For You, The World

Chapter The Fourth

Bihar, India, 525 BCE

"How goes the book keeping, M'lady?" Druig asked.

Kaia didn't even look down from the papyrus she was scrawling across, "It's not just bookkeeping."

The Eternals had spread out, working in teams around the Kingdom of Kirata, dealing with the Deviants that had begun to terrorize the enhabitants of the small mountain villages around the Himilayas. As soon as she had gotten the chance to go off, convincing Ajak she wouldn't be much help in the rebuilding, Kaia had traveled south, into Bihar. Druig, of course, had gone with her.

Her interest in the new philosophy forming had led them there, and she was easily able to find the man behind this new Buddhism. She worked with him, writing down his teachings, and making sure to keep copies for herself.

Now, she sat in the cramped one bedroom apartment she and Druig had found themselves living in, copying down the latest ideas into her own book.

"Looks like book keeping." Druig chuckled, setting a cup of tea down next to her work.

"Thank you. Bookkeeping would be if I was actually doing work for him, right now is a personal thing."

"Mmhmm." He leaned over, peering at her small, cramped handwriting, "And what are the teachings of the day?"

"It's about the law of karma," She looked up from her work properly, setting her pen down, "You know if you actually came to listen to him speak, you wouldn't just have to hear it from me."

"And if I like hearing it from you?" He challenged.

"Suit yourself, I suppose." Kaia turned back to her work, smiling when she felt Druig's arms come to rest around her shoulders, his chin sitting on the top of her head.

She could practically feel him reading over the lines she'd written, but still she continued on with her writing, pausing every once and a while to take a sip of tea.

"May all beings have happy minds," Druig read aloud, "Well that ones rather good."

"I know," She hummed, "Reminds me of you. The way you try to stop their fighting."

"Everyone deserves a chance at being happy." He said softly.

"I know."

A Village Near The Huang He River 513 BCE

This was not how Kaia envisioned her trip to the Imperial court to meet Kongzi going; not here, battling a Deviant on the side of the river.

Well, the trip had started off well.

With her work with the Buddha finished, and Druig wanting to see what good he could do in the crowded cities of China, they had decided they could take just one more detour before meeting up with the others. Kongzi had been more than willing to share the principles of his Confucianism with her, and Druig had been almost excited with being able to help the people of the city.

They had stayed there, in Shandong, for a few years, in a small, but cozy little house in the city, continuing on in a sort of peace they didn't often find while with the others on The Domo.

It wasn't until Ajak called them back that things went wrong. They'd started the trek back to where they had left the others and The Domo, Kaia toting a bag full of writings, and Druig knowing he'd been able to help people without Ajak or Ikaris calling him for interference.

That was how they ended up in a Village near the Yellow river, just planning to stay for the night, until chaos had erupted in the early morning.

A deviant had emerged from the river, eagerly attacking the humans that were up and about.