Collapsed World [MxM, Non-Con, Mpreg]

Part 28 [Taj]

For Julius things might have been so black and white, and Taj had no idea where he drew the line. It very well could be the case that Julius would consider Taj against him. It certainly already seemed so. However, despite what Julius thought, it was not Lykaios Taj was trying to protect. Lykaios didn't need Taj's protection and probably would have been offended by the idea. Taj had great respect for Lykaios, his mind and power, but he did not always agree with his methods and he had no doubt that Taj and his mother were not of primary concern.

Lykaios didn't treat them like other Corvines did, that was for sure, and for that Taj was grateful. However it was clear, even to Taj, that Lykaios' primary objective lay elsewhere and they were just means to an end. No, the person Taj wanted to protect was his mother who was a pet in Lykaios' household. After lacing Milo's food and setting it up so that Winter took the fall, Taj went back to his room and took out his journal. It helped him to think and calmed him. He wrote it in cipher on principle, but it was a simple one and was made from the hybrid language many halflings spoke. Mostly he wrote letters to his mother. He wrote about the day to day, nothing secret or likely to get him in trouble with Julius or Lykaios, just about the people he met and the silly things he did. As he wrote he felt himself tearing up and made sure his door was locked and no one could see him.

Lykaios would not approve of this show of emotion, especially not among the enemy. And Julius still was the enemy as far as Taj was concerned, if for no other reason than his mother would think so. As he wrote, Taj thought about his mother and Julius' words.

Taj didn't consider himself either Avaen or Corvine as he himself was neither more one or the other. Perhaps other halflings identified with one side or the other, but Taj had always been firmly in the middle. This might have been due to the fact that his mother also often talked of herself and them in the middle. Like most Avaens, she had been fearful and against the Corvine invasion and had been part of the early resistance. However, she had been captured by a particularly cruel Corvine and brutalized for many years. But worse than that, was the fact that her mate of the time had been the one to capture and turn her over. He had been broken for sure, but it hadn't made Taj's mother's pain any less.

If that wasn't enough, many other Avaens that she had known well had turned traitor out of some hope or belief that doing so would save their own skins. The levels of darkness that even the Avaens were capable of only came out in extreme cases and Taj's mother had been one of the unfortunate recipients. As a result, her loyalty to Lykaios, who had saved her from her own misery and given her Taj, was absolute. Taj was her everything and the main reason she was able to keep going after everything that had happened, and Lykaios removed her mate mark, which had faded to barely there. Taj adored his mother just as much as she adored him and Taj would do whatever Lykaios asked if it meant that his mother remained safe and happy.

If that meant making Julius his enemy, then so be it. Julius was doing too much, caring for too many people to take interest in one Avaen, even if Taj could convince his mother to trust him. Taj wouldn't do too much harm if he could help it, but for Taj, if it came down to Julius vs. his mother, Taj would always choose his mother.

Taj heard about Milo the next morning. He took as much interest as anyone in the details and rumors that were flying, but didn't pry too much. It was enough for him that Milo had gotten extremely ill. Taj's sadness at Milo's illness was genuine as he truly had wished another had been the one to get the plate. But what was done was done. Taj stayed clear of Julius most of the day, partially to think and partially because he was sure Julius would blame this on him or otherwise find a reason to take more of a disliking to him. Taj did odd jobs around the compound, playing with the children and soothing their anxiety over Milo.

Taj didn't particularly believe that Milo had died so quickly as the official report the next day said, but he was sure he would soon enough. Even if Julius found a way to save him, Lykaios' question was answered. Milo had succumb too quickly and too heavily to offer any clue to resistance. But having had a day and a night to think his position over, Taj went in search of Julius. He knocked on the door softly and waited to be allowed entrance. He shifted from foot to foot as he stood before Julius, uncertain where to begin.

"I'm sorry about Milo. He was a good guy and I liked him a lot. I heard you caught who did it? I hope they pay, Milo didn't deserve that." Taj said honestly, even though he knew that Winter wasn't the culprit. Taj paused before continuing in a softer voice.

"I'm also sorry...about angering you the other day." Taj began, running a hand through his hair nervously.

"I don't take back what I said, but I do understand that you were upset about your mate and that the things I said, even though I saw them as helpful, were a bit suspect." Taj took a deep breath and looked down at the small photo in his hand. He stepped forward and turned it so that Julius could see.

"This is my mama. This is who I have to protect. I know that as the leader you have to look after everybody, that you have to look at all angles. I respect that, and I want to help, but she's my mama and she doesn't mean anything to you. Not more than any other Avaen out there. You can't save her, but I can keep her safe, I have to keep her safe. Even if it means making things for you a little harder because I keep some things to myself. If you want to kick me out and call me traitor for that, then go ahead. But I cant give the person who has her reason to suspect that I am working for you and working against him."