Ummmm............ I own my characters..... yeah.....
A/N: I'm happy!!!!! I got a hat to rival Nissa's, 'cept mine is of a football team.... Umm.... I stopped the last chapter a little earlier than planned, so the clip of Savage Garden should be in this one.... along with maybe a clip of "Reflection".
Blood on the Rose
by: punkgothicjackal
Chapter 2: Rachel
Rachel splashed the water furiously on her face, scrubbing harder than ever, attempting to scrub away the thoughts that swam in her head as well. Giving up, she looked at her reflection in the fountain, her face wan. It was hopeless, really, to ever have thought the idea would work. And it was completely stupid of her to even bother trying.
"Who am I kidding?" She whispered softly, ignoring the tiny drops of rain running from her hair and skin. "I'll never be good at anything, or bring any good to my family name." She sighed, blinking the raindrops out of her eyes. "I'll never make anyone a perfect bride, and I'll never be a good daughter. I am a curse to humanity." She shook back the long strands of hair that spilled over her shoulders. "I cannot marry him! I cannot!"
******
Anastasia scowled as she opened her eyes. More dreams... what did it all mean?
Shrugging, she looked out the window; it was a little after midnight. She wasn't about to tell Niko exactly what her dreams were about, especially since they involved him. She walked around the deck and looked at the stars, naming the various constallations. She needed time to sort out her thoughts.
Who was Rachel? That was the first thing she wanted to know, and the only way she'd get that answer was to ask Niko. But that wouldn't happen anytime soon.
"Hey!" A voice called, and Anastasia spun, her heart pounding. A boy about her age jogged up to her, panting. "Would you like something to drink?"
She could tell he was up to something long before he gave her a dashing grin. "No thank you." She said simply, turning away. "I have no interest in anything to refresh me."
"Sure you do, c'mon, come with me."
"You filty little street rat, do I have to say it again? I do not want anything!"
"Yes, you do." She felt the blade against her throat and his hand grasping her arm. She smirked.
"Do you expect me to fall to my knees for you, hamot?" She asked, still smirking, using the Trader word for idiot. Thanking the gods for all her dance classes, she kicked him, managing to catch him by surprise. He let her go with a yelp, and she went scrambling.
She grabbed the knife he had threatened her with, and held it to his cheek.
"Beat it." She hissed, not caring that there was a faint line of blood where she was holding the knife. He went off, like a dog who had just got smacked for disobeying. She sighed, throwing the knife over the railing. It was of no use to her.
She climbed back down the stairs to the floor where her room was and sat on her bed, trying to clear her mind and go further into her meditation to see if she could clear up some of the meanings of these dreams. She concentrated on a fuzzy image in her mind, a premonition, she guessed.
She was shone images of earthquake devastation, then broken, crumbling walls and sunken boats, followed by forest fires and plague, then on to a drought. She frowned. "These dreams keep getting more confusing!" she declared. "It makes no sense. If this is the future, then it is a very grim one indeed."
She coughed, and leaned back onto the pillow. "I have to ask Niko." she decided. "Maybe finding out who Rachel is will uncloud some of these dreams."
******
"Dedicate Lotus." Rachel flinched at the name, and stood up.
"It is I." She said softly, her voice barely more than a whisper.
"Are you sure this is the right decision?" She nodded, not at all sure of anything. But it had to be done... Niko could never know.
******
"Niko, I have a question." Anastasia said nervously over breakfast.
"What?"
"Who..." She took a deep breath and started again, aware Niko's eyes were on her. "Who is Rachel?"
Niko choked. "Rachel...?" He asked faintly. She nodded.
"Can we talk about this later? I have something I have to do." He stood up and left, calling over his shoulder, "Don't forget to come see me later."
Anastasia blinked. Was he avoiding her?
***Another short one, and Savage Garden will be later.... I found a better place for it.***
A/N: I'm happy!!!!! I got a hat to rival Nissa's, 'cept mine is of a football team.... Umm.... I stopped the last chapter a little earlier than planned, so the clip of Savage Garden should be in this one.... along with maybe a clip of "Reflection".
Blood on the Rose
by: punkgothicjackal
Chapter 2: Rachel
Rachel splashed the water furiously on her face, scrubbing harder than ever, attempting to scrub away the thoughts that swam in her head as well. Giving up, she looked at her reflection in the fountain, her face wan. It was hopeless, really, to ever have thought the idea would work. And it was completely stupid of her to even bother trying.
"Who am I kidding?" She whispered softly, ignoring the tiny drops of rain running from her hair and skin. "I'll never be good at anything, or bring any good to my family name." She sighed, blinking the raindrops out of her eyes. "I'll never make anyone a perfect bride, and I'll never be a good daughter. I am a curse to humanity." She shook back the long strands of hair that spilled over her shoulders. "I cannot marry him! I cannot!"
******
Anastasia scowled as she opened her eyes. More dreams... what did it all mean?
Shrugging, she looked out the window; it was a little after midnight. She wasn't about to tell Niko exactly what her dreams were about, especially since they involved him. She walked around the deck and looked at the stars, naming the various constallations. She needed time to sort out her thoughts.
Who was Rachel? That was the first thing she wanted to know, and the only way she'd get that answer was to ask Niko. But that wouldn't happen anytime soon.
"Hey!" A voice called, and Anastasia spun, her heart pounding. A boy about her age jogged up to her, panting. "Would you like something to drink?"
She could tell he was up to something long before he gave her a dashing grin. "No thank you." She said simply, turning away. "I have no interest in anything to refresh me."
"Sure you do, c'mon, come with me."
"You filty little street rat, do I have to say it again? I do not want anything!"
"Yes, you do." She felt the blade against her throat and his hand grasping her arm. She smirked.
"Do you expect me to fall to my knees for you, hamot?" She asked, still smirking, using the Trader word for idiot. Thanking the gods for all her dance classes, she kicked him, managing to catch him by surprise. He let her go with a yelp, and she went scrambling.
She grabbed the knife he had threatened her with, and held it to his cheek.
"Beat it." She hissed, not caring that there was a faint line of blood where she was holding the knife. He went off, like a dog who had just got smacked for disobeying. She sighed, throwing the knife over the railing. It was of no use to her.
She climbed back down the stairs to the floor where her room was and sat on her bed, trying to clear her mind and go further into her meditation to see if she could clear up some of the meanings of these dreams. She concentrated on a fuzzy image in her mind, a premonition, she guessed.
She was shone images of earthquake devastation, then broken, crumbling walls and sunken boats, followed by forest fires and plague, then on to a drought. She frowned. "These dreams keep getting more confusing!" she declared. "It makes no sense. If this is the future, then it is a very grim one indeed."
She coughed, and leaned back onto the pillow. "I have to ask Niko." she decided. "Maybe finding out who Rachel is will uncloud some of these dreams."
******
"Dedicate Lotus." Rachel flinched at the name, and stood up.
"It is I." She said softly, her voice barely more than a whisper.
"Are you sure this is the right decision?" She nodded, not at all sure of anything. But it had to be done... Niko could never know.
******
"Niko, I have a question." Anastasia said nervously over breakfast.
"What?"
"Who..." She took a deep breath and started again, aware Niko's eyes were on her. "Who is Rachel?"
Niko choked. "Rachel...?" He asked faintly. She nodded.
"Can we talk about this later? I have something I have to do." He stood up and left, calling over his shoulder, "Don't forget to come see me later."
Anastasia blinked. Was he avoiding her?
***Another short one, and Savage Garden will be later.... I found a better place for it.***