The Kingdom : A Land for the Exiled and the Rebels

Chapter-5

Kian

Kian stood before the house with his men by his side with torches in their hands waiting for his command. With one movement of his hand, the house in front of him will go down in flames with all its members who are still mourning the loss of a life they held dear. He could already hear their screams in his mind, and he hesitated for a moment, something he never allowed himself to do when he was in front of Davian. But he was a ghost. His soul was too tarnished to have any more effect on him with one scratch.

He flicked his fingers and within minutes the house was set ablaze and its inhabitants' screams started echoing through the surrounding. In the next few moments they would start screaming trying to find an escape but they would find none.

As the flames began growing larger and larger, Kian turned away and marched back. He had one more duty to attend to today. It seemed like this day was a day of testing both of his conscience and his loyalty.

*****

The evening sun was still peeking through the horizon when Kian made his way to the training grounds. He was dressed in a crisp white uniform, ironic knowing where he was coming from, but that was how the Executioners dressed. His sword was strapped to his side, its presence felt more potent today, just like it always did when he returned after doing the General's bidding. He ignored what it meant as he curbed the guilt that sometimes arose when he heard the screams of the innocent people he heartlessly killed.

When he arrived at the training grounds, his eyes surveyed the surroundings looking for the person he came here for. He found him in one sweep of the ground. Finding him was never difficult since he was always surrounded by people, laughing and jabbing with the other trainees. If Kian was not aware of his past, he would have thought the man has never seen pain in his life. Avanth as the world knew him today was twelve when his General decided to spare his life and present him to the world as his ward. Since then he has never seen the boy cry.

It did not take Avanth long to discover Kian too. He waved at him and then started walking towards him. "What are you doing here?" he asked as soon as he reached Kian. "Did Davian want something?"

"Why can't I visit a friend just because?"

"Ha, you never come here unless you want to spy for your boss?" Avanth said teasingly.

"You got me there." Avanth went silent after that. Kian kept quiet too. He knew Avanth was wondering about his intentions. His eyes were full of suspicions, questioning and doubting. But he would never know what Kian thought and felt. Sometimes Kian himself was unable to understand himself.

"If you know what the General intends then why are you still here?" Kian asked not knowing whether he was actually interested or trying to gauge Avanth's intentions like he came here to do.

"Why do you?" Avanth retorted. "Why are you still working for Davian even when you know what type of a person he is and when he makes you do all those horrible things?"

"Because he did not kill my family like he did yours, Avanth. Do you really not feel any hate towards the man who killed everyone you loved and knew?"

"No Kian I don't." Kian could feel the anger emanating from Avanth. He knew one day he was going to break. and Kian was here for it. Because no matter how much sympathy he felt for him, Kian was loyal only to Davian. The man who was his purpose ever since his father sold him to Davian's father when he was a child. Before Davian he has only known hunger and abuse. It was Davian who has given him everything that he had today. What he had now was more than anyone could even dream of having where came from. "And you are not the one to talk of morals Kian. I heard what you did today."

"I never claimed to be a good person."

"Nor did I. I too am a human. I get afraid in face of danger. How do you expect me to fight a man who is a hundred times more powerful than me?" Kian looked into his eyes, really looked. He had been confident when he told Davian that Avanth was not planning anything. But at times like these when he talked to him, he felt like there was something that he couldn't understand about the boy.

They went quiet again, looking where the trainees were gathering to begin their sessions.

"Davian is getting married." He said out of nowhere. "To the girl he brought back to the capital like you." The girl was the only thing that brought about any reaction other than the calm easy going one he gave him. Though he always covered them immediately, Kian was too perceptive to ignore them. "You know I have always thought it suspicious, how this girl came out of nowhere to become the fiancée of the most powerful man in the Kingdom."

Avanth kept his eyes trained towards the front but Kian could see how stiff his body had gone. His knuckles were white because of how tightly he was clenching them, but he did not say anything. Kian waited for a few moments and then started walking back. He has set the trap now he just had to wait.