10The new chapter 2 (Hey! It rhymes!).
Chapter 2 – Lovers and Family
The man Freyja had called Cole saw her face and stepped back.
"God forbid" he hissed, then shook his head "Get away! Now!" When Freyja started to protest, he spun her around then shoved her roughly away. "Get!"
Freyja and Ryuu fled into the darkness, gaining distance from the camp. Ryuu looked curiously at Freyja. She had her eyes closed and she was shaking visibly. When she felt his eyes on her she looked at Ryuu and smiled faintly. She was lost in her memories and looked shocked.
"Who was he, and how did you know him?" Ryuu demanded.
"His name's Cole…do you remember when Xerxes told me to explore places, to build up my knowledge of the world before I returned to take leadership from him?"
"Kicked you out, you mean" Ryuu grumbled.
"Whatever, well, he was a leader at the time, a group called the Desert Claw. I was caught by their border patrol; they were making sure no one attempted to enter their lands." Freyja sighed "I was younger and…not as smart then. They caught me and, fearing they would be found out, brought back to their home. They took me to Cole, their 'Boss' as they called him. Well…" Freyja smiled at the memory "He was brave, smart as charismatic, as well as being very good-looking…there was a spark between us and…" Freyja's smile softened "I fell in love" Ryuu, despite the fact he was sitting down, managed to fall over the rock he was leaning on.
"You what?!" He yelled. Freyja winced.
"I don't want to repeat myself" She put her head in her hands. "I knew you'd react like this"
"Well, what happened after?" Ryuu asked, after sitting back up.
"After about a month, we decided to stay together, I knew that father was planning on putting my brother in charge anyway, that I was just there in case Raiden did something stupid and got himself killed before he took over." She looked at Ryuu, expecting him to argue, but he sat quietly and watched her thoughtfully. Then she remembered that he didn't like her brother, one of the few that didn't.
"Then?"
"Then, Cordelia showed up"
"Cordelia Menai? Kalani's second-in-command?"
"That's the one. Anyway, she had obviously tracked me because after about a month and a half she turns up and starts to talk Cole round into joining her. He agreed after a week and…"
"What?" Ryuu asked.
"He changed. He became cruel, to me and the rest of the Desert Claw, but I loved him still…I was certain he loved me back, even through his harsh side. Eventually I left after realizing my mistake. He couldn't feel anything, after what Cordelia had done to him" Freyja frowned "I think she turned him into a Soul Reaver. One of her personal warriors. He has few thoughts of his own, and he is almost completely under her control. Apart from when she releases him for a while or he 'retires' but even then she can raise the dead to do her bidding"
"So you never saw him again until now?"
"I didn't want to. I hated him for what he did to me"
Ryuu looked up. The young man strolled towards them. They stood up and Freyja looked at him properly for the first time in 3 years. His wild brown hair was cut short, and his once hazel eyes had changed to a blood red. He was dressed in a black cloak that was ragged at the end. He nodded to Ryuu, but his attention was fixed on Freyja.
"How long has it been?" Freyja winced. His voice was harsh and cold.
"3, almost 4 years" Freyja replied.
"Why did you leave?" He asked. Freyja stood straight and her eyes flashed.
"Why do you think? You changed…you were cruel to everyone except her"
"Cordelia? But if you had…"
"If you're about to say that if I had stayed you wouldn't have changed save it because you would have changed if I had stayed all that time" Freyja snapped.
"How do you know?" he asked curiously, the first time in the whole conversation emotion showed in his voice. He looked away then turned his head so he was regarding Freyja through one eye. The movement was all too familiar to her.
"I knew the person you used to be and I know Cordelia's reputation" She said, watching Cole closely.
"True" Cole said, and he turned so he was looking at her with his whole face.
"What happened to the rest of the Desert Claw?" She asked, fearing what the answer might be.
"There's only me, Amy, Israel, and Dru left." He didn't seem bothered by the fact that most of his 'friends' were dead.
"That's all?" Freyja said, and Cole nodded.
"Aerin and Mina were killed when they went on border patrol, and the others were murdered in the dark" He stated. Freyja swallowed the lump in her throat.
"I suppose Damien went down fighting" Freyja stated.
"How do you know that?" he asked.
"He would never give up in a fight. Even if he was losing"
"You always were very good at reading people"
"Knowledge is power, Cole. Surely you knew that" She said teasingly. He was silent for a moment, thinking about what she had just said. Then he shrugged.
"I need to go. Cordelia's other lackeys will be after me soon" He glanced at Ryuu then looked back at Freyja. "We can never go back to what we used to be, can we?" Freyja shook her head, eyes turned towards the floor.
"We've both changed too much." Cole looked regretful before pulling his hood up and vanishing, leaving only traces of a crimson mist behind.
"Never…never" She whispered. Ryuu leaned closer.
"What's that?"
"I never want to have to do that again" Freyja murmured. Getting a glimpse at her face, Ryuu was startled. She looked heartbroken again.
"Hard wasn't it?" It was more of a statement than a question.
"He changed so much…if they all changed like that I don't know what I'm going to do"
"No point thinking about it now. We have to get back before Xerxes throws a fit"
Freyja felt immensely glad that Ryuu was there. He heaved her up on her feet and they walked back to camp. Ryuu could see that Freyja was still upset. He decided not to mention to anyone what had happened. It was the last thing she needed. He hoped that her brother didn't start interrogating her he might do something that would permanently land him in Xerxes' bad books.
They entered as quietly as they could. But very little could escape Roxanne's notice.
"Took a walk?" She asked quietly. She took in Freyja's state, caught her arm and pulled her away. She nodded understandingly to Ryuu who smiled gratefully and whistled, which caught the attention of Taboo. He was relaxing nearby and he strolled past, waving a hand at them while he flopped in Roxanne's place. Freyja was dragged into Roxanne's tent, with Ryuu looking on. He sat next to Taboo, who was sprawled haphazardly on the ground.
"Wha' happened to her?" he said through a yawn.
"She might kill me if I said"
"You mean she will kill you if you said" Taboo corrected.
"That as well"
"I won't ask then, she might eat me" Ryuu grinned at him.
"Eat you? Doubt it. She might catch something" Taboo glared at him and Ryuu tried to hide his smile behind his hand.
"Not funny" Taboo huffed.
Someone stole up behind Taboo and grabbed his blood red ponytail. He was pulled backwards and found himself staring into a pair of blue eyes nearing on purple.
"Yo Roxy" He said. She released him and ran her hand through her own lilac hair. She turned to Ryuu.
"What happened to Freyja? I asked her but she was shaking like a leaf"
"She had a shock. She saw someone…she was not expecting to see" He replied. Roxanne started to ask a question about the vague answer but the look in Ryuu's eyes warned her off it.
"Very well" She paused for a moment "You're lucky Xerxes didn't notice you were gone"
"Luck has nothing to do with it" Siren drifted up and stopped next to Taboo. "I distracted Xerxes by telling him I had seen an 'intruder' nearby and he went off to go look"
"Was that wise, Melascanto? He's going to be furious." Roxanne said, stating the obvious.
"I'll just say that he must have left before he got there" Siren smiled, the picture of innocence. Taboo snorted and Siren elbowed him.
"What's with the face, Harpy? You're hardly an angel." He grinned at mock-hurt expression.
"I am so an angel" She said indignantly, and Taboo cracked up laughing. "And stop calling me Harpy!"
"Whatever floats ya boat" He replied. They seemed to be completely unaware of the fact everyone else was looking on in amusement.
"L…Lady Roxanne" A runner from the camp staggered up and bent over, struggling for breath. Roxanne smiled.
"Not been working out, Gray?" She said, good humour in voice.
"Xerxes wanted to see you" He managed to say.
"Did he say why?" She asked, and Siren looked over her shoulder, which she was just about tall enough to reach.
"Nope, just a simplistic grunt" he winked, then noticed Siren "He wants to see you, as well, said something about lies and a harpy" He chuckled when Siren spluttered in protest.
"Thank you Gray" There was wicked laughter in Roxanne's eyes "Now you just need to run back down"
Gray groaned and Roxanne snickered. She gestured to Siren and they slid down the steep hillside to the camp.
That had been the reason why Xerxes had been so apprehensive to settle there. They were surrounded on three sides by the steep hill and if they were attacked there was only one escape. And if the attackers had any sense they would block that route. That was why Xerxes had been lashing out at everyone, especially his daughter, because of his nervousness.
"Xerxes" Roxanne said crisply. He whirled around, obviously not having heard their entrance. He nodded slowly and noticed Siren.
"Melascanto I trust everything to still be there when I speak to you next" Siren fumed at the fact that Xerxes thought she would steal something and was about to tell him when Freyja sidled in. Siren shifted slightly. It wouldn't do to let anyone know she was worried but Freyja was practically radiating malice. When she saw Siren (Xerxes and Roxanne were talking outside) she seemed to bite it back and sat next to her.
"Haven't stolen anything yet then, Siren?" Freyja asked Siren.
"I wouldn't steal anything" At Freyja's disbelieving expression she said "Nothing to take"
"I see your point" Freyja looked at her father's virtually clear desk.
"Except that big knife of his" Siren said, contemplating what would happen if Tan'ae family sword strangely disappeared.
"Big knife?" Freyja glanced at the once-deadly now merely ornamental sword "Probably panic, thinking that we had enemy spies in our midst"
Siren's grin lit up her entire face, though the mischievous glint in her eyes made Freyja worry. Siren's odd obsession with ancient literature could ensure that she could quote a line from a Shakespeare play without problem, which was what Freyja was anticipating.
"Double, double, toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble" She said, waving her hands. Freyja decided to play along.
"Err… Is this a dagger I see before me?" Siren pouted.
"That's not what comes next!"
"What does come next then?" Freyja asked.
"I don't know!" Was Siren's huffed answer. Freyja rolled her eyes. "You don't know either!"
"I am not interested enough in Shakespeare to be able to quote lines in the right order" Freyja replied.
"What on earth are you talking about?" A voice interrupted. Roxanne was standing in front of the tent flap.
Freyja started to answer but Siren was faster.
"It has nothing to do with the earth" She waved her hands again. "I am Hecate, Queen and Goddess of the witches"
"Good for you" Roxanne looked slightly worried. Xerxes moved around and glanced around the room, then looked back at Siren.
"Well done, Melascanto. All my possessions are here, and nothing's broken! I'm amazed!" Siren gave him 'The Look'. He blinked.
"I have orders for you" He turned and disappeared from view. Siren, still fuming quietly, followed him. Freyja went back to radiating malice and having daydreams where Xerxes was decapitated under mysterious circumstances. Roxanne had left as soon as the 'General' told her what to do.
'Cole was lying.' Freyja thought to herself. 'He was looking for something, I know it. What is Cordelia looking for? It could be the Imperial Dragon but what would she want with it? I don't think they even have it anymore…I think it was passed to the Twilight family…Why is Cole working with her anyway?'
'The Government is a load of bullies who only managed to get where they are now through murder and terror. Kalani and Cordelia are examples of that. There are no politics. What Kalani say goes. All those who fell under their control are doomed. Unless Kalani takes a liking to their leader. Otherwise he will kill the leader and take over the followers, though most don't last longer than a month. They simply could not take the harsh conditions they are forced into'
'The Cole I knew would have refused…He hated being told what to do, he loved being in charge. I wonder what Cordelia offered him. He wouldn't have joined for zilch…Unless…no; I don't even want to think about that. Did I mean nothing to him then? Was I just an annoying kid? Oh hell…' Freyja looked at Xerxes and Siren through unfocused eyes. Siren nudged past Xerxes and crouched in front of her.
"Still there, Frey?" She asked Freyja. Freyja blinked. Her mind reacted slowly to Siren's question.
"Hmm?" Siren shook her head.
"You've tired yourself out." Siren said matter-of-factly.
"You don't say" Freyja grumbled. She felt bad immediately after as Siren's face dropped. "Sorry"
"Go, Freyja" Xerxes murmured over Siren's head. Freyja managed to smile at how Xerxes dwarfed Siren, but shook it off and glared at Xerxes.
"No, I want to speak to you" Xerxes returned the glare.
"Tomorrow" He said. Before Freyja could protest, Siren grabbed one of her braids and pulled her, cursing, away. They ran into August as they passed. He blinked.
"Where do you think she learned to say things like that?" He said curiously. Siren looked up at him. Xerxes, standing at 6, would only come up to August's shoulder. He smirked when Siren went up on tiptoes.
"A hand, if you would Leoren?" August blinked again.
"Siren…?"
"Yeah?" Siren realised that something was amiss.
"Freyja's…kinda not there" Siren spun around to face at the empty air behind her.
"That's what was missing!" She frowned when August sighed. "We have to go find her now"
"No, really?" August said.
"Why is everybody being sarcastic? Why is everybody being mean ta me?" Siren whined. Tears filled huge blue eyes and August smacked his head.
"Come on, Harpy. I didn't mean it." He said, trying to placate her. He said exactly the wrong thing.
"Stop calling me Harpy, Leoren! You're so insensitive!" She shrieked, doing an impressive harpy imitation.
"What did you do?" A voice asked at August's ear. He looked to his right to be faced with a shock of crimson hair. Taboo was leaning on his shoulder and watching Siren with something akin to amusement. August started, but hid it with ease.
"I was 'mean' and 'sarcastic'" August said, still disturbed at how Taboo had come up behind him without him noticing.
"Siren, you can stop now," Taboo said to the still wailing Siren.
"Okay" Siren blinked and pushed her hair out of her eyes, giving August a bright smile. He looked confused and Taboo and Siren cracked up laughing.
"Thanks" Siren smiled again.
"No problem…hey, you weren't being sarcastic where you?"
"No! Course I wasn't" August said, desperate to avoid more tears.
"That's alright then" She smiled again and bounced (literally) away.
She jumped on Roxanne as she passed; causing the older woman to drop the papers she was holding. This resulted in Siren running for her life, pursued by Roxanne, who was howling for blood. A small, timid looking girl edged near the papers, picking up and sorting them neatly. She watched Roxanne and Siren with a kind of wary amusement, but she kept glancing around her like she was half expecting someone to hit her. August recognized her as Tisane, Xerxes' secretary. She padded away, papers clutched tightly to her body. Meanwhile, Roxanne lunged for Siren, succeeding in grabbing her shirt. They fell over in a flurry of lilac and gold, and Siren managed to scamper away. Roxanne picked herself up, trying to look dignified. She brushed the dust off her clothes, and glanced around.
"Where'd my research go?"
"Tisane picked them up and ran off with them" Taboo drawled, gesturing in the direction the girl had disappeared to.
"She's nice like that. Very organized"
"She looked scared to death" August repeated his observations. Roxanne nodded sadly.
"She got kicked around a lot when she was a child"
"Reminds me of me" commented Taboo.
"That's the last thing we need. One Taboo is enough"
"Two might be the death of us" August agreed. Taboo just shrugged and started away.
"Goin' ta find the Harpy" a joker's grin firmly in place, he sidled away, leaving the others watching his retreating back.
"There's something he's not telling us" August said bluntly.
"Leave Tab be, he's got a right to tell us or not" Roxanne shook her head, the beads in her hair clicking. Even though he knew it didn't fool those closest to him, Taboo kept his real thoughts hidden beneath a joker's mask. It rarely crumbled even when he was under a lot of stress. Maybe because he was looking after his brothers and sister when he was barely 10 years old. His belief that he didn't need the help of others was what irritated everyone (apart from Xerxes who would probably be happy to see him dead). He would try to deal with something on his own when he only needed to ask for aid and he would get it.
August merely shrugged helplessly and turned away while Roxanne hurried away to retrieve her papers. As he headed towards the cliff face, where he knew Kali would be, he heard Freyja's voice giving someone her opinion on what she thought of them. The smirk that August always carried widened as he saw an uneasy Xerxes getting a lecture from his only daughter. Xerxes backed away after she had finished and Freyja huffed and turned away in disgust. August's enhanced hearing picked up the words 'coward' and 'doesn't think it's serious'. She stormed towards the camp, still muttering darkly under her breath.
"Well, that was interesting" A voice observed behind him. For the second time that day August was startled to see Taboo standing directly behind him. As if his name had been called, Taboo twisted his head to regard the taller man.
"What d'ya suppose was up with her?"
"No idea" He replied. Neither of them had been told about Cole or Freyja's relationship with him, nor did Freyja want them to know.
"Ah well" Taboo gave him one of his famous crooked smiles and followed Siren, who was, most likely, pestering Kali. He eventually decided that seeing Kali at that particular point in time was not very wise, and was about to walk back up the cliff when the other mercenary intercepted him.
"I managed to escape" she explained while casting nervous glances over her shoulder for signs of the pair. August chuckled and she glared at him, amber eyes flashing. He held his hands up, laughing nervously. They walked up the cliff, and while August sat on the edge and rested his Peacemaker on his lap, Kali twiddled her pendant nervously. August looked at it curiously.
"What is that?" he asked her, and she started slightly.
"This?" She pulled it out and August looked at it properly. It was a steel rectangle, closely resembling an army dog tag. It had 'Ravenholme, Kale' written on it and August looked at Kali.
"Who's Kale?"
"My twin brother" She smiled affectionately, oblivious to August's surprised face.
"I didn't know you had a brother" Kali's smile vanished.
"I haven't seen him in years. When he didn't come back...everyone told me he was dead" she shook slightly "I refused to believe it but now...I fear he is" She finished sadly, running her finger over the name engraved in the metal. August watched her quietly, and then she flicked black hair out of her eyes and gave August a brave smile.
"I'll carry on though, for his sake" She straightened up and smiled again, showing fang-like teeth as she did. "Family is precious"
"Tell me about it" August murmured "For I have none"