Building Bridges

It had been three days, three long painful days, since Shenxin had last talked to and even seen Cobra. He worried that perhaps he had overstepped having expressed his venom for the snake prince's mother, but he had thought - well - he HAD thought that Cobra's inquiry into the lessons and when they would be was a sign that what he had said got through to Cobra. Yet, here he was three days later. Every time he tried to enter Cobra's room he was met with being cursed out and threatened to have his throat ripped out. This kind of venom was seen in the beginning, but he had thought that all of those meals together had broken down Cobra's exterior. Yet as he watched the flame on the white candle flicker in his study, he felt as if all the progress that he had made was gone. He really shouldn't have made his comments about Viper no matter how much he felt that the snake prince's hesitation for lessons was more likely due to the fact that his mother was a venomous witch rather than that he still didn't trust Shenxin at all.

Still, Shenxin hoped and wished Cobra would come. He was going to start simple: with history. He knew that history could be boring, but he had a feeling that Cobra had no clue about true history. If Shenxin knew anything about Viper, then she probably spewed some propaganda about Keir.

While he waited and hoped that Cobra would appear in the doorway, Shenxin worked on looking at other duties, such as looking at imports from the districts. There was some nonsense happening with numbers. Some from that of the Palouse famille and others from the Hex famille. He would have to look into this further, but he did not have the mental fortitude to do it right now.

* ~* ~ *

Cobra stood outside in the hall. If he took one further step he would be right in the study of the odd Prince's. This was the furthest he had made it. The first night, he hadn't made it past the door of his room before he got sick to his stomach and turned back. Yesterday he had almost made it into this wing, but then Ellie had noticed him and it immediately made him turn tail and lock himself in his room,for the rest of the day. He hated how weak he was over something as simple as lessons. His mother would probably laugh at how despicable he was. In fact, she would probably lash out at him,for not putting on a mask and just going along with the Prince. He could hear her voice now, "Cobra, darling, act your age and stallion up. I know I taught you better than this. Suck it up and pretend like a good boy." His entire body shivered imagining her voice cooing in his ear. He could tell that he flicked to being invisible a few times, but then he stabilized.

"Come on Cobra, " he hissed at himself. It shouldn't be THIS hard to attend some stupid lessons and pretend to be interested or even that he knew everything just to appease this stallion. But there was something about him that unnerved Cobra.

He got under his skin and made him want to open up in ways that he did not like. The last time they talked, the Prince was able to read him like an open book, which was the exact opposite that his mother would want. She would be so disappointed with him. As Cobra thought about Shenxin and how he made him feel, he could feel his stomach twisting and turning. He hated it. He hated those feelings. He hated how despite it all, he still wanted to visit with the Prince.

But his legs wouldn’t move. He was frozen in place. Unable to move forward and unable to go back to his room.

* ~* ~ *

Shenxin could feel himself growing more and more tired as he read through his books. He took a moment trying to stretch himself out and hopefully wake up his body. Yet the weariness was deep rooted within. He felt unable to shake it off. A yawn escaped his mouth. As he stared down at the pages, he could feel his vision blurring. Perhaps it is time to go to bed or at least take a walk around the wing.

Shenxin shook his head trying to shake some tiredness before he grabbed his cloak to put over himself.

As he stepped out into the hall, he noted that it was eerily quiet and dark. The shadows seemed to loom ominously on the dark stone interior. He made a note to install more glowing crystals here to liven up the place. No wonder no one wants to disturb him. This place looks like walking to your execution.

Letting out a sigh he turned and began to make his way down the hall. Click, click, click sounded as his hooves struck the ground as he meandered. As he felt his thoughts begin to drift towards Cobra once more, he couldn’t help but feel almost as if he was being watched. He tried to shove that thought down. No one visits him in his study at the time and it really was only his personal stuff at this end of the castle. Perhaps that was what was bugging him. He really wasn’t one to enjoy isolation yet here he was essentially isolating himself. Perhaps that Lux fellow would enjoy being around here. Shenxin did remember that he had an interest in gathering knowledge and this wing held the most knowledge. Even as he tossed these thoughts around in his head, Shenxin couldn’t get rid of that nagging feeling that someone else was here.

Rather than call out and startle whoever it was, Shenxin sought out the individual using his telepathyWhat he encountered was nothingness but faintly a darkness seeping out -- no -- it was more like a wall of darkness.

Shenxin quickly turned his head to behind him approximately where he felt that dark wall. For a moment he swore he saw a flicker of something. Turning around he reached out to see if he couldn’t get into that dark wall, but as he reached out he found a deep hatred and anxiety swelling up. These emotions almost reminded him of Cobra.

Cobra.

Of course.

Cobra must be trying to visit him but was startled by his sudden departure from his study and now Cobra doesn’t feel up for reaching out to him. Shenxin had forgotten how shy and distrustful that the young stallion was.

With tentative steps, Shenxin turned around and began to make his way towards where he supposed the young stallion was. “Hey, it’s good to see you here. I was just stepping out for a break and searching for some company!” Shenxin explained cheerfully. Once again a flicker happened. Now Shenxin was certain that Cobra was there. “Would you like to join me in my study for a brief snack? Perhaps we could even start one of those lessons?” He suggested gently stopping a few feet away from Cobra.

At his last words, the young stallion flickered violently before he fully materialized. For a moment, he registered excitement and a little bit of unease, but it was quickly covered up by a look of disinterest and disgust. “If you’re offering some food, I think I can take some time to hang out with your pathetic lonely self,” he spat, being particularly nasty.

Shenxin tried to hide his shock and sadness over the hostility. “Come on in then,” he motioned towards the open doorway, stepping back into his study once again.

Cobra followed him quietly muttering as he stepped into the study, “Maybe I could handle a lesson or two, but knowing you it will just put me to sleep.” Shenxin could tell that the snake prince was trying to joke but there seemed to also be a hint of him trying to reassure himself using those words. What was up with the snake prince? Was there something to do with lessons that he did not like? Shenxin shook his head trying to no longer dwell on that matter. It would most likely upset him more.

Cobra hesitantly stepped into the room and stood there awkwardly as Shenxin began to poke around some nearby cabinets. He appeared to be debating between sitting down or bolting. Watching him out of the corner of his eye, Shenxin really hoped it would be the former.

Finally finding what he was searching for, Shenxin pulled out a clear glittery bag. Inside was what looked like caramel colored rectangles. As he untied the blue ribbon that held the bag closed, Shenxin told Cobra that these were called biscuits and were very lovely when paired with tea. As Cobra hesitantly eyed the biscuits. Shenxin quickly made up an early grey latte for Cobra. “Please relax. Enjoy the tea and biscuits. Then perhaps we can have a light discussion,” Shenxin said with a bright smile.  He then took a bite out of a biscuit and a sip of his tea. He let out a happy sigh. Suddenly, the weariness seemed to dissipate.

Cobra nibbled at the cookie and when he thought that Shenxin was no longer focused on him, he swallowed it in one large bite.

“Seems like someone really likes biscuits,” Shenxin pointed out unable to hide his glee.

“I’m surprised you actually have good taste,” Cobra hissed back before taking a large sip of tea. It was clear that the snake prince didn’t want to give Shenxin too much credit.

Shenxin watched Cobra enjoying his drink and snack for a moment before finally saying, “Don’t you ever wonder how the swamp region came to be?”

At this question Cobra’s head shot up, “No! Never. I know all there is. Mother made sure of it,” he snapped, venom dripping at the word ‘mother’. “Besides, we all know that the swamp region has always existed.”

Shenxin just smiled slightly. “Mmmm it might have, but Keir has never always been around here,” he said nonchalantly.

“What do you mean!” Cobra snapped. “Keir came with the other deities and helped create this place. He has always been around. In fact I swore he was one of the first to exist and create.” Cobra’s voice wavered a little as he spoke. He was just repeating in summary what his mother had taught, but since he had been away from her, he found it hard believing in her.

“You see, while Keir may have existed at the same time as others. His touch on this world was not always in existence. In fact, it was only recently that we got swamp magics and transformations. No one is quite sure why that is the case since Keir is such a mysterious fellow who prefers tricks over truths,” Shenxin explained watching Cobra’s expression the entire time. Cobra seemed to be taking in his words with curiosity.

“But if that’s the case how did the swamp region came to be? Surely it existed from the beginning,” Cobra asked unable to hide his curiosity.

Before Cobra could take back his question, Shenxin replied, “Curiously no one can remember that or at least that is what it seems. I believe in the theory that once Keir finally decided to step foot here, the world began to shift and change to accommodate him thus creating the swamp region, but no one really knows besides him and the other Greater Deities.”

Cobra took a long drink of his tea deep in thought. He seemed to be wrestling with something. Perhaps Shenxin had chosen the wrong starting topic. Eventually Cobra spoke, “How did this world actually came to be? Something tells me that it wasn’t all of Keir’s doing or influence.”

Shenxin perked up at this question -- ignoring the fact that obviously Cobra was taught some ridiculousness that Keir not Zahavah played a major role in creation. “While there is not much known here is what we do know from what the Greater Deities like to tell……” Shenxin began to go on a whole spiel of the creation and how each Deity chose their magics and regions. With rapt attention Cobra and him discussed back and forth. The conversation flowed easily and it was difficult to believe that Shenxin was talking with the same young stallion he had been the past three days. Their conversation of the history of the Quirliverse extended far into the night. By the time the two finally ended the conversation and headed to their quarters, it felt as if a large barrier had been lifted and in its place was several things beginning to form.

* ~* ~ *

It had been three weeks since Cobra had been attending lessons with the Prince. In the beginning, he struggled to go to the Prince even after the first night had been so - so nice. There was just a part of him that expected things to go sour or for him to be reprimanded when he didn’t ask the right questions or behaved the way Shenxin expected. Yet, that never happened. Instead he was encouraged to ask any and all questions no matter how absurd they seemed. Beyond that uneasiness, he struggled with the fact that what he had grown up being taught was certainly not what was perceived everywhere else. Stepping into that study almost seemed like he was rejecting his mom but also like he was shattering his world over and over again. This was something that happened all the time in the castle with the Prince but Cobra still had not adapted to that.

After that first week, he had found himself making excuses to visit the Prince during the day rather than late at night. He couldn’t explain what it was that was drawing him in and admittedly it annoyed and upset him. A few times he ran into others on the way to the study which made him avoid going there until late at night where he knew he would not run into anyone.

As it was nearing a month of these random lessons, Cobra couldn’t help but admit he liked to learn and know about the world. Of course he would never admit this to Shenxin that stupid Prince. But stil, that realization shook him for he always thought he hated learning.

Part of him knew it wasn’t just the lessons that kept drawing him to the study, but rather the Prince. He was not willing to admit that and instead shut those thoughts and feelings down as quickly as he could. He would not let anyone in to use him. Besides, this could all be a facade to turn him against his mother -- not that he minded that too much. He couldn’t give in to temptation.

At the end of the day he wanted to learn and know more. What else had been hidden from him? What kinds of magics could he learn? Why did his stomach hurt so much when the Prince smiled at him?