Sweet Felony

The Price of Knowledge

Aru felt her soul being physically pulled away from her body.

Several images flashed before her eyes. Each didn't last for more than a second, but somehow she could comprehend what was happening in each.

In the first, she saw her father, Suyodhana. Suyodhana, not the Sleeper. He was standing next to a slightly shorter woman. Her face and figure were blurred, unlike the rest of the image, but from what Aru could gather, she was beautiful, and she was pregnant. In Suyodhana's arms was a little toddler, about two years old. The young girl flashed a blindingly white smile before reaching over for the woman. The woman chuckled and carefully took the girl into her arms, and the scene changed.

She saw a dark alleyway at night. A figure dressed in black quietly speed-walked down it, hidden in the shadows. No footfalls could be heard. Another figure, also dressed in black, emerged from a door near the end of the alleyway. Figure One reached Figure Two and they had what seemed to be a rushed and tense conversation.
The sound of someone stepping on concrete was heard, and the two figures jumped in surprise. Aru looked back towards the entrance to the alleyway, to see another dark figure. He raised his arm to be parallel with the ground.
Figure Two scurried back inside the building, but Figure One didn't move.
"Out of all of them," a man's voice said, from the direction of the third figure. "It was you, Krithika?"
Figure One didn't respond.
Aru spotted a plume of smoke from something in Figure Three's hand. A deafening noise was heard, like a clap of thunder.

The scene changed one last time. Aru saw Kara, about five years old, playing with little three-year-old Aru in the living room of their house. The door opened, and Suyodhana stepped in. He was dressed in black jeans and a black hoodie.
"Dada!" Kara giggled, running toward him and plowing into his arms. He chuckled and ruffled his daughter's hair.
Kara pulled away, and Aru ran up to him. "Where's Mama?" Little Aru asked.
Suyodhana's blue eye darkened, although neither of the children seemed to notice. "Mama will be back soon," he assured them. "It's past your bedtime now, so go to sleep."
He kissed each girl on the forehead and they went up the stairs.

Another flash, and Aru was back standing in the blue-and-white auditorium with the thrones. She stumbled, only to be caught by a hand on her arm to stop her from falling. Surprisingly enough, it was Aiden. Aru quickly regained her footing and slapped his hand away, not wanting to seem like one of those stupid classic 'damsel-in-distress' girls from the movies.

"What was that?" She demanded up to the woman sitting before her.

"Scenes from the past," the woman said. "I know you do not understand them all right now, but soon, they will be made clear."

Aru growled. "That isn't truth, then."

Subala barked a harsh laugh. "The child says it is not the truth! Young lady, the truth is not always clear to anyone."

"And I don't suppose you could tell me what the truth is? Straightforward this time?"

Subala looked her up and down. Aru crossed her arms stubbornly.

"I could," he said. "But then it wouldn't be true knowledge. All knowledge has a price, you know. The price for the knowledge you seek is having to figure it out for yourself, then dealing with the consequences."

"Ugh!" Aru threw her arms up, seething in frustration. "All you did was give me some lousy visions!"

Aiden's dark eyes snapped to hers. "What did you see?" He asked, his tone surprisingly soft.

Aru glared back at him. "None of your business."

Aiden opened his mouth to respond, but the lady in blue spoke first.

"I'm afraid she's right, Ace-Cakes," she said. "This is for her and her alone to bear."

Aiden's cheeks flushed. "Masi, we've talked about using that name in front of others!"

The woman only shrugged. "Sorry."

That is the least sorry I've ever heard anyone been my whole life, Aru thought, but she smirked. Ace-Cakes, huh? She'd have to file that tidbit of embarrassing information away for later, assuming she ever even got out of here.

Subala leaned forward in his chair. "We've given you your knowledge, Wolf. And I'd like to stop calling you that now, so can you tell us your real name?"

Aru briefly debated telling the truth, then quickly shut it down. What would her father say in this situation?

"I can..." she said slowly.

Subala raised his eyebrows.

"But I won't," Aru finished. "Why? You afraid of wolves or something?"

"No," Subala visibly sagged in his throne. "They're just loud."

"Not as bad as foxes," Aiden pointed out.

"Mmm," the blue-clad woman said. "Well, if that's all, Aiden, you can take our dear Wolf back to her bedroom, yes?"

Aiden didn't look like he liked it, but he also probably had no choice. Aru knew that feeling well. 

"Yes, Masi."

The woman smiled and stood up. "In that case, then, Subala, dear, stop being such a grouch. It's lunchtime!"

She walked out of the auditorium. Subala sent Aru one last stink-eye before following.

Aiden escorted her back to her bedroom- oh, I'm sorry, I meant prison cell. Aru was too busy thinking about the three visions that she didn't even attempt to punch Aiden in the face and make a run for it.

Aiden held out his hand. "Here, lemme see those cuts before I go. You know, just to make sure they're healing all right."

Aru extended her arm, and Aiden gently unwrapped the bandages. Aru winced at the sight of her own blood. It was something she was just always squeamish about. She hated treating wounds on her gang-mates.

"Not bad," Aiden said, pulling out a fresh gauze and wrapping her hands up again. "They should be fine in a week or two."

"Un, thanks," Aru mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing."

His eyes scrutinized her face for a few seconds before he closed the first aid kit.

"Okay, well... don't do anything too stupid."

He left, and Aru almost wanted to laugh out loud. Her, do something stupid? Did he even know her?

Oh wait, no, not really, he didn't.