Chapter 57: Traitor II
[This is a flashback.]
"Preceptor?"
Lush glowing plants drifted with the evening wind in Qashka.
Ageisha, was what they called the swaying flowers, his beloved’s favorite.
"My beloved has refused to see me or lay with me ever since I took out his child... why is that?"
The Grand perceptor of royal palace bowed and stepped forward.
"The kept one grieves, you must give him something to make him lean on you more."
"I must give him something to make him seek me?"
"That is correct, Your Majesty."
Tuk hummed in response and picked a Ageisha. The flower glowed brighter in his hands before withering into nothing.
"I’ll make my beloved seek me... and me alone."
.
..
...
"What is the meaning of this?"
Oroths flooded Vae’Thira’s chamber, their large staffs pointed at him. The largest of all the Oroths stepped forward with a scroll in his hands.
"The emperor, Tuk’Aon, the beast of Qashka hereby declares that the Miwa of the name Vae’Thira be sentenced to imprisonment until further notice."
"Haha, what?"
The Miwa burst out in a broken laugh, his body shook so hard he slipped off the chair he sat on.
"Has your emperor gone mad?"
"Silence! You will not speak ill of the emperor!"
"Why am I being imprisoned?"
"That information is known only to Him."
"...of course."
"Take me, I pray to the stars I rot and finally die there..."
The Oroths formed a circle around him and lifted him into his feet.
"Walk."
They pushed at him as he limped away from the warm comfort of his chambers to the brutal biting cold of the underground palace’s prison.
The large steel doors groaned open and he was thrown into a dimly lit cell. A soldier tossed a blanket and a pot of Ageisha flowers at him before shutting the door.
"The emperor’s gifts to you."
And that was all.
They marched out, leaving him in the empty house of cells.
"Is that you... Vae?"
The Vashki’s head snapped back as he stated into the void from where his name was called.
"Who is asking?"
"As’La..."
The late mother of the emperor’s brother?
The emperor’s uncle.
Wasn’t he killed alongside those involved in the ’Exchange’?
"How are you still alive?"
"...my nephew didn’t deem me fit of dying a ’merciful’ death... so he has left me to rot here in this cold cemetery."
The void shifted and an U’Kan stepped out. His porcelain plating was cracked and chipped in several places, it’s white luster now a dusty and dull grey.
He looked gaunted and weak.
"I’ve known you to be the apple of the emperor’s eyes... so why are you down here with those destined to death?"
"I would like to know that as well."
"...is that.... Ageisha?"
"Yes."
"May I have some?"
Thira held out the flower pot for the U’Kan to pluck. Ageisha was both an edible and ornamental flower, As’La greedily devoured the plant in one gulp.
The plant glowed and shimmered through his plating as it digested in him, floating around in the cycle of his digestion before settling in his stomach.
The subtle glow made Thira’s own stomach ache.
He rubbed the still swollen area and a daring idea ran through his head.
"Uncle As’La, you want to die. Don’t you?"
"If it will free me from this suffering, yes."
"Sleep with me."
.
..
...
"How is he?"
"Your majesty, the kept one is hale and hearty. He spends most of his day resting in the comfort of the hide you offered him."
A pleased hum rumbled in the U’Kan’s throat.
"Make sure he is well fed... no harm must come to him."
"Yes your majesty." The Oroth bowed and began to head out when he suddenly turned and bowed once more.
"Your majesty?"
"Yes?"
"It almost escaped my mind but I failed to tell you that the kept one smells strongly of a Miwa... with child."
The room suddenly dropped to a terrifying freeze of biting cold.
"What did you say?"
"...t-the kept one smells of o-one with chi—"
The Oroth barely finished his sentence when his head bounced off the walls of the throne room.
"You filthy mutts, who amongst you dared to touch him!!"
The doors burst open and the emperor leapt to where the guards, who were in charge of watching over Vae’Thira in his cell, were stationed.
"You Maje—"
Heads flew off their bodies, silver blood coated the walls and the expensive royal robes of the emperor.
He pushed past the steel doors and trudged towards the cell that smelled the strongest of his beloved.
And it was just like that Oroth had said...
Vae’Thira smelled of one with child.
"Vae’Thira?"
The steel bars groaned beneath his grip as he pushed them aside and stepped in.
"Vae’Thira?"
Silence and the cold echo of his own voice greeted him back.
Huddled against a corner lay his beloved, the hide of a beast he had killed and spun just for him wrapped around his lith body.
He moved closer to the Miwa, the smell stronger with each step he took. Another scent mixed in with Vae’Thira’s and it didn’t belong to any of the guards he had killed.
"As’La."
He growled and reached across the room for the U’Kan hiding in the shadows.
"How dare you! Was selling my mother to them not enough for you?"
"...it has been quite a while, my nephew."
"How dare you lay hands on what is mine!"
A balled fist flew and landed square in As’La’s face, easily breaking plating and hitting his insectoid face beneath.
The first sound Thira heard was one like metal striking stone.
CLANG.
His eyes opened.
For a moment, he couldn’t remember where he was. The ceiling above him was dark, the faint blue light from the wall strips barely reaching the corners of the cell. His stomach hurt but it didn’t compare to the one below.
Laying with a U’Kan days after losing a child was an insane decision but... desperate times needed desperate measures.
Then it came again.
CLANG.
A muffled groan followed.
Thira slowly pushed himself upright.
His body protested immediately. His hand instinctively moved toward his stomach before he stopped himself.
Another impact shook the walls.
Then silence.
Thira stared away from the bars.
Something moved beyond them.
A shadow crossed the dim strip of light beneath the cell door.
Then a voice.
Low.
Furious.
"You dared to touch what belongs to me."
Thira froze.
Tuk.
Another voice answered, strained and frightened.
"I didn’t! He came on—"
The sentence ended abruptly.
Thira’s fingers curled into the blanket beneath him and he rose unsteadily.
"Your majesty?"
No response.
He stepped closer to the pried bars.
The corridor beyond was dim as well.
A porcelain figure stood several meters away.
Tuk.
His shoulders rose and fell slowly.
An U’Kan was on the floor before him, struggling to remain upright.
Tuk’s hands were clenched.
"You dare lie to me... I can smell you on him"
"I didn’t—"
Tuk seized him by the front of his clothing, if it could be called that, and hauled him upright.
The U’Kan’s feet barely touched the floor.
Thira pressed himself against the bars.
"Stop."
Neither looked at him.
"Tuk."
The Emperor turned his head. His rings glowered as he faced Thira.
For a moment, everything stopped.
Then Tuk looked back at the U’Kan.
"You heard him."
The U’Kan swallowed.
"I swear I never touched him, he came onto me."
Tuk’s grip tightened.
"You lie... he would never!"
The U’Kan’s expression changed.
Fear.
Thira’s stomach twisted.
"Tuk, let him go."
Tuk’s head tilted slightly.
The U’Kan used the distraction, shoved against him and stumbled backward.
He made it only two steps.
Tuk moved.
The corridor erupted with the sound of another violent struggle.
Thira grabbed the bars.
"Stop!"
The U’Kan cried out and then...
Silence.
As’La lay motionless.
Tuk remained standing over him, his chest rising and falling.
For several seconds, he didn’t move.
Then he straightened his clothes.
"Come."
Thira stared at him.
"What?"
Tuk approached the cell.
"Come here."
Thira backed away at the contact.
"No."
The bars released with a heavy click.
Thira immediately retreated.
"Tuk, stay away from me."
Tuk stepped inside.
Thira’s back touched the wall.
"I said come."
"No. Why should I? You threw me in here to rot, let me do that peacefully!"
Tuk reached for him.
Thira twisted away, but his weakened body betrayed him. Tuk caught him around the waist and pulled him forward.
"Let go of me!"
Thira clawed at Tuk’s arm.
The Emperor didn’t even flinch.He dragged him toward the doorway. Thira’s feet could only
scrape helplessly across the floor.
"Where are you taking me?"
Tuk said nothing.
"Let me go!"
The Emperor pulled him into the corridor.
Thira twisted around to look back at the cell. The U’Kan remained motionless on the floor. His gaze lingered for only a second before Tuk turned Thira’s face away.
"Don’t look."
Thira’s voice trembled.
"You are a monster."
Tuk’s grip tightened.
"He touched what is mine."
"I’m not yours."
Tuk stopped.
The corridor went completely still.
Slowly, he lowered his head toward Thira.
"You keep saying that."
His voice was quiet now.
Far more frightening than when he had shouted.
"And yet you keep proving me right."
Thira’s breath caught.
Tuk resumed walking.
"You’re getting rid of that child."
Thira was dragged deeper into the castle, his fingers trembling against Tuk’s arm as the cell doors disappeared behind them.