Thyferra, 4 BBY
The Nijkvare mountains were surrounded by thick clouds at that early hour. Not many people dared to climb it in such conditions, but the lone figure kept going, pulling himself by sheer strength and unrelenting stubbornness!
Ancient looking organic ropes, instead of durasteel cables and antigrav equipment, were the only thing the young man used to reach the summit. With was madness and irresponsible… of which he was completely aware… At any given moment, a rock could loosen and crumble, his feet or hands could slip and it would be the end of him.
But none of that scared him!
If anything, the thrill, the imminent danger and the physical pain and exertion was welcomed. It kept his most dark and defeatist thoughts at bay. And I he fell? Well… he didn't believe many people would miss him, anyway…
Least of all his father.
The sun finally began shining with more intensity letting Bror see the narrow waterfall to his right. Only two more meters and he would reach the ledge that he'd set as the day's objective. The loud roar of the water called to him, the droplets in the air clinging to his hair, his tunic… He kept progressing steadily. His muscles hurt and his lungs seemed to burn with the sheer effort, but he could see his goal closer and closer.
Finally one of his hands grabbed the ledge. He hoisted himself up, slightly scraping his left knee.
Not that he cared.
He stood tall gazing the Ahladya valley opening up in front of him. Beyond it, the city of Zalxuc and his parents' home. Even from that distance, he could distinguish the two amber towers from the Headquarters of the Zaltin Corporation.
He looked away, drawn by the sound of the rumbling water falling into the depths of the mountain range, into a deep lake below.
How easy it would be to end it all…
The water would welcome him. It would take the pain away. No more doubts and fears… No more yelling… No more weighing every word and every action, wondering what misstep would bring forth his father's anger…
All he needed to do, was to take a step forward, to let himself fall from the ledge and allow gravity to do the rest…
And then what?
Would that really solve anything?
No. In the end, it would be nothing more than a mild inconvenience to his father and the ones who would suffer would be his mother and his sister.
His only choice was to live. Live and hope one day he'd be strong enough to escape Dorv Jace's tyrannical control.
Feeling drained, he sat down.
In two years he'd be eighteen! A legal adult.
Old enough to leave the Jace Estate behind forever!
Leaning back, Bror tried to chase away the bleak thoughts that were, once again, trying to get a hold of his heart and mind.
Suicide was no answer for a sixteen year old…
No matter how hard it was, he would survive it all even if only out of spite!
Dorv's children had to be perfect! Failure wasn't an option for him or his sister Nara.
Stand up straight. Behave. Be the best at everything.
Hell! Even their Lyx-dogs got better treatment from their old man!
How he wished to get out of there…
The roar of the water, the surrounding sounds of the wild nature and his own physical and mental weariness got the best of him. Bror drew his knees closer, resting his head against them.
Giving in, he wept…
Lady Lyenna Jace paced anxiously on the balcony of her private study. At any moment her husband was due home and her son still hadn't returned!
The boy had left for the mountains, as he often did after one his father's harsh reprimands.
Bror had dropped two points in his sociology studies… just two. And he was still on the top three of his class!
But for Dorv that wasn't enough…
So, the boy had been punished standing still, his arms stretched out and holding a weight in each hand for the duration of his father's breakfast.
Dorv had stayed, sitting at the table long after his meal, glaring at Bror. He had dismissed her and Nara, remaining behind.
She had gazed into her son's eyes but he wouldn't return her gaze…
He was angry.
And he had every right to be…
Reaching for her daughter's trembling hand she left, hearing the distinct loud slap of the nerf-hide riding paddle hitting on her son's arms again and again…
She held the banister rail, seeing a familiar blond head.
"Bror!"
His blue eyes seemed almost lifeless as he looked up to her. "Yes mother." He answered with a monochordic tone. His voice as drained of sentiment as his steely gaze.
"I specifically told you I would not have you climbing that mountain. Go wash yourself and change into proper clothing. Your father will be here soon enough."
His scowl made him appear older than his age, she pondered. "I can hardly wait, mother." He said lowering his eyes as he strutted towards the main gate.
Why did he have to be so difficult? So defiant?
It was about time to start searching for a suitable fiancee for the boy! Perhaps an early marriage would set him down.
And it could calm her husband's fits of rage!
"Leida?" She called her aide, sitting on the edge of the desk, filing sales reports.
"Yes, Lady Jace?"
"The Marisses have a daughter about my Bror's age, have they not?"
"Yes, my Lady. Nytah Mariss. Sixteen, like master Bror. Her family has been with Zaltin for twenty decades now."
"Stockholders?"
"Fifteen percent."
"Good. That might sweeten the deal for my husband. I don't think he'll mind the possibility of going from seventy to eighty-five percent." Lyenna rose her eyebrows, feeling contented with her reasoning and planning. Bror would come around. He would do her bidding. After all, with two years of betrothal, he might start enjoying the thought of having his own house away from the harsh punishments...
"No!" He hollered at his older sister. "I most certainly will not marry that air-head!"
"You'd be away from father…" Nara tried to reason with him. "Look at me. I'm marrying in three months and you don't hear me complaining!"
Bror paced around his quarters, balling his hands, his face flushed with anger. "Just because you're complacent, doesn't mean I have to fall in line! Have you ever met Nytah?" He pointed at Nara. "She's shallow, fickle and most importantly, I don't like her!"
"You don't like anyone!" Nara accused him. "You're so picky that, if mother doesn't find you a wife, you'll die single!"
Bror opened his arms smiling defiantly. "Maybe I want to be single for the rest of my life! Has anyone in this house ever bothered to ask me want I want? No! Why? Because I'm barely a person to our loving parents! I'm this awkward kid who might still get lucky and turn out good looking enough to 'bait' young wealthy girls into pouring their invaluable assets into our bank accounts! My happiness, my dreams are NOT important! Nothing about me is important! Only what I can bring into the family...maybe!" He raged.
"Bror…"
"Just go! Leave me alone… Why can't everyone just leave me alone? You're already marrying the heir to our most important transport company… isn't that money enough to keep the old man satisfied?"
Nara walked towards her brother, fighting his stiffness and resistance to hold the boy into a tight embrace.
"And what will you do? Father won't leave you alone until you obey to him, you know it."
"Maybe your future husband can employ me in his luxury liner department…" He scoffed. "I was thinking about applying for the Academy."
"Are you nuts?" Nara gaped, lowering her voice to a conspiring whisper. "The Empire? You're joining them?"
"I have to leave this place!" He murmured. "Where should I go? The Thyferran Home Defense Force has the disadvantage of having their headquarters right over there!" He pointed out his window. "Unless you want me to become a smuggler or something else…"
"I'd rather not have my baby brother wearing the TIE-fighters' black uniform!"
"I can always join Xucphra!"
Nara glared at Bror, eliciting a mischievous smile from the boy.
"I was joking…" He raised his hands in surrender.
"You'd better!" Nara admonished him, raking her finger through her hair, cut just at the beginning of the nape, like most women wore. Many times had she envied the long, elaborate hairstyles of the nobles from places Alderaan and Corellia, but she couldn't stand the feeling of dampness on her neck, so she kept it short. "Just lie to them. Buy some time! Tell them you'd be interested in getting to know her and then…"
"And than what? Break up with flighty-Nytah, enrage father even more and run to mountains to live as a hermit until he drops dead?"
Nara shrugged. "Could be worse! Just don't take her to bed."
Bror stared at his sister like she had just announced she was running away to marry the Emperor. "Please… like I would do that!" The sheer thought of any intimacy with the redheaded girl brought a cold shiver to his spine. "I would rather become a hermit!"
Nara kissed her brother's cheek before leaving him to his thoughts.
Bror threw himself into his bed, staring at ceiling. He rubbed his eyes until his sight got foggy, letting out a frustrated scream.
He felt like the walls were closing in on him and he saw no way out…