Night Nine: Flight of a Black Sun
It had proved to be something of a parting gift – that fairly prominent trail of rukh. Judal had allowed it to reach from the palace to the garden he was now lying in. He was not exactly waiting patiently for Sinbad on that perfectly clear morning after all; he wanted to be found. Until he was found he was simply lying under the shade of a tree, and anxiously watched the entrance into the garden he had claimed as his own. The rukh leading into it glimmered as flecks of light and dark flitting like fireflies on the approaching dawn. How such things were so exciting now that power was restored to him. He had missed it, feeling so strong, and having such unrelenting control over his surroundings. Now, if only his damned king would hurry and find him, he would show him – just – how strong he was.
Even if it wasn't all that unpleasant, he knew how sore his body was from those nights they had spent together. It ached, albeit deliciously, as he stretched back in the long and red filled emerald grass of his claimed garden. Reaching out, he allowed his fingers to catch on the golden and scarlet hued wild flowers, watching their petals loosen and fall softly into his open palms. That willow tree above him swayed a slow dance in the light wind, and the calm made him wonder of that soreness of his body would affect his – final – confrontation with Sinbad. It was then that – he – had finally decided to appear.
"Yo, you're late, idiot king" Judal complained loudly. In reality, it had not been all that long since the dark Magi had decided he was so bored waiting he could have screamed. He just couldn't help it, he had wanted almost fanatically for his kidnapper to see him at his full strength – and not as some caged songbird – anymore. Said kidnapper had rounded that corner, and collided harmlessly with the rukh that collected beautifully into a spiralling motion around the man. Sinbad for a moment had been nothing more than a blur of loose, wildly cascading violet hair and tanned skin...rather a lot of tanned skin. Judal flushed deeply and looked away; couldn't he at least have put on some damned clothing before chasing him?
He drew out his sceptre, and for the first time in so long he took to lazily twisting it in his hand before pointing it towards the man approaching him. Sinbad would, within moments, be at the mercy of a twisting and fevered wind – actually, perhaps mercy wasn't the word. It was more of a playful breeze, if anything, that Judal had created – and he definitely had wanted to create something stronger. Amber eyes fixed powerfully on him; and the dark Magi realised he...just had an uncharacteristic lack of enthusiasm to fight. Instead, Sinbad just walked easily though that embarrassing excuse for an attack, past a line of tall, alabaster pillars lining the grass on which Judal lay. So he tried again, the same thing happened, and his ruby eyes narrowed – was he rusty? No, of course not, it hadn't been – that – long.
It didn't really seem that Sinbad was retaliating, however. "If you're done doing whatever that was..." he trailed off, his expression unreadable and perhaps choosing his words carefully. "How did you manage to break that chain, exactly? It's such a shame; it looked so pretty on you..."
"Ha? You can fix it up again and wear it if you really want. And what else- Ithnan showed up of course," Judal's confident smirk faded as he watched his king continue to close the gap between them. He stayed where he was; his body complained it didn't fancy moving, anyway. That said, Sinbad would want to take him back, and he definitely wasn't going to let that happen. Again. He readied his sceptre again, warning the other man not to come closer. A stronger breeze picked up, whipping strongly at Sinbad's hair and body and he watched the approaching footsteps slow down.
"You really should have woken me and let me deal with him. If you had, we'd still be up in my rooms. Why does everything have to be so...difficult with you?" was that idiot actually saying this was his fault? It's not like they could have more than a few simple days with each other; they were enemies. Judal tried to convince his body to move, to want to fight, and most importantly that he didn't want a repeat of what had happened on the Balbadd docks. Even if Sinbad wasn't inclined to use magoi in his current state – which Judal was glad of with that curse – he was still fairly strong, and in one of his serious moods. And Judal, right now, wasn't. "It's my fault; I should have been more alert. Even so, were you just going to leave like that?"
Seeing as they were here, talking, it was clear Judal wasn't just going to leave. His king looked over him, being both cautious and curious over how this would play out. Well, he didn't know either; he just knew it was a mistake to let him get too close.
"Come on. We knew once they found me this would be over," he gave Sinbad a dangerous look as amber eyes wandered slowly, seductively over his body as he lay there. It wasn't going to happen...again. "Just face it, we've had our fun."
"After the past few nights, I thought we were just getting started on having fun..."
Judal distracted himself, looking far above the low shadows cast by the tree overhead and the towering white buildings. He could already see and count the shades of rose red and light teal forming on the horizon to the east, and it's still pale lemon sunrise. Thick clouds were slowly collecting, rumouring silently that it would later be raining in Sindria. He remembered being told that was quite the lovely sight. "Ha...you know, it could be my turn now. If you won't use magoi now, I could capture you. What do you think – just say the word, and I'll make you mine and take you back to Kou with me."
Sinbad laughed slightly and more than a little nervously. Perhaps, even for them, that would border on being more than ridiculous. "You're certainly free to try, at least."
There was also Judal not trusting to be close to him, too; strangely, or perhaps not so strangely, it seemed magic was a good way of keeping someone at a distance. He remained in that soft, dew-beaded grass, and pondered he should have just left before. In that moment he neglected to notice Sinbad slip down to sit beside him. He cursed himself; he was so bad at this – it seemed laughable he even had considered fighting him right now, to make him pay for doing this to him. For that to happen, he at least needed to try getting annoyed.
"So much for making this challenging for me..." Sinbad commented softly. A familiar, gentle palm slipped slightly over his exposed stomach. He felt his body prickle delightfully, once again, and likewise once again from just a single touch. As he felt fingers play delicately over the curve of his hip Judal leaned up, brushing his lips tenderly over the man's bronzed, yet bruised neck, and felt strong arms draw around him. "Hm, you're really not resisting me at all are you?"
"...I'm not, am I..."he replied quietly, surprising himself. He allowed himself to be drawn against the man's chest. He felt those welcoming arms circle his body and hold him tightly and he didn't fight him away. After all, he was still curious just how far that curse had spread within his king, and it seemed a good chance to see such a thing for himself. So he felt his eyes heat up, momentarily flashing a vivid scarlet, as he looked over and scanned the other man.
He could see it, deep within Sinbad. The deep and dark flames of that curse were flickering and very much present within his bruised body. He frowned, not for the first time admitting he didn't like seeing such an awful thing; even if such a thing had never bothered him before. If anything, it made him feel...strange, thinking that he could become a black king and change. He didn't want him to change, even if things could be easier that way it seemed too easy; he still hoped Sinbad was right about falling half to depravity and the curse wouldn't take him. The dark Magi's sharp eyes were certainly noticing that, oddly, the black rukh within weren't consuming him as he would have expected. He felt...almost relieved; perhaps he was right. It just seemed very, very hard to believe.
Not for the first time Judal became aware of a familiar trickling of scalding heat pouring down his cheeks. He watched, surprised, as moisture dripped onto the bandages wound round Sinbad's bare torso, blossoming in patches and darkening them. How curious...
"So I'm going to end up making you cry twice, am I? That's not very nice of me," a cool hand reached up, gently running its thumb lovingly over each side of his face in turn. He leaned more into him, closing his eyes, and drawing closer into their embrace. "What right do I have, upsetting my precious, cute songbird so much..." the man took a deep breath, as if thinking of something, and so Judal looked up at him through heavily misted eyes. "You know, I'm more selfish than I thought. Stay with me – don't go back there. We'll talk about how I'll fight them for you..."
He wasn't even given a change to say no. Instead Judal felt himself being pressed lightly down into the grass and flowers beneath him, an arm remaining behind him to stroke at his lower back. As he felt lips and a second hand tease over his throat he pressed heavily against that strong shoulder and allowed his fingers to reach and play idly within his king's soft hair. With that rich aroma of incense still clinging to it, seductively woven into its vivid strands and his bronzed skin...how tempting it was, just to stay there forever. "I can't, you know that."
"Aren't you always saying you can do whatever you want? Go wherever you want..." the weight coaxing him to finally lie fully backwards shifted as Sinbad sat at his waist. Eyes exploring his as he felt hands draw and teased slowly down his body, shifting down his dress pants slightly as they did. He reached up, gripping at his wrists to stop him. He...really was pushing things. "It's alright; I'll figure it out...somehow. You know I meant everything I said to you...every word of it..."
Judal's eyes softened slightly, letting go of his hands and part of him choosing to simply believe that. He leaned up as far as he could, pressing his body against his kings and wrapped his hands over his shoulders to keep himself there. Sinbad was all too willing to obey, moving to claim him softly in a kiss again. As hands traced round to seek his lower back, caressing their now familiar and light circles, the dark Magi was thinking there was nowhere he's rather be. Kou was boring anyway. "See how easy it is to make you mine, Judal? We don't need a chain for that, just each other."
"No..." he muttered quietly; this couldn't happen, not yet. He didn't resist the strong, tanned hands slowly sliding back and forth over his arms, instead watching them slowly link with his fingers. He let himself be pressed gently back into the cool grass again, welcoming it even, and sighed heavily as lips traced over his throat. It was no good, he thought as the older man raked his nails over his clothed inner thighs. A hand shifted in to cup and grope tightly over an area which made him arch and shiver dangerously. Excitement built within him, his body leaning back as that part of him stiffened and his legs parted to allow his king closer. He needed to stop this happening. "No!" he said more forcefully, louder as he finally – somehow –managed to push Sinbad off of him.
...Well, he hadn't meant to go – quite – that far...
For a moment, Judal was speechless. He was aware his dark sceptre had somehow found its way into his hand. His eyes then roamed over a sudden influx of crystalline ice that swept and froze over the wall ahead of him – along with Sinbad it seemed – thoroughly sealing the man against it. Heck, that idiot was even laughing, as if being frozen to a wall was amusing and he expected Judal to do such a thing. Even Judal hadn't meant to do that; that's why that idiot – his idiot – should have just listened to him.
A slight flicker of now all too familiar frustration bristled within the dark Magi, but it didn't last for long. He couldn't be angry at a man he barely wanted to harm, let alone kill. How odd, he had always – always – wanted to destroy him, hadn't he? And now he was reduced to missing the comforting weight of his body even if he would never admit such a thing. "Ah? Now look what you made me do!"
"Yes. Sooner or later we really are going to need to talk about these random outbursts of yours. Can you at least warn me in advance so I can calm you down..." Judal had warned him, though. And that man was still laughing; speaking as though some things happened a lot. Perhaps they did, but it was still his fault for aggravating him.
"...You are so irresponsible! Sinbad, when someone tells you no-"Judal got up, albeit slowly and carefully. He adjusted his clothing, aware of both the soreness of his body and a slight throbbing in a certain area, and made his way over to the ice encrusted wall. The grass was dry and unpleasant and was so scratchy under his bare toes. But that was to be expected; his ice magic had stolen the moisture from it. It was fine though, it would rain later – wait – why was he caring about something stupid like grass? Once he was at the wall he leaned up, aiming to brush his lips slightly over Sinbad's cheek, but was subject to a rather strong, bruising kiss. He didn't pull away from it, instead leaning up to the significantly taller man and winding his fingers in his hair and pressing lightly against the ice holding him. The same man trying to free himself and Judal smiled; it was about time Sinbad was – his – prisoner.
"It's not that surprising that a caged bird wants to see the sky again. And you're right, sooner or later you'd go back to them," Sinbad admitted quietly, reluctantly. "What are you thinking about now, anyway?"
"That the least you could have done was gotten dressed. It took me seconds to do..." he replied, flushing after looking down again, but he knew what his king meant.
"What can I say; I was in a rush. But you know, it's getting a bit chilly out here suddenly..."
He chose to ignore that not so subtle bid for freedom."You call me a brat...you can't just take whatever you want as I can. If I don't go back there they'll come here," usually Judal would want that; he wanted war after all, he liked demonstrating his power. Perhaps it seemed that something – well, someone – lately almost entertained him as much as all that destruction. Almost. "You're so stupid anyway; what, do you think you can win against them. Don't bother, you won't."
"You're right about thinking I can win, at least. I don't know about the rest, though."
Judal stashed away his sceptre and stepped away. Sinbad continued to try and free himself, even if he wasn't yet having much luck.
His king was watching him, perhaps if working out how to delay the moment he left. "When you say they will beat me...I guess it's like this. I always liked to do things my way and I don't like people telling me I can't have what I want. If that happens, you just want it even more, don't you?" Judal nodded; obviously, that went without saying. "I look after people I care for – especially you. If you wanted to be taken away from there, I'd try to take you away from there. If you want to be mine, no one else would hurt you again. That's a promise I made you, and I don't like them coming between us like that. And I'm not giving up on fighting them however tough it'll be."
"You're our enemy. Keep crossing us, you'll get war, and things will go badly. I might even be the one killing you..." even if he really disliked that thought; and for some reason it made his eyes sting again.
"I think things won't end badly for me, or us. You just were told no one can beat them, even that you'll never escape them so you believe that no matter what. Judal, they're not infallible, and one way or another they'll be stopped. I decided a while ago that even if I have a lot of help, I'm going to destroy each and every one of them if I have to. They don't deserve anything less, and I'm gaining allies to help stop them. But when they're all gone – guess what? I'll be bringing you back here again."
Looking back, Judal wasn't quite sure if those words were a threat or a promise. He thought more than likely they were both; and it's just one of many things Sinbad said over those days that confused him. He panicked and stepped back quickly as with a loud groan he watched his ice begin and crack and splinter; and watched Sinbad smile a little victoriously as he did. "...You really are a complete idiot. You've seen how many there are of them, and they're strong. You're underestimating them – me – and you can't win. How can you be so damned cocky, anyway?"
"I might have learned that from you. But then I like to prove you wrong, Judal. Or haven't you figured that part out yet?"
He wondered, really, if his lifelong chains to Al-Thamen could be so easily shattered. But then he had power there, even if they rarely let him use it. But thinking like that was foolish; perhaps he needed to get away, think and attempt to make sense of everything. Or, as he didn't like thinking that much, perhaps he could just revel in his regained power for a while. When it came to freedom, after all, Judal had never really had an idea over such a thing felt. He wasn't sure he cared, really, and would prefer being powerful to being free.
He heard the ice continue creaking, and watched it fracture. Perhaps one day he would make Sinbad his anyway; if he couldn't break his ice easily then he didn't think he would stand against Al-Thamen. Still, it was a thought that lingered and was interesting, even if he knew how strong they were. He had chosen various dungeon capturers for Kou himself after all; they also had their armies, influences power and – well- Judal –at their disposal. Sinbad would want to keep him here instead of joining them, which was what made it annoying.
For now, Judal figured it was better to leave. And so the dark Magi knew it was best to go to the one place he knew he couldn't be followed – the skies themselves. "Eh, you're delusional, but fine. I guess I'll just wait for this magical day when you beat them, idiot king."
"It...could happen, I don't expect you to believe me, I'll just have to prove it to you. But I'm your idiot king now; don't forget that," Judal wasn't entirely sure when he had started thinking of Sinbad as his king, but it struck him as being a while ago. It made sense; he cared little for most of the candidates he had picked, or rather the ones who had been picked for him. His eyes had always been on him, and knowing just what they could accomplish together. "It's been a while since you won against me though, Judal. Did you enjoy it?"
The dark Magi looked back over his shoulder, watching the ice gradually shatter and Sinbad rub at his freed wrists. "A fair bit, actually. But remember, this war's only just getting started..."
There wasn't much point in saying a goodbye, really; once Judal had thought about things he knew, inevitably, they would see each other soon enough. He closed his eyes, for a moment taking to enjoy that overwhelming energy and chaos building within him. Far above, both light and power had gathered, and had ignited the clouds there in light brighter than day and dark deeper than night in equal measure. Then, just like that damned songbird Sinbad always mentioned, Judal allowed himself to soar upwards into that clash of black and white. Far below him, Sindria was ebbing and fading away; and he idly wondered when he would be back there.
Most of all, it seemed strange, really; regarding just how much could both stay the same and change within a matter of days.