Guardians of the Force
Chapter 2: A Name
Though the storm built quickly and with a rage of its own, inside the warmly lit house a festive air hung about all who enterd quickly escaping the howling winds and massive thunderbolts that crashed about the beautiful forest covered valley. Azum went in search of his wife and when he found her with some of the other women in the kichen finishing with the food preparations his smile could not be held in check. She was beautiful and her own hand-made gown glowed exquisitely, a strange lustriousness that illuminated from the carefully woven fabric made for this special day. She looked up and smiled at him. He pointed to the small work room off the south side of the kitchen.
"With this storm I believe all who are coming have arrived, dear." he whispered softly in her ear as he held her close. She leaned heavily into him, shivering.
"Raphmi're, what is the matter?" He studied her closely sensing a dread in his wife's soft features that he knew so well. The people had always lived simply, poorly in some respects, but there was always food and clothing and warmth within the confines of their tiny planet. Raphmi're did not speak. Little did they know that their home in the Outer Rim had been found by a powerful and evil force, that life as they had always known it was about to end.
"Raphmi're, speak to me. I must know the name you have chosen for our daughter." He tried to sound reassuring and with the Force brought a candle to his hand to hold closer to Raphmi're's face. Still she did not speak, as if forcing words from her mouth was simply an act she could not possibly accomplish.
Finally, with a plaintive look into her husbands eyes, "Azum, I sense some danger that I cannot see and it surrounds our daughter like the fog lifting off Lake Klilique."
Azum wanted to argue, but knew his wife's ability to see the future. She had even told him when they were children that their families would see them marry and had smiled and laughed at his disbelief, throwing a handful of dirt that had hit him square in the face before running away. Well, not completely away, for he had stopped her. So many of their people lost their childhood gifts, but Azum and Raphmi're each held on to one. Always content though, they had little reason to use them. Well, but on that day... even now so many years later he still felt slightly ashamed, he had stopped her only long enough to smash a handful of dirt in her direction, though carefully avoiding hitting her in the face. Gazing into her black eyes that had held him locked in so many warm, inviting looks over the years, he saw the fear. "Raphmi're, my mother is also a seer and what is seen..." "Is not always what will come to pass," she finished for him. "That in itself is the problem Azum. I feel, not see this, this form, this, thing." her eyes were wide and full of fright. "Our daughter is special, I know that. While our other children have specialized into one place within the Force, her powers have grown with her. But I fear..." Raphmi're paused, "Why has the Guardian not come? I have seen him watching her, people whisper Azum. She cannot grow to her full potential if she is not taught how to use the power she holds."
"Perhaps he does not come because she is not the one." responded Azum, but Raphmi're shook her head. "No, that I do see and have seen since the day she was born."
"You have never said anything of the kind to me," now her husband seemed irritated.
"Azum, I..." then she closed her eyes. She wanted to say she was sorry or make some sort of excuse. Then again she wanted to scream at him, at the festive, laughing people in their home. With a sigh, "Anikiyala Ali Tzu will be her name."
If her tone had not been so sad Azum might have laughed, children were always named for a Guardian from the past or a family member passed on to the other side.
"That name is absurd." he said, "You don't name a child after a planet. What will people say."
Her head held high Raphmi're looked hard at her husband and for a moment thought they were at last to have a fight in their marriage that had never seen one before. Then thunder clapped so near their home shook to it's foundations and they regarded one another with their eyes wide.
"She will one day need to know that name, and it is the only way I know to give it to her." said Raphmi're.
"My wife.." started Azum.
"I am right, on this, I am right and that is what I see."
"Very well, Anikiyala, Anikiyala." he nodded solemnly. Outside he could hear the snapping of trees, the happiness of the naming ceremony suddenly gone for both parents.
"I must go and dress her quickly." And Azum watched his wife disappear through the doorway leaving him to his confused thoughts.
Chapter 2: A Name
Though the storm built quickly and with a rage of its own, inside the warmly lit house a festive air hung about all who enterd quickly escaping the howling winds and massive thunderbolts that crashed about the beautiful forest covered valley. Azum went in search of his wife and when he found her with some of the other women in the kichen finishing with the food preparations his smile could not be held in check. She was beautiful and her own hand-made gown glowed exquisitely, a strange lustriousness that illuminated from the carefully woven fabric made for this special day. She looked up and smiled at him. He pointed to the small work room off the south side of the kitchen.
"With this storm I believe all who are coming have arrived, dear." he whispered softly in her ear as he held her close. She leaned heavily into him, shivering.
"Raphmi're, what is the matter?" He studied her closely sensing a dread in his wife's soft features that he knew so well. The people had always lived simply, poorly in some respects, but there was always food and clothing and warmth within the confines of their tiny planet. Raphmi're did not speak. Little did they know that their home in the Outer Rim had been found by a powerful and evil force, that life as they had always known it was about to end.
"Raphmi're, speak to me. I must know the name you have chosen for our daughter." He tried to sound reassuring and with the Force brought a candle to his hand to hold closer to Raphmi're's face. Still she did not speak, as if forcing words from her mouth was simply an act she could not possibly accomplish.
Finally, with a plaintive look into her husbands eyes, "Azum, I sense some danger that I cannot see and it surrounds our daughter like the fog lifting off Lake Klilique."
Azum wanted to argue, but knew his wife's ability to see the future. She had even told him when they were children that their families would see them marry and had smiled and laughed at his disbelief, throwing a handful of dirt that had hit him square in the face before running away. Well, not completely away, for he had stopped her. So many of their people lost their childhood gifts, but Azum and Raphmi're each held on to one. Always content though, they had little reason to use them. Well, but on that day... even now so many years later he still felt slightly ashamed, he had stopped her only long enough to smash a handful of dirt in her direction, though carefully avoiding hitting her in the face. Gazing into her black eyes that had held him locked in so many warm, inviting looks over the years, he saw the fear. "Raphmi're, my mother is also a seer and what is seen..." "Is not always what will come to pass," she finished for him. "That in itself is the problem Azum. I feel, not see this, this form, this, thing." her eyes were wide and full of fright. "Our daughter is special, I know that. While our other children have specialized into one place within the Force, her powers have grown with her. But I fear..." Raphmi're paused, "Why has the Guardian not come? I have seen him watching her, people whisper Azum. She cannot grow to her full potential if she is not taught how to use the power she holds."
"Perhaps he does not come because she is not the one." responded Azum, but Raphmi're shook her head. "No, that I do see and have seen since the day she was born."
"You have never said anything of the kind to me," now her husband seemed irritated.
"Azum, I..." then she closed her eyes. She wanted to say she was sorry or make some sort of excuse. Then again she wanted to scream at him, at the festive, laughing people in their home. With a sigh, "Anikiyala Ali Tzu will be her name."
If her tone had not been so sad Azum might have laughed, children were always named for a Guardian from the past or a family member passed on to the other side.
"That name is absurd." he said, "You don't name a child after a planet. What will people say."
Her head held high Raphmi're looked hard at her husband and for a moment thought they were at last to have a fight in their marriage that had never seen one before. Then thunder clapped so near their home shook to it's foundations and they regarded one another with their eyes wide.
"She will one day need to know that name, and it is the only way I know to give it to her." said Raphmi're.
"My wife.." started Azum.
"I am right, on this, I am right and that is what I see."
"Very well, Anikiyala, Anikiyala." he nodded solemnly. Outside he could hear the snapping of trees, the happiness of the naming ceremony suddenly gone for both parents.
"I must go and dress her quickly." And Azum watched his wife disappear through the doorway leaving him to his confused thoughts.