Forgotten Children

Back in his quarters, he moved from room to room, checking on his daughters. Roddi had placed Acheri, Fext, and Lamia in one room; Mara and Kishi in a second; and Chakora in their bed.

He had raised his eyes at her upon seeing poor Chakora in his bed, to which she exclaimed, “Its the softest thing in here!”

He sighed. “Then where are we going to sleep?”

Roddi shrugged. “When its next to you, I don’t really care.” She winked at him.

He pushed past her. “Roddi, not now. Come on, you’d better start interacting with them, we’re going to be spending a lot of time together.” He motioned for her to follow to the first room to the right of the entrance door. There, they looked together at Kishi sleeping peacefully in her bed. She was turned to the wall and was curled up in a threadbare blanket. He cooed and softly stroked her head.

Hearing a huff from behind him, he turned to see Mara leaning against a stone wall. She scoffed. “And why should I trust anything you have you say, anyway?”

“At this point, you have no choice but to, Mara,” he told her. “One day you may realize that I saved you from death. For that I at least expect you to give me a chance. Look, I’ll give you some space but I’ll still expect your attention when its important. You may feel safe and in charge here, but you have no idea what lies above ground. For now, you're going to trust me, and Roddi.”

Mara looked over at Roddi. “And who are you, huh?”

Roddi looked at Mara sternly. “I’m the only living one who can speak to his power. If you want any of it, you’d be best to listen.” Before Mara could answer, Roddi turned sharply and exited the room.

He patted the bed. “Lay down, Mara. We’ll talk later.”

Mara did not move so he left, following Roddi further down the central chamber to the second room on the right where Acheri, Lamia, and Fext had been placed. To his surprise, they had pushed their hay together into the center of the room and were all three curled up with one another in the middle of it.

“Aww, that’s so sweet,” said Roddi, smiling. “They look so peaceful.”

He opened his mouth to say something but closed it again and looked out of the room towards the exit. “Do you sense that?”

Roddi cocked her head at him. “No, what? What do you feel?” She reached out with her own mind but his powerful aura blocked her ability to see much farther. She hesitated, and came back around to his aura. It was like a void, pulling in all other feelings from around it. Much like every other changeling of the Hive, but it seemed...denser to her.

His words shook her from her concentration. “Chrysalis was coming. Now, it seems she is retreating.”

“Hopefully she thought the better of it. Come, love, let’s go see the rest of your daughters.” Roddi tugged him towards their room in the far corner, furthest from the doors and the one holding Chakora.

He reluctantly followed her. Inside his room, they looked down at Chakora, who was lying on her back, breathing slowly in obvious pain. Roddi leaned her head against his shoulder plates. “Why did you take her, anyway? I think I understand what you were doing with the other five, but this one is suffering. Please...let her be at peace.”

“No, Roddi. Suffering is a part of life. Better to do it while you are young. Let us do what we can for her. They all will wake soon and we need to be here for them.” He sat on the floor next to his occupied bed. “Go get that iron shaping book and we’ll give it a read.”

Roddi smiled and trotted over to retrieve the requested book. Bringing it back to him, she placed it on the floor and bowed with a flourish. With a grin she said, “As you commanded, master.”

He sighed, opening the book. “While I do appreciate the title,” he said, “If you’re going to think of me as your master then you need to realize that I make the decisions. Now sit.”

Roddi immediately complied and sat in front of him. “Sorry…”

He motioned for her to come side beside him, saying, “Just pick which one you want to be, ok? Are you the meek archivist, the powerful changeling, or the submissive toy?”

Roddi leaned into him. “Can’t I be all of them? I like the third one best if I have to choose just one.”

Pointing down, he said, “Why don’t you be the archivist for now and teach me about the things in this book?”

Roddi smiled and flipped past several pages. “These first parts are about forging. Hot and dirty stuff. We already have iron, so I’ll just skip us over to the relevant parts, here.” She lifted the book up with her magic and began to read to him…

…

Some time later, after his head was full of magic spells and Roddi had long since fallen asleep, he sensed the faint and encroaching aura of Chrysalis. He stood up and moved to the entrance doors, waiting.

After a few minutes, the doors creaked, starting to open. He stepped forward and used his magic to pull it far enough for Chrysalis to walk through. She looked around puzzledly, spying him in the shadow of the door.

“I don’t understand how you do that,” she said, entering the room as he shut the doors behind her. "But nor do I enjoy your company enough to stay long enough to find out, either."

He snorted. "You sure seemed to enjoy my company while I was on top of you."

Continuing to walk to the back of the room, she sneered at him. "Let me tell you a little secret; you need love to survive but I actually do not. I absorb more to increase my own potential, but unlike you I won't die without it. I can also produce a limited amount for my children. While I can produce more than enough love for my present Hive, what I needed you for was to produce more children. I put on a show for you to get what I wanted." Chrysalis stopped and turned to him. "And before you get upset, its exactly what you do for what you need."

He waved her into his chambers, where Roddi and Chakora were still sleeping. "I never had any doubts that I was being used," he said. "Chakora and Roddi are sleeping. Please be quiet."

Chrysalis bent her head to get through the arched entry, and nudged Roddi where she had curled up on the floor near the door. Roddi murred, so Chrysalis nudged her again.

Roddi wiggled her butt, eyes still closed. "Mmmm, I've been dreaming about that shaft of yours, why don't you come here and-"

"Move, child," Chrysalis commanded.

Roddi's eyes shot open. She saw Chrysalis but looked past her at her master. He stared back, obviously annoyed. Roddi squeaked and scrambled backwards, propelled by his disapproving gaze to the far side of the room. She trembled, and stammered, "Sor...sorry...mas...uh, ma...mother." Roddi kept her submissive posture, rump against the cold wall and head on the floor as Chrysalis turned to Chakora.

Stroking her disfigured daughter, Chrysalis remarked, "Chakora still breathes? I did not expect her to live past the first hour or so." Chrysalis turned her head to face him. "She will live in pain, and likely die in pain. Why would you force that on any creature, especially your own daughter?"

"You asked me not to question your motives, I ask that you don't question mine." Chrysalis turned back to the wretched form of Chakora. He watched Chakora inhale deeply, and sensed a familiar emotion pass the ether in front of him. Chakora smacked her lips and purred softly. Despite his present company, he cracked a gentle, relieved smile.

Chrysalis, not noticing his expression, turned and started out the door. Roddi scooted forward as if to follow, but stopped when he turned his attention from Chakora to her and his loving smile became a snarl of malice.

"You stay right there and I'll deal with you later," he told her. Roddi looked at the floor in shame.

He left, giving one look back to make sure Roddi stayed put, and heard Chrysalis' laughter from the next room. He walked in to find Acheri, Lamia, and Fext rolling about in the hay and pawing at their mother.

"Ooh, aren't you three the cutest ones," Chrysalis cooed at them, pawing back and blowing kisses. She reached out to ruffle their heads when he walked up beside Chrysalis. His three daughters looked past their mother and to their father, where he stood over them.

Everyone paused, and Lamia crawled up to his leg, licking it gently. He smiled and leaned down, and kissed the top of her head. Acheri and Fext followed suit and scooted forward to get their kisses as well. He pulled his hoof away from Lamia, eliciting a whine from her. He smiled and beeped her nose. "Feed, darlings," he said simply. They turned their attention to their mother as he left to the last room, wanting to check on Mara before Chrysalis arrived.

Mara had moved, and was leaning over Kishi with an intent look on her face. Kishi, meanwhile, was still facing the wall. He was unsure if Kishi was still asleep. He walked up to Mara, and quietly, said, "Move back. Chrysalis has even less patience than I do. Try to not look creepy, okay?"

Mara blinked slowly, as if coming out of a trance. "What is 'creepy'?"

"Like you're intent on hurting your sisters," Chrysalis said from behind him.

He winced. "Mara, back up, now." He stared at Mara who didn't move. "Mara, I told you I expect your attention when its important. And right now its really fucking important. Back your ass up. Right. Fucking. Now."

Mara still did not move. She was testing him, and he knew that. But he also knew that if she could not be seen as controllable, then Chrysalis would surely take her. He sighed, and turned, walking out of the room.

Mara grinned in triumph, and Chrysalis furrowed her brow at him, turning to Mara. "Child, come with me. He has apparently changed his mind about you."

Mara turned up the corner of her mouth. "And why should I do anything either of you say? He just walked out and-”

A whoosh sounded as something rushed past Chrysalis. She ducked to the side and hit the wall, falling onto the floor. A scream sounded from Mara. By the time Chrysalis turned her head back from where she had stood just a moment before, Mara was already against the far wall, screaming and pawing helplessly where the iron spear had pierced her shoulder.

Seeming to happen in slow motion, Chrysalis could see a green slime start to leak from Mara's shoulder. The spear she recognized, old but not rusted, and surprisingly sharp after all these years. It was attached to a pole of wood, which had at some point splintered about halfway down the shaft.

Chrysalis turned her head and opened her mouth to call for the guards she had left in the hall. She felt as if each second had turned to an eternity, she barely had time to cry out when the armored changeling who had left only moments before rushed into the room, his shoulder down. Chrysalis, stunned, watched as he rammed his armored shoulder into the splintered wood, shattering it further up the hilt and driving the tip through Mara and into the stone wall behind her.

Mara began to scream anew, but was silenced momentarily when a heavy hoof came across her face. Chrysalis could only stare at the scene unfolding in front of her, second by agonizingly slow second.

Mara was sobbing, and he was screaming. Guards had just come through the entrance and were converging on the source of the noise. Chrysalis stumbled to her feet and threw herself though the opening. The guards, spears ready, were not far away, but they seemed to be frozen in place. Chrysalis shook her head to tell them to stop but there was malice in their eyes.

As the guard rushed past her, Chrysalis used her magic to form a pulsating green wall across the entrance to the room she had just exited just as the guard slammed into it. They turned to face her and as if waking from a dream, the world rushed back to normal speed.

Chrysalis’ eyes rolled skyward as she slumped to the floor.

…

Mara moaned, trying to move. Sharp pains told her that she was still pinned to the wall. She moved her head about, scanning the room. There appeared to be a green haze covering the door. Outside the haze, appeared to be several changeling guards holding spears towards the entrance.

Mara looked around the room. She spied Kishi in the corner, looking away from her. Both her bed and Kishi's bed were empty, and in the center of the room, her father stood with a look of deep concern on his face.

Mara scowled at him. She struggled a bit to show her anger, but he didn't respond right away. Mara spit, and hit him in the face.

He sighed, not bothering to wipe the spit away. "You've done a terrible thing, Mara. I knew how to save your life before but now I'm just not sure how to do it. We’re locked in here together and either you’re coming out on your feet obediently, or I’m dragging your lifeless body to the fires. So what are we going to do?”

Mara snarled at him. “You promised to give me what I want. I want off this wall and then out of here.”

“You can’t get those things, at least not yet.” He wiped away the spit from his face and sighed. “I told you you have to trust me and follow me. You’re not doing it. Chrysalis wants you dead. Those guards aren’t here for me, they’re here for you.”

Mara turned her head to look back out the entrance and studied what she saw more closely. The guards were indeed fixated on her. Their spears were pointed in her direction, and they did not flinch or falter in their focus on her where she stood pinned to the wall. “Why...why would mother want me dead?”

“You’re young, and you don’t know, so I will tell you,” he said. “Chrysalis has recently had...a change of heart, shall we say. She wants a strong Hive and she’s ready to remove those that don’t fit into her plan. I had convinced her to allow me to take a few of my choosing. I chose all of you because I otherwise you would have died for her cause.”

Kishi looked away from the wall where she had been sitting. “Why did you take us if we’re not strong?”

He turned and walked over to Kishi, putting his hooves on her shoulders. “You are strong, Kishi. You’re also different. Chrysalis wants everyone to be the same. She nearly killed me three or four times since I showed up about a year ago. She still wants to, I expect. Because I’m different. But I want to get out and I’m damn well going to take as many of you as possible to avoid a senseless waste of life.”

Kishi smiled at him, then frowned. “Are we safe here from her? Can you really get us out alive?”

He smiled and nuzzled her head. “I certainly can. Its going to be hard, and probably seem unfair at times, but I’m doing this for you. Just don’t tell anyone that, okay? I have a reputation as a brutal, uncaring monster to uphold.”

Kishi smiled. “I can do that, father.” She pushed back from him and looked at Mara. “Why can’t you do that Mara? Do you really want to die?”

Mara looked down, at least as much as he could in her predicament. “No...I don’t want to die...please let me down…”

Kishi looked back at her father. “Please let her down. She’ll be good, okay?”

He shook his head. “That’s not good enough.” He stood up and walked over to the spear that still protruded from Mara’s shoulder. “You really need to understand this, Mara. You face extermination and a gruesome death at the hands of the other races of this world. You need to be smart and quick. You need to think on your feet and adapt to any situation. You haven’t even learned how to change yet. You already face death. Can you do this?” He looked at her sternly.

Mara nodded. “Yes, I can do it. I’m sorry.”

“I don’t believe you,” he said, reaching out to the spear and twisting the handle.

Mara screamed in pain. “NO! I’m sorry! Please! Don’t hurt me any more!”

Kishi ran up to her father, tugging at him. “Stop it! You’re hurting her!”

“I know that, Kishi. She’s lying. I’m not dumb and I’m not leaving this room until I can be sure. Another incident like this and Chrysalis might decide to kill all of us. I’d rather deal with the pain of killing one of you rather than think about being responsible for the deaths of all of you.” He continued to twist and pull at the spear, grinding around Mara’s shoulder and opening her wound. “Show me that you really are sorry, Mara.”

Mara twisted her face around in an expression of agony and rage, and her eyes locked to his. “You hide behind that spear, let me down and let us fight for who is the strongest to lead, we’ll see who is sorry then!”

“No Mara,” he said calmly, “I’m already sorry. I’m sorry that I ever came here. I’m sorry for all those of my own kind I’ve killed. And I’m starting to feel sorry for trying to save you. But most of all, I’m sorry for what I have to do now.” He used his magic to pull the spear out of the wall and Mara, who promptly fell to the floor. He pulled it back, aimed at her head, and flung it forward.

The spear missed his mark, sticking into the stone wall slightly to the right of Mara’s head. He looked back at Kishi who had knocked him off balance at the last moment. “Kishi, please understand that I have to do this to save the lives of the rest of us.”

“No. father, please understand that I love Mara as I love you. Please, let me tend to her. She needs help.” Kishi walked over to Mara and cradled her in her arms. “She needs someone to care for her. Please?”

“We don’t have that kind of time, Kishi. Right now we need to bring this to a conclusion.” He looked back at the barrier and saw that Chrysalis had joined the guard and was also looking in at them. “We need to wrap it up fast.”

“Give me a few hours, please,” begged Kishi. “Let me try to save her. If I can’t do it by then...then…!” Kishi sobbed, thinking of what was to come.

He lowered his head. “Show me the strength that I chose you for, Kishi. I hope you can deal with this pain that you have taken on yourself. I can give you a few hours. Use them wisely.”

He picked up the spear and went to the wall, motioning to Chrysalis to let him out. She lowered the barrier just enough for him to throw the spear out and squeeze through. Chrysalis quickly closed up the hole in the barrier after he exited, and asked, “What happened in there? Why did you leave them in there?”

“Kishi seems to think she can reason with Mara better than I can.” He looked away from Chrysalis but also away from the room he just exited. His other daughters peeked around the corner of their room, concerned. “Give her a few hours. If nothing changes by then, let the guard in. I’m going to see my other daughters.”

He walked away, and Chrysalis called out after him, “And what should the guard do once they enter?” He gave no response, so Chrysalis shook her head and turned back to the barrier to watch what might happen.

He rounded the corner of the room holding Acheri, Lamia, and Fext, but also found Roddi sobbing in the corner. He walked past his daughters, nuzzling each of them briefly. Approaching Roddi, he asked quietly, “What’s wrong?”

Roddi continued to cry, but through her sobs she said with great despair, “I...thought...you were dead! And...and I can’t live without...without you… Please don’t scare me. My heart can’t...can’t take this…”

He sighed and sat down, pulling Roddi in with one arm. With the other, he motioned for his daughters to come in close. “Please Roddi, not around them. They’re scared enough already. I’ve done what I can. Our family is small enough as it is. Just...just come here and let us be together for a little while, okay?”

Fext came up first, nuzzling her father. She laid on the floor between him and Roddi, and Acheri and Lamia curled up on either side of him.

Fext licked at Roddi’s chest gently. “Please don’t cry Roddi.”

Roddi wiped her tears and kissed Fext on the head. She snuggled in close with all of them, still breathing irregularly from her despair. They lay there, silently, and waited for the gruesome sound that they all knew would be coming from the next room…