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Chapter 4 - Meetings

The boy, whose name he'd discovered was Curtis, swivelled his head around in an almost comical fashion. No one was allowed in Aris property, and yet here he was, walking through one of the most famous clubs in the city.

It wasn't the headquarters by any means, but Kai could see why the boy found it impressive. Electricity was closely rationed amongst the people, but only because the Aris hogged it all.

The Rooks, Militia and Marshals crowded together on the dance floor. Those who were on duty served the bar or roamed around with trays of water. Only the lowest of the low worked the pit. Usually they were people who had sold themselves into prostitution in return for a free recommendation.

When you were that desperate, you didn't care what status you would be awarded once you joined. All you cared about was getting in, everything else was secondary.

Kai lead Curtis up some flaking metal stairs and onto the rickety metal balcony that encircled the circular building. It was extremely narrow and they were forced to walk in single file. Kai pushed Curtis in front of him. Didn't want a repeat of what had happened that last time he'd turned his back on the boy.

Curtis walked slowly as he tried to take in the flashing lights, loud music and naked girls dancing in the air. Kai rolled his eyes and gave the boy a sharp shove to remind him that this wasn't the time to be getting caught up. He did have one of the highest ranking Aris members in the city right behind him.

The boy stumbled but caught himself on the railing before he went flying into the mass of writhing bodies occupying the pit. It was almost a shame that he hadn't fallen. It would have made Kai's job a hell of a lot easier.

A nearby Corporal sniggered at the skinny, naive boy. One look from Kai and he fell immediately silent, bowing his head in respect. Kai scared people. He knew this and he didn't care. With what he could do, they should be scared.

Kai pushed Curtis into the VIP section at the back of the club. Corporals and Cardinals only. He didn't give Curtis a chance to admire the glossy tables and high backed booths, pushing him straight into one of the private business rooms. He made sure to choose the door carefully; he didn't want to accidentally lead the poor boy into a sex den.

When the door slammed behind them, Curtis's body jerked. The loud music was only a muffled beat in the small room and Kai was relieved that the pressure was off his ears. He did hate Nefasu's clubs.

Kai stayed standing but nodded for Curtis to take a seat. The boy's legs wobbled as he fell into one of the chairs surrounding the long table. For all his bravery in the square, the boy could hardly look him in the eye now. Kai was beginning to think that he'd never had ulterior motives and his murder attempt had been purely adrenaline fuelled rage.

Kai sighed as he leaned his back against the heavy closed door. What approach should he take?

"Are you going to kill me?" Curtis asked, his face as white as clouds on a blue sky.

Kai snapped his gaze to the boy. He did almost feel bad for him. "That depends." He said simply, not wanting to give him too much hope. If he did, in fact, have ulterior motives, Kai couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't be forced to kill the boy.

He must have said the words more harshly than he intended because Curtis abruptly closed his mouth and cast his eyes downwards. He didn't ask the obvious follow up question (on what?) like Kai expected.

Kai cleared his throat. "I show you mercy," he said. "If you attacked any other Cardinal your death sentence would be signed from the moment you made the decision to attack."

Curtis seemed to find his voice then, his mouth twisting in anger. "The Aris are fucked man. You Cards have no right to be ruling our city."

Kai had had enough of the boy's impertinence. In less than a second, a throwing star had embedded itself deep into the sleeve of the boy's shirt, effectively pinning him to the chair.

"I dare you to disrespect my people again." He leant across the table as he spoke, hissing the words into the boy's face.

If he hadn't learnt his lesson before, he certainly had now. Kai thought the boy might be close to letting go in his pants.

"S-sir," the boy spluttered, cringing further into his seat with his eyes downcast.

Kai leaned away from the table and sighed. He had no desire nor need for the political games that the Aris loved. If he'd had it his way, he would have left this boy in the street where he'd found him.

"What would you expect to happen when you attack a member of the Aris? Not any member at that, but a Cardinal." Kai didn't think he could hurt the young lad, and the only other way to teach him would be... a lecture.

"I wasn't thinking, sir." Curtis's eyes flicked nervously to the throwing star embedded in the forearm of his left sleeve.

Kai's lips pulled back as he grinned. Finally the boy was learning some respect. "Do you want to die, Curtis?"

Curtis raised his eyes briefly before immediately lowering them. His voice was soft when he said, "I don't know, sir."

Kai's lips turned down at the young boy's answer. It was silent for a long moment.

"Do you have other family, Curtis?"

Curtis gripped the arm of his chair with his free right hand. "An older brother, sir. He works the fields."

Unsurprising. Most men of age became migrant workers to help provide for their families. However, that was only after they'd failed to join the Aris.

"You think he wants to see you dead?" Kai asked.

"He didn't want to see Billy dead," Curtis spat quickly, seemingly before he could stop himself.

Kai was partially to blame for Billy's death. He knew this as well as Curtis did.

"Fair," Kai said quietly. "That doesn't mean you don't matter though."

Curtis chuckled humourlessly and Kai thought he might have seen tears in his eyes. "Matter?" He croaked. "No one matters apart from the Chief, the Cards and maybe a couple of Corps." He sniffed. "These days, life and death is a joke."

The distant beat of music throbbed through the room as they sat in silence.

Kai realised that he'd been severely side tracked during their conversation. He wasn't sure how to turn the topic back around and achieve his original goal.

"Look, Curtis," Kai said, finally deciding to pull up a chair and sit facing the boy across the table. "You're a good lad and I don't want to see you starting trouble for yourself. You're what, sixteen?"

"Seventeen, sir," Curtis replied, sitting a little straighter in his chair and puffing out his chest. He was obviously proud of the years he'd battled out, and he should be.

"Right." Kai leaned back in his chair and levelled his gaze at the boy. "You've got less than a year left, I want you to lay low and do your thing. When you turn eighteen, come and see me. I'll make sure you can meet your brother on the fields."

Communications in Force were pretty non-existent for the working class. Without Kai's help it would be close to impossible for this boy to ever find his brother again.

Gratefulness gushed into Curtis's eyes. "Thank you sir. I will sir."

Kai leant over the table and retrieved his throwing start before standing and walking to the door, indicating that their session was over. He held the door open as the boy scurried over.

"And don't you go talking smack about my people ever again, y'hear?" Kai cuffed Curtis lightly over the head as he walked through the open door.

"Yes sir. I won't sir." The boy dipped into an awkward bow.

Kai lifted his eyes and a waitress immediately hastened over.

"Show this boy to the exit, and don't let anyone touch him."

Kai thought Curtis might have be too busy ogling the girl's brimming cleavage to have even heard what he'd said. He smacked him upside the head once more. "Girls in baby doll lingerie are not meant for you in this lifetime, boy."

The waitress blushed. She was one of the more innocently dressed in the club.

"Now get out of here!"

Curtis grinned sheepishly at him before allowing the waitress to escort him away.

Kai watched him get swallowed up by the rippling sea of depravity. He had good intentions that one. But then, most people did, and that never saved them.

Nereyda woke to the familiar rocking motion of the boat. The sun beat down on her face and she lifted an arm to shield her eyes as she squinted them open.

Endless blue stretched out in front of her, only interrupted by the harsh white rays emitted by the small burning circle in the sky.

She groggily pushed herself into a sitting position, blinking rapidly as she looked around her. Disorientated, she took in the dry wooden deck she sat on. With a pang in her heart, she realised that the bumpy water surrounding her was not the river she'd grown accustomed to, but the acidic poison of the Tainted Sea.

Simon's silent but comfortable presence, which reminded her of home, was gone. It was just her, the sky and the sun, following her around the world. She rubbed at her eyes with her hands, wiping away the sudden wetness there. The change was for the better. She would have to believe that.

Now that she had her bearings better, she noticed that she was lying at the front of the boat's deck alone. A large wooden wheel stood unmanned on her right. She'd woken this way for nearly two weeks now.

Back on the coast of Anell, she'd sold her last crumbs of glass to the captain of a small cargo ship. He'd looked at her like she was crazy when she'd told him where she wanted to go. "Pretty things like you don't fare well on the other side," he'd said. But money was money, and he couldn't refuse what she offered.

She opened her mouth to ask Simon of the time before immediately shutting it. Familiar fresh tears threatened to bubble to the surface. She had never been so devastatingly alone in her life. With not a thing of worth on her, and only the stolen red clothes on her back, her future was looking pretty bleak.

No. She wouldn't let herself think that way. There was a future for her, she was sure of it. She remembered Simon's last words to her as he'd stared into her eyes, against all convention. "You're the rightful ruler of Paladu," he'd said. "I pray to all the gods that you return."

His words sounded awfully similar to what the tiger, Crispin, had said to her. He'd told her that she was the only one who could save her country. Was that to be her destiny?

"You're awake," came a male voice. Nereyda's eyes swung around to land on the brown bearded captain of the ship. He stood hanging over the edge of the boat on her left, a cylindrical object protruding from his mouth. He took it between two fingers and pulled it out. With it came a cloud of thick smoke.

He did that a lot. At first she'd been shocked, because surely eating fire would be painful. However, as the days passed, she concluded that the dalatzef must have a different anatomy to the changelings. Because that's what he was. A dalatzef.

She didn't say anything, staying where she sat and tilting her head forward so some of her hair fell in front of her face. She still wasn't used to the short length and didn't like how it flicked around.

It was silent for a while. As the only two occupants of the ship, they'd spent a lot of time together but hadn't talked an awful lot. The only real conversation they'd had was when she'd asked him how the boat moved. With Simon, he'd always rowed with oars and the way this boat glided seamlessly across the sea had become a huge mystery for her. Apparently it was something to do with a 'motor', but she still didn't understand how it 'turned'.

"If you don't mind my asking," the captain spoke. "You never said why you want to go to Force. Not that it's any of my business," he added.

Force? So that was what they called the Land of the Forsaken these days. She kind of liked it. It made it sound a lot less intimidating.

She didn't answer his implied question. The only reason he wasn't turning her in to the authorities that very second was because her identity remained a secret. She'd lost her headscarf somewhere along her journey, but this human obviously had no clue about the current affairs of the Five Nations because he didn't bat an eyelash at the colour of her hair. She remembered Oscar implying that they wouldn't know her identity in Force.

"How far?" She asked instead of answering him. It was the same question she asked every day.

The dalatzef didn't seem to mind her blatant avoidance, and he nodded with his head towards something in the sea. It was a different response to his usual, and Nereyda hesitantly pushed to her feet to go and stand with him. The smell of smoke was thick as she peered over his shoulder.

Audible air washed into her lungs involuntarily. Far in the distance, barely visible unless you squinted, a thick black line marked the horizon. They'd arrived. 

--- A/N ---

Not so much action this time but I still hope you liked it! I got my exam results for anyone who's interested... 9A*s 3As. Vote if you think I did well XD (jks, vote if you liked it ;)) - Zoe x