The First Tiger (Countryhumans Fanfic)

Chapter 6

Johor-Riau coughed as he looked between Kedah Tua and Langkasuka. " Well, old man." He began, breaking the awkward silence. " Good to know you're still alive." He chuckled as he went to greet the elder nation. He gestured Kedah Tua to follow, putting on a hearty smile. " We thought you were a goner but hey, tigers like you always pull through." Langkasuka smiled at the fellow old kingdom and gave a small chuckle. Kedah Tua was mostly silent as he approached his father. At this point, Johor-Riau immediately backed away a couple steps and ushered the youngsters to give them a little space.

" Ayahanda, I..." Kedah Tua began. " I'm not a good son." Langkasuka looked at him worryingly. " I promised to look after her when you were away but I failed. Because I didn't do anything, Serendah is..." He took a deep breath and sighed. " She's gone. I'm sorry I couldn't fulfill my promise." He managed to say as he held back tears. Langkasuka placed a hand on his shoulder and another on his son's head. He smiled gently as he kissed his son's forehead and pulled him into a hug.

Kedah Tua allowed himself to cry as he buried his face into his father's shoulder. Langkasuka trembled as relief flooded him. He lived. Both of them were alive and who knows how much it hurts him every time he thought of his children. Sukhothai never told him anything about what was happening outside his prison. Ayutthaya, only gave vague and brief news of what was going on, which was a relief. Siam barely said anything at all, he just leaves a plate of meat once a day, at night and just leaves. That guy smelled like alcohol and it made Langkasuka sick. Looking back, he couldn't forget how Sukhothai and his family treated him. Even when he begged to see his children again or to hear news from them, none of them released him.

He already knew what had happened to some of them because of Ayutthaya and Thrombin's less harsh treatment. But the thought of not being able to see them even in their deaths made his anger boil within. Silently, he cursed his enemies and the prison he was kept in. He cursed how much time had gone by in his absence. He cursed himself as well when he couldn't help his dear daughter, Seri Indah.

" ...Ayah...?" Kedah Tua said in a trembling voice. His body was still and ancient nation could hear his son's heart beating fast. Was something wrong? Did something happen to upset his son? " Ayah....sakit...." (It hurts...) Langkasuka froze. " I'm sorry....It's my fault....Please....." The air suddenly smelled like iron, blood was spilt onto the floor. Immediately, Langkasuka let go of Kedah Tua who winced as the gash on his back continued to bleed. Langkasuka caught his son as they both staggered, he took off his sampin and put it over the wound to stop the bleeding.

" What's happening? I smell blood." Johor-Riau said as he came back to the kitchen with Mal and some other states with him. " Kedah! What happened?" He asked Langkasuka as he neared them. Langkasuka looked at the blood on his hands with blank eyes, his claws were present and clearly matched the marks on Kedah Tua's back. " What did you do?" He said as he helped Kedah. " Get the bandages!" He instructed the states.

" ...I didn't mean to. I swear." Langkasuka said in an extremely soft voice. " I never meant...I didn't....." He muttered under his breath. Mal sat next to him with a reassuring pat on his shoulder.

" It's okay, Tok Lang...I understand." Mal send gently to the ancient nation.

" Ayah." Kedah Tua said as he gathered himself. " I'll be fine. It's just a scratch." He tried to comfort his father. But Langkasuka couldn't bear it, he couldn't. Silently, his tears began to flow. He waited centuries to see his son and yet the first thing he did was harm him. All that pain, all those years of agony came crashing down to him all at once. You must never show weakness to your enemy, so for the longest time, he did his best to avoid crying in front of them. The only time he failed was when Siam finally spoke, to tell him that Seri Indah had died.

" Tok?" Kelantan tapped his shoulder but there was no answer. Langkasuka was trembling as the tears streamed down his face. He sat in front of his grandfather, grey eyes looking directly at his orange ones. " Tok, it's okay." He wrapped his arms around him. Langkasuka flinched and tried to move away. He didn't want to hurt this one too, especially not this one. He couldn't even look at the state in the eye, his grey eyes were just like his mother's. " Ummi really loved you." (Mother,) Slowly, the ancient country allowed himself to relax.

" I'm so tired..."