Activity

@skylarynn

I found a picture of Karayan.

I shouldn’t have laughed so hard at that XD I don’t know what picture I expected, but it wasn’t that XD

Karayan has taken something of a liking to Chantara (albeit mostly because Chantara has not been rude to him and his other teammates have).

Hmm, wonder what Chantara will think of this!

Karayan’s relationship with villainhood probably not what you may expect from him being in the castle.  Karayan was villainous previously, but after he made a deal he has since become benevolent and altruistic, if a bit of a furry ball of sarcasm.  So he is a redeemed villain, and that’s why he’s here.

Oooh! Cool! I love redeemed villains, they’re such cool characters!

@hannahrenner

Honestly, if I had the power of invisibility, that’s exactly what I’d do XD

Chantara

“Is that what it’s called?” Karayan replied, in fluent Kezbe. I bit the inside of my cheek, my eyes narrowing in suspicion. It was nearly perfect, except for a slight harshness on the s’s and a softness in the g’s. Nobody ever got those correct except the native speakers.

“An odd name and I don’t suppose I will figure the etymology if I do not know the evolution of your native culture. That is an annoyance.”

I felt the suspicion bubbling up in me and barely managed to hide it behind demure confusion.

He smiled.

“I suppose you are confused how I speak a language I know not the name of.  It is quite simple; I can speak and understand any language I may hear.  One of my race’s many gifts.”

“That must be useful,” I murmured.

“Actually,” he continued, “there is a phrase of my native language you may like to learn.  I use it when frustrated.  Volo necare aliquid, meaning ‘I want to kill something’.  Seems a thing you’d like.” (BTW, very cool that Latin is Karayan’s native language!)

I felt my already stiff muscles snapping taut, ready to attack or flee. This was going completely wrong. I needed to get my disguise back. If any of them figured out how far I could and would go, I’d be dead. I wouldn’t die like this.

“If it comes to geese, that’s certainly true,” I forced a laugh that sounded as sharp as breaking glass. It lodged in my throat, its edges cutting into me.

“You are puzzling what one of the goose’s powers may be,” Karayan murmured, shooting a conspiratorial glance at me. What did he want from me? The straps that held my knives cut into my skin. Not yet, not yet.  “It’s invisibility.  The goose’s scent hasn’t yet left the room, so I must conclude the goose hasn’t yet left the room.”

I blinked rapidly. He was helping me. Why hadn’t he held that information against me, forcing me to earn that small scrap of knowledge? It’s what I would have done. Why was he doing this? Was he trying to get me on his side? Alright, I’d allow him to believe that. I could use him, at least for now.

Now, what was I to do with that information? Was the castle counting for each of us separately, or for the whole team? If it was for the whole team, Karayan wouldn’t have told me that information secretly. Now, was I going to use the information or was I going to let him have a share of the credit?

I bit my lip. The taste of the honey cake had long since faded, leaving only the bitter flavor of suspicion.

I had to choose. Would I be selfish or allow him to have an advantage? I yearned to do him that one small kindness, if only as an apology for what I would inevitably do to him. To all of them, if I had the opportunity.

I had never made an easy choice in my life. My choices had never been between good or bad, it had always been between unbearable and impossible.

Join the Siya and leave my parents forever? Unbearable. Stay with my parents and spend the rest of my days surrounded by yarn and goats? Impossible.

Stay with the Siya, facing the inevitable day when I would have to kill someone? Unbearable. Leave the Siya and be sent to the lower spy corps, to live out my days as an expendable pawn to be forgotten? Impossible.

Complete my assignments, taking the lives of others, blindly obedient? Unbearable. Betray the Siya and be executed? Impossible.

Betray Karayan and take all the credit for myself? Unbearable. Let him have half the credit, letting slip my slim chance of surviving this and saving my friends? Impossible.

“Castle!” I called, in the common language once more. My voice echoed off the marble walls, sharp and clear as glass. “One of the goose’s powers is invisibility. Correct?”

If only Karayan would forgive me. Perhaps this was what he intended. Probably not. I didn’t deserve forgiveness. Not after all I’d done. Unbearable. Impossible.

______________

Whenever I sit down to write Chantara, it’s usually with a thought like “Just a quick post where she does some stuff, no deep introspection.” And next thing I know I’ve written an essay on human nature, justifying evil, and morality. *Deep sigh*

@this-is-not-an-alien‘

Oh-controller-of-the-castle-and-deviser-of-poultry-powers, was that correct?