Chapter Text
It had been said a star brought Niv Forrad to the Myriad Tribe. A star, burning like a thousand suns, drifting on the ocean like a shimmer in the night. It was a story the boy enjoyed, even at his tender age. It gave him a sense of purpose, a sense of belonging.
However, life seemed to love reminding him he wasn’t a scorching star. He was actually just a speck in the sky, surrounded by other, brighter heavenly objects. But, sometimes, he felt like he would shine more than the others.
He only wasn’t sure if he could manage it.
***
‘Niv! Ey, lad, get up!’
The boy nearly shrieked in surprise, having been hopping around on one foot as he tried to pull on his heavy shoe. Trying his best not to trip, he gathered his voice, forcing himself to sound loud, confident. ‘I’m already up!’
‘Than hurry up! It’s past sunrise, for the Gods’ sake.’
The voice calling him was his father – well, adoptive father. Bendik Forrad was the man who had found him as a newborn, riding the waves in a small, burning boat. He had saved him from certain doom, and ever since that moment, he had been his father. His pa.
Not that that was fun in mornings, though.
Quickly throwing a comb through his hair and putting a small line of coal above his eyes, Niv rushed out of his small room, down the staircase. There, he found Bendik, sitting at the breakfast table on his own. The man’s wife, Darcy, was currently on a mission given to her by the tribe’s counsel, so it wasn’t unusual for Bendik to spend mornings on his own.
‘Good morning, pa,’ Niv tried to smile, pulling up a chair to join his father. ‘Did… did you sleep well?’
‘Splendid.’
Niv couldn’t help but tense up at the sarcastic tone in Bendik’s voice. As he looked up, he noticed how irritated the man looked, how dark the bags underneath his eyes were. They had been there for a long time, but ever since Darcy had left, they had become way, way worse.
‘I’m sorry to… to hear that, pa,’ Niv answered, grabbing a piece of bread – ignoring the stiffness, as it had been sitting too long – and putting some jams on it. He glanced around; one person was missing from the morning table. ‘By the way, where… where is Amanda? I-I thought she-‘
‘I didn’t call for her, now did I?’ Bendik snarled, sending the boy a glare. ‘Now quiet. You know I can’t stand your rambling in the mornings.’
Niv felt his heart sink, but he nodded. He always nodded. ‘Of course, pa.’
The two continued breakfast, now in utter silence, and Niv didn’t even dare to send his adoptive father another glance. He didn’t want to be chewed out again for something like that.
***
After finishing eating, Bendik send his son out of the house with more than chagrin. He needed a drink, he said, before he would head to the counsel, and Niv wasn’t allowed to mess it up for him. Thus, the boy was forced to wander the paths around the village until his classes for the day would start.
Niv didn’t mind it that much, though. As he walked past houses of neighbors, bakers and other villagers, he took in the soft breeze and the early sunlight. The quietness didn’t bother him much, it was more like a blessing. The Myriad Tribe was more often a buzzing mess of people shouting, chanting, or training.
As he put his hands in his pockets, Niv took in a deep breath, closing his eyes and standing still for a moment. Oh, these were the times. The times he felt like more than a speck in the sky.
‘Gooood morning, my burning star.’
Moments like these always had to be interrupted.
Niv opened his eyes, turning around as a grin appeared on his lips. Closing in on him was a boy with flowing red hair like a flame, a teasing brightness playing in his blue eyes.
‘Morning, Klaus,’ Niv called out, raising his hand to wave at his friend. Klaus returned his gesture, coming to a halt in front of Niv and pulling him in for a quick hug. Niv laughed slightly, trying to push him away. ‘Okay, okay, yeah, good morning.’
The two of them had been friends for years, ever since they had been old enough to understand what that word meant. Klaus knew everything about Niv; Niv knew everything about Klaus. Even the hard stuff.
‘So I assume Bendik send you out again?’ Klaus asked, locking his arm through Niv’s as they continued to walk on the path Niv had been on before. ‘To… drink? Or ‘cuz he needed a smoke?’
‘First one.’
Klaus breathed out loudly. ‘Knew it. And Amanda?’
‘She could stay in bed,’ Niv explained, gesturing with his free hand. ‘Maybe she needed the sleep more than me. Or she’s less trouble in his mind. Mind you, she intentionally set one of Chief Aiden’s personal sheep on fire. And tried to throw a beehive into the Academy while no-one was looking. I think that says a lot.’
Klaus couldn’t help but chuckle, bumping his hip to his friend’s. ‘C’mon, Niv. Don’t be down because of something so stupid. It’ll all be fine when Darcy comes home! She’ll totally believe you when you tell her what Bendik did, no worries.’
‘I suppose,’ Niv shrugged. He glanced towards the rising sun, quickly guessing what time of day it was, before turning to Klaus. ‘Do… do you think we could skip out on school today?’
‘You need a distraction?’
‘Obviously.’
Klaus grinned. His eyes seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. ‘Than what are we waiting for? Olga and Magni would hate to be excluded from such an outrageous activity, dear burning star. They would love to skip out on being assassins for the day.’
‘Assassins in training,’ Niv corrected him – his stomach turned at those words. They seemed to halt in his throat, screaming to be gulped down, to be locked back inside his body.
Assassins.
He tried to forget that he would be one soon every day. That Klaus would be one too.
And despite that, it seemed like an unavoidable fate.