Teisel was in a daze. He walked aimlessly through Bonne Manor, staring at random mirrors, sculptures, paintings, tapestries, and, perhaps most strangely, at the various signs of the brutal invasion now taking place upon his ancestral soil. Scorch marks, flames, and shattered walls, columns, and furniture littered the once-pristine hallways. The environs were practically deserted. Those servants, household attendants, and guests who had not been killed had already fled. Perhaps Teisel should have felt outraged at their disloyalty, but he couldn't blame them for leaving. What was left to protect?

After a a few dozen more mindless steps, Teisel leaned against the green wall, bowed his head, and slowly slid to the floor. He stared without comprehension at the jade-covered tiles, and the passage of time seemed indeterminable as the manor was pelted with shells and explosives.

"Teisel?"

Now he was imagining things. There was no one left in the palace, no one to ask if he was all right. Certainly there was no one standing in front of him, despite what his eyes were telling him.

"Teisel, what are you doing here? Why didn't you run?"

He slowly looked up. "What?" he asked weakly. With a start, he realized who was standing in front of him. "Lytrel! You came to help me?"

Her dark eyes darted back and forth. "Yes, of course that's why I'm here. What kind of idiocy possessed you to return to the manor? This is the place Ledon would hit the hardest!"

Shaking his head, Teisel regained his sense of purpose and gradually stood. "And why wouldn't I come back?" he said angrily. "You think I have no sense of filial loyalty? The fierce Bonnes have their pride, after all!"

Lytrel's thin lips pursed together before issuing a blistering tirade. "You stubborn moron! You were already at the south pier, why didn't you just run away once you came to--?" Lytrel didn't have the chance to finish her statement, as Teisel leaned forward and mashed his lips against hers.

Reinvigorated, Teisel looked deeply into her with his liquid green eyes. "Thank you for caring, but I happen to be here for a reason. Bohannon has taken my brother to the east docks. Pier 53. Meet us there."

"Like fun. I should stay here with you."

"Probably," Teisel said, "but Tron doesn't know you. I have to...explain things to her, tell her that our mother and father...won't be there anymore." It took all of Teisel's willpower not to begin sobbing at this, but he had to keep a brave face on in front of a lady.

"What?" Lytrel's jaw dropped at the news. "Your parents are dead?"

"Yes," Teisel said softly. "I saw Mother...meet her end myself. The ceiling caved in and crushed her."

"So it was an accident," Lytrel said, shaking her head vigorously. "No one actually murdered your parents."

"Of course they were murdered!" Teisel said, incredulous. "Ledon might not have pushed them off a balcony himself, but he may as well have." He gritted his teeth as his sorrow gave way to rage. "I swear, someday I'll have my revenge. I'll take my island back."

Lytrel looked at him, shocked, possibly by the news of his parents' deaths, or perhaps by his steel-willed resolve. Teisel was equally shocked by the power of his emotion: he'd never felt anything so strongly in his life.

He placed a gentle hand on her chest. "Go, my heart. Meet us at the dock. I'll fetch Tron and be right behind you. Besides," he added, smirking, "Bohannon is all alone with my baby brother. He could probably use a woman's help."

Lytrel snorted. "I wouldn't do any better than he would, likely." She seemed reluctant to leave, but then, something in her mind appeared to click, and she sped away, giving him a last look.

Teisel parted from the woman with a flourish, some of his old flair returning to him. The green walls told him he was in the Jade Hall, which, as he recalled, was on the eastern side of the palace. Imagine, after all that he'd been through, even in his daze, he was seeking Tron.

Having been in the Jade Hall only twice in his life, the eldest Bonne had more than a bit of difficulty navigating the corridors. While they were as wide and roomy as any in the Bonne family manor, the twists and turns were less familiar to him, and, he had to admit it, it seemed like he was getting lost. Catching sight of an open window in the upper corner of an atrium, Teisel leapt upward, clutching the door frame and hauling himself upward. Once he was outside, it was easy to see his way to Tron's rooms. Teisel clambered up to a third-floor walkway, jogged across, and entered his sister's chambers.

Just as Teisel was about to open Tron's door, he heard something from down below. He leaned over and caught sight of a group of men standing below, weapons in hand.

"There he is!" shouted one, pointing up at him.

What? How had the pirates even known where he was? Teisel had little time to consider the possibilities, as one of the rogues fired a large tubular weapon. He dove away as the projectile impacted, seemingly rocking the very foundation of Bonne Manor. As he smacked onto the floor for the third time in a day, Teisel heard a scream in the distance, and hoped it wasn't Lytrel. Lifting himself up, he saw that the walkway he'd just used was broken in half, and smoke from a nearby blaze was choking him. It would spread to Tron's bedchamber in minutes. He needed to get her out there, fast.

The door was stuck. He ran into it once, twice, three times. On the fourth time, it finally broke free, and he charged in. Tron's room was not furnished as he might have expected. Although like most little girls, she was fond of the color pink, Tron had very little of the normal accoutrements a girl her age was expected to acquire. Instead of dollhouses, skip-ropes, and tiaras, Tron had surrounded herself with erector sets and toy robots.

None of which was important at the moment. "I've got to get you out of here, Tron," Teisel said from above her, placing a protective hand on her back.

While Tron had clearly been absorbed with her own interests, she quickly offered her attention to her older brother. "What's happening?"

"Ledon Mauvais is trying to take over the island. He and some of his pirate allies are attacking the palace. We need to leave before they find us." How to get Tron out of here? Grabbing her hand, Teisel led his sister to the door, then changed his mind. "My 'worthless' friends have already smuggled Bon to safety, so---" He grabbed Tron's bedpost as another explosion shook the palace. Could he hear voices outside? "I think they're almost here, Tron. We'll have to go out the window."

"Wait!" Tron called, pulling away from him. Strangely, the one item Tron decided to take with her was a drawing, perhaps done with crayon. "Okay, we can go now." Looking closer, Teisel was surprised to discover that the sketch was much more complicated than a child of Tron's age should have been capable of producing. It showed a kind of robotic suit that allowed a pilot to sit inside, and the weapons and parts necessary were show in great detail. Teisel guessed a small figure in pink on the robot's shoulder was supposed to represent Tron. He wondered if the picture was to scale -- it was more akin to a blueprint than a simple scrawl.

Teisel dashed over to her open window. "It's so high," she protested as he lifted her to his shoulders.

She was clearly frightened. "I know," he said reassuringly, pressing his cheek against Tron's, blocking her vision. "Don't be scared." He gently climbed onto the railing and stepped off, an action which would have left him unconcerned mere hours ago but now filled him with dread, not for his own welfare, but for Tron's.

His knees protested as his feet connected with the grass, but his arms were rock-solid, never coming close to releasing his sister. Looking in every direction, he took off towards the east city, holding Tron close to him. While he could still hear the flames and destruction he was leaving behind, he felt no desire to look back upon the ruins of his childhood home.

"What about Mommy and Daddy?" Tron asked innocently. "Are they coming with us?"

Clenching his eyes, Teisel sniffed. He must not cry! He was the leader of the Bonnes. He had to be strong for his family's sake. "No, Tron. I...tried to save them." Teisel had to stop again, sure that his pain would overwhelm him. He took a shuddering breath and said what perhaps were the most poignant words he had ever spoken. "I tried my best, Tron, but...sometimes your best isn't good enough."

Tron jerked this way and that, trying to get free. "No!" she screamed. "Daddy! Mommy!"

Ducking through a series of flamingo-shaped hedges, Teisel clutched her more tightly. "I don't want to leave them either. I promise, Tron...I promise that I'll always...take care of you." Again, he had to cut off his last word before a sob escaped his mouth. "There's a boat waiting for us at the docks."

"Mommy!" Tron cried again as Teisel made his way into the east city. Teisel felt her hot tears run down his face. They might have been joined by his own, but of course he wasn't crying, still keeping up the strong front for his kid sister.

"Mommy!..." Tron screamed.

He was not crying. In the overwhelming confusion that enveloped Marabonne City, a young man carrying a small girl out of the disarray was hardly noticeable. Strangely, the throngs of people thinned out as Teisel and Tron got closer to the wharf. Perhaps it was a testament to the power of sky travel, but the docks themselves were nearly deserted by the time they actually made it to the ocean.

Hearing the clatter of gunfire behind him, Teisel hid behind a stack of large metal crates. Placing Tron gently on the wooden floor of the pier, Teisel peered around the corner to see a small gunship bearing down on them. A spout of clear liquid emerged from a small turret in the center of the ship, splashing Teisel's face. His eyes stinging, Teisel's reactions were a second too late, as before he could bound to safety, the continuous stream of fluid ignited, sending a shower of flames directly at Teisel's head.

It was the last thing Teisel's eyes would ever see.

NEXT TIME: Darkness