Gods of Malcea ✔️

F O R T Y - T H R E E

"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."

-Xamdú

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Analia paced around the room before sitting in the chair across from Rakkaus. He drummed his fingers on the table and wrapped his blond hair around his index finger while reading over papers. He was beautiful, she thought. But that was how all monsters looked, at first.

"Rakkaus."

"What do you want, Analia?"

"Stop this. Do not listen to Karos. He knows no better. Blinded by love is all it is."

Rakkaus looked up at her.

"Is that not the same for you? Instead of love, it is jealousy and hate, however."

She slammed her fist against the table causing the ink to spill across some of the less important papers.

"You do not have to listen to your king any longer. He is no king of anything now but dirt and rubble."

"He is still my king," Rakkaus hissed. "And even if he was not, there are dragons here I must protect." She watched as he shook off some of the ink disgruntled.

"Why should we sacrifice our own for yours? What sense does that make?" Analia tried to find his eyes but he would not look at her. "You and your people are taking advantage of the love Karos holds for Ake!"

"And what of it?" Rakkaus yelled.

Her lips twitched.

"You dragons are all the same," Analia growled. "He is my friend and his life is not some sacrificial piece you can do what you so please with."

"The king had wanted him dead long before I came down here."

"He saved your people!" Analia rose from the chair and knocked the papers out from his hands. "I am tired of playing this dumb game of yours. I will not cater to you and your people—"

"Because Ake is a dragon and you detest him. If you are going to make a mess of this now, please be honest with yourself." Analia balled her hands into fists. "He does not trust you, so he will not listen to a word that you say now," Rakkaus smiled then. "My people come first."

"My people will not be sacrificed for yours!"

"It seems that is already the case. Once the other dragons arrive here, I am sure the king will not be too happy with all these humans huddled here." Analia bit down on her lip until it bled. "He will put you and your people out for the gwasas to rip apart and feed on."

"You call us all monsters, but you are the truer ones." Her eyes were burning with angry tears. Why had she let her emotions cloud her judgment that day? His trust meant everything to her and now everything would be left in pieces because of it.

"You humans brought this onto yourselves. Hunting us like beasts. We will never trust you again."

"Yet one of your own caused your downfall. How funny is that? Now, when we are trying to make amends, you still do not hold out your hand to us. You ball it up and clench it tight." Rakkaus looked at her with narrowed eyes. "But when the griffins come and begin to pick you off like bugs, who will you have to help you?"

Analia wiped her bottom lip just as blood was about to drip down from her chin. "Karos turned his back on creatures that would have done us any harm if it were not for him saving your kind."

Rakkaus pursed his lips not bothering to say a word.

"You are not a cruel person, Rakkaus. Your love of Ake is doing what I had almost done out of brief anger." She watched as his eyes lowered to the ground. "Ake loves him, Rakkaus and nothing in this world or the next will change that."