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tamingthemuseTitle: Fire Snake
Fandom: Original
Prompt: Surely the Bitterness of Death is at Hand
Warnings: None
Rating: G
Summary: When the enemy approaches, Jacky and Mata’ka’ala have only each other to rely upon.
Jacky stared out at the approaching army and frowned. Night had fallen and the army had gathered hundreds of torches. The small flames seemed to streak together into one line, from this distance, and they looked like a snake made of fire as the army trailed down the hills toward the city.
He fisted his hands on the sill and looked back at Mata’ka’ala, pacing back and forth like a caged tiger. Only hours before had he returned, and informed him that the army had arrived and that the great king wasn’t going to fight against them. When Kuzi-Teshub arrived at the gates and demanded for the two of them be presented, the great king was going to turn them over. With a sigh, Jacky quit the window and intercepted Mata’ka’ala’s pacing by pressing up against him. He quickly slipped his arms around Mata’ka’ala’s waist.
“What is your plan?”
For a moment, Jacky thought that Mata’ka’ala was going to shove him away and continue his pacing, his body was so tense, thrumming with tension. Then, to Jackie’s surprise, his shoulders lost their stiffness and his arms settled around Jackie’s waist, his wide palm soothing down his back.
“We must flee, again.” He said that last word with such bitterness Jackie knew that it went against everything Mata’ka’ala had been raised and trained to do. Surely Mata’ka’ala must hate Jackie for making him have to run away.
Jackie sighed and rested his brow against one shoulder and went limp in Mata’ka’ala’s arms. From outside the room, people were running about inside the palace, their rapid footfalls were echoing on the stone walls and filling the otherwise silent room with their noises.
“We don’t have much time, do we?”
He felt Mata’ka’ala shake his head, his hands not leaving Jackie’s back. “We must hurry. The people will not help us, but perhaps they will not stall us either.”
Jackie leaned back and gave him an incredulous look. “Do you think that will happen?”
Mata’ka’ala sighed and let his hands drop. He stepped away and paced the room again. “I doubt it. We’ll have to sneak out.”
“Now, then, while they’re focused on the approaching army?”
Mata’ka’ala froze and shot him a look. He nodded once, then gathered their few belongings. He handed Jackie his bag and together they began threading their way through the palace.
When they had arrived, Jackie had spent not a few moments gaping over the artwork and skill that had gone into the making of the palace. Now the sculptures were in abrupt shadows that gave them eerie glares and frowns. He pressed close to Mata’ka’ala’s back and meekly followed him.
They came to a large window and they paused to look out at the glowing line of troops. “Asyria was a powerful empire,” Jackie murmured to himself. “Their armies can defeat this one.”
“Maybe, but they have no reason to fight.”
“Empires always have a reason to fight. Why will they not?”
Mata’ka’ala urged Jackie away from the window and they descended down to the ground floor. Most of the people they passed paid them not a moment’s notice. Every time they passed a person, Jacky felt his heart pound loudly in his ears and he breathed a sigh of relief when they disappeared around a corner.
Once, a pair of guards eyed them warily, but they let them go without comment.
Outside, the night had taken on an air of tension as the guards stood on the walls, their own torches lighting up the courtyard. They paused behind the shadow of the great stairs and Mata’ka’ala searched for a quick exit.
“These fortresses are built to keep people out, not in,” Jackie commented as he pointed toward the only entrance. The gate was being slowly opened as guards and soldiers gathered with their weapons at the ready. Together, Jackie and Mata’ka’ala pressed deeper into the shadows. Mata’ka’ala wrapped one arm around Jackie’s waist and held him firmly.
As they watched, Kuzi-Teshub himself entered through the gate with his honor guard. Jackie’s breath hissed out from between his teeth. They were trapped here, and the Assyrians weren’t going to be of any help to them. Surely the bitterness of death was now at hand the moment Kuzi-Teshub saw them. Jackie bit his lip and pressed closer to Mata’ka’ala.
“How are we going to escape?”
“Over the wall,” Mata’ka’ala murmured back to him. Jackie looked to their left where the great wall towered over them.
“It’s too far away and much too tall.”
Mata’ka’ala didn’t say a word for a moment, long enough for Jackie to turn back to him. Their eyes met and Jackie was once again struck by how bright a blue his eyes were.
He wore an expression very similar to the one Jackie had given him before, in their borrowed room. “You’re a living god, Telepinu. The wall is nothing.”
Fandom: Original
Prompt: Surely the Bitterness of Death is at Hand
Warnings: None
Rating: G
Summary: When the enemy approaches, Jacky and Mata’ka’ala have only each other to rely upon.
Jacky stared out at the approaching army and frowned. Night had fallen and the army had gathered hundreds of torches. The small flames seemed to streak together into one line, from this distance, and they looked like a snake made of fire as the army trailed down the hills toward the city.
He fisted his hands on the sill and looked back at Mata’ka’ala, pacing back and forth like a caged tiger. Only hours before had he returned, and informed him that the army had arrived and that the great king wasn’t going to fight against them. When Kuzi-Teshub arrived at the gates and demanded for the two of them be presented, the great king was going to turn them over. With a sigh, Jacky quit the window and intercepted Mata’ka’ala’s pacing by pressing up against him. He quickly slipped his arms around Mata’ka’ala’s waist.
“What is your plan?”
For a moment, Jacky thought that Mata’ka’ala was going to shove him away and continue his pacing, his body was so tense, thrumming with tension. Then, to Jackie’s surprise, his shoulders lost their stiffness and his arms settled around Jackie’s waist, his wide palm soothing down his back.
“We must flee, again.” He said that last word with such bitterness Jackie knew that it went against everything Mata’ka’ala had been raised and trained to do. Surely Mata’ka’ala must hate Jackie for making him have to run away.
Jackie sighed and rested his brow against one shoulder and went limp in Mata’ka’ala’s arms. From outside the room, people were running about inside the palace, their rapid footfalls were echoing on the stone walls and filling the otherwise silent room with their noises.
“We don’t have much time, do we?”
He felt Mata’ka’ala shake his head, his hands not leaving Jackie’s back. “We must hurry. The people will not help us, but perhaps they will not stall us either.”
Jackie leaned back and gave him an incredulous look. “Do you think that will happen?”
Mata’ka’ala sighed and let his hands drop. He stepped away and paced the room again. “I doubt it. We’ll have to sneak out.”
“Now, then, while they’re focused on the approaching army?”
Mata’ka’ala froze and shot him a look. He nodded once, then gathered their few belongings. He handed Jackie his bag and together they began threading their way through the palace.
When they had arrived, Jackie had spent not a few moments gaping over the artwork and skill that had gone into the making of the palace. Now the sculptures were in abrupt shadows that gave them eerie glares and frowns. He pressed close to Mata’ka’ala’s back and meekly followed him.
They came to a large window and they paused to look out at the glowing line of troops. “Asyria was a powerful empire,” Jackie murmured to himself. “Their armies can defeat this one.”
“Maybe, but they have no reason to fight.”
“Empires always have a reason to fight. Why will they not?”
Mata’ka’ala urged Jackie away from the window and they descended down to the ground floor. Most of the people they passed paid them not a moment’s notice. Every time they passed a person, Jacky felt his heart pound loudly in his ears and he breathed a sigh of relief when they disappeared around a corner.
Once, a pair of guards eyed them warily, but they let them go without comment.
Outside, the night had taken on an air of tension as the guards stood on the walls, their own torches lighting up the courtyard. They paused behind the shadow of the great stairs and Mata’ka’ala searched for a quick exit.
“These fortresses are built to keep people out, not in,” Jackie commented as he pointed toward the only entrance. The gate was being slowly opened as guards and soldiers gathered with their weapons at the ready. Together, Jackie and Mata’ka’ala pressed deeper into the shadows. Mata’ka’ala wrapped one arm around Jackie’s waist and held him firmly.
As they watched, Kuzi-Teshub himself entered through the gate with his honor guard. Jackie’s breath hissed out from between his teeth. They were trapped here, and the Assyrians weren’t going to be of any help to them. Surely the bitterness of death was now at hand the moment Kuzi-Teshub saw them. Jackie bit his lip and pressed closer to Mata’ka’ala.
“How are we going to escape?”
“Over the wall,” Mata’ka’ala murmured back to him. Jackie looked to their left where the great wall towered over them.
“It’s too far away and much too tall.”
Mata’ka’ala didn’t say a word for a moment, long enough for Jackie to turn back to him. Their eyes met and Jackie was once again struck by how bright a blue his eyes were.
He wore an expression very similar to the one Jackie had given him before, in their borrowed room. “You’re a living god, Telepinu. The wall is nothing.”
