tell them as much…but I wouldn't be surprised if they just camp out until the official announcement from the balcony…"
"You Oni need to get some hobbies." Jay tsked, looking out at the crowd before turning back to his lunch.
"I guess it feels alright….how does it look?"
Cole sounded—and felt—self-conscious as he looked down at the suit his father had brought for him. It was a silver-grey, and it honestly just felt weird to be wearing something other than black. Lou stood a few feet away, scrutinizing his son closely before finally nodding.
"You look good, son….I think that will do nicely…"
Cole sighed.
"You sure I'm not going to look overdressed? I was told we don't really need fancy clothes for this thing…"
Here Lou smirked.
"You're going to look great."
"And the leaders will sit on mats here, with the Outsiders seated on the outer ring…"
"Cole might want them in the front," Keyda argued, but Jaqah looked conflicted.
"…The leaders have a higher rank than the outsiders…they'll take it as an affront…"
Keyda bit her lip and finally sighed.
"It will probably be fine…."
"The feast will occur after the ceremony. It will be elegant, but we aired on the lighter side…"
"That's just fine Jaqah. We are in a famine at the moment." Keyda tried her best not to fidget; she really hated all these little details…and she hated having to wait. She couldn't help wishing they were just bound already…"
"If only the outsiders realized that…" Jaqah muttered before catching herself. Keyda laughed.
"It wouldn't hurt to tell them. In fact…I have no idea if Cole actually walked his friends through how this thing was going to work…"
"I'll make sure they are prepared," Jaqah assured dutifully. "Also, I would estimate that the other leaders will be arriving soon…you may want to take this time to go get ready. They'll have their offerings with them, so make sure…"
"…I accept them gracefully during the offering ceremony following the binding ceremony," Keyda recited before sighing. "Honestly, I don't know that they'll bring anything…we'll just be lucky if they show up without making a scene,"
"For royal bindings it is a cultural must. I would be more surprised if they didn't bring an offering, even with how they feel about the binding."
Keyda nodded and gave Jaqah a smile before turning to go; she wouldn't mind being as scarce as possible when the other Leaders arrived. Nothing was worse than having to entertain…
"Your rude old guy friend is here."
She blinked in surprise as Tolan appeared in the doorway. Keyda didn't even have time to respond before Phos was moving around the guard, taking the time to swat the younger Oni across the back of the head before heading inside. Tolan scowled and rubbed his head, and Jaqah rolled her eyes.
"C'mon, Tolan. We have to go brief the Outsiders…and it really wouldn't hurt for you to go over the protocol one more time…" Jaqah stopped at the door, as if suddenly realizing she didn't want to leave Keyda alone with Phos, but the Ruler just sighed and shooed her and the Captain only hesitated a moment longer before following Tolan out the door.
Keyda watched as the door shut and turned to face Phos for the first time. The Oni Healer was regarding her with the same expression he always wore. Over one shoulder was his usual leather satchel…but in his hand he held an unexpected box. Keyda folded her arms.
"You're early…the binding is an hour out yet…"
Phos scowled at her tone and she glanced at the package.
"What is that? Part of the ceremony?"
"This is an offering…though with the disrespect you show me…"
"You brought an offering?"
Keyda couldn't help but be surprised, and the Healer rolled his eyes.
"It's tradition to," he muttered, coming a little closer to hand her the box. She accepted it hesitantly.
"…Aren't you supposed to wait till the offering ceremony?"
He didn't answer for a few moments as he moved past her to the small pedestal that was placed at the center of two rings of seating mats. He began unloading things out of his bag as he finally spoke.
"They'll be pretty useless at that point anyways…" he grumbled, and Keyda looked back down at the box he had given her. What on earth was it? After another minute her curiosity got the better of her and she pulled the lid off. When she got a glimpse of the contents her eyebrows shot up in shock and she whipped around to the Healer.
"Where did you find these?"
He shrugged noncommittedly, though she caught a glint in his eye.
"They're known to still grow in a few rare places…"
She glanced back down into the box and tenderly picked up one of the poppies by a bright green stem. It looked just like the ones in her dreams…and she couldn't figure out how they had managed to stay fresh and un-wilted.
"Shouldn't you be getting ready?" the Healer snapped, arranging a few things on the pedestal and digging through his bag for one last crystal.
She couldn't help but shake her head at his patronizing tone, but as she went to leave she hesitated at the door and turned.
"Thank you," she said softly, and had she not been watching carefully she might have missed the pause and tiny nod he gave before getting back to work, looking as irritable as ever.
Keyda ran into Lou on the way to her own room. He gave her a smile and kept walking, but after a few feet she stopped. She bit her lip and finally turned.
"Lou?"
He stopped as well and turned to look at her, and she fiddled with the box in her hands before she finally sighed.
"Could you…could you help me get ready?"
A grin broke across his face.
"I would love to." He came over and looked at the box in her hands. "What have you got there?"
She hesitated and finally opened it for him to see. He got a thoughtful look on his face and finally nodded.
"Oh yes…we can work with that…"
Cole looked down at the orange sash for a few moments before taking a deep breath and pulling it on over his suit. He tied it carefully, trying to remember the way Keyda had shown him. He couldn't help but tug at his collar. His father had brought a bow-tie…but Cole had finally nixed it. Nothing was as uncomfortable as a restrictive bow-tie when you were nervous, and he was grateful for the free feeling of a loose collar. He glanced in the small polished mirror above his wash basin. Time to see if he could get his hair to conform.
"But when do we give our gifts? Err…offerings…" Kai asked, and Jaqah shrugged.
"Anytime after the ceremony…but again, the offering ceremony is for high ranking officials only…"
"Then I suppose it is a good thing I brought something," Wu mused with a twinkle in his eye. He had arrived that morning and had been spending all day helping where he could. The ninja had mainly been cornfined in the area of the fortress their rooms were found in when they weren't eating, and they were all going a little stir crazy.
"At least tell me there's food after…" Jay groaned, and Jaqah sighed.
"Yes…a light feast. But no one is to eat until after the bound couple does, and they aren't allowed to eat until the offering ceremony is over…"
"You mean we're just gonna be in a room with tons of food but we aren't allowed to eat any of it?" the blue ninja groaned and Nya laughed as she straightened her husband's tie.
"You'll survive, Jay. Remember, lots of cultural stuff in this whole binding thing…"
"We would not want to step on any toes," Zane agreed as he fiddled with the silver cufflinks on his white suit.
"Any other rules we should know about?" Skylor asked from her positon by the mirror in the small lounging room they were all hanging out in. Oni had been staring at her bright red hair everywhere she went, and she bit her lip as she tried to decide whether it would be better to wear it up or down or whether it would even make a difference.
Jaqah seemed to miss Skylor's sarcastic tone and began to list off more regulations.
"Don't speak to the leaders unless they speak to you first…basically just try not to talk to anyone unless they talk to you first…"
"Gee, sounds like it's going to be quite the party," Jay muttered.
"It will be interesting to be part of the traditional rites of Oni culture," P.I.X.A.L countered, wrapping an arm around one of Zane's. She was in a deep purple gown that matched Zane's tie.
"Is the hat too much?"
Everyone looked over as a self-conscious looking Lloyd appeared in the doorway, sporting a grey fedora. Nya laughed out loud and headed over.
"No offense, Lloyd…but fedora's haven't really been in style since…" she trailed off and finally laughed again as she removed the younger ninja's hat. "I actually don't think they've ever been in style…"
"Well, I think it just depends on the individual themselves…Lloyd's just not the right fit to pull it off," Kai argued, taking the hat from his sister. He placed it gently on his own head, striking a pose. "On me, however…"
"…It looks even stupider." Skylor said, flicking the hat off of his head. Kai scoffed, incredulous, as everybody laughed. Even Jaqah had a ghost of a smile as she cleared her throat.
"We don't have long before we will have to head in….the binding will be starting soon."
Cole hesitated outside the room, biting his lip. His mouth had suddenly gone dry, but he doubted he had time to go get a drink at this point. He was furiously running through the process that Phos had explained to him again, hoping that he didn't mess anything up…
He closed his eyes and forced his hands to be steady before moving to start to push open the doors.
"Cole."
He jumped at the sound of Keyda's voice and turned, ready to explain that his Outsider clothing had been his father's idea…
He froze, his mind going totally blank. Keyda smiled shyly as she looked him up and down.
"Your father…" she guessed, and he finally blinked, his mind finally working well enough again to form semi-coherent thought. He took in the beautiful silvery gown topped with the ornamental scarf, and wondered where she had gotten the bright red poppies that decorated the braids that were wrapped around to the back of her head. The rest of her hair cascaded down, and under his gaze she blushed. He cleared his throat.
"Yeah, like you…I mean, he must have got to you too…I mean…"
Keyda came closer and raised an eyebrow as Cole shook his head, feeling like an Idiot.
"You look beautiful," he finally managed, taking her hand, and she glanced away, looking both happy and insecure.
"Hey," he said, moving her face back to look at him. "I mean it…"
She shrugged slightly.
"I know….um…I guess I'm just not used to being beautiful…"
Cole laughed at that and she stiffened. He shook his head.
"But Keyda…you've always been beautiful…"
Color rose up her neck and face and she swallowed. She didn't really know how to respond to that so she leaned in and kissed him. After a moment he pulled away.
"I think everyone's waiting for us…." he softly reminded, unable to keep the grin off his face. She rolled her eyes a little, but she was smiling as well.
"You ready then, Idiot?"
"Yeah Keyds…let's do this."
72
It turned out that Cole was not overdressed...especially considering that all his friends had gotten dressed up for the occasion. Even the leaders were in fancier garb than they usually wore; Ymil's clothes glinted with various metals and gems, Tala was tastefully dressed, and Ottan was wearing a large cape made of some kind of thick grey fur. Heavy Metal and Phos were the only ones that looked basically the same as they always did…though Heavy Metal was now wearing a silver armband and Phos had a leather headband tied around his forehead. Cole had never seen it before, but he had no doubt it carried some kind of meaning.
The leaders were sitting in the four compass points around the pedestal, their seats corresponding with the province they led. Wu was seated between the Western and Southern leaders. Another mat sat diagonally opposite from him, stationed between the Northern and Eastern Leaders. Its position, like Wu's, was closer to the pedestal, signifying that Keyda's and Wu's ranks were higher than those of the other leaders.
Everyone turned as Cole and Keyda entered the room, and they froze at the sudden scrutiny. Keyda snapped out of it first and held her head high as she made her way over to sit on her mat. Cole scanned the outer circle and finally located his own designated spot between Jay and his father and hurried to take his place. The way it was set up, there were several feet between each mat so he couldn't even lean over and talk to either of them, but he figured it was just as well. Phos made it sound like they weren't supposed to talk anyways.
Phos was standing stone-still next to the pedestal in the middle of the circle, his sharp eyes watching Cole take his seat. Everything was silent for a full minute and Cole forced his hands to be still, trying to figure out why Phos was waiting so long…had he done something wrong? More likely the old guy just enjoyed making him sweat…
The Healer finally moved, and Cole relaxed. He could see his friends do the same around the circle and had the sudden urge to laugh; no doubt Jay was bursting to say something. He was proud of his friend's restraint. Phos walked until he was directly in front of Keyda. He held out a hand and she took a deep breath before accepting it. He brought her to the pedestal and turned to the others gathered in the group.
"Keyda, high Ruler of Oni, declares that she is to be bound," Phos stated. Cole shifted in his seat; he couldn't help but feel like the Healer sounded different…his voice had lost its grating edge, sounding very serious and formal. Cole was so distracted he almost missed what he said next.
Phos turned to Keyda, eyebrow raised.
"Who is the Chosen?"
Keyda turned and met Cole's eye and he gave her a soft smile. She moved towards him, not even hesitating as she passed the boundary of the inner circle. She couldn't help but grin at Cole's expression as she finally reached him, offering both her hands down to him. He accepted them, and she helped him to his feet.
"Cole is the chosen," she announced to the room, and they turned to face Phos, though they made no move to head back to the pedestal yet. Cole took a deep breath and Keyda gave his hand a comforting squeeze.
"Keyda has chosen Cole, the Ahsakar—Outsider. Who will speak for the Ahsakar?"
"I, Keyda, Ruler of the Oni, speak for him." Keyda said immediately. Cole gave her a smile, and they waited. The room was silent for a moment and he thought back to his conversation with Phos when the Healer had first explained the binding to him.
"But…what if no one 'speaks' for me?'" Cole had asked. Phos shrugged.
"You only need a majority vote…and technically the Oni Ruler has the true deciding vote at any rate. In this binding, it will be more of a formality than anything. Which is good, considering how much the other leaders hate you…"
The ninja was snapped back into the present as Wu slowly raised his arm.
"I, Wu, Ruler of the Dragons, speak for him,"
A few moments passed before a hand raised from the Western part of the sphere.
"I, Heavy Metal, leader of the Western Province, speak for him."
Keyda gave Cole's hand another squeeze and the scarred leader looked over at him. Cole didn't really know what to do, so he just gave him a nod. Heavy Metal returned the gesture before looking back at the Healer in the middle.
Silence fell once again, and Cole didn't really know where to look. He was already pretty sure the other rulers…
His train of thought was cut off as the room watched in surprise as another arm rose.
"I, Ottan, leader of the Southern Province, speak for him."
Keyda and Cole both blinked in shock, but the leader did not turn to face them or change expression in any way. The Master of Earth couldn't help but look at the final two leaders, but neither looked like they were going to join suit. Ymil looked uncomfortable, fidgeting slightly in his seat as he avoided looking at anyone. Tala sat calmly, but her expression was stony as she faced Phos with rigid apathy. A few minutes passed and Phos finally spoke again, turning to the couple hovering outside of the inner circle.
"I, Master Healer of the realm, speak for him."
Cole looked at the Healer in surprise; with Ottan's vote they had already achieved majority. Phos didn't indicate any emotion as he held out a hand to gesture the couple to enter the inner circle and approach the pedestal where he was standing. They did so as the healer spoke.
"Cole, Keyda's chosen, has been spoken for and they are now prepared for binding, the consequences of which will place Cole near the top of our hierarchy. Does the Chosen accept this?"
Cole straightened and nodded. Phos raised an eyebrow and the ninja remembered that he was supposed to give a verbal reply.
"Yes…I accept," he hurried, flushing slightly. He swore he saw a ghost of a smirk on the Healer's lips before he asked his next question.
"Why?"
Cole froze, his mind going blank. The Healer's tone had slipped back into the crass one Cole was used to hearing. Around him the leaders shifted slightly, and Keyda frowned, confused. That question was not part of the binding rite…what was Phos doing?"
"Wh…Why?" Cole repeated, and Phos merely raised an eyebrow. The younger man couldn't figure out what Phos was wanting…or why he was going off script. He floundered to answer the question. "Because…"
He felt Keyda squeeze his hands and he turned back to her. She gave him a comforting smile and he relaxed, his mind finally slowing down enough that he could think.
"Because I love Keyda. She's…she's the bravest, strongest person I know, and she truly cares about this realm and the people in it. She is going to lead it where it's meant to be…and if I can support her in doing that, I'm going to. Even if it means I have to change…"
Keyda's smile grew bigger as her eyes grew misty. Someone coughed and Phos regarded them for a few more moments before stepping away from the pedestal, gathering the crystals and braided leather cord off the surface. He gestured for them to get into position, and Cole and Keyda moved until they were opposite sides of the pedestal. They rested their right elbows on the cold surface, bringing their right wrists together until they were nearly touching. They held each other's left hands underneath the arch made by their right arms and waited. Phos moved around the couple, placing crystals down on the floor until there was a small circle around them. When that was completed, Phos approached them and began wrapping the braided cord around their wrists. He started with Keyda, making sure the cord completely encircled her wrist before moving to bind it to Cole's. When the cord was likewise put around Cole's wrist, the Healer wrapped the rest of the cord in a figure-8 pattern to further bind their wrists together. As he worked, he spoke.
"The Nohra Ku—binding cord—is used to bind the couple, the braid representing unity, the flame representing the power of the Oni, and the scar representing endless commitment…"
Cole frowned a bit. Fire? Scar? Phos hadn't mentioned anything about that before…
Phos moved out of the circle of crystals, though he faced the couple inside with a serious expression.
"As Master Healer of the realm, I invoke the power of the Nohra Ku Artifact to bind the Ruler to the Chosen."
The cord suddenly lit up in a brilliant purple flame, and Cole and Keyda both jumped a little and gasped in pain at the sudden searing heat around their wrists. Before they had time to react much more than that, however, the flame had died and the pain seemingly evaporated with it. Cole's heart was pounding at the unexpected event, and Phos approached once more and unwrapped the cord from their wrists.
"The binding is complete."
Phos announced as he pulled the cord off completely, and Cole and Keyda looked down at their wrists in amazement. Where the cord had rested, there was now a tattoo-like branding; a pattern of a braid that encircled their wrists.
Phos cleared his throat and Keyda looked up. Jaqah had entered the circle to hand Keyda a thick silver armband inlaid with a deep purple stone with a dark center. Keyda accepted the band and moved to put it on Cole's upper arm. The metal was cold…and he could tell already that this band was going to feel restrictive. Maybe he would only have to wear it on special occasions….
Keyda pulled away, and Cole moved his arm to look at the band before looking back at Keyda to give her his usual half-smile. Meanwhile Phos had exited the circle to take his place against the wall, signifying that his role in the proceedings had ended. It was time for the offering ceremony.
Retrevan and Ves entered the circle to remove the pedestal, and Cole and Keyda sat down in the middle of the circle of crystals. As they waited for the leaders to present their gifts, Cole looked over where slaves were bringing in the feast dishes, placing them at the tables where they would all head over as soon as the offering ceremony was over. Cole's stomach suddenly let out a plaintive growl, and he stiffened, hoping no one else had heard. But as he glanced over at Keyda's amused expression he knew he had no such luck. He wasn't the only one hungry, though; he could see his friends stealing glances over at the tables, and he even caught Tolan trying to sneak a morsel off a plate, though Jaqah caught him and elbowed him before he managed to.
"I bring my offering."
Wu's voice snapped Cole back to the situation at hand, and he grinned at his sensei as the Dragon Master approached.
"A reminder of where you come from…and a reflection of where you are headed."
Wu's gift was a painting; the iconic Ninjago Skyline that slowly morphed into jagged rock formations with a dragon flying above. Cole and Keyda admired the work for a few minutes before Keyda looked up and smiled.
"We accept your offering with gratitude," she said, and Wu winked and headed back to his seat. Ymil was next and he approached stiffly.
"I bring my offering," he said shrilly, and handed the couple a strange, twisted hunk of metal. They both stared at it, not sure what it was.
"A token of change…the first thing forged in the blacksmith fires of the north…"
At the Northern Leader's words Cole barely managed to stifle a laugh. The strange metal piece suddenly took on the form of a very poorly made sword…
"We accept your offering with gratitude." Keyda said, doing a better job of hiding her amusement. Ymil nodded and strode quickly back to his mat. Tala approached next, her expression still stony as she stated that she had brought her offering and handed them the black cloth in her arms
"Garb woven by the Eastern craftsman…far more fitting for one who claims to have joined our culture," she said icily. Cole blinked, realizing that whatever the clothing was, it was meant for him. He glanced down but couldn't really tell what it looked like in its folded state. He imagined it fell more in line with Oni fashion, and it was made of the classic Oni woven cloth. At least she had made it black. Keyda hadn't said anything yet, and Cole glanced over at her irritated expression; she apparently didn't appreciate Tala's reasoning.
"We accept your offering with gratitude," Cole finally said, pretty sure he was allowed to state the phrase. Tala didn't react other than turning and returning to her mat. Ottan then approached, his serious expression cracking as he handed Cole his own offering.
"I bring my offering…a symbol of strength and an invitation to continue to prove yourself…"
Cole shook his head, smiling wryly as he looked down at the two new leather hand-wrapping strips the leader had given him. Keyda once again spoke the acceptance phrase, though she looked less than pleased at the gift. Heavy Metal approached last. He knelt down on one knee in front of Keyda, the only leader who did so. She looked at him, confused, and he gave her a ghost of a smile.
"I bring my offering…a weapon for the defense of realm…and self."
He unstrapped the sheath belt around his waist as he spoke, and handed her the sheath with the sword still inside. She blinked in surprise, accepting it. As she looked at the hilt of the sword she realized that it was not Heavy Metal's usual blade. Intrigued, she couldn't help but pull it from its casing.
It was a beautiful blade…balanced and light enough for her to move it around with ease. She was so enthralled with it she almost forgot to accept the gift. She turned to the man she had known nearly all her life…both in good times and bad…and smiled.
"Thank you…we accept your offering with gratitude."
He nodded, his smile gaining a little more definition before he stood and headed to his seat. With the gifts in front of them, the offering ceremony had finally ended. Cole and Keyda stood, and Cole looked over at the table happily. He just realized that he had skipped breakfast…and lunch. He was starving.
They started walking over towards the table to eat—and thus grant permission for everyone else to do so-when someone cleared their throat behind them.
"I, too, have an offering."
Cole and Keyda froze, recognizing Lou's voice. They turned, and the performer smiled from where he was standing. Those in the room who knew the proper protocol stiffened, looking at Cole and Keyda to see if this violation of culture was going to go uncontested. Lou had continued to speak in the meantime.
"I…wrote a little something, if you all don't mind. I always planned on singing at your wedding, son…and I suppose this is my chance to kind of do that…"
Cole glanced at the expressions on the other Oni's faces; Jaqah was approaching Lou as if to inform him of proper protocol. Cole finally just smiled.
"Go ahead, Pop."
Lou beamed and Jaqah froze mid route. She glanced over at Keyda, and the Ruler gave her a smile and a nod. The Captain of the Guard visibly sighed before heading back over to stand by Tolan near the feast. He had popped something into his mouth in her absence and she smacked the back of his head in annoyance, quietly chastising him as she took her frustration out on the younger guard.
Lou began his song. Cole was surprised to hear that it was different than the usual barbershop style that his father generally wrote and sang in…rather it was a moving melody sung by a father to a son. Everyone sat still and silent as he sang, the other Oni looking intrigued and unsure at the music. Keyda wrapped her arm around Coles as they listened happily. Cole's eyes were misty when his father finally held out the last note and silence descended- the classic pause that occurs after a well performed musical piece. Cole finally cleared his throat.
"Pop, that was…."
But whatever he was going to say was cut off at the sound of an agonized groan as Tolan suddenly gripped his middle and fell to his knees.