WARBRINGERS: Revenge and Revolution

GON AND MASTARO

[GON]

THAT NIGHT, Gon and Suliana sat beside Camia’s grave and talked about their next move. There were no stars that night. The sky was almost blanketed by thick clouds. The moon refused to be covered though and shone so bright. The cemetery was silent they can hear the song of the crickets and the whispers of the cold wind.

“It’s okay if you won’t do it,” Suliana said. “I mean, you have to be away from your family…”

Suliana fell silent. Gon was not worried about what his family would think. Sure, they may not understand at first, but he could lie and say that he just wanted to be traded and serve as a Hangyan krill for better pay. There were some single krills who begged to be traded anyway, since they have no family to leave in Cantata. And Hangyan krills have Sunday as their day off, so he could still go home to see his parents.

“I’m sure I can lie about it, Suliana,” Gon said.

“But it is still a big sacrifice,” Suliana said. “We only need time, Gon. We can think of another plan. Maybe exposing the misleaders is enough. I can learn magic, and I can expose the misleaders…”

“It sounds like you’re suggesting that I should just rely on you,” Gon said.

In the dark, he saw that Suliana looked offended. “Is there something wrong with relying on me, Gon? Do you think I can’t do it because I am a woman?”

Gon looked at Suliana’s eyes and raised an eyebrow at her. “You know I am not a misogynist Iike our king,” he said. “I believe in you, Suliana. I just… I just need to do something too.” After saying that, Gon looked at Camia’s grave.

Gon knew he couldn’t do nothing to avenge Camia. He heard it from the mouth of the soldiers. How they made her beg… how they made her kiss the ground and smack her head when she least expects it. They laughed at her, Gon remembered. He could still hear Jaider’s laughter as he mocked Camia. And they did things to her that could destroy a woman’s soul--heck, anyone’s soul. And King Doroteo, instead of helping her, told everyone he should’ve done it first.

So no, even though it wouldn’t be easy, bailing out was not an option.

“It scares me, Suliana,” Gon said. “But if we don’t do something, if we don’t unpoison the well, I am sure that…” Gon’s eyes stung. “I’m sure the soldiers will do it again. I’m sure the king will do it again. I’m sure some woman would be r***d again, and the king would make it a joke. I’m sure a man will be killed again, without proof that he is a naseri. I can’t live with the thought that I didn’t do anything, Suliana. I want to do something.”

Gon knew he couldn’t fight physically. He may be less of a wimp now than he was then, but he knew he’d lose in a physical altercation with the soldiers. Perhaps he could be a spy. Maybe that was the best thing he could do.

“What scares you, Gon?” Suliana said.

“They say Hangyan soldiers are nicer than Cantatan soldiers. But if they discovered that I am a spy… they will torture me. They will make sure my death will be painful and that scares me… and of course, that’s normal, it’s indeed scary. But I will do it, Suliana. I just need time to prepare myself. I just need time to condition myself so I wouldn’t make a mistake and reveal my real intentions.”

Suliana smiled. She took his hand and he let her. Her hand felt good. Gon had to admit that when she’s hugging him, everything was a little bit bearable. “You can have all the time you want, Gon. I am sure Camia would understand.”

Gon sighed. He rested his head on Suliana’s shoulders. He squeezed Suliana’s hand and enjoyed its warmth. They fell silent for a while. It was Suliana who broke that silence after a beat.

“Sometimes, I wonder what could have happened if we stopped her that day,” Suliana said, her voice a whisper. “We know she wanted to join the Millos. We know it is dangerous. And we tried to stop her, we did, but sometimes when I’m alone on my bed and I couldn’t sleep… I’d think what if we tried harder?”

Gon didn’t manage to reply. He knew he didn’t try his best to stop Camia, too. In fact, he supported her. He supported her because he knew that having a cause, doing something to fight injustice would make her happy. That’s what he admired about her.

“We couldn’t do anything Suliana,” Gon said. “Even if we tried harder, she’ll still do it for sure.”

Suliana chuckled. “Yeah. I know. Perhaps even if we chain her to a tree, she’d still try everything to escape and join the Millos.”

Gon smiled at the thought. He saw it in his mind. Camia, chained to a tree, her face red with anger. He could hear her say: “Whooping wisdom, Gon! You better let me go because if I managed to escape here myself, you bet your shiny ass I’ll hunt you down to smack your face.”

His chest felt heavy again. It was still heavy to remember. But he still believed it was better to remember than to forget.

“We love you, Camia,” said Suliana. She was running her hand on Camia’s grave. “Wherever you are now, please guide us. Help us. Help us avenge you. Help us end King Doroteo’s reign. I think we can’t still do it without you.”

Gon nodded to that in agreement, hoping Camia would see them somewhere. He closed his eyes and tears streamed on his cheeks.

***

GON WENT home to the krilldom a few minutes later, he was thinking of how he could say it to his parents. He thought it’d be a clever idea to say that he wanted to go to Hangyan because he’s attracted to Hangyan women. He still wasn’t sure.

He was about to enter his house when he saw Mastaro. Mastaro was standing in front of the door of his house, looking at him with sad eyes. For days, he would always talk to Mastaro for at least an hour. There was even a time he accompanied him to visit his mother in Hablon.

Mastaro just stood there like a lost boy, and Gon felt sorry for him. He walked towards his house.

“Mastaro,” Gon said with a smile. “Want to go to my house? I’m sure amir prepared some food. She’ll be happy to let you eat.”

Mastaro nodded. Gon knew he didn’t want to be alone in his house. They walked together back to Gon’s house. Mastaro was silent. Gon opened the door and lead Mastaro to the kitchen.

“You’re late for supper, Gon,” Amir Leilani said with a smile. “Your akir and I are already done eating.”

Akir Marcus just shrugged. “Let the boy be, irog. You know he’s having a hard time.” His father looked at him and then Mastaro. “Mastaro, have you eaten?”

Mastaro shook his head.

“You can eat here, Mastaro,” Amir Leilani said with a smile. “Go sit. I’d prepare the meal for the two of you.”

Soon, Gon and Mastaro were eating at the table. His father and mother already went to their room. They left them there.

“Were you with Suliana?” Mastaro asked.

Gon stopped slurping the potato soup and nodded. “Yeah.”

“Did you plan…” Mastaro hesitated for a moment. “what you’re going to do about the soldiers?”

Gon paused and looked at Mastaro. He could still see the grief in his eyes, but anger was there too. In fact, Gon realized anger was more evident now in Mastaro’s eyes.

“We did,” Gon said.

“What will you do? Can I help? Cause I want to help.”

Gon sighed. He looked at the door leading to his parent's room and then he looked at Mastaro again. And perhaps because he was still afraid about the plan, maybe because it still felt heavy on his heart, that he found himself telling Mastaro everything that happened in Miram Julie’s house. Gon somehow knew he could trust Mastaro. He wanted revenge, too.

“I can join you,” Mastaro said after he told him about what Miram Julie wanted him to do.

Gon frowned. “But…”

“I can join you, Gon. I could go to Hangyan, too.” Mastaro’s voice had a trace of determination and excitement in it. “You said you are afraid to go there. Maybe you’d be less afraid if you go there with someone you know. Maybe you’d be less afraid if I was there with you.”

Gon hesitated.

“I want to help, Gon,” Mastaro said. “Let me help, please. I know I am not your friend. I know I made your life miserable, so I am begging you to do this for me. I want justice for my brother and my mother. And if you give me a chance… if you let me help you… I will be forever indebted to you.” Mastaro held his shoulder. He looked as if he was about to cry if Gon would say no.

“Please, Gon. Let me help. Please… let me do something… I want to do something…”

Gon sighed. “Let me think about it,” he said.

And that was enough for Mastaro. His eyes welled with tears; his face shone with a smile.

Gon realized… he couldn’t deny Mastaro the chance to avenge his brother. King Doroteo owed something to Mastaro. And Gon would want Mastaro to make the king pay.

***

AUTHOR: DO YOU SHIP GON AND MASTARO? I DON'T LOL. AND YES, THIS HAS A BL COUPLE. WE JUST HAVEN'T MET THE MALE LEAD YET. :)