Mesa

  She just wanted to scream. Mesa continued giving both sides reason after reason to give up. Kept being difficult and circling through demands and they kept coming back with offers. Mesa knew just outright refusing was an option but she couldn’t quite get past the fact that they weren’t bad deals. Actually, they were ever growing in her favor. The problem was neither deal was better and the fall out of choosing one over the other was a headache.

  Mesa hadn’t been looking for any bond.

  Hadn’t wanted anything to do with any of this.

  Mesa really wanted to scream.

  And yet here she was in a off shoot office Igov standing with his King on a mirror. They’d agreed not to talk about the looming request instead focusing on Aleste. The King gawked at her.

  “You expect us to bring her there? How do you expect us to bring a raging Shadow Beast to you?” He asked her. Mesa didn’t faulter. Normally she’d have no issue with going but with this request and ever increasing insanity between Shan and Destron she refused to open herself to the possibility of more nonsense.

  “My brother’s troop should be there soon and calming Aleste enough to be transported I should be able to do over the mirror.” Mesa explained. The King looked surprised.

  “Over the mirror then why does she have to go there at all?” He snapped sounding the perfect image of an over protective father. Mesa smirked.

  “Your Majesty, I can calm her enough to make it here but not enough to release her from her bestial form. I wouldn’t mind if she forever stayed a beast if that was her choice and not a trauma response.” Mesa explained to him. Her words silenced the King his eyes staying pained.

  “And how do we get you to her? She stacks anyone who stays in her space for too long.” He pointed out. Mesa smiled brightly.

  “You’ll only have to go in leave a mirror and skedaddle.” She pointed out.

  “I need to be aware of what’s going on with her.” The King argued.

  “I am sure with your vast resource you can manage two mirrors and I can do the same.” She pushed. The King pursed his lips then nodded.

  “Very well.”

  The line cut out and she leaned back.

  “Can you really help Aleste?” Igov asked. Mesa glanced back at the man. He too looked protective of Aleste. Mesa was glad she found somewhere that cared about her again.

  “I studied shadow beasts to make sure I could. It was why I was so interested when you asked me about them.” Mesa admitted with a chuckle. Mesa had adored Aleste. They’d been the same age when Tasari brought her back kicking and biting. Mesa had been the first that Aleste told in the swamp about her various incarnations. She was always the same in each life but it was almost like she was restarted in a new place and had to relearn everything while remembering everything.

  Mesa had been… oh gosh maybe thirteen when she’d went out hunting with Aleste and someone had tried to take both of them. They hadn’t expected them to fight so hard or Mesa’s easing. She’d just about had her person eased when she turned and saw the man holding her friend by the hair as she disintegrated into the air.

  Mesa remembered scooping up the pacified one’s knife and thrusting it into the man who’d killed her friends chest. Agron had found her sobbing and covered in blood he’d killed her pacified attacker and scooped her up into his arms carrying her as if she were still a baby. Holding her tightly as she mourned a friend.

  Yes. Aleste would be reborn and yes Aleste would look exactly the same, would remember everything but in Aleste’s words.

  “I’m never the same. Something is always different here.” She’d tapped her skull. Mesa remember taking her hand.

  “Then whoever you are. I’ll find a way to like you.” Mesa had promised.

  It was that reason why her mind couldn’t accept the fact that Her other truest friend might be dead. She couldn’t handle the finality of never being able to see them again.

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  The two mirrors came to life. A growl started low and she heard shuffling and a door shut.

  The beast shadow form swirled. Mesa took in her friend and thought she wasn’t much different at all. Aleste had the same graceful way of moving even when she looked ready to tear out your throat.

  Mesa leaned forward and in the tongue of beasts she’d learned between Aleste and Tasari flicked out.

  “So this is what you’ve been doing with yourself.” Her tone to most wouldn’t sound easing. It wasn’t fluttery or kind. It was sharp and challenging. Receiving her baffled glares from both Igov and the King or Shon. She didn’t bother to explain or faulter. A low growl filled the air. “Yup I hear ya, it’s a bitch when things go south huh?” She asked and the figure let out a loud call and started running toward the mirror. “Aleste.” Mesa stated not sharply, not scolding a reminder. Like they’d always given each other.

  Aleste paused.

  “You are really going to have to tell me how you ended up in Shon of all places.” Mesa laughed. “And I’m going to have to tell you how insufferable they’ve been. And how much I miss you.” Mesa offered softer more conversational. “You back?” Mesa asked. The creature walked forward and sniffed the mirror before backing up laying down and gazing at it. “You remember we talked about this. How I thought I could calm you down if you lost control? I’m doing it and I am positive I can keep doing it. My brother is coming he’s going to get you here.” Mesa promised.

  An even purr left the shadow beast.

  “Amazing.” The King breathed.

  “There is one issue though. I don’t know if this will last the whole time your being transferred or if you fall back into the confusion once I stop talking. So they might keep you in a small space for the way here. I would go there but… I will tell you all of that once you get here.” Mesa admitted glaring at Igov who cocked his brows at her. “Once you’re here though, I know I can help you out of it.” Mesa promised her. Aleste shifted forward and nuzzle the mirror.

  It took two days for Aleste to get there. Mesa paced outside Igov insisting on needing to be there so she hadn’t argued.

  “How do you know Aleste?” He asked. Mesa glanced at him then looked back at the road she would be coming down soon.

  “Tasari is the commander of beasts.” Mesa pointed out. “In technicality Aleste is a beast. A beast that went wild in a counts home and begged Tasari to neutralize her.” Mesa admitted. Igov hissed a rage flickering in his dark eyes. “The thing people don’t realize about Tasari is she’s not the commander of beasts because she wants to rid the world of them. She’s the commander of beasts because she loves them. So when she walked into the count’s home and saw the tiny cage he’d kept her in and the rubbish he called food he fed her the evidence of mistreatment? She had commanded the beast to prevent any harm to Aleste but she also took out half the counts manor and raided his home and took Aleste.” Mesa told him.

  “And brought her here?” Igov asked with interest. Mesa nodded.

  “Aleste hates Tasari. Which makes sense Aleste doesn’t like not being in control and Tasari is the commander of beasts. But Aleste and I were the same age and she said that my easing didn’t feel as suffocating. She said she liked it and would hang around me like a kitten. We became best friends and I adored her.” Mesa breathed.

  “How did she die?” Igov asked his tone thin with a potential promised of a thousand sun anger.

  Mesa had flashes in her mind.

  “Aleste likes to hunt and she likes to be complimented so she’d pull me along and find me a prize so I would praise her. She’d just found the one she wanted when a large man plucked me up like I was nothing. Aleste turned to defend me and another man started trying to subdue her. We fought. They obviously weren’t expecting me to be trained on how to protect myself and Aleste to have had so much experience. I beat mine but Aleste was… I killed him.” Mesa admitted looking at her hands. “I killed him because she was my best friend and dying is her worst fear that she’s had to live over and over again.” Mesa admitted. She tightened her fists and pocketed them.

  Mesa wasn’t expecting the motion of being pulled or her head ending up against a shoulder. One arm and a pat.

  “You did well.” He offered to her. Mesa almost laughed out loud. She pulled back and grinned at him.

  “Thanks.” Mesa shot back turning as the cart started up. Mesa started toward it quickly. She heard the scratching and shouting of the beast. She made it to the doors.

  “Mesa.” Denivel called catching her. “Five minutes.” He told her. Mesa crossed her arms impatiently but did as he asked. He cleared everyone out though Igov stood near by. Mesa then opened the door and heard a rumbling growl.

  “Hey, how have things been lately?” Mesa asked in the beast tongue. Sending out her easing. The growling stooped and Aleste ran forward and tackled her.

  Raow?

  The voice seemed to ask. Aleste rubbed her furry head as it batted into her.

  “I missed you too.” Aleste insisted.

  “Aleste you’re hurting her.” Igov offered softly. Aleste’s foot was painfully pressing into her leg but she’d thought she hidden it well. Aleste shifted off of her then happily batted against Igov.

  “It is good to be recognized. Kitten.” He breathed and affectionate nickname. Mesa sat cross legged focusing her calming through Aleste the image of her came easy since she’d once again be thirteen. Aleste froze for a moment then started clicked and contorting until she was on the ground arms wrapped around her huffing. Mesa stood and dropped her cloak over her.

  Aleste continued to huff for a bit then looked up at them with dark lightless eyes, hair and skin almost the same color. A shadow incarnate.

  “Mesa” She gasped and Mesa lowered to her level. “How did my brother irritate you?” She asked. Mesa smirked and lifted Aleste the same way she’d been carried when she’d watched Aleste die.

  “So you remember how I told you about unions?” She asked walking toward the fortress.