An Uncle's Worry

Ryker was a bit surprised to see Alex come to visit him and his wife Li Mei. His nephew's demeanor though told him everything. He looked to his wife and said

"Dear, put some soothing tea on. It looks like Alex could really use it."

"Alright."

She said. Ryker then stepped outside to meet his nephew. Alex looked up at him, dark circles were evident under the young Black Dragon's eyes.

"Anipsiós mou, ti eínai láthos faínetai kourasménos?"

Alex looked up and said softly

"Theíos efiáltes"

Ryker's eyes softened. He had a feeling Alex had inherited his mother's foresight, which often plagued her dreams, this confirmed it.

"A, éla mésa. Tha sas frontísoume."

Alex only wordlessly nodded letting his uncle take his overnight bag as he had intended to stay the night. Ryker led him inside to the kitchen where a fresh cup of soothing Outworld tea waited for him. Alex gratefully drank the tea, and the warmth and its natural properties calmed Alex to a point his uncle helped him to a guest room and let him lay down to rest. Ryker even tucked him in. Alex fell asleep with ease. Ryker noticed Li Mei watching him with worry

"Is, is his highness ok?"

She asked but Ryker looked at her and sighed

"He is sleep deprived. I am worried about him."

Li Mei nods. She comes in, seeing how innocent the young prince looks as he sleeps. She finds it hard to imagine that this is the same young man who lost his temper over a broken promise. She held her husband close who said

"Why didn't you refer to him as your nephew? He is after all."

Li Mei blushed unsure really. She sighed and looked at her husband and said

"He is the prince first and foremost. The rightful Kahn, not Kotal."

Ryker nodded though sighed

"He knows so little about himself that I doubt a throne is on his mind, even if out of obligation."

Li Mei nodded. They let Alex sleep as long as he needed, which was a couple of hours. When Alex woke again, he was still tired, but not so haunted. He was also very hungry. Li Mei smiled at him as she made him some traditional Outworld food, which Alex rather enjoyed. Ryker asked

"So, who proposed to who?"

Alex smiled, blushing a bit

"It was a double proposal, basically we both had the mind to ask the other. So that is why I have an engagement ring, which I wear on the same cord as the pendants. So that my family is always close to me."

Ryker and Li Mei smiled at Alex who smiled again.

"I knew something was up when she took me to a fancy restaurant. I wasn't honestly prepared for it. I had just intended on something small and intimate between us. Yet, here she was. I was so surprised…I cried, which gave her the wrong impression at first until I was able to tell her that, no I wasn't sad, just overwhelmed because, and at that moment I pulled out the ring I had for her, and said I wanted to propose to you as well."

Ryker could see it, them both looking very nice, and Alex, as overwhelmed as his own father, had been because Rena had been so bold as to ask him. Really Alex was in a lot of ways just like his father. He smiled at him and said

"It's funny, it was your mother who proposed to your father, took him by surprise as he too intended to ask her."

Alex looked at him and said

"Really? You haven't spoken about him much. Did you not like him?"

Ryker looked at Alex and sighed before saying

"No far from it."

Ryker began to tell Alex but never mentioned by name who his father was, though in his mind the memories vividly played as he recalled his sister and Shao Kahn. Their love story had indeed been one for the ages.

-Flashback-

She had always had visions of a strange tall man, who seemed more dragon-like than man. Though she could never understand why she had these visions. She was Rena Athena Darkov, one of the last living descendants of King Leonidas of Sparta. She was six foot two inches tall, had long flowing black hair and lovely blue eyes. As if a blessing bestowed by her middle namesake, she was beautiful but wise, especially when it came to battle strategy. Her twin brother Ryker Ares Darkov was blessed with strength and tenacity from his middle namesake Ares. He looked much like her just male. Ryker was extremely protective of his slightly younger sister as she had been born five minutes after him, having gotten stuck on the way out.

Rena shook her head, ever since she turned thirteen and had been sent to live in the temple of Apollo due to her visions, she had been graced with visions of the future. Yet this one of her own future surprised her. She never considered love, as she was Callous, brutal, fierce, highly intelligent, tenacious, wise, strategic, and had an ability to organize. Most boys didn't like her in her twelve years prior to her temple training and now, she was the closest thing to one of the virgin goddesses, which meant she couldn't marry.

Unless Apollo was telling her, she could still serve in the role of wife to some man. As the visions got stronger and clearer, she noticed his regal aura. She would sit up in bed late at night trying to still her beating heart. How could such a man she didn't even know to make her so…like any common girl?

She had been twenty-seven when she had been snatched by very strange creatures she didn't recognize. She didn't even want to look at them as they held her captive. Strangely they did her no harm as they seemed to understand not to touch a holy woman. Perhaps a taboo, she knew some indigenous cultures were like that, no-touch the shaman/shaman's wife or bring a curse onto yourself.

Days were spent with descent food and shelter until she heard fighting. In the span of minutes her brother had been there to rescue her, but he wasn't alone. She gasped in shock. With her brother stood the man from her dreams. Seven-foot-tall, very muscular, crimson eyes, bearing a skull helmet. She was surprised that he knelt beside Ryker and removed his helmet. His eyes went soft as he in a soft voice asked of her

"Are you alright ma'am?"

"Yes, sir. Thank you. Ummm can I ask why you are here?"

He looked at her then to Ryker who spoke

"Rena sister, this is Shao Kahn of Outworld. These…things attacked his people and killed some of his family. We met on the way here."

Shao Kahn nodded before adding

"Your brother is a very brave and skilled fighter, I offered him a place among my guard, though he had one request."

Rena smirked

"Me I take it."

"You are a quick learner, I like that. Yes. He didn't want to be parted from you…"

Rena knew where he was headed and said

"There is no further need to explain oh gracious king. If it means a well-paying job, then I will go with Ryker so that he may have this opportunity."

Both men looked at her blinking, then looked at each other, with Ryker saying

"I guess that settles it, your eminence. You get a new guardsman."

The Kahn nodded helping both Ryker and Rena on to their feet. Rena grabbed a discarded sword and the Kahn made an almost deadly mistake saying

"You should let the men handle the fighting"

"We Spartans are the only ones who give birth to men"

Ryker flinched biting his tongue to keep from laughing at the burn his sister just hurled at his new boss, The Kahn didn't look convinced at first until one of the creatures tried to attack him from the side, and Rena in two swings took it out shocking the Kahn and earning an 'Ata girl' from Ryker.

Something about Rena set the lover's flame in the Kahn's heart, and he made it his mission to "conquer" her too, though he would find out she was more his equal and he rather enjoyed that. She even proved her loyalty to him time and time again.

-End Flashback-