Warrior's Heart Part VI, Reunited
It wasn't until three days after we arrived back on Haadiak that Doctor Lokhan came into the throne room where I was discussing matters with Agonu. The doctor was waiting just inside the eastern entrance when I spotted him. Excusing myself from Agonu, I mentally projected myself to Lokhan's location, asking,
"What news have you brought?"
Trying to recover from watching me display my mental abilities, Lokhan shook his head before replying,
"We have good news, my queen. We have managed to repair Lord Maul's body to where everything is back to normal."
A smile spread across my face as joy filled my being. But, I calmed down enough to hear the rest of what Lokhan had to report.
"However, your majesty," he said, holding up his hand. "We had to place him into a restoration chamber. We don't know how long it will take for him to fully recover, but we hope it will be soon."
"So, he will recover?" I prodded.
"The outlook is good, majesty," he assured me. "The surgery went well, better than we expected. He should make a full recovery within a few days' time. But, we're allowing him to awaken on his own."
Nodding my head, I ordered,
"Take me down there."
"My queen?" he asked, apparently not understanding my request.
"I want to be there when he wakes up," I told him blatantly.
"Your majesty, you do realize it could take days for him to do so," he reminded me.
"I know that, Doctor," I said with a sigh. "But, I don't care how long it takes; I want to be there when he wakes up."
"Yes, my queen," Lokhan replied as he turned back and led me into the medical levels.
Glancing around, I soon spotted the restoration chamber where Khamier was located. It was a large cylinder filled with healing liquid, and I saw him merely floating in the water, eyes closed. A breathing mask was hooked over his nose and mouth, and beyond that, all he wore was black, loose-fitting pants.
Striding over to the chamber, I stopped in front of where he hung almost lifeless. I placed a hand against the glass as I thought, 'They've done it. Now, it's all up to you, my love. Come back to me.'
xXx
For the next two days, I stayed beside Khamier's restoration chamber, always keeping watch over him. Any meetings I had scheduled were either postponed or moved to the medical level. However, most of my time was spent in training with my newest weapon, a lance forged from the same metal as my sai-blades. Unfortunately, my severe training tired me rather quickly, but I refused to sleep. I made a promise that I would be with Khamier when he awakened, and I would keep that promise.
On day three, I sat and waited with no signs of improvement from Khamier. My body was exhausted as I could feel my eyelids growing heavier with every passing moment. Leaning on my armrest with my head in my hand, I closed my eyes when I heard a voice ask,
"Your majesty?"
Snapping my eyes wide open, I looked up to see J-2LR standing beside me. I could not believe that I didn't sense the droid's approach as I usually would have, and I assumed that proved how tired I really was. Lifting my head from my hand, I inquired,
"Yes, J-2LR, what is it?"
"Your majesty, you really should rest," J-2LR stated in a worried voice. "You have not slept these past few days at all, and Princess Karia is concerned about you."
Sighing, I blinked hard, trying to stay awake, and said,
"I know, J-2LR, but I want to be awake when he wakes up."
"I realize that, your majesty," J-2LR agreed with me. "You are very fond of Lord Maul. But, you cannot make yourself ill while waiting for him to heal."
Nodding my head, I understood what J-2LR was trying to say and why both he and Kari were so concerned. I wondered if that's how everyone in the palace felt. Pushing that idea out of mind, I consented,
"Alright, J-2LR. Please move a bed down here so I can rest while I wait."
"That's not exactly the idea I had, your majesty, but I suppose it will do," J-2LR told me as he disappeared through the doors.
After a bed was moved into the medical level, I remained in my chair, watching for any signs from Khamier's chamber. Rubbing my eyes, I rose and slowly walked over to the chamber, placing a hand against the glass where his hand was. 'I wish I could hold your hand, just for a moment,' I thought. 'Please, my love, wake up soon. I need you.'
Backing away from the glass chamber that was Khamier's prison, I laid down on the bed, leaning against the pillow. Keeping my eyes on him for the last few moments I was awake, I silently wished, 'If he can't wake up now, then, let him be awake in my dreams.'
xXx
My dreams were a mixture of past events when Khamier was still here on Haadiak, but then, they became strange. The two Jedi that I saw on Naboo before I reached Khamier were battling with my beloved. The elder Jedi was the first to fall before Khamier's double-sided lightsaber. After that, the younger Jedi fought against Khamier, only this time, my love wasn't so fortunate in battle. Slashing his lightsaber through Khamier's stomach, the Jedi watched as he fell into the incinerator. 'So, it was the younger Jedi who tried to destroy you, my love,' I thought in my dreams.
Once more, the dream grew hazy as I squinted in confusion while I felt like I was floating. Then, as the mist and haze cleared, I saw a figure moving slowly towards where I hovered in space. As the figure drew closer, my eyes widened as I saw Khamier floating with me. With a small smile playing on his mouth, he placed a hand on my face, combing his fingers through my hair before wrapping me in his strong arms. It was almost as though I felt the warmth from his body against mine.
Struggling to open my eyes as I woke up, I forced them to open, and at first everything in front of me was rather blurry. A sign that I still hadn't fully recharged my exhausted body. Closing my eyes to rest them for a moment, I reopened them to find a body lying on my bed with me.
Moving my head back away from the body, I felt a hand stroking my face softly, and this time, I forced my eyes to focus when I opened them again. A pair of golden eyes rimmed with fire stared at me. Shaking my head a little, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Then, I asked,
"Is…is this a dream?"
Hearing a soft chuckle, a velvety voice replied,
"It is no dream, Amira."
Staring at him with wide eyes, I gave a small smile as I stated,
"You're awake."
"Yes," Khamier agreed. "Thanks to you, my warrior princess…or should I say, my warrior queen?"
Laughing a little, I shook my head, answering,
"It doesn't matter. You're here and you're awake, my love."
Leaning closer to me, Khamier placed his lips against mine in a soft kiss as I wrapped an arm around his torso. Parting a little too quickly for my liking, I felt his lips upon my forehead. No matter what my heart and mind told my body, I knew I still needed to recover from my lack of sleep. Apparently, Khamier knew that, too, because he said,
"Amira, we have time to be together. Right now, you need to rest."
"I wanted to be here when you woke up," I told him, trying to stay awake.
Nodding, he said,
"I know, Amira. Your protocol droid told me after I came out of the restoration chamber. He said that you hadn't slept in nearly three days, not since you learned I was moved into the chamber."
Smiling, I said,
"I guess I put too much strain on myself."
"Well, now is the time to recover, and to do that, you need to rest, my love," he told me. "The droid informed me that we would not be disturbed."
"Good, J-2LR," I declared to the non-present droid. Sighing, I felt Khamier pull me closer to him as he said,
"Sleep, Amira. I am here, and I will stay here."
That was the last I heard as I drifted into slumber once again.
xXx
It was about a few hours later that I woke up, still wrapped in Khamier's arms, his face so close to mine. Leaning my head back a little, I placed my lips against his softly, but was surprised when I felt his lips part for mine. Khamier's tongue slowly slid into my mouth, grazing against mine forcefully and making me shiver.
After we parted, I smiled at his golden gaze, saying,
"Well, I guess you're awake, too."
"I haven't needed any sleep, Amira," he informed me. "Remember, I've been confined to stasis lock for almost five days."
"One of the best sleeps you've ever had, right?" I asked with a laugh.
Smiling and shaking his head, Khamier gently bumped his forehead against mine, asking,
"Are you sure that you've regained your strength?"
"Yes," I nodded.
A sly smirk crossed his mouth as he rose and placed his body over mine, declaring,
"Perhaps we should see if that's true."
Widening my eyes at his statement, I wrapped my arms around Khamier's neck as he covered my face and neck with kisses. I allowed this for a moment before an important thought crossed my mind. Holding Khamier off gently, I placed a hand on his face, saying,
"I need to introduce you to someone, my love."
Backing up, Khamier raised an eyebrow in what appeared to be surprise as I sat up in the bed. Then, he smiled again and wrapped his arms around my shoulders, asking,
"Do you mean Karia?"
Looking at him in surprise, I inquired,
"How did you know her name?"
"Forgive me, Amira," Khamier began as his eyes stayed locked with mine. "I did return to Haadiak almost a year after I had left. I wanted to see our child and know that you were safe after the birth." Closing his eyes, he smiled in recollection from what I could tell, as he continued. "You both looked so beautiful standing on the balcony in the light of the setting sun, and Karia looks so much like you, my love. I was so very tempted to reveal myself and join you, but I chose to remain shrouded in the Force."
Gasping, I recalled that day when I thought I felt Khamier's presence nearby. However, I had merely pushed it out of my mind at the time, thinking I was trying to wish him back. I remembered that I believed I felt his lips upon mine as I was drifting into slumber.
As if reading my mind, Khamier said,
"I did wait until nightfall before I could see you alone as you slept, Amira. I just wanted to be with you a moment longer after I visited Karia." He closed his eyes for a minute before returning his gaze to me, saying, "You would not believe how painful it was to be away from you, my warrior princess. Many times, I wanted to return, but I could only risk a few."
Placing my arms around his strong torso, I stated,
"Somehow, I would believe it, my dark lord. Did you ever tell Kari who you were when you did see her?"
Shaking his head 'no', Khamier replied,
"It was best that I didn't. Besides, the only way Karia did see me was through a few dreams. If I didn't return, then, she would only have memories of me that you told her."
"She has heard many stories of her father, all of which she asked to hear," I told him, leaning my ear against his chest to hear his powerful heartbeat. "All of them were good and true."
Laying his chin on the top of my head, Khamier said,
"I'm glad that Karia has turned out so well, Amira. I knew you would be a good mother."
"Well, I think it's time for the two of you to meet face to face," I declared with a smile. "But, perhaps we should find you proper clothes."
Glancing down at his barely clothed body, Khamier laughed a little,
"Perhaps you are right, Amira."
xXx
After summoning J-2LR to bring some clothes for my beloved, I spoke with Lieutenant Agonu about bringing Karia to the throne room where Khamier and I would meet with her. Giving me a surprised look over the screen, he asked,
"Are you certain that is a wise decision, my queen?"
"Trust me, Agonu," I assured him. "Karia is too curious about what was inside the strange chamber I brought with me."
"Then, I shall bring her as you asked, majesty," Agonu replied with a bow.
Although I refused to show it to Agonu, my insides were tightening a little as I glanced from the entrance to the throne room to my beloved. He stood at my side dressed in a black tunic and robe similar to what he wore years ago. Smiling at him, he turned to favor me with a small smile of his own, his fiery eyes locking with mine and making me shiver. He placed a hand on mine on the armrest of the throne, speaking in my mind, 'It will be fine, Amira. Karia is our daughter.'
'I know, Khamier, I just…I wish I could have prepared her a little for this meeting,' I thought along the link between us. Then, a wave of warmth flowed over me as I heard him again. 'You could not have prepared her more with the time you were given. Do not fear.'
There was no time to fear anything, for the doors flew open with Agonu leading Karia inside the throne room. She hesitated about halfway across the room when she saw Khamier. However, when I beckoned her forward, she continued without Agonu until she stood in front of the stairs leading to the throne. Bowing as I had done many years to my own mother, Karia kept her eyes to the floor. Then, she dared to look up at me, and I stood, saying,
"It's all right, Kari. Come on, my little one."
With a quick glance at Khamier, Karia scrambled to her feet and made her way up the stairs and into my arms. I looked at my beloved and saw him give a slight sad look at the wary behavior Kari showed towards him. Smiling, I said,
"Karia, do you remember asking who was inside the stasis chamber?"
She nodded, looking up at me with golden/green eyes.
"Well, this is the important person I was telling you about. His name is Khamier…he's your father, my child."
Her eyes grew wide after I said this, and she looked from me to him. I held my breath as this sank into her mind, and I wanted so much to hand her to Khamier. Then, to my surprise, she held up a hand to him, saying, "My…my father…lives."
Khamier raised his hand to hers, his calloused fingers lightly touching her thin, tiny ones. He gazed at her in my arms and said, "I live, Karia. That is true. But it is only when I am here, with your mother…and now you, that I truly feel alive."
And with a release of my breath, Karia clasped her father's hand with both of hers, hugging him to her. "Father…where have you been?"
"Somewhere I would rather forget, Karia," he said with a sigh that brought his massive shoulders down a few inches. He closed his eyes for a moment then I felt Karia slowly slipping out of my grasp. She climbed from my arms into his, her hands clasped around his neck. Khamier's eyes flew open, and he stared at her with what looked like surprise.
'I believe she really wanted to meet you, my beloved,' I sent along our mind link. Smiling, I realized my fears were all in vain, for my daughter definitely knew who her father was. However, looking at Khamier's hesitant behavior, the idea of being a father might take a little getting used to. Or at least the actions and rules of being a father. But that didn't matter. All that was important now was that we were a family, Khamier, Karia, and me.
