@the-queen-of-kingss -- a drabble story and alternatively the longest starter in existence, enjoy
He woke up in his own room. On the floor, tossed in a crumpled heap... But in his room all the same.
Nevris’ head was pounding as he sat up from the floor. A pulsing knock with each beat of his heart to remind him of what happened. He moved to stand up, slowly, swaying briefly before he caught his balance. The room was dimly lit as he let his eyes scan it, blinking slowly. Everything felt strange, though it might have just been because of the creeping anxiety that twisted through his stomach.
The Devil moved to approach the door, almost scared to open it up. He wondered briefly if this was a dream. Waking up here just felt wrong, and honestly, he would have felt more “right” if he’d woken up in a cell like he expected to.
Maybe that was the point. Kiltriks did always like to mess with heads when he had the chance. Nevris was sure that was probably the reason he was allowed to wake up in his own room, too normal for comfort.
There wasn’t much time to hesitate, though. He knew that Nax was somewhere -- or at least he hoped he still was. Nevris tried his hardest to push the possibilities to the back of his mind, the idea that Nax could very well have already been killed after Nevris had been knocked out. But if he was anywhere, he would be in the prison.
With a button press, the mechanical door slid open with a dull buzz and Nevris stepped into the hallway. His bright eyes flicked to the sides, and almost immediately settled on the looming presence of Sekis. The Captain was leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the hall, primary arms crossed and eyes already on Nevris. It was obvious that he was waiting.
Part of Nevris yearned to go after him. To try to strangle the life out of his own ‘superior’. He’d never liked Sekis, from the moment he met him, to the day he’d been placed under the Devil’s command for punishment. But it had never been such pure, seeping hate as it felt now.
Either way, somehow, Nevris resisted the urge to cross the hall. Instead, he pretended almost like he didn’t see Sekis, turning and starting to head down the hallway in the direction that would lead towards the prison of the Devil’s Lair. Unfortunately, but rather predictably, he heard footsteps behind him almost instantly as Sekis followed him.
He felt a hand placed on his back as Sekis fell into place beside him, nudging him forward with the gesture. A few long, awkward seconds passed before there was a deep hiss.
“I was ordered to take you to our Kell once you woke up.” The Captain’s voice was low enough that the others they passed didn’t hear.
Nevris inhaled slowly, before he answered. “And if I refuse?” The vague warning, out of place and he knew it. But he was tired of the games.
The hand on his back tightened, fingers grabbing at his back threateningly. “I would have to insist, Nevris.” Was the reply he got. “We wouldn’t want to make a scene, would we? You know I can make you if I have to.”
A low growl rumbled from Nevris’ throat, but he knew that he was more or less cornered. There was no way he was going to get to the prison to find Nax, if his mate was even there at all, without having to face the wrath of Kiltriks first.
And even though he was allowed to be in his own room, and allowed to walk in the halls now, he knew he wasn’t off the hook. He was dancing on the edge of a blade, and he was sure that would cut him once he was actually in front of his own father.
Sekis’ hand on his back nudged him to turn down another hall, the one that would lead towards the Kell’s throne room and away from his original destination. Nevris obeyed, turning to head in that direction, but making a point to pull away from the touch as he did so.
The walk was a long one, but when he finally stood in front of the enormous doors, Nevris almost felt numb. His terror towards Kiltriks was huge, but overwhelming. The two guards outside of the doors parted, giving Nevris the chance to enter without a word -- Sekis, though, was stopped from going any further.
Nevris could hear the sound of the Captain snarl with irritation behind him, but he pushed on, alone, into the Kell’s throne room.
It was dimly lit, the same as it usually was. The long stretch that led from the door to the throne seemed even longer than usual as Nevris walked it. He knew his father was sitting on the throne from a brief glance, but he refused to look up at him as he approached. Partially out of fear, but maybe, just a shred out of spite, too.
Still, when Nevris came to a stop a good few feet away from the throne, his eyes glued to the Kell’s feet, he lowered himself down on one knee respectfully either way, as if it may spare him from even a shred of the wrath he was sure to endure. He did not speak, instead, waiting to be spoken to.
The room was uncomfortably silent for a long time. He heard the creaking and shifting of Kiltriks before him, the Kell leaning forward in his seat. Nevris’ eyes closed, waiting even still, trying to still keep calm under the hard gaze of his father looking at him.
And then, finally, Kiltriks spoke.
“I’ve heard some very unsavory things about you, Nevris.” The Kell’s voice was level-- even and controlled as he spoke. “Do you care to explain yourself?”
Nevris clenched his jaw shut, sharp teeth grinding painfully against each other. He seriously considered speaking, trying to explain. He even thought that maybe, just maybe, he should lie completely to Kiltriks. But he knew that would only end worse. It was the word of Sekis’ whole squad against his.
“No.” He finally replied, unsure of what there even was to say. He was sure that his Kell knew everything that had happened already. There was no point in retelling the story. “I don’t have anything to say, my Kell.”
A faint sound, sharp clawed fingers tapping against the hard throne, was the only thing he heard. Followed by an order.
He obeyed, moving to raise up from his knee and stand before Kiltriks. But almost as soon as Nevris was up, a hand shot forward. He didn’t even have time to realize and flinch away before he found himself grabbed, pulled forcefully closer to the other eliksni in front of him. His eyes widened, met with the bright gaze of his father’s own eyes. Even sitting down, the Kell lifted Nevris off the ground just barely, his toes barely touching the ground even stretching for it.
Unable to tear his eyes away, Nevris stared at it. For a brief second, he noticed how similar Kiltriks’ face was to his sister’s. If it were any other moment, he probably would have laughed out of irony. She would have killed him for even thinking that if she were still here.
All the doubts that had been growing over time had never felt stronger in that moment. Perhaps Salrin had been right this whole time, he thought very quickly, before Kiltriks spoke again.
“It was less of an offer, Nevris, and more of a demand.” The Kell growled then, low and threatening with his words. “I am expecting an explanation for these claims against you. And I demand to know why there is a King in my prison, who was discovered, alone with you!”
In his prison. Nevris caught it -- the words that implied that Nax was still alive. Until that point, he hadn’t been sure, but now that he heard them... A strange, new spark lit inside of his stomach.
“I was meeting with him.” Nevris admitted flatly, then. There was no point in hiding it since it was already known.
For just the smallest second, though, Kiltriks’ eyes shone with a flash of something... Surprise, almost? As if he hadn’t expected such a straight answer from his son. But the flash was only brief, gone as quickly as it came. The Kell’s teeth were bared threateningly.
“Give me one reason, Nevris, that I shouldn’t kill you right now. Snap your worthless dreg neck for treason.”
“Treason?” Nevris repeated the word, forcing his voice to be as calm as he could make it. Even so, there was a brief shake to it. “Hardly treason, my Kell. He knows nothing of our house. The King is harmless to us. He’s just a dreg.”
The response he got was merely a laugh. A deep, almost sarcastic chuckle from the eliksni that still held him in his grasp.
“Look at you, trying to sound political.” Kiltriks mused. “I suppose I did teach you that. Never to let your enemy see you squirm.”
Kiltriks hand released Nevris suddenly, causing him to fall the few inches to the ground and forcing him to scramble in attempt to keep from falling over by the sudden impact. Part of him felt joy at being freed, but he crushed that quickly. He would know better than anyone that this was not over yet. His Kell would never let him off the hook so easily.
“And I suppose you will tell me that you didn’t learn anything of value from him, either, during your little ‘visits’?”
Nevris swallowed then, trying to search his mind quickly for anything Nax had told him about Kings -- which was admittedly very little. “I know that they have a new Kell.” He answered. “And I know that she is supposedly well-liked. But beyond that, no, my Kell. He didn’t tell me much. He is just a --”
“-- just a dreg. So you said.” Kiltriks interrupted, finishing the sentence for him. There was a slight clicking sound that rose from the Kell’s throat, then, before he added. “But let me remind you -- so are you.”
Somehow, Nevris knew. Maybe it was the tinge of anger that seemed to seep into Kiltriks’ last words as he spoke. But he knew, right then, he was in trouble. Almost instantly, Kiltriks lunged forward, a open hand hitting hard against Nevris’ face. The stinging of claws as they scraped over both of his right eyes.
Every ounce of forced composition was lost in that moment as the devils’ dreg cried out and fell to his knees. His eyes shut, hot tears forming as he covered his face with his his hands. The pain was incredible and Nevris could feel the hot blood welling up against his palm.
“This is not the first time that your loyalty has come into question, Nevris. But I assure you, it will be the last if you want to continue living.” Kiltriks stood over him now, voice rose in his threats. “I will not have my son be an embarrassment any longer. I’m not afraid to make an example of you if I have to. Do I make myself clear?”
Nevris drew a long breath in and out, his voice trembling with pain as he answered. “Yes, my Kell.” He echoed, instinctual and practiced.
“That’s what I like to hear.” Kiltriks moved then, stepping around his son’s smaller body with ease. Then, ignoring the blood that gushed from Nevris’ face completely, he added. “Now, walk with me. To the prison.”
The smaller eliksni looked up at him, blinking through the pain and the blood that clouded his vision. He could still see out of the scratched eyes, but barely -- and he was sure it wouldn’t be long before they swelled shut with the wound.
There was a deep heaviness in his stomach as he forced himself to his feet, following his father with little choice.
As they exited the throne room, they were joined quickly be Sekis once more, who was leaning against a wall as if he’d been waiting. The Captain fell into line beside the pair, and Nevris wondered to himself if he’d been given these orders before the whole ordeal even happened. The dreg swallowed, keeping his eyes to the ground as they weaved through the halls of the Devils Lair.
He could feel the eyes on him from the others. Besides the fact that the rumors may have already spread, it would be hard not to realize something had happened. The blood continued to seep down his face from his wound, slower but still there. And Nevris didn’t care try to cover it up. He was sure Kiltriks wanted everyone to see.
It was all too short of a time before they came to the stairs that winded down to the prison. Kiltriks went first, Nevris second -- sandwiched between his father and Sekis. He almost felt like a prisoner himself as they walked. Though, honestly, it was a wonder he wasn’t locked in one of those cells.
As always, the prison was dark. Kept dim and uncomfortable on purpose. They had very few in the cells, considering that Kiltriks didn’t usually allow prisoners to live for long. So it only took Nevris a few seconds of searching for his (half-blurry) gaze to fall on the form he recognized instantly as Nax.
He stopped moving, then, watching as Kiltriks approached the cell. “Wake up, King.” He taunted, in a voice that made Nevris almost sick to his stomach -- only because it reminded him of his own words when he’d first met Nax, all those months ago.
He should have just let Nax go when he had the chance.
