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Rebel Rebel: Part Eight
Title: Rebel Rebel
Author: Sildil
Rating: Adult
Warnings: Angst
Summary: Dante hunts for Cai
Disclaimer: Caeru, Abrimel, Pell, Ashmael and any other har making cameo appearances belong to Storm Constantine as do all her wonderful Wraeththu, Dante, Cai, Apollo and other bit part actors belong to me
(Cross posted to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
raythoo as always)
THEY MEET AGAIN AT LAST!!!...
Part Eight
Abrimel scampered into the rose garden calling for his hostling. "C'roo, C'roo, there was a strange har here, he looked after me when I fell and hurt my knee," he said, pausing to examine the graze with interest.
Caeru was sitting by the water fountain in the centre, reading an old novel. He leapt up and dropped the book in alarm, his eyes already searching for the intruder "Abrimel, come here, quickly," he called softly, holding out his arms for his son. As soon as the child was close, Caeru pulled him into a fierce hug holding him tight for a moment, then took him by his shoulders and held him at arm's length, gazing into his eyes. "What did he look like? Did he say who he was?"
Abrimel squirmed, wanting to go and play. "C'roo, he was just a har. He said he knew you a loooong time ago....'cept he didn't say it here..." Abrimel pointed to his mouth. "...he said it here," he explained, pointing to his head.
"Abrimel, I told you that you need to be careful...you shouldn't talk to strange har..."
"...But he wasn't strange C'roo, he was nice...he made my knee better, look," he said, bending down and looking at the graze again.
Caeru bent down and dutifully examined his son's knee, all the while scanning the gardens for any sign of the stranger. He was always so afraid, for himself and his harling. He never felt secure in spite of all the guards and the carefully placed wards, any disgruntled har could get to the Tigron by attacking the Tigrina and their son, and Caeru was afraid that Pell did not care for them enough to be overly concerned.
For the thousandth time Caeru wished he had never come to Immanion.
Abrimel tugged at his distracted hostling's skirts. "Can we play now? You said we were going to see the peacocks...can we go now, please?" he begged, grazed knee and strange har forgotten. Caeru smiled and nodded. His son could always cheer him, always make him feel loved, wanted and needed. "Of course, I promised didn't I? And I will never break a promise to you." Caeru took Abrimel's hand and led him over to the lawns on the far side of the gardens, still cautious but accepting that the unknown har must have had no bad intentions to his son since the harling was obviously unscathed and cheerful.
Dante watched them both from a new hiding place as they made their way to visit the brightly coloured birds. Cai was beautiful. Even more beautiful than he had been when Dan had seen him last all those years ago, playing and singing on the stage with his band. That was before Pellaz, before Caeru being elevated to his lofty position as Tigrina of Immanion.
Cai was dressed in long dark blue velvet skirts, lined with flashes of bright green silk. His chest was bare but dusted with silver powder and he wore bright necklaces and charms about his slim neck. His fine white-gold hair had been teased into a cloud that surrounded his head, like silver candy-floss, silver and pearl earrings adorned his ears and his hands and arms wore similar expensive jewellery. He was a lot different to the young boy who had run away from home with his lover and friend.
Dante's eyes filled with sudden painful tears for all that had been lost and that had never had a chance to happen. Seeing Cai had been a terrible mistake, he was too close, too near, it would be so easy to reach out and call...Cai...? Dan barely realised he had voiced his thought so clearly until he saw Cai look up in alarm and turn his head, looking for the har that spoke into his mind.
Caeru beckoned Abrimel to him in a panic. "Abrimel, come here...NOW!" and the harling ran to him, scared by the tone of his hostling's voice. "What is it? Is it the strange har C'roo? 'Cause there's no need to be frighted, he's over there," said the child, pointing straight at Dante's hiding place.
Dante froze. The harling was pointing at him and Cai was frowning, then picking up his skirts and storming over to where he hid. "Whoever you are, come out now, this instant. I have had enough of your snooping. I don't know who you are, how you got in here and I don't care. You will leave now or I will call the guards!" Cai yelled, every inch the Tigrina.
Abrimel patted his hostling's arm. "C'roo, s'OK, he's just sad...he isn't gonna hurt you." The child stepped forward as Caeru attempted to catch him, and held out his hand. "Come on t'haar, come and meet my hostling...you made my knee better now, look," he said bending down and pointing to the graze.
Dante moved as if he were dreaming, the harling's voice a siren call. He stepped out from his hiding place and stood before them, staring into Cai's eyes. Cai...it's me...Dante... Dante smiled anxiously. It seemed such an inadequate greeting after so many years.
Cai shook his head and swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. He shivered, wrapping his arms about his chest and tried to speak, but no sound came. Abrimel looked up at his hostling and frowned. "C'roo? What's wrong? I told you, he's a nice har." Cai glanced down at his son and nodded, tears forming in his eyes and he choked on a sob. "Yes...yes he is," he whispered. "Look, Abrimel...this...this is D...Dante, and he's right...we did know each other a long, long time ago, and we need...we need to talk. You go and play for a while, and I will come and find you."
"And see the peacocks?"
Caeru laughed through his tears and nodded. "Yes, and see the peacocks."
Dante and Cai watched as the harling skipped off towards the aviary, then turned to look at each other. What did Caeru see? He saw a tall, dark-haired har, lean, strong and dressed in dark leather and linen with the most beautiful, liquid eyes lined in kohl. His long hair was tied back with a leather thong and his ears were pierced with gold rings. Yet underneath the slim, elegant figure before him was still the hint of the young human that Cai had fallen in love with.
"Wh...where...? What...what happened? I thought...Dan...I thought..." Cai swallowed and wobbled unsteadily, putting a hand to his head with a frown. "I thought I'd l...lost you. Jeremiah...he said..."
Dante scowled for a moment looking down at the ground. Yeah...I know what he said. He lied Cai, he lied. But he paid in the end. I'm only sorry it wasn't at my hand.Dan looked back up at Cai in time to see him stagger and fall and he dashed forward, catching him in his arms.
Cai! Cai, it's alright, I've got you...I've got you safe... Dante scooped Cai up and carried him to a low secluded bench within one of the small garden pavilions, laying him down carefully. He crouched by Cai's side rubbing his hands and when he tried to sit up Dan shook his head. No, lie still for a moment, you've had a shock...I'm sorry...I should never have come.
Cai stared at Dante as if he were still in a dream and reached out to touch his friend's lips. "Why...why don't you speak? I...I can hear you, but you don't speak."
Dan smiled and pointed to his throat. It doesn't work...my voice never worked after I was incepted. I learnt to use my mind really quickly...it was that or write notes for the rest of my life.
Cai smiled tearfully. "Fuck. Do you have any idea how much I have missed you? How much I have longed to see you...alive...before me? Tell me...am I dreaming? Are you real?" he whispered.
Dan hesitated for a moment, wondering if he dare be intimate with the Tigrina of Immanion. No, probably not...but this is my Cai, he thought, then leant forward and brushed his lips against Cai's mouth. Yeah...I'm real, kiss me and you'll see.
Cai sobbed and wrapped his arms about Dan's neck, deepening their kiss into their first sharing of breath, just as it should have been so many years before.
To be continued...
Author: Sildil
Rating: Adult
Warnings: Angst
Summary: Dante hunts for Cai
Disclaimer: Caeru, Abrimel, Pell, Ashmael and any other har making cameo appearances belong to Storm Constantine as do all her wonderful Wraeththu, Dante, Cai, Apollo and other bit part actors belong to me
(Cross posted to
raythoo as always)THEY MEET AGAIN AT LAST!!!...
Part Eight
Abrimel scampered into the rose garden calling for his hostling. "C'roo, C'roo, there was a strange har here, he looked after me when I fell and hurt my knee," he said, pausing to examine the graze with interest.
Caeru was sitting by the water fountain in the centre, reading an old novel. He leapt up and dropped the book in alarm, his eyes already searching for the intruder "Abrimel, come here, quickly," he called softly, holding out his arms for his son. As soon as the child was close, Caeru pulled him into a fierce hug holding him tight for a moment, then took him by his shoulders and held him at arm's length, gazing into his eyes. "What did he look like? Did he say who he was?"
Abrimel squirmed, wanting to go and play. "C'roo, he was just a har. He said he knew you a loooong time ago....'cept he didn't say it here..." Abrimel pointed to his mouth. "...he said it here," he explained, pointing to his head.
"Abrimel, I told you that you need to be careful...you shouldn't talk to strange har..."
"...But he wasn't strange C'roo, he was nice...he made my knee better, look," he said, bending down and looking at the graze again.
Caeru bent down and dutifully examined his son's knee, all the while scanning the gardens for any sign of the stranger. He was always so afraid, for himself and his harling. He never felt secure in spite of all the guards and the carefully placed wards, any disgruntled har could get to the Tigron by attacking the Tigrina and their son, and Caeru was afraid that Pell did not care for them enough to be overly concerned.
For the thousandth time Caeru wished he had never come to Immanion.
Abrimel tugged at his distracted hostling's skirts. "Can we play now? You said we were going to see the peacocks...can we go now, please?" he begged, grazed knee and strange har forgotten. Caeru smiled and nodded. His son could always cheer him, always make him feel loved, wanted and needed. "Of course, I promised didn't I? And I will never break a promise to you." Caeru took Abrimel's hand and led him over to the lawns on the far side of the gardens, still cautious but accepting that the unknown har must have had no bad intentions to his son since the harling was obviously unscathed and cheerful.
Dante watched them both from a new hiding place as they made their way to visit the brightly coloured birds. Cai was beautiful. Even more beautiful than he had been when Dan had seen him last all those years ago, playing and singing on the stage with his band. That was before Pellaz, before Caeru being elevated to his lofty position as Tigrina of Immanion.
Cai was dressed in long dark blue velvet skirts, lined with flashes of bright green silk. His chest was bare but dusted with silver powder and he wore bright necklaces and charms about his slim neck. His fine white-gold hair had been teased into a cloud that surrounded his head, like silver candy-floss, silver and pearl earrings adorned his ears and his hands and arms wore similar expensive jewellery. He was a lot different to the young boy who had run away from home with his lover and friend.
Dante's eyes filled with sudden painful tears for all that had been lost and that had never had a chance to happen. Seeing Cai had been a terrible mistake, he was too close, too near, it would be so easy to reach out and call...Cai...? Dan barely realised he had voiced his thought so clearly until he saw Cai look up in alarm and turn his head, looking for the har that spoke into his mind.
Caeru beckoned Abrimel to him in a panic. "Abrimel, come here...NOW!" and the harling ran to him, scared by the tone of his hostling's voice. "What is it? Is it the strange har C'roo? 'Cause there's no need to be frighted, he's over there," said the child, pointing straight at Dante's hiding place.
Dante froze. The harling was pointing at him and Cai was frowning, then picking up his skirts and storming over to where he hid. "Whoever you are, come out now, this instant. I have had enough of your snooping. I don't know who you are, how you got in here and I don't care. You will leave now or I will call the guards!" Cai yelled, every inch the Tigrina.
Abrimel patted his hostling's arm. "C'roo, s'OK, he's just sad...he isn't gonna hurt you." The child stepped forward as Caeru attempted to catch him, and held out his hand. "Come on t'haar, come and meet my hostling...you made my knee better now, look," he said bending down and pointing to the graze.
Dante moved as if he were dreaming, the harling's voice a siren call. He stepped out from his hiding place and stood before them, staring into Cai's eyes. Cai...it's me...Dante... Dante smiled anxiously. It seemed such an inadequate greeting after so many years.
Cai shook his head and swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. He shivered, wrapping his arms about his chest and tried to speak, but no sound came. Abrimel looked up at his hostling and frowned. "C'roo? What's wrong? I told you, he's a nice har." Cai glanced down at his son and nodded, tears forming in his eyes and he choked on a sob. "Yes...yes he is," he whispered. "Look, Abrimel...this...this is D...Dante, and he's right...we did know each other a long, long time ago, and we need...we need to talk. You go and play for a while, and I will come and find you."
"And see the peacocks?"
Caeru laughed through his tears and nodded. "Yes, and see the peacocks."
Dante and Cai watched as the harling skipped off towards the aviary, then turned to look at each other. What did Caeru see? He saw a tall, dark-haired har, lean, strong and dressed in dark leather and linen with the most beautiful, liquid eyes lined in kohl. His long hair was tied back with a leather thong and his ears were pierced with gold rings. Yet underneath the slim, elegant figure before him was still the hint of the young human that Cai had fallen in love with.
"Wh...where...? What...what happened? I thought...Dan...I thought..." Cai swallowed and wobbled unsteadily, putting a hand to his head with a frown. "I thought I'd l...lost you. Jeremiah...he said..."
Dante scowled for a moment looking down at the ground. Yeah...I know what he said. He lied Cai, he lied. But he paid in the end. I'm only sorry it wasn't at my hand.Dan looked back up at Cai in time to see him stagger and fall and he dashed forward, catching him in his arms.
Cai! Cai, it's alright, I've got you...I've got you safe... Dante scooped Cai up and carried him to a low secluded bench within one of the small garden pavilions, laying him down carefully. He crouched by Cai's side rubbing his hands and when he tried to sit up Dan shook his head. No, lie still for a moment, you've had a shock...I'm sorry...I should never have come.
Cai stared at Dante as if he were still in a dream and reached out to touch his friend's lips. "Why...why don't you speak? I...I can hear you, but you don't speak."
Dan smiled and pointed to his throat. It doesn't work...my voice never worked after I was incepted. I learnt to use my mind really quickly...it was that or write notes for the rest of my life.
Cai smiled tearfully. "Fuck. Do you have any idea how much I have missed you? How much I have longed to see you...alive...before me? Tell me...am I dreaming? Are you real?" he whispered.
Dan hesitated for a moment, wondering if he dare be intimate with the Tigrina of Immanion. No, probably not...but this is my Cai, he thought, then leant forward and brushed his lips against Cai's mouth. Yeah...I'm real, kiss me and you'll see.
Cai sobbed and wrapped his arms about Dan's neck, deepening their kiss into their first sharing of breath, just as it should have been so many years before.
To be continued...