Jaya sat across from Sama by the dying embers of the fire, the soft crackle of burning wood providing the only sound in the otherwise quiet night. The darkness around them seemed to draw closer, casting long shadows that danced on the ground. Jaya had her back against the rock, legs crossed as she absentmindedly cleaned the blade of her sabers. Her eyes flickered occasionally to Sama, but she didn't say a word.
Sama, on the other hand, sat on the edge of his seat, eyes trained on her, his patience thinning with each passing second.
Finally, after a long silence, Sama could no longer hold it in. He leaned forward, his voice low but laced with a hint of challenge. "Alright, Jaya, enough with the games. What do you really plan to do?"
Jaya raised an eyebrow, not looking up from her dagger. "What do you mean?" she said innocently, though the mischievous twinkle in her eyes betrayed her nonchalance.
"Don't play me for a fool," Sama snapped, clearly exasperated. "You've been acting strange lately. Sneaking off, being quiet, avoiding the others. You're up to something, and I want to know what it is before I alert General Rami."
Jaya stopped her motion for a moment, eyes finally meeting Sama's. She gave him a sly grin. "Oh, so you're going to run to the General? Tell him what? That I've been too silent for your taste?" she teased, trying to deflect.
Sama didn't even flinch. "Cut the crap, Jaya," he growled, his patience running thin. "I'm not going to waste time guessing. If you don't tell me, I'll go straight to General Rami and tell him you're up to something."
Jaya's eyes narrowed at his words. She set the saber down on the ground beside her, the smile on her lips fading. She could see that Sama wasn't joking, and for once, his usual laid-back demeanor was replaced with genuine concern. She knew he wasn't going to back down. She'd seen that determination in his eyes before. With a resigned sigh, she finally spoke.
"Fine. I'll tell you," she said, her voice steady but edged with the quiet defiance that Sama had come to expect from her. "I'm planning to go beyond the periphery."
Sama's reaction was immediate. His eyebrows shot up in shock. "What? You can't be serious."
Jaya, still looking him in the eye, nodded once. "I'm very serious. I've got my reasons."
Sama shook his head, disbelief evident in his expression. "You're out of your mind, Jaya. Beyond the periphery? Do you even know what that place is?" His voice dropped, taking on a more serious tone as he continued. "It's not some training ground. It's a death trap. Ferocious beasts, bandits, assassin hideouts... it's the kind of place people never return from."
Jaya's expression remained stoic, but the fire in her eyes never wavered. "I know exactly what it is, Sama. That's why I'm going. Because I need to see it for myself. I need to know what's out there, what it feels like to face the real dangers, not the ones we're constantly told to fear from a safe distance."
Sama's face twisted in a mixture of concern and frustration. "Jaya, stop! This is insane! You think you can just walk into a death trap and come out unscathed? You're not invincible!"
Jaya's gaze softened slightly, but the stubbornness in her voice was unwavering. "Maybe I'm not invincible, but I'll be damn sure to try." She paused for a moment, her gaze drifting to the fire. "I've been stuck in this periphery for too long. I need to know I can handle myself. I can't live like this anymore, always waiting for someone to tell me what I can and can't do."
Sama was at a loss for words for a moment. His fingers flexed as he tried to come up with something that would make her change her mind, but he knew better than to expect that from her. "You've always been stubborn," he muttered, shaking his head. "You're just going to do what you want no matter what anyone says, aren't you?"
Jaya didn't reply immediately. Instead, she stared at him, her jaw set. "That's right."
Sama clenched his fists in frustration. He knew Jaya too well—once her mind was made up, there was no changing it. And yet, part of him couldn't just let her go off into that hellhole alone. She was his only real friend, the one person who had always had his back, no matter the situation. He couldn't let her do this alone, even if she wouldn't admit she needed help.
"Jaya, you're my friend," Sama said after a long pause, his voice calmer now but filled with determination. "I can't just stand by and let you go there on your own. You're asking for trouble, and I won't let you do it alone."
Jaya's eyes softened for a moment, but then she shook her head. "Sama, you don't understand. It's too dangerous. I can't put you in harm's way. I'm going to do this, and I'll do it alone."
Sama leaned in closer, his voice firm but filled with an underlying desperation. "I don't care if it's dangerous. I'm not going to let you throw yourself into that place by yourself. I can keep up. I'm not some weakling. If you're going, then I'm going with you."
Jaya stared at him, her expression unreadable. She could see the sincerity in his eyes, the genuine worry for her. He wasn't backing down, not now, not when it mattered most. And yet, the idea of taking him with her felt wrong. She couldn't bear to risk his life over her reckless ambitions.
"No, Sama," she said softly, though the finality in her tone made it clear. "I won't take you with me. This is something I have to do on my own."
Sama's gaze darkened. He wasn't going to let this go, not without a fight. He leaned forward, lowering his voice. "If you don't take me with you," he said, his words slow and deliberate, "I'll tell General Rami about your plans. I'll tell him exactly where you're going and what you're doing."
Jaya's heart sank, her breath catching in her throat. She hadn't expected him to resort to this, but there it was—the one thing that would finally push her into agreeing. She clenched her fists in frustration. He knew her too well. He knew she couldn't afford for her plans to be ruined by someone else's intervention.
"You wouldn't," she said, though there was no real conviction in her voice.
"Watch me," Sama replied, his gaze hardening. "You're my friend, Jaya. I can't stand by and let you do something this foolish. If you're determined to go, then I'll be right there with you. Whether you like it or not."
Jaya looked at him, feeling the weight of her decision bearing down on her. She had no choice. If she didn't agree, Sama would tell the General, and her plan would be exposed. But even so, taking him along was the last thing she wanted. Still, her resolve faltered, and she finally relented with a sigh.
"Fine," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. "You can come. But if anything happens to you, Sama..."
"I know, I know," he said with a grin, clearly relieved. "You'll never forgive me. I'll keep that in mind."
Jaya shook her head, her lips curling into a small but resigned smile. "You're lucky I like you, Sama."
Sama chuckled, leaning back against the rock. "Lucky? I think it's the other way around."
For the first time that night, Jaya allowed herself to relax. The decision had been made, and she wasn't about to back out now. She would face the dangers of beyond the periphery with Sama at her side—whether she liked it or not.
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