Untitled

SIX

CHAPTER SIX

Black-gold; white-gold

*Dhai'va*

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The wruz chirps.

Dhai'va cups her hands gently to keep it. Not that it'll fly away. The wruz are markedly friendly and unafraid, easy to coax into one's hands and bring them away. She leans on the wall into the finger of shade offered by a pillar. The quadrangle's bustling day-activities render her unnoticed. Ven'ur passes by. She's alert, eyes on the hallways, searching; for Dhai'va. The wruz trills; Dhai'va hopes Ven'ur, her guard, presumes it's the wruz by the quad's pond. Ven'ur doesn't give her direction a glance, stepping into the quad open to the morning sky. Dhai'va chuckles, darting back into the covered-corridors of the Palace-Complex. None dare to stop her as she runs, violating the no-run rule in the Royal-Hallways. She slips into the Infirmary, inconspicuous as water seeps into cracks. The older Healer at his desk is silent, but his eyes follow her rush into the private room at one end, his sight glued to her cupped palms.

'Did you get it?' Won'lyr asks.

Dhai'va lifts her hands. Won'lyr grins. She joins him at the bedside. Xru'lar lays in harrowed sleep, a whimper escaping sporadically. Since he can't take healing-avn, the Healers only monitor him as he takes his time to recuperate. His exhaustion makes his pale skin wan. Yet, his basic-aura reveals nothing. The single colour is radiant even in daylight. She's sure his aura played a role in making people let him live despite being Ahst's vessel. It's purple, rare, and powerful.

It's been three days since Ruri found them in the desert. After Ahst knocked her down, through fleeting periods of consciousness, Dhai'va saw Xru'lar shielding them through the night. When Ruri found them, the storm had died, and Xru'lar collapsed, drained. Dhai'va has told Ruri all that transpired in the desert, including Xru'lar's powers and the Light that asked Ahst to leave. Ruri and the Defenders asked if she touched Xru'lar. Even though she insists she hasn't, the adults are suspicious, making it challenging to evade them to join Won'lyr by Xru'lar's side. But there's nowhere else she'd rather be.

Dhai'va releases the wruz on Xru'lar's chest. It hops about on the velvety covers pulled over him, head tilting to take in the new surroundings. Then, it puffs its feathers, settling over the covers, chirping intermittently. Getting the wruz was Won'lyr's proposal. She called it stupid but did it anyway. Because Won'lyr's her best friend.

'Ven'ur nearly caught me,'

'I feel she purposely overlooks your escapades.'

Dhai'va raises a brow.

Won'lyr shrugs, eyes on the drowsy bird. 'She enjoys letting you off, then seeking you. More to see what you do.'

Dhai'va dips her head sideways, eyes narrowed.

Xru'lar moans; the wruz chirps. Dhai'va watches his eyes flutter rapidly, gripped by terror-dreams. His lashes are long, wired with more gold than white, as are his thick, unruly eyebrows. She threads her fingers through her waist-length, black-gold hair. Dhai'va and Xru'lar are contrasts and parallels. Like; unlike. Black-gold; white-gold. Light; Dark. Both Eo'ar's children. Intertwined fates; incongruent destinies. He will kill her, or she will him.

Every five-hundred-years Comet-Eo'ar passes over Ytéan. In the hours of its passing, a child is born, Eo'ar's prophesied, to defeat Ahst if he rises. These children are regarded as celestial beings sent to save Ytéan by the Holy-Entities. For centuries, Ytéan has won over Ahst, but each time he returns obsessed. Ytai know its the Eo'ar's prophesied gifted to them who battles him. It's legally required to announce a child's birth under Eo'ar to the world. There's always one or none, and when they're born, they're visited by Light. The Defenders declare them Ance's Warrior and take them in for specialised training. However, in 7450-Y.C., an Utzrn in Xzia'on foresaw two Eo'ar's children. In 7451-Y.C., two children were born under Eo'ar; one in Xzia'on, one in Xroui'lm. Light visited Xzia'on's child; shadows visited Xroui'lm's. Ahst left his mark upon the child. The Utzrn who predicted their births declared Xroui'lm's child Ahst's vessel, a threat to Ance's Warrior.

Xru'lar poses grave danger to Dhai'va. All her life, she's believed it. It's what is told to her over and over again. Then, she didn't know Xru'lar, just the boy without all the labels and curses weighing him down. Now she sees him, the boy who is terrified of Ahst, hates Ahst, and wants to protect his family. Xru'lar shielded her; it was his easiest chance to eliminate her. Dhai'va sees the real Xru'lar. The mark doesn't define him or taint his soul. Perhaps, instead of fearing him, they should have trained him, as her, to defeat Ahst. But it's Rek's doing with her predictions.

It doesn't matter what Ytéan associates with Xru'lar. Dhai'va is clever enough to make her own decisions and have her own opinions. Xru'lar is like her, only with the misfortune of Ahst visiting him.

Xru'lar sobs, tears running down his cheeks, mumbling, 'O'ht,'

Won'lyr takes Xru'lar's hand in his, squeezing it. Xru'lar's sobs pause. Dhai'va bites the insides of her cheeks. She lifts her hand and halts mid-motion. No, she can't touch him. But she wants to. So, she takes her hand closer.

'What are you doing?' Won'lyr demands, eyes rounded.

Dhai'va places her hand on the covers next to the wruz. Won'lyr flinches, ready to bolt if they burst into flames.

But all is still. All is calm.

Dhai'va feels the swell and shrink of Xru'lar's chest. She's touching and not really touching him. And, foolish as it is, it makes her want to cry. Almost.

Won'lyr is still tense.

Dhai'va grins. 'Sin? Scandal? Sacrilege?'

Won'lyr rolls his eyes. 'This could've gone horribly wrong.'

'It didn't.'

Won'lyr exhales loudly through his nose.

Dhai'va doesn't know how much of that night Xru'lar will remember. She remembers it all. Even when his powers took the Ro'ein's form. No one, no one, has achieved that before. Not even her, blessed by Ance. Xru'lar is unbelievably powerful. The world has suppressed him for so long. Not anymore.

Xru'lar is on her side.

They will fight Ahst. Together.

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