Something to Prove (Razia's Shadow AU)

Restraint and Compromise

Adakias watched with great trepidation as the doctors spindly fingers prepared the swirling brew. Swirls of purple mist curling around his face which was drawn in concentration and the ever present sickening grin. Adakias thought they would go mad watching the too slow, not so steady progress of the doctor's work. An eternity of manic work and bitten fingernails later and the doctor’s cure was finally complete. He poured the potion into a vial and held it out with a skeletal arm toward Anhura. She hesitated, wide eyes turning to Adakias. Adakias nodded and gave a reassuring smile, eyes moving pointedly from Anhura to the vial. Known only to themself, they didn't trust their voice at this moment to not reveal their anxiety. Anhura plucked the glass vial from the doctor's hand and brought it up to her face. She cringed from the smell, but quickly downed the contents. The doctor slinked away to watch with his back against the door to the shack.

A moment passed. Then Adakias saw as her skin no longer looked gray and dull, the clarity returned to her eyes, and finally the black tendrils under her skin receded. She still looked exhausted but it was clear that life had returned to her. Adakias, overcome with relief, immediately stepped forward and embraced Anhura, who accepted them into her arms and held them tight. Their rejoicing was halted by a swift crack. The front door had been kicked in and the doctor was sent sprawling to the floor with a dull thunk. In his place stood a tall young man. Heaving breath and a permanent scowl, he locked eyes onto the couple before him, looming in the doorway.

"Pallis," was all Adakias could manage as he stood frozen still holding Anhura in their arms.

"Across Holy the Sea, through a foreign kingdom, and all the way back here. Quite the journey you've had," Pallis straightened his shoulders and strode forward slowly, but his voice betrayed his anger and disappointment in the tight and low tone it always held when Adakias had done something he hadn't liked, but this time tenfold,"both of you." He crossed his arms, eyes giving a fleeting look at Anhura before settling on his brother. Adakias took a breath and steeled themself for threatening words and armed themself with potential biting responses.

"Do you know how worried I was when i found you missing, looking like you had been stolen in the night?" Adakias saw genuine concern flash in Pallis' eyes causing them to falter.

"I didn--"

"Of course, I knew where you had gone to, but to receive word that you had entangled yourself with a princess of the light--it's danger enough to have been in the light in the first place, but you had to put yourself on the chopping block at the king's feet! Tell me, do you ever think, Adakias?" Pallis' voice had steadily risen, and by the end he was shouting. Any restraint seemed vanquished now.

The ferocity and sting that came with that final phrase managed in reigniting Adakias' combative flame and they stepped forward in a forceful manner, chest puffed out as if to mimic their brother's tense stance."Of course I do! That's why I left, all you want to do is control every move I make. Everyone does, nothing I do is good enough, so I went somewhere where I can do something right for once!"

"Do something right?" Pallis said, astonished,"Adakias do you see where you are? You've caused a girl to fall deathly ill and have taken her here of all places, just to reverse damage that you've done!."

Adakias blinked and struggled for a response,"W-well, i--that was a mistake...I admit. But she loves me for who I am, more than can be said for you." Adakias' argument had fallen but the last part seemed to have struck a chord.

"You're naive to think that!" Pallis' voice boomed, causing Adakias to recoil slightly,"have you told her yourself where you come from? Has she known the whole time that you're from The Dark? She'd never be able to love people like us, she grew ill with your very presence." Pallis only drew closer to Adakias, showing his full height, a good head over his brother, but Adakias still held on, never breaking eye contact.

"Don't speak for me of how I feel!" A voice spoke up, both Adakias and Pallis jerked their heads to see Anhura with clenched fists and a pinched brow. Her eyes bore into Pallis."I admit, I hadn't known, but this changes nothing about my love for Adakias and I will not leave them now or ever."

Pallis, with great effort, loosened his wound up muscles minisculely and approached Anhura, who was still sat on the bench."Princess, I will return my brother to his home, and you must return to yours as well. It will only cause trouble if you are discovered to be here."

Anhura crossed her arms defiantly,"then we'll go somewhere else! We won't cause trouble if you would just let us go."

Pallis' nonexistent patience waned and he raised his voice,"there are many reasons I cannot allow that, you will return to your land alone and that's final!"

Adakias' eyes widened with a realized opportunity, they interjected desperately,"but Pallis! She's still weak, she can't travel by herself."

"That's not my problem."

"Please, Pallis," Adakias laid a hand on their brother's arm,"you said yourself that she needs to return, if she's...unable to, that'll cause even more conflict. Just let her come with us so she can heal, and then we can send her back with an escort." Adakias looked up at Pallis with big pleading eyes like a child.

Pallis wrestled with his will, until he finally gave in, but not without affixing Adakias with a stern look,"she can come with us, just to provide her with proper supplies for the journey back and an escort. That is all."

Adakias hid their excitement and relief with a dutiful bow of their head.

"Now hold on jus' a second, you're not goin' nowhere withou' my payment," came a slimey voice, causing the party of three to turn to the darkness where the doctor emerged with a sickening, far-too-wide grin, hand outstretched patiently. "I was promised a cer'ain little princess."