“Is my father right?” Udit’s voice pierced through the perpetual hum of the transport, her silhouette stark against the black expanse beyond the portal. Wrapped in Ceres’s jacket, she stood alone, staring out at the universe that awaited her. The chill of the void seeped through the hull, enveloping them both, an unsettling reminder of how little truly protected them.
“About?” Ceres looked up from the communiqués spread out before him. He sat in one of the room’s two chairs, a sturdy yet uninviting piece of equipment that’d been bolted to the floor. They were aboard a military transport, after all—everything was fixed in place.
She turned, her gaze intense. “About what life will be like for me, on Brontes.”
He set down his tablet, his eyes on hers. Once again, he found himself captivated by her beauty, and by the knowledge that she was bound to him for life. The notion, though sobering, filled him with a profound sense of contentment. Reflecting on their encounter at the now-defunct café, he couldn’t help but smile at his own former reluctance. How naïve he’d been to deny his feelings for her, and how strange for him to call himself naïve. “Yes,” he replied thoughtfully. “And no. The law isn’t as black and white as he portrays it. But, more importantly, you’re my partner in every sense of the word, my guiding light—regardless of what the law dictates.”
Joining him, she settled into the chair opposite. “Before we boarded this transport,” she began, her words measured, “the furthest I’d been from home was the other side of the city.” Her voice carried a note of awe, as though the enormity of their journey was only just now sinking in.
He rose from his seat and extended his hand to her, a silent invitation hanging in the air. She looked up at him, her nerves palpable. After a moment’s hesitation, she tentatively accepted his hand, rising to her feet as he drew her closer. Tilting her chin upwards, he captured her lips in a tender kiss, feeling her initial tension gradually melt away as she responded in kind. The warmth of her lips against his ignited a fire within him as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
With a gentle movement, he slipped his jacket from her shoulders. It pooled at her feet with a noise like a sigh, as he enveloped her in his embrace. She felt right in his arms, the sensation grounding him amidst the rising tide of need. Their kiss deepened, passion igniting between them, as he unzipped her dress. Her fingers found his belt, next; soon everything was on the floor and she was tangling her fingers in his hair, urging him to go further.
Lifting her effortlessly into his arms, he carried her towards the narrow berth, a luxurious rarity on a ship built for anything but comfort. Their cramped quarters hardly mattered at the moment; he didn’t need much space and wanted none, between them. All he craved was the warmth of her body pressed against his, the intimacy of their closeness. A primal hunger surged within him, driven by her own eagerness. He relished the thought of guiding her through uncharted territory, from the innocent to the forbidden, with an eager enthusiasm that matched his own.
As he laid her down, anticipating the familiar rhythm of their lovemaking, he was met with a delightful twist. Straddling his waist, her eyes sparkled with mischief as she descended upon him slowly, teasing him with deliberate slowness that left him desperate for more. Their eyes locked in a silent exchange, a shared journey towards ecstasy. With a playful grin, she tantalized him, pushing him to the edge of pleasure but withholding the ultimate release he craved.
In her gaze, he glimpsed a reflection of his own desires, a captivating allure that held him spellbound. Each movement, each fleeting sigh and whimper, fueled the fire of longing within him, drawing him deeper into the abyss of desire. With a primal roar, he seized her, flipping her onto her back and igniting a passionate frenzy that consumed them both.
After, she nestled against him.
As he stared at the ceiling, he couldn’t help but wonder what thoughts lingered in her mind. He imagined her heart weighed down by the burden of homesickness, a yearning for the familiar comforts of family that echoed in the depths of her soul. Love was a refuge amidst the vast expanse of space, offering solace in moments of longing and distraction from the ache of separation. Yet, even as they shared these moments, he sensed the shadow of a hidden sorrow lingering in her touch, a silent reminder of the bonds tethering her to her past. In her embrace, he sought to offer her the comfort and reassurance she craved, knowing at the same time that it wasn’t enough.
She was everything to him; he wanted to be everything to her. She felt like home to him in a way he couldn’t quite articulate; she was a safe port in a storm, a beacon of light amidst the darkness in his soul. Her presence enveloped him in a sense of comfort and belonging that he’d never felt before and struggled to interpret. He’d never replace the warmth and certainty of her family and didn’t want to, but he hoped in time that he could give her a new family.
“Ceres,” Udit said suddenly.
“Yes?” He’d thought she was asleep.
Her hand found its place on his chest, a simple gesture laden with significance. “I am.”
“You’re what?” he asked, confused.
A small smile graced her lips. “Falling in love with you.”
“Oh?” His casual tone masked the tumult of emotions churning within him.
“Looking back, I think it was the rat.” A soft giggle escaped her. “The look on your face was…unforgettable. I can’t wait to see that same look on our childrens’ faces. They’ll be camels, too.”
As her eyes met his, he was struck silent by the intensity of her gaze. It was as if she saw inside his soul. After a moment’s pause, he found his voice, the words tumbling out with an intensity that surprised him. “We’ll be the fiercest, best camels, journeying through life together,” he declared. “A growing tribe, facing every challenge with our unwavering resolve and stubborn determination.” He couldn’t wait for a little girl, or boy, and how much fun they’d have—and to fill their house with more, all with her compassion and his determination.
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Her words, tinged with increasing drowsiness, hung in the air like a delicate melody. “How common is it for assassins to marry?” Her eyes drifted closed again, as she pulled the covers over them. “Of all the things you’ve never told me, that’s one I actually would like to know.”
In the clandestine world of assassins, marriages weren’t unheard of, yet they rarely blossomed from love’s tender roots. More frequently, they were strategic alliances forged to serve the greater aims of their respective factions. Love often played second fiddle to duty and allegiance, with the Brotherhood’s agenda reigning supreme. “It happens,” he remarked.
Despite the obliqueness of his statement, Udit seemed to understand. “And if you have to choose, between love and duty?”
Contemplating his response, he sought the delicate balance between honesty and telling her more than he safely could—or should. “Trust me and follow my lead,” he began, choosing his words carefully, “even when it seems perplexing or unsettling. Then, the issue will never arise.” He spoke with conviction, but a lingering unease gnawed at him; Dharun’s ill-fated entanglement with Tess had led to her tragic end, a poignant reminder of love’s potential for harm when driven by selfishness and self-indulgence. True love demanded sacrifice, putting the other person first; for Dharun, that would’ve meant letting Tess go.
As Udit’s breathing steadied, Ceres found himself ensnared in a maelstrom of thoughts, his mind swirling with memories of Dharun. The tangled web of sentiments he harbored toward his erstwhile comrade unsettled him, serving as a stark reminder of the tumultuous journey he’d undertaken to embrace his newfound depth of character. The tenets of the Brotherhood had long extolled the virtues of emotional detachment and discipline, yet he’d come to realize that true strength lay in mastering one’s emotions as a wellspring of both power and insight. Having feelings wasn’t weakness to be shunned, but a formidable weapon to be harnessed for his benefit.
By delving into the depths of those emotions, Ceres metamorphosed into an invaluable asset for the Brotherhood, one who wielded insight into both his own motivations and those of his adversaries. He sharpened his skills, emerging as a formidable operative capable of navigating the treacherous landscape of the assassin with precision and foresight. Armed with heightened emotional intelligence, he gained a strategic advantage in the intricate dance of manipulation and deceit that dictated his existence. Each newly discovered passion became another weapon, each thought a calculated maneuver in the lethal game he played, propelling him toward his objectives with unwavering determination and cunning.
He could orchestrate circumstances to the Brotherhood’s advantage, reinforcing their dominance and extending his own influence. However, navigating the realm of the heart was akin to treading a razor’s edge: a delicate balance between leveraging his humanity for insight and drive, and guarding against its potential to render him vulnerable. The leader of his order frequently emphasized the importance of maintaining this precarious equilibrium—and of what would befall him, should he succumb to either side’s destabilizing sway.
Departing Brontes as a man haunted by self-doubt, he now returned as a figure unflinching in the face of his own reflection—a testament to the courage he’d discovered within himself, thanks to Udit. He also harbored aspirations of assuming leadership within the order that had been his salvation. He yearned to be a compassionate and perceptive leader, capable of forging profound connections with his fellow assassins and fostering camaraderie among them. Confronting his own inner demons had armed him with the insight to decode the subtle intricacies of others’ behavior and motivations, positioning him to guide the Brotherhood with both resolve and insight.
However, there was risk.
Too much of a good thing would cloud his judgment, causing him to falter at crucial moments—especially when faced with ethical dilemmas or internal struggles. The road ahead stretched before him, ominously uncertain, teeming with hidden perils he couldn't afford to underestimate. Despite his current optimism, the true destination of this journey remained shrouded in uncertainty, awaiting revelation that could only come with the passage of time.
His thoughts turned, again, to the dog he’d shot that fateful afternoon.
Much like that tragic creature, Dharun hadn’t chosen his descent into darkness. Whether driven by his own decisions or manipulated by external forces, he’d found himself ensnared in a web of destruction. Even as he’d raised his gun to fire in the street, Ceres had recognized the dog’s inherent goodness, corrupted by the merciless grip of rabies. And in the depths of his reflection, he mourned the loss of the man Dharun once was—a soul marked by decency and kindness, now overshadowed by the specter of his final failure. It was a mournful recognition of the irrevocable transformation that’d consumed his former friend.
Even so, he found himself grappling with a painful dilemma: in order to shield others from harm, he’d been compelled to confront and, ultimately, eliminate a threat that neither the dog nor Dharun had intentionally posed. Despite the corruption that’d tainted both their lives, he couldn’t shake the sense of value they once held, and he deeply regretted their loss.
The world was a darker place, now, than it had been.
Ceres hoped that the dog, liberated from the torment that’d gripped its tattered psyche, had found peace. Likewise, he hoped that by stopping Dharun’s frenzied rampage, he’d granted his former friend some measure of respite from the relentless anguish that’d consumed him. And although his physical form was gone, Dharun’s essence lived on, preserved in the shrine of memory.
In the midst of this turmoil, there was Udit.
From their first meeting, he’d found himself ensnared in a realm where the notion of soulmates wielded palpable, almost ominous influence. Fate had ordained him as her captor, a heartless fiend bound to steer her toward the precipice of ruin. Yet, amid the turmoil and peril, their bond burgeoned into an unforeseen entity—a love that mocked the dictates of logic and rationale, illuminating shards of goodness in a world he’d long ago deemed bereft of light…and unveiling, in the process, the long forgotten vestiges of goodness within himself.
He’d vowed to protect her, to shield her from the dangers that lurked in their world, and yet his presence in her life had brought nothing but turmoil and upheaval. He’d become the very embodiment of the danger that threatened to tear her soul in half, a devil with no heart whose actions had the power to irrevocably alter her fate. Despite his remorse, however, he couldn’t deny the truth: that their bond transcended the confines of their predetermined roles. He and Udit were soulmates in the truest sense of the word, their connection a force to be reckoned with, capable of bringing both ruin and redemption. As they teetered on the brink of an uncertain tomorrow, he grappled with the realization that their love was a double-edged sword: a dangerous, intoxicating force that would mold their fates in ways he couldn’t even begin to imagine.
Beyond the stars, he wondered: what was next?