Disclaimer: I own none of the Zoids characters/creation 'cept for Kally
and Rasaal.
*********************************************************************
Revelations
*********************************************************************
"Why'd you go Kally?" Jamie asked lips pressed gently against her hair.
"We all needed space. I felt I needed time to myself - to discover who I was." Kalira said snuggling closer to Jamie.
"It wasn't because of what I -" Jamie said.
"Not at all." Kalira said firmly placing her finger lightly against his mouth.
"I'm sorry Kally. I didn't mean to." Jamie said his voice cracking; he tried to sit up. She pushed him back down beside her.
"I know you didn't. Don't stress about it. What's past is past. Nothing can be done about it." Kalira said tenderly. He smiled pulling her closer.
"I missed you so much." tears made Jamie's voice sound husky.
"Me too." Kalira said.
"I don't want you to leave Kally. Not again. Please?" he pleaded wanting the reassurance.
"I'll see what I can do." She said teasingly. He smiled in response drawing her closer. She stiffened not used to such close contact with Jamie. Jamie started in surprise and let her go.
"It's alright. I won't hurt you Kally." Jamie said sweetly.
Kally gaped. She'd heard similar words uttered by Leon.
"Jamie. I have something to tell you. Actually I have a lot to tell you." Kalira amended.
"What?" Jamie said with interest.
"This may take a long time so get comfortable." Kalira said warningly. Jamie settled himself down beside her encouraging her to continue.
"As you know Uncle Oscar took me in after mother and father were killed. You know that we are not truly cousins do you not?" Kalira asked. Jamie nodded in confirmation.
"Father told me just before mother got sick." Jamie said a gentle smile lit his features.
"Do you know how my parents died?" Kalira asked him. "Yes." Jamie said slowly. "Why?"
"Don't worry it comes up later in my story." Kalira said. Kalira began to recount her adventures of the past years.
_________________
Kalira began to recount her memories before Jamie's mother had been taken ill. She remembered the first time that Leon had kissed her - she had been 11 he had been 17. She had been extremely well developed for her age and boys had begun to take an interest in her much to her discomfit. She had been furious with him and ended up belting him around the head with the butt of the knife she had held in her hand. He had been less than impressed. He had left her alone for a brief spell before continuing his attentions. He bought her flowers he had picked up, shells and rocks that he had found. She had liked it but in repayment her had demanded a kiss. She hadn't liked it at first and had refused him. He asked her out she said no. He had tried harder with his efforts; eventually she began to appreciate them. He asked her out again but she still said no. He asked a third time - that time she had said yes. He had been over the moon. She had only just begun to mature and understand what happened between a man and woman when they loved one another - his friends pressured him to go further. He tried too; she rejected him; they had broken up. They became firm friends and Leon had gone on to date girls closer to his age.
When Jamie's mother had been taken ill, she had taken over the role as a mother figure for Jamie and Rasaal. She had found it hard but she hadn't wanted to burden Jamie with her problems so instead she had just stuffed it down. It had built up and she hadn't been able to do anything about it. Leon had wanted to rekindle the old flame and she had willingly complied. Leon was experienced she had known and desperate for some form of love she had reached out for what he was offering. He had been pleased. She had lost her virginity to him at the tender age of 13. She refused him soon after. He had been furious. He broke up with her leaving her an emotional wreck.
Nobody had understood what she had been going through. In desperate need of somebody who would understand she had gone to Jamie's mother for comfort telling her everything that had happened. Jamie's mother had been surprised and touched at her seeking her advice. Every time she had visited Jamie's mother had taken her over for a heart to heart talk helping her to understand the changes she was going through. Kalira had been devastated when Jamie's mother had died. With no one to share her feelings with - to understand her - she stuffed her emotions down keeping up a facade of eternal happiness.
Everybody had misinterpreted her. She was shunted into the background and left to deal with the heartbroken baby. He didn't understand were his Mama was. She had tried to make him understand but to no avail. When Jamie had hit her she had begun to realise that she needed to get away. He had made her see clearly it was time for her to discover herself. After the funeral she had gone home and packed hers and Rasaal's things. That night after Jamie's father had left for the wake she had gone with the wind taking Rasaal with her. They had wandered from town to town with the wind. People had been kind and taken them in for a night or two, fed and clothed them. Eventually after months of wandering they had found their way to her place of birth - New Helic City. It had grown much bigger since she had been to it those 7 years before. Day after day she had wandered further and further into the city trying desperately to find the home that she remembered so vaguely. The day they had found it had been the anniversary of her mother and father's death. Unbeknownst to her, close fellow agents had gone to the small apartment to commemorate the death of their comrades that day. They had found her lying in the doorway, in her arms lay the little boy she tended. One of her mother's closest friends had recognised her as the missing daughter - they had taken charge of her. The woman who had recognised her was known only as Sunsong. Sunsong had taken in Kalira and Rasaal. She had begun training Kalira in her mother and father's footsteps. Kalira's real name was abandoned and she became known as Shadowdancer. She had become a superb warrior - one of the elite. She was taught to masquerade herself in any disguise that she was needed in. She became one of the President's most trusted guards. She had never failed.
The President's enemies -Imperial and Republican - feared her. As did the President's allies. She knew everything that was going on in both kingdoms her network of spies were far more superior to the President's and the Emperor's. She became known as the Shadowdancer. An honour that was only given to the best. Nobody had been able to match her in any shape or form. Many had attempted to take her life. None had succeeded. Only one had come close. He had come close to her in a way that no other had been able to. They had known each other thoroughly. Later he had become her rival - he had kept his honour by no revealing anything that he had known of her and she had kept the same honour code by not revealing his intimate details. His employer had given him an ultimatum - kill her or be killed himself. Many were willing to prove themselves by killing him. He had been torn but in the end had settled on killing her. He had longed to see if he could outwit her.
An unknown pilot had challenged her in a zoid aerial battle. Unsuspectingly she had fallen for it hook, line and sinker. Her one area of noticeable weakness had been the love she held for her zoids. Afraid of getting people hurt she had made limited friends and those she had were held at arms length. Unable to lavish affection for fear of them being targeted she had turned it onto the zoids instead. The only human she had openly displayed fondness for had been squirreled away safely hidden from her enemies. The unknown pilot had been her former lover. They had battled and both been severely injured. She had turned tail and run trying desperately to protect herself and her beloved zoid partner. She fled straight into his trap. A unit of Black Redlars attacked her and the damaged Stormsworder had joined them. They had sent her hurtling to the ground barely conscious; her Gryphlaner a flaming mass of steel. She had ejected her pilot before hitting the ground. Skyswift was dead; her pilot was left to die.
Lucky for her Sunsong had smelt a rat from the word go. Sunsong had created a unit and they had followed her discreetly. The unit had watched in horror as she had gone down in a mass of burning steel. Seeking revenge they had attacked the Redlar unit and destroyed it. Sunsong had been left to see if the Shadowdancer had indeed perished in the blaze. Sunsong found her. She was taken to the top medical professionals in the Republic. There the top Imperial medical professionals joined them in the battle to save her life. They had done well. The only scars she had of the battle was a severely injured left knee and a ruined left eye.
_________________
"So that's why you wear the eye patch?" Jamie asked curiously.
"Yes." Kalira said soberly.
"So you and Leon have gotten back together?" Jamie asked quietly searching her face desperately.
"Today we had a bit of fun. But we both ended up agreeing on leaving it in the past. No we are not back together." Kalira said looking Jamie straight in the eye.
His hand reached out slowly to her face; his hands slipped beneath the bands of the eye patch pulling it off - revealing the horrible scar. He inhaled sharply his eyes roaming over the scar that held the place of her eye.
"Does it hurt?" he asked pulling her close to inspect the damages.
"No." she said her heart jumping. Jamie looked at her ravenously.
"Jamie?" his father called, there came a knock at the door.
"Yes father?" Jamie replied watching as Kalira tugged the eye patch back into place.
"May I come in?" came the reply.
"Yes." Jamie said watching his father enter. Kally lay lengthwise down the bed her thigh brushing his.
"Oh Kally. I didn't know you were here. May I please have a few moments with my son?" Oscar asked her softly.
"Sure." Kally said leaping off the bed making for the door.
*_*
Kally walked into Rasaal's room. She smiled down serenely at the little boy she had raised mostly single-handedly. He was the living image of his mother. She knew it was hard for the boy's father to watch the infant boy grow especially when she had just died. That was why she had taken him with her.
She had been surprised when the doctor had told her that he was blind. Of sorts she amended. He could only see light and dark. They believed the optic nerve had not developed and where thus worried of other disabilities that may arise because of this. He'd said it was a rare occurrence.
Rasaal hadn't minded overly much. She'd have to look into getting a droid or something to watch over him when she wasn't there.
"Kally." A voice said quietly. To hands gently slipped onto her shoulders and squeezed them. She looked at him smiling.
"Go have a chat. Don't be up too long." He said warningly.
"K." she said imitating Rasaal's speech momentarily. She kissed him on the cheek and wandered off to Jamie's room. He shook his head with a smile and gently looked upon his youngest son with a sigh. He sat in the armchair and watched his youngest child sleep thinking of his dearly departed wife.
*_*
She slipped onto the bed beside him. She smiled in amusement at the thoughtful Jamie.
"What's up?" she asked peering at the deeply thinking Jamie. He looked up and found her inches away from his face. He flushed and hesitantly reached out and brushed his lips against hers. She gasped in surprise blushing furiously. He pulled her into a deeper kiss, his tongue seeking entrance to her mouth. She complied willingly. They broke apart; Kalira stared at Jamie wonderingly, he stared back eyes full of amazement. Never had he felt like this before he thought - a spark had passed between them. He pushed her down on to his bed kissing her passionately.
********************************************************************* And here ends the seventh chapter of A Gryphon's Courage. Is it good? I know I said in the last chapter Leon and Kally were getting it on but hey times change. We'll see how it goes from here - may get a little full on in the next coupla chapters. Love to here from you. Lil' old me ^_^
*********************************************************************
Revelations
*********************************************************************
"Why'd you go Kally?" Jamie asked lips pressed gently against her hair.
"We all needed space. I felt I needed time to myself - to discover who I was." Kalira said snuggling closer to Jamie.
"It wasn't because of what I -" Jamie said.
"Not at all." Kalira said firmly placing her finger lightly against his mouth.
"I'm sorry Kally. I didn't mean to." Jamie said his voice cracking; he tried to sit up. She pushed him back down beside her.
"I know you didn't. Don't stress about it. What's past is past. Nothing can be done about it." Kalira said tenderly. He smiled pulling her closer.
"I missed you so much." tears made Jamie's voice sound husky.
"Me too." Kalira said.
"I don't want you to leave Kally. Not again. Please?" he pleaded wanting the reassurance.
"I'll see what I can do." She said teasingly. He smiled in response drawing her closer. She stiffened not used to such close contact with Jamie. Jamie started in surprise and let her go.
"It's alright. I won't hurt you Kally." Jamie said sweetly.
Kally gaped. She'd heard similar words uttered by Leon.
"Jamie. I have something to tell you. Actually I have a lot to tell you." Kalira amended.
"What?" Jamie said with interest.
"This may take a long time so get comfortable." Kalira said warningly. Jamie settled himself down beside her encouraging her to continue.
"As you know Uncle Oscar took me in after mother and father were killed. You know that we are not truly cousins do you not?" Kalira asked. Jamie nodded in confirmation.
"Father told me just before mother got sick." Jamie said a gentle smile lit his features.
"Do you know how my parents died?" Kalira asked him. "Yes." Jamie said slowly. "Why?"
"Don't worry it comes up later in my story." Kalira said. Kalira began to recount her adventures of the past years.
_________________
Kalira began to recount her memories before Jamie's mother had been taken ill. She remembered the first time that Leon had kissed her - she had been 11 he had been 17. She had been extremely well developed for her age and boys had begun to take an interest in her much to her discomfit. She had been furious with him and ended up belting him around the head with the butt of the knife she had held in her hand. He had been less than impressed. He had left her alone for a brief spell before continuing his attentions. He bought her flowers he had picked up, shells and rocks that he had found. She had liked it but in repayment her had demanded a kiss. She hadn't liked it at first and had refused him. He asked her out she said no. He had tried harder with his efforts; eventually she began to appreciate them. He asked her out again but she still said no. He asked a third time - that time she had said yes. He had been over the moon. She had only just begun to mature and understand what happened between a man and woman when they loved one another - his friends pressured him to go further. He tried too; she rejected him; they had broken up. They became firm friends and Leon had gone on to date girls closer to his age.
When Jamie's mother had been taken ill, she had taken over the role as a mother figure for Jamie and Rasaal. She had found it hard but she hadn't wanted to burden Jamie with her problems so instead she had just stuffed it down. It had built up and she hadn't been able to do anything about it. Leon had wanted to rekindle the old flame and she had willingly complied. Leon was experienced she had known and desperate for some form of love she had reached out for what he was offering. He had been pleased. She had lost her virginity to him at the tender age of 13. She refused him soon after. He had been furious. He broke up with her leaving her an emotional wreck.
Nobody had understood what she had been going through. In desperate need of somebody who would understand she had gone to Jamie's mother for comfort telling her everything that had happened. Jamie's mother had been surprised and touched at her seeking her advice. Every time she had visited Jamie's mother had taken her over for a heart to heart talk helping her to understand the changes she was going through. Kalira had been devastated when Jamie's mother had died. With no one to share her feelings with - to understand her - she stuffed her emotions down keeping up a facade of eternal happiness.
Everybody had misinterpreted her. She was shunted into the background and left to deal with the heartbroken baby. He didn't understand were his Mama was. She had tried to make him understand but to no avail. When Jamie had hit her she had begun to realise that she needed to get away. He had made her see clearly it was time for her to discover herself. After the funeral she had gone home and packed hers and Rasaal's things. That night after Jamie's father had left for the wake she had gone with the wind taking Rasaal with her. They had wandered from town to town with the wind. People had been kind and taken them in for a night or two, fed and clothed them. Eventually after months of wandering they had found their way to her place of birth - New Helic City. It had grown much bigger since she had been to it those 7 years before. Day after day she had wandered further and further into the city trying desperately to find the home that she remembered so vaguely. The day they had found it had been the anniversary of her mother and father's death. Unbeknownst to her, close fellow agents had gone to the small apartment to commemorate the death of their comrades that day. They had found her lying in the doorway, in her arms lay the little boy she tended. One of her mother's closest friends had recognised her as the missing daughter - they had taken charge of her. The woman who had recognised her was known only as Sunsong. Sunsong had taken in Kalira and Rasaal. She had begun training Kalira in her mother and father's footsteps. Kalira's real name was abandoned and she became known as Shadowdancer. She had become a superb warrior - one of the elite. She was taught to masquerade herself in any disguise that she was needed in. She became one of the President's most trusted guards. She had never failed.
The President's enemies -Imperial and Republican - feared her. As did the President's allies. She knew everything that was going on in both kingdoms her network of spies were far more superior to the President's and the Emperor's. She became known as the Shadowdancer. An honour that was only given to the best. Nobody had been able to match her in any shape or form. Many had attempted to take her life. None had succeeded. Only one had come close. He had come close to her in a way that no other had been able to. They had known each other thoroughly. Later he had become her rival - he had kept his honour by no revealing anything that he had known of her and she had kept the same honour code by not revealing his intimate details. His employer had given him an ultimatum - kill her or be killed himself. Many were willing to prove themselves by killing him. He had been torn but in the end had settled on killing her. He had longed to see if he could outwit her.
An unknown pilot had challenged her in a zoid aerial battle. Unsuspectingly she had fallen for it hook, line and sinker. Her one area of noticeable weakness had been the love she held for her zoids. Afraid of getting people hurt she had made limited friends and those she had were held at arms length. Unable to lavish affection for fear of them being targeted she had turned it onto the zoids instead. The only human she had openly displayed fondness for had been squirreled away safely hidden from her enemies. The unknown pilot had been her former lover. They had battled and both been severely injured. She had turned tail and run trying desperately to protect herself and her beloved zoid partner. She fled straight into his trap. A unit of Black Redlars attacked her and the damaged Stormsworder had joined them. They had sent her hurtling to the ground barely conscious; her Gryphlaner a flaming mass of steel. She had ejected her pilot before hitting the ground. Skyswift was dead; her pilot was left to die.
Lucky for her Sunsong had smelt a rat from the word go. Sunsong had created a unit and they had followed her discreetly. The unit had watched in horror as she had gone down in a mass of burning steel. Seeking revenge they had attacked the Redlar unit and destroyed it. Sunsong had been left to see if the Shadowdancer had indeed perished in the blaze. Sunsong found her. She was taken to the top medical professionals in the Republic. There the top Imperial medical professionals joined them in the battle to save her life. They had done well. The only scars she had of the battle was a severely injured left knee and a ruined left eye.
_________________
"So that's why you wear the eye patch?" Jamie asked curiously.
"Yes." Kalira said soberly.
"So you and Leon have gotten back together?" Jamie asked quietly searching her face desperately.
"Today we had a bit of fun. But we both ended up agreeing on leaving it in the past. No we are not back together." Kalira said looking Jamie straight in the eye.
His hand reached out slowly to her face; his hands slipped beneath the bands of the eye patch pulling it off - revealing the horrible scar. He inhaled sharply his eyes roaming over the scar that held the place of her eye.
"Does it hurt?" he asked pulling her close to inspect the damages.
"No." she said her heart jumping. Jamie looked at her ravenously.
"Jamie?" his father called, there came a knock at the door.
"Yes father?" Jamie replied watching as Kalira tugged the eye patch back into place.
"May I come in?" came the reply.
"Yes." Jamie said watching his father enter. Kally lay lengthwise down the bed her thigh brushing his.
"Oh Kally. I didn't know you were here. May I please have a few moments with my son?" Oscar asked her softly.
"Sure." Kally said leaping off the bed making for the door.
*_*
Kally walked into Rasaal's room. She smiled down serenely at the little boy she had raised mostly single-handedly. He was the living image of his mother. She knew it was hard for the boy's father to watch the infant boy grow especially when she had just died. That was why she had taken him with her.
She had been surprised when the doctor had told her that he was blind. Of sorts she amended. He could only see light and dark. They believed the optic nerve had not developed and where thus worried of other disabilities that may arise because of this. He'd said it was a rare occurrence.
Rasaal hadn't minded overly much. She'd have to look into getting a droid or something to watch over him when she wasn't there.
"Kally." A voice said quietly. To hands gently slipped onto her shoulders and squeezed them. She looked at him smiling.
"Go have a chat. Don't be up too long." He said warningly.
"K." she said imitating Rasaal's speech momentarily. She kissed him on the cheek and wandered off to Jamie's room. He shook his head with a smile and gently looked upon his youngest son with a sigh. He sat in the armchair and watched his youngest child sleep thinking of his dearly departed wife.
*_*
She slipped onto the bed beside him. She smiled in amusement at the thoughtful Jamie.
"What's up?" she asked peering at the deeply thinking Jamie. He looked up and found her inches away from his face. He flushed and hesitantly reached out and brushed his lips against hers. She gasped in surprise blushing furiously. He pulled her into a deeper kiss, his tongue seeking entrance to her mouth. She complied willingly. They broke apart; Kalira stared at Jamie wonderingly, he stared back eyes full of amazement. Never had he felt like this before he thought - a spark had passed between them. He pushed her down on to his bed kissing her passionately.
********************************************************************* And here ends the seventh chapter of A Gryphon's Courage. Is it good? I know I said in the last chapter Leon and Kally were getting it on but hey times change. We'll see how it goes from here - may get a little full on in the next coupla chapters. Love to here from you. Lil' old me ^_^