InsaneJournal

Despite being labeled a sociopath by many, Ajay isn't a bad guy; not in the technical sense, anyway. He looks out for himself, and is adept at molding himself to fit any given situation. This isn't out of some great acting ambition, nor is it because he cares about being liked per se, it's more his sense of self-preservation taking over. Ajay is a survivor, and he will do whatever it takes to ensure he comes out ahead. Does this mean occasionally lying? Sure, but in his mind it's for a good reason. Maybe that makes him a sociopath by definition, given that an actions benefits towards himself excuse whether it's technically right or wrong, but he doesn't think much about it. He is neutral, floating in the grey area of life, and lets every conflict swirl around him unless it impacts him directly.

In direct conflict with that, however, is the fierce loyalty he possesses. It takes strength of character to confess to something you didn't do, and even stronger character to endure the punishment and be labeled a delinquent. Ajay doesn't care what others think, but he will bend over backwards for those he considers close. Charming smiles don't erase the temper under the surface, and even biting moments of witty sarcasm carry the underlying warning. He makes it clear that he is not to be trifled with, though Ajay's ability to use finesse even in those instances is admirable. He keeps all the bitterness, the anger, buried most of the time, but that doesn't mean they're not there. It just shows how adept he is at controlling them.

Ajay was born the second child to a family that was adjacent to the royal family of the Djinn. They were close, cousins and the like, and the Imzadis always acted as advisors and supporters of the royal family without question. At least, until his parents decided they were tired of being kept in the shadows. They had power and influence, of course, but they didn't think they had enough. So his parents, unbeknownst to him and his older sister, concocted a plan to get rid of those standing in their way to the throne. Their family. It didn't start when their children were born or anything, it had been going on for far longer than that. Even as Ajay and Annalyse played with their cousins and ran around the palace like one of the heirs, their parents were plotting to kill the only family they had ever known. Ajay was oblivious for his part, though he often looks back and tries to find any clues that may be clearer now that he knows the treachery in the hearts of his parents. There are none.

He was thirteen when his parents finally made their move. Ajay had always wondered why they taught his sister so much about the court and their people and how to rule when it was highly unlikely she would inherit the throne. All of their cousins would have to die and that just seemed like too much of a stretch. He also wondered why he didn't receive any training in that case. If something were to happen to his cousins and Annalyse then wouldn't he be next? He got his answer a few months after his thirteenth birthday celebration, though it would be an answer he'd wish and pray to the stars to reverse. Of course that wouldn't happen, and when he awoke to screams one morning, his panicked run towards the sound was halted by guards. Confused and distressed, he called for his parents, though they stood across the grand hallway and shook their heads at him sadly. Disappointedly. As he was thrown in the dungeons, he was finally told why he was there. The Empress and her consort had been murdered the night before and the evidence pointed to him.

Terrified, he begged for anyone to listen, but the evidence planted was too great. It wasn't until his father came to visit, informing him that this was the way it had to be and that he should be honored to make this sacrifice for their family, that Ajay realized what had happened. He tried to appeal to anyone who would listen but his parents' influence stretched too far. Eventually, when the trial came, Ajay accepted defeat and confessed. The gift for a confession was to be exiled rather than killed, which he much preferred despite not knowing what he would do or where he would go. It didn't matter, he figured. He didn't want to stay in this cursed place a moment longer. Didn't want to find out if his beloved sister had been in on it all along or if her grief were real. All he wanted was to be free and figure out his own life.

Once he was free, Ajay headed off in a random direction and began stealing to get by. He had always had a knack for survival and it seemed like the furthest thing he could choose that wouldn't ever bring him back into contact with his family or his court. Nobody cared what happened to thieves on their own, and nobody would come looking for him in the seedy places he found along his journey. He set himself up with several guilds, stealing away into various schools to finish his already stellar education, and strove to leave everything behind. Eventually, he found himself involved with his current group, settling into the ranks and quickly rising through them as he figured this was a good a place as any to set up permanent loyalties. It was within the ranks of this cohort that he met Chaos Eyre, a feisty girl full of fire who didn't take shit from anyone. Ajay was instantly attracted to her, though he'd done his best in the past to cut and run before attachments could form. Chaos was different, however, and they've now morphed into something that he's still half afraid to put into words lest it disappear or stab him in the back like everything else he loved.