WHO: Kyo & Badr WHEN: After the Cathedral Incident WHERE: A Bakery SUMMARY: A discussion on tactics and where to begin. CW: N/A
Badr did not take Kyo to his room. To be frank, he had never expected that a bedroom in a foreign country would be wholly private to him; to this end, heâd taken care to make sure his more sensitive belongings remained safely ensconced in magicked containers, especially letters from home, to avoid any information leakage. Everything else, he hoped that anyone watching was getting an eyefulâafter all, that was rude and a breach of faith. But being the leader of Simurgh and visiting a neighboring country, he should, he was told by many of the clergy, be very cautious about surveillance. So he took that advice and stayed out of his bedroom. Instead, he brought Kyo to an unexpected place.
Clambering over a garden wall and sneaking across a low rooftop (with much less grace than hoped, but still managing), Badr led the way to a bakery, the smell of heated sugar wafting and then rushing through the door as Badr pushed it open and came inside.
âI know I told you I would make tea, but actually, I am not sure they will allow me to brew my own hereâŚâ he said, scratching his chin as he sat himself at a table near the back of the restaurant. This place was more public and yet also more private, because it was not a place where one would expect foreign dignitaries to have serious talks. âBut I did bring a few sachets, just in case you prefer mine to theirs, which is fine, but it is soâŚSerenitas. Bitter without cream.â He had become more talkative. His voice was still quiet, but there was more friendliness and confidence in his familiarity than there had been months ago in the library. Bright and chatty instead of unblinking and overly direct. He had, with exposure and experience, quickly taken to socializing, despite his initial standoffishness.
âThey have very good cake here, but also candied fruits dipped in chocolate, which goes very well with a black teaâwith cream, of course.â
Perhaps Gaius really began to rub off on him because Kyo had become more open with others. Not completely, but definitely better than he was, even someone he had an argument with. What was it even about? Why did it even matter, especially after the incident with the Dark Knight. Didnât his grandfather tell him times like these personal offenses count for nothing?
Besides, unless your name is Titus, Kyo felt more gracious to others.
At the offer of tea, Kyo shrugged, âSure, Iâll try some Simurgh tea.â At the mention of the cakes, he smiled a little softly to himself. That gentle smile, bringing him such treats, âSounds delicious. Thank you for putting this together for a small discussion.â
âI am not sure it is a small discussion,â Badr replied quietly, frowning down at the table. He waited for the staff to arrive and take their order, asking for a pot of black tea with the sachets on the side, as well as a range of candied fruits and, for good measure, a couple of honey cakes. When the woman left to request their food, he continued, âAfter what we saw in the cathedral⌠It is, I think, a matter of grave concern for all Chosen, and, too, for all of those in positions of power within their homelands⌠The Dark Knight is the harbinger of the Shadow Catastrophe. The Chosen of Light is said to have defeated him, or her, hundreds of years ago, and yet we clearly saw the Dark Knight in the cathedral. What did the villains want? It did not appear that either of our foes had stolen anythingâŚâ
He shook his head. âI do not know much of Crystalism. I am given to understand that there is no Crystal more important than any other, but that they maintain some sort of balance with one another, and that if that balance is in any way broken or skewed, some catastrophe will come to pass. I do not know what was in that room, but I have always assumed that the Light Crystal must be held somewhere in that space. I have many fearsââ He stopped then, as the woman returned with a ceramic pot of hot water, two sachets of black tea at the side, and two cups. He continued to wait until she had, too, delivered all the sweets he had asked for. âWhat was I saying?â he asked, sneaking his own tea from his pourch and pouring hot water into the two cups.
Kyo sighed, âI know. Iâm just⌠being polite, I suppose. Obviously what happened at the Cathedral and on the school trip, has me very worried.â While he verbalized his emotion, he kept his overall tone distant and proper.
He listened to Badr speak and nodded, his arms crossed. Once again, everything came back to being Chosen. Why couldnât he have an uneventful run as the Chosen of Fire like his grandfather. Why did the Dark Knight have to come back now?
âI just donât get it. They had the Chosen of Light right there and they did not kill him. They let us go. Why did they let us go?â He rubbed his face, pinching his chin, looking up.
Badr frowned. It was true. Though he was a pacifist, and if he had his way, Simurgh would never know war in his lifetime, he knew there had been obvious tactical decisions that the Knight and the Reaper simply hadnât exercised. But he didnât like thinking about Titus dying, especially when Death had, for a moment, seemed to linger so very close.
âIâm grateful they did not,â he said, looking pointedly into his tea and stirring in copious sugar. He left it to Kyo to doctor his cup as he liked, but he preferred his wildflowers to be sweet as flowers. âI should have liked to kill them, if they had. But I do not think it would be possible, andâŚI think it would change me in a terrible way.â He lifted his tea and took a sip.
Kyo didnât even notice the sweet cakes in front of him at first.
âGaius told me that the crystals have to be in balance but also stagnation is just as bad,â Kyo said. âI donât know if that links to anything but. It is something Iâve been thinking about.â He shrugged as he took a bite of one of the pastries.
âI also am confused on why Gaius was kidnapped on the class trip. Heâs not a Chosen,â Kyo added.
âPerhaps he was mistaken for his brother? To an outsiderâs eye, he is an exact reflection, as Titus is to him. Those who donât know their mannerismsââ He smiled, as though sharing an inside joke, or perhaps a secret. ââwould not realize the mistake so quickly. But if they held who they thought was the Chosen of Light, or even his most beloved brotherâŚwhy did they only keep him and then release him? What is the point of their actions? I think over all our tactical lessons these past months, and I cannot fathom it. I am glad that we have been spared, but it frightens me, too.â
Kyo returned Badrâs knowing smile without realizing that he had been doing it. Gaius and Titus were very different from each other and it radiated outward â or oozed outward like a terrible smell if you were Titus. He didnât express this, however. âYes, that makes sense, the mistaken identity.â
It perplexed him. Why would they have such a powerful vessel only to let him go. Twice. What would prompt such a decision?
âMaybe theyâre training us. The best training sometimes is the one that you donât know youâre participating in,â Kyo thought out loud.
âIf it were not for the Dark Knight, I might suspect it as well. After all, they forced us to attend that field trip out of the blueâgiving us no real warning and very little time to prepare. I expect it was to simulate the feel of a true battle. For example, were there to be a skirmish on your border, you might not have the time to formulate a strategy, or polish your armor. If it were a grave incident, you might have to ride outâas we saw with the phasma that night. More likely than not, violence will always come with an element of surprise. So it could very well have been our professors wearing masks and strange costumes and taunting us before. Except for the Dark KnightâŚâ
He sipped more of his tea, settling his nerves, because his hands had begun to shake. âPrince Gaius and I do not agree on the matter of the Shadow Catastrophe,â he said, trying to wrestle back control of his voice. âI expect every country must have a different account, so it is what it is. But whatever the case, I expect we can agree that it was a horrifying event in the history of Elysiumâsomething no one would ever want to see again.â He pauses, tapping the handle of the cup softly. âI was not allowed to leave Simurgh prior to this, as I am sure Zuya conveyed to you. My training was too arduous, my responsibilities to the people began early, and since she was away doing her own training, leadership of our people fell largely on me. I had no playmates, save for her and Cinna, so when she was away, of course⌠Much of my time was given to duties to the Holy Score and my people.
âMy own reprieve was in reading. Whether it was because I had a bit of spare time, or because I stole a bit of time for myself from other duties, books were my window into the world. I do not know if other countries are familiar with our ways, but often couples who cannot bear a child will go on a pilgrimage to find a wanting soul to bring into their familyâfrom beyond Simurgh. These travelers would also bring home all sorts of souvenirs, as wellâfabrics and spices, curious animals that you might call your pets, songs, of course, and books. I can hardly recall when I became infatuated with the deeds of the Chosen of Light, but I always loved those stories, and I suppose it became well known in the village. At some point, travelers would make it a point to bring me a collection of tales, or poetry, or a history of the Chosen of Light. As the past Light Crystalâs Chosen is most famous for defeating the Dark Knight during the Shadow Catastrophe, there were many reimaginings. Perhaps most of them were fanciful, but it was always agreedâin fiction and in historyâthat the Dark Knight was a portent of ruin, that it was the Dark Knight who heralded the Shadow Catastrophe. Our writings, too, made mention of it.â He shrugged. âIt was not a primary focus in our archives, but meaningful enough to be on recordâas the conflict between Dark Knight and Chosen of Light was a matter between outside actors, I will impress upon you that its addition to our histories was, therefore, of undeniable relevance and great import. If only this was happening in the season before,â he said, sighing. âThe stories of Chosen Naseem indicate she was a far worthier champion than IâŚâ
At last, Badr picked up a bit of candied fruit, sighing again. He was not sure he was a good enough Chosen of Song to lead Simurgh in such a terrible crisis. For so many generations before him, there had been peace. Their tiny country had not seen any grave conflict. They had dealt with issues of the land: rock slides, dangerous beasts occasionally trespassing on the village, harsh winters that had nearly starved their villages⌠Truly all considerable troubles, but nothing like war, and furthermore, nothing so vile as the Shadow Catastrophe.
âBut there is one other thing that I noticed. Titusââ No prince, just Titus. ââknew the Dark Knight instantly, and the Dark Knight recognized him just as well. But the Dark Knight said something about âChosens of Light.â Isnât that odd? It is as if whoever they are, they have known the previous seasonsâ Chosen of Light. It is believed, in Simurgh, that upon death, the soul returns again in a new season, but typically this life and its role are vastly different. The soul is not confined to Simurgh, or even to a human vessel. The Dark Knight was defeated in the Shadow Catastrophe thousands of seasons ago. Itâs impossible that this could be the same figure. I cannot fathom it. So why is it that they spoke so?â
And with that, Badr at last ended his dissertation, finally setting in on his honey cake, but with a sort of anxious reluctance.
Kyo did not expect Zuyaâs little brother to be so verbose and so open. He grew up in a place which no one talked about their feelings or experiences, unless it occupied the realm of history. He listened as he sat on his chair, crossing his arms. He didnât dismiss Badr or even feel a strong sense of hostility. He remembered the conversation Gaius had with Badr. He really enjoyed watching that debate because, perhaps, at his very nature he was a contrarian stuck in a culture where there was no room to be that.
âI think a people always has tales to tell themselves. To make themselves feel proud. There is truth to every tale but also exaggerations and white lies too,â Kyo shrugged his shoulders. He pondered not bringing it up at all but since it was relevant to Badrâs tale. âI grew up pretty isolated. Being groomed to be emperor, training to eventually become the Chosen of Fire. I never questioned it. Then my sister got up and left and society did not collapse. It made me wonder.â
At the mention of Chosens of Light, Kyo raised an eyebrow, âIn Guren, we believe in reincarnation. Maybe it is something like that. The Dark Knight and the Chosen of Light are reborn and die to constantly fight. Make sure the elements donât stagnate. Push and pull, like the sun and moon. And maybe there is some karmic law in which they donât always get born at the same time, only when it is necessary to keep the elements moving⌠Or whatever. It is just a theory for Light. For fire, it is more the crystal chooses and goes to the next chosen at the death of the predecessor.â
He sighed, âI still donât get how they would kidnap Gaius thinking he was Titus. Then let him go when they clearly had him. Maybe the timing is not right.â
Badr considered whether it was possible that the Chosen of Light might bear the same soul over and over again. He didnât think he had his predecessorâs soul. He had even met her briefly, when he was very, very small. He could not remember it, but his father had told him it was so, and he had no reason to believe otherwise. But he knew little about Crystalism, and maybe its peoples were the same shape over and over again. If so, the story he told Titus about being a milkmaid and a rogue in their next lives was quite funny.
He ate his cake with greater gusto, feeling not quite as twisted up with worry over whether or not there was an apocalypse at their doorstep, or that his beloved might be murdered anytime soon, listening with interest as Kyo talked about the ways of Guren. He had been very shy about it before, and, well, Badr had an idea about what had changed. It was not so different from his own case after all, but he did not remark on it. He was worried he might again face hostility if he did. Instead he washed down the sweet, sticky taste coating his tongue with his tea, thinking they would soon need another pot, and considered.
âAnd why, if they had initially thought they had the Chosen of Light⌠Both times, they did the princes no lasting harm. Nor any of the rest of us.â He paused, swallowing and making sure his teeth were tidy, before asking, âIf you were, perhaps some agent of evil, why would you spare your mortal enemy? And everyone else who might later bar your path?â
Kyo stuck his fork in his pastry and scooped some of it up as he thought, put himself in the shoes of the Dark Knight. As someone who wanted to hurt Titus. He didnât dare bring up the fact he could not stand the Prince. He definitely picked up on the affection Badr spoke about the guy. Probably because he recognized it.
âI suppose, it could be because my plan requires him to be alive. Maybe I need him as a sacrifice or something like that. I donât know how Gaius fits into this. I should have probably asked him more questions about it.â He shrugged.
Badr nods. He doesnât love the topic, but it seems valuable, and it is a topic better broached without either princeâit is, after all, a sensitive matter for Prince Gaius as his twin, and well, it seems doubly so to talk about how Titus might be used for evil to his face. Inconsiderate, perhaps. Or at least, he can easily imagine Titus brushing it off.
He wonders if Titus resents him for asking him to go. But they could not, in the state they are in now, ever hope to defeat the Dark Knight. He is not even sure they could have apprehended his accomplice. For a moment, he thought they might be close; in another moment, it was clear they were only being toyed with.
âI think so too,â he said after a long moment. âNot necessarily as some sort of archaic sacrifice, but there is some sort of need for himâmaybe for all of usâŚâ He tapped at the crystalized top of the cake and chewed his lower lip. âSomething of value greater to the trouble we might cause laterâŚâ He sighed. There was no way to know, he supposed. âI cannot help but feel that hidden somewhere in Serenitasâs archives, there may be an answer. At least, somewhere among their secrets⌠Who was that man in red? Who was that man with the rod? I suspect the knight you met before was not the selfsame one, so who is that? Do they, too, somehow exist beyond time? If we only knew, perhaps some other matters might be clarified.â
Kyo rubbed his brow again. He thought back to the collection of Gaiusâs books of old knowledge. The idea of going into the archives excited him because it was against the rules and he found he wanted to break more and more rules lately.
âGaius,â Kyo said his name gently. âHe would know where to find what we seek. He translates old texts for fun.â He paused. While he noticed Gaius himself seemed to becoming more rebellious, would he allow them into the archives?
âRegardless, a bureaucratic society like Serenitas probably wrote everything down. Our answers are in the archives,â Kyo agreed. âAlso, based on what Gaius has told me, I think there are very old texts that have been forgotten, mistranslated, or purposely ignored.â
âOr hidden,â Badr added, nodding. âThere is a certain bookshopâŚnot in this area, but in a slightly shadier part of the city. It boasts texts that you would not find in the library, nor in a more reputable establishment. Most is fiction, and many of those tomes are unfortunately defacedâI expect censorship. However, it is the only place I know of wherein you might find something outside the norm.â He paused, considering whether he ought to trust Kyo with this or not, as he had not broached it with Titus, and Prince Gaius might not like such a thought, butâŚ
âMy sister had also thoughtâŚperhaps we should do a moreâŚextensive tour of the cathedral, as well.â He snorted, mouth quirking. âOf course, it would be nothing short of a miracle were we able to enter the vault the Knight issued from at this point, but whatever is in there, that is perhaps our most pertinent clue to what is happening and what might happen next. I do, of course, intend to properly ask Titus if he knows, but I suspectâŚâ That this was not in the rowdy princeâs purview. âI will see if there arenât any tours, you know, for the publicâŚthat might illuminate the history and bearings of the space, though I expect those will be carefully cultivated and sanitized.â He paused and then laughed outright, softening his voice when he saw one of the bakers looking at them curiously. âTrulyâand people say Simurgh is impossible to know. Yet I think these marble walls might best us any day.â He shrugged wryly.
âBut as you are closer to Prince Gaius, perhaps he could give you a more in-depth tour, were you to ask. You neednât tell me, though I would be grateful if, should anything meaningful present itself, you did.â
Kyo couldnât believe how he could have hated Badr so much on their first meeting. This project felt exciting, enough to jolt him out of his decade long ennui.
âIâm not sure what more we can learn from the cathedral and a tour will probably give you a watered down version, filled with Serenitan bias,â he shrugged a little. âBut as long as that is recognized, it couldnât hurt I think.â He smiled slightly.
âIt is one thing to be hidden and keep to yourself, but sometimes if you present too much information, it is to hide something in plain sight,â Kyo mentioned regarding Simurgh and Serenitas. âThen you just have Guren in which no one says anything outright, ever.â
Kyo looked up at the ceiling, âAlright, I will ask Prince Gaius to give me a tour of the archives.â Although he didnât know how long that may last.
âI should like to bring us all together when we know a little more, but for now, I would rather avoid giving Zuya and Prince Gaius paroxysms of the heart. I am certain both will be unhappy when they do learn of what took place in the vaults. Cinna has surely not told Zuya, or my ears would still be ringing. It is only a matter of time, but I would spare a few parties the anxiety while we can.â He shrugged. âBut as I said, if we are on the verge of a catastrophe, it is a matter affecting all world leaders, as well as the Chosen. It is only that I do not believe that gathering us all at a table to speculate and potentially argue will be of any benefit at this time. So let us find what we can, and then we might present it among our fellowsâŚâ
His cake and tea were finished, though the candies were not. âYou say that Guren is a place of silence, why is that?â he asked. âSimurgh is a place of sound, even if we keep our secrets. It seems like it would be lonelyâor rather, I know it to be lonelyâŚto be in a place where there is so much quiet. It is, at times, lonely here.â