The Dark Crystal : The Dark Order

The Journey

Rian
He threw another pair of socks into his bag.
"Rian, how many socks do you need?" Gurjin asked, staring at the pile.
"I don't know, I don't know, by Thra, I don't know!" Rian said, putting his head in his hands.
"What's bothering you?" Kylin
asked. "It's clearly not the socks."
"Deet's been ignoring me." Rian said quietly. Gurjin grinned.
"Knew it would be about a girl..." Kylin kicked him.
"Do you know why?" Kylin asked. Rian shook his head.
"We were meant to be meeting last night." He told them. "I went out and got some flowers from the forest but..."
"She never showed up." Kylin finished. Rian nodded.
"I just don't see why," He said, his face heating up.
"You could always share a Bennu with her," Gurjin offered. Rian looked up.
"Did a... did a good idea just come out of Gurjin's mouth?" He asked Kylin. They both turned to Gurjin with theatrical faces of shock.
"I think so!" Kylin replied. There was a knock at the door.
"Come in!" Gurjin called. "And save me from harassment," He added, mumbling.
Naia shoved the door open.
"Aughra wants us all in the square in five."
"We're really doing this, aren't we?" Rian said after a moment. "We're really handing Deet over to complete strangers." Kylin grabbed his arm.
"No we're not. We're meeting them, not handing anyone over." He assured him.
"Let's just go." Rian said.

The group of travellers were assembled in the centre of the village. Brea, Naia and... Deet. He glanced at Kylin.
"Just go up to them and talk to her," He said, pushing him towards them.
"Kylin, stop it, Kylin-" Deet, Brea and Naia turned to look at him.
"Yes?" Naia snapped.
"Uh, I was wondering if I could, uh, talk to Deet?" Rian stammered. Naia always made him nervous, with her disapproving glare and sharp tongue.
"Go ahead, but just don't be too long," Brea told him. All eyes turned to her. She giggled, completely out of character. "So you don't miss the set off," Rian nodded.
"Thanks, we won't be long." He promised. Deet followed him away from the others.
"What is it?" She asked, avoiding eye contact.
"What have I done, Deet?" Her wings lifted ever so slightly.
"What? Rian, What are you talking about-"
"You've been avoiding me, you don't even talk to me, and you skipped our first ever meeting?" Their eyes finally met.
"I'm sorry, Rian." She whispered.
"You don't have to be sorry, Deet," He said, touching her arm. She yelped. His brow furrowed as he pulled up her sleeve. They both gasped. Instead of a pale green, the entire upper section of her arm was bruised black and blue, with five tiny, fresh, cuts that were still weeping blue blood.
"Who did this to you?" He said, his eyes fixated on her arm.
"Rian, please-"
"Who did this to you, Deet? I swear to Thra when I find out, I'll kill them-"
"Rian!" He looked at her. She smiled at him. "Calm down. I'm fine, it's just a little bump." She glanced away for barely a second and planted the tiniest kiss on his reddened cheek.
"Come on, it's nearly time to go." Deet said, leading him back over. The moment they returned, Deet dropped his hand like a stone and rushed over to Hup, who was struggling to mount a Bennu.
"Um, Rian?" He spun around. Brea smiled at him pleasantly.
"Oh, hello, Brea." He said, forcing himself not to look over at Deet.
"I was wondering, um, do you want to ride on a Bennu with me?" Her ears pinkened ever so slightly.
"Well, I was actually planning on asking Deet-"
"She's riding with Kylin, actually." Brea cut in, still smiling.
"Oh." Rian tried to hide his disappointment. "Alright then."
"Brea?" Deet called. Brea beckoned her over.
"What is it?" Brea asked. Deet's eyes darted to Rian for a millisecond.
"Do you think... um, could Hup ride with you? There's no room left on me and Kylin's Bennu, and Naia scares the living daylights out of him, so you're the only option left." She said briskly.
"Oh, of course!" Brea said, giggling once again. Deet smiled, relieved, and beckoned Hup over. She cast one last forlorn glance at Rian and returned to her Bennu.

Brea lifted herself onto the Bennu effortlessly. Rian scrambled on, less elegantly, but he made it on all the same. He reached down and pulled the little Podling up and sat him on the end. The Bennu let out a wail that was soon echoed between all of the other creatures.
"Isn't this exciting?" Brea asked, her face pink.
"Exciting? Exciting?" Rian repeated, shocked. "We're practically delivering Deet to her killers! You're happy about that? Excited about that?" Brea's face fell.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" She said, her wings drooping. "I just love the feel of flying on a Bennu, soaring through the air." Rian punched her on the arm playfully.
"You can do that anyway!" He said, nodding to her wings, a smile stretching out on his face.
"Let's go?" Brea replied, grinning too. He felt her hand touch his. He wanted to pull away, to tell her that he wanted Deet, and only Deet. But his hand stayed. And the smile on Brea's face made him guilty. So, so, guilty.