Family Ties
"Her daughter? Calista has a daughter? But she said she'd never got married." Colonel Kreugar muttered. Major O'Connel gave Kalian a confused look - she shrugged at him in confusion. Van gave Colonel Kreugar a helping hand looking at him strangely.
Colonel Kreugar gazed at her dazedly. "Who is your father girl?" he asked weakly.
"Dunno. Never met him." Kalian said with a shrug beginning to slip into her old speaking habits. "Me mum tol' me t' give u tis."
Colonel Kreugar reached out a shaking hand to take the precious letter from her grip. He tugged out of her hands nervously and pulled it close to him wondering. Eagerly he tore open the envelope revealing a letter and some photos. He rifled the photos smiling tenderly at them - A young Calista and himself peered back at him. There was an occasional group photo of them and his best friend Dan Flyheit and his wife Myste.
'Those were happy times' he thought to himself sadly remembering the fun they had had. A calculated cough returned him back from the memories to the task at hand. Sighing he unfolded the letter and began to read.
Dear Marty,
It's been a long time since we last talked. 17 and a half years in fact. We were young and naïve and there hasn't been a day since that I haven't regretted saying those things I said to you. I missed you so much but it was my stubborn pride that got in the way. I am sorry and I miss you but there is nothing I can do now. You see by the time you'll have red this I will be dead. It means I will have finally overcome the disease I have been fighting so long - the one that made me flee from you. I was afraid that if we had gotten married liked we'd planned to do I'd die leaving you alone to cope with the kids we would have undoubtedly had. You see I have a rare disease - it makes you shake uncontrollably. The doctors told me that it attacks the nervous system - whatever that is - and basically kills it off. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I love you - I always have - and will still go on loving you. I regretted leaving you but I believed then it was for the best and in a way now I still do. Enough of that.
I heard about Dan and Myste and I am sorry for your loss. I miss them to but I know how much they meant to you. How go those two kids of theirs?
You probably know by now I have a daughter. But what I bet you want to know is who is her father. Well. Pleasant surprise Marty. She's our daughter. The one we had planned on having. I even named her the way we had planned. Kalian Danyelle Shadow-Kreugar.
When I ran off I didn't know I was pregnant. When I reached the place I called home I found out. I was so surprise and still so angry with you. I never could face you. So before I died I asked her to come and deliver this letter to you. She doesn't know. I leave it up to you to tell her. Inside the envelope there is another small one - it's addressed to her. Talk to her. Please forgive me.
Love Calista.
Colonel Kreugar stared at the letter and reread it twice more. Slowly he delved his hand into the torn envelope and found an even smaller one - it had been missed. Carefully he pulled it out and saw a name written out in that smooth elegant handwriting.
"I believe this is for you young one." He said softly staring at the girl, his daughter, seeing her for the first time. She stared at him curiously at took the letter from his hands.
Dear Kalian,
I'll keep this short and sweet.
The man you were sent to see - Lieutenant Kreugar - was my former fiancé and your father. As you know I have suffered from this dreadful disease for many years it began not too long before I met your father - I brushed it off then. When he proposed to me I was the happiest woman alive. But then my disease decided to take an active role in my life. I had a fight with you father and we both said some cruel things to one another - I left him too afraid to let him know of this thing.
I know you'll find it hard to believe but please trust him. God knows you don't everybody else.
Love me (your mother)
"Lik I could forgit." Kalian snorted at the last comment of her mothers.
"."
Marion tried to peer over Kalian's shoulder. "Git lost Marion. Tis mine." Kalian said rudely poking her in the stomach. Marion whoofed and then looked at her reproachfully.
"Why do you always speak in that vulgar way when you've learnt something pretty shocking." Marion demanded.
"Because she likes to hold it over people's heads - especially the highborns - that she knows something they don't." Rudolf pointed out with a shrug to his wife. Kalian snickered at the interpretation.
"Well. Miss Shadow. May I have a private word please?" Colonel Kreugar said eyeing her warily.
"Yes Colonel Kreugar. Lead the way." Kalian said airily putting a hand in the crook of his elbow. Together they left leaving behind a perplexed roomful of people.
"Does anybody have any idea of what just happened?" Colonel Herman asked his blond eyebrow furrowed in thought.
"Nope." His second in command said equally bemused. Everybody jumped when the voice came over the intercom.
.Colonel Herman please report to the President's Office immediately.
"Coming O'Connel?" Colonel Herman asked pleasantly bowing his respects to the Imperial visitors before leaving.
"Right behind you sir." Major O'Connel said with a grin.
*********
"Colonel Herman. Major O'Connel. Thankyou for responding to my call so quickly. I have been given some interesting news that I believe you should know." President Cramford began looking into her son's sea green eyes warningly.
"I received a coded message today. It took a while for us to be able to break it. The contents of the message were most interesting. It informed me that Colonel Kreugar once had a fiancé. The lady that sent the message was indeed his fiancé. We found it in records shown for the wedding plans at the Wind Colony. She told me that she sent her daughter out to look for him. To deliver a message. That message was that the bearer of the letter, a young lady named Kalian Danyelle Shadow also held a last name of Kreugar. This Kalian is his daughter." The President stated firmly.
"You mean the young lady I brought here today is Colonel Kreugar's daughter? Are you kidding me?" Major O'Connel said gaping at her.
"I am quite serious young man." President Cramford snapped.
"That's certainly an interesting twist. Kreugar has a daughter who is working for the Empire while he works with the Republic. Quite interesting." Colonel Herman noted quietly.
"I'm surprised that he kept the fact that he had a fiancé secret." Major O'Connel said thoughtfully. "Something must of have happened."
"Her daughter? Calista has a daughter? But she said she'd never got married." Colonel Kreugar muttered. Major O'Connel gave Kalian a confused look - she shrugged at him in confusion. Van gave Colonel Kreugar a helping hand looking at him strangely.
Colonel Kreugar gazed at her dazedly. "Who is your father girl?" he asked weakly.
"Dunno. Never met him." Kalian said with a shrug beginning to slip into her old speaking habits. "Me mum tol' me t' give u tis."
Colonel Kreugar reached out a shaking hand to take the precious letter from her grip. He tugged out of her hands nervously and pulled it close to him wondering. Eagerly he tore open the envelope revealing a letter and some photos. He rifled the photos smiling tenderly at them - A young Calista and himself peered back at him. There was an occasional group photo of them and his best friend Dan Flyheit and his wife Myste.
'Those were happy times' he thought to himself sadly remembering the fun they had had. A calculated cough returned him back from the memories to the task at hand. Sighing he unfolded the letter and began to read.
Dear Marty,
It's been a long time since we last talked. 17 and a half years in fact. We were young and naïve and there hasn't been a day since that I haven't regretted saying those things I said to you. I missed you so much but it was my stubborn pride that got in the way. I am sorry and I miss you but there is nothing I can do now. You see by the time you'll have red this I will be dead. It means I will have finally overcome the disease I have been fighting so long - the one that made me flee from you. I was afraid that if we had gotten married liked we'd planned to do I'd die leaving you alone to cope with the kids we would have undoubtedly had. You see I have a rare disease - it makes you shake uncontrollably. The doctors told me that it attacks the nervous system - whatever that is - and basically kills it off. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I love you - I always have - and will still go on loving you. I regretted leaving you but I believed then it was for the best and in a way now I still do. Enough of that.
I heard about Dan and Myste and I am sorry for your loss. I miss them to but I know how much they meant to you. How go those two kids of theirs?
You probably know by now I have a daughter. But what I bet you want to know is who is her father. Well. Pleasant surprise Marty. She's our daughter. The one we had planned on having. I even named her the way we had planned. Kalian Danyelle Shadow-Kreugar.
When I ran off I didn't know I was pregnant. When I reached the place I called home I found out. I was so surprise and still so angry with you. I never could face you. So before I died I asked her to come and deliver this letter to you. She doesn't know. I leave it up to you to tell her. Inside the envelope there is another small one - it's addressed to her. Talk to her. Please forgive me.
Love Calista.
Colonel Kreugar stared at the letter and reread it twice more. Slowly he delved his hand into the torn envelope and found an even smaller one - it had been missed. Carefully he pulled it out and saw a name written out in that smooth elegant handwriting.
"I believe this is for you young one." He said softly staring at the girl, his daughter, seeing her for the first time. She stared at him curiously at took the letter from his hands.
Dear Kalian,
I'll keep this short and sweet.
The man you were sent to see - Lieutenant Kreugar - was my former fiancé and your father. As you know I have suffered from this dreadful disease for many years it began not too long before I met your father - I brushed it off then. When he proposed to me I was the happiest woman alive. But then my disease decided to take an active role in my life. I had a fight with you father and we both said some cruel things to one another - I left him too afraid to let him know of this thing.
I know you'll find it hard to believe but please trust him. God knows you don't everybody else.
Love me (your mother)
"Lik I could forgit." Kalian snorted at the last comment of her mothers.
"."
Marion tried to peer over Kalian's shoulder. "Git lost Marion. Tis mine." Kalian said rudely poking her in the stomach. Marion whoofed and then looked at her reproachfully.
"Why do you always speak in that vulgar way when you've learnt something pretty shocking." Marion demanded.
"Because she likes to hold it over people's heads - especially the highborns - that she knows something they don't." Rudolf pointed out with a shrug to his wife. Kalian snickered at the interpretation.
"Well. Miss Shadow. May I have a private word please?" Colonel Kreugar said eyeing her warily.
"Yes Colonel Kreugar. Lead the way." Kalian said airily putting a hand in the crook of his elbow. Together they left leaving behind a perplexed roomful of people.
"Does anybody have any idea of what just happened?" Colonel Herman asked his blond eyebrow furrowed in thought.
"Nope." His second in command said equally bemused. Everybody jumped when the voice came over the intercom.
.Colonel Herman please report to the President's Office immediately.
"Coming O'Connel?" Colonel Herman asked pleasantly bowing his respects to the Imperial visitors before leaving.
"Right behind you sir." Major O'Connel said with a grin.
*********
"Colonel Herman. Major O'Connel. Thankyou for responding to my call so quickly. I have been given some interesting news that I believe you should know." President Cramford began looking into her son's sea green eyes warningly.
"I received a coded message today. It took a while for us to be able to break it. The contents of the message were most interesting. It informed me that Colonel Kreugar once had a fiancé. The lady that sent the message was indeed his fiancé. We found it in records shown for the wedding plans at the Wind Colony. She told me that she sent her daughter out to look for him. To deliver a message. That message was that the bearer of the letter, a young lady named Kalian Danyelle Shadow also held a last name of Kreugar. This Kalian is his daughter." The President stated firmly.
"You mean the young lady I brought here today is Colonel Kreugar's daughter? Are you kidding me?" Major O'Connel said gaping at her.
"I am quite serious young man." President Cramford snapped.
"That's certainly an interesting twist. Kreugar has a daughter who is working for the Empire while he works with the Republic. Quite interesting." Colonel Herman noted quietly.
"I'm surprised that he kept the fact that he had a fiancé secret." Major O'Connel said thoughtfully. "Something must of have happened."