The Crimson Dawn

Eden often heard the phrase “If you want something done, do it yourself,” replaying in her head. Mostly because she found that everyone around her were incompetent fools. Her escorts fidgeted around her nervously, able to recognize her expressions quite well by now. Eden almost imagined it was because of where they were going and who they were going to see.

As Eden journeyed down into the dungeon, her head held high and her hands clasped together, the clinking of her escort’s armor annoyed her to no end. Why it was insisted that she bring these buffoons with her, she didn’t know. Eden quickly came upon the heavily guarded cell, the stiff bodies of the guards at attention even before they had realized she was there.

“Lady Eden, please keep a safe distance from the cell at all times, “one of the guards spoke with tense respect, his jaw clenching. Eden put her hand up in a dismissal of his words and looked closely into the dark cell only illuminated by the torches outside of it.

The dark figure barely stood against the wall, the rusted manacles attached to the wall the only thing keeping him up. His breath was ragged and raw like his lungs couldn’t handle the air he was inhaling and exhaling. Eden took a step closer, squinting at him, the pin on his shirt catching the light, showing a snake with red, bejeweled eyes, it held a small skull in its mouth. The man let out a wheezing chuckle as he looked up, his pale eyes reflecting her face.

“They sent a woman to interrogate me? Were the torturers too cowardly to do it themselves?” His lips were severely cracked and bleeding but still, he smiled widely, too wide.

“They sent a woman to get the job done,” Eden straightened her shoulders, not bothered in the slightest by the crazed man. She looked at the guard who had spoken to her earlier, “Open the door.” She ordered and she gave the guard the stink eye before he finally fumbled with the keys and opened the door. Eden stepped in, one of her escorts laying her tools on the table.

Eden’s hand slipped over the organized tools, she smiled lightly as her hand brushed the pliers and she pulled them out. The man only smiled at her before he spoke in a taunting, cracked voice. “You think I feel pain? The Blood Snake has granted me many gifts, unlike your Gods.” He spat at her feet which only angered her more.

“We’ll see,” she snarled, her voice no longer calm and instead it was indignant. She stepped forward, grabbing his shacked hand, and started the denailing process.

Blood ran into the drain slowly as the man’s breaths came quick in pants. Eden pinched his face in between her hands and her dark eyes reflected the frustration and anger she felt. “What is the Blood Snake’s plan? Who is her Champion?!” The dark man looked at her defiantly but was unable to do much else, his head fell forward when she released him. She turned with a growl and exited the cell. “He gets no food nor water. Get the Physician down here, I don’t want him to bleed out just yet.” She told them harshly as she marched away, her escorts scrambling to grab her things and get to her.

“Godsdamned Bloods,” She swore under her breath.

✧

A few days before

Vale shielded her eyes from the brightness of the lightbulb in the sky. No not a lightbulb- the Sun. The wind blew into her face, giving her all sorts of smells, she wasn’t used to and making her eyes water from the strength of the. Aspyn was loud and full of people, and they paid Vale and Idris no mind as they crawled out of Ravoryn’s grate.

“Gods! Why the hell is it so bright?” Idris whined, covering his face as he looked up.

“Don’t look into it, that won’t help!” Vale scolded and they looked around, squinting. They grabbed their brother’s hand and quickly dragged him to the shade. “Here this should help.” They told him, able to take in the sights now that they were out of the bright light. They still wanted to call it a lightbulb, the name came so much easier than the sun.

“This is what you wanted to get to so badly? This is so… bright,” Idris complained, gesturing to the whole of the city.

Vale chuckled and nudged him with his arm. “Alright, little bat, I get it, you’re a creature of darkness. “But this is where we make a new start! No more Jones, no more payments, and no more dark slums.”

“This place isn’t free.”

“Well, I at least won’t have to feed your addictions,” Vale sighed, and Idris smirked, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it, illuminating the swirling tattoos running up his chest for a moment before the lighter was put out.

Smoke whirled into the air from his mouth as he spoke. “Yeah, yeah, what are you trying to do? Kill me?”

Vale looked around the city streets, quickly spotting a No Smoking sign. They ripped the cigarette from his mouth and stomped on it, Idris looked at them like they had stomped on their cat. “I’m trying to do the opposite. Ravoryn would’ve shaken us for all we had until we only had the breath in our lungs, and we wouldn’t even have that for long. If you need to go through withdrawal, we’ll go through them. We survived Ravoryn for twenty-nine years.”

Idris gave me a smirk. “I’ve survived for twenty-one-” “-barely.” Vale interrupts but Idirs ignores them and continues. “-so I’m more fit to survive here since I’m still young.”

“Yet I have more experience than you by a long shot, Idris. Your younger senses are dulled.”

“No need to throw it in my face, Vale,” Idris chuckled and looked out into the sunshine again. “Okay… I think our eyes have adjusted by now. What’s the plan?”

Vale slapped his back, sending him forward with a grunt. “Find a place to sleep.” They walked forward into the light, hearing a groan come from the shade.

✧

Present day

Atlas, for the better part of her morning, spent her time training in the grounds, she was out there before the other soldiers and their recruits, and some watched her in awe of her routine. Atlas quickly realized it was because her routine was different from theirs. She heard their whispered challenges and boasted about how they had to be better than her because of how she trained.

“Atlas,” a soft voice called, she quickly turned towards the voice, finding Kadyn standing at the edge of the grounds. The soldiers around her bowed but she just stared in shock. “Can we speak?” Atlas nodded numbly, unsure what she could say to the man who gave her up. She walked over to the bench where her things lay, she put her sword in her sheath and left it as she grabbed her towel to wipe the sweat from her face and neck and left it around her neck.

Kadyn led her away to an empty hallway, clearing his throat nervously before looking her in the eyes. “You must have questions for me.” He whispered and Atlas stared at him.

“A million. I don’t know how to ask them.”

“I wanted to keep you. I did. But my parents wouldn’t allow it, they wanted to leave you in the woods where no one would find you,” he took a deep breath as he paused, and wiped at his eyes. “You were such a little thing. So quiet. I was sixteen years old but I wanted to keep you so badly. I couldn’t convince them to let me keep you, they would barely look at you, but I was able to convince them to let me send you to Kestva.”

Atlas swallowed hard, she was drowning in her mind again, and she was desperate for something to grab onto. “I… they wanted to kill me?” She whispers. Her grandparents wanted her dead. Kadyn stepped forward, reaching out to her before pulling back, keeping his hands on his chest before he nodded. “What about my mother? Did she want me dead as well?”

Kadyn shook his head, his eyes full of sorrow. “Oh no, baby, we were young… She died in childbirth.”

It was like a slap to the face, the revelation that she was dead was somehow worse than thinking her mother didn’t want her. Atlas had killed her mother. Atlas had gone her whole life thinking about her first kill and if she would be able to handle it but she had already killed. Atlas stepped back against the wall, sliding down it and this time Kadyn grabbed ahold of her. He gripped her arms and came to the floor with her, a tear falling down his cheek. “She wanted you. Sweetness, she wanted you so much, you need to know this. You didn’t kill her. I never thought that for a moment.”

Atlas gripped Kadyn’s arms back, needing something to grab onto. He was her makeshift life raft at the moment. Her mind held so many questions and they rushed down her throat like water. Kadyn brought her into his arms, holding her head against his chest. “It’s okay, sweetness, you’re okay.” He whispered against the top of her head and Atlas never thought she would feel this kind of affection again. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you… or keep you.” He carefully brought Atlas to her feet, she wobbled and gripped him tighter, and he didn’t let go of her for a second. “I want to show you something.”

Atlas let go of him and walked on her own behind him, Kadyn seemed slightly disappointed but didn’t say anything as they walked. They went through the long, winding hallways again and Atlas tried to keep track of where they were but everything looked the same. They could’ve been walking in circles for all she knew… if she had grown up here would it be different? Would she know these hallways just as she knew her own face?

Kadyn walked into a brown-toned office, neatly organized with collections and papers. Kadyn went behind the desk and Atlas concluded that this was his. He spent his nights and days here working tirelessly. Like Runo would in his own office. Kadyn grabbed a stack of letters from the drawer and handed them to Atlas silently and she took them. Atlas’s fingers ran over the name on the outside of the Envelope.

“These are from Igraine…” Atlas whispered, and Kadyn nodded, a light smile coming to his face.

“She was the third person to ever hold you. Igraine was probably the only one in Kestva who knew who you were and where you had come from… who knew our situation,” Kadyn gently took the letter at the bottom of the stack, it had worn edges and was tinted yellow. “She wrote me letters about you.”

Atlas’s eyebrows drew together as she looked at one of the letters, opening it to find a piece of written paper and a portrait of Atlas. She was eight and had a bored smile on her face. Atlas remembered that she could barely sit still during the hour the man painted this. “She sent those portraits… to you,” Atlas whispered, her fingers brushing over it. “I had always wondered. None of the other kids had to sit through these boring sessions but I did. I always wondered what she did with them, I thought it was some kind of lesson for me. To learn patience.” Atlas slightly giggled, and a tearful smile came to her face. “It’s how you recognized me…”

“I could tell you were like your mother. She was impatient as well,” Kadyn smiled, “she was always stronger than me too. I’m glad you inherited her strength.” He lightly touched Atlas’s chin before pulling away. “I wouldn’t have needed those portraits to recognize you. You’re my daughter.”

Atlas wiped away a stray tear before it fell. “And what about your family now? Is there any room for me in it? … it seems perfect.”

Kadyn chuckled. “Perfect? Far from it. We are awkward friends, not very good as lovers. I love Jaswyn just as I love you, Atlas, you are both my daughters. But my relationship with my wife, Eliss, is far more complicated.”

Atlas nodded and they stood there in silence for a few moments before she looked up at him again, remembering something. “Icarus. I felt something when I looked at him.”

“Yes. He is your Dragon Companion. Your brother in a sense,” Kadyn nodded and went to the window in his office, looking out into the Roost, into Icarus’s stable. “My family wanted to take everything from me. My daughter. Her Dragon. It’s a miracle I saved the both of you.” Kadyn whispered and Atlas felt a pang in her heart. He loved her so much, but she couldn’t say the same… She didn’t know him at all because he had to sacrifice that so she could live. He lost his family the day she was born.

Atlas took a step forward, stopped, and then rushed into his arms, surprising both him and herself. “Thank you,” she whispered, and his arms tightened around her, he shook a little and placed his cheek on her head. His hand went through her hair a little shakily.

“I’d do it all again to keep you safe, Atlas. Every time.”

✧

Present Day

Vale had managed to scrape by and get them a single room in the tavern called The Lucky Whistle. Well, Vale had negotiated for them to hire Idris for his “dancing” capabilities. Vale didn’t like the thought of their brother selling his body but he didn’t seem to mind and it was only for viewing pleasure. Vale would just have to find a job and quickly, surely they didn’t have many tinkerers upside?

Vale sat at the bar, playing with a little mechanical lock the Tavern Owner had broken when a woman walked in and sat beside them. She was tall in heels and regal, Vale could feel the confidence and perhaps arrogance in her aura and was surprised that such a clean and noble woman had come to this bar and sat right next to Vale who was the opposite of that. The woman turned to Vale after ordering herself a glass of white wine, her face was beautiful with vitiligo markings, and her eyes moved sharply with purpose.

“I heard about you,” the woman spoke, with a pointed smile and Vale didn’t know if they were in trouble or lucky. “Just came up from Ravoryn. Vale, right? I have a job you might be interested in.”

“Depends… who’s asking?”

The lady smirked. “I am.” The glass of wine was placed in front of her, and she grabbed it with delicately long fingers before taking a sip. “I need you to design a security cell for me. Think you can do that?”

“For the right price,” Vale sipped their bottle of beer, trying to sound as least interested as possible.

“1,000 gold pieces for the security cell and your cooperation and silence about the job,” the lady licked her lips and stared at Vale as they choked on their beer and almost spit it out.

“1,000?” Vale choked out and the woman smirked, now fully aware that she had caught Vale’s attention. She slid Vale a slip of folded paper, finished the rest of her wine, and walked out. Vale noticed two armed escorts waiting outside who followed her as she walked down the street and disappeared out of sight.

Idris quickly bolted for his sibling, a huge smile on his face. “Did you just pick up a girl?” He teased but he reached out to gently touch Vale’s arm and they quickly noticed the worry in the back of his eyes.

“You can’t possibly know her. We just got topside,” Vale groaned, and Idris shook his head.

“No, I don’t but my customers talk. Especially the scarred criminals,” Idris still had a grip on their arm.

Vale took a swig of her beer, sighing as the cold liquid slid down her throat. “Yeah? Figured she managed the cells, that’s the job.”

“She’s the torturer. Lady Eden Stark. I’m not so sure you should be taking this job, Vale,” Idris sounded genuinely worried, Vale removed the beer from their lips before they took the next drink, placing it on the counter. Maybe it was because he wasn’t high on whatever substance he got his hands on that he could express genuine worry. Vale had gone through these past few years thinking Idris didn’t care. Or was Vale finally noticing the look in his eyes?

Vale sighed and looked at their brother, placing a hand over his. “The money she’s offering could set us up here. One job and I’d have a shop. We’d have a home, Bat. I know it’s sketchy but we’ve done sketchy shit for less powerful people.”

Idris made a sound of frustration, but he knew there was no dissuading, Vale. Especially when it came to taking care of him in the end. “Right… Just be careful.”

“You better be too. Anyone touching what they shouldn’t, Idris?” Vale asked, looking around for anyone they would deem sleazy.

Idris shook his head, grinning easily. “No, but they sure are complimenting.” Idris pulled a stack of cash from his pockets and Vale’s eyes widened.

“I may not like it but I don’t think I can discourage it,” Vale laughed and kissed the top of his head. Brushing his dark hair out of his face only for it to fall back into place. “You tell me if anyone’s giving you trouble. You’re my responsibility, whether you like it or not.”

Idris laughed and wiped away the kiss from his forehead. “My valiant guardian.”

“That’s me. For the rest of your damn life.”