Chapter Text
As the night’s melodic nature sounds filled the air, the festival cheer slowly died down as women, men, and children left the festival grounds with smiles on their faces. Their postures, visibly tired but very much happy, slowly disappeared into their homes. Dunyazad, carrying her son Kalim, hummed happily at his sleepy yet happy expression. “Darling, let’s go home now… Look at the Little Star trying his best to stay awake.” Caspar chuckled as he softly pressed a small kiss on Kalim’s forehead. Kalim sleepily giggled as he hid behind his mother’s neck. The couple cooed at Kalim’s cuteness as they slowly walked towards their ride.
The couple silently talked about the final day of the festival, Tahira, gifts, and various other topics. The casual and relaxing atmosphere helped Kalim to sleep, although it was visible to the couple that their son is trying hard to fight against it. “Little Star, it’s alright now. You can sleep, you won’t miss anything.” Dunyazad said with a smile as she caressed Kalim’s nose, trying to get him to sleep. He yawned cutely and closed his eyes, his soft breaths brushing down her neck.
[‘Jafar, please, please – I can’t sleep now! Wake my tiny self, please!’ ‘Kalim, calm down – nothing is happening yet. Just calm down, follow my breaths. One, two, three- ‘]
Dunyazad rocked the cradle while singing a lullaby to Kalim.
The room was quite with only her soft singing and the sounds of the wind filling it as Kalim slept peacefully without a care in the world. The mother giggle softly, remembering her son’s attempts at trying to fight off his sleep. She should go to bed right now, especially since she had meetings early in the morning tomorrow; however, she couldn’t help but feel like something will happen tonight. Her magic felt like it was warning her to be careful. It had been on a high alert ever since the festival yesterday. She told Caspar of this, which is why the guards have been notified as well.
She doesn’t want the whole villa to panic, especially since Tahira already has enough stress as she was, which is why she made sure to tell the guards to not act as if there is anything wrong. At least, for now. Dunyazad sighed and sat down on the floor next to the cradle. She hummed nonchalantly, lost in her thought as she looked at the moon. “I wonder, I wonder…” she said to herself quietly as she bit her lips softly, trying to figure out what’s happening.
Bell chimes replied to her quietly. “Ohros Nritya, have you figured it out?” Dunyarzad questioned the figure next to her. A small bell-like creature surrounded by gems chimed softly in reply. Dunyarzad sighed as her brows creased in thought. “It’s alright Ohros… we just have to be more alert than us- “
Glass shattered, cutting off her words. Ohros Nritya, acting on impulse and trying to save its master and her son, chimed loudly – procuring a barrier of light, protecting both Dunyarzad and Kalim. “Oya, if it isn’t the famous Lady Dunyarzad’s Ohros Nritya. Pleasure to finally meet you.” A sinister voice said with a fake laidback tone. “You are-” Dunyarzad’s eye widened as she met the eyes of the attacker. She glared at the figure with hatred. “Birsha. What are you doing here?” The figure, Birsha, smiled widely.
“Glad to see that you still remember me, Lady Dunyarzad. Heh, lady huh? Funny how a lowly dancer like you is now a Lady of the Asim House.” Birsha chuckled while playing with her knives. Dunyarzad clenched her fist, trying to calm herself down. “Heard your baby has lovely red eyes like you.” He grinned, his gold tooth glittering under the moon’s light. “Fuck off, Birsha! Try to even touch Kalim, and I will not hesitate to kill you where you stand!” Dunyarzad growled in reply, Ohros Nritya shone brighter than before in reply to her words.
Birsha laughed at her threats. “I have a daughter the same age as your little Kalim. Think she wants a playmate of her own. I feel like she grew bored of non-living things fast.” Birsha shrugged, peering towards Kalim’s form.
Boom. A loud explosion went off in front of Birsha, momentarily blinding him. He could feel Ohros Nritya’s cold metallic body transform into chains, trapping him in place. Dunyarzad wasted no time slashing him. “Never.” She couldn’t hear anything, her anxiety getting the best of her. “Go near.” She continued slashing and stabbing Birsha. “My son!” She stabbed Birsha’s chest.
“What a violent lady you are Dunny~” Dunyarzad felt her eyes widen slightly, as she barely avoided a stab in the heart from above. ‘I forgot… this was his unique magic. Fuck, fuck, fuck.’ Birsha laughed out loud as he cleaned his wounds. “Oh Dunyarzad, did you forget what kind of magic I have?” Birsha mocked her, laughing even more at Dunyarzad’s panicked expression. “Want a reminder?” Dunyarzad gasped out loud and quickly shouted. “Ohros Nritya! Come forth and –” “Prisoner’s Damnation! Destroy everyone from the inside!” Dunyarzad screamed, feeling her anxiety, anger, hatred, and fear heightened to the extreme – stabbing her organs, tearing her limbs. She screamed even more as her attempts of calming down was to no avail as her heightened emotions destroy her even more. She couldn’t even speak properly as her throat felt like it was burningburningburning
“Well then, let’s see…” Birsha mockingly caressed his chin in thought. “Where was I?” Kalim cried out loud at this very moment in distress. “Oh, there he is! Hehehehehe!”
“S-stop! Don’t!” Dunyarzad tried to protest as she felt her body collapsing from the inside. “Leave!” Dunyarzad tried once more, grabbing Birsha’s boots. He tsked loudly as he kicked Dunyarzad to the side. “Be quiet if you still want to live.” Birsha walked towards Kalim’s cradle. “What a cute child you are! Sadly, you’ll have to die. Shame your mother lived all these years, isn’t she selfish?”
Kalim cried even more in distress as Birsha laughed and Dunyarzad screamed even more. “Ah what a pleasantly dissonant music! Hehehehehehe! I’m so happy to finally kill you both!” Kalim’s cries softened as he looked at Birsha with red defiant eyes. “Your eyes… it sickens me so much!” Birsha screamed as he grabbed one of his knives and stab Kalim’s eyes. “N-No!” Dunyarzad, using her last strength, got up and ran to protect her son.
Except-
Red muscular arms suddenly appeared out of nowhere, protecting Kalim before the knife could stab him. “What-“ Birsha was suddenly cut off as even more arms held him down in his place. Kalim suddenly sat up and stared at Birsha unblinkingly, his usual ruby red eyes turning to crystal oceanic blue. Kalim pointed at Dunyarzad’s direction and blinked once. Dunyarzad, no matter how shocked she is with what’s happening, could feel Birsha’s hold against her leave her body. Dunyarzad gasped out loud, trying to get as much air as she could and ran towards Kalim, ignoring her body’s need for a rest. Birsha shouted and screamed as he saw Dunyarzad’s figure. “No! No! No! This wasn’t supposed to happen! No! Fuck you! Fuck you! Ahhhh!” Birsha screamed and shook his entire body, trying to get away from the hands gripping him tightly. “Let me go! Let me go! You freaks! Fuck all of you!”
“Ohros Nritya! Come forth and vanish the evil that surrounds me!” Ohros Nritya was summoned once more, chiming itself loudly as light surrounds the room. Birsha screamed and screamed and screamed. “Fuck this! This isn’t the end! I refuse! I refuse!” Birsha suddenly ripped his arms, screaming in the process. Birsha laughed maniacally and ran towards the window. “I will never be captured by any of you! Aha! Ahahahhahahahaha!” He threw outside the window, however, the light and the arms pursued him, quickly catching up to him. Birsha screamed even more. “Prisoner’s Damnation! I offer my blood and my body! Get me out of here now!”
Birsha disappeared without a trace.
Dunyarzad only stared in shock. She let out a giggle. Then a laugh. Then she was full on crying and laughing hysterically. She clutched her child to her chest, protecting him from everything. She could only feel numb as her legs gave out, not caring anymore if she was bleeding as long as nothing could touch Kalim.
“Dun-“
“Lady… please…!”
“You’re… Safe! Come back…!”
She could feel her eyes slowly close. “Please… save Kalim… Protect him…”
Dunyarzad closed her eyes. But she isn’t dead – injured, but alive.
[‘Thank you! Thank youthankyouthankyou’ Kalim is now crying hysterically with his mother as Jafar hugged him tightly, comforting him and trying to make sure he is grounded ‘Your mother is safe. She’s alive. Congratulations Kalim.’]