WHO: Gaius & Badr WHEN: Way Back When WHERE: Around Campus SUMMARY: Badr has questions about Crystalism; Gaius is carrying too many books. CW: N/A
Badr stood before a marble figure, head tilted. It was the image of a man in the middle of some sort of sport, the study of his figure unhindered by cloth. Muscle rippling over his ribs and down his back, the tendons of his legs tightened. It was odd to him that a country that could make such art, that seemed at least in some ways to admire human form, was also so strangely conservative about bodies and love. The man towering over him, who seemed to be at least eight feet in height, so certainly exaggerated, reminded him of a certain someone. The broad shoulders and defined chest, thick neck and slim hips. Yes, he thought that the Crown Prince of Serenitas might well be the countryâs male ideal. He wondered if he ever felt even the slightest bit embarrassed that a statue like this might say something to the viewer about that which he might obscure. Badr, who was a respectable young man, did not allow himself to study that which was not hidden on the figure.
But he did wonder at how everything in this city was so...beautiful and sterile all at once. He hummed to himself and flipped through the pages of a small guide to the art of Serenitas, paging until he found the statue and skimming over its history. The guide did not tell him quite as much as his curiosity begged. After all, how could it be that someone could so very lovingly shape a male body this way, but not know anything about desiring it? How very odd the people of Serenitas were. The sketch in the guidebook didnât do the statue justice, and he tsked. Frankly, the quality of the guidebook was not what he would have hoped, and he thought perhaps it was good for little else than identifying the name of the piece and the artist.
Perhaps there was someone he could ask, for a better cultural interpretation. He cast about and saw someone in the fashion of Serenitas walking away from him.
âYou there... You are from this country, are you not? I require guidance.â
Gaius was carrying a pile of books on his arms and heading back towards one of the quieter areas of the grounds when someone called him. He jumped a little in surprise before turning around. âWhat, me?â He blinked a few times before approaching Badr with measured steps. âWhat is it that you require?â
âGuidance,â Badr replied, his mouth pressing to contain a smile. It slid away as he turned. He already knew the voice. Or a variation of it. It wasnât the delivery he expected. The mildness momentarily confused him, so when he turned to Gaius, he was thrown, tilting his head and waiting for his brain to realize it was the other brother.
He felt oddly disappointed, even though he also didnât want to be manhandled, to drop his book or have his clothing mussed. But he smiled vaguely as he collected himself. They were nearly perfectly identical.
âIâm not accustomed to speaking to royalty. We donât have that hierarchy in Simurgh. Youâll have to excuse me if I sound too informal.â
After a light shake of his head, Gaius smiled and looked down at Badr kindly. âThat is of no concern; in fact, I prefer to be addressed without stipulations, honorifics or whatever else that might become a barrier between us. We are all equals,â his voice was soft and calm, lacking any of his twinâs boisterousness.
âHow may I be of assistance--guidance, if you may? I hope no one has been giving you troubleâŚ?â
How could two people who look so very alike be so different? Despite his initial loftiness, Badr found himself at a loss for words at the humility. Some part of him had thought it must have been for show. Heâd had the sense that the men of Serenitas must be larger than life, like the statue towering above themâthat it must just be the culture. He stares at Gaius a moment too long and then shakes his head just a little.
âDo you look like him, or does he look like you?â he asked, smiling and amused by his own joke.
Gaius shifted his stack of books to tuck it underneath with one arm, reaching up with the other to cover his mouth as he laughed. âI was born second, so I believe it is me who looks like Titus.â The staring the pass by unnoticed, neither did the obvious interest in his brother, but Gaius said nothing about it. âEven if we do look the same, I doubt it is hard to tell us apart.â
âSurprisingly,â Badr replied, turning to face Gaius in full. If Titus could control his cheer better, to keep his expression quiet and unassumingâŚit would be impossible to tell who was who. But even Titusâs way of speaking seemed grand and lively to Baldr. He wasnât sure the man could dial it back to mimic his twin.
Though he suspected that perhaps Gaius could manage a strong impression if he put his mind to it.
âHmmâŚâ People often said that he and Zuya couldnât be more different. But of course they didnât look exactly like each other. But in that parallel, he thought he and Gaius did resemble each other a fair amount. âAn older, more boisterous child and a younger, more studious one. Do you also harbor a quiet fondness for loud personalities?â
âNo--well, yes, I am very fond of my brother but that much is obvious.â His laugh was a bit sheepish and a bit awkward, once again hiding behind his hand as he did so. âOur siblings are more alike than they realize, are they not?â
Both were trouble in their own ways. Both were far more physical than either of themâŚ
âBut you said âalsoâ which means--are you fond of Titus?â His smile was kind, but the corners curled in a way that betrayed the smug confidence Gaius felt from being right.
âLittle wonder he fancied her right away,â Badr remarked, and Gaius tipped his head and blinked. Zuya wasnât quite as loud about her accomplishments, but she was always more than eager for a challenge, especially if it really did challenge her. Not a lot did, not in Badrâs experience. âWell, you never see a robin with a crow.â He paused, wondering if that came off as folksy and pursed his mouth, not sure yet if he should be embarrassed or not.
âI meant Zuya, butâŚI suppose Iâm not un-fond of himâŚnow that Iâm a little more familiar with his habits.â He cleared his throat, looking away. âI suspect it would be very unwise to be more than fond of him or you or any of your countrymen however. Am I wrong?â
âMy brother is very pure of heart. I do not think he can carry any ill intentions in his body.â Gaius stroked his chin at the question, casting his gaze away from the other man. âWell, even if you were female, it would certainly be complicated as well, as you know.â He let out a quiet sigh before he squared his posture. âBut you are not wrong, it is not seen in the same way in our culture as in others.â
Badr rubbed his chin. It would be terribly complicated. While for the most part, marrying someone from outside Simurgh was a common enough practice...usually, because Simurgh didnât have princes or lords or anything like that, it was âcommon folkâ marrying âcommon folk.â For royalty to marry into Simurgh...certainly, Badr thinks, there would be some expectation on the part of that royalâs family that Simurgh become more accessible to the country as a whole. He shook his head. Even between a man and a woman, it would be ill-advised...to say the least.
âDoes the younger prince always become a priest? And is that why your priests are celibate? So there are no competing heirs and no attraction to power for anyone not meant to hold such ambitions?â
âThe oldest son always inherits the crown,â Gaius clarified, shaking his head at the second question. âThe celibacy of our men of faith has nothing to do with matters of the crown. Besides, Titus and I--our situationâŚ. Well, itâs unusual to see twins in the royal family.â His gaze shifted down to his stacks of books before adjusting them to carry them with both hands. âItâs true that other members of the royal family have important positions in our government-- some become the High Priest, but that depends entirely on our affinity with magic.â
âSo, does that mean you have a high affinity for magic?â Badr asked, watching Gaius shifting the books in his arms for a moment without seeming to realize that he was causing any difficulty for the prince before holding out a hand in an offer to relieve some of Gaiusâs burden. âHow can they even tell which one of you was born first? What if someone switched you when no one was looking? You seem exactly alike, and babiesâŚâ Well, babies all sort of looked the same to Badr. Heâd had to carry enough around, to welcome them into the village, and really...they were cute enough, but when you had seen one babyâŚ
âYou might actually be the oldest son and not even know it.â
âWe both do, but, well, it is the one matter I handedly beat Titus at.â Gaius offered a smile before shaking his head. âIt is quite alright. I can handle it.â His gaze became glued to the floor when Badr suggested something so outlandish, immediately shaking his head. âTitus is the older one,â he insisted, resolute. âHe is the one with the qualities to become our King, and I am here to support him in every way I possibly can to the fullest extent of my abilities.â
It was an undeniable possibility, but accepting it would be to question everything he knew from the moment he was born.
âBesides that, it is Titus who was chosen by the Light Crystal, not me.â
âWhat does the Crystal have to do with who becomes king?â Badr asked, withdrawing his hand, since Gaius seemed like he could handle the load without assistance. âAnd why is it that followers of Crystalism practice chastity? Surely the crystals donât demand it⌠They donât even speak, do they?â Heâd read a bit about Crystalism before arriving, but it had all seemed very counterintuitive to him, and now seeing the devotees in person, he felt he was even further from understanding the practice of Crystalism. âAnd why should a crystal care how humans spend their time and with who?â
âThe Holy King of Serenitas is the Chosen of Light,â Gaius said simply, adjusting the books again, mostly to fidget with something. He shook his head at the second question. âNot through words, but their presence is known and felt.â It was difficult to talk with a non-believer about these matters without becoming offended, but Gaius had the patience for it. âIt is in the tenants of the Hallowed Scripture left behind by the Crystal Saint, as well as millennial wisdom passed down through generations.â
âAlways? So your father was also Chosen of LightâŚ?â Badr asked, tilting his head. âIf the Chosen of Light isnât the son of a king, does he still...or she⌠Is that person still ascended to kinghood?â He supposed it must make some kind of sense...after all, he was not really a king, but people did consult him and Zuya for any number of village matters. He wouldnât say he was the leader of the village exactly. Spiritual leader, yes...but not a king by any stretch. More of an advisor than a monarch.
âSo who interprets what their presence means for your people? The High Priest? Or is everyone still following the Crystal Saintâs teachings? Is that what you are learning now? How to interpret what the crystals want from mankind? Is it possible for outsiders to read the wisdom passed downâŚ?â
âAnd my grandfather, and my great grandfather-- I am certain you get the idea.â Gaius hoped that would answer all of Badrâs questions without needing to elaborate further; the Chosen of Light was always born in his family.
âThe High Priest is our spiritual guide, but we are to follow the Crystal Saintâs teachings.â With a nod of a head and a light hum, Gaius glanced over to the library building. âEveryone is welcome to embrace their word, so you are more than welcome to peruse a copy from the library--or I can obtain one for you if you give me some time.â
That was...a surprise. How could the Chosen always stem from the same bloodline? Were they actually even âchosen,â or was it simply a matter of someone dictating that the firstborn prince of the present king would be both heir to the throne and the Light Crystalâs chosen one? It baffled Badr, because it seemed as though there was no lack of space for human mischief in the system. And it disappointed him, too, because he had grown up reading stories of the adventures of the Chosen of Light, and if it was possibly all a sham⌠But it would be unkind to speak his thoughts. He tucked them away for later.
âSo you and I are similar, except that there is no king in Simurgh. Thereâs only the Score and the Dragon and their followers...which is nearly everyone.â Nearly. He couldnât quite wrap his head around the idea that anyone would want to leave Simurgh, become loyal to one of these other kingdoms full of strange hierarchies and magical rocks that couldnât even speak their desires⌠Though even in his own family, there was Thoraâs branch. His nose wrinkled at the thought of her. âI suppose in this generation, my family must have done something right. Three Chosen among us, thoughââ He bit the inside of his cheek. Curiosity was fine, but rudeness was unbecoming. Still, it seemed to him that he and Zuya were far more clearly chosen than any of these other little princelings and...Thora. A being that could communicate quite clearly had told them so.
âThe Score wants harmony,â he finally offered, though he was careful even in revealing that much. âYou can make whatever jokes you like about a musical being and harmony, but it is what She strives for, and so that is what Simurgh strives for. Harmony. Balance. Our lives are more communal, because of that. We are not shaped like a triangle so much as a circle.â
âThen I suppose, methods and beliefs aside, we all want the same.â His smile was warm and cordial, eyes crinkling up just a tiny bit. âThere is harmony in order and in order there is peace,â he added after a brief pause before continuing, âMaybe you do not see the importance or reason of our culture yet, but perhaps in a few months you will understand.â
Gaius took a glance at the sky then back over at Badr. âWell, now, if you excuse me, I have to resume my studies before it is too late.â
Badr nodded, but he thought order was a strange way to elicit harmony. Order was too rigidâit was imposed on others. The harmony the Score desired was a peace achieved by people who had found a shared desire and who had come by it naturally. And so sometimes he even found Simurghâs pageantry a little silly. All of Simurghs rites and traditionsâhe had come to wonder how much of that actually existed for Her sake... He supposed, to look at it from one angle, the people found solace in their acts of devotion, their ceremonies drew them together and united them, and so partaking of them served Her will. But he had been wondering lately if all of it was so very necessary.
It was a new thought, and he was still turning it over in his head, tallying the pros and cons and wondering if it was possible that Simurghâs rituals had led to dogmatism. He wondered now if their many customs hadnât become a form of orderâand if Simurgh hadnât become as orthodox as Serenitas by so passionately upholding tradition. Perhaps it would be better to eschew some of those rites; perhaps it might better their societyâ But this, he knew, was not something he should bring up with an outsider.
He bowed, not as deeply as modesty would suggest, but with enough deference that he thought if someone spotted him, they wouldnât be able to say he was being prideful. His mother had warned him against pridefulness before coming to the academy, and he had not fully understood why at the time, though he had come to realize a few things about himself since.
âYou may be excused,â he agreed, turning back to the statue and wondering if Gaius saw the resemblance. Heâd forgotten to ask about it, which irked him, but it seemed too late to ask now. âThank you for your observations. They were most...illuminating.â
âLikewise--we should chat sometime again? Over tea, perhaps,â Gaius offered with a parting bow and smile.
âTeaâŚâ Badr repeated. âI did bring quite a bit from home. Perhaps a cultural exchange? I would like to learn the method of Serenitas. I have often read that the preparation of food and drink are important cultural characteristics of a countryâŚâ He cleared his throat, cutting himself off. âWell. Have a good evening, Prince Gaius.â