Bound- Red Threads of Fate Jaya AU

To love

Note: Sorry I didn't post last week! But at least you get this week's chapter one day early, since I'll be on a plane tomorrow. I'm not sure if I'll be able to post next week, since I'll be on a trip all week for spring break. But we'll see.

Jay had to admit that Nya had been right; his parents did believe anything she told them. Of course, she hadn't told any of the really important lies yet, but she'd made up a story about how she'd come to thinking, after her visit with them on behalf of her brother, that having a carriage of her own would allow her to reach more people all across the kingdom. She's buttered them up just enough, and he knew they already liked her. They let Jay help build it, and when he worked on it alone Nya liked to come and look on, sometimes venturing to help when no one else was around.

It was a month until a letter came back from Cole. He said he would be home in a fortnight, and that made both of them nervous. Nya sent a letter to Kai and Zane, to tell them when to come so that they could all speak together. And then all they could do was wait, and work dawn till dusk on the carriage. It was not extremely well made, since time was of the essence, but it wasn't bad, and Jay was proud of his work. The sides were wood, with wax-paper windows, and the roof was made of slats of bamboo, since they had not had time to curve wooden boards. There was a high, outside seat for the driver, and benches inside. They had originally wanted to paint it red for luck, but both decided that black would be more sensible for stealth.

Jay was painting the sides of the carriage, and Nya was watching, when Cole finally arrived. He wore his army uniform, carried a knapsack, and grinned as he walked towards them. Nya, leaning against the wall of the house, tried to look mysterious and not too eager as she gave him a nod. She watched the two friends exchange greetings with pretended disinterest before Cole turned to her with a questioning gaze.

"You are the thread-mage, aren't you?"

She nodded, and when she met his eyes she suddenly remembered. She had met this boy before after all, but it had been long ago, when she lived with Mei Tao. In fact, she was pretty sure he'd been one of the first people she remembered who had come to Mei Tao, just after Nya had moved in with her. It all came flooding back to her now; he had been just a little boy then, meaning he was close in age to her, unlike the usual clients. He'd come crying, because his mother was ill, and begged them to do anything they could to help. His story had touched Nya, she herself having just lost her own parents. But of course, they'd had to tell him that there was nothing they could do. They could not interfere with fate, they could only tell what it had in store.

"I'm so sorry," She found herself saying. "I'm sorry I couldn't help–couldn't–"

"Save my mother." He finished for her. "It's not your fault. I've realized that it was silly of me to think you could do anything about it."

Jay looked between the two, confused. "You've met?"

"A long time ago." Cole said. "How do you two know each other?"

They both turned red. "Um, well–" Jay looked at Nya with an expression that clearly said, help me!

"You know, the way I meet everyone I know. His mother took him to me to . . . you know."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Cole asked, seeming intrigued. "So, you've got a soulmate, huh?"

"Um, kind of . . ." Jay began.

"Kind of? Come on, who is she?"

"That would be me." Nya said, almost instantly regretting it. She could feel both sets of eyes on her, and looked down. "Yeah . . . it's complicated."

"Sounds like it." Cole said. "So that's why you're so interested in . . . the plan." He said the last few words in a whisper.

"There are other reasons too." Nya said. "But mainly, yes. I guess. But both of you must understand–you can't tell anyone without my permission. I don't know what would happen to me if the wrong people found out. Just don't mention it to anyone, not yet. Not even my brother. Please?"

"Of course." They both nodded seriously.

"Good. Thank you. Really."

"And now," Cole said, "Why doesn't your boyfriend show us what he's built."

"Cole!" Jay shouted, blushing. "It's a good thing my parents aren't around." He added in a quieter tone.

By the time Kai and Zane arrived, the little carriage was nearly finished. It was a simple box, with a rack beneath the roof for their things. The two hadn't brought much, since they had come on foot. Nya didn't like to think of what would happen to the rest of the things in her parents' house. Kai had apparently locked and boarded it before he left, but who knew what would happen while they were gone.

For a week Kai and Zane stayed in Nya's house, and the five of them met every evening for hours, discussing their plans. Then they packed their things into the carriage, and at last they were ready.

Suddenly, none of them were so eager to leave. Jay in particular did not want to leave his parents; he hadn't told them the truth, but only the story that he and Nya had discussed. They'd already told them that the carriage was for Nya to travel around to read threads, but just before they were set to leave, he told the second half of the lie. That he was going along as far as the border with Cole, to join the army alongside him.

It broke Jay's heart to see his parents cry, and beg him not to go. But it was better than him simply leaving with Nya and them never hearing from him again, at least until they all managed to come back. The lie about joining the army had been Cole's idea, and while they all admitted it was a good one, it didn't make anything any less painful.

Then, all of a sudden, it was the day they'd chosen for their departure. The carriage was packed with all they would need, the three tearful parents gathered, and Kai and Zane got into the carriage, while Cole and Jay hugged their parents and hitched up the donkeys Nya had bought at the market. They had wanted horses, but horses were expensive.

Everyone waited for the single most important component to the plan–Nya herself. She was closing up Mei Tao's house as best she could, bolting all the doors and shuttering the windows. Her heart ached to think of her home sitting alone and in disrepair, and as she walked through the halls of the house it hardly looked empty at all, although she had packed several of the most important things.

She paused last in the front room, the room where she had first met Jay. She bowed down before the altar of her predecessors, praying to them for permission to break her vows, begging them for forgiveness.

Then she stood up, blew out the candles, took the picture of Mei Tao off the altar, walked to the door, and stepped outside, locking it behind her. The carriage was in the lane in front of her house, and with a deep breath she stepped inside, and watched as Jay and Cole hugged their parents one last time, then climbed up together onto the drivers' seat. Then Zane pulled the door closed and latched it behind him, and they were off. Nya stared at the small painting of Mei Tao, still in her hand.

"I'm sorry," She said under her breath. "But I'm not going to live and die alone like you did. I'm going to change things. I'm going to love."