Nyx Week Day 4- Heaven in a Fruit
Hi Guys! Here is Day 4 for the Nyx week writing challenge!
Prompt: Loyalty, Guard Duty, Magic
Summary: Pelna gave Nyx a very serious mission this fine summer’s day- distribute his payload to the glaives on guard rotation without being caught by the Lucians. Easy, right?
Nyx crept along the brick walls and pillars of the kingsglaive wing of the citadel. He sunk into a crouch behind a pillar as a crownsguard strode past. He couldn't help the grin tugging his mouth. He just had to make it around the corner and past the reception desk into the citadel proper to get to his first target.
Summer sunlight streamed through the multicolored glass, painting the marble floors shades of beautiful colors. Nyx flexed magic down his spine. The shafts of colored light bent around his form as he snuck forward.
His prize clunked against his back in its case. Jungle melon. Delicious. Impossible to grow here. Yet still the Khara clan had managed to grow some in the ghetto of all places. Pelna had offered him one WHOLE melon as payment for the task of sneaking ice cold melon slices to the glaives on guard duty this stifling summer day.
Nyx waited for his opportunity. The receptionist yawned-and he warped as quietly as he could. Nyx struggled to bite back a chuckle- the receptionist did not see a thing! He landed silently, creeping around a pillar. It was a fun game- a training exercise. Run the circumference of the citadel and drop treats to the glaives on guard duty without being caught. He was stealth, he was the coeurl, none could catch- a tap on his shoulder interrupted his internal monologue.
Crowe gave him a flat stare. Nyx grinned sheepishly.
“Delivery! From the Khara clan.” He quickly opened his satchel, presenting her a slice of melon, still dripping from its icy packing.
“...You suck at sneaking around. But I accept.” She snorted, before tearing into her prize and waving him through. Nyx saluted her sharply and spun on heel to duck into the next corridor.
The next several stops were easy. Axis intercepted him- stealthy little bastard. Nyx squeaked around the blade at this throat that he had a delivery. Axis smiled at the melon and released his hold, letting the mission continue. Sonitus raised an eyebrow, but softened when he saw the melon. It had been years for many of the galahdians. Sonitus accepted gratefully, and looked the other way as Nyx snuck closer to the councilroom entrance.
Libertus and Tredd stood at attention, guarding the councilroom doors. Currently in session- the stuffy lords of the realm argued about the taxation of food imports and exports. Horrifically boring, but the glaives had to maintain appearances, even in this heat. Nyx could see by the set of their shoulders that Libertus and Tredd were downright irate and likely to start arguing the second their shift was over.
Magic flexed- hiding Nyx’s form. Stealing over to Libertus’s side he hid in the indentation of stonework and inlay. He tapped his hunting brother’s hip. Libertus barely contained his jump and shout. Tredd looked over at the disturbance sharply.
“Shh. Delivery- complements of Khara Clan.” Nyx whispered, and worked on cutting two melon slices into small pieces. Libertus could not move from his post or attentive stance- the pompous lords would try to take their funding away if they looked like less than perfection. Libertus stiffened and his eyes grew watery at the smell of melon nectar. It had been far too long. Nyx raised a chunk to Libertus’s lips. He gratefully ate off the knife, trying to remain watching straight, minimizing his chewing. He managed to finish his slice unnoticed. Tredd looked suspicious, glancing over, looking like he was about to say something.
In one smooth motion Nyx warp rolled across the entranceway, stepped on Tredd’s foot, intercepted the punch of retaliation, and popped a chunk of melon past Tredd’s snarl and into his mouth. The redhead immediately relaxed into the hold, chewing happily.
“Stand up like a good boy and you can have more.” Nyx breathed.
Tredd looked rebellious for a fraction of a second, but the cold juice had been divine. He straightened up just in time for the lords to glance over and resume their arguing. Nyx fed him bits of the fruit, gaining happy little hums in response.
Nyx repacked his bag getting ready to move. The council would be ending soon, he had to get out of there before then. Two more slices to deliver.
Drautos and Luche normally had their debriefing around this time. He just had to catch them before they went home or a councilperson came to berate them for something stupid..
A vice grip descended and caught Nyx by the scruff, effortlessly lifting him and pinning him to the wall, invisibility be damned. Nyx’s squeak of surprise was buried into brick.
“Getting a little bold for setting up another prank war, are we?” Drautos chuckled, twisting Nyx’s arm further behind his back.
“Not a prank, just a-ahhh!” Drautos twisted his arm sharper.
“I don’t believe you. We just got the stains out of the ceiling. I am going to have to up your training if you still have energy for this silliness.” Drautos hefted Nyx again by the scruff, hauling him into his office, ignoring the squeals of protest. Luche looked up from a stack of papers. The blonde raised an eyebrow.
“It's a delivery from the Khara clan! Not a Prank!”
Drautos shook his head, then shook Nyx like a naughty kid. Luche huffed, and searched through the satchel. Drautos turned when his second froze, waiting expectantly.
The blonde pulled out the two jungle melon slices, looking thunderstruck. Drautos, the unshakeable captain, froze as well.
“A gift. Enjoy.”
If the captain forgot himself and gathered Nyx up into a hug, or that Luche got misty eyed and whimpered at the taste, well. Nyx wasn’t going to tell.
