Chapter 3: Pain

Summary: Kartik has called Gemma concerning the Order. Is the fragile new order in danger?

Suggested Music:

Paragraphs 1-20: Shoot the Moon by Norah Jones

He emerges from his tent and I begin to slowly die inside. His thick black curls are slick and wet, the ends dripping onto his white kurta. The dark color of his skin bleeds through where the water has dripped. He must have just bathed… Imagining Kartik's perfect body dripping with water makes me shiver with desire.

No! I must not be sucked in… Remember Gemma… remember…

"Your message sounded urgent. Have you discovered any members of the Order? Do they appear loyal to Mcleethy? Have the Rahkshana come into contact with them? Would they be willing to join our…"

But I can no longer say anything more. Kartik has gently pulled my face into his chest. The fantastic smell of cinnamon and curry overpowers me. My hands are plastered rigidly at my sides, my head is swimming with confusion.

What is going on? Why is he doing this? What do I do? Uhn… oooh! I don't think I can control myself… My body is yearning to join with his. My hands slowly trail up his back to embrace him.

His beautiful hazel eyes connect with mine. I know his eyes so well… I know every fleck of gold that glints when he looks into the sunlight. I know every line that creases when he laughs, smiles, frowns, cries. I know the way his butterfly lashes caress the skin below his eyes… I know it all… His soft, supple lips approach mine. How I long to taste his kiss again, just like before…

REMBER!

"NO!" I jerk from his grasp, panting and crying. Kartik looks stunned.

"How can you do this to me?" I vehemently spat at him. "How can you approach me this way? How can you live with yourself!"

"Gemma, you have to tell me the problem! I don't understand what is wrong! I have no intention of harming you…"

"OF COURSE YOU DON'T! JUST LIKE WHEN I HAD TO FIND THE TEMPLE!"

Katrik flinches at my mention of the temple. "Gemma… you must know I would never think of following through with their orders. I could never…"

"Oh really! You were going to go against your beloved Rahkshana? Everything you ever did was a lie! The concern for my safety, the dance at the stable, the kiss… IT WAS ALL A PLOY TO LURE ME IN TO YOUR TRAP!"

"No it wasn't!" he desperately pleads with me. "Gemma you have to understand how I feel…"

"Don't you dare try to tell me you feel for me," I whisper dangerously. "I can never believe anything you say ever again. I no longer desire to see you Kartik. From now on, you relay your news through letter and nothing more. Do not approach me, do not watch me. Leave me be."

I turn to walk away, but Kartik roughly pulls me back. "Gemmma! I won't let you leave until you listen to me!"

"I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU TRY! IF YOU DON'T LET ME GO THIS INSTANT I'LL BE FORCED TO USE MY MAGIC!"

I tear away and teleport back to my room. As I disappear from the campsite, I see Kartik's beautiful eyes are filled with tears.

I return to my room and plunge my face into my pillow, crying like I have never cried before.

"Gemma? What's wrong?" Ann asks, terribly concerned. I'm too distressed to answer. She seems to understand my plight and decides to let me be. I spend another sleepless night drowning in my own tears.

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I'm far to distressed to go to class. I tell Ann to inform my teachers I am experiencing my "curse" and will be unable to attend my lessons. For the rest of the day, I lie in bed and remember the events that transpired the night before. How could he do that to me? How could he pretend to feel for me? Why does he torment me so?

I tightly shut my eyes to stop myself from crying. I must move on. He will relay his news through letter and nothing more. I will no longer see him.

This thought makes me fall deeper into despair. I don't want to be without him, but how can I trust him? I know he has left the Rahkshana… but what if everything he ever said to me was a lie? Can I really find it in my heart to forgive him?

A cold chill goes down my spine. The room has begun to grow dark. Oh no! Not here! Not again!

I fall into a vision. I am in the realms by the valley where my mother and I used to talk. The flowers are in full bloom, their petals dancing about me in the wind. But something is not right…

"Well hello Gemma… long time no see."

I quickly turn to see the owner of the chilling voice. I stare back into a pair of sickening yellow eyes. The ones from my dream.

"Pippa!"

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Her once beautiful brown hair is now a mess of tangles and her dress is dirty and torn. Her skin has turned a ghastly white and is stained with blood. And those once beautiful purple eyes… are now the eyes that haunt me in my dreams.

She tilts her head to the side. "Aha! I see you haven't forgotten me… What with your new position as Lady Hope, Queen of the Realms, I thought you would no longer have time for me."

"Pippa… what has happened to you?" I know full well what has happened. She has been corrupted.

"The most marvelous thing has happened Gemma! I have become a queen myself."

My greatest fears have just been confirmed. "Queen of the Winterlands you mean."

"You say it as thought it were a bad thing my dear Gemma! Perhaps you fear my power?"

"It is not your power I fear… I fear I have lost a friend, Pippa."

"Oh don't give me that! You were never my friend! You took Felicity away from me! My only true friend! Then you wouldn't give me the power to stay in the realms! Oh but I found a way to stay. I never even needed you! You were always jealous of me. Jealous that I am far more beautiful than you and that your dear Indian boy dreams of me at night instead of you!" She begins to laugh maniacally, her horrible eyes bulging with delight.

"I can sense your strength leaving you Gemma. You have lost faith in your friends… including that Indian boy. No one has ever truly loved you. How can he love you? You have those horrible visions every night, you insult him about his race…"

"Shut up! Don't call him that! Don't talk about him that way!" I scream. I can't stand the fact that she is right, that I am losing my strength. That I am losing everyone I care about. That I have lost Kartik.

"HAHAHAAAA! You can't handle the truth my dear Gemma. Soon, I will rise with my troops and we shall overtake the Realms! And there will be no one to stop us. Not even you!"

She is overcome with laughter. I can no longer stand this torment. I must escape!

"SWEET DREAMS GEMMMMMMAAAAAAA!"

I awake with a start in my room, her scream still ringing in my head.

WAAAA! Such Drama! I'm not very good at writing the evil scenes and stuff… I mainly want this to me a romance story, but I want it to have a plot too… Anyway, please tell me what you think!