Chapter 6: We're Part of Each Other.

Lyude moved swiftly from the encampment. He didn't have long before someone noticed he was gone. If he could just figure out exactly where he was. The desert sands, however, yielded no indication of his location. He sighed. 'This may be a foolish errand." he thought. The three were not likely to take him anywhere near a settlement, he would be quickly recognized. Aside of that, he would have hoped that if any of his citizens noticed people traveling with a captive they would alert someone. He blinked sand out of his eyes as the wind began to pick up. He pondered grimly what would happen if the wrong person found him in his vulnerable condition. All the same...

The wind picked up again much stronger than before. Lyude stiffened. "Oh no...not now!" Before him he could see a wall of sand flying through the air in his direction. Exposed like this, he could be buried alive. There were no rock faces to hide behind and no way he could outrun the approaching sand storm. Grimly he braced himself against the storm. In a matter of minutes he was completely blinded by the sands. He turned his back on the storm, using his high collar as a small amount of protection from the searing winds. He closed his tearing eyes. The sand had buried him up to his knees to where it was almost impossible for him to move them. He choked, unable to catch his breath in the swirling sands as it worked past the collar. He wondered vaguely if he would be suffocated even before the sands submerged him.

With an enormous amount of effort he managed to work his leg out of the large drift of sand. Unfortunately, it caused him to overbalance and he ended up on his face with one leg still stuck knee deep in the sand. He creased his brow in frustration as he tried to right himself, but the sands were surrounding him fast. He could barely breathe...

It was early morning. Skeed was in his room in the Fortress sitting at his desk in reflection. He had learned what he could from Alyssa, but there was a lot of desert out there and Lyude was out there somewhere. He shook his head. Since when had his little brother found his way into his heart? When he had first learned of what Lyude had done for their country he had felt ashamed for his behavior...but the resentment had lingered slightly. Old habits were hard to break. So many years had they been rivals. Lyude a gentle and patient adversary. While Skeed had been abrasive and abusive. They disagreed on everything it seemed, and Operation Sweep had been the final straw.

Skeed thought back on when he and Lyude were children. Lyude had been a disciplined child. That was one thing Skeed could have never denied, but his interests in what Skeed had believed to be barbaric countries had always annoyed him. When their father had joined with Almarde and produced Lyude, Skeed had been disgusted. How could he, a loyal full blooded citizen of Mintaka have a half blooded brother? It was a disgrace. How could their father have such a union?

Skeed shook his head at his own past thoughts. He realized now that he had been the disgrace. His contempt for his own countrymen had been appalling...how could he have been so blinded? He sighed, remembering the time just after operation sweep. He had been furious with Lyude...even told him that he no longer existed in his eyes. The pain of those words had been evident on Lyude's face. So many wounds he had caused that would surely never mend. He could see it still in Lyude's eyes whenever his brother looked at him. Lyude had forgiven him, but there was nothing that was going to erase the scars from years of feeling insufficient and loathed. Those would remain as long as the memory did, and they would never fade.

There was a knock on his door and Alyssa entered the room. Skeed turned. Alyssa's beautiful face was wan and she looked as if she hadn't slept in days. "Is there something you need?" asked Skeed.

"Have you heard anything?" asked Alyssa.

"No...nothing. It's like he's disappeared off the face of the earth." said Skeed grimly. "You look ill. You should rest."

Alyssa sat down. "Sleep hasn't come easily these past few nights." she said tears creasing her eyes. "We've been together so brief a time...but I still find myself reaching for him in the night...I miss him so..."

"I'm sure he's fine." said Skeed. "We'll find him. You have my word."

Alyssa nodded unenthusiastically. Clearly his words gave her little comfort.

"I've done all I can to block the proposal..." said Skeed, trying to change the painful subject. "But it has a very good chance of being passed anyway."

"Without Lyude to stop it." said Alyssa. "I know."

Skeed sighed. He should have known better. There was only one thing on Alyssa's mind right now and it was definitely NOT politics. Unfortunately, Skeed could not afford to ignore that particular situation.

"I'm going to go with Ricco's search party. I can't just sit here while I know Lyude is in danger." said Alyssa.

"I won't try to stop you. Vallye will be going too. I will be remaining for the present. Andrews needs all the help he can get right now. For the present time, the council has saw fit to make me a representative for my brother, but I don't hold office. I have little authority at all."

"At least they chose someone who knows him well." said Alyssa. "I know that you'll do what is right by Lyude."

Skeed nodded distractedly. Suddenly Alyssa's face paled further and she clapped a hand to her mouth, running from the room. "Alyssa!" said Skeed in concern and surprise. He raced after her and saw her race to the closest bathroom. He heard her retch as he reached the door.

She came out after a few minutes. Her face wan and pale and she staggered slightly. Skeed took her arm, steadying her. "Are you all right?"

"A bit dizzy...I feel horrible."

She took a few faltering steps pushing away from Skeed and stumbled slightly. Skeed frowned and gathered her up in his arms. "Doesn't look like you're going anywhere unassisted." he said.

"I'll be fine...put me down."

Skeed ignored her and carried her toward the hospital wing.

"No...I'm fine..I." began Alyssa.

"Enough. Just hold still. You're not well."

"I have to look for Lyude..."

"Ricco can handle the search for now. He's not going to find him any faster with you with him. You'll slow him down in this condition."

Alyssa stopped arguing. Skeed was right...she couldn't go feeling like this...

Skeed shouldered the infirmary door open and laid Alyssa on one of the cots. A nurse came up and took one look at her. "Oh my..."

Alyssa looked paler still. "What's wrong?" she asked.

The nurse looked Alyssa straight in the eyes. "You're feeling nocuous and dizzy, aren't you?" she said.

Alyssa looked at her strangely. "Well, yes..."

As the nurse questioned her further Skeed stood to the side. He flushed slightly at one of the question but his eyes widened as Alyssa's did suddenly. "It can't be...you don't mean..."

"I do..."

"I...I'm pregnant?"

"You show all the signs of morning sickness. That and the rest of the answers to my questions leave little doubt."

Alyssa closed her eyes, remembering what Lyude had said to her before parting. She had told him she couldn't be apart from him.

"You never are." Lyude had replied. "We're part of each other now. No matter what happens, I'm always with you, Alyssa." She placed her hand on her stomach...if only he could have realized just how right he had been. Lyude was part of her now, in what they shared in what she carried within her. "Lyude..."

Skeed stood there dumbstruck. "They've been married for only a little over three weeks!" he exclaimed.

"And that is likely about how far along she is." said the nurse continuing her examination. "This is far is about the time a woman starts to notice the changes." said the nurse with a smile.

"You are most certainly NOT going to go with Ricco." said Skeed, "Lyude would have a fit!"

Alyssa sat there silently, pondering the shocking news. "Yes..I'm sure he would...and it would be very irresponsible of me to go now. I couldn't risk it." She looked at Skeed.

"I want this child to see their father." she said, determination flaring in her emerald eyes. "Find him, Skeed."

Skeed nodded. "You have my word." he said. "I don't think any of us are going to rest until he's safely back home. I'm going to contact his old friends, maybe they can help us find him. I'm not sure how many we could trust within the government. Especially with the way the movements have started to pour in since his confirmed disappearance."

Alyssa nodded. "That sounds like a good plan." she said. "Though I hope it won't be a necessary one."

"I'm going to send out the messages informing them now. If Lyude is found before their arrival, all the better."

Alyssa nodded and stretched out on the cot. She still felt as if she would be sick at any moment.

Gravar grumbled darkly to himself. Urden was several feet ahead and they were searching for any signs of their escaped captive. The burly man shielded his grizzled, bearded face against the sand storm. It had now started to die down a bit, but it had taken plenty of time to have completely buried a man by now. He found himself hoping that it had buried the Minister alive. He could care less what his employer preferred, as long as he was paid.

Further down in the desert, Lyude was immersed almost completely. He had somehow managed to keep his head higher than the sand, but it was slowly creeping up towards his mouth. He felt the panic beginning to rise in him. Much longer and his nose would be covered as well and he would not be able to breathe. He closed his eyes grimly. It was a humiliating way to die, held fast by heavy sands and unable to loose himself. "Forgive me, Alyssa..."

Crazygirl: Thanks for the review again! You seem to be one of the only ones taking notice of this one this time around, don't worry though, there's a lot more to come!

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