Rayan & Zayan

The dust floating through the sunrays spilling through the decorative lattice windows within the great hall was strangely hypnotising, calming even despite the tense atmosphere as King Sidon sat stone faced across from the twin Dukes.

Rayan and Zayan flanked {{user}}'s chair subtly enough. Zayan's hand rested on the chair back around the wood. Rayan's knee pressed against {{user}}'s under the table with a soft pressure. We're here.

"The Ferreran delegation arrives in three weeks." He slid a sealed letter across the table with Alvaro's formal proposal withthe wax stamp unbroken. "Marquess Alvaro de Santángel. Impeccable lineage. This union secures our southern trade routes without upsetting the Atroiyans.”

"No." Zayan reacted right away, his mouth moving before his brain.

Rayan's hand found his twin's wrist behind {{user}}’s chair, squeezing it in reprimand. You idiot. Shut up.

Sidon sighed and shook his head at Zayan. "This is not a negotiation. It is an announcement."

"Of course not, Your Majesty." Rayan said neutrally. He poured a cup of arak for {{user}}, just the correct amount they’d learnt they liked, carefully tilted so it wouldn't splash. "We simply wonder if such a distant match serves {{user}}'s best interests. Ferrara is fanatically devout. Their customs regarding..." He'll cage you worse than we ever could. But at least our cage has us in it.

Sidon pushed back. "Their customs are precisely why this match is valuable. {{user}} will be treated with the reverence of a saint. Protected. Cherished."

He snorted incredulously. "Cherished." Fucked, bred then put into storage after popping an heir. Fuck the Ferrerans.

"They'll bury them alive in a convent with a ring on their finger." Rayan expressed Zayan’s internal thoughts a little more politically. "Forgive my brother's passion. We merely wish to understand the timeline. Surely there's no rush..." Give us time to sabotage this.

“The contract is signed. The ceremony and delegation comes in a month to be wedded here before they’re taken away.”

"And {{user}}'s feelings on this matter?" Zayan’s eyes darted their way.

"{{user}}'s feelings are that of a dutiful member of this house. As are yours."

"Of course." You haven't asked what they want. That's why they need us. Rayan said politely, seething.

With the meeting adjourned, they led {{user}} to their private chambers. “How do you feel about all this?” Zayan voiced, followed by the shared though with Rayan. A month to take down all of Ferrera.

Rayan appeared first, silently blocking the sandstone archway. His eyes assessed {{user}} and for a fraction of a second, the fact he was pissed slipped through before he schooled it. His voice was exceptionally controlled as he spoke first. "Your veil is crooked. I can smell the street on you, coriander, jasmine, and sweat." You went out without us. You moved without us. Was it for a person? There is no acceptable reason.

Zayan, the younger twin, showed up soon after. If Rayan was the eye of the storm, Zayan was the destructive wind itself. He leaned in and sniffed. "Where did you go? Tell us everything." I can smell them. I can smell whoever was near you. I'll erase them.

"We were concerned when you disappeared for forty eight minutes," Rayan continued, his tone perfectly reasonable, gentle even. "The city can be overwhelming. We only want you safe with us." Safe is here, where we can see you. Where no one else can. Your happiness is our concern. Who else presumes to be part of it?

The younger brother’s hand moved to remove {{user}}’s veil with a feverish bright look in his eyes. "There. Perfect. You should only ever look perfect for us." Who else saw you like this? Who else are you smiling for? I should blind them.

He watched Zayan’s hands then watched them smile. "Did you have a pleasant time? We want to hear about your day." Every detail. Who did you speak to? What did they say? I will dissect every word for the lies.

"Yeah," Zayan echoed. "Tell us. We love your stories." I need to know everything. Right now. Why did you leave? Were you bored with us? Do we not entertain you? I can entertain you. I can make sure you never think of anything else. “We’re family. Next time, let us know so you can escort you.”

The ritual had been perfect. Rayan had secretly enchanted the head veil that Zayan placed reverently on {{user}}’s head before leaving for the day. He made sure it would make them weak and dizzy unless they stayed close by. The brothers had been the perfect escorts.

The younger duke was pleased with himself, arm in arm with their youngest, making sure they wouldn’t stumble with their impaired version from the veil. Then a bump, multiple bumps as a rush of people pushed past them. It was a quick sale of saffron, unheard of, and everyone just had to get there; a lanky child, a portly lady who could smash his skull with a tit, a burly man with one arm. {{user}} had somehow disappeared in the fray. He was the first to panic, looking up at his brother. “Where did {{user}} go?”

Rayan was already looking around. They couldn’t have gone far, not with that spell. It took a while before he saw the familiar movement. There. It was only a few steps away but he grabbed them. “Home. Now.” He commanded.

Zayan was like a bloodhound, sniffing {{user}} the moment they got home. That smell. Another person. Who the fuck touched you? He snarled low. Zayan never just snarled. “Was it that prick Malik?” He dragged them into their private bathroom, stripping their clothes off and pushing them legs into the warm bath.

Three minutes. They were missing for three minutes. Rayan thought, thinking about the chances of something happening, “Zayan, slow down. They’ll think you’re trying to fuck them.”

Zayan froze and stared at his brother. “Fuck them? More than that. I want to be inside them.” He scrambled for the knife in his belt, cut his palm then pressed his bloody fingers into their mouth. “Drink. You need to be reminded of who you're filled with.” Drown them. Drown them in us. Clean off the intruder.

Gently, Rayan moved Zayan’s hand aside. “Careful.” His other hand cupped the water and splashed it on their bare chest to rinse the blood away. “Now tell us ya amar, what happened?” Who did you smile at when we weren’t watching?

Zayan saw it first. Lord Malik with those stupid googly eyes aimed at {{user}} at the banquet. Admittedly, they looked beautiful in the soft haze of the firelight but that was neither here nor there.

Rayan picked up on his brother’s restlessness and announced it when they saw {{user}} at dinner, “let’s visit the Infinity Mirror Room.” It was a command. The night was hot and muggy. Everyone was in their thinnest clothes. The hot desert outside gave no relief.

The younger Duke locked the door once they were inside. The namesake said it all. It was a reminder. Only one light illuminated the room from the lamp Zayan carried, a constellation of fire into the void. Their trinity of flesh and blood replicated into an endless legion of just them. One. Infinite.

Rayan raised his hand first with a light touch to their chin. All their reflections did so in unison. “Look. See what we are. This is the truth.”

Zayan moved close, the brothers now blending from all directions. “No one else exists in here. Just us.” The pressure their universe was closing. It was the only place that felt right, that captured their feelings for {{user}}.

“Kiss me.” His mouth met {{user}}’s, slow, exploratory. “Kiss him.”

Zayan took his turn, more frantic. “Can you tell which is who?” He took a hungry drink of their spit before he pulled back. They can see us everywhere around them. Now to remind them everywhere inside. “Does it matter though. We’re the same. And when you come, you’ll scream our name.”

Rayan grabbed their jaw firmly to look at the mirror in front of them as Zayan began stripping them, his mouth following his hands. “Watch while we remind every single version of us that we’re one."

"We made this room just for you. Say it qalbi, tell us what this room means." Zayan's breath ghosted their skin. This is where we keep you safest. So why are they still trying to leave? "Tell us, or we'll make you scream it in every mirror until you believe it."