The Heir

Chapter 13: Of Warm Beds and Weird Dreams

Knocks were heard from Riben's front door. He went over and opened it, to reveal two royal guards.

"We need to search your house for any possibility that a person of Reng Tu lives here," one of them said. "Come in," Riben replied with no expression. He stood to the side to make way. They then walked into his house.

One guard went to the guest bedroom, the other searched the living room. One by one, the sound of doors opening and closing filled the atmosphere. Riben dropped onto the light ochre couch. He then took his tea and had a few sips, then set it back down.

When the guards reentered the living room, the other one said, "No one's here. We'll leave."

"Okay then," Riben stood up. When they left, he closed the door after them. "You wouldn't find anyone who left a week ago," he muttered to himself.

He dropped onto his couch again. He took out the blanket under the coffee table. He draped it upon himself and laid there. It smelt like Tyler.

"SERIOUSLY!" Terra yelled at him. Tyler had succeeded at pushing her into the lake.

Years ago, they'd taken on a project: to turn the orangefalls into a regular waterfall. It took a lot of work. They first had to clear up some orange trees to stop them from mixing with the water. Once the water became clear, they realised it was anoxic. Tyler mixed in oxygen, and Terra could populate it with aquatic plants and fish. She could create actual living organisms.

Tyler laughed loudly. She only frowned back, then climbed out of the lake. She was dry again in a moment.

"Let's get to the point. The lunar eclipse is in three days," Terra said, still holding her frown. Tyler nodded in understanding. "We gotta oust them, right?" he asked.

Terra hesitated. "Well, yes. But I do want to know about their backstory. What got them there in the first place," she explained.

"But taking the kingdom is simple. Lock them up, they're not the right ruler, you get on that throne," Tyler said.

Terra stopped walking. "Ho-Hold up, when did we decide that I would be the replacement?" she asked, surprised. Tyler rolled his eyes. It was a silly question, according to him.

"Terra, you've got proper Reng Tu powers, to restore order. Also, you're older than me. I might seem smarter, but the land needs a person like you. I, I can't work with people. You weren't meant to be like the rest, like me. You're a leader."

Every word out of his mouth sounded false to her.

"I don't really... trust that statement," Terra said. "I'll believe you for the hell of it." She patted him on the shoulder.

"Not what I was looking for, but... okay."

Terra chuckled and walked off, leaving him there.

You could say she was a bit early. She was actually needed in the kingdom then. But instead, she showed up four months early. She didn't actually do much in that time. She almost believed she had nothing to do.

But that was wrong. She'd found the prophecy a while back.

She made a stop at the library. That was under Maria's pressure though.

The nearest library was mainly candlelit with a wood structure. She couldn't pick up the books though. Something on a table caught her eye. There was an old piece of paper with some impressive calligraphy. Terra's handwriting was always bad.

Terra went towards the table and viewed the paper. It had something... poetic written.

Long have they been awaited

In this land of darkness

It is now time

To bring righteousness

On the night it is darkest

Will the successor emerge

From the shadows,

Most brave, and honest

Before she knew it, a person arrived behind her. "It's just a copy," they commented.

She turned to see a man. He looked wise, like he was meant to be in the library. He radiated the aura of the books.

"You don't know what this is, do you?" he asked. Terra nodded. "It's the prophecy. The kingdom has a ruler who wasn't meant to be on the throne. The true successor has been rumoured to emerge. Well, it's quite unlikely. The ruler killed all the Reng Tu."

Terra stood for a moment. "Thank you," she said. Then turned to leave.

The man was in fact the head librarian. He smiled, knowing who she was.

She was at her cabin then. At least now she remembered how she got there. Through the mass expanse of bushes and trees while following the second stream. It seemed quite easy. She walked in and sat down on her bed. Then she decided to fall onto the mattress she had made a while ago. And with that she decided that that was where she would stay. Forever and ever.

There was no prophecy, no false ruler, no Reng Tu superiority. Only the warm bed. At least for a while.

"I love you. I have for so long, I just had to say it," said the lovestruck boy with dark hair. Riben was confused, but happy about it. It was safe to say that Riben believed he had a weird infatuation with Tyler for a while. Well, since he had shown up at his house actually.

They were on the patio of his house, leaning against the railing. "I... love you too?" Riben muttered in doubt. And with that Tyler leaned forward. They were about to kiss, and it would be amazing. Time-stopping.

Just as they did, Riben noticed Ivan in the backyard. Chasing a cat.

Wait, when did he get here?

Riben was about to ignore it, when he realised something else.

Isn't Tyler supposed to be in hiding? In the forest?

Something clearly was wrong.

"What!" Riben yelled to no one in particular, waking up from his nap. He noticed the light ochre of his couch and the wood floor. Then he noticed the blanket. He was at home. Weird dream, that was.

There was a knock at the door again. He sat up, his mind muddled from sleep. "Come in, the door's not locked."

"It is, actually," spoke a voice from outside.

"Oh," he muttered. He got up to get to the door. He unlocked it and opened it. It was just the person he least expected. And the person he least wanted to see.

"Come in," he said, confused once more. The person followed him through to his living room. Where they sat on an armchair, and Riben on the couch. He clambered to straighten up the place.

"Where's your friend?" they asked. Riben knew he was in danger.

"He's in hiding, I see. Well, I might just hide you for some time till he and his little friends turn up," said the ruler of the kingdom. "He'd come to annoy me a few days ago, so I'll "annoy" him just the same."

A profanity took form in Riben's mind. He was done for.

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A.N.

So, this might not make sense, I know. It doesn't make sense to me either. I took a 3 month long hiatus and that was confusing. Hope you bear with me.

Do I ship Tyler and Riben? Yes.