Partner

I played a game most of the morning, thus this took, technically, eight hours to write. Half was done this morning, the other half done in the past hour.

It's not that everyone in journalism is somehow bad. It's not that everyone who interacts with the sidhe are bad.

But I must point out, this is how it happens with Ayato as well. Nothing but bad, then when it gets the worse, someone good swoops in and is added to Ayato's team. It's like the gods' way of figuring out who is going to be useful.

Unfortuantely my past few days of being tired have led to me being sick... again. Luckily I'm not catching everything that's been going through the house (everyone else has been nearly constantly sick for the past month) but even catching half of the colds is bad.

So I'd like to get the next couple of parts, two from Partners and at least one from Sequel, up tonight, but I can't promise anything. I might end up getting part way through a chapter and abandoning it for a blanket, a bucket and the game from this morning.

Also. I am in dire need of Mik's full name. He has the same last name as his mother, I believe, whose name was announced by... Ell? in a news broadcast. Cookie for whoever finds it. Two cookies if you find it and post it on the forum over at ayatostales.net.

Read, Review and Enjoy.





Paw walked into the room behind the green door as if he knew where he was going. Mik puzzled over the door until he stepped inside and recognised his mother’s handy work. She was tending a wilting plant, Jay right by her side, one hand possessively on her shoulder. Mik blinked at it all and looked at Paw.

“Strange, that Paw would come to my room,” his mother murmured, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear before she looked over at Paw, “This is a place for waiting, and Paw never need worry about waiting for people to fetch for him.”

“Mik’s mother called,” Paw responded quietly. Just as Mik said, “we’re waiting for the interview and audience to set up downstairs.”

“Ah,” she stood and brushed her hands on her pants, “That I did, I suppose. I wanted to see Whisper, I believe, as… I have never seen a Sidhe eat what I saw one eat today.”

Paw made a face and walked towards the holly tree, the Sidhe’s fingers grazed the trunk before Paw plucked one of the bright red berries and popped it in his mouth.

“What did this one eat?”

Mik’s mother moved amongst her plants, pointing out various ones and describing what and how much the Sidhe ate. Paw’s look became increasingly dark as he walked along side the woman. A few plants, Paw nibbled on, as if testing the flavours and strength of the vegetation.

Mik knew a few of the plants. This one and that one Paw ate regularly, mainly for pleasure. Another was one of Essuan’s herbs, something the other Sidhe avoided and disliked eating, even when Essuan made them. One was something that Mik had never seen a Sidhe eat.

At the end of it all, Mik’s mother stood and waited while Paw contemplated the various plants. Silence clouded the room.

“Which Sidhe was this?” Paw asked.

“One of them, Paw should know better than to ask which one.”

“Scent would be obvious…” Paw murmured, turning to a nearby plant, “this one eats those which Harella-shay gave to Sidhe for power. But no Sidhe has had need of such plants in a long time. To eat them is to tempt fate, they can either largen one or destroy one.”

Mm, the only Sidhe whose names Mik’s mother would not offer up willingly, because they were not allowed to mention the Sidhe’s name around the tribe.

“Fascinating as that is,” Mik said, “we can’t be certain what the plants will do and there’s no sense of worrying about it now.”

Paw glanced over his shoulder at Mik, puzzled, “why not worry about it now?”

“The interview?”

“Paw can worry about something and do an interview. All it takes is saying yes and no and ignoring stupid.”

Mari cleared her throat as she stepped into the room. Mik and Paw immediately turned their attention towards the woman.

“They’re ready for you.”

Mik grimaced and motioned to Paw. The two males followed Mari out of the green room and to the elevator. Down the elevator to a large auditorium like room. Audience stands were set up along one wall, three cameras stood between the audience and the sound stage. Bright lights over head.

Mik and Paw were escorted to the love seat and instructed to sit down. There was a small coffee table between them and the cameras, atop the coffee table were several mugs that were empty. Beside the love seat was a small side table and beside that was an over stuffed chair.

The audience watched Mik and Paw sit and were completely silent. It wasn’t until Delwar stepped out of her dressing room, a small space curtained off from the rest of the thrown together studio, that the audience erupted in clapping.

Paw reached over and set his hand on Mik’s. The Sidhe looked nervous.

“It’s okay,” Mik whispered to Paw, “there’s no threat here.”

“Idolization leads to stupid, like those who are religious,” Paw whispered back, “the gods frown on idols, takes away from gods.”

Delwar was getting on in years, but through make up, plastic surgery and good lighting, she hardly looked past middle age. Her hair was poofed around her head, to make her seem larger than she actually was. Almond shaped eyes the colour of amber were the only marker for her nationality. Mietuen, a small continent on the opposite side of the world with little to no government, one of the few places that was still rated as a third world country. Delwar had risen from poverty in that land, as a servant to a high lord. She had earned her freedom and moved to Norash where she very quickly became popular amongst the common people for her insight into common problems.

The woman moved to her seat and sat in it as if it were a throne. She knew she had sway and power over the people and assumed that she had the same power over Mik and Paw. Mik’s ability to read people completely negated the woman’s capability. Paw was about as impressed with her as he had been with the first drone he had seen.

“Hello,” she greeted them, “we will begin in just a moment.”

Someone rushed up with a black coloured cup and set it before Delwar, hand facing her, a liquid inside the cup. She got something to drink but they didn’t? Mik’s pride bristled. He was the ambassador to the Sidhe and she couldn’t even be bothered to see to basic needs.

Or… was he supposed to see to their own needs and had just… missed the memo?

“Live in thirty seconds, audience please rise.”

They clapped their hands as the cameras panned over them. Mik and Paw shared a look. Paw’s was a ‘told you so’ Mik’s was the look of someone who didn’t like being forced to do something. It was like in school when the teacher made him share about his weekend.

Well… he hadn’t had enough to eat, he had stared at the wall, read a book and then got beat by his babysitter…

Mik grimaced and felt Paw’s hand rise just slightly and set back atop his hand. A pat.

“Welcome, welcome to my show and thank you for tuning in!” Delwar addressed a camera, smiling nicely, politely.

Something about the woman prickled at Mik. She smiled innocently at Mik and Paw as she continued.

“Today we have two very special guests, Mik, the ambassador to the Sidhe and Paw, his lover.”

Mik swallowed back the growl as Paw blinked at the woman. Technically that was incorrect. Paw and Mik were considered paired, not lovers. Though, Mik hardly knew the difference between pairs and lovers.

“Well, Mik, what is it like being ambassador to the Sidhe? The pictures that have been published seemed to suggest that it is all work and no play.”

“The Sidhe are not new to the land, but their interaction with our modern government is, there are many loops and laws that have to be worked out. The foundation has to be laid for the future of the Sidhe.”

“Some have asked why allow the Sidhe to live at all, why not just let them go extinct? Obviously it is nature’s way. Why keep them alive at all?”

Mik thought on that, he struggled to find an answer, “if we were in the reverse position-”

“You are,” Paw muttered almost inaudibly.

“Then we would fight for our lives. Everyone wants to survive and the Sidhe’s survival instinct is alive and well. They have not laid down, they have not given up, they want to live and we have the technology to save them.” Mik said, knowing that Paw would throw a fit later, “Though, they themselves have given another reason…”

“That is…”

“Are you religious Delwar?”

“My land has a god, yes.”

“But are you aware of our gods?”

Delwar’s lip curled just slightly, “I am.”

Mik nodded slowly, “The Sidhe have pointed out that they are Illuva’s people…” but Paw had said that the people had to be kept alive to keep the gods away from the Sidhe. Mik tried to reverse the idea, “Illuva is one of the few who can destroy our lives with a glance. Something that she would not hesitate to do if we did not aid the Sidhe.”

“Are you religious?”

“I have beliefs.”

“And what do you believe in?”

“Whisper.”

“Whisper? No one has seen the being, you could believe in it, but not your own gods?”

“I…” Mik looked at Paw, then back to Delwar, “I have seen Whisper, I’ve seen what he can do and I believe in his abilities. He claims to be a servant to the throne of the gods, any actions he takes would be in the interest of the gods and thus the people.”

“Amazing, however, we will have to take up the conversation after the break,” Delwar turned to the camera, “I invite you all to return after the break for the continuing of our discussion.”

She smiled until the camera man made a hand motion. Then she turned to Mik and the smile disappeared.

“I apologise, I have to ask everyone about their religion. So much of your culture is based off of which gods one does or does not pray to, that most viewers won’t watch a show where those in it do not declare publicly their beliefs. I meant no ill.”

“None taken,” Mik responded, “I would only be insulted if you started a piling furniture to burn me at the stake…”

Paw snorted, “Mik, only witches burned at stake.”

Delwar sipped her drink for a moment and then said, “Next we will be discussing the war that was declared on the Valeasans.”

“I don’t want to talk about them,” Paw grimaced.

“Well you don’t have to,” Delwar murmured as the camera man counted down to going live, “you haven’t the intelligence to do more than repeat the sentences Mik has taught you. Like a parrot. Keep silent and don’t make me look the fool for inviting an imbecile onto my show.”

Mik’s blood ran cold at the look on Paw’s face. There was nothing there. No emotion, no Paw. No Auhi.

Not even Whisper.

Just nothing.



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