Before By Emily Jennings
Disclaimer: The idea is mine, the characters are based on our Roswell friends, everything else you can work out for yourself!
Note: Huzzah! She finally manages to upload a chapter within a decently corresponding time to the previous one – okay, okay so it's still a longish wait you've had to endure but I went on holiday for two weeks and didn't have access to a computer!
This chapter, and all subsequent chapters, are new (unlike chapters 1 & 2 which were rewrites) which means they'll probably be a little shorter then the previous.
This chapter is a mainly Rath/Lonnie chapter, tell me what you think. As always please read, review & enjoy!
P.S.: Keep in mind that yes they are all 14 -15 years old but this does not mean that they are 14 – 15 earth years old. They are in fact, in this story anyway, more mature (well that's the theory anyway …)
♥♥♥
It wasn't difficult to find out where the Queen had taken Zan; you just had to follow the stream of running glaziers.
Rath watched as Jem, the chief glazier, set off at a sprint down the nearest corridor whilst strapping a many pocketed tool belt to his waist and shouting out orders to his apprentice who in turn scurried off to issue demands to his underlings.
The would-be-second-in-command hopped agilely out of the way of an aged Antarian glazier who shook his gnarled fist threateningly and threw a few colourful oaths in his direction before hurrying after Jem with a wagonload of paned glass.
A small girl, aged around eight, hopped on anxious feet to follow the procession of workers but Rath caught her by the arm before she could sneak off to join the men. She swung round with her free arm raised as though to hit her opponent but stopped as soon as she realised who he was.
"Hay, Kora" he remarked casually, releasing her from his grip as she relaxed.
"Rath!" she exclaimed brightly, beginning to play absently with a strand of auburn hair.
Kora had harboured a crush on Rath for over a year now and whilst she would not even acknowledge Vilandra's presence in a room she would happily tell Rath anything. He planned to use this to his advantage. "How bad is it?"
"Five windows in the library, four broken on the way there and another two in the West Wing going to Princess Eliza's room."
He winced. That was eleven windows all together, it wasn't the record but it was still bad.
The small girl tugged impatiently on his tunic, "You coming to play outside with us?" By 'us' she meant the small herd of servants' kids that he sometimes entertained with tall tales and games.
"Nah, I've got business to attend to. Maybe later though, okay?"
"Vilandra works you too hard!" she replied stoutly with her hands on her hips.
Rath was about to crack a smile but knew it would hurt her feelings; instead he grimaced and nodded woefully. "I know, I know! But what can one man do against the might of a Princess?" This time he did smile and ruffled her hair affectionately, "See you later kido!"
He turned and was half way down the corridor before she came running after him: "Rath! Rath, wait up!" she ran in front of him and halted, one arm held out as though to stop him from making a crafty escape. There was a question in her eyes, "W-Why d' you love her?"
He thought seriously about the question and wondered if he would ever be able to convey his reasons, his feelings, for loving Lonnie. He wondered too that even if he could, would this girl understand? Instead he settled for something they would both understand, "She has really shiny hair"
"I have shiny hair!" she said tugging the reddish-brown locks a little harder then was necessary.
"That you do!" he exclaimed as though he had only just realised. He frowned suddenly and then spoke in mock regret, "Ah … but your only eight years old, society would never allow it."
She frowned too. "I'll be nine next year" she stated, matter-of-factly applying her child logic.
Rath bent down so that they were eye level and shot a look around the deserted corridor as though to check for anybody near enough to hear. He motioned for her to come closer, she did so with abated breath, and lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper, "Well in that case, Vilandra better hope that we're married by next year or she'll be in for some real competition."
Kora giggled happily and Rath smiled, squeezing her shoulder gently.
He turned and resumed his path down the corridor, waiting to hear Kora's light steps in the other direction. When he didn't he turned and called out to her. She looked at him, a wide grin spread across her face. "This is just between me and you, right?" he asked in a tone that could have been mistaken for actual seriousness. She nodded her head vigorously and then ran in the opposite direction.
Rath stood there for a moment, a small smile playing across his lips, and then, shaking his head in a kind of good natured disbelief, he continued his course down the corridor.
♥
Vilandra dressed in a white chiffon nightgown and sat out on her balcony watching the effervescent light orbs suspended in mid air as they followed the night gardeners, like loyal dogs, keeping the twilight at bay.
The city would be buzzing by now with rumours of what had happened in court, by the end of the week the whole planet would know of what had occurred today, she wouldn't have been surprised if, by today's finish, the Council of Five knew of it.
It was typical of her baby brother to cause a disturbance of this magnitude within court without intending to do so.
She remembered when, at the age of five, her brother had almost caused an inter-planetary war because he slighted a princess of the royal family of Farimoor, the second planet in the alliance. The eleven year old girl had been playing with Zan and declared him as 'the most beautiful child she had ever seen' to which he poked her in the eye and blew a raspberry at her.
For a year after that Antarian security had had to be on full alert against attack in case a Farimooren battle ship 'accidentally' mistook an Antarian space cruiser for a ship of the Rogue Force or Farimooren identification equipment became 'faulty' and tried to obliterate small Antarian countries.
Lonnie chuckled in amusement; the Farimooren princess had been an ugly, self-absorbed little brat who mistreated her servants and as it turned out her father, the King, was a psychotic monster who left his people in famine. When the Farimooren King tried to wage war against Antar, the most beloved and well respected planet within the alliance, his own people revolted and a revolution ensued.
Tender hands approached from behind to rest on her shoulders and she shivered involuntarily as she felt warm breath against her bare skin and soft lips nuzzling her neck, sending small waves of pleasure through her person.
She closed her eyes whilst gently tilting her head back, exposing a little more of her neck, and raised her right hand to entwine her fingers in her attackers short cut hair.
"Hello My Heart" she murmured, finally giving in and turning fully in her seat.
"Hi" he returned, standing slightly back and issuing her a lopsided grin.
She knelt on her chair and raised her hands, so that they lay on each side of his face, and pulled him to her until their foreheads leant on each other. "I have missed you this past hour that we have been apart."
He seemed to pause to breathe her scent in. "I went to the glaziers' to gage the extent of your mother's wrath … although now I am here my heart's mind is telling me I would have been better to stay by your side."
"Hmmm, indeed …" she began to settle small kisses on his lips and face and run her hands down his chest. Her heartbeat began to fasten and then suddenly he pulled away. "Oh, Rath!" she pleaded, pouting.
He laughed in the adoring way that he did and walked backwards slightly into her room. "As much as I would truly love to stay My Angel Features, I don't fancy your mother walking in on us and breaking my head as well as another eleven windows."
Lonnie winced. Eleven windows? That was bad.
Rath once again surveyed her pert figure in the near see-through chiffon nightdress and sighed with regret. "It seems like me and Zan have swapped personalities for tonight … he gets to stare at the Princess Eliza in all her glory and I come over all chivalrous."
Lonnie's jaw dropped. "No?! My brother wouldn't do that."
Rath gave a brief description of what had happened "… then he told me and he decided to let her find out at the banquette."
"Well that's the most ridiculous plan I've ever heard! Clearly he should have gone to her rooms and told her straight away."
"Well that's what I told him but you know how stubborn he can get about these things."
"Still …" she said, looking at him with a glint in her eyes that said he could not escape the true subject: "my mother isn't likely to force open a locked door!" She arose from her chair and circled him twice, swaying her hips seductively. Rath groaned and closed his eyes tightly. Lonnie stopped in front of him and slung her arms lazily around his neck, a suggestive smile creasing her lips. "Rath!"
"Hmmm?" it came out as a chocked almost pained murmur.
"Lock the door"
He opened his eyes wide in disbelief. The tone of her voice said that she had just given a royal order. A royal order from Lonnie was a lot more difficult to ignore than a royal order from Zan.
She saw it in his eyes that he would not go against her and a triumphant grin spread across her face. Rath swallowed hard and walked over to the door and locked it. "Y' know you're gonna pay for this?" he asked.
She raised a brow speculatively, "Lights out" she said. The light orbs went dark …
♥
Eliza saw that the girl's lip had begun to tremble and watched as her eyes began to fill and glisten with suppressed tears. Strange, she thought, as her own vision blurred and hot, salty tears began to course down her face. Should not the girl be crying instead of her? She turned away from the mirror.
Pitying sobs racked her body and for one indulgent moment Eliza felt sorry for herself.
The tears were almost silent as she sought comfort in the soft cushioning of her four-poster bed. If a person had had their back to Eliza they would likely believe they were hearing a small kitten's muffled mew under a blanket.
The Princess happened to be one of the very few people that could cry and still look delicate and composed, which made it difficult to tell if she had been crying at all. Unfortunately even she could not deceive the trained eye of the Queen when she eventually came to visit.
Her majesty took one look at Eliza and rushed over to her.
Sweeping her up into her arms the Queen rocked her like a small infant, quietly hushing her and gently stocking her hair.
Eliza's mother was never a woman who showed any great love or pity and the Princess could not recall a time where she had been embraced in such a manner. This new sensation overwhelmed her and Eliza found herself desperately clinging to the comfort the Queen gave and an old longing thought long buried arose within her for the affection of a mother.
"My dear, dear girl." the elder woman murmured soothingly, "Do not upset yourself over my son's foolishness for he is not worth your tears … if it is any conciliation I believe he is truly sorry, and, knowing my son as I do, he will probably punish himself more severely then any punishment I could ever give him." She waited but no response came, then she sighed in a resigned sort of way, "I can have a carriage ready for you to leave early on the morrow of you so wish."
Eliza did not reply but her tears subsided a little. Quiet suddenly she hiccoughed giving her cause to sit up abruptly and stare accusingly around the room until she realised that she was the perpetrator.
She looked at the Queen who was still some what surprised at the younger girl's movements and began to giggle uncontrollably. The Queen joined her and they spent a whole five minutes laughing afresh every time Eliza hiccoughed. Eventually, with the hiccoughs departed, they both righted themselves on the bed and a more comfortable silence resumed.
"Can I trust you?"
The question pierced the silence so unexpectedly that at first the Queen was too shocked to answer. The monarch peered across at her little charge, her blue eyes deadly serious, and asked, "What do you think?"
Eliza searched for falseness in the woman's gaze and found none. She remembered her gracious welcome, friendly manner, and, most recently, the warmth and comfort she had just shown her, Eliza, who was just a second rate princess she had known for less then a day.
"I think that perhaps I can."
"I think you might be right."
Eliza nodded her head slowly and in acceptance, "Well in that case … I guess I'm staying"
♥
Antar's duo of suns spilled over the horizon and cast a ghostly beauty over the dew filled gardens. A shaft of pallid light hit a prism dangling precariously from the balcony's ceiling and sent fragmented rays pooling onto the bedspread of Princess Vilandra's bed.
The princess in question had been up for an hour already but now she took the time to watch the rainbow of colours dance over the linen material. The fabric crumpled, sending the pattern to seeming glide elsewhere and her eyes were directed to the person who had caused the disturbance.
Rath would not be up for another two or three hours at least and Lonnie liked to take this time to soak in every aspect of him. She traced his profile down and over his bare chest until the rest of him was consumed within the thin sheets, which of course was not satisfying at all. Still, she thought, she was reluctant to go over there in case she woke him for he was sleeping so peacefully.
She regarded his slightly tousled hair and allowed herself to remember the previous night. Yes, let him sleep, he deserved that much at least.
She cast a glance at the mirror and was sufficiently assured that she looked her usual stunning self. She would go for a walk, a nice long walk would certainly cool down her thoughts …
Vilandra was glad for the walk. This early in the morning there was nobody about and her thoughts were her own. Or at least that was what she had believed before she went colliding into somebody.
Vilandra and Eliza both began to apologise at the same time, and then, when they both realised who the other was, then began to laugh at the same time.
Vilandra was curios about this girl that her brother apparently liked so much and Eliza already had her respect so this time Lonnie made an effort to talk to her where she had not the other suitors.
At first they talked of trivia things: court gossip, the fine work of Mira and the beauty of the palace, and Lonnie was pleasantly surprised. Eliza was intelligent, perhaps as intelligent as herself; not at all like her so-called 'friends' at the palace who were, in truth, just pretty ornaments for their fathers to display and use as pawns in negotiations ('If you give me exclusive rights to the crystal mines you own I'll give you any one of my daughters.").
They talked until Vilandra felt as though they had known each other since birth. They talked of politics, art, architecture, science, travel and more. They talked until they saw that other people in the manor house and palace were rising.
They began to stroll back to the manor house and when they reached Eliza's room she asked Lonnie in. It was not lost on the elder princess that her mother had given Eliza chambers equal in beauty and size to her own.
She smiled brightly at the brunette: "Can we talk Princess to Princess for a moment?"
"I thought we had been doing so!"
"Well yeah, we have, but I kind of wanted to talk about yesterday."
"Oh, right, well, erm … sure, go ahead"
"What my brother did was abominable, I mean, I don't know the details or anything but I know that he lied and that wasn't decent. And I suppose what I'd like to say is that they, he and Rath that is, are always getting into some kind of trouble – mainly Rath's doing – but they mean well. See, they're like dogs, sometimes they pee on the carpet but they're kind hearted and fiercely loyal and they'd give their own lives if it meant protecting people they cared for."
Vilandra became flustered at her own inability to convey her sentiments and, sighing, began to start afresh: "I suppose what I'm really trying to say is that I know my brother can be a dumb arse but, well, I really like you 'liza; you're the first girl of my own age who I can have an intelligent conversation with and, I know I'm being selfish by asking but, please don't go!"
Eliza couldn't help but laugh, "Lonnie, you should have just said! I've already discussed it with your mother and I'm not leaving."
"Huh?!"
"I guess what I'm trying to say is; I wasn't really upset by your brother's foolishness but my own … I wanted Zan to be Max. I wanted so badly because…because, oh I don't know. I just did. And I got my wish didn't I? I'm not upset because he lied to me, I'm upset because he lied to me and I don't care."
♥
Rath groaned and shied away from the loud banging noise as Lonnie entered the room, "For pity's sake Woman! Have some compassion, have you already forgotten that I've been up half the night?!" He rolled the covers off his face a peered up at the female figure. It was not Vilandra.
He yelped and jumped up off the bed, securing the linen sheet around his naked form as he backed farther away from the Queen. "It's not what it looks like!"
"On the contrary Rath, it is exactly what it looks like!" she gave him a piercing glare. "Quite evidently you came down with that bug that everybody has been getting and Vilandra – worried for your health – would have no other way but for you to rest immediately. Had my daughter been sensible she would have fetched the doctor directly and had you moved to your own rooms except so fearful for her beloved fiancés life was she that she could not bear to leave your side. This would of course explain your lack of clothing since it has been my observation that persons who are affected by this bug experience a startling fever. I expect my daughter recognises your evident improvement and has finally allowed herself to leave your side to fetch the doctor, has not she?"
Rath gaped at the Queen as she tapped her foot expectantly. He nodded mutely.
She smiled suddenly, a smile Rath suspected she had been carefully restraining, and giggled slightly. "I'm ever so glad! Had it been anything more … promiscuous things would have been serious indeed."
It was around that time Lonnie chose to walk in. The younger girl glanced from Rath to her mother and then did a retake, "Mother, I can explain …"
"I assure you that won't be necessary Vilandra" replied the Queen, adopting a brisk manner. "I know exactly what went on here!" She turned once again to Rath, "I think it best that you stay here for now and recover further. I'll send a nurse at midday to assess your health; in the meantime I'm sure Vilandra is more then capable."
The Queen smiled sweetly and exited the room.
Rath and Lonnie looked at each other both equally perplexed. "Did she just cover for us?!" asked she.
"Yep, I guess she's in a really good mood today!" supplied Rath.
Vilandra smiled broadly, "And I think I know why!"
♥
To Be Continued …