Chapter 12: Reminiscence and Shame.

"Alfard cannot stop running for one man!" shouted Drell, this council member was perhaps the greatest headache of all. "I'm sure that the Minister would agree that it is only right that the former officers be reinstated to their former positions!"

"If you're so certain of that Drell..." hissed Skeed. "Then why did you wait until he disappeared to bring this to the attention of the council?"

"You make it sound as if I planned it." growled Drell angrily.

"The Minister has appointed his own officers. Reinstating officers to their former rank would cause an upset in the balance he has set up." said Skeed. "Do not waste the council's time with the suggestion again."

Alyssa sat with her arms crossed. Absently she began stroking her slowly swelling stomach. Her pregnancy was beginning to show. How she wished Lyude could see it. The signs of creation of what they had made together. She drew back from her thoughts and scolded herself. This was not the time to think about that. She had to focus on whatever it took to get him back and that meant finding out who took him in the first place.

She was watching Drell in particular. He had brought up so many proposals in the two weeks her husband had been missing she was sure that he had been compiling them for quite some time. That suggested that he had an idea that this was going to happen. She felt Skeed felt the same.

Skeed's eyes were shadowed but whatever weariness beset him he did not allow it to show in front of the council. He had turned out to be quite the firm diplomat. Drell rose from his seat glaring murderously at Skeed. "You're just as foolish as your brother." he spat and strode from the room. A few closing statements were said and approval for the mining in the Northern Nihal desert was passed. That was one thing, Skeed knew, that Lyude would have wanted to see done sooner than later. Azha was still a recovering country and the oil would be a great source of income for the poor villagers.

Alyssa joined him in the hall and they walked together to his office. "If it is Drell that is behind Lyude's disappearance, he's done a poor job of concealing it." said Skeed.

"Yet I wouldn't rule him out." said Alyssa. "He has been pressing more and more for this legislation to be passed. Perhaps we are getting close..."

Skeed sighed. He was no more convinced of that than Alyssa. She was trying her best to be hopeful, Skeed knew that she was trying to take his brother's disappearance in stride and keep going, but it was a constant struggle, particularly with the constant reminder of his absence that dwelled within her. This fact still had a difficult time registering in Skeed's mind. He was to be an uncle...it was a strange feeling that coursed through him when he thought of it.

Even after Lyude had defeated Malpercio and conquered the Organ of the Flame he still managed to remain pristine. Sometimes he still seemed so young, which, to be fair, he was. That his little brother was to be a father was disconcerting to him and reminded him of just how much he had missed of Lyude's life. He had grown up sometime when Skeed had not been looking.

That day Lyude had first walked back into his life had been one of the most confusing days of his life. He had been sure that Lyude would return to them. He and Vallye had of course still been angry with him for refusing Operation Sweep, but he had hoped that their brother would take his proper place back in the Alfard military. Despite Lyude's Azhani origins, Skeed had been ready to accept him. Though sometimes even he wondered if it had been actual love, or a desire to redeem the family name. Imagine his surprise when Lyude, his own little brother, who had eagerly done everything in his power to make his siblings proud had drawn a weapon against him.

In that moment Skeed had hated him more than he ever had before. How dare that little Azhani mutt defy him so fully? Then he had not even been able to carry through. He had taken it as weakness then. A weak pacifist without the backbone to at least follow through with his threats. In that moment he wanted only to punish Lyude. He wanted to cause him more pain than he had ever experienced in his life. Then Almarde had threatened him.

He had not expected so much fire from the gentle woman who had raised him and Vallye as well as Lyude. Of course, he and Vallye had known the truth and he had realized Almarde's natural instinct to protect her own child. Particularly since he and Vallye had treated Almarde with the characteristic disdain any imperial would. Still, she had been their father's bride and she had been given rights to the home as well as them. It only took a moment for Skeed to decide on the fitting punishment. He had taken advantage of Lyude's hesitance to flee to allow him to witness the execution that was demanded for such a betrayal.

So clearly could he remember his brother's horrified gasp, his expression that of grieved shock. He wasn't sure whether he had run from the blue haired stranger threatening him, or his own actions. For it had not been a feeling of satisfaction that coursed through him when he saw Almarde fall and his brother's heart shatter before his eyes. It would have been easy enough for him to drop the sword wielder with another shot of his rifle. Still he and Vallye had been vastly outnumbered and standing and fighting would have been foolish.

"Skeed?" came Alyssa's voice, bringing Skeed out of his reverie.

"Hmm...? I apologize, you were saying?" asked Skeed.

"Oh, nothing important. I was just wondering how Kalas and the rest are doing with the search. Brooding over it isn't helping, I know that, but I can't help but think about it. I was thinking out loud more than anything. Nothing really constructive to the effort." sighed Alyssa.

"We're doing all that we can Alyssa. Unfortunately, there is nothing in our vast arsenal to ensure we find him. We just have to trust in his friends. I'm going to go have a word with Andrews. He knows more about the statutes that Lyude has set up than anyone else. We need to be sure that there's not something he's missed that Drell may try to push to his advantage."

Kalas, Xelha, and Gibari soared high above the Nihal desert looking for any odd patterns in the sand or odd formations that might provide a stronghold for a resistance. They had been given recently developed communication devices to keep in touch with the base and the fellow searching party members.

"Hmm...there are several rock formations around here..." said Xelha. "Do you think we should start checking them?"

"That's the ground squad's job." said Gibari. "We're supposed to be looking for something odd from the air. Call down to the closest unit and tell them about those rock formations."

"Right." said Kalas bringing out his communicator and giving Matthias and Folon the coordinates. Ricco and Vallye had decided to go their own way to search...or perhaps it was merely for Vallye's sake that Folon was searching elsewhere...or Folon's...Vallye had started to twitch alarmingly at the mere sight of him.

"Well, let's keep moving. We're not going to get anything done just hovering around here." said Gibari.

Xelha nodded and indicated to the white dragon that they were ready to move on. The dragon inclined it's huge head and began it's slow circling of the desert once again.

Jareth Lyricello sat against the wall watching as his son slept. He couldn't believe it. Lyude...his youngest child. Were Vallye and Skeed well too? What of Almarde? He had so many questions he wanted to ask the boy. He no longer doubted that this was indeed his son. There was no mistaking those eyes...though there was a more sober look to them than the inquisitive five year old he had left all those years ago, they still somehow clung to that quiet wonder. The boy was still recognizable within the man, yet there was so much sadness...

Lyude shivered from the chill of the cell and stirred. He sat up and met Jareth's gaze with those sad eyes. Lyude smiled at him warmly. "Good morning." said Lyude.

"That's a bit of a contradiction here." said Jareth with an almost bitter chuckle.

"Yes...I suppose it is." said Lyude sadly. "How long have you been imprisoned here, father? All the years that you've been gone? What is it that you're supposed to know?"

Jareth smiled sadly. You have a right to know why I left you so abruptly. I assure you that it was of no will of my own. How old are you now, Lyude? It's been so long I've rather lost count of the years."

"I'll be twenty soon." said Lyude. " In a few weeks."

Jareth nodded soberly. "So many lost years...so much I've missed..."

"That doesn't matter now." said Lyude. "The important thing is that you're here now. As I said though, it would be unwise for us to discuss anything that you would not want our captors to know. I don't believe for a moment this was accident."

"I don't either." said Jareth. "Nearly fifteen years ago then, I was on a mission for the Emperor within the Lava caves. Quite by accident, I found a hollowed wall when my rifle struck against it. Curious, I blasted through the wall and found a hidden chamber. Inside there was the outline of something large that had once stood there. I couldn't tell what.

Then I noticed a prophesy on the wall. A prophecy that greatly alarmed me. Quickly, I shattered the stone and destroyed the words. I could let no one see what I had discovered. When the Emperor learned of my actions, he demanded to know what the prophesy had said. I knew that the Emperor would want to use the prophesy for ill, I was not so blind as to think he would not try to use it to his advantage. He threatened me with the worst, but I knew that I could not fold...that I could not tell him, no matter what the price..." Jareth broke into tears and touched Lyude's cheek. His fingers brushed Lyude's hair lightly back from his face. "This was a face I never thought I'd see." he whispered softly. "I thought he had killed all of you for my insubordination ...Skeed...Vallye...even Almarde.. I..I went mad with grief..."

"As cruel and evil as Geldoblame was...he was not wasteful. He found a use for even those that defied him." said Lyude unable to shield the bitterness in his voice. He then proceeded to tell his father about the Azha incident and what Geldoblame had done to use him.

He told him about the fight against Malpercio, and with a cracking voice, Almarde. After this explanation, it took a few minutes to calm him down. Learning that Skeed had been the one to kill her was almost more than Jareth's barely balancing mind could bear. Once Lyude explained about the hold that Emperor Geldoblame had established over his subjects, however, and that Skeed had changed quite a bit for the better he finally calmed.

Lyude went on to explain about the Organ of the Flame and finally, what had occurred since. "Y..you're married?" said Jareth his voice thick. He then noticed the simple golden band on Lyude's gloved ring finger. "Yes, and I am now working to rebuild Alfard...I am it's leader." said Lyude.

Jareth's eyes shot up with a mixture of disbelief and pride. "My son...the Emperor..."

"No, I'm not an Emperor. I abolished that post when I agreed to serve Alfard. Our people have minds and should have the right to decide what is to be done with their country. They have voices and I intend to hear them. Alfard shall never again fall under the shadow of an Empire as long as I have anything to say about it. There are those who wish to see it revived and that is one reason I have been brought here, yet there seems to be more to it...they mentioned a way that I would be of further use to them...a use that involves my friends who aided in the defeat of Malpercio."

Jareth rose suddenly. An alarmed expression on his face...It can't be...It CAN'T BE!"

Lyude rose to his feet to go to his father who had suddenly gone to huddle in a corner, his hands over his head as he began rocking back and forth on his heels."

"Father?" said Lyude, placing his hand on Jareth's shoulder.

"Leave me! I don't know! I don't know!" The insane light had reentered his eyes and he didn't seem to recognize his son as he flung his hand away and drew his knife again. "I'll end your questions for good!" with that, Jareth lunged at an astonished, and unprepared Lyude. Knife menacingly raised above his head.

AN: Yes, yet again Jareth has gone psycho. This is my most recent chapter, I've finally caught this up with the BK forums. I haven't started on the new one yet, so the updates will not be quite so frequent as they have been, but they won't be too far apart, rest assured. Thank you to all of my reviewers.

Crazygirl: Looks like from the general review my little twist came as quite a surprise :) I'm glad you're enjoying the story and that it is holding your interest, there's a lot more to come, so sit back and enjoy the ride.

TFRiD Queen: Language excused. Indeed, I thought that twist might take a few of my reviewers by surprise.

Epraim Kun: Thanks again for the review and I look forward to seeing them in my other stories too. I'm always happy to find that I have new readers.