Title: The Crucible

Disclaimer: I don't own anything

Author's note: I should warn you now that several of the remaining chapters of this story are going to be sad. So bring a box of tissues...:) Also, the story takes place at night, and Tess is thinking back about the day. So anything in italics is a flashback.

Okay, just a reminder of who the major players are:

Tess and Larek, of course

Audin-diplomat to Larek from the planet Byor

Arya-the regional ruler from the province of Tel'ai, which is the capital province on Antar. She was recently deposed by Khivar

Khai-main general and leader of the Resistance, Rath's younger brother

Sria- the original Ava's best friend, one of Larek's advisors, and a native of the planet L'so

Lotho-general of Larek's army (like Rath was for Zan), married to Kani, killed by Khivar's army.

Kani-married to Lotho, she is one of Larek's closest friends and advisors

Other people introduced but not that important: Radim, Trell, Zyith are all members of the Resistance. Korbi is a healer who saved Tess from dying during childbirth. Tunia is a spy that the Resistance sent into the capital city of Antar to try to discover Khivar's plans (see chapter 'The First Endless Day' if confused).

Places of importance:

Tel'ai-capital province of Antar, has Dimaras Rock, where Zan met Ava. The Triaji Desert, the Cortai Jungle, the Landra River, and the Fel Mountains are all located in this province as well.

Antar-the capital city of Antar has the same name as the planet. Khivar is planning something for the city, but the Resistance does not know what it is.

Sab-a city in Tel'ai that Khivar attacked and decimated, no adults were left alive.

Mt. Sinai-a mountain in Tel'ai, it's name means (in Antarian) 'mountain of fate'

Re: Mony19: I'm glad you liked the Tess-little Alex interactions. The problem isn't entirely Khai, although I know he isn't the nicest character. Tess really does have a lot to learn about being Queen. I mean, Nasedo told her she was a Queen, but he never really told her what that entails, and she needs to prove to everyone that she can do this before they will follow her blindly into battle... As for Lotho, he is actually dead, which is seen clearly in this chapter.

Re: Duccia: Thanks for the review. I'm glad you like the 'crucible' line, that definition was actually what gave me the inspiration for this story to start with. That's why I put it at the top of each chapter. And yes, Max is a jerk.

crucible: an object made stronger as it is passed through fire

Darkness Falls

Day 7

The night sky was ablaze with pinks and blues as the sun sank slowly below the horizon. Tess leaned against the cold balcony railing, her sapphire eyes staring off into the distance. The wind whipped around her, buffeting her hair and clothes, but she took no notice. The night was cold, and the chill sunk into her bones, leaving her depressed and dejected.

Yesterday, when she had learned about the governing systems on other planets, she found it inconceivable that people would willing accept a monarchy. Now, looking back at the events of today, she couldn't help but wonder why the monarchs allowed themselves to become kings and queens in the first place. Who would agree to this? Who would want the task? Who would accept such a burdensome life?

Her troubled thoughts drifted off into darker matters as the sun finally finished its descent, and disappeared completely from view. The stars were obscured by the shadows of clouds that played back and forth across the sky. Even the moon barely managed to cast its faint glow through the thick swirling haze of fog and mist.

Darkness had fallen.

Flashback: Earlier That Day: Morning

Tess drummed her fingers on the table and bit her lip, casting a sideways glance at Larek. He was stone-faced, his eyes hard and cold. His countenance was one of thunder, and Tess could feel the power radiating off of him.

"Why would Khivar attack Lotho?" Arya asked at last, breaking the tense silence. The morning light streamed in through the window behind her, illuminating her silver hair and skin. Her face was filled with sorrow as she rubbed tired eyes. They had spent the entire night discussing the attack, and had ended up, in the morning, with the same conclusion they had already reached from the day before.

They had no idea what was going on.

And they were running out of time.

"Larek has declared himself impartial. An attack on Lotho is a blatant act of war," Khai added, his expression confused. "Khivar certainly could not wish that."

"Does he suspect Larek of aiding the Resistance?" Tess questioned.

"He does not suspect," Audin replied darkly. He shook his head, his dark hair falling in front of his black eyes. Pushing the strands away impatiently, he continued, "He knows. But without any proof, he cannot attack Larek, or else he risks the anger of the Council of the Worlds."

"The what?"

It was Sria who explained. "The Council of the Worlds in a governing body made up of diplomats from all the worlds in our System. It's job is to maintain the peace. As long as Larek declares himself impartial, and there is no proof that he is otherwise involved in the Antarian Civil War, the Council will protect him. Khivar cannot attack, or the Council could strip him of his powers, send an army against him, and ultimately demand his life."

"Khivar would not attack Lotho unless he had proof that Larek was his enemy. Or that Lotho himself was a threat," Audin added.

"Which means he must have proof of some kind," Larek murmured softly. His voice was calm, his expression impassive, but his dark green eyes betrayed his fear. After a moment of silence, Larek turned to Arya. "How is Kani?" he asked gently.

Arya sighed and shook her head. "Inconsolable," she murmured.

Another silence met those words. What do you say to someone who has lost the love of her life? What could they say that would ever make things better for her? How do you console someone for the loss of their soul mate, of half of their soul?

"And we are sure Lotho wasn't just…captured or lost or missing or something?" Tess asked, knowing she was clutching at straws.

"They pulled his mangled body out of the wreckage," Sria murmured. "The Resistance had a few men there, observing the scene. Khivar's men pulled Lotho's body out of the ship and… and bu-burned it. I saw the reports, complete with pi-pictures, myself." She stumbled slightly over the words, as though unwilling to believe what she had seen.

Tess' mouth dropped open in horror. Burning the dead was the utmost sign of disrespect. Especially for a General like Lotho, who would have had a large, elaborate, public funeral… Burning was considered base, cruel, malicious, rude… The destruction of the body was… unspeakable.

The blonde hybrid blinked suddenly, wondering where that information had come from.

Tess sighed and turned away from the night sky. She glanced back into her bedroom, staring at the crib where her son slept peacefully. Running a hand through her long hair, she closed her eyes and tried in vain to push away the memories that threatened to consume her. Images swirled behind her closed eyelids. She could see the crying child, his face stark white, as he begged for someone to find his sister. She could hear Kani's sobs as the alien widow sank to the floor with grief. She could see the fury on Sria's face as she spoke of Lotho's cremation.

The memories would not leave her alone.

Flashback: Earlier That Day: Afternoon

"He has proof," Audin announced, stalking into the Council Chambers. Tess, Larek, Sria, and Khai looked up in surprise at his words. They had been meeting briefly to discuss retaliation tactics, while Arya had left to try to comfort the still distraught Kani.

"What?" Sria asked, confusion etched on her features.

"Khivar has proof that Larek is against him," Audin elaborated wearily.

"How?" Larek asked, paling slightly. He had been so careful…they had all been so careful. How could the skin-King know? What proof could he have? Audin's words echoed through his mind, filling him with a nameless dread.

"Tunia," Larek replied.

"Who?" Tess asked, turning away from Tess and meeting Audin's eyes. The name sounded familiar, but she couldn't place it.

"She's the spy that you sent into the capital city," Khai answered automatically, his voice darkening slightly as he guessed what Audin had meant. He turned his eyes to the diplomat and hissed angrily, "She was captured, wasn't she?"

Audin nodded dumbly, unable to force words out of his mouth. The others stared at him in horror, each understanding what that meant. Khivar had a spy in his grasp. Khivar had the ability to mind-rape.

Khivar had the chance to get at all their secrets.

"No," Audin murmured, correctly interpreting the terror on the other's faces. "He doesn't know that much. Tunia prevented him from taking anything from her mind accept the fact that Larek was providing us sanctuary here."

"How did she prevent it?" Tess asked.

A silence met her words. All eyes looked away, and Tess blinked in confusion. Her question was simple, straight-forward. Why was it receiving such a response?

It was Khai who finally provided the answer. "She committed suicide, didn't she?"

Tess stared at him in open-mouthed horror.

"It is common," Audin explained, taking a seat across from Tess. "Spies are trained to kill themselves to protect their secrets. It is a form of martyrdom."

"It's barbaric," Tess protested.

"You've obviously never fought a war," Khai sneered, his lips curling upwards in disdain. "If she had not killed herself, Khivar would have had access to every bit of information he needed to crush the Resistance. Millions would have died. Tunia would have died eventually as well, once she was no longer useful." He crossed his arms and glared at Tess, as though daring her to contradict him.

"Don't insult Tunia," Audin added sharply. "What she does requires strength of conviction. It was quite heroic."

Tess flushed and looked away.

"What exactly do we know?" Larek asked, interrupting to forestall and argument.

Audin sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. "Tunia had the power of telepathic connections. She linked minds with Trell as soon as she was taken to Khivar."

"Did Trell see her die?" Tess questioned, her voice soft as she tried to understand what Audin was saying.

"A telepathic link in more than just seeing through someone else's eyes. It is feeling what they feel as well. So, no, Trell didn't see her die. He felt it," Larek said somberly.

A dismal silence met those words, then Audin continued bitterly, "He saw and felt everything that she went through. Saw and felt everything that she did." He stood up and began pacing in agitation. His face was flushed with an odd light as he turned to Larek and said, "Khivar is planning to bring Her back."

A deafening silence met those words.

"When?" Khai asked quickly, stiffly, his eyes angry.

Audin swallowed and shook his head. "Tunia wasn't able to figure that out. But she said it will take a while, a few months maybe."

"How does he plan on doing it?" Larek whispered, fear in his eyes.

Again, Audin shrugged. "But that is obviously why he is moving the troops around the capital city like that. Once she is back, he is expecting an attack on the city, and he wants the final battle to be fought there."

Khai slammed his fist to the table in frustration. "And if it is fought there, Khivar will be able to cut off our supply lines. His troops will surround us and attack us from the inside out, and from the outside in. We will be crushed."

"We could not attack the city."

"If he brings Her back, we have no choice."

"Somebody want to explain what is going on?" Tess asked.

Larek glanced over at her and said, "You remember how Khivar had moved his troops so that they were circling the capital city?" Tess nodded, and Larek continued quietly, "He is going to bring Her back to Antar. If he can do that, if he brings Her to the capital city, we will have no choice but to attack. And then, with his troops completely surrounding us from the outside, and stationed next to us all through the city, we will have no chance. The Resistance could be crushed in days."

"Who is this woman? Who is Her? Why would you have to attack her?" Tess asked.

"Because she is the utmost traitor to our cause, and not attacking her would be the same as agreeing that she has the right to rule. Without Zan or the Heir, she is the next in line. The Council of the Worlds would accept her."

Tess swallowed, her eyes widening as she realized what Larek was saying. "You mean… Vilandra?"

Larek nodded, and Tess turned to Audin. "But how will he do that? Isabel is not Vilandra, she won't return. She won't work with him."

"Isabel won't," Audin replied gruffly. "But if he could turn Isabel into Vilandra…" He paused in his pacing long enough to give Tess his full attention. His eyes misty with exhaustion and despair, he continued, "Tunia couldn't figure out any of the details, she was only able to glean that much before she was captured. She gave the information to us and then Khivar came and…"

"At least she prevented Khivar from learning more about us," Khai murmured. "After all, Khivar already knew that Larek was against him."

"But now he has proof!" Audin hissed.

"Does he?" Khai asked mildly. "He needs more than just proof. He needs proof that the Council of the Worlds would accept. And with Tunia dead, no one can look in her mind anymore. Larek can simply say that Khivar is lying, and there is nothing the skin could do to prove otherwise."

"They will accept the proof," Audin replied grimly. "You know the Council of the Worlds suspects Larek. They will accept Khivar's proof, and he will declare war." He shook his head in disgust and closed his eyes, drawing a shaky breath.

"Then we should declare war first," Khai answered, his eyes glinting.

"I do not want to instigate a war while Ava and her son are here," Larek replied, frowning as he shot an apprehensive glance at the hybrid Queen. "It is too dangerous. What if Khivar quarantines us, and they are never able to leave the planet? They could be caught, and killed."

"Khivar doesn't know that they are here yet," Audin opened his eyes and assured Larek. "He will not know to look for them for another week or so, and there are several ways that could secretly leave the planet." He walked slowly over to his seat and sank back into it, licking his suddenly dry lips. A war... It would mean death and destruction for whoever lost...and quite a bit of death for the one who won. But wasn't war inevitable at this point? Hadn't it always been inevitable, ever since Khivar siezed the throne? Larek and Zan were friends, the two planets had diplomatic relations...Khivar's coup had made war necessary. As much as they had hoped Larek would be able to stay...officially...out of the war, hadn't they always known, deep down, that this was not to be?

The diplomat from Byor frowned, worried. If Larek joined into the war, how long would it be before his own world was forced to join sides? What would this mean for his planet and his people?

"I agree with Audin," Khai commented. "We cannot, in good faith, allow Lotho's death to go unpunished."

The silence in the room was stiff and heavy as all eyes turned to Larek. This was ultimately his planet, and therefore his decision, and what he decided in the next moments may well rule all their fates. Breath held tight, they waited.

Larek slowly nodded. "So be it," he murmured. "We go to war."

"Then, if that is decided, we now need to discuss how Ava is going to contact Tunia's family," Khai continued, switching subjects.

"Wh-what?" Tess stuttered, confused.

"We cannot risk telling anyone of her presence," Larek objected, pursing his lips into a straight line as he frowned at Khai's words.

"She sent Tunia to her death. She has to explain it to Tunia's family," Khai replied determinedly. "It is Antarian custom. She is responsible."

"Hardly," Tess snapped. "I wasn't the one who picked her, and I wasn't the one who even came up with the idea to send a spy in the first place."

"But you were the one who gave the final order," Sria said gently, speaking up again for the first time since Audin had initially entered the room. "And it is Antarian custom for the Queen or King to explain to the family of a departed soldier why their family member died."

"But we can't risk anyone knowing of Ava's presence," Larek repeated. He understood the custom and supported it. It worked as a reminder to the King and Queen that when they started a war, they were playing with actual lives. War was not pretty, not clean. It was not all strategy and tactics. It was real people with real families who were dying. Tunia was, after all, someone's daughter, and that someone had the right to know why his or her daughter was dead.

"How well do you think the people of Antar would follow a Queen who does not even complete a simple custom like this?" Khai demanded. He crossed his arms and pressed, "And you know that people will find out."

"How can it be my fault when I did nothing?" Tess asked, still confused.

Khai ignored her, his eyes focused on Larek. Finally, Larek nodded and said, "Of course, you are right. But she could wait until the end of the week, until Khivar knows of her presence, before she speaks to Tunia's family…"

"She had a husband and a three-year-old daughter," Khai said, bowing his head in acceptance of Larek's words. "And her mother and father I believe are still alive. I don't think she had any siblings, but I will have someone look into that."

Audin glanced over at Khai and said, "Even if she lost her life, we did get an answer. It was a good idea of yours to send a spy into the city."

"The cost was high," Khai objected softly.

"The cost of war is always high," came Audin's reply. "More would have died if we had not discovered Khivar's intent."

"But we have no way of stopping Khivar. Even with Tunia's information, we're still in trouble," Sria said despondently.

"But at least we aren't going into this blind," Audin murmured. His eyes fixed on Khai, he continued, "It was a good plan. At least, it was the best one that we had."

Khai bowed his head again, nodding slowly. "I suppose," he murmured.

Tess blinked, glancing back and forth between Khai and Audin incredulously. "So I get blamed for a death that I had no control over, but I don't get credit for the idea of sending in a spy?"

"It wasn't your idea," Khai replied sneeringly. "How could you get credit for it?"

"How can I be blamed for something that wasn't my idea either?" Tess demanded.

"Don't be childish, Ava," Khai snapped, his face twisted in frustration and anger. "The order was yours, so you will accept the consequences of it. The idea was not yours, so you do not get to claim the credit for it."

"I'm not being childish!" Tess hissed. "You're being unfair."

"If you want to be the Queen, you have to understand that this is the way things work," Khai shot back. "Obviously, you don't have the ability to do that…"

"Khai…" Sria warned, her voice reprimanding.

"What?" Khai asked, turning to face the shorter woman. "She is acting like a brat? How can she expect to be Queen if she does not understand what comes with it?"

"Don't be so harsh, she is trying," Sria defended her friend.

"And you are blinded by the hope that you can have your best friend back. Your Ava is dead. Accept it, this hybrid is not the Queen you knew!"

Sria was shocked into silence by the bitter truth in Khai's words.

"You're never going to give me a chance, are you?" Tess hissed, jumping to her feet. The chair she was sitting on scraped back against the floor, balanced on its two back legs, then fell to the floor with a sharp crash. Tess ignored it, her eyes flashing with fury as she glared at the Antarian general. "There is nothing I can ever do that will make me good enough for you!"

"Act like a Queen, and I will follow you," Khai snapped. "I am taking my time to train you. My time, which is actually rather precious. You may not realize this, but I lead the Resistance, Ava. I have thousands, millions of people, who look to me to protect them, and I am wasting valuable time training a hybrid who doesn't even want to learn!"

"Of course I want to learn!"

"No, you don't. You want everyone to automatically follow you. It doesn't work that way," Khai snarled. "You have to earn our allegiance. Just being who you are is not enough."

The words struck a blow to Tess, and she staggered backwards. She swallowed the bitter taste of fury in her mouth and replied in a deathly quiet voice, "No, I guess it isn't." She licked her dry lips and shook her head in ironic disbelief. "Simply being who I am has never been enough." She turned and stormed from the room.

Larek made to rise, but Sria gestured for him to stop. She got up herself and murmured softly to him, "Let me talk to her," then hurried through the hallway after her friend.

She caught up with Tess at the end of the corridor, and grabbed the hybrid's arm, halting her in her tracks. "Ava, wait."

Tess spun around to face Sria, tears streaming down her cheeks. "What?" she hissed, her blue eyes clouded with grief and guilt.

"You can't just storm out," Sria objected sharply. She nodded towards the Council Chambers and continued, "We are in the middle of a meeting concerning the planet you claim to be the Queen of."

"I am the Queen!" Tess snarled back, her face flushed crimson at Sria's harsh words.

"Then act like it," Sria responded, not backing down from Tess' anger. Her green eyes sparkled with anger and frustration as she ordered, "Go back in there, apologize to Khai, and deal with everything that happened."

"Apologize?" Tess gave an incredulous chuckle. "For what? Defending myself?"

"What is there to defend?" Sria asked, softening her tone as she saw Tess flinch. "You are Queen. You are responsible for everything that happens. Including Tunia's death."

"That was out of my control," Tess defended herself. "She killed herself."

"Doesn't make it any less your fault," Sria replied quietly. She turned away from Tess and glanced back down the hallway to the set of double doors at the end. Behind the double doors, some of the most influential, important, and powerful people were currently holding a conference that could very well decide the fate of an entire planet. She needed to be there, needed to know what they were saying.

"How can it be my fault if I can't control it?" Tess whispered.

Sria looked back at her, then shook her head in annoyance. "Ava, being a Queen isn't simply being a leader. It is being a scapegoat as well. Being the doormat for everyone else's problems. Taking responsibility for the things you can't control. Accepting that when you make a decision, it will affect millions of people. Directly or indirectly, you are responsible for Tunia's death. Khai and Larek may have suggested sending Tunia into the city, Zyith may have supported it, but you are the one who gave the final order."

"But I had no way of knowing what would happen," Tess protested. "I barely even gave the order, it was mostly Khai's decision. Why do I get the blame when he gets the credit? It isn't fair!"

Sria turned unreadable eyes to her friend, her lips curving slightly into a bitter and ironic smile. "Life isn't fair, Ava. I would have thought you of all people would know that."

Tess swallowed and looked away. She couldn't bring herself to meet Sria's piercing gaze, feeling upset and ashamed by the way she had been acting.

"If the other Ava had stormed out of a meeting," Sria murmured, "I would have reprimanded her too." She placed a hand on Tess' arm and smiled softly. "But it would not have lowered my opinion of her. And it does not lower my opinion of you. I know you are trying. And I know Khai is…unpleasant. And I know that very few people seem to have faith in you."

"No, really?" Tess interrupted sarcastically. "I hadn't noticed." She laughed bitterly, but abruptly fell into silence and looked down again.

"But they can teach you what you need to know. Especially Khai. Stick with him, and he will be the best teacher you've ever had."

"He's a jerk. A unfair, egocentric, jerk," Tess snapped.

This time Sria smiled fully, her face breaking into a grin. "Most Generals are."

"Do you still think I'd make a good Queen?" Tess asked hesitantly, her eyes searching Sria's face, desperately wanting an affirmative answer.

"You mean because you just acted like a spoiled brat?" Sria replied. She paused for a moment, really thinking over the words. "I guess I don't really know. I see the bits and pieces of a truly remarkable leader buried in you. You could be a good Queen, if you can figure out how to connect with those characteristics."

"Everything I need is inside me, I just need to have faith in myself," Tess intoned dryly. "Sounds like one of those cheap fortunes you find in fortune cookies. Or the affirmation the high school counselor makes you say every time you go and see her…"

"It may be a cliché, but it is true, isn't it?"

Tess nodded wordlessly.

"Come back. Apologize," Sria requested, pulling at Tess' arm. Tess hesitated for a moment, and Sria pressed, "You say you are the Queen, Ava. Then be one. Take the good and the bad and deal with it. Because if you truly want to be Queen, then you need to accept everything that comes with it."

Tess' blue eyes clouded slightly with confusion and frustration as she bowed her head in acceptance and guilt. But for the first time since Nasedo had explained to her who she was and where she was from, she wondered whether or not this actually was what she wanted.

"Ava?"

Tess turned to see Kani standing in the doorway, looking at her. She was dressed all in black, her blonde hair pulled away from her face and covered with a black shawl. Her pale face was devoid of make-up, her skin seemed sallower than usual, and her eyes no longer danced with laughter. Her entire body sagged with exhaustion and grief.

"Kani…how are you?" Tess asked, realizing how trite and insignificant her words sounded in the face of all that Kani had lost.

Kani gave a dark chuckle. "I told him not to do anything stupid, but does he listen to me?" she whispered, her voice hoarse from weeping. "Never."

"I'm so sorry," Tess said. She walked into the room, gesturing for Kani to join her. Leaning over the crib, Tess stared at her son and wondered briefly how she would feel if she lost him. The thought was so cruel, so unbearable, so horrific, she felt the instant need to hold her son, to feel his weight in her arms, to reassure herself that he was still there.

Kani watched as Tess picked up the young boy and rocked him back and forth. "He's a beauty," she murmured. Tess smiled gratefully at the comment and Kani remarked, "I heard you had a rough day."

Tess raised a single eyebrow at the observation, and replied, "You could say that."

"It's about to get worse," Kani said slowly. "There was another attack on another city in Tel'ai. It was completely decimated, like Sab. No adults left alive."

Tess closed her eyes for a moment, nodding. "Another city that circles the capital?" she asked.

Kani nodded and replied, "Khivar is moving quickly and brutally. We may not have much time."

"It could take him months to turn Isabel and bring her here," Tess contradicted. "At least, that is what Audin said."

"But it would take us much longer than months to prepare for her arrival. Especially since we have no way of stopping it," Kani pointed out. She closed her eyes and took a shuddering breath. "I wish Lotho were here to help us. He would know what to do," she murmured.

Tess felt her heart break at Kani's sorrow-laden words, but before she had a chance to reply, Kani was speaking again.

"Larek just officially declared war on Khivar. We are having a meeting to discuss our next course of action, and what this all will mean for the Resistance. Come, the meeting's about to start."

Tess sighed, wished briefly that her days could end once the night came, then followed Kani from the room.

Next Chapter: Acts of War

Due: Thursday 12/8