A/N: ***grins and waves*** Hello, everybody! Another installment right on time! Boy, the story is getting deep isn't it? Jak and Keira together, Haven City in danger, Ashlin wounded, and Sig Keira's father. Just how is Jak gonna fix all this? Ah… excluding the Sig being Keira's father thing since it's genetics and I don't DO genetics. Leave DNA alone I always say.
Yami-Nak: Hey, you changed your name! Yay! I think I e-mailed you but if you didn't get the e-mail here it is. I don't make fun of people… ever. Unless of course they're all like 'hey make fun of me' and I'll then be like 'k, yo mama!'
Prexistence: No offensive but I sure hope that ain't your mama! One would think a mother would panic at the thought of children reading porn. O_o Anyway, Sig evil? Kikita evil? ALL SHALL BE REVEALED… er, ***in a less powerful voice*** some shall be revealed! Oh, and keep your eye on that bagel. You never know.
Monkeypants: Noooooooooo! Will nothing I write ever be a shock! ***growls*** someone has been passing out my script and as God as my witness I shall find the culprit!
Maieve: ***sigh*** I am sooo not a very good secret keeper. ***growls at lack of secret-keeping skills*** sorry about the sexual stuff, but once I start the fluff it doesn't stop until it's done. I have no control over it!
Lunatic Pandora1: ***stares at Light Saber*** Ah, sorry what? I zoned out while watching your shiny sword ***rereads review*** Oh… no Keira can't be 'good ol' Keira because she not ol'… er, I mean old. See, bow to the logic!
Kizna1200: ***claps hands together*** Yes you did you very good person! But can see the reasoning behind Sig as Keira's father? It's not what you think. Excuse me as I left evilly MWAHAHAHAHA
Krimzon-Yakkow026: ***resurrects using a Phoenix Down*** Oops, wrong game. Never mind, you're alive! It… he… she… er LIVES! (I never remember that line in Frankenstein).
Mina Pierce: You DON'T see dead people!? ***gasp*** I do… I see dead people all the time… but that's mostly because I plan on killing them in the near distance future. They're dead in my eyes!
Wakka-steals-cloth: Hyper kid = my minion! Yes I am the Lord and Master of all hyper things. I RULE THEM!
Specter Von Baron: I have pondered over your suggestion many a night but my story is already to complex for my fragile brain to handle. I like your suggestion of a good-guy Metal Head (added with my own little twist) but maybe that'll be for a ***shifty eyes*** sequel? Dare I say it?
Laura-Sloan: You didn't see it coming? ***grins*** Yes, I have shocked someone! Oh joy! You made my day! ***dances around*** I am not a complete bad secret-keeper. Go me!
Dahiem: You could say that I tricked you… just to humor my oversized ego! But you did think about it just didn't think it possible… oh let's give me a point okay? You didn't think of it! Readable porn… hehe… that's funny…
Lous-me: Look cliffhanger gone ***stabs at cliffhanger with her pencil from God*** the pencil from God has destroyed the cliffhanger! I love you Pencil from God! ***hugs beloved pencil*** Happy now? Anything but the harpies!
Slaughtermaw: Thankie! Here's the update, man! Dude, check it! (***snickers*** I love talking like that). Oh, you're story's really good! I would review it but… I'm lazy. ***sheepish*** Continue, I AM reading and one day I shall get around to reviewing it!
Jackie Almasy: It struck the shocking part of your mind? Hmm, I think when any part of you mind is struck it'll would only be in the pain category.
That guy: Hey, you're that guy… ah yeah! Ah… the power of the author ***sighs*** but I do try to keep it as close to as the story creators made it.
Ready? Set? ***raises flare-gun in the air*** Go! ***fires*** BANG!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Act Eleven: Secret Origins"He had damned her. Damned for choosing another over him and she had damned him back. And around their child, the secret wrapped itself."
Sig shrugged casually, "What's there to tell? Kikita named her guardian as her mate and had Keira. But fighting proved to be too much for him and he ran, leaving Kikita to her fate and Keira motherless."
Gunner Rin laughed, "By the Goddess, you truly don't suspect do you? The truth? You and I both know that you and Kikita Kinover were lovers, even after she named another man as her mate. It was no secret about the palace."
"Yes, but only once. She would never have me, she told that. She loved the man she named as a mate, that damn coward. She gave me nothing more than one night in her bed. Even that she said she regretted." Sig explained.
"And you never suspect it?" Gunner Rin and chuckled, "You were always slow, Sigrid."
"What are you talking about?" Keira questioned, looking between the two men. They didn't seem to notice her as they held their staring contest.
"She has your eyes, Sigrid." Gunner Rin pressed.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Keira is the daughter of that coward Kikita named as her mate." Sig denied in a firm voice, but Jak noticed a slight tremble in it. It was as if he was starting to doubt it.
"Yes, the father of Keira was a coward. You are a coward, Sigrid. After all this time, all these years, you never figured it out? The truth of Keira's origin? You and I both know Kikita shared no love for the man she called a mate. Truly you understand the point between that choosing? I can see by the look on your face, you don't. Very well, I shall tell you." Gunner Rin gave Sig a steady glare before continuing, "Kikita Kinover came to me with a problem. She loved one of her guardians—a man named Sigrid of Nobeck—but she knew as well as I did that every High Priestess was destined to be betrayed by her lover and the lover would die. So we devised a plan to keep you save. Kikita didn't want you hurt or to see you betray your people, she thought very highly of you."
Sig lowered his head and slumped to the floor, his eyes wide. Keira gasped and backed up against Jak, who held her shoulders for support. He looked over at Sig, but the older man would not look back at him.
"So we decided to pick someone Kikita could never love." Gunner Rin went on to explain, "Someone who was strong and brave and loyal to the crown, but also annoying and cocky. A local noble from the villas besides the palace filled that description. So on the night of her choosing, she chose that man as her mate. It broke her heart—she told me this—to know she would never have you, but at the same time she was glad because she knew it would keep you safe."
"But she couldn't deny me for long." Sig told Gunner Rin, his eyelids half-closed with the memory, "I was so angry with her. I swore I would never touch her, even in the most brotherly way. I even went as far as to ask her to remove me as her guardian. That was my first big mistake. It was two months after she chosen another for her mate and I had tried to stay away from her, but she fevered by brain like a plague."
Jak blinked at Sig in surprise. As the burly remembered his life around Kikita, his voice had taken on a regal tone. The slang and somewhat laziness that had always filled his voice had left.
"She refused to remove me as her guardian, saying I was the strongest fighter she had. I don't remember what was said, but we were yelling at each other. No one heard us because we were in the gardens and it was night. All I remember is telling her she betrayed me and my love and she was saying she had to, but I would never understand. Then we were kissing. And I don't remember pulling her into my arms, but she was suddenly in them and I couldn't seem to break my lips away from hers. So I loved her and I cursed her. I remember Kikita saying the same things to me.
"The next morning, I left without a word back to my villa. I thought about Kikita and myself. I decided she must love me back and that she was simply afraid of her feelings towards me. I cornered her later that day and said I knew that she loved me and that we could be together. Kikita looked so angry then, exactly like Keira. She told me that last night was a mistake, emotions running high, and that she was staying with her mate. She told me loved him and that she was going to have a child, his child. She told me nothing I said or did would change her choice." Sig looked away, "I didn't say anything to her after that. I just turned and left. I could see it in her eyes that she meant what she said—she was staying with her mate. I packed my things and went to Haven City. It was a growing City, but under the rule of a tyrant—Baron Praxis. I had heard a man named Krew was looking for a brave man to be one of his Wastelanders. I knew the land outside Haven City fairly well and I decided that that was my place."
"We never thought you'd run away." Gunner Rin admitted, "You were always so stubborn, Sigrid. Kikita and I figured you'd stay away just to show her you didn't give a damn about her choosing. And when you did leave, Kikita found she was pregnant. With our Lady Keira." Gunner Rin said, looking over at Keira.
"My child." Sig concluded, looking at Keira. Keira looked back and their eyes met and held. Their same eyes.
"Yes, Kikita knew Keira was your child. She was afraid and lost. If you had stayed, she might have admitted that she carried your child, but since by then you had already ran off to Haven City she decided to keep it a secret. But her mate was no fool; he knew that the child growing inside Kikita was not his. He couldn't stand it, knowing that the next High Priestess would not carry his blood. He ran off and died out in the desert a month before Keira was born. And five years later, Erisen killed Kikita." Gunner Rin said and drew a deep breath.
"Man," Daxter said, rubbing his spiky red hair with a grim look on his face, "whoda thukin that Keira and Sig are related to each other? Father and daughter no less! They're so different!"
"No." Keira whispered and everyone turned to her. Silent tears ran down Keira's cheeks, "No!"
"Keira…" Tess said, softly almost moving towards the young woman but Gareth held her wrist and shook his head.
Keira raised a trembling, rage-driven finger and pointed it to Sig, "This is all your fault!" She cried and wrenched her shoulders free from Jak's grasp. She turned on her heel and ran from the room, sobbing.
Sig didn't go after her. He remained seated on the floor with a solemn look on his face, "Kikita," he whispered.
"Maybe you should go after her." Crea suggested, waving her arms in the air, "She looked upset. Give her some candy! That always makes me feel better."
Nyx groaned and hit Crea on top of her head and told Jak, "She does have a point, expect with the candy part. You should go after her."
Jak didn't need anymore persuading as he turned and followed Keira' path from the room.
"I still say bring her some candy." Crea mumbled after him.
~~**~~
"Keira! Keira, wait!" Jak shouted as he streaked after the young woman who held his heart. Her sobs filled the air as she slowed down to allow him to catch up with her. They stood in the darkened hallway leading to her room.
He came up swiftly behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. Keira's shoulder stiffened in slight protested, but soon she turned to him and buried her face into his shirt. Jak wrapped his arms around her small frame and rocked her.
"Hush." He whispered, trying to offer her comfort with his soothing motions.
"Oh Jak!" Keira cried against his chest, her voice muffled, "Why did he have to leave? Everything would have been different if he had stayed. Maybe my mother wouldn't even be dead."
Jak frowned and even though he didn't want to tell Keira, he knew where Sig was coming from. If Keira had chosen Gareth over himself… he didn't think he'd be able to stay by her, knowing that he could never truly have her. It would eat from the inside to be that close—to be her guardian—but to never be able to have her because she belonged to another. He'd probably do the same thing Sig did.
"Keira, you have to understand where Sig was coming from. What he must have felt like after hearing your mother tell him she loved another. Can you possibly understand what that must have felt like? It probably tore him from the inside. He had to leave or it would have killed him." Jak tried to explained.
"I—I think I understand and—and I'm not really angry with Sig." Keira admitted, raising her head, "I'm just frustrated, you know? Every time a High Priestess comes close to defeating Erisen, something comes in the way."
"What?"
"Doubt, Jak." Keira said, "A
High Priestess cannot defeat Erisen without her mate. And whenever the final
battle between Erisen and a High Priestess arises, her mate begins to doubt
her. He worried that she'll make a wrong decision and get hurt or that they're
not good enough for the High Priestess so they doubt. It tears them apart; it
destroyed the bond they need to defeat the god. Jak, you mustn't ever doubt me.
Always trust me, Jak. Trust our love."
"I will Keira." Jak assured her, tightening his hold on her, "And nothing will ever make me leave you. I will stay with you."
"Maybe." Keira agreed, but there was a frown on her face. Her fingers tightened around his waist on their own accord.
Why did she have a feeling that everything was going to go wrong?
~~**~~
Night was settling over the city once more as Sala and Gareth stood in the throne room of the palace. The knowledge they had learned today still floated around their heads. There was so much that they didn't understand. So much that the Council—especially Gunner Rin—kept from them.
"Keira has yet to speak to Sig." Gareth said then, breaking the silence. He watched as Sala stiffened. She was rather upset that the fact that Sig was actually Keira's father had been kept from her.
"Yes." She agreed. Keira had gone to bed as well as Sig. She and Gareth both knew it was so they didn't have to face each other yet. They weren't ready.
"Jak will make them talk." Gareth said, "He is Sig's friend and Keira's mate. It must be hard for him to see them so awkward around each other."
"Yes." She said again. She found that she couldn't say many words around him anymore. All she could do is think about the kiss they had shared and the lie she had said because of it. Then she would be bitten by lust.
Gareth looked at her with a hard look in his eyes. He considered Keira's words about him loving Sala. A few months ago it would have been absurd, but now that they had had that kiss he wasn't so sure.
Sala
turned and looked at him crossly, "What's the matter?"
"Nothing. I am just thinking
about what Keira told me." Gareth muttered, frowning so hard that a line came
between his two brows.
Sala chuckled and said, "Don't think that hard. You're liable to give yourself a headache." Then she frowned, "You really are no longer Keira's guardian?"
"No." Gareth answered looking away, "I asked her to remove me from her services and she agreed."
"Gareth, you didn't need to do that." Sala repeated the same words she had said when he had first told her of his decision, "Keira would not have held that night against you. You are a good guardian. The best Keira could have."
"I went against my duties." Gareth answered her with the same words he had said to her hours ago, "I should have protected her as a guardian should. I didn't. The penalty for that can only be to be eliminated as guardian."
"You didn't have to." Sala watched wearily as Gareth circled her, "What!?" She snapped, growing uncomfortable under his gaze.
"Just testing out a theory of our High Priestess." Gareth said and cupped her face with his cool hands. Sala's eyes widened as his lips pressed against hers.
Then her eyes slid closed and she slipped a hand through his hair, a moan softly parting her lips. Gareth's own soft groan of male satisfaction answered her.
Gareth should've known kissing Sala would be the most pleasurable thing he'd e ever done. She was soft and warm beneath him, her lips firm and eager. She smelt of ripening pears and her hair was silk twined in his fingers. How could he have gone so long without knowing what it was like to have her locked in his arms like this? He pulled her closer and deepened the kiss, trying to make up for lost time. And he realized Keira was right. As he kissed her, she fitting so perfectly against him, he knew what he may have always known but had kept locked away from himself.
He loved her.
Sala's fingers tightened in his hair and she wanted to drown in this kiss. Was it any wonder why she loved him? As she pressed herself more fully against him she wondered why he decided to finally notice her. Why had he decided to kiss her now? After all these years of never taking notice of her? Did this have something to do with Keira? He had mentioned the High Priestess having theory about them. As she felt Gareth press his tongue ever-so lightly against the seam of her bottom lip, she thought she knew. She trembled, but not in passion. In rage.
Oh yes, she knew.
She raised her hands and placed them on Gareth's chest. With a cry, she pushed him away. It was such a surprising move that Gareth almost tumbled to the floor. He managed to save himself and he looked at Sala in confusion.
"You can't have Keira anymore?" Sala questioned, biting the inside of her cheek in anger.
Gareth's confused look grew, "What? No." Since when had Keira had anything do with their relationship? What exactly was Sala getting at? He watched as Sala's face hardened and he barely could suppress his wince. Sala looked pissed. He had only seen her this mad once, when Erisa had wounded her mother.
What the hell did he do?
"Oh, so you think that just because you can't have Keira you can come running to me? Bastard." She stalked over to him in rage and Gareth backed away in fear, "I won't have it, do you hear me? I won't play second fiddle for you."
"Sala, what are you talking about!?" Gareth demanded, "Keira has nothing to do with this. Sala, this is about us. I—I lo—"
"Don't even go there." Sala snapped, turning on her heel and storming away from him, "Know this, Gareth, just because you can't have Keira doesn't mean I'll willing fall into your arms." She then left the room.
Gareth stared after her with a confused look upon his face.
~~**~~
Daxter and Tess grinned at one another as Crea argued with Nyx over when she should go to bed. Nyx, obviously, thought that Crea should be in bed now while Crea protested she was old enough to stay up.
"I can stay up!" Crea shouted, but it was hard to miss her dropping eyes.
"You are going to bed and that is finale." Nyx snapped in cool, calm voice but it was hard to miss the anger hinting at its edges.
"No!" Crea wailed as Nyx strolled over to her and casually hoisted the young girl onto her shoulder. Crea kicked her feet as she was dragged from the room. She reached out and her fingers caught the door as she tried to hold herself back. Nyx however gave her small body one hard yank and Crea was off kicking and screaming down the hall.
Jak shook his head at the both of them. Nyx's tendency to be over-motherly or stern and Crea's childish attitude towards everything. They were two opposing extremes. It seemed ridicules that they were related to each other.
Glancing down at his dinner his momentary happiness dissolved. He hadn't been feeling very well all day, ever since Sig had been revealed as Keira's father. And now they weren't speaking to one another. Oh, Jak had no doubt that Sig wanted to talk to Keira, but the young High Priestess had locked herself in her room, trying to come to terms with her raging emotions. Keira had liked Sig, as friend. She had told Jak she had respected him, even if he had worked for Krew.
He was torn. On one hand he had Sig, a good friend and a man he respected very, very much. On the other there was Keira, whom he loved above all things and he was her guardian as well as mate. Obviously, Keira was the side he was going to be on, but he couldn't help but feel guilty at not being able to help a friend.
He stood as Daxter and Tess immersed themselves in a conversation he didn't hear. He exited the room and found himself moving swiftly to the training room. He didn't know why, but maybe training would help him calm down his raging nerves.
But as he entered the moonlight room he found he was not alone. There was someone else standing in the room, powerful sword in hand. Judging by the silver glittering from the figure's body in the moonlight it could be only one person.
"Sig." Jak said softly, stepping deeper into the room.
Sig turned and looked at him calmly, but there was something flickering in his eyes Jak could not miss, "Where is she?"
Jak didn't need to know who 'she' was, "Sleeping probably. She's taking this pretty hard." He didn't know what else to say.
Sig nodded, "I really didn't know, cherry. You believe me on that, right? If I had known I'd have… Goddess, I don't know what I would've down but it sure ain't be ignoring her. I didn't realize it until now, but she does have my eyes."
"I know." All other words seemed to fail him. What do you tell a man that missed seeing his daughter growing up, "Samos… he was… ah… a good father to Keira… she was really happy… Sig."
Sig blinked and looked away, his eyes focusing on the darkened window, "I know that. I see her near him and I… know that Samos loved her and that he was a very good father… and I know that she loved him back. But Jak, do you have any idea what it's like to know you missed out on your daughter's life?"
Jak's eyes too joined Sig's on looking out the window, "I can only imagine." He admitted, "I don't know if I could stand being that long apart from her."
"She looks just like her mother." Sig murmured, "Kikita was always beautiful. Her beauty was the first reason I decided to become her guardian. I thought: 'if I could get even remotely close to that then I'd be good'. And then she showed her personality. It was a lot like Keira's. She had a knack for machinery and loved to fiddle with it. She was smart and funny and witty. I could do nothing but fall in love with her."
"Sig…" Jak said again, reaching out to place a hand on the burly man's shoulder, "I'm sorry."
"Ya have nothin to be sorry for, cherry. I walked out because I couldn't face the thought of seeing Kikita with another man. I know you would never do that. Even if Keira went after Gareth, you'd stick around because ya love her enough to want to make sure she's happy. I couldn't be that strong." Sig admitted, turning to look at Jak.
"You need to tell her that." Jak pointed out.
"I
know. I know." Sig answered and pulled away from him, "I would tell that to
her. I would, but do ya think she'd listen to me? She hates me."
He said the last three words
with such a sadness that Jak felt his own heart drop. A father's pain was the
greatest, "I'm sure she'll be more willing to talk to you after she absorbs all
this. It'll take a few days."
Sig gave him a humorless laugh, "I waited nineteen years to meet her, cherry. What's a few more days?"
Jak shrugged but didn't return Sig's laugh. He didn't feel like laughing. Instead, he turned on his heel and left the room.
Left Sig to lament on his life.
~~**~~
Keira's room was dark, bathed in pale moonlight, when Jak stepped inside them. Quickly and quietly, he stripped off his cloths so that he stood only in his boxers. He padded quietly across the carpet.
She was nothing but a small lump in the covers. She her curled herself into a ball to stop her sobs. Her head was tucked under the covers so that only her greenish blue hair could be seen.
Jak raised the covers off of her slim body and she moaned softly. To reassure her, Jak touched her shoulders and scooted her to the side of the bed. The bed sunk with his weight as he joined Keira.
All at once, she fell against him. Her hands reached out and curved around his waist and she buried her head in his shoulder. He didn't need to look to know that her face was tear-stained.
He grabbed the covers at her next shiver and moved them over their bodies. He then rolled over to his side and placed his arms around Keira's pale body. She trembled in his arms with side affects of her day-long cry.
"Shh." Jak soothed, running his hands through her hair, trying to eliminate the spasms that rocked her body.
"Mmmm… Jak." Keira mumbled, curling against him. Her hands rose to encircle his shoulders.
"I'm here Keira." Jak answered her, pressing a kiss to her forehead, "I'm right here. I'll always be here." He didn't know why he felt like he had to make sure that that was a well known fact. It was almost as if he was panicking that Keira would begin to doubt him. He didn't want that.
Keira's eyes fluttered open and they were almost black as she told him, "Yes, always be there, Jak. Please be there for me. We have to be strong together to defeat Erisen. I can't do it without you."
"He's not gonna touch you, Keira." Jak promised her, "I'm your guardian and your mate. I won't let him get a hand on you."
"I hope so." Keira mumbled as she buried her head against his chest once more, "I hope so."
"You gotta trust me. You know what happens when there's no trust. We gotta trust each other. Trust that I'll be there for you when you need me most." Jak said, giving her a small shake so Keira could get the full meaning of his words.
"I will try." Keira promised him and her breathing stilled as she returned to sleep. Jak rolled onto his back and Keira's head leaned against his chest.
Jak watched her sleep for the longest time. The steady rise and fall of her chest and the way her lips parted with each breath she took. She looked like a goddess bathed in the cool midnight of the winter season and he loved her terribly.
He would not leave her.
~~**~~
It was still dark when Keira's eyes fluttered open. She blinked rapidly and raised her head off of Jak's chest. His eyes were closed and his breathing even and deep. She pressed a soft kiss to his nose before climbing out of bed.
He looked so innocent when he slept, Keira marveled, it was hard to believe that he had been tortured at the hands of the evil Baron Praxis. No matter how many times she saw him like this, the innocence on his face would always shock her. She wondered if she looked the same way when she slept.
She padded quietly across the room, not wanting to awaken him. She reached for her nightdress to remove it but smiled in slight surprise when she realized she was naked. Somehow, during the night, she and Jak had molded into each other once more. She pulled one new undergarments and then her cloths.
Though the thought was tempting, she knew she couldn't fall back into bed with Jak. She would not get any sleep and her restlessness would eventually wake up Jak. He had worked so hard… he deserved to sleep.
She slipped silently from her room, glancing once more at Jak. What would he do when he found her missing? Jak was usually the first one awake in the mornings. He would have a shock when he found the bed empty save for him.
He would probably get dressed in his blue tunic, white trousers, shoulder armor, boots, and brown belt as quickly as he could. Then he would storm down the stairs and enter the Training Room—where she would no doubt be by then—and demand to know what the hell she thought she was doing, leaving him along like that.
Because she wanted to laugh at the thought, she hurried down the corridor before she burst at laughing. She pressed her fingers to her mouth and resisted the giggle.
Once she was safely out of hearing distance, she doubled over and burst out laughing. She knew it wasn't that funny, but all the pent-up emotion she had been feeling was finally coming out. She was actually glad it was coming at as only hysterical laughter. She would hate to break down into tears in front of the others.
Keira shook her head softly and walked down the hallway, her feet clinking against the marble hallway. She stopped short when she saw Nyx and Crea.
They were both asleep, but didn't seem to have made it to their rooms. Nyx had her arms locked firmly around her sister's shoulders and Crea was dead asleep against Nyx's shoulder. Crea muttered something that sounded like 'rabbits' and shuddered in Nyx's arms.
Keira shook her head and pressed silently on, not wanting to awaken them. Crea and Nyx had worked as hard as Jak and they weren't even her guardians. She didn't understand their need to protect or help her but she was grateful to have them anyway. They were both good fighters.
But now that she thought about, she thought something was off with those two. Just why did Crea walk to the Main Tower and set in motion the chain of events that would release the Virgae-Mors sword?
Something to think about, Keira decided and made her way to the Training Room. She wanted to do a few early rounds with her glaive, which she had left in the room. It cleared her mind when she was able to practice with her glaive by herself. It seemed like she was the only one left in the world. Everything was much more serene then usual. It helped her think.
She entered the room and recoiled. The man standing there turned and looked at her with his one eye that was visible. An eye that matched her own eyes. He stepped towards her and she stepped back.
"Sig." She said.
~~**~~
Marisa stretched pure wings gently. Blinking off the remaining residue of sleep from her eyes, Marisa floated to the ceiling of her room in Gareth's villa.
She had the room with the highest roof in the villa, because Gareth knew she loved to flap around and fly when she awoke. She also had a large window on the ceiling so she could lift a hatch and fly into the sky. Marisa loved the sky. It was a part of her—of her destroyed people.
She unhooked the latch and burst into the frigid morning air. She sat herself on the roof and wrapped her large wings around herself. Her legs curled against her chest and her arms reached to encircle her knees.
Dawn was just now beginning to peek the horizon and Marisa knew that she was the only one wakeful at this hour save a few restless souls. The servants in the palace wouldn't even awaken until dawn's first rays touched the glass of the palace. Until then they could still sleep and dream.
As she scanned the sky over the Holy City, Marisa thought of her long, lost people. She couldn't remember them well—her people had been destroyed when she was five—but she remembered the warmth of a mother's touch, the safety of a father's arms, and the laughter of siblings.
She hadn't given them much thought as of late, but her mind was reeling with her little memories now. She grasped them in her mind's eye and sighed. She wished she had better memories of her beloved city. It hurt not to be able to remember it.
In fact, her earliest complete memories were of Sala and Gareth standing over her broken body telling her that Erisen had destroyed her people—that she was the only survivor. They had told her she would be safe in their city and that they would protect her from Erisen.
Marisa shivered and felt the tears well in the back of her throat. She shook them off. She would be strong now… they had the High Priestess back so soon she would be given her revenge. She was Keira's guardian so she had to be strong for the High Priestess.
A sound reached Marisa's pointed ears and she stood to her feet. She flapped back down into the room and quickly changed into her body suit, sheer knee-length silver dress, sneakers and belt.
She stepped into the hallways, resisting the urge to fly. She knew from memory and books she had that her people had slept high in teahouses so they would always be able to fly.
She stretched her wings and followed the noise as it sounded again. She found herself stopping in front of Gareth's doorway and pressing her ear to its shut door. Yes, the sound from coming from his room.
Not wanting to wake him, Marisa opened the door softly and peered inside. Gareth had been thrashing on the bed. She could tell by way the covers were twisted around his legs and the way his arms were flung out that he had been fighting invisible monsters in his sleep.
He made the noise again, a loud growl of rage as he said in anger and loathing, "Erisen! Damn you! Don't! You can't!" His head thrashed to and thro as he continued to fight his dream enemies, "I swear to the Goddess that I'll kill you if you touch them! NO! Please no…"
Marisa bit her lip at his words. She and Gareth both knew that he would always dream of the day when Erisen would break through the Holy City's defenses and destroy it. Sometimes he would have such nightmares that Marisa had to awaken him in fear that he would cause injury to himself. Gareth was so embarrassed to admit he had nightmares that Marisa never pressed or talked about them.
"Sala!" Gareth cried, his voice raising and Marisa's fingers tightened on the doorknob, "Please Goddess don't let her be dead! Sala, I love you."
Her eyes filled as she slowly backed away. Gareth stilled and it seemed for the moment he would be peaceful. Marisa found herself running down the hall at a neck-break speed. Her breath came out into little pants until she managed to reach her room. There she collapsed onto the bed.
She didn't know why, but she felt scared. Suddenly, listening to Gareth unconscious proclamation, she was afraid. Something had overtaken her then, a feeling of dread and she felt that she would burst into tears.
She had known for the longest time that Gareth loved Sala, she had thought it fairly obvious. She had also been aware of Sala's feelings for Gareth. And now, she had a feeling that they'd never get a chance to tell one another of them.
"No," Marisa whispered to herself, pushing her pale face against her white pillow, "I won't let that happen. I'll do whatever it takes to make sure they survive this. I swear to the Goddess."
With a burst of speed, she flew to the roof through her window once more. Tears streamed down her face as she crashed onto the hard wood, her wings wrapping around her shivering body. She looked back at the horizon.
Why did she feel the world collapsing?
~~**~~
Sig eyed his daughter wearily as she stepped back. He wasn't surprise at the hatred in Keira's eyes. He was sure it would've reflected in his own had he been in her position.
"Keira…" Sig replied softly and stayed still, trying to not frighten her away, "I'm… sorry…"
Keira trembled in rage, but at his soft spoken words she felt the tremble die down. She looked at him sadly before saying softly, "I'm sure you are."
Sig nodded to her, pleased that she seemed willing to admit his feelings, "What I did is unforgivable. I won't ask you for it. I shouldn't have ran away."
The young woman sighed and looked away. For a selfish moment she wanted to ignore the self-loathing in his voice. She wanted to pretend he was the evil man she made her mother's lover out to be. But she couldn't ignore the self-loathing in his voice. It was there and it was obvious he was hurting as much as she was.
"I know but I'll… I'll give my forgiveness to you in time, Sig. But not now. I can't right now." Keira replied, wrapping her arms around herself, "We'll never be close… Sig. We can't be… I have a father and I—I love him and I don't know if I could ever lo—love you."
Sig nodded, accepting that, "I swear I shall protect you like I wish I could've with your mother. Even if you never find it in you to forgive me, I'll stay by your side as your faithful guardian. I won't run away again."
Keira nodded her head in approval, "Jak told me you'd say something like that." She told him and smiled softly at the thought of her lover.
"What do we do now?" Sig asked as he stepped to Keira. He was pleased when she didn't back away.
"We have a God to fight." Keira answered and smiled over at him, a genuine smile, "And we're gonna kick his ass."
Sig
chuckled, some of the tension releasing from the room. He knew he and Keira
would never be close—could never be close—but it was nice to know they'd be
civilized around one another now, "Shall we head in for breakfast? I think
everyone else shall be up."
"Okay." Keira agreed and
turned on her heel to exit the Training Room. She didn't glance back at Sig.
And Sig followed her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Done! Okay, I know this installment was short and slow but so much is going to happen that I can't put it in here. But from here on in things get action-packed. Stay tuned for Act Twelve, The Krrez Lands, where Torn's message finally reaches Jak. Will he leave Keira to defend Haven City? And what if Keira dreaming of now? Stayed tuned and review!
