Never Green | ONC 2023

five - threats of umanya

"She is seven."

She retorts, poking her tongue out at him. Aramis rolls his eyes and takes a step towards the room. Looking inside, the easiest way to describe it is a mess. Clothes thrown everywhere, and only two handmaids scrambling around to clean the mess. Krayr walks aimlessly among them, looking lazily for Helcia. With a frown, Aramis looks in the opposite direction, and immediately finds his youngest sister.

Now inside the room, he crouches down in front of her curled up body. Helcia's knees are to her chest, arms hugging them closer, tears staining her powdered cheeks. She also refuses to look at him.

"Psst," he whispers, poking her arm. 

She still doesn't raise her eyes.

"I do not think Vaxalan needs you by his side today," he says softly. "You are simply too beautiful. He will struggle to look at any of his potential mates."

She looks up at him, grey eyes swimming with tears. 

"Really, you must stay here."

Helcia lunges forward, hooking her arms around his neck. That's all he needs for confirmation. He stands slowly, helping Helcia to her feet, and moving to hold her hand, leading her out of the room. From the corner of his eye, he sees Krayr roll her eyes, but follow.

"Come now," Aramis says, nodding to Sévir too. "Mother and Father will be deeply upset if we end up being late. Vaxalan too."

"Do you think Lady Devi will be there after the Autis Festival?" Sévir asks as they walk down the hall of roots. The heels of the girls' shoes make a soft clicking noise. "Vaxalan left her alone in the middle of one of the dances, after saying he pursued her."

"Did Devi tell you this?" Krayr asks, a step behind them. "Because anyone might have crafted that story."

"Well—"

"You have so much to learn, sister," Krayr continues. "You too, Helcia, if you are to survive the court."

Helcia doesn't turn to look back at her oldest sister, only squeezes Aramis's hand tighter. Sévir and Krayr continue talking about Devi—more Krayr talking than anything. The prince finds falling further and further away from the conversation, to the pile of books on the floor at the foot of his bed in his chambers. Books he was supposed to give Rinley days ago. 

Rinley.

Aramis closes his eyes for a moment, breathing as deeply as he dares without drawing suspicion. He hasn't been able to escape Kadotaru. Amate and Malefic have been watching him so closely, and Vēnātrīx has been setting him ask after ask. There is no way he can get back to her. 

That reality pains him more than he wants it to. He's only met Rinley once. Only talked to her once. There are responsibilities he has here, a duty he has to uphold. He is the future Duahlin. He can't be daydreaming about the human realm, or a human girl. And he certainly can't be getting sad over the reality that he won't ever go there again. That's just foolishness. 

But... if only... maybe he can sneak away once more. Find a distraction. Someone he can trust to keep his disappearance quiet. Then he can just explain to her that he can't come again. That she can't keep trying to find Kadotaru. That it's safer for her to stay in Saffettey. That demons aren't worth dancing with.

He trips, accidentally jerking Helcia awkwardly. All of his sisters stare at him weirdly as he mutters an apology, and they keep going.

Umanya. Umanya is what he needs to focus on. Focus.

˚˙༓࿇༓˙˚˙༓࿇༓˙˚˙༓࿇༓˙˚

The receiving room is overflowing with creatures from all of Kadotaru. Aramis, and the rest of his family, are at the top of the stairs that lead to the throne. Cushions surround the throne, and for the sake of Umanya, Malefic doesn't lounge in it. All perch themselves on the cushions. But only Malefic is in front of the throne. The rest of the royal family lounge on the stairs that descend down into the madness. Amate sits on the second highest, closest to Malefic. Vaxalan on the third, then Krayr, Sévir, and the two youngest together on the fifth stair from the top.