AN: .? I feel blank. I only want to write right now. I love you guys who read though. I hope you enjoy.
Eclipse
The ballroom erupted into an uproar of irritated, surprised, and fearful noises. Their discussion will be limited in the presence of Ashnard; and that was besides the fact that most of the pets despised the man to the marrow.
"Rafiel! Make yourself decent and come sit by me!" Nailah ordered.
The poor heron suddenly realized his state of disarray, his mouth dropping open. He did nothing until Nailah reordered her demands, whereas he twisted the robe comfortably, chiding himself for his stupidity of leaving the belt somewhere out there in the hallways. At the same time, he hastened himself to his mistress's side, waiting for the despicable man to arrive. He saw the new slave of Lord Tibarn, one with blond hair and green eyes just as he had! Before trying to catch the boy's attention, he had to scoot over, for the servants were placing another chair and pillow between Elincia and Sanaki, much to both women's chagrin. He smiled hugely at the new heron when they were finished. The other gave him an endearingly bittersweet look, and Rafiel knew then that the boy was probably Gapped and finding the whole situation very frightening.
Rafiel arranged his pillow on the other side of Nailah so that he was closer to the new heron.
"Good evening, Rafiel," Reyson said, silently embarrassed at his former brother's state of affairs. Rafiel, having had fixed his nudity, seemed to have gotten over it quite easily.
"Hello. What did Lord Tibarn mean about 'who was I' to you back then?" Rafiel asked curiously. He folded his legs under himself comfortably, looking for all the world as if he fit just right where he was.
This thought filled Reyson with anger. His brother was so stupid and weak! And he couldn't help but think that this was how he acted 'back then'! So gentle and humble, and aggravating…
Rafiel immediately felt this ominous change in demeanor, but couldn't think of how he had offended the other pet so. "I'm sorry…"
"For what?" Reyson snapped.
"I'm not sure…"
And Rafiel made it so easy to make one feel so damn guilty. Reyson was no exception. He took one look into his doleful green eyes and felt the guilt lump into his stomach.
"I'm sorry, Rafiel. I didn't want to make you think you had done anything wrong. I just can't help but feel resentful that you're taking this so easily."
"I heard that before the Serenes Massacre, heron pets are usually easy-going. Leanne and I are, but I shall make no judgments of you…?" he trailed off with a questioning look.
"Reyson."
"Let him in! Let him in!" Nailah suddenly barked, shocking the both of them. "He knows we're all here so there's no use keeping him out."
Her servants, the females scurrying into the kitchen, reluctantly opened the door and Ashnard busted in, a nude Leanne in tow, and Petrine following. A number of his most formidable guards followed as well. All but grinning, he shoved Leanne in the vicinity of the pillow, but she missed it and hit the floor instead. Still, she proudly held her head high and folded her legs under herself, leaning away from Ashnard's dallying hands. Upon seeing Rafiel she grinned gently, and then saw Reyson and cocked her head to the side, before giving him a wave in greeting as well.
When his people were seated, the haughty Daien boss smiled maliciously. "Good evening everyone. I'm sorry to drop in so late." He looked anything but; he wasn't even invited. "What are we talking about today?"
A strained silence answered him before Ike finally said, "We're talking about Goldoa…"
"More specifically, the big Let Go they're doing this weekend."
Ike only nodded, shaking his hair from his eyes. No one was looking Ashnard in the eye.
Ashnard took this opportunity to look around the table, settling his sights, as was his aim, on Skrimir. "Found a pet, sub-human? I do believe you're the only one who is left of this nice little group."
Skrimir was just about to shake his head before Ranulf nudged- no, deliberately nuzzled up against him. The poor lion looked more like he had been bitten, and the action made him forget Ashnard's little nickname for him. He never said that to any of the bosses, but when addressing Gallia's prince, it was always sub-human. The only other people he called sub-human were his pets, thus, the name would usually irritate young Skrimir to the brink of violence. But now, fortunately, he was only in a state of mild shock.
"Have it stand!" ordered Ashnard.
"It?" growled Reyson, balling his hands into fists. They immediately uncurled when Rafiel put his hands over one, eyes too sympathetic to ignore, or stay angry for too long.
Ranulf stood when Skrimir just looked at him, unable to order such a command. The members of the table watched Ashnard's reaction: a grimace, then a huff.
"Typical, sub-human. You got the ugliest piece of such a rich collection. Surely, you could have afforded more." Ranulf, grinding his teeth, sat back down. Skrimir merely sat there with an extremely upset look.
"Coming from someone who got his best pet from a bet," Soren told Ashnard, as if coming to Skrimir's rescue. Barely concealed snorts and snickers sounded around the ballroom.
The humiliated Daien boss grimaced in annoyance at the mirth. "Well, I have news. I have decided that to make this hunt more interesting I'm going to shoot for the first five minutes."
That brought what little joy they had from Soren's jibe to a dead end.
"W-What do you mean shoot?" Elincia stuttered. Her usually wan face went even paler. The others had the same faces.
"Shoot. Bang-bang-bang. Hopefully dead," Ashnard continued harshly. "It might give the sub-humans more reason to fight back. If they all thought they would be caught, what fun would it be?"
"Mayor Ashera would never-"Sanaki started.
"The Serenes gang is different from sub-humans. They actually tried to help the world, giving them publicity all over. Nobody knows about the Goldoa Let Go except probably us and her. And five minutes isn't all that long, so not too much damage."
Nailah gave a disgusted grunt to how the beorc had thought this through. "Depends on the weapons you use, Ashnard," she added. "Are these pistols or SMGs… That's what makes the difference."
"It will be an assortment." He smiled.
Reyson didn't know what pistols or SMGs were, but he knew that shot, as in being shot by an arrow or cannon, was almost certain death. And Ashnard had said something of being dead… Tibarn looked worried, face grim, a deep frown settling per usual that look.
In fact, the hawk did not like this. Unless they were to risk war, they would have to let Daien shoot for five minutes.
"What do you want, Ashnard?" Tibarn asked finally.
With a fake innocent look, Ashnard turned towards him. "Whatever do you mean?"
"Is there anything you want for you not to do something so incredibly heinous?"
"Give me your Reyson, and Nailah, your Rafiel."
Reyson felt Tibarn's biorhythm drop from bad to worst, his face no better. He leaned back in his chair and caressed his head in what felt like to Reyson an anxiously possessively gesture. It was a way which Oliver was so keen on using when touching him as if he was some precious porcelain doll. The heron shook if off. But his brother willingly leaned into Nailah's touch
"As you see,"-Ashnard licked his lips anxiously, eyes gleaming at Tibarn-"he will never obey you. It would be such a waste. And my offer from before pass over to this little transaction, if you will."
"I won't," Tibarn spat.
"Me neither," Nailah said. "Unlike my Samaritan friends, I have no intention whatsoever of risking my resources for just a bunch of pets."
"Oh, Nailah," whimpered, Elincia. "Tibarn, both of you please think this over. We can stop needless violence."
"There's always needless violence on the weekends," Nailah told her, completely indifferent sounding, but in reality she realized how selfish she was being, but she just couldn't think of life without Rafiel… Not without her Rafiel, that would be utterly absurd. She was no pushover for Ashnard, either. This would just be a time for the bastard to get his way again.
So selfish.
Tibarn didn't try to hide it behind words and kept silent, his selfishness only evident on his face.
And quite truthfully, the loss of life wasn't that much a matter to them if it wasn't their own. It was a simple fact of survival not to worry too much about others when you had your own to take care. Hell, it was the very nature of beorcs and laguz.
"Your final answers are a bit disappointing, to say the least. I would think you two would regard human life higher than that. I would expect such self-centered actions from Naesala, but he had the altruistic idea to bet his pretty pet instead.
"So this Sunday, you two will be the sole reason so many sub-humans are going to die." Ashnard, having finally accomplished his job of thoroughly destroying any good mood and tarnishing the souls of those who listened to him, settled back with a pleased grin.
Tibarn could feel a death glare aimed somewhere on his neck. He didn't think his heron pet would feel that his decision was legitimate- he didn't think his decision was legitimate- and probably pushed the boy further away emotionally with his lack of moralistic values.
"Why don't you do it on Saturday?" Skrimir asked, looking genuinely concerned about the answer.
Soren answered him, "Because, you fool, Goldoa is releasing the sub-humans on Sunday."
"But the party at Gallia is on that day, and everyone's invited. We can't have Ashnard ruin it for the rest of our lives."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Nailah grumbled. "You think Ashnard cares about Gallia's stupid party?"
"But we always have the party this time of year! You didn't call it stupid when it was held at your place last year!" Skrimir was now getting red (redder) in the face, but no one had any idea what he was talking about.
Then it clicked to Ranulf.
"Master Skrimir."
"Don't call me that!" Skrimir cried vehemently. "What, Ranulf?"
"Did you even send out the invitations?"
"Yes! Wait… Oh, I forgot. No, I hadn't. Well, then, you're all invited. I don't see what's the invitations are for anyway. I can just call of you."
Still no one else had a clue. Even Ashnard was slightly interested in Skrimir weird tracking of thought.
"What are we invited to, sub-human?"
Skrimir snarled at the thought of anyone from Daien coming, but said, "Don't patronize me. You know what it is."
"I sincerely don't." For once, he was telling the truth. "And I still don't think my killing off a few homeless strays is going to ruin anyone's party."
"Ah!" Sanaki gasped.
"What is it?" several people gasped back.
She smacked her forehead. "Sunday. For once the dunce is right; you won't be doing any killing if you know what's good for you."
"Why not, Lady Sanaki?" her right-hand, Sigrun, asked, just as perplexed as anyone else.
"Sunday is Mayor Ashera's birthday. We've all been muddled on Ashnard that we completely forgot."
"Except Skrimir," Soren muttered. "Surprisingly."
The silence that settled was better than before; Ashnard's outrage at his ruined plans could be felt by everyone, and, as horrible as it sounds, they were just so damn happy about it. Sure, he could still do his five-minute massacre, but he would have to deal with Ashera first, and no one in their right or left mind would want that, not for himself anyway; Ashnard will be great though.
Reyson was still mad at Tibarn nevertheless.
"Has anyone bought her a gift?" Tibarn inquired.
This silence was worse.
"She doesn't like money… or pets… or weapons…"
Ranulf nudged Skrimir, who suddenly remembered that he did have a gift. "Gallia got her a Bugatti Veyron. It's the fastest car in the world, they say."
"Could you give it to her late?" grumbled Naesala. "You give that to her first, and she'll only compare your gift to ours and find out they suck. You give it to her last, and she'll realize how bored she was with our gifts."
"No." Skrimir didn't realize that the Raven was joking. "So what are we doing about Goldoa's thing? I want to just go and grab as many as we can before Daien does."
"Since we're divided on it, we might as well do what we want to do," Ike conceded. "Though I had hoped for a unified front against more belligerent hunters…"
They spoke as if Ashnard wasn't even there, and the boss said nothing more, brooding with perfect childishness. In the end though, because it was forbidden to spill blood on Ashera's birthday (or Tellius day, or New Year's Eve and numerous other holidays), he couldn't do much more than be a hassle and hog over the whole affair, so they all actually decided to go- Nailah was actually convinced by Rafiel's gentle nudging whenever she refused to go. She groaned at the planning she would have to do, then happily realized that Volug could do that.
Speaking of which…
Reyson felt a turbulent force of life energy clambering through the hallway from which Rafiel had come. It fluctuated in powerful wanton waves, yearning violently. Nailah only felt half as strong; she felt mellow. Reyson had never experienced such strength in pure lust.
Volug slammed through the door in wolf form and, much like Rafiel, stopped dead in his tracks at the arrangement, switching back immediately. He immediately came to stand by his boss, face a flushed stone. After just a second of standing, he began to stare intensely at Rafiel, then Reyson, then at generally both of them, as if he could be happy with either of them, or both. The conversation continued after this interruption, then stopped again when Volug began panting out loud. Clinching his fists then opening them again, he was absolutely distracting. Plus, there was his heaving chest, heavy smell even to the beorcs, and his engorged erection poking through his pants.
"Alrighty then," Nailah announced. "It's time for everyone to leave before Volug ravishes someone without restraint."
"Oh, my, maybe we should stay so that no one gets hurt?" Tibarn teased.
Ashnard's interest in dialogue rekindled, much to everyone's joy.
"I'm not leaving until I see that threat." Ashnard grinned.
"Me neither," Skrimir added. Nailah gave him a scathing glare that could kill some of the strongest tiger laguz. Of course, the Lion Prince merely smiled.
Reyson nudged Tibarn; he wanted to leave. This sick game didn't interest him in the way he approved of; in essence, his blood boiled at Volug's energy. He hated this place with such intense passion, nothing could calm him, and that only fueled his riled feelings. Thankfully, Tibarn took the hint, though he had been waiting years to see Rafiel naked, and he never, ever would believe that who could see the heron ravished. Oh, what a sad time to leave.
"I'm sorry, guys, have to go now," he told the others. He stood, lifting Reyson a bit with the chain, which earned him a hateful look.
Snickered Sanaki, "Tibarn's ruled by his pet." Other snickers joined her. Tibarn took this in stride, shaking Reyson energetically.
"We have to be together forever, practically lovers." He smiled teasingly. "Right, Reyson?"
At the others' amused stares, he blushed. "Shut up…master…"
He was relieved when they laughed, except for Ashnard (he didn't care for him, anyway). Following Tibarn, Reyson's expectation of home made him tired. He jumped when Volug was finally unable to hold himself back and reached over the lap of his boss to get to Rafiel. He heard Leanne laugh gaily, and they left.
Try as he might to resist the horrible feeling of settling in under Tibarn's strong, considerate wing, of even just starting to get used to the feeling of this New Tellius, it was sinking in. The ride inside the limousine made him even drowsier; he began to lean on Tibarn, and fell asleep momentarily. It was quite a deep sleep, so much so that he began a short dream: he was in the middle of the street with thousands of other laguz, there were many humans surrounding them, but none of them were interested in getting them to safety. There were flying arrows and shooting canons, knives and explosions. What's more, there were his kind amongst the frightened throng, and they were getting blown away the most, the repeat of the massacre. Bloody white feathers, severed appendages…! The war has been over for three years, the nightmares persevered for two, and now they were back in their vivid details. The heat, the blood, and he couldn't heal anyone fast enough; his wings were gone… His legs were vaporized, his arms, and he was trampled beneath the panicked horde.
"Reyson! Reyson! Wake!" Tibarn shouted frantically. The boy had spread his wings inside the car, the force pushing him to the other side of the limo. They were back at headquarters, but he couldn't get out the car in fear of hurting Reyson. Maneuvering around the wings, Tibarn got to Reyson's pale, panting form. He shook him awake.
He woke screaming in his grasp. He woke screaming Tibarn's name, despite the fact that he hadn't seen him in his dream. But to see his face was what he wanted, so he grabbed that worried face and kissed him fiercely, enveloping his wings around him, closer and closer. He had a fleeting thought that the pants were so much easier to use when grabbing someone with your legs, when grinding against someone. Only a tiny bit startled by Tibarn's large girth pressed against his, it felt perfectly natural to have his tongue to battle with. The blood now rushed through his veins for remarkably different reasons.
Tibarn tried to part from Reyson's wanton grasp, but the former prince was too far gone in his panic and desperation, encouraging more of his touch. Soon the wings disappeared as the movements became fiercer, and Reyson was reaching for tantalizing skin. Tibarn saw that the sky had darkened and so walked straight out the car with Reyson on his hip. Janaff and Ulki stopped immediately at the site and then directed the other guards to another entrance, to an opposite elevator, while their boss took the one they rode before. They could just fly up to the window, but it was dark, and anyone looking for an opportunity would have one.
Tibarn didn't set Reyson down in the elevator, and they continued kissing with few breaths, and even those were placed intermittently with licks on the neck. Both were covered in sweat when they arrived on Tibarn's floor, his shirt gone. It was a nice little maze getting from the elevator to Tibarn's room with only a few minor bruises and such. Falling onto bed backwards, Tibarn let Reyson straddle him, continue kissing him.
Then he felt the tears on his face. Large splashes, but the kisses continued with fiery intensity. Though Tibarn would have liked to continue, the tears cooled whatever passions he had.
He pushed Reyson off, quite abruptly that he looked at the ceiling in confusion. He couldn't see! Then he realized that his eyes were clouded with tears, again. He clawed them away, speaking out hoarsely, "Why did you stop?"
"Anyone would."
"Why did you?"
"Because you didn't want it. Not in a way where you wouldn't regret it, anyway." Tibarn threw off his pants and left his boxers on, planning on a shower in the morning, planning on a meeting in the morning too, for this weekend, especially now that it included both a party and a freak show/hunt. It was a little early for sleep, he knew as he lied down facing away from Reyson, and he was a bit hungry, but he knew that if he and Reyson stayed up any longer together, they were going to do that regrettable thing. When the boy was asleep, he would get a midnight snack, annoy the college humans at Taco Bell with his presence.
He felt the bed dent just a little, then some more, then some more as Reyson crawled closer and closer. The hawk would have to use all his power to restrain himself if the heron tried any sensual tricks.
"Where am I supposed to sleep?" he asked, surprising Tibarn.
"What?" Tibarn rolled over just enough to meet the green glowing eyes. "You sleep here."
"With you?"
"You see I'm not going anywhere."
"But in the same bed?"
He smiled. "There's a wonderful floor down there."
"You lie on the floor!" scoffed Reyson.
"This is my bed!"
"Well," stuttered Reyson. "Don't touch me!" And he shoved a large pillow between the two of them, then shucked off his jeans, kept the vest on as if that would provide much more protection than with it off, rolled up in the blankets like a hog, and tried to sleep. He felt foolish for his earlier behavior and didn't know how to compensate, so opted to ignore it altogether.
Tibarn's mouth fell open. He couldn't help but think that his heron pet was the one who started this whole predicament in the first place! With a small smile, he rolled back over, and waited for midnight.