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English
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Yuletide Madness 2023
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Published:
2023-12-24
Words:
524
Chapters:
1/1
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16
Kudos:
64
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1
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247

Midwinter Sun

Summary:

“We can’t go back,” Kai said, appalled.

Bashasa looked up from his maps, looking slightly disappointed and very stubborn. “The Hierarchs will slaughter every refugee left behind.”

Notes:

Work Text:

“We can’t go back,” Kai said, appalled.

Bashasa looked up from his maps, looking slightly disappointed and very stubborn. “The Hierarchs will slaughter every refugee left behind.”

Kai swallowed an angry reply. “The cohorts can’t - ”

“They volunteered,” Bashasa said. At least he had the decency not to look smug about it. Satisfied, yes, but not smug.

They only volunteered because you talked them into it, Kai wanted to say. Of course they had volunteered. And some of them might make it back, with more refugees that required food and shelter and clothes, all of which they deserved.

“I’m just working out the logistics, to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible,” Bashasa said, which explained what he was doing with the maps, at least.

Kai supposed that Bashasa poring over maps was at least slightly less dangerous than Bashasa out there, talking people into volunteering for suicide missions.

“They’re not going to make it back again in time,” Kai said. “The legions will catch up with them. I’m sorry,” he added, because he was.

“I disagree with your assessment.” Bashasa shrugged as if that was the end of it. And of course it was: Kai did hold an official rank of some kind, because apparently the scouts under his command were more comfortable taking orders from a demon if that demon also wore a badge, but he had no authority beyond that.

He still had logic. Sensible arguments. In an emergency, he could call on other people – people more sensible than Bashasa. Kai wouldn’t like it, but -

“Oh, and I’m going with them, of course,” Bashasa said.

Kai’s mind went blank for a moment and then he snapped, “Not without me, you’re not,” which possibly wasn’t quite the best response he could have made, considering.

Bashasa smiled, like the sun at midwinter, bright and blinding, if you looked at it for too long. “Your company will be most welcome, Fourth Prince.”

Kai opened his mouth, then closed it again as he realized that any time spent arguing would only mean less time for the cohorts to pick up the remaining refugees.

“If you’ll go and get ready, I will join you shortly,” Bashasa said.

Kai didn’t trust himself to say anything – and besides, what good had talking done him so far? He told himself that maybe it would work, that maybe Bashasa would make it work, even if that was impossible. And if worst came to worst, Kai would be there to pull Bashasa out of it and hopefully ensure that whatever other losses they suffered, at least Bashasa would make it back alive. That was something, surely.

Kai? Ziede did not sound pleased. You need to talk that idiot Bashasa out of – Kai opened his mind enough to show her his surroundings. Oh.

Kai sighed.

In that case, Tahren says we will tag along. For when you need someone to keep you out of trouble.

Too late, Kai thought, but he kept it to himself.

As he walked to join Bashasa’s volunteers, he realized that against all odds, he had started to believe that maybe this day wouldn’t end in total disaster.