Chapter Text
Tighnari rarely gave much thought to marriage but he never imagined he would be in an arranged marriage. The engagement still felt surreal to him. He stared at the door and waited for his betrothed to enter. This would be their first meeting. He sat on a large bed where he was surrounded by pillows, drapes and flowers. He wore a silk robe and a crown of flowers. The maids took great care to make him presentable for his future mate.
He held a Nilotpala Lotus from his flower crown and idly twirled its delicate petals around his finger. The petal’s soft shade of yellow didn’t comfort him as it usually would. The knowledge that this could be the last time he held a flower from the rainforest made its petals appear duller. Tighnari dropped his hand and a sigh escaped him. He muttered reassurance to him. “You were the one who suggested an arranged marriage for peace. You cannot run away now.”
For decades, the rainforest and desert had been in conflict. The desert worshipped the Scarlet King while the rainforest followed the Goddess of Flowers. The two deities were once close friends but their sudden disappearance left their respective kingdom in disarray. Both kingdoms blamed the other for the death of their god and the mystery escalated to a war. Tighnari thought the fighting was pointless when they didn’t know what led to the gods’ disappearing.
The desert and rainforest eventually agreed to a peace treaty but decades of distrust couldn’t be erased easily. To ensure that neither could break the peace treaty, they would solidify it with an arranged marriage between their royal families. He offered to go to the desert and marry the General Mahamatra. However, Tighnari thought his role was better described as a political hostage rather than a bride.
His ears twitched when he heard footsteps approach the room and he sat straighter. Tighnari smoothed his hand over his robe and forced any doubt from his mind. He needed to face his fiancé with resolve or else the desert would doubt the rainforest’s commitment to the peace treaty. He hated how needlessly complicated politics was but he couldn’t simply ignore it either.
Tighnari had heard tales of the General Mahamatra’s feats in battle and he assumed he would be older and gruff. However, the man who entered his room was young and handsome. His hair was pale silver and he wore it longer than most. He crossed the room and stopped at the foot of his bed. Standing in front of him, Tighnari could see his sharp, red eyes clearly. The emotions they held were more difficult to read though.
Silence stretched between them as they waited for the other to speak first. The room slowly grew more tense and Tighnari clutched the blanket beneath him. While they were engaged to be married, they were still strangers to each other. Dwelling on the issue wouldn’t change anything and Tighnari decided to address it directly.
“The sages have told me about you, General Mahamatra. You’re an honourable man who wishes to end this war. We share the same goal. I don’t know whether they felt the need to inform you about me because I don’t hold a noble title. I am a mere forest watcher. Nevertheless, I will fulfil my part of our treaty. This may be an arranged marriage but we should try to be friends for the sake of our kingdoms.”
“My name is Cyno. There’s no need to call me General Mahamatra when we’ll be married soon.” The man’s next words took Tighnari by surprise. “The sages told me that you studied botany at the Akademiya. Do you know why pine trees are bad at sewing? They always drop their needles.”
“Pardon me?”
“You see, that was a pun about pine trees and needles used for sewing. Their leaves are called needles which are…” Cyno began to explain his joke to Tighnari but his expression only became more confused. He had hoped the joke would make their first meeting less awkward. He knew how people would become tense around him due to his title and sharp eyes. His joke achieved the opposite though.
Tighnari rubbed his temple and let out an exasperated sigh. “Did you honestly believe this is the appropriate time for a joke? I was earnestly discussing our engagement and future.”
Cyno didn’t know what to expect from his fiancé before he entered the room. When he saw Tighnari on the bed, he thought he looked like a delicate flower. He had a slender body and he assumed he had more experience with books than a weapon. The green robe he wore pooled around him like petals and its colour complimented his tail. That image contrasted the sharp tone Tighnari spoke with now.
“Perhaps, it was naïve of me to expect more from a political marriage. We should proceed with the mating ritual and retire for the night. We will be leaving for the desert early in the morning.” Tighnari placed his fingers on the broach that pinned his robe in place. Nervousness caused his fingers to pause over the cold metal. He had been in a few brief relationships but he never found someone he wanted to mate with.
He gathered his resolve and unclipped the broach. The fabric fell from his shoulders and onto his lap. He sat on the edge of the bed and waited for Cyno to join him. He didn’t take his clothes off though. Cyno cradled his cheek in his hand and his touch was surprisingly gentle. He leaned down and tilted Tighnari’s face up. Tighnari closed his eyes, expecting him to kiss him.
He felt his warm breath against his neck. “Fennec foxes mate for life. Are you certain you want this?”
“This marriage is to unite the rainforest and desert.”
“In the eyes of the law, we are married once our family approves and you start living with me. There’s no need to form a lifelong bond as mates.” Cyno leaned back from him and pulled the blanket over Tighnari’s shoulders in the same motion. “I trust that you won’t break our treaty so we don’t need to do something irreversible. You can find a lover of your choice even after our marriage.”
Tighnari didn’t know what to make of the man and he left him with more questions. Cyno was far from the tales he heard of the General Mahamatra. He introduced himself with an unfunny pun. At the same time, he was considerate of his feelings and didn’t bite him. As confused as Tighnari was, he also felt relieved that he was married to a good man.
“Thank you but I do not plan to find a lover. My research keeps me busy and happy. I hope to continue my work even after I move to the desert.” Tighnari adjusted the blanket around him and sat back against the pillows. “We still need to have the appearance of a content couple. Will you sleep next to me? I’ll have your scent and it’ll deter suitors from bothering me during my research.”
“You’re a practical person, aren’t you?” Cyno mused aloud as he laid down next to Tighnari. The mattress dipped beneath his weight, causing Tighnari to roll towards him slightly. He was close enough for Cyno to feel his body heat against his arm and smell the scent of flowers and incense from his dark hair. He had to admit that Tighnari was beautiful and anyone would be excited to have him for a fiancé. “Goodnight, Tighnari.”
Tighnari’s dark fur made him more sensitive to the heat and the journey through the desert was beyond taxing. He endured the heat as much as he could. He didn’t want to slow down the caravan by taking unnecessary breaks. Sumpter beasts pulled the wagon but the sand kept their pace slow. Throughout most of the trip, he stayed in the shade of the wagon and distracted himself from the heat by reading. He wished he could leave the cart to study the desert’s unique flowers but he couldn’t risk fainting from the heat.
“We’ve arrived.” Once he heard Cyno’s voice from outside, Tighnari gathered his books and stood to leave. The wagon hadn’t stopped completely and he needed to balance himself by placing a hand on the wooden rail. Tighnari wanted to stretch his legs after spending hours sitting with only his thoughts. He preferred studying alone but the heat made the wagon feel stifling.
He parted the canopy curtain and he was left breathless at the palace before him. The large house was built around an oasis and the courtyard was overflowing with life and plants. He almost questioned whether the palace was a mirage. Tighnari couldn’t take his eyes off the oasis as he stepped out of the wagon. His foot missed the ledge and he fell forward. He grabbed the curtain to try to catch himself yet gravity pulled him down.
Cyno stepped in front of him and Tighnari fell against his chest. The momentum of his fall caused Cyno to stumble slightly. He wrapped his arms around his waist and kept them from falling. The curtain Tighnari held was pulled from the wagon and it fell over them. Sunlight filtered through the fabric and covered him in a soft hue. He looked down at Tighnari to ask him if he was hurt and noticed that his face was flushed. “Is the heat making you dizzy?”
“A little.” He admitted. Tighnari knew that it was pointless to lie to Cyno when he already noticed how the heat affected him. They had already reached the palace and he didn’t need to worry about his condition affecting the group. Cyno tousled Tighnari’s dark hair. He only meant to help cool him but he found his fingers lingering on his ears. They were surprisingly soft. “Can you let me go, Cyno?”
His words made Cyno realize how close they were. He let him go and then pulled the curtain from their heads. “My Matra will take our things to our room. I would give you a tour of the palace but I have to give a report to the king first. You aren’t required to join so you can take a rest in our room. There will be a feast to welcome you later tonight and you’ll meet the king then.”
“The heat won’t keep me from helping unload the cart. Anyways, I bought a few plants that need to be handled carefully. I’ll deal with everything here while you give your report to the king. We’ll meet in the courtyard afterwards.” Tighnari told him.
Cyno nodded in agreement yet he didn’t leave immediately. He watched Tighnari walk to the cart and give the Matra instructions about the plants he bought. People rarely spoke casually to him as Tighnari did and Cyno found himself curious about his new husband.
Tighnari sat on the ground and studied the cactus flower that he found in the courtyard. The palace was built around an oasis and the unique environment in the desert meant many different plants could grow there. The large assortment of flowers reminded him of the rainforest and loneliness struck his heart. He didn’t expect he would miss his home so quickly or intensely.
“What is this word again?” A small voice caught his attention and he turned away from the flower. In the far corner of the courtyard, there was a training area where people could practise their weapons or spar. A girl sat within the circle and she held a notebook in her hands. Tighnari watched her frantically flip through the pages and he reasoned that she was having trouble reading.
He glanced around the courtyard and he was confused to find that no one approached the girl to help her. His large ears allowed him to hear the faintest whispers but they must’ve noticed her struggling as well. Tighnari stood and brushed the dirt from his clothes. Before he could enter the training grounds, he was stopped by Shohre.
“You should keep your distance from that girl, Tighnari.” Shohre warned him. Cyno had assigned the Matra to guard him while he spoke with the king. Tighnari didn’t know why she would feel the need to protect him from a little girl. Then, Shohre added: “She has Eleazar.”
His eyes widened and he looked back at the girl. He read of the disease during his time in the Akademiya but he could only imagine how painful it was. Dark scales would form on the person’s skin, causing numbness to the area. Eventually, the person would lose the ability to move. Eleazar was a rare disease that affected both the rainforest and desert. They didn’t know its origin or a cure for it. The girl appeared to be only eight years old and he couldn’t help feeling sympathetic towards her.
Tighnari gently pushed Shohre’s hand away from him and said, “Eleazar isn’t contagious. There’s no reason for me to avoid her.”
He ignored how people stared at him as he entered the courtyard and he focused on helping the child. Tighnari stopped a few feet in front of her and then he knelt down so they were eye levelled. She lifted her gaze from her book when she noticed him and her expression became wary. He smiled kindly to reassure her and introduced himself.
“Hello, my name is Tighnari. Are you having trouble reading? I can read it for you.” He offered and held out his hand to her. She fell silent but he didn’t push her for an answer. Tighnari had treated many people and animals as a forest ranger and he knew that it was best to be patient with the girl. After a few moments, she placed the notebook in his hands.
“I’m Collei. This is my training regiment that will help me become stronger. I want to learn how to save people.” As she told him about her ambition, her voice changed from hesitant to excited. “Originally, I wanted to learn medicine but I don’t know how to read or write yet. For now, I can try to be strong with a spear like he is.”
“We all start knowing very little so you shouldn’t be disheartened, Collei. I’m from the rainforest and I studied in the Amurta Darshan. If you want, I’ll teach you medicine.” Tighnari said and her eyes filled with happiness and awe. “We’ll start with reading and writing. Let me read your notebook and see where we should start. I… Collei, who wrote this for you?”
“The man who helped me and brought me back to the desert.” Collei unconsciously rubbed the back of her neck. “I asked him to teach me but he’s very busy. He wrote this book to help me learn how to fight and practise reading.”
“He seems to enjoy adding pointless comments and jokes to these rather serious passages. No wonder you’re confused with this regiment. Your training is currently focused on using a spear but that might be difficult since you have Eleazar.” Tighnari mused out loud. “It’s good to exercise but you can’t strain yourself. Oh, I have an idea.”
Tighnari’s eyes fell onto a bow and a quiver of arrows. He took down two sets from the wall and handed the smaller one to Collei. “Have you tried archery before? While it takes a lot of arm strength, it should be manageable for you. You mostly need to focus on your form and becoming consistent. I’ll show you.”
“You’ve been staring at him for fifteen minutes now. Is the General Mahamatra too shy to speak with his own husband?” Alhaitham’s question received only a grunt from Cyno. Their personalities clashed with each other but they respected the other’s dedication to their principals. They both wanted to end the war. He continued: “The rainforest sent a forest watcher to fulfil the contract rather than someone of higher ranking. Can we trust this peace treaty or their commitment to it?”
“The rainforest? It’s too naïve to let down our guard with them. Tighnari? I need to investigate further to make a decision about him. For now, I believe he is earnest.” They stood on the balcony overlooking the courtyard where Tighnari was teaching Collei how to use a bow. Cyno didn’t look away from Tighnari as he spoke with Alhaitham. It was easy to see that Tighnari was a skilled fighter and that piqued Cyno’s interest further.
Originally, the desert’s advisors suggested they send Collei to the rainforest with the lie that she was from a royal family. She would’ve been a political hostage but Cyno rejected their plan. He couldn’t give the child to strangers when she was only starting to recover from her trauma. It was eventually decided Cyno would accept the arranged marriage.
“You deduced that from spending a single night with him? I hope your judgement isn’t being clouded because he helped Collei.” Alhaitham nodded towards them. “You can be sentimental and stubborn, General Mahamatra.”
“Can you say that when you’re housing a freeloader because of a crush you refuse to confess to? If you were completely objective, you would have him pay rent at least.” Even though Cyno knew he was trying to provoke him, he couldn’t stop himself from snapping back. He pushed away from the balcony rail and said, “I’ll keep observing him. If the rainforest does plan to break the treaty, I will know. Until I have confirmation, Tighnari is my husband and you cannot do anything to him.”
“I placed tape on the bow so you’ll know where to place your finger each time. It’ll become second nature for you eventually.” Tighari stood next to Collei and carefully adjusted her fingers to the right position on the bow. Her eyebrows drew together in concentration as she aimed her arrow at the scarecrow. “We’ll practise for a few more minutes. Then, I’ll give you some medicine for your Eleazar and move onto reading and writing.”
He heard footsteps approach them and he found it strange when everyone before seemed to avoid Collei due to her disease. Tighnari turned and saw Cyno walking down the steps to them. He reasoned that his meeting with the king had ended. He wanted to continue teaching Collei but it would be best to discuss the meeting with Cyno as soon as possible so they could decide what to do next.
“Collei, I have to go talk with someone but I’ll be back in a few minutes. Continue to practise drawing back the bow string.” He told her.
“Cyno’s back from his trip!” Collei followed Tighnari’s gaze and saw Cyno. She unconsciously let go of the bow string and the arrow flew over the palace wall. She nervously looked to Tighnari, worried that he would he would reprimand her for the mistake.
“I’ll get the arrow. Next time, be more mindful of where you point your arrow or else someone could get hurt.” He said and patted her head. Then, he waved to Cyno who was still a fair distance from them. He called: “Meet me at the gate, Cyno.”
Tighnari wasn't familiar with the layout of the palace since he arrived only a few hours earlier but the arrow couldn’t have fallen far. He also trusted that he could call for Cyno if he needed help. He walked around the gate and searched the ground for the arrow. In the distance, metal reflected the sunlight and caught his attention.
The light was too far to be Collei’s arrow but he decided to see what it could be. Tighnari stopped beneath a withered tree. Woven among the roots peeking through the sand was a silver string. He placed his hand over the tree and used his dendro vision to manipulate the roots. The tree opened enough for him to find a golden box hidden inside. The box was small enough to fit in his palm. Silver chains were wrapped around the box. He traced his finger over the design etches onto the chain, a vine of roses.
“To my desert rose and the king who holds my heart.” Tighnari needed to squint his eyes to read the faded words on the box. To his confusion, the script used was from the rainforest. The box must’ve been created by someone in the rainforest so why was so it so deep in the desert? He couldn’t linger on the question before he heard someone call his name.
“Tighnari, what are you doing?” He looked over his shoulder to where Cyno was standing. He twirled an arrow around his fingers and said: “I found the arrow.”
“Oh, that’s good. Let’s go back inside.” Tighnari said and tucked the box into his pocket. He decided to ask Cyno about the box he found later that night because they needed to prepare for the feast first. Though, there was one question he wanted to ask him immediately. “Cyno, do you know about desert roses? I thought they went extinct.”
“They all wilted and died after the Scarlet King and Goddess of Flowers disappeared years ago.” Cyno told him. In the corner of his eyes, he saw how Tighnari’s brows knitted together. He assumed he was merely disappointed that Tighnari was disappointed he couldn’t see a desert rose because he was a botanist. He almost reached out to him and gently smoothed the furrows away. He stopped himself and, instead, said: “Maybe we’ll find a desert rose one day. There’s a lot of mysterious things in the desert.”