Niravi buried Akhil in the forest, in a clearing which was known by only him and her-Niravi could see the teams of sun rays breaking through the canopy of the forest. The shadows of leaves fell upon the grassy ground- it was spring.
Leaves crunched under their feet as they walked by. A doe sprinted away as soon as it scented them. Niravi smiled a little; the beauty was breathtaking. Green was painted across the scenery as if the whole world surrounding her was immersed in it. Twigs broke under her feet as she stepped. Her black- whirlpools soaked everything in, trying to etch it into her memory.
They were walking and walking. Niravi did not know how long they were walking for and Akhil refused to indulge in her curiosity despite the number of times she asked him. Thus she followed Akhil like a lost chick skipping after its mother.Niravi's sculpted lips quirked as she compared Akhil to a mother-hen. She bit her lips in an attempt to stifle the hysterical giggle forcing its way out of her mouth. She could only imagine his reaction to her statement.
"what are you smiling for?" Akhil's voice cut through her thoughts.
"Nothing," she replied far too quickly, not sounding even a bit innocent.His eyes narrowed at her, she just looked away like a scolded child and did not meet his eyes, fearing extra drills and exercises. She almost slammed into Akhil as he stopped suddenly. His hands moved apart the leaf tendrils hanging from the burly dark trees and what Niravi saw caused her eyes to widen and her lips to part in a surprised but delightful gasp.
Behind the tendrils stood a clearing; tall ashwood trees circled the clearing like an impenetrable wall. The thick leaves formed a canopy that crept slowly towards the centre, only stopping to reveal a thick beam of sunlight falling right on a small lagoon in the centre. The crystal water reflected the light like gemstones, forming the canvas of the sky on the surface of the water.
It was mesmerizing; she took in everything greedily like a girl starved from beauty. She gracefully walked into the hidden world, her robes curling around her boots as she twirled around and laughed joyously.
"How did you find this place?" she questioned.
"Believe it or not, I never came looking for this place. I got lost as a young boy, and I just happened to stumble upon this place. It has always been my safe haven- no one else knows of this place, for all the hours I spent here I came not across even one soul." he explained.
"Then why show me?" she asked curiously, despite knowing she was treading on black waters.
"You are MY apprentice. Besides, I think you have earned it; you have completed your training, but remember that you will never stop learning till you die." He said with a small smile on his face.
Niravi did not know how to reply. Throughout her life, very few people had shown her kindness and love. Her parents nought, for they cared far too much about their money, Nesta and Elain were always two peas in a pod; while she and Feyre had a relationship of love and secrets. She never thought in a thousand years that she would have another person other than Feyre who showed their love unconditionally.
So she did the first thing that came to her mind- she threw her arms around Akhil and hugged him for the first time. Akhil's eyes widened comically as he stiffened. He didn't know what to do, he slowly bought his arms around the younger girl who wormed herself into his cold heart.
"Thank you," she whispered as they parted. He just awkwardly coughed and cupped his neck. Niravi just knowingly grinned at his awkwardness. She prided herself in making him uncomfortable; and as if he heard her thoughts he curtly said, "Extra drills tomorrow."
"I didn't do anything," she exclaimed in amusing outrage.
"you KNOW what you did," he countered back.Niravi huffed and pouted as she crossed her arms.
"Don't pout, you are not a child," he said, even with his back turned towards her.Niravi huffed in indignation as she threw her arms in the air and stomped her foot, seriously wondering if he had eyes on his back too.
"sit with me," he commanded as he turned and sat on a log near the lagoon.
They both sat together in comfortable silence for a long time; just admiring the view. Slowly Akhil told her about his childhood,
how he taught himself to fight, how he grew up and how his life came to this. He told her about his first love, his sacrifice of innocence and peace. Niravi listened with rapt attention, learning about her mentor's past. They laughed as he cracked jokes, telling her about all the silly things he did when he was young; and in turn, Niravi told him about herself, her family, her sisters and her darkest secret, her lineage."Tomorrow we will head off to Nako, your first mission. There will be many young assassins like you, wanting to prove their worth, the less competition you have the better chance for you to get money." He explained. Niravi understood the hidden meaning behind his words; she must eliminate as many as possible. The world that she just got into is filled with darkness and pain, led by secrets and changing loyalties. If she ever wanted to survive, she must learn to find light in that darkness; and she knew she would. Akhil was there standing by her side, ready to pull her away from her darkness if needed. He was her rock, anchoring her to reality as she drifted between light and darkness; ice and fire; living and surviving; truth and lie; love and pain as well as happiness and sadness.
She laid her head on his shoulder as the sun slowly set in all its glory. His hand snaked across her shoulder, holding her close as he said,
"We are all born to die. You should never fear death; for life and death are one. Stand against death's face with courage and greet him like an old friend for it is inevitable. we may die today, tomorrow or in a few years to come. we will never know when we die until it happens. all deaths are sudden despite how gradual it may seem. We will live on as long as the ones we love hold us in their hearts because when someone you love becomes a memory, you will treasure it until your last breath. what will come will come, and when it comes we will have to face it in the end for life is full of pain and sorrow, you cannot stand there and wait for opportunities or happiness to come to you; you have to step out and snatch it. come what may remember to keep your head up high and bow to no one. wear your scars and wounds with pride and most of all never forget to smile; you have got more to offer to this world than just hurt and sadness because you don't need anybody's love to prove that you are worthy- you are already worthy enough."
With that a small thread formed between them, a bond that could not even be broken by death.
Rain poured down in heavy buckets, the lagoon overflowed as the grass hunched. Her fingers, drenched in blood and mud as she dug his grave with her own hands. Stones laid on his grave marking where he lay- the place of his happiness as he drifted away to eternal sleep, his spirit and memories thriving in his newfound daughter. No one but Niravi stood by his grave as she mourned the love that she lost. The rain slowly washing away the blood and sins. When she dragged Akhil to his grave it was not only him who was buried; a part of her died when he died too.
Somewhere far away wolves howled- it was a full moon that night and Niravi, for that moment pretended that they were mourning with her as she buried her youth in a grave.
A/N
Hello again. Chapter 12 is out! I know this chapter is a a bit too sad but I wanted to explain how much Akhil's death affected Niravi.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please comment and vote. See you in the next chapter.
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A Court Of Blood And Rays
Fantasy"With every heartbeat I have left I will defend your every breath. Come what may I will find you Feyre." What if there was another sister? A bastard born daughter born from secrets and pain? How will the presence of the fourth sister Niravi, change...