Njuko walks into the city too tired sneer at the useless wooden walls, his mind is aching so much the winding clobbered street don't bother him. He bypasses the housing trying to get the wooden market stall. Food he is hungry but for food to comfort him. On his way there a hand waved at him, Njuko turns his weary eyes.
Njuko sees Bilat. Immediately he is filled with joy, relief a tinge of anguish but mostly joy. it feels to him like the forest was a horid test to get to her, and now there she is. Then a loud booming comes from a tree sitting next her.
Its Mduju looking as smug as ever. "Come on man, we have been waiting for you. What the hell took you so long..." That rune is buzzing around his again he laughs nodding to it... "yeah that's him, I will ask later okay..." Mduju stands when he reaches stretching out his hand shaking it. Then they wait for Bilat to stand, Njuko is slightly taller than her so he has lower his head before he gets permission to sit.
Njuko looks at her, her skin has returned to normal 'perfect.' Then he says "I was thrown over there by some guy in armor." Njuko points at the mountain in the distance. Only it peak is visible from the city.
Mduju ask with anticipation in his voice, "Did you find anything useful?" Njuko shakes his tired head.
Bilat's demeanor is also expectant, she had high hopes for him. She signals for them to follow her. She often uses military hand code when she is thinking to herself. The three of all well versed in military protocol.
Njuko grabs her arm, Mduju raises an eye brow looking at Bilat. She sits back down and Njuko says "What did you get me into Bilat? Why is your brother trying to kill me.Whats really going on with this Seed World its not the you sent me to before?"
"Dinga could not hurt a fly, don't be silly I'm sure.." Njuko cuts her off, he knows when she is lying and says his voice boiling with exhaustion and mix of emotions he has gone through.
"Fine if you don't want to tell me, I didn't come here for you..."Njyko just plain lied both Mduju and Bilat could tell easily they all know each other very well.
"...So I will tell you this, I know you have a plan and if you cant trust me now. I don't think you ever will Bilat and as much as it hurts me I can't follow someone who can't trust me." As Njuko says it his mouth goes dry, at the same time that feeling of dread returning in heart but he needs to know. Its been a couple of years of all three of them dancing around each other's feeling the fires of bonfire of relationship consuming them to maintain the light of friendship.
"Thats makes it harder, I'm not suppose to talk about the plan it's too important and can affect the whole Fractured Lands..." Again Njuko interrupts her and says with a raised heat in his voice.
"Don't give me that greater good shit! Bilat I know who you are, you know how I feel. I want you to tell me the truth, the straight truth for once. Don't mess with me we can die here for real." Mduju is looking at the pair they have these kinds of arguments before the wierdness has long since faded. They sometimes fight and its emotional most times, and they do it together all the time.
"You can't ask me that now, I won't do it! "Bilat is resolute her voice has a Majesty to it. Mduju recognizes it is a defence for when she is flustered.
"When then Bilat, I am a man you can't expect me to wait forever for you. Only to chose someone else." A furious Njuko looks at Mduju who's face is pained. He is after all in the exact same saddle and has been riding bitch for the past few months but he would not admit that not to anyone.
"Njuko, a queen cannot, I won't. I have a responsibility." She says her feelings about him are wrapped in layers and friendship and first loves... Deep heart break and Mduju her sweet, Mduju.
Njuko says rather coldly, " You know you can, your mother made it possible. Just tell me! " Njuko has tears around his eyes whether from fatigue or the stress of being in a death world And most likely the fear of having his world shattered if she chooses Mduju.
The sending he is getting does not help, he is resolute. Ọya is constantly working improving the scripts on his bones so as increase their synergy. It's difficult and needs a lot of gentle slow work and unparalleled concertration. It is also a welcomed distraction for Ọya.
"Why now? You have been patient for a while why is it suddenly impossible to continue as things are." She says this slowly and carefully each word a plea for time, a kiss asking for forgiveness. Her heart beats as if it is being squeezed in all side so so deeply.
Njuko looks at Mduju and then back at Bilat, he knows the pain in their eyes he feels it too." I can't speak for us both. Bilat, I love you. I know it by Badu's spear we all know it. If I am going to become a man, who can look at himself in mirror and be okay with who he sees I need this. The truth whatever it maybe tell me. For the boy who has been there for you. Tell me! For the man who hopes to be next to you going forward. Bilat just tell me..." he not sobbing exactly but the tears flow as he speaks the words to her, and his own words speak to him just as hard. He is clay that has been shaped in large part by a rock and if he is to every become a pot it has to be removed one way or another.
She rubs at her eye, her delicate hand touching his face then Mduju. "This Seed Wolrd holds the nine. I mean the nine from the book on how the shifts happened." Bilat stumbles biting her.
"Don't tell me about stories in Childern books, Bilat the facts are me, you and him!" Njuko says he didn't mean it to come out the way it did but you can't burn wood twice.
Bilat continues, "Our children's stories are directly translated from the only known preshift artifact in existence. A time capsule they called it. It shows this specific world seeds being used as a trap to contain the nine. Three are here we have one of them. The others have already been freed by other Lands. Our world is dying we need to find a way to gain control of what can before the real enemies wins the world without anyone defending it. "
Mduju shuffles uncomfortable and says low and slow," even if I believe all that. Njuko is right and if your right it's even more important. The world is ending as you say Bilat, at least let it end without this knot in ourselves. Tell us who it is or release us. He might not want to say it but the vow we made is why he is still here at least that what he tells himself. "
' The vow,' that is actually why Mduju has not pursued anyone else. It his reason but he is too proud to say that so he drops it as he brothers emotion. Njuko nods the vow was a thing kids made but its those simply words have kept them all together.
Bilat flushes colorless, "I.. I...am choosing..." she swallows deeply. Her mind rushing calculating whether to lie to them, how to hold on to them. If she can really keep this going. If she wants to. She had known for a while that the relationship had been going bad. The way they all couldn't move forward and the boys had laid it all on her. This decision that she must make. Why couldn't they fight it or something why her? Her turmoil continues pressures of ruling life, expectations her mother has placed on her, the goal she has in mind.
"...Me! I don't know how the future will play out. I love you both. Each of you, its not easy to know that picking one will destroy the other. No matter what I can't choose, and Mduju will not share and you Njuko will not stay back and I won't.[she stifles what she was going to say keeping even from herself] We all won't do something, so then we are free to do anything with others. Njuko please move on. Mduju you are released from our vow and so am I. I choose me, I also want to happy with the person I become."
The emotion at the stalls, air flows still and emotion stews. Nobody moving or saying anything. The waiter comes up but moves away quickly the tension between all them is pappable. After a few minutes that felt like hours Mduju says placing his hands on the table in front of him. He wanted to break something, anything to not fee what he is feeling, with a small snort. "
"Okay, that's okay. I'm sorry and yes I love you both. You are guys are stubborn sometimes but this might be for the best each of us with own person together but apart in this." Mduju doesn't cry often thou here he is today the words were not powerful or awe inspiring they were the truth. Something they all needed more than anything else.
Bilat sniffs, showing her teeth it couldn't be called a smile. "Help me save our world please."
Njuko wants to be calm, 'all this time she knew? Was she playing with me? Were they both just taking advantage of my kindness? No, just chose me, why won't she choose me.'
He had always believed she would choose him. It was how his life was going to play out by her side as her husband. The death of that small hope hurt more than the leech that had sucked on him, more painful than waiting for death in a pool of his own blood. The truth he thought he would get and what he heard we so different that also hurt. It hurt him beyond grief. A small piece of him shivering up promising 'I will never feel like this again.'
Njuko places his hand on Mduju belt, its a signal Njuko is not well so hurt that he Mduju for support. Bilat's hand was on the table next to his. Mduju pulls his arm away from Bilat and Njuko. He stands and says in a deep unheard pain in his voice, "We can't do that anymore, I'm going ahead send a calling some time don't be a stranger."
He didn't wait for either of them to respond before leaving. His strong back the last thing either of them saw. Bilat sits a few moments hoping that she can think of something to make him feel better. She can't time moves achingly slow. Bilat stands kisses Njuko on the forehead and walks towards the Hunter Test area...