* * *
Rhia
* * *
Luci has been sitting at his desk for so long that I'm afraid he's going to start growing into it. He occasionally remembers to get up to take care of his bodily needs, but as time goes on, he's less and less able to stand. He hunches over as he walks, moving with a pained shuffle that makes me wince just watching it. He's wasting away, pouring his life into whatever he's doing with that quill. I looked, once, but the script makes no sense to me. There's a quick sketch of the Emperor, very well done, but the rest of it...
Perhaps I should have learned script after all. I just never wanted to read, before. Never needed to. Arik could read, and that was enough.
Something tells me Luci wouldn't let our brother anywhere near that desk, though. It would explain why 'Sy has been so rarely seen the past few weeks. I just refuse to leave Luci's side. Someone has to make him eat. I wrinkle my nose. Shame I couldn't also get him to bathe.
I twist my fingers through the yarn, finishing another round. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Luci raise his head. It's the first time he's looked away from his writing in three days. His eyes seem clearer than they've been in at least a couple of weeks, before he stopped remembering to eat and sleep. It tugs my heart, seeing him in such disarray. I sigh and turn to see what has finally managed to catch his attention.
Val.
He smiles sheepishly, his blue eyes shining in the light. ... He's cut his hair. Not the long part in the back, although he's gathered the oddly long length of it into a tail higher on his head. His bangs have been trimmed up to a more normal length, just above his eyebrows. I've never seen them before. They're nicely shaped, arched in a friendly manner over his unusually wide eyes. I didn't even know his eyes were blue. They're a very pretty shade, darker than Luci's, more of a dawn blue than hot summer sky.
Val turns his smile on me at that, the expression warming with amusement. I blush, but refuse to look away. "The changes look good, Val."
"Thank you!" He dips into a jaunty bow. I raise my eyebrows -- he's in a good humor.
"You've been scarce," Luci says, rising from the desk. He walks up to Val, limping slightly, and pulls the taller man into a hug. Val returns the embrace gladly, then straightens and frowns down at the shorter man.
"You haven't been eating." Val shakes his head. "You're far too thin, Luci. I would force you to eat, but you seem to have some notion of why I've come, and won't take time to break your fast first, will you?"
Luci shakes his head. "No, I'll find something later, I promise." He grimaces, shaking his head. "I haven't entirely been neglecting myself." He steals a guilty glance at me. "Everything tastes of ash in my mouth. I can taste death on it, and it..." He sighs.
Val raises an eyebrow. "Regardless. You will soon get a summons--"
"Begging your pardons," a small voice says, rising from the bow he appeared in. The boy glances at Val, and I recognize him as the new Ron. His eyes are also hidden behind a curtain of hair. His face turns ever so slightly, and I realize he's now looking behind me, at Luci. "The Most High requests your presence, honored Song," he says, bowing low again.
Luci nods, his lips flattening into a thin line. "I will present myself shortly."
The Ron disappears once more. I look over at my brother, who is gathering his many sheets of paper on the desk into neat stacks. He glances over at one, sighs, and writes a few more lines across it. "This will have to do," he murmurs, sprinkling sand over the page. He sets it down, then looks over the desk once more. Then, with a final deep sigh, he straightens his shoulders and walks towards Val.
"I will need you with me, my friend," he says, his voice low and tight. I clear my throat and cross my arms. Luci glances at me, his eyebrows screwed up in apology. "Rhia, please find 'Sy? I will... no, we will need him once I return."
Chills race down my spine at the tight tone of his voice. "Luci, what are you planning?"
He turns away, his head bowed. Val reaches over and places a hand on his shoulder, turning and shooting me an apologetic look before vanishing with my brother.
Well, damn.
* * *
Val
* * *
I am tempted to break my control and peer into Luci's mind to find out what is going on, but I've worked so hard to learn to rein it in, and over the past month I've learned to enjoy the new ease and openness of my friendships. People are so much more open when they know their minds are closed. Whatever is happening, though, has him radiating enough tension that it's making me nervous, even without using my gift to find out why.
Not that standing before the Throne these days doesn't fill me with enough of my own tension to keep me sweating.
The Emperor looks down at us, his face quiet and stern. The Chozeh quietly clears his throat, then speaks in his usual low, measured voice. "The Emperor extends his welcome, and wishes to begin discussions regarding future collab--"
"You are forbidden from creating another Song," Luci says, his clear voice riding over Anavar's. "I will not permit it, Emperor of Chethar, and neither will I permit any further exploitation of the offices represented by others such as me."
The Emperor leans forward, his fingers digging into the arms of the Throne. His eyes narrow at my brother. Anavar clears his throat again. "Ah, Luciprochoros lir Rood, ple--"
"I am curious, Archo, about how you intend to prevent me from doing any such thing." The low growl in his voice nearly makes my knees quaver. Luci seems unmoved, though, despite the pointed warning inherent in the use of his title. In any other situation, that would have been the polite way to address a foreign dignitary -- but we are not foreign. Yet.
Anavar rolls his eyes at being interrupted, and catches me looking at him. He lifts one shoulder in a tiny shrug. What else can I do?
I smile, then turn my attention back to Luci and the Emperor. My brother hasn't answered; he's simply staring up towards the Throne, shoulders back, standing at ease. Waiting. I almost miss the tiny movement of the Emperor's hand, but even that small warning isn't enough.
The world around me suddenly buckles and pitches, throwing me to the ground. I clamp a hand over my mouth as I roll to my side, struggling not to vomit all over the Emperor's lovely tile. My vision dims for a moment as another wave rolls me to the side. I am surprised to see Luciprochoros still standing. The Emperor is standing as well, his fists clenched at his side. Bright blue arcs surround my brother like a closing set of curtains, caught fast in the midst of their shutting. They suddenly buckle, then tear, the blue collapsing into black and rushing outward like water from a collapsed dam. The wave hits me, tossing me once more into that black, lurching blindness.
Forgive me, dear brother, Luci thinks to me, I had so little time to write it all that I failed to protect you as well. Here--
The sickening motion ceases, and I struggle back to my feet. A moment later, Anavar pulls himself upright as well, frowning at Luci. His eyes, though, are narrowed in a wary, respectful stare.
"You cannot force me," Luci says quietly, almost sadly, "not even here, in the heart of your domain. I am sorry, Father, but I cannot be contained by you again."
The Emperor uncurls his fingers, but the tension in his forearms betrays it as a false calm. "The power that you are, the person you are now... they were always mine to command. I must have them at hand once more, for the good of all." He seats himself once more with careful precision. "I commend your strength. You are far more adept than I had expected you to become." He raises an eyebrow in a gesture all his children share to some degree, a polite demand for an explanation.
Luciprochoros shrugs. "I am what I am."
"I admit I am uneasy with this newfound willingness to cast the world into danger simply to preserve your own existence, Luciprochoros. Surely you have seen with your own eyes what will happen if the Balance is upset?" His voice rises, colored with alarm. "You are the driving force of creation. You hold the destruction of the world at bay, simply by containing it within yourself and knowing it." A tiny frown deepens the corners of his mouth. "That is, when you are willing to allow yourself to be directed as a force of order and creation, rather than letting things fall into disarray and chaos."
"Destruction and chaos are also necessary forces, Father," Luci responds. His hands, folded behind his back, tense slightly. "The true danger began when you decided the Song was only meant for you."
The Emperor closes his eyes, then opens them once more, the blue a deeper, angrier shade than I've ever seen. "So be it." He looks at me, the anger lifting slightly in intensity. "I am sorry, Valtoryeh."
I blink. Sorry? Towards me? I glance about myself out of the corner of my eyes, but there are no hints about the room. I glance back at him, utterly puzzled. Is it my hair?
After a moment, the Emperor's expression drops in naked surprise. Luci turns slightly, looking back at me, then back towards the Throne, his hands folding behind his back. The Emperor glares down at him for several long moments, then suddenly sits back, his shoulders dropping.
"You are capable of this, even."
Luci straightens to attention, openly displaying his fists. "I could say the same, Emperor. You betray your true priorities with your actions."
I'm the only one who catches Anavar's slight stagger. He looks over at me and nods. I reach out, questioning.
I am quite alright, pup. I had not estimated the full measure of Luciprochoros lir Rood, as I had not fully grasped the potential depth of the Emperor's fury. His eyes skip sideways, towards the Emperor. I, for one, am grateful that he has survived this.
Which he? I wonder to myself. I don't dare ask Anavar. He might answer.
"You will not create another Song," Luciprochoros repeats, his voice soft. "I will not allow myself to be diminished by you again." He takes a deep breath. "Nor will I allow the Song to pass to another."
The Emperor tilts his head. "And what of your children, lir Rood?"
Children? But we can't -- wait, was that a threat?
"They will not inherit the Song," Luci says. "I can prevent that, and I will. No other will wear this crown as long as I can prevent it." I can feel his smile, even though I can't see it.
At this point, if Luci says children will be coming, I believe him. After seeing him match his will to the Emperor's and live, I'll believe anything.
"You will not swear fealty to me?" The Emperor's tone is dismissive. Even Anavar looks bored, as if the sentence was a mere formality.
Luciprochoros shakes his head. "No. I can no longer remain here, waiting for you to find ways around my working." The Emperor's eyebrows raise at this, and I think of the month's stack of papers on Luci's desk.
The Emperor looks at him, staring down for several long moments before nodding. "You are dismissed from my presence, Luciprochoros lir Rood. I will summon you once more when it is time to discuss your departure."
Luci nods, and we are moved outside the throne room before I can finish blinking. Luci stares at the great oak doors, then breathes out in a rush and staggers against me. "I need a drink, Val."
"So do I, brother." I put my hand on his shoulder, and we go.
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