Chapter 6 - Sassy Pants Forbidden
Whilst Nathaniel carried my bags to my room, Aadya sat me on the worn-out living room sofa. Staring blankly at the beige wall in front of me, in my peripheral gaze I saw Aadya working on sandwiches. Had my mind not been overstimulated, fried with dreadful information, I'd have explored the old home, but for many moments I found myself incapable of doing anything other than stare ahead blankly.
When I finally regained some of my wits, I jumped to my feet, once again ready to bolt. "What the hell was that thing?" I demanded. Loud outburst startling Aadya, she nearly dropped the platter of bologna sandwiches.
"The Slon?" She frowned and set the plate on the living room table.
"The Slon?" I repeated slowly. "You know what... I'd rather not know. I don't want to do this."
Naively, I made way for the front door, as if I actually believed that she would let me leave.
"Sit down," she ordered, tone so fierce that I nearly dropped on the spot. I found the dignity to take a seat on the sofa cushion furthest from Aadya.
"Whether you want to do this or not, is not up for discussion," she said plainly. "Now, do you want answers, or would you prefer to attempt another futile escape?"
Arms crossed against my chest, I mumbled begrudgingly, "Answers."
"Good choice." She pushed the food platter closer to my seat. "Have a sandwich, Ava. I'll explain as much as I can."
Aadya decided to start from the beginning, and though her explanations lead to greater questions, I got the gist of it. The Legion of Boogdae was an acronym for the seven eldest clans. The spirit world was real, and they called it the Duha. For centuries the Force of Zid successfully separated the living world and the Duha. But many years ago, some fool messed with forces he shouldn't have and left me up shit creek without a paddle. The fool tried to connect the living world and the Duha; he wanted to control the lost souls that they called duhovi. He failed miserably. The lost souls used him, and he died in his search for power. But the duhovi got their way. The Force of Zid was weakened, and the lost souls were able to seep into the real world. They caused mass destruction, thousands died at their hands, until the seven were chosen.
Who did the choosing? Who had control of the Force of Zid? What even was the Force of Zid? I still couldn't tell you. I had considered asking Aadya, but every bit of extra information further lead me into a frenzy, lead to the desire to curl into a ball and cry. The worst part of thinking her tales insane, was reading her mind, and knowing that she was telling the truth.
When the seven were chosen as the protectors of the living world, they amongst their future children were blessed with the power of Zid. The Force of Zid split into the seven and their assigned stones, allowing for the reinforcement of the barrier between both worlds. The barrier could only be weakened again, if one of the chosen seven betrayed the others. A portal between worlds would always exist, but so long as the rocks remained close to one another and under their rightful protection, the passing of lost souls would remain controllable. Today the amounts of souls that seeped through the portal was supposed to be easily managed by the children of the Legion By children like me; like Aadya and Nathaniel.
"So, because one of my ancestors was chosen to protect a rock, I'm expected to fight these weird ghost creatures?" I concluded.
Eyes shut as she pinched the thin bridge of her nose, Aadya released a long sigh. "I suppose the answer is yes," she said. "But again, to do so, you must be part of a clan. And today the clans' responsibilities have changed. Each clan was given a specific role, we the Burkhards are the protectors. We do most of the fighting; we maintain control between this world and the Duha. I'm hoping a clan with a less threatening role will take you in. The Gladstone's would be your best bet, but Ailbert will be afraid to act against Ubel.
We're allied with the Shahid clan, and I am good friends with their leader, Fera. If Ailbert doesn't pull through, I'll try to convince Fera to take you in. But the Shahid clan is not much of a better place to be. They are the weapon holders, and they aid Nathaniel and I on our more challenging journeys. Ubel holds a grudge against my family and our allies, we needn't give him any more reason to mistrust you."
I puckered my lips distastefully. "So... to summarize: I'm screwed."
"No. To summarize," she copied my tone. "It will be difficult, but I will find you a clan. Someone will take pity."
Miserably I munched on my sandwich. My life depended on someone taking pity on me. Perhaps my eight-grade drama class would come in handy. I'd force a few tears and land myself a clan so that I could be killed in the far future rather than near future. Though I couldn't imagine the tears would have to be forced when I faced the people who wished to sentence me to death for being born.
"I have very little faith in the rest of the clans, but I will contact them, nevertheless. Ailbert and Fera have agreed to stop by tomorrow. They want to get to know you before they make their decision."
I grimaced at the thought of meeting more of their people. Especially the strangers on whom it seemed my life depended.
"I will help you make a good first impression," she promised. "I'll make you a list of points to study, but for now... Just try to relax."
Straightening out her pointed skirt as she stood, she shot me a small smile. The smile might have fooled me, might have even reassured me, had her mind not shouted a loss of hope.
"We don't get many channels out here, but it sure beats the silence." She handed me the remote. "I'll come back when your room is ready."
Watching her retrieving figure, I sunk into the sofa, hugging a faded pillow to my chest. I didn't find any interesting channels but even the news served as a purposeful distraction of my upcoming faith.
Mid way through the third robbery story of the night, wordlessly Nathaniel took the sofa chair in the corner of the room. Reading glasses on the tip of his nose, two large books were sprawled on his lap. The glasses made him look more human; proof that he had at least a natural flaw. I watched as he flipped through the yellow pages and scribbled on his notepad.
"Homework?" I asked.
He didn't exactly ooze friendliness. He wasn't the approachable type, didn't seem welcoming of small talk, but still getting the cold end of his shoulder was more entertaining than what was playing on the television.
"I dropped out," he said curtly, not bothering to look up from his book.
"Oh," I said with a note of surprise. "Because of your responsibilities with the clan?"
"Partly."
"What's the other part?"
"Research," he answered, jaw tightening with slight irritation.
Most would have taken his evasiveness as a sign to quit, but I sat up straighter, angling my body in his direction. "What kind of research?"
"The Duha. It doesn't regard you."
"Aadya's earlier speech about my need to join a clan to survive says otherwise."
"It doesn't yet regard anyone in the Legion."
"Could you be anymore vague?"
Finally tearing his gaze away from his notes, he watched me impatiently. "My time could be better used than wasting it explaining everything to you."
"Such as studying some kind of problem with the Duha?" I suggested.
Nathaniel hummed in agreement, making a point of fixedly returning his gaze to his lap. He was more unpleasant by the minute.
His mind held no valuable information to pick up, thoughts strangely guarded, but still I saw through his act. He was trying to be the bad guy. Trying to put on a threatening stance to keep people away. A lot could be inferred by the way he chose to shield himself. He could have chosen to do his research in the kitchen. He chose the living room because he had as many questions as me. The only difference was that he had a filter not to ask them. He knew that I'd have no trouble breaking the silence.
"You're not very welcoming," I said matter of factly, peering at him over the edge of the sofa.
"You're supposed to be a prisoner."
"But you and Aadya have voiced your belief that my arrest is absurd," I reminded. "You're not fooling me, Nathaniel. You tried to warn me in the woods. You didn't want this to happen. I know you guys are the good guys, it just doesn't make my situation any less unfortunate."
He kept his eyes strained on his notes, but I noticed them cloud over in thought.
"When one feels guilty for keeping another as their prisoner, the decent thing to do would be to share whatever crazy nonsense he's studying," I pushed just a little more.
Sighing in defeat, he shut his book and for the first time properly held my gaze. "As long as peace is found in the Legion, the Duha is easily controlled," he started. "The clans aren't yet at war, but an unnatural number of duhovi are seeping through the barriers. Something isn't right. Someone's messing with forces they ought not to and everyone's turning a blind eye. Fear is lingering from the first war, and no one wants to falsely go against the Duard's."
"You think that this has something to do with that Ubel guy?" Aadya had explained that the Duard's were the leading clan; the Legion was commanded by their leader, Ubel.
"I didn't say that," he spoke quickly, harsh tone returned.
"But you're thinking it."
Nathaniel shot me a warning look. "It wouldn't be wise to make an accusation of the such without undeniable proof."
"So, that's what you're doing," I concluded. "Getting proof."
"I am preparing myself in the chance that a war is coming." I didn't miss how he was choosing his words carefully. "If a fight is to come, the Burkhard clan falls first. My aunt and I are the only ones left and there are too many duhovi to fight. Although reluctant the Legion does offer aid when we request it, but the more help we request, the more we're proven incapable of our responsibilities and risk losing our stone."
Brows shooting into my hairline, a brief silence overtook me as I thought over his words. The more I learned about this Legion, the more I came to despise it.
"But if you don't ask for help, you and Aadya might die fighting?" I guessed.
"Most likely."
"That's awfully depressing," I said. "Do you think someone is trying to get rid of you?"
He shrugged nonchalantly, but his eyes spoke a different story. "Again, you're dealing with dangerous accusations, but if the Burkhard clan falls someone else will be appointed our responsibilities. Someone will be appointed the care of the Burkhard stone and with the stone comes greater power. Power to cause trouble between our world and the Duha."
"Who would get the stone?"
"We're affiliated with the Shahid clan, assuming nothing goes wrong, they would be appointed our responsibilities and the stone. They would become one of the seven main clans... But if foul play was involved and it was decided that we betrayed the Legion, the Shahid clan would be punished for being our allies."
I crinkled my nose in disgust. "And if that happened, am I right to assume it would end up in the Duard's possession?"
"Very likely."
"So, Ubel would hold three of the seven stones?" He already had the Odgen stone.
Nathaniel nodded.
I watched him silently. Fear really was blinding if I was already putting the pieces together. I had yet to meet this Ubel fellow, but already I was convinced that he was nothing but bad news.
"Then don't let me stop you," I said. "Get back to your research."
As much as their loyalty to the Legion would likely get me killed, Aadya and Nathaniel were good people and if someone really was after them, I wouldn't let my interruption be the cause of their demise.
I figured Aadya's list of dos and don'ts must have been long for she didn't return for hours. When she did return, I sat up straight, prepared to greet her but the stalked past me, steps fierce and determined.
The doorbell rang seconds after she reached the door. Slim finger pressed to her lip, I understood her gesture to be silent. With a forced smile, she pulled the door open wide enough to be inconspicuous but holding it at a distance that would obscure me from the visitor's view.
The immense dislike and sense of mistrust emitting from Aadya's mind startled me. I had only once before noted a dislike of such intensity from her before...
"Ubel," she greeted, voice tight.
"I expect the retrieval of the girl went well." His voice was as condescending as I had imagined it would be, rough and tinged with menace.
"Of course," Aadya spoke formerly. "You would have been notified if it hadn't."
"Just making sure," he said. "Afterall, it was the Shahid girl who notified me of your nephew's encounter with the girl."
Head shooting up, I positioned myself to better hear the two. Who was this Shahid girl and why had she chosen to ruin my life? Katana girl?
"Nathaniel would have come forward if Arianna hadn't reached you first."
Ubel hummed. He liked the Burkhards as much as they liked him. "I thought it might be nice to introduce myself."
I tensed in my seat, already planning my exit.
"That isn't standard procedure."
"I'm only offering to help," he defended, although his tone screamed otherwise.
"That's kind but we've got a handle on things. Besides she's already fast asleep." I knew enough about the Legion now, to guess that even the simplest lie could get Aadya in trouble. I didn't want to trouble the Burkhards anymore than I needed to. "This has come as quite a shock to her, and with the trial she's soon to face, I think she's deserving of a good night's sleep."
"I hope I can trust you not to empathize with the enemy, Aadya."
"Of course," she spat. "But until proven guilty, I will treat the girl as she is innocent. It's not her fault that she wasn't raised in the Legion."
"The trial will tell—"
"Yes, the trial will tell," she interrupted politely. "We will see you then. Good night."
Before the man could utter a word in response, Aadya shut the door. Taking a moment to compose herself, her arms swung at her side, hands clamped in tight fists. Finally, she turned my way with a forced smile.
"Your room's ready," she announced.
"You lied to Ubel for me."
"I don't recall doing so." She spoke without a hint of emotion in her tone, but her eyes shone mischievously.
My lips curled in appreciation. Maybe they weren't as loyal to the Legion as I initially believed. Perhaps I had chance afterall.
"Your room is on the second floor. Third door to your left." She disappeared into the kitchen. "Goodnight, Ava."
Considering I was technically their prisoner, the room was much nicer than I expected. There wasn't much to it, but there was a decent sized bed with a healthy number of pillows and blankets. Plus, there were no bars on the window. Considering the situation, I couldn't have asked for better. Though a bedtime story may have been more soothing than Aadya's list. Collapsing on the bed, I studied the list.
1. Limit your questions. Preferably only speak when you're spoken to.
2. Speak highly of the Legion. At ALL times.
3. Do not disrespect the stones or any of the clans.
4. Keep your posture straight and hold their gazes.
5. You will swear to serve the Legion and follow its laws.
6. NO witty remarks.
7. NO jokes.
8. NO sass or sarcasm.
I can't imagine why she capitalized the last three rules...
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