WARBRINGERS: Revenge and Revolution

REVENGE IS STUPID

[SULIANA]

THE NEXT Tuesday, Suliana came to Miram Julie with Gon and Mastaro. Suliana wasn’t sure if it was a wise decision to include Mastaro in the plan. She thought Gon was being too nice and impulsive, but she didn’t say anything. She hoped Miram Julie would say it for her.

But Miram Julie didn’t. In fact, Miram Julie was glad. “Yes, Gon. The more people you can persuade to join us, the better.”

“Let’s stick with this group first,” Suliana said. By then they were sitting by the table in the kitchen again.

Miram Julie looked at her and nodded. “Okay,” she said. “So, are you certain you’re willing to go to Hangyan, Gon?”

Gon nodded. “I’m certain there’s a reason why King Doroteo wants to please the king of Hangyan. And I want to know that reason and expose it to people. I am almost sure it would be the king’s downfall”

“Let us hope so,” Miram Julie said. “It is said that our king would go there monthly to have a meeting with the king of Hangyan. Of course, we’re not sure about that, it’s just a rumor I heard from some of my Millos friends. But you need to confirm that such meetings exist and hopefully, sneak in to listen to the meeting.”

“Mmm…” Suliana said. “I think if such meetings exist, no one would be allowed to go inside the room where the two leaders would talk. And if ever krills are allowed to serve food before the meeting starts, I am sure King Doroteo would know he is Cantatan. His silver hair is a dead giveaway.”

Miram Julie smiled. As if she already had a solution to that problem. “That’s why Gon needs to catch a rewok.” From the pile of papers that once again were on the table, Miram Julie picked one and pushed it in their direction. Suliana looked at the picture.

It was a picture of a bird. The bird in the picture was small, perhaps as big as a fist. Its color is the same as a starless sky at night. Even the eyes were black. The beak had a different color though--it was yellow and it was big and wide. It may even be twice as big as the bird’s head.

“This is a bird that can only be found in Hangyan,” Miram Julie said. “Are you familiar with it?”

“We’ve discussed that once in one of our lessons,” Suliana answered, leaned forward to examine the picture closely. “This bird has magic. You said it is used by the gods to entertain themselves. These birds can sing, tell jokes, recite poetry and it can…”

“It can be used as a messenger,” Miram Julie finished the sentence for her. “It can repeat messages and conversations it heard. It can also imitate voices.”

“Wow. Those birds are probably smarter than me,” Mastaro commented.

Suliana ignored him. Instead, she just looked at her miram. “But a rewok won’t do all of that for Gon unless he managed to…”

“Tame it, I know,” said Miram Julie. She looked at Gon. “Gon, you need to catch a rewok. They are difficult to catch and they have knife-like beaks so you need to be careful. And after you catch one, you need to tame it. Otherwise, it won’t do what you want it to do.”

Gon nodded. “I understand.”

“I will help him catch one,” Mastaro said.

“Okay, but are we sure Gon or Mastaro will work in the castle?” asked Suliana. “For all we know, they can get assigned to fields. Or construction.”

“Being that my husband was a soldier, I know Cantatan krill traders,” said Miram Julie. “I can ask them to trade Gon and Mastaro and make them exclusive caretakers of high-ranking soldiers. Usually, these soldiers would stay in the barracks near the palace or inside the palace itself.”

“Can you ask him to assign to assign me to a nice soldier?” Gon said with worry.

Suliana felt Gon’s fear. She knew Gon was happy at times that he was assigned to work in fields. He dreaded getting assigned to be a soldier’s caretaker. To be traded to Hangyan to work with a soldier every day is a scary thought.

Miram Julie smiled. “I’ll try,” she said.

“Don’t worry, Gon,” said Mastaro. “I’ll be there. We will stick together.”

Gon looked at Mastaro and smiled. Suliana noticed that Mastaro couldn’t stop looking at Gon. She recognized him as the krill who’d always bully Gon. But he was far from being a bully now. In fact, she recognized the emotion in Mastaro’s eyes while looking at Gon. She saw that in Camia’s eyes. She saw it with her own eyes, too.

He is in love with him, Suliana thought to herself.

“When can you arrange the trade?” Gon asked. “I still haven’t told my parents.”

“I can probably arrange it next week,” Miram Julie said. “You have time.”

Gon nodded. Gon was trying to look tough but his beautiful eyes betrayed him. Suliana could still see his fear there.

“And you Suliana,” Miram Julie looked at her. “The sooner we get you to learning magic again, the better. We will start next week, too. I have to warn you… the magic in you has been unused for a lot of years. Trying to access It again might be… a painful experience.”

“What do you mean?” Gon asked the question that popped in her head first. He also looked instantly concerned.

“It may hurt your body, Suliana. The magic source--nature--was untapped for so long. If you try to absorb the power, it will not kill you, but it will hurt bad, Suliana. It will hurt bad.”

Suliana looked at Miram Julie. What her teacher said scared her, but if Gon was making a sacrifice in order to avenge Camia, she had to make a sacrifice of her own as well. “Pardon me, Miram Julie. I have no doubts about it hurting, I believe you. But I think doing nothing and just letting the soldiers and King Doroteo get away with what they did to Camia would hurt more. I am ready, miram. If that pain would wake the magic inside of me, wake the magic that would help end King Doroteo’s reign, then bring it on, miram. Bring it on.”

Miram Julie smiled. She looked proud.

***

[GON]

GON told his parents his decision while they were having dinner.

His Amir Leilani was telling his father to bring her banana leaves so she can iron their smocks. His father just grunted and continued sipping his soup. Amir Leilani was annoyed by this so she nagged his father and they started bickering.

But when he told them he wanted to go to Hangyan, they stopped.

They looked worriedly at each other for a while. It was Akir Marcus who cleared his throat and said, “Why?” he said. “I know they pay more--”

“This place reminds me of Camia,” Gon said. He knew it was the best way to stop them from asking; he figured it out last night. “Every day, when I get out of the house in the morning, I will stop and look at Camia’s house, waiting for her to come out of to greet me. To smile at me. To ask me when we’ll hang out. Even though I know it wouldn’t happen. Even though I will just stand there for nothing. She’s not going to greet me anymore. I wouldn’t hear her call my name anymore.”

That part was not made up. He would really stand in front of their house like a fool. His whole body remembered what life had been before Camia was killed.

“Akiro…” his akir said.

“I need a new environment. I need it until I recover a little. It won’t take long,” Gon said. “And I would go home at least once a month.”

“Akiro, there are still a lot of women--”

Amir Leilani slapped his akir on the shoulder. “Shut up,” she said. Unlike his father, amir Leilani looked calm. She looked at him with understanding. “Are you sure about this, son?”

“Leilani--”

“Finish your soup,” his amir told his akir firmly. She didn’t even glance at his father. “Are you sure about this?”

Gon looked at her mother’s eyes and nodded. “I’m sure.”

“You’re a man now, Gon. You can make your own decisions,” Amir Leilani said. “However, you are still our child. You will always be our child. And what we want is for you to be happy. But you need to be careful, akiro. I heard rumors that Hangyans are nice, some even nicer than Cantatans. But… but some of them are horrible people, too. I heard some nasty stories about them.”

“Don’t worry,” Gon said. He smiled. He didn’t expect it would be this easy. “Suliana has a miram--Miram Julie, she said she will help me find a nice master in Hangyan.”

His father still looked hesitant. His brows were furrowed. “Akiro, you don’t know those people.”

“Mastaro will come with me,” Gon said. “He… he wants to forget, too.”

Akir Marcus sighed then shook his head. “You know, I’ll buy you a w***e if it will help you forget--”

“Marcus!” Amir Leilani said, eyes wide. She slapped his father on the shoulder again.

“I’m thinking of better ways to be supportive.”

“A w***e? A w***e is a better idea rather than to leave the krilldom for a while?”

Akir Marcus rolled his eyes. “Fine,” his father said. Then he looked at Gon, pointed a finger at him. “You be careful. You will go home once a month so we won’t get worried. And you better not do anything stupid. Do you understand?”

Gon smiled. This was one problem solved. This was a step towards revenge.

“I won’t do anything stupid, akir.”

Revenge is not stupid, akir. And to want to cause a revolution? No, akir. That’s not stupid at all.