So sorry I haven't updated in a while, I couldn't really get myself to write this until today. Oh and caution, there are sexual references if you squint, but its subtle (I think).
And I was motivated to edit this because of a review (thank you!) so this is a re-upload. I should just really edit it since I have the time, and I tend to make grammar errors while writing.
I'm going to London tomorrow, I will have a computer there but chances are I won't update till I get bacl.
Again, please, please review.
Chapter 5:
"So the Tremblers know," Kavak stated. His eyes gazed off far into the future, Nakalia could almost see the gears turning for accommodation of the current circumstances. Nakalia looked up from the security footage which Teresa edited, fingers dancing around the keyboard to remove all traces of Nakalia, her shadows and the tiny sweeps of the midnight blue cloak each one of them wore when "going out." who quite old but only noticeable through her eyes: they held a thousand years, removed all traces of Nakalia, her own shadows in the footage of the camera, and tiny sweepings into the light of the soft blue cloak Nakalia had come to love.
"No, Sahna was bluffing and bluffing well," Nakalia responded airily, twirling condensed air, powdery and misty, in between her stretched out fingers.
"And you are sure no one saw you," the question was more of a statement, and said as such.
"People don't see what they aren't expecting to see. You should know that, Kavak," Nakalia stated, sliding her eyelids slightly down and tilting her head, and slightly pursing the center of her lips.
"Nakalia, enough," the words only earned Kavak another simpering glare, and Nakalia imagined him saying that trees have to blink, as he had when she had been a child and he a teenager. "Are you sure Sahna knows nothing," repeated clarification was a rather annoying habit of his, Nakalia had grown up with it.
"Certain, Sahna has no spies within our ranks, and she knows too little of our attacks," Nakalia trailed off there, and let the other four contemplate more reasons.
"What about the Agni Kai Triad? And the councilman?" Saskia piped up, wide blue eyes blinking rapidly with just spoken questions. Nakalia rolled her eyes, staring away from the woman even younger than her. Nakalia noticed the red flush climbing to Saskia's hair roots, ah the girl was worried over what she knew little of.
"The Agni Kai Triad is crippled, you saw it happen after all," Nakalia smirked in her direction, Saskia lowered her eyes and pursed her lower lip up, Kavak sighed and shook his head. "And the councilmen weren't killed after all, or harmed other than terrible, terrible rope burns," Nakalia rolled her eyes and continued. "Fine, I'll see them tomorrow, oh by the way, Teresa, you intercepted the hawk, right?"
Teresa nodded, the straight stare bored into Nakalia's, she suddenly tried to hide the shiver sent down her spine.
Silence settled itself over the room, and Nakalia nestled herself comfortly into it, vaguely waiting for someone to offer words. If she had less than half a mind, she would have used her childlike tendencies to fidget and ask if she were there yet, despite the fact that they were going nowhere.
"So what's next on the list?" Saskia piped up. Nakalia pushed herself off the couch, but a warning look from Kavak stopped her.
"Laws passed for us?" Kavak cocked his head to Nakalia who rolled her eyes and exhaled through her nose.
"I'll work on it," fake reluctance bled from Nakalia's voice.
"Well we have some of the power families, and we are soon to be in perfect position," Kavak shifted himself and made eye contant with each of the other four in the room.
Silence reigned once again, but soon dethroned by Nakalia. "I'm starved for something alcoholic, let's go to a bar."
Everyone but Kalo agreed and they headed for the doorway.
"Nakalia, stay for a moment," Kavak called out and Nakalia stopped in her stride, and nodded to waiting Teresa and Saskia.
The room suddenly swiveled to, yet again, silence, this time stifling, and Kavak opened his mouth, then closed it. Nakalia stared for a second then noticed Kalo, crouching in a corner.
"Out," Nakalia leveled her gaze at him, to which he responded by scurrying to the door. After a pause, she said, "Yes, Kav?"
"Kalia, stop it," Kavak deadpanned.
"Stop what?" Nakalia stared back, widening her eyes in innocence.
"These are your friends, save it for the councilmen," Kavak continued, Nakalia fought the urge to roll her eyes.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Nakalia stared straight in front, meeting Kavak's eyes, daring him in her head to find a trace of well hidden lie.
"Well then do gain the knowledge," Kavak walked to the door, Nakalia fixed her gaze on the vase. Kavak turned back to her, "No one likes those who use and throw away."
Nakalia let a laugh escape, "And what do you mean by that?"
"You are proving my point," Kavak sighed and shook his head.
Nakalia exhaled through clenched teeth, "Kavak if there is something you would like to say, say it. Don't dance around the issue like a dancing fool."
"I suggest you go to the councilmen," after a pause he added, "Don't come to the bar."
Kavak opened the door he had been standing so long beside and turned back. Nakalia was taken aback by the certain glint in his eyes, was it... begging? Condescending?
"Just admit you are wrong," he gushed out.
"Wrong about what," Nakalia's voice flattened.
"The way you treat people," Kavak's voice lost all plasticity to it, and Nakalia felt her fingers crushing the flowers in the vase.
"And if I didn't where would we be?" Kavak shook his head at her words and left the room, muttering something under his breath.
Nakalia shook her head and made up her mind to see the councilmen. She picked up her cloak from the couch, which lay among three others then dropped it. Nakalia uncurled a tendril of water from the vase and opened the wardrobe door with it. The water moved back into place with a flick of her wrist. A beige trench cover soon fastened around her.
She adjusted her hair so it flowed over her shoulders, the black ink-colored strands flowing free. Nakalia started for the door on the other side of the room, but quickly paused and applied eyeliner. Another blink and Nakalia left for her not particularly lengthy walk.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/
The house stood in the suburbs of Republic City, where green lawns hadn't given way to souring skyscrapers and brushed politics.
"It's Nastia," Nakalia said to the plump waitress at the open door. She nodded and stepped aside, revealing the well-traversed path along the Earth Kingdom symbol on the floor. Nakalia lingered there for a few moments, before heading straight up the gold-adorned staircase. Nakalia paused at the top of the stairwell and briefly picked off the ruby on banister, and pushed the water back into her bracelet.
She walked to the open door in the study and lightly tapped on the door, smiling slightly.
"Oh, Nastia," Laong greeted, looking up at her, face immediately breaking into a smile.
"Laong," Nakalia caressed his name with her tongue, leaning down to kiss him lightly next to his lips. Nakalia widened her eyes and simpered without standing straight up, "What's wrong?"
"The Tremblers attacked this week at City Hall," Laong grimaced. "The security failed."
"Are all the council members all right?" Nakalia pressed her lips together in worry, eyebrows arching up.
"Yes, the police arrived in time," Laong sighed and looked up at her, eyes begging fulfillment to the silent question.
Nakalia nodded and shrugged one shoulder up. "We will think of a solution later." She leaned back down to kiss him, this time on the lips, hands caressing the side of his stubble-roughened face, soft skin melding with her own pale fingers.
Half an hour later, Laong and Nakalia lay beside each other in the darkening bedroom, the shades on the windows were pulled close. Nakalia stilled her still heaving breath. Nakalia intertwined her fingers into his rough ones and turned over. "Why don't you suggest several laws to be passed against the Triads? There is only so much of a problem they can be."
"Oh I wish, but since the Agni Kai Triad went under," common words for defeat, "the Tremblers have taken the initiative," Laong sighed and shook his head, "and none of the Triads don't care about the laws."
"Why don't you give City Hall and other major city structures security that is geared specifically for earthbending attacks?" Nakalia simpered into his ear. He turned sideways, thick brown hair gleaming from the wandering moonlight. "The Agni Kais are after all under. We could come up with the security detail together, make it as perfect as it possibly could be. And I could give you information to the very core of the Trembler Triad"
He nodded and turned back to Nakalia's, and kissed her in affirmation. She waltzed her hand into his hair and stared successfully into the faraway mirror and pressed into his nude body.
"I'll bring it up at the meeting tomorrow," he smiled at her, and Nakalia stared back as sweetly as she could make herself.
This is too easy.
Another hour later, the stars were gone and the moon shone bleakly through the clouds, greying the sky. The air, seeping in from the open window, was hot and humid, and beaded on Nakalia's brow.
"When do you have to leave?" Laong whispered into her ear, and Nakalia arched her back, tingles sent down her spine.
"Soon, it looks like a storm is coming. My brother will want me home, it looks like it will storm soon," Nakalia sighed and stared back at Laong. More than anything she wanted to wrap herself around him again, feel his younger flesh around her, and continue living the sweet lie. "And I'm sure whatever Councilman Ryu says you should agree to knowing his... consistency."
"Will you come tomorrow?" Laong asked, eyes already shining with barred hope.
"I'll try," Nakalia honestly said, and sat up. Laong sat up with her, the soft green blanket dropping down to his waist, revealing a well-muscled stomach, but he turned away, looking at his still hands. Nakalia stood up and looked back down at him, trying to make her face as passive as possible, and supressed a shuddering sigh.
She pulled her breast and hip bindings over her body and then came the shirt and pants and then the trench coat. Laong eyed the trench coat, and Nakalia started laughing, this was his way of showing forgiveness.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
A storm really had come, torrents fell from the sky, and the streets soon emptied, and puddles were created along the tiny indentations in the road.
The glassy apartment building was obscured by the sleety rain, and Nakalia ducked under the canopy, the humid air prevailing over the rain. Nakalia refrained from brushing the water off of her, and walked in. The doorman groggily looked up from his desk in the side of the giant lobby. The waterfall behind him poured down, creating the impression of being in an actual natural place, not in a glass dome housing some of the most important members in Republic City, including Chief Bei Fong, and who Nakalia was going to see: Councilman Ryu.
"The thirtieth floor," Nakalia told the doorman and he nodded then rested his head back into his arms.
Nakalia stared at the daunting stairs that she so hated and ascended them, cursing Kavak for letting her wheedle her way out of jogging every morning with Teresa and Saskia.
She opened the door, sliding her water into the key lock and forming the contours so familiar to her.
"Ah, hello Saskia," Ryu said, looking up from his straight position on the couch. He looked her over and with a flourish of his hand he swept the water off of her and out the open window.
Nakalia sat down next to him, kicking off her shoes and pressing her damp legs against his.
"What's the paperwork for?" Nakalia purred.
"City Hall was attacked this week by the Tremblers," Nakalia resisted to roll her eyes in annoyance, the whole city must have heard by now.
"And?" Nakalia slid her hand under Ryu's shirt and to his shoulder, aged but still strong and able. He lifted his arms and she reached it off.
Nakalia chose this alias, that in the event that Ryu would talk about her, Saskia would be the one in trouble, if they were caught. But they wouldn't be caught, so for now it would only provide hidden laughter.
"The police arrived and got them away. I'm worried about how they were able to so easily come in and apprehend us, although we wouldn't pay attention to the glaring premonitions," Ryu sighed and shook his head, then pushed a strand of grey out of his eyes. It fell back to his face and this time Nakalia brushed it out and hooked it behind his ears, looking as concerned as she possibly could.
"Well you being the chairman of the council, I'm sure you can pass some laws."
"I need to figure out what laws, and then there is the setback of the other councilmembers agreeing. And of course there are only so many laws the Triads would listen to."
"The Triads want power and money. Secure City Hall and the Treasury, and the police headquarters can take care of themselves. All the main passageways should be covered, not just the door in front of the main room. Don't give them what they want and they will "
Ryu scribbled that down along with other details, Nakalia read them to be, higher security alarms in the treasury and bank. Nakalia remembered each word, repeated them to herself silently and waited until he finished to close his papers. The leather white couch was never a good spot for what would happen next, Nakalia stroked its soft shell and then moved that hand to Ryu's, feeling the wrinkled flesh on the outside of his skin.
"Now let's stop doing work for today," Nakalia simpered, lowering her eyelids.
Ryu took his hand into her own, a habit they had developed since the very first parts of their relationship, the first time Nakalia seduced him, felt the prongs of her power over him.
They nestled into the couch of the living room, brown suede right under their soon to be heated bodies, the windows open and whistling the freshly done storm, Nakalia sighed at the thought of fresh air and walking home through the park. But Ryu took her away from the thoughts and into the charged present.
Where Laong was soft and delicate, Ryu was passionate and hungry, licking around her lips with no proper course, a freedom from the dictations of the court rooms, and council politics. Laong would relish in those very things, but aging Ryu sought freedom from an aging job (Lin Bei Fong, only forty, was already graying. Nakalia hoped dearly that she wouldn't be in that position in fifteen years). Laong was sensible, Ryu was wild, and pressing, but both were the company Nakalia endured through, enjoyed during the moment, but did it for information and power. However pleasing, it wasn't real, and Nakalia herself was hungry for just that: real.
The walk home, with Nakalia still breathing heavily, was filled with a heavy sadness, a feeling she had never been accustomed to enduring through. She soon formulated a plan in her head, one to help her Triad to rise to power, and help her return the Kavak she had known for as long as she had memory.
There were two lose ends to it, the perfect plan of snatching every politician, throwing the city into disarray than soon fixing it with her own guiding hand, Lin Beifong, everyone knew how protective she was of her city, and the Fire Nation, who had been asked to help. Ba Sing Se did the same three years ago, and afterwards every single gang, major and minor, wouldn't dare to peak out from underground and still didn't. But the Red Monsoons were powerful and intelligent, and bound to be a surprise, Nakalia did love surprises, and not even Lin Beifong or the Fire Nation could overcome that.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/
To answer the reviewer's (Charisma's, I think) question: right now it is a bit scattered, it is about the same conflict but right now its still rising, and I'm choosing the POVs that would show that. It's going to start getting much more focused now, although I'm introducing one more POV character in chapter 7.
I have no idea how to describe my summer: full of highs and lows, and I can't wait for school. If I have time, I will work on this, but I predict truckloads of homework knowing my school...
Please review, it makes my day/ evening.