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Ten years.
It had been Ten Years of exile. Nine years or so since he had walked away from the rest of the Exiles, since that day on the beach with Medusa. Where Blackagar had been was best described as 'everywhere'. He had travelled this world, this new 'home' that was not Attilan doing various things. But someone like Blackagar could not hide forever, could not simply avoid or travel forever either. He left a train of aftermath behind him, winding around and settling now into the upper foothills of the Himilaya mountains, in the country that is known as Nepal and a village there.
It was in the days following a rather heavy snow storm, leaving a thick fall taht has made travel difficult an drequiring the cleanup of the entire village to get the buildings out from under the white.
*
Slowly but surely, loyal Inhumans have begun to make their presence known to the Amalquin sisters. It was Hellfire, with his international connections, who was able to hear a story, told by an acquaintance, who heard it from a business associate, who heard it from the sherpa who occasionally guides people up and down mountanis while being led by his prize yak. The point is, once they have even the faintest idea of where he is, it seems it's enough for both of them. Lockjaw is summoned, and asked to take them to the young man who should be king.
*
Crystal has been keeping Lockjaw at the Institute. After all, if there's anywhere a giant teleporting bulldog is unlikely to garner unusual comment, it's Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. Conveniently, it means he's nearby when they need to travel. She's wrapped in a warm coat when the trio glimmers into place in the mountains of Nepal.
"Well. He certainly found a sufficiently isolated place, didn't he?" Crystal murmurs, looking around herself and pulling her coat a little more tightly around herself.
*
The village is small, only consisting of less than a hundred people. A couple dozen families in the houses and of course the common inn. The arrival into the main area of the village has dropped off the sisters into about a foot and a half of snow along with poor Lockjaw who is probably over his head in the white powder.
There is much going on about the village with the clean up, but the arrival of strangers quickly draws the attention of several of the Nepalese people who stare at them silently with blank expressions. Several of the younger children, upon seeing the arrivals, run off towards the larger of the buildings, screaming out 'Pappi!' which is the universal for 'papa' in many languages, disappearing within the structure.
*
Medusa looks askance at both Lockjaw and Crystal. She is also wrapped in fur, the grey-white of a silver fox that makes her crimson hair all the more striking. A hand is gently placed on Lockjaw's side. "Thank you, old friend. We will call you when we need you. If you have no desire to linger, we shall call you when we're ready to go." It's not a dismissal per se, but if the canine looking Inhuman doesn't want to remain, she can't blame him.
Her gaze turns more fully to her sister. "This may be a waste of time. Perhaps he ought to see you first." From her expression, Medusa doesn't think it may be a waste of time. But resolutely, she puts a foot forward in the snow.
*
Crystal arches a brow at her sister, but sighs. "I'm sure he's- I'm sure that once we speak with him, once he sees, then he'll be ready to come back." Lockjaw turns to head for the edge of the village, and Crystal straightens her coat once more before she starts to trudge into the village, moving through the snow. "Did Hellfire know anything about where specifically we might be? Because I'm not actually certain what language they speak here."
*
The children that ran inside the larger building come out a few moments later, dragging by the hand a man who does not quite fit in with the Nepalese.
It's been ten years… but they don't age quite the same do they. Even still, he looks a bit different. Older for certain, burdened and hardened from the youth that was in that room for years upon years.
Blackagar doesn't wear a coat or jacket. He just wears normal clothes as he comes near storming out of the building being led by the hand by the children. When his eyes befall who is there he stops. Giving a squeeze to the children, he turns and points them back towards the building, he makes a motion to others as well that are in the village, motioning them back to their shelters before he turns and starts to walk through the snow towards Crystal and Medusa; blue eyes unwavering.
*
It's hard for Medusa not to look stricken, to literally take a step back at the sheer force of his presence, and at her sense of familiarity. "Look at him," she says softly to Crystal, though she does not doubt that Crystal already is. Her mouth tightens, relaxes, and she takes a breath. Her spine straightens, her chin lifts. Medusa reminds herself of who she is. Who she'll need to be, with or without him. A coil of her hair brushes its tips against the back of her sister's hand, the only indication of nervousness.
*
When Crystal sees her cousin, it's much as it was when the sisters used to visit him in his sound-proof chambers. She breaks into a swift, warm smile, as if there's nothing strange or unusual about the situation at all. "Blackagar!" she calls, just before she breaks into as much of a run as she can manage through the snow to fling her arms around her cousin's neck in an unabashed hug.
*
Blackagar's eyes are on Medusa. He sees Crystal but it is in his periphery initially; until the younger is running to him and throwing her arms around him. Reaching out, he captures his cousin and her flinging hug in his own arms, hugging her back with a lift before setting the girl… no, the woman, down.
It has been sometime since he's been with the two, since his mannerisms and expressions were used to communicate with them, so he reverts to what had started it all and his hands begin to fly in the method that he used to speak with those who did not 'know' him well; sign language taught to him by his parents and shared with the Royal Family.
«It is good to see you cousins. I..» He pauses in his sign before going on again, «I have missed you more than you could imagine.»
*
Medusa's eyes soften when Crystal embraces Blackagar. She has that way about her, but as she finally meets up with them, her gaze at his hands is almost negligent. She's never really needed obvious signs to understand him, and time and distance have done nothing to erase her ability to speak his silent language and know his mind. "You look well." she says, trying not to allow how conflicted she feels, show on her face. "Your solitude has done you well."
*
Crystal gives Blackagar one more squeeze before he sets her down, grinning back at him. "Well, if you'd just let us know that you missed us and this is where you were hiding, we could have come to visit you sooner," she chides gently. "Some of us, at least. I've missed you, too. And Medusa," she adds with a look over her shoulder at her sister. Why would she have missed Medusa? Perhaps there's been more going on than he may have realized.
*
His eyes drift over to Medusa when Crystal speaks of having missed her, eyebrow quirking up silently in question… well everything he does is silently. Again his hands fly, although he's beginning to realize that they are not really needed, even now after nearly a decade. «Were I in solitude that would be true. But there has been little time alone.» Looking between the pair, he indicates the building he was in previously. «You two must be cold, and there are things to catch up on, would you prefer to be inside?»
*
"We would appreciate that. Thank you." Medusa is having a hard time warming up, it would seem. She moves to step closer, but not to offer Blackagar an embrace, only so she can walk alongside him. "There is much to talk about. We have started to come together, and others have asked about you."
*
"And we have other offers for help," Crystal adds as she walks alongside him, already more interested in the future than in holding grudges. "The crown prince of Asgard is willing to lend men and aid. Although I can see where it might not be preferable to have outside help. But I have friends among the mutants, too. Mutants are sort of like us, except they change without the aid of the mists. But there are many and more of them. And more importantly, the one who runs the school has great mental powers. I'd bet on him against Maximus any day."
*
Blackagar pauses mid step and turns to look at the two. «Is that your only concern? Not how I have been? Not why I have been hiding here? But only Attilan?» He stops and draws himself up, looking tall as he gazes at the pair of sisters. «And what if the people of Attilan prefer Maximus' rule? Have you thought of that? I have been evading assassins and attempts on my life for the past decade from my own Brother. I do not need help in dealing with him. Should I choose to deal with Maximus, he will be dealt with as I see fit.»
His whole life, he has never stood like this. Tall, confident, certain. «Why are you here? To see me? Or to seek me?»
*
Medusa looks down briefly at the snow, and then turns to look at Crystal. There's the faintest flicker of her eyebrows, and then she turns back to Blackagar. "Crystal came to see you. And we both came to seek you. You know Maximus is insane. And those who went with us into exile ask after you." Her hair whips around her. "You wanted to separate yourself, and we had no way of knowing we'd be welcome in the years since. But we are now, Blackagar, and you can choose to welcome us, and open your heart again to your people, or you can call for Lockjaw and tell us to go back to where we came from." Tension in her voice breaks. "I hope it is the former. I want it to be the former."
*
Crystal blinks at Blackagar, her smile fading to a more hurt expression. Way to kick the puppy, Blackagar. "No, of course we want to see you. I just- You've been away for so long, I thought maybe it was because you were worried but you weren't sure how to move forward and- And- Well if it wasn't because you weren't certain of how to reclaim Attilan, then why wouldn't you have been with us?" she finally asks, quiet.
*
Blackagar looks between Crystal and Medusa, «Reclaiming Attlian is not the end of the matter. It is the beginning. To reclaim Attilan means to rule Attilan. To rule our people. This is something that I was not prepared for. That I could not handle. The death of the council at my hands, my power displayed for our people. I could not handle it.» He looks then steadily at Medusa, «Being told who I was, rather than discovering who I am.» His eyes look between the sisters then before settling on Crystal, his lips smiling. «I am glad to see you Crystal, you are welcome here because you want to see me.» He looks to Medusa then, «I think you are not looking for Blackagar. I think you are looking for the exiled King.»
*
"They are the same man." Medusa replies frankly. "They are the man I have loved all of my life. I have always been the one who could look at you and know your words with the merest flick of your brow. Do you think I could do that, even after a decade, and not know who you are?" She shakes her head a little. "I did not believe you could hurt me again. I was a fool." She looks between the pair. "I can wait with Lockjaw, if that is what you would prefer, Black Bolt."
*
"Blackagar," Crystal says gently. "Medusa loves you. You love her, don't you? We-" She stops with a sigh, reaching for his hand. "We're family, Blackagar. And yes, we want to retake Attilan. We want to be able to go home, Blackagar. It isn't about ruling. It isn't about power. It's about family, and it's about home. It's about who we're meant to be, about the purpose we all found in the mists. I do think you should take your place. I do. But more than anything, we love you, Blackagar."
*
Blackagar smiles at Crystal, giving her hand a squeeze in return when she takes his and he leans over to kiss her gently on the forehead. Then his eyes look at Medusa, look at Crystal both and a bare nod of his head occurs. «I have learned many things in my time here, in my journey and travels. I had to learn to be a man, and to be a leader. So with love in my heart, I must tell you both this.» He gives Crystal's hand another squeeze then turns to look at Medusa as he steps away from them both.
«Do not forget who is your king. And if you have forgotten, then I shall remind you.»
Blackagar begins to open his mouth, lips slowly parting.
*
Three quick strides, and then Medusa is in front of Blackagar. Her fingers are on his mouth, but rather than forcing his lips shut, her fingers rest there, delicate and without any pressure as she looks up at him. If he utters a sound, the first thing he'll destroy is her. "Welcome back, my love. My king."
*
Crystal doesn't look afraid when Blackagar starts to open his mouth. Her trust in him is so complete that she doesn't even flinch. Of course he wouldn't do anything. Of course he's under control. But when Medusa steps in, she smiles faintly. There. That is how things are supposed to be.
*
Blackagar's lips close and he looks at Medusa steadily, a smile at the corner of his lips before those same blue eyes fall on Crystal. He nods to them both then steps back a bit, «I must make arrangements here, they will need a new leader. It will take an hour or two. Then we can depart.» Turning, he moves to take care of what he must before leaving this place he has called home.
*