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Chapter 15: Brave Awakening

Days had been spent preparing for the feast which was held in Otis's long awaited return. The castle, which usually only held a few foot soldiers and maids, was decorated to the brim with lighted laterns and beautiful colored carpets. The walls were covered with ornaments and Jack didn't think she could be happier.

She hadn't been the one to organize it, or think of the idea. Xanthe had felt the long awaited return of the white-haired warrior deserved something special. Jack wished she would have thought of it, but it would have made no difference to Otis. If he found a reason to eat and drink, he was happy.

Jack brushed down the front of her short gold skirt. She felt almost naked, walking around in a dress. The same dress she had killed Johns in. She sighed. There was nothing in her life that kept her away from murder.

"Jacqueline, you look…"
She turned around to see Otis's with a bemused smile on his face. "Do you not approve?" She started to fidget, she started to get nervous. She didn't want her brother to say something… to make her worse than she already hid inside.

He closed his mouth.

"Brother… I've done things that only my nightmares…" She couldn't continue as she felt her life tearing apart. Being away from him had made her evil… malicious, but she knew, she knew deep down Otis could understand the madness that controlled her mind.

He touched her shoulder, never breaking eye contact. "I know."
She felt so weak around him, she was letting him take over control and she didn't mind. She had so many things, so many secrets. "Otis… I have to tell you…"

He looked at her.

She felt guilty, she looked guilty. Her hand absently touched the lower part of her belly, thinking of the secret she held. Would Otis hate her? Would he shun her? She knew she couldn't take it, but she couldn't help but think he might.

"Jacqueline, there is nothing that needs to be hidden between us."

For once, she felt safe. She didn't want to ruin the moment with the baby she wasn't sure about. "I… I'll talk to you tonight."

"Jacqueline are--"

"Later, Otis. We can have a good night with your feast." She took a deep breath, regaining her composure.

He nodded, and left her.

She felt a shiver down her spine, and she looked around, knowing that someone was watching, already knowing inside her heart that it was Riddick. She didn't know what to feel anymore. Her life wasn't what she was used to. She had delt with the change so long, but there was a rage behind it. A rage she couldn't control, but the thought of a life depending on hers, she couldn't lose herself in war to forget what was really going on.

The only outlet for agression was denied for her now. Jacqueline hated the circumstances of why; it caused her to be a driveling mess. She was turning inward, hating herself now. She couldn't feel much of anything and she couldn't hide it anymore. The bloodlust couldn't be fulfilled and she felt lost.

If she hadn't been surrounded by so many different people, she would have felt cold and lonely. This time she only felt lonely. Jack, with her limitless powers, felt alone in the hall. Her brother sat at the far end, drinking with a few other men gathered around. She couldn't find Riddick if she tried. Xanthe never stepped playing the host, as she busied herself around with mundane tasks.

Jack didn't feel like kissing ass or playing nice. She just wanted to have a drink, bask in the moonlight, and maybe forget about anything for once and awhile. Slipping down the side of the wall, Jack disappeared into one of the back hallways, leading up to her room.

She stopped for a moment, resting her weight against the wall. She couldn't breathe. Why was she so tired?

"Jacqueline?"

She turned around, still struggling for air.

Otis ran up to her, grabbing her under her arms as he hosted her up against him. "What happened?"

"I just…" She couldn't talk. He didn't wait to help her up to her room, even lying her down in her bed.

"Jacqueline, what happened?"

"I lost… my breath… I am…tired…" She had never felt this way, maybe only a few times after a bad fight.

Otis's face creased as he examined her. "Jacqueline…" His tone was disapproving.

Chills shook her body as she felt his dissapointment. He knew something was wrong, if he didn't know what he would make sure she would say why. She turned her head to the side, forcing herself not to look at him.

"What did you need to talk to me about?"

Jacqueline felt her stomach go empty as she began to get sick. She couldn't tell him now. Now that he could see what it was going to do to her.

Otis didn't wait very long for an answer before her moved to the other side of the bed, forcing her to look at him. "Tell me, Jacqueline; you can't hide from me."

"I don't know what to do…" She couldn't turn away from him, but she couldn't answer him.

"Let me just guess… it has to do with Riddick."

She nodded, but when his hand touched her stomach she felt worse. Tears were welling up in her eyes. She didn't want to hear him speak, hear him say that everything was going to work out for the better. Right now, she knew it wouldn't.

"Jacqueline, does he know?"

She shook her head. "You… and Xanthe."

Otis brushed his hair back behind his ears. His eyes sparked a bright blue when he shook his head. "Do not let him know. Not for now."

"But Otis, what am I going to do? I can not have a child."

Otis glared at her. "You know as well I as, you can. Whether or not you are amicable to your husband is of no concern."

She didn't know if talking to him made it worse or better. Her eyes lowered to the floor.

His finger touched under her chin and pulled her head back up. "Jacqueline, you have your plans, I understand, but this child can be included."

In the midst of trying to find Otis, avoiding Riddick, and planning the murder of the King, she had forgotten about her prophecy.

Jack felt lost deep in the cavern, but her sister was running happily ahead of her. Her brother was only a few steps behind her as her guide. She looked back to him; his smile was reassuring so she kept her feet steady and rubbed her hands onto the soft red fabric of her dress.

The further in she went, the colder she became. She wasn't sure of why she had to visit the seer, but her father had insisted. With Otis at her side, she felt at least safe in the dimly lit passage.

"Jacqueline and Xanthe… my, I have been waiting a long time."

Jacqueline looked around, confused, trying to find the person the voice belonged to. Xanthe only stood a few more feet in front of her, but she looked pleasantly happily. Taking a few steps back, she bumped into Otis.

"Do not worry, Jacqueline, she is merely playing tricks on you."

She stepped forward again, trusting Otis's words.

"Oh, and I see here that the white-haired warrior has returned."
Otis, not amused at the woman's tricks, growled out through clenched teeth, "Do not try me, witch."

Jacqueline went blind as the room burst into full light. She ducked low, covering her eyes. Otis's hand touched her shoulder, and she rose up, her eyes gazing onto the woman who sat before her.

A smile appeared on the eyeless woman. Her eyes, white and soulless, gazed out at nothing inparticular, but Jack felt like she was reading her soul.

"Why, we have all three of the children." She paused for a second, her hand tapping the rock that she sat on. "Otis, surely you don't need a reminder-"

"I need nothing of you, witch. The King asked his daughters to come, I as their escort." Each of his hands were placed firmly on his sister's shoulders. He was scowling at her; Jack didn't know why, she couldn't see him.

Jack held her arms in tight, watching the woman tap her fingers incessantly on the rock.

"Jacqueline, come here."

When she looked up to her brother, his nodding made her stomach drop. Her feet moved while her brain protested. She didn't want to be any closer to this woman than she had to be. The closer she got, the stronger she felt the cold inside of the cave. Jack looked up and around, wondering where the wind was coming from.

Grabbing her shoulder, the woman leaned heavily on her. "Jacqueline… oh what a wonderful life you shall have."

She let go and Jack remembered to breath.

"A son, a son named Thanos. A brave warrior to be the sire." She clucked her tongue for a moment, smiling to herself. "The warrior will become a problem if one isn't tamed, either by the white-haired warrior or the devil. The devil, you are the devil." The woman's face contorted , almost like she was in pain.

"You, the ruiner of gods, of men… of kings." She let out a hearty, long laugh. "Oh, Jacqueline, plans for you will never be what they seem."

Jacqueline ran from the woman, scared of her words. Hiding behind the only one who could protect her, she felt safe once again behind Otis. She looked over at Xanthe, her sister hadn't moved an inch from the woman as she approached. Jacqueline wanted to grab her sister, hide her next to her, but Xanthe moved towards the old woman.

"And Xanthe, a god-child." The woman's face looked so serene, perfect. She brushed Xanthe's hair with her hand. "You already know your future, sweet child, I need to tell you nothing."

"Otis… the seer, what did she tell you?"

He turned from her for once. His steps quickly led him to the window, his arms pressed against the sides.

Jacqueline stood up from the bed, joining her brother. This time, her hands rested on his shoulders.

He didn't look at her when he spoke this time. "Jacqueline, she told me of all the torture and pain I would go through. That I would lose my sisters." He let out a sigh. "The seer seems to forget past the pain. Jacqueline, you have to keep your head about all this."

"I know, Otis, but how can I hide it for so long?"

He turned to her now, touching her cheek. "Jacqueline, you've done it for a month--" He stopped suddenly as he watched something behind her.

"Otis-- Otis, something is going terribly wrong."
He raised a brow, leaning against the window.

Tears were flowing quickly out of her eyes. "The Gods say that if Jacqueline doesn't take War's position, that she will be killed."

"War's position?"

Jack had forgotten one small detail. She looked at Otis, and tried to help. "Otis… I killed him. I murdered War."

To be continued…

Note: Thanks to my reviewers! You always bring a smile to my face. Apologize for the late chapter, started new job, starting another job soon-- blahh… too much crap going on. Sorry for the weird pacing of this chapter-- the next one will be better. Promise! Anyway, go review. Please. - Saphi