Chapter Sixty-One
Yue felt she had been quite professional. She didn't let her personal feelings interfere with the very important work she did for Prince Coran. It didn't matter at all that he was completely smitten with the very vision of what she could never be and loathed for that reason.
She could pretend it didn't bother her at all like the best of them.
Not that her jealousy and bitterness didn't occasionally show, even if Coran was largely oblivious to it.
"Well, I suppose I should return to the palace now. There's only so long I can justify milling about under the guise of scholarly research." Coran said, standing up from the desk that they had been analyzing the information Yue had gathered and Grazz had informed them on.
"What, your betrothed has you on that short of a leash already?" Yue snipped. "One would think Captain Devona wouldn't have much grounds to tell you to stay out of harm's way."
Coran's eyes narrowed in confusion, and he replied, "No, my father." The prince's eyes narrowed further, and he queried in suspicion, "How do you know that I am betrothed to Captain Devona, anyway?"
Yue lowered her head, and replied, "I saw Captain Devona nearly tackle you before the conscription ceremony. It didn't seem like something casual friends would do, and the rumors that you're already bonded aren't exactly new." She wasn't particularly inclined to reveal that she had eavesdropped on previous conversations he had with others.
"I... see..." The prince remarked morosely.
"Why didn't you tell me you were engaged?" Yue asked, hurt. "I don't think this is a new development."
Coran sat back down, and replied, "It's not. Devona and I were officially betrothed by my father and her mother when we were still children. As for why I didn't tell you... I didn't tell anybody. Devona wants to earn her own way, she wants to ascend the ranks on her own merits, not worry that every promotion is due to her association with me."
"You mean... like mine was?"
He dropped a comforting arm around Yue's shoulders. "My friend, you did earn your station on your own merits; I merely repelled the rampant racism that permeates the minds of fickle old men that define military regulations."
"Nonetheless, Lieutenant, very few people know who exactly I am betrothed to." Coran added as he again stepped away. "I would appreciate it if it remained that way."
"You know you can trust me with anything." Yue said earnestly.
The Prince's soft smile could have warmed ice. "Yes, I do. Thank you, Yue."
* * * * *
There had been a time, long ago, where Yue would have honestly thought that something like the disappearance (and presumed death) of Coran would be the hardest thing for her to face. Ironically, it was seeing his face lit up hopefully that gave her the most harsh metaphorical punch in the gut.
After the earthquakes, it had brightened her spirit to learn that the prince still lived, and that he had summoned her to his side immediately, and brightened even further to learn that he hadn't done the same with a certain Ascalon Captain who Yue decided could remain nameless.
It had seemed like they were getting closer in she-who-would-not-be-named's absence, and for a short while, Yue started to believe maybe, just maybe, that the feelings between them that she had convinced herself were one-sided might not be all that one-sided after all.
That all changed with one smile on the now headmaster's face... a smile she had learned he only had in regards to one person.
"I received word for Rata Sum." The man nearly chirped.
Yue could sense the coming gut punch, and braced herself for it. "About what?"
"A warrior just reported in, along with her guild to assist the Asura in pushing back the Destroyers." Coran replied. "She's still alive, Yue."
The assassin knew that it probably made her a bad person to be upset by this news. "I assume you'll be contacting her shortly, then?"
"Councilman Mamp is refusing any communication between Atal Ra and the humans." Coran replied with a shake of his head. "He wants to keep the Academy secret still. But... if you happened to deliver this whenever you find the time, I'd appreciate it."
Another letter, carefully written and sealed, was pushed into her nearly slack hand. Another letter that would get buried in the bottom of her dresser like the other sixteen. Not that Coran would ever be permitted to know that.
"Of course... when I have the time to spare. Trips across the continent tend to not come easily, however." Yue replied, her eyes trying not to transfix themselves too spitefully on the letter in her hand while maintaining the self-control to not drop it in disgust.
"Thanks, Yue. What would I ever do without you?"
* * * * *
Coran would have to come up with the answer to that question on his own. If the Oni and the Seers and whatever the hells else Bhu'khahuh was going to throw out of its den didn't kill her, the explosion that Vekk was going to set off most assuredly would.
Her left hand sai pierced an Oni in its temple, its black blood sizzling her wrist, which was already largely exposed and severely acid burnt from the ichor of twelve of its kin. She barely felt the pain at this point... sinking into the haze of battle and life or death struggle.
The assassin had taken up her defensive position just inside the breach in the wall, using it as a bottleneck for the demonic horde, forcing them to either take the time to widen the hole (which left them open to her attack), or filter in one by one.
Several serrated demon teeth, attached to a dismembered Oni Yue mistakenly assumed was dead, sinking into her calf didn't even faze the assassin. She kicked it away with a sharp jerk of her left foot, but at that point, Yue realized her position was no longer defensible. A second breach was made twenty feet to her north, and the Oni beasts quickly jumped through in an attempt to flank the lone defender.
Falling back would merely be delaying the inevitable, and possibly endanger Vekk's efforts. This was it. She could provide a few more seconds, but not much else.
Until abruptly, one Oni climbing through the secondary breach instead flew through the gap in three pieces, and a high pitched growl of fury accompanied her unexpected support.
"Hamm?" The assassin asked, "What in the name of Grenth are you still doing here?"
The Asuran warrior looked like he had been run over by a dolyak stampede; his armor barely hanging by one shoulder strap to his body, his shield broken in half along its height, and his glaive chipped off a quarter of the length down the blade. His blood poured liberally down his body, mixed with the black ooze of his foes.
"There is an emergency bunker located underneath this complex. The entrance is one hundred feet down the south hall. You really can't miss it." Hamm ordered, his broken glaive still more than enough to decapitate an Oni trying to climb over its fallen kin. "Vekk's about ready to launch the weapon... it's undergoing the countdown as we speak."
"I can't let you kill yourself in my place!"
Hamm snarled, "Woman... I died four days ago with my the rest of my Krewe, my body just doesn't know that yet. Let me join my brothers. You on the other hand, might have some days left... if your gods are willing. Now, get!"
The sole survivor of the First Elite Defense Krewe of Atal Ra didn't wait to see if Yue would obey his order, he instead turned his full attention to his foes, who despite their natural fearlessness were tentative to approach the grotesque creature that had been mowing through their ranks.
"There's gotta be one of you that can kill me..." Hamm grumbled, and charged into the demons again with a berserker rage.