Once Yuer exited the Eastern Inner Gardens alongside his bonded-to-be, he was greeted by the sight of two unfamiliar faces. The moment the two strangers noticed him and Ivak, they stepped forward, bending their knees before The Second Reznal. They reverently pressed their fists to their chests and said in unison, “Your warrior guards greet esteemed Chieftain.”

As Yuer studied the two young men, he noted the identical crests sewn into the chests of their leather tunics. Three black wolves: a mated pair and a pup, against a backdrop of white. That was Kersa’s crest. A sentence he once read in a history book in his past life jumped out to him: To the Kersasi family, solidarity, perseverance and unity were the cornerstone values by which they had lived for hundreds of winters. This crest was a rather befitting symbol of the land and its people.

In this sense, it wasn’t unexpected that unlike most Semani provinces who emulated the capital by adopting clan laws, Kersa still clung to its olden tribal laws. While the capital housed various clans and clan heads of different Dasrari bloodlines competing for power within the same sphere, Kersa had no notion of clans. To the Kersasi, only the tribe existed and their tribe was Kersa itself. Anyone born to it is a tribesman, regardless of ancestry. In this sense Kersa differed from the capital because of how united and centralized it was socially and culturally. Yuer reasoned that this was arguably the reason as to why the Kersasi readily embraced Ivak as their heir and acting chieftain despite him not being true Kersasi blood.

The crests, however, were not the only identical thing about the two young men. In fact, they were identical in all things: in stature, in countenance, in attire and even in voice. The only thing that could tell them apart to Yuer’s eyes was their slightly differing hairstyles. While one had the right side of his dark hair loose and the left braided, the other had his right braided and left loose. Other than that, there was nothing else to visibly distinguish them from each other.

Ivak let out a deep laugh that visibly rumbled through his chest, making the corners around his silver eyes crease generously. He appeared genuinely happy at seeing the twin pair. He leaned over, hauling them up. “You are finally here. Welcome, my brothers.”

He smacked them good-naturedly on the arms and turned to Yuer. A big, bright smile blossomed upon his damaged face. “These are Lemrei and Joslan. They are my childhood friends and warrior guards. I had them run an errand for me as soon as we got to the capital. It seems they have just gotten to rejoin me.”

Yuer afforded them a small albeit pleasant smile, “Pleased to meet you.”

Ivak boastfully introduced Yuer to his warrior guards, “This is Yuer Ayaseen, my bonded-to-be and the Alikana-marked of this age.”

The twins, who had just gotten to their feet, stopped within a step of Yuer and swiftly fell to one knee in front of him, “Greetings to esteemed Chieftain Consort.”

Yuer curiously noted how they didn’t refer to him by his Alikana-marked identity as the Exacted One and rather chose to address him as their Chieftain’s bonded. Yuer beckoned them to their feet with his hand, “Thank you and please, in the future let us disperse with such formalities.”

The twins nodded as they rose up, “As esteemed Chieftain Consort wishes.”

Ivak’s eyes settled upon him, “You are going back to the Ayaseen residence, are you not?”

“Yes, I am. I have belongings to collect and a servant to bring along.”

“Then, take Lemrei and Joslan along with you. My personal carriage is outside, ride it instead of the Ayaseen clan’s carriage.” said Ivak.

Yuer fixed him with a meaningful look as he pointed out the obvious, “Ivak, I am a twice-blessed person. I do not need protection. The twins are your warrior guards. Their appropriate place is to be at your side. Moreover, I do have a personal guard of my own. She should be waiting for me at the carriage.”

A soft smile graced Ivak’s lips as he gently spoke, “I’m well aware of how capable you are but would you humor me this one time, please?”

Yuer caught his lip between his teeth, hesitating. He ought to refuse; he had no need for anyone’s protection but Yuer couldn’t find it in his heart to deny Ivak in front of his warrior guards. It wouldn’t be a good look for a Chieftain. Eventually, he replied with a hint of reluctance, “Alright.”

A broad, victorious grin warmed Ivak’s face. “Good, I will precede you to the secondary residence. The driver should know its location; he will escort you there once you have settled your matters in the Ayaseen residence.”

Yuer nodded and set out to leave. However before he could stray far, a strong yet warm hand grabbed his arm. Yuer turned around, facing Ivak. The Second Reznal took off his own fur-collared cloak and draped it over Yuer’s slender shoulders. As he was arranging it around the younger youth’s neck, he leaned over and softly whispered to his ear, “Be careful in there and come to the secondary residence as quickly as you can.”

Ivak’s warm breath tickled the skin on Yuer’s ear, causing an indescribable shiver to course through his body, making him feel both heated and chilled all of a sudden. Unsettled by his body’s physical reaction to the older youth’s proximity, Yuer quickly slipped away from Ivak’s grip. For some unfathomable reason, he felt like he couldn’t meet the black haired Reznal’s eyes so he simply nodded as a way of acknowledgement. Too unnerved to offer a parting glance, Yuer hastily spun around and left. The youth chose to deny the rush of heat that traveled to his cheeks as he walked further away from his bonded-to-be.

The twins quietly followed in his trail. The moment Yuer stepped out of the palace; the cold autumn air of Thurul hit him on the face, cooling the heated skin of his cheeks. He strode toward the area where visiting carriages were stationed. As he walked, he was intercepted by Hasha and Sakina. The latter rushed his way as soon as she glimpsed him. Her deep brown eyes frantically swept over him from head to toe. In a voice slightly unsteady, she asked. “H-how is esteemed young master? Did esteemed Dasi and Dasiri harm—“

Before his most faithful companion could fully convey her words, Yuer patted her affectionately on the cheek halting her onslaught of questions. “I am alright, Sakina. Safe and sound as you can see.”

Sakina breathed out, visibly relieved. “Thank the Holy Mother.”

Yuer chuckled at her, “Why does everyone seem to forget that I am a twice-blessed person? What can two unblessed middle-aged people possibly do to me?”

Sakina countered in all seriousness, “They could have had shadow guards or hired—“

Yuer immediately pressed a finger to her furrowed brows, smoothing their twisted line. “There is no need to frown. I am fine.”

As a way of keeping her busy, Yuer handed his old friend his twin swords. He turned to Hasha and said, “Bring me the darkwood chest from the Ayaseen carriage.”

Yuer noticed how Hasha didn’t comply right away and instead let her gaze roam over the twins by his side. Her fiery red brows rose in askance as she glanced back at him.

Yuer curtly explained, “They are the Second Reznal’s warrior-guards. He granted them to me for safety reasons.”

The Mesrin opened her mouth as if to protest but Yuer cut her off, “Lets us hurry to the Ayaseen residence. There are things I have yet to do. Tonight is my bonding ceremony and time shouldn’t be wasted.”

Hasha swallowed her unspoken words and left.

Sakina appeared to have noticed his urgency because she looked at the twins and simply demanded, “Lead us to His Second Highness’s carriage.”

Lemrei and Joslan, Yuer has yet to learn to tell them apart, briskly nodded and guided him and his servant to a carriage made of polished brown-wood that was rarely seen in the capital. It bore the Kersasi crest on its side and had several Kersasi black banners draped over its roof.

As soon as Yuer climbed into the carriage, Sakina quietly slid next to him and whispered, “The harem Selection is officially over. The Third Reznal has chosen the eldest daughter of the Achedhi clan. The Fourth Reznal has lost consciousness and needed to be escorted out of the hall and thus, he was exempt from the Selection. The Malhada didn’t select any of the candidates. The Dasrari are already whispering that a second harem Selection will need to be arranged by next autumn to conceal the failure of this one.”

Yuer frowned. His questioning gaze instantly settled upon Sakina. “The Malhada didn’t choose?”

Sakina nodded her head, “He didn’t. In fact, he left shortly after you and His Second Highness did.”

By Yuer’s calculations, Jarak should have settled for the spare son of the Deygani, the greatest Dasrari clan in Thurul which was only second to the Reznali themselves. And yet he didn’t. Yuer pondered the possible reasons which might deter Jarak from such an openly advantageous bonding match. The Deygani were powerful, even more so than Mayir’s maternal clan. They had an abundance of wealth, influence and most importantly, Dasrari allies. Having them at his corner would be but another way for Jarak to secure the throne. Why would he let such opportunity go?

Yuer knew Jarak very well. He was ruthlessly self-serving, mad with the idea of being in control and proud to the point of narcissism. But despite all his flaws, Yuer also knew Jarak was capable of being highly pragmatic when he needed to be. In matters of politics, he was not the type of man who would be easily swayed by his own emotional bursts. In fact, if personal benefit was assured, Jarak would willingly swallow glass. So why didn’t he choose the Deygani son? Why did he leave empty-handed?

As Yuer was deep in thought, Hasha rejoined him and Sakina in the carriage. She placed the chest which contained the broken zither on the floor and settled on a seat opposite to his. The twins apparently didn’t follow her into the carriage because Yuer could feel the slight rocking of the carriage as they settled their weights on the driver’s bench. A moment later, the horses started to trot.

The ride back to the Ayaseen residence was brief and in less than a quarter of a candle-hour, Yuer was already in front of the entrance gates. He didn’t waste time and breezed by the guards, who greeted him respectfully. Sakina, Hasha and the Kersasi twins followed behind him.

As soon as he reached his courtyard, Yuer could hear it: a whimper. A child’s whimper. The youth’s heart stuttered and something cold and hard sank in his gut. Before he knew it, his feet had already led him to his inner garden. In there, Yuer was he met by a scene that boiled his blood and washed the world crimson before his eyes.

Two of Akra’s servants were holding down a boy, his little boy as Walan continued to slash his whip across the pitiful child’s bleeding and brutally wounded skin. Yuer didn’t know how he found his voice but he could hear himself saying to Sakina, “Bar the courtyard's door.”

He walked to Walan. Each step made the many little pebbles in his garden dig into his sore soles but Yuer didn’t even feel it. Smoky black shadows were already pouring out from his back, his eyes and his bloodied bare feet. The swirling shadows enveloped him in something that most resembled a raging storm of pitch black fire. A bloodcurdling brew of violence and wrath could almost be tasted in the suddenly darkening air.

Yuer said one thing, “Come out.”

((The heart calls!))

((The heart calls!))

The skin on his back instantly broke open; a tiny black serpent emerged out of his flesh. Its scales began to rapidly soak in Yuer’s blood, turning its natural pitch black color to a crimson sheen. It slithered across his back and curled itself around his neck. It greeted Yuer with a touch of its forked tongue. The youth didn’t even bother to look at it as he ordered in a chilling voice, “I want nothing of him left. Nothing.”

((Yes, our heart! Yes, our blood!))

Several streaks of utter black jetted out of the serpent and encircled the unsuspecting Walan. The servants who were facing Yuer saw him first. Their eyes were as wide as those of a rabbit in the jaws of a wolf. They shook like leaves as they struggled to fall to their knees. They dug their hands in the earth, openly sobbing with lowered heads.

Walan who had his back to Yuer, didn’t understand what was happening but it was too late for him. A hair-raising scream tore out of his throat as inky shadows sank into his skin, shredding him to pieces from the inside out. Blood and felled bodily organs dropped down from Walan’s increasingly mangled body. Some parts of his flesh fell on the servants who started to hysterically scream and claw at their own faces. The overwhelming stench of his gore permuted the air, turning stomachs and churning guts.

Yuer however, wasn’t done with him. He turned to the serpent and pronounced one word, “Nothing.”

The serpent uncoiled itself from around Yuer's neck and slithered down the ground. Its form began to extend and grew at a visible rate. In a matter of instances, it was as gigantic as ten men stacked on top of each other. It snaked its supple and sharply scaled body around the barely alive Walan. It opened its mouth as wide as it could go, revealing razor sharp fangs as long as a human hand. Black swirling venom coated the fangs and some of it managed to drip on one of Walan’s eye, searing it. The inside of the eye turned into a runny mush which spilled out of its socket like thick, murky water.

The serpent then began to swallow Akra’s head servant alive.

Yuer didn’t stay to watch; instead he rushed to the barely conscious boy. He gently cradled him in his arms, paying heed not to aggravate his openly bleeding wounds. He lifted him up and dashed to his inner chamber. Before he left, he turned to Hasha and said, referring to the remaining servants, “Kill them.”

As soon as he reached his private quarters, Yuer rested the child on his stomach upon his bed. He let his eyes sweep over the open and awful-looking gashes scattered all over the little boy’s back. Rage, directed at himself, seized his trembling body. He thought the collar and his name would keep the boy safe. He thought Akra and her dogs wouldn’t go as far as to hound a little child. Oh, how wrong he was. The poor kid was almost dead and it was all his fault, his fault. Because he didn’t think enough, he didn’t assume enough. Because for moment, he thought nothing would go wrong this time around.

Yuer clenched his jaws so tightly his gums started to painfully throb. The palms of his hands, which were already balled into fists, were broken open by the force of his nails, freely bleeding.

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Yuer raked a hand through his hair, pulling at the strands so painfully that tears started to pool on the corners of his eyes. The youth shut his eyelids for a moment, swallowed then breathed out. He walked to the bed, sat at its edge and called forth his Light Echo. He gently touched the child’s arm and began to pour his healing Echo into his skin.

Yuer didn’t know how many candle-hours had passed. The only thing that indicated the passage of time to him was his slightly darkening vision and the creeping sense of lethargy. Echo-exhaustion. He must have been continuously injecting his Light Echo into the unconscious boy for at least two candle-hours. He needed to stop and rest so he can apply another healing round. Yuer however knew he couldn’t stay in this residence. He checked on the now soundly sleeping boy and noted how most of his wounds had already closed, leaving behind puffed and slightly red marks. He sighed, relieved that he didn’t come too late or else infection could have set in and drove the boy into a fatal fever; baking him from the inside.

As Yuer rose to his feet, he staggered and fell back on the bed. He hissed and tried once more, this time using the gauze curtains around his bed for support. He finally managed to stand and slowly paced around his inner room. One of the windows was open and sunlight filtered through it, hinting to Yuer that it was probably around noon. His eyes roamed across the chamber and his sluggish mind finally registered the bare state of the many redwood shelves, dressers and chests. It seemed Sakina had been at work while he was too engrossed in his healing to notice her.

As if he had managed to mentally summon her, Sakina pushed open the slider doors and walked into the room. In her hands, she carried a tray which was clearly meant to be his lunch.

She bowed to Yuer, “Esteemed young master, we have finished packing everything. His Highness’s guards and Hasha had already loaded the belongings into the carriage. We can leave whenever you wish.” She paused for a moment before adding, “All which needs disposing has been disposed of as per your instructions.”

Yuer took a seat on the remaining table and sagged in his chair. Sakina laid before him an assortment of steamed vegetables, stewed beef and cheese. Yuer had no appetite. In fact, he felt like he had a lump of something heavy and disheartening lodged into his throat, making even the act of breathing tedious. However, he also knew he had to eat if he wished to replenish his Light Echo. The youth surrendered to his fate and began to nibble at his lunch.

Sakina gazed at the sleeping boy and said in a soft voice, “He looks much better already. Esteemed young master needn’t worry. The boy will be fine.”

Yuer dropped his silver spoon and laid his face in his hands. “Will he? I promised him that no one will ever harm him again and look what happened. It’s all my fault. I failed him. I failed yet another person. Who am I to promise him such a thing? When have I ever been worthy of anyone’s trust?”

Yuer didn’t understand where the tears came from but came they did. They streamed down his cheeks in hot, searing trails. He didn’t know why but he felt incredibly tired, frayed at the seams and vulnerable, like a stranded fawn, fumbling to find cover from elements and predators.

He unconsciously tightened the fur cloak around his body, looking to hide from his own shadows within it. A whiff of something familiar and oddly comforting traveled to his nose: Ivak’s scent. Yuer closed his eyes, an image of free tundra plains, snowy mountains and a smirking half-burnt face flashed through his mind.

Gentle hands touched his shoulders and Yuer opened his eyes, looking up. With a soft smile painted on her lips, Sakina caressed his cheeks with her slight, calloused hands. She took her time, tenderly wiping away his tears . She then leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on his forehead, “Oh my sweet master, you have always had a heart of gold but at times like this, you forgot that you are only human. You can’t know everything and you can’t be everywhere. There will be times where you can’t help everyone you care about. Master please, be kind to yourself.”

Yuer sighed as he leaned his face against her warm hands. He often wondered how his past life and current one could have been if his mother had lived. Would she have been here right now? Comforting him just like Sakina was doing? Would she also kiss his skin and tell him to not be hard on himself?

Yuer let out a deep albeit stuttering breath and stood up. He looked at the sleeping child as he wiped away at the rest of his tears. He walked toward him and gently gathered him in his arms. He threw Ivak’s big and well-padded cloak over the little boy and made to the doors.

He looked straight ahead as he said with a hint of grim finality in his voice, “Let us leave this accursed place.”