This a Game of Thrones AU, so here we are, knowing our own Kalhessi :D
He walks alone, his feet were sinking in the mud, carefully he lay down, one knee on the ground, the little dagger on his right hand shake nervously, he open the little package he carried on his left hand and took one little piece, no bigger than his thumb and put the thin slice under his tongue; it's feel rough but after a few second his right hand was shaken no more.
The rain didn't surprise him, neither the woman who jump out of the threes to attack him
She move faster, she was stronger, he knew it , he need to be smarter
He run for the jungle, avoiding the road, crossing the three he had mark before; she threw a knife that almost hit on his left ear, he gasp, almost could feel her breath over his shoulders, her purple eyes shine over the green of the forest, her red hair was impossible to miss.
Both came to a small river, both dress alike, long sleeves and black pants, theirs mouth were covers, each one with only one knife.
He defend, she attack, fearless, ruthless, up and down, the rain became stronger, and she became desperate, he continues to avoid her hits, but never playback, what was he waiting?
The woman threw her last knife and nails his pants to the ground, one mistake more and he was doom, she come closer to the final hit but he threw mud to her face, making her scream, she didn't see it coming.
That was his chance, as fast as he could took the knife out of the ground and rushed over her, he tackle her down, her face over the mud, his knee over her back.
For a moment she tried to get up, she yells and scream and curse in vain, it was imposible to fight again the extra force the slice had provided him
The rain become a little breeze
"I beat you" He laugh as he stand out; but the woman didn't answer, she walk away murmuring curses "hey¡ were you go?" he call her but she hurry up
"We are gonna do it again" she command
"What?" he complain "come on Rika¡ don't be like that, I beat you¡" He hurry to prevent her to hide again "I won¡ is almost down¡ is time to go home¡"
"Home?¡ HOME¡" she explode "In case you forgot Takato¡ we haven't been in home since you were a baby¡"
"is not what i mean" he suddenly look younger, ashame "you know that"
"Beside" Rika pick up the first knife she threw and put it on her belt "you cheat " he laughs again, in that easy smile that she hate so much "what is so funny?"
" I beat you and know you are cranky…"
"How you dare to speak to me like that¡" her cheeks turn red and Takato fears that she would attack him again "i´m your master¡ I didn't take care of you for you to disrespect me like that¡" she punch his head "do you think i have slice to throw away in a training? we are gonna repeat that so you would learn some manners¡"
"No¡" he was sick of that "it was the tiniest pieces! How many times i need to beat you for this to end¡"
"Training is important, is necessary"
"Necessary for what?" he stop, his legs hurt "who is gonna attack us here? in the middle of nowhere?"
"Is not for who could attack us, is for when we attack them" Her face turned serious, the words that she repeat almost every day "For when you are ready"
I´m ready, he tough
"Tell me more" he said"Tell me more about home"
"Is a large continent" she begins, walking back to the road they left behind " divided in four regions: the windy valley, the burning mountains, the infinite desert, and the island; each one of them rule by it own king, in the middle is capital city, in it lives the true king, the ruler of all the others kings" she waits but he said nothing "The man who kill your father"
"The man who killed my father and my mother and my brothers" Takato continues with lethargy "I know that, i ask you to tell me more about the place, the people, things that i don't know, i didn't ask for your revenge history"
"My revenge?" she turn to him "This is not my fight your highness, is yours, is your throne the one that was taken, is your duty to come back¡ is your duty to taken by the force if is necessary¡ is your duty to murder the traitors who assassinate your family¡"
"When Rika¡? WHEN?" He yells "All we do all day is fight with each others and train until i can no more, eat and sleep¡ i must conform with histories and tales about who i´m supposed to be¡?" how many years have past? he couldn't remember a time when things were different, always the life in the temple, the same routine for the past seventeen years, even Rika's face remains the same, the same hard expression,not a single grey hair over her head, the same bitter words on her mouth " I'm done with your training and your teaching¡ I'm a prince¡ i'm a ruler give me something to rule about it god dammit¡"
She come closer, looking at his eyes, usually he would retract, but this time he didn't hide, this time he defied her authority, he didn't shake or cry or ask for forgiveness, this time he finally understand he has nothing to lose.
"Something is different" she whispered
"What?" he doub, relieve of her answer
"We need to come back to the temple …" she run "hurry¡" her scream sound over the forest, he take back his proud and follow her
The temple was big and old, stone, mirrors and crystals, they live amongst with others like her, all devoted to the same gods and all of them with lethals hands, a cult of assassins.
On the walls the paints of the oldest times shines, Takato watch his ancestors riding giant lizard, figthing one eyes monsters, living the fairy tales that make his family rulers of the continent, he didn't know how many of the histories were true.
"Light the fire" Rika orders would never be disobeyed and Takato wasn't stupid enough to defiance her surrounded by her minions, the flames turn bigger illuminating the amethyst mirror that hung in the center of the room.
Sometimes, when he wake up in the middle of the night with nightmares on his head and tough to escape, in run away for wherever mission Rika was preparing him, when the training turn harder and impossible, when his finger bleed and the hunger was intense, he remember that image: Rika surrounded by fire and light, her hands moving in circles and her voice whispering words in a language that he couldn't understand; every time he starts to cry and she was soft enough to comfort him, when she full his head with promise of power and glory he picture her like that, like the witch he knew she truly was.
A man appear on the mirror, tan skin and blue eyes, almost as intimidate as her, the same black clothes, both talk in a strange tongue; understanding wasn't a possibility so Takato decide it was time to left the room.
He walk across the temple, his home, his prison, the only place he know no, he correct himself, the only place he remember; the absence of yearning depres him; he wish to remember home, the continent, his mother eyes, the laughs of his death brothers, at least the face of the man who murder them, The king he suppose to hate, but the true was Takato just feel an empty inside him, no rage or pain; just sorrow, tedium, the feeling of been incomplete, an uncontrollable desire to cry.
In the past he lock in his room every time he was incapable of hold the tears, now he didn't even care, beside Rika all other members of the cult didn't mess with him, so hiding was unnecessary, what else he could do? he wasn´t owner of himself, no mater how many times he wish to this life end, to change, he wasn't on control, the only thing he could decide was where he would sorrow, so he walk for the temple, gardens and stone until the altar.
He kneel like many times before in front of the stone with a petition on his heart: A change, a twist, something that turn and crave, anything, an hour past, there was never hurry on the temple, the minutes doesn't mater in a place that never change.
"Get up" his thought were interrupted "Get up¡" Rika never prey, she was more a woman of action
"Let me finish" he mumble
"We have no time" but he laughs at her comment
"No?" he continues "Why? we have another place to go?"
"Yes " he froze "i need you to pack everything you could carry and prepare for the trip" she talk as if was nothing, Takato look at her and them to the altar with joy in his eyes
"are you serious?"
"Takato" she look around " when in your life I haven't been serious?" but he didn't answered afraid that she was lying "the windy valley is the most boring place on the continent, they have the greener fields, their people are mostly farmer, somes said there never hungry on the valley but those people are idiots, is the wealthy kingdom and they are use to the luxuries, the owners of the lands are real aristocrats" She walk around him, with an extrange expression on her face "the burning mountains is a prosper kingdom with too many rules, the light is strong there " she couldn't avoid the despite and the anger "their priest and alchemist rules and command the life of everyone who let them " as if she and her fellow didn't do the same "the infinite desert is a hell on earth, they have gold and jewels but live in fear, warriors born and died on the desert every day " she sign " and finally the island, the paradise, beautiful sun and blue sea, powerful ship and cannons…"
"what… why are you saying me this?"
"You need to know your kingdom… we are gonna take it back, is time, the king is death"
He laughs and jumps, looking at her " why you look so disappointed?" he finally put a name on her expression,
" I hope I could kill the old Gennai with my bare hands…" she smile " Well, i guess we should conform with his beautiful daughter"
Takato tried to ignore her death treats and enjoy the moment, finally they could come back home.