Part 6

"Falling in love is not an extension of one's limits or boundaries; it is a partial and temporary collapse of them."

M Scott Peck

Upon Lex-ar's graduation from Argo's Learning Halls

She had run so far away the moment he heard. Gab-rel was called back from the capital of Kryptonopolis by his anxious house caretakers. Once the servants had knocked on the door and found no voice beckoning entrance, they had suspected the worst. Coupled by the announcement from dinnertime yesternight, right before Gab-rel joined the Council who had requested for his advice, the most veteran of the Rel household's servants knew to expect the action that Caelie had taken.

It was Bera Kop-er, who had taken care of Caelie as her wet nurse ever since Bera arrived, who had suggested the fearsome truth. Caelie Gab-rel had run away in the middle of the night to protest the decision of the Council. Yesterday's eve, Gab-rel had announced to a gathering that he came as the bearer of magnificent news. As adviser of the Council, he was to announce that the next director of the Hall of Worlds had been chosen. It was then that Zor-el had risen, being the current director of the famed museum. The two respected scientists spoke of a long line of candidates, and the honor of having the next director come from Argo City, the way that Zor-el was also himself a son of Argo.

Bera witnessed at that very moment sheer panic in the eyes of her charge. Caelie was intelligent enough to connect the clues before the scientists revealed it. Caelie had frantically searched Lex-ar's face, but the young man had only steadily waited with bated breath for the announcement.

If the heart were reflected in one's eyes, Bera would swear that the sudden flood of liquid in Caelie's eyes was blood. So shattered was her gaze that Bera was afraid that her charge would just topple over and die. For one so infinitely brilliant, Caelie was not able to prepare herself when this was inevitable. After all, Caelie had spent countless nights with Lex-ar in Argo City's only observatory. She had been with Lex-ar when he was chosen to test the monumentally expensive telescope, and plot out space from the top of Argo City's highest hill. Surely, Bera thought, Caelie must have suspected.

"It is a young man whom we can all be proud of—Lex-ar," Gab-rel had announced, shattering his daughter's dreams.

She had not stood and applauded with the crowd. Blank eyes followed the rest as the people in the gathering approached Lex-ar and clapped the young man's back.

"Such high post for one so young," people around them had exclaimed.

As everyone rejoiced, Caelie had slid away and rounded out of the doors. Bera had been about to come up to her charge to enjoin her to her room, because the night outside was cold. As she had exited with Caelie's shawl in her arms, Bera had noticed that Lex-ar had excused himself from the crowd and was following in Caelie's direction.

Bera had no answer to the question that occurred to her then. Just at that exact moment that Lex-ar had stepped off the house and onto the yellow glass, Caelie had turned. Without seeing him, she had seemed to recognize his presence.

"Are you going to stay out here alone? Will you not toast to my great achievement?"

And what an achievement it had been. "You think I will celebrate my loss?" Caelie had asked. Lex-ar had walked closer to Caelie, and she had turned her back on him and gazed up at the stars. "Go on," she bid him. "You have your dream. The Hall of Worlds is yours the way you've always dreamed. Map those worlds you so badly want to belong to. Leave Argo City and everything that's worthless and common."

Despite the harsh words, her voice had trembled. Lex-ar closed his hands around her elbows and drew her back, against him. "I adore those stars. Those planets up there are gorgeous to me," he had told her.

"I know," she had whispered. Bera had then wished she could stride up to the two and draw her charge away, because Lex-ar words would only serve to hurt Caelie more.

Bera had straightened then, in shock perhaps, when young Lex-ar turned his head slightly and brushed his lips against the temple of her charge. She had to lean to hear him say, "There are probably infinite riches in the universe outside Krypton, with creatures so fascinating, and gemstones so alluring, and beings so interesting." Slowly, ever so slowly, he had turned Caelie in his arms so that neither of them would be preoccupied with the sky. Now the star in his eyes was only Caelie; and Lex-ar was the only heaven in her own. "But there is nothing more precious to me than my heart."

When a teardrop fell from Caelie's eye, Bera fought the need to comfort her.

"I will go to Kryptonopolis to found a name for myself, make me, the son of a mere businessman, be worthy of the daughter of such respected Councilman. I will go to the capital to study those stars, but I will leave my heart here in Argo City, so I will return because I need to survive."

Lex-ar had leaned to wrap his arms around her, and Caelie had clutched at his shoulders. "Please, Lex-ar, don't leave me here."

It was then that another figure came under the light of one of Krypton's moons. Mag-el, from the neighborhood, Bera noted, had cleared his throat and informed them that Lex-ar was expected inside.

And that was the last that Bera had seen of Caelie, for after a quick goodbye, Caelie had retreated to he room. Now she was missing, and no one could find her.

Gab-rel had ordered a search, but for the past twelve hours no one had been able to find her. The older man had almost given up his search. He had run out of places to look, and ideas to base his commands on.

That had been Bera's turn to come up and suggest that the young Lex-ar be informed that Caelie was missing. Gab-rel had at first hesitated, because Lex-ar was then just settling himself in Kryptonopolis. When night dropped though, he had no choice. If he did not want his daughter to spend the night away, alone and in likely danger, he would have to call on the young man who had such dubious friendship with his daughter.

Within an hour, in far less time than what it usually took to travel from Kryptonopolis to Argo City, Lex-ar had paid his respect to Gab-rel and proceeded on his way to search for the missing young woman.

Half an hour from arrival to Argo City, Lex-ar silently lands his rocket outside the observatory that he had been working in for the past years. He climbed up the spiraling staircase and opened the door to reveal Caelie, seated so silently across the telescope.

Lex-ar walked silently towards her. He peered into the peerhole and recognized the system and the planet that she had turned the instrument on.

And then he sat on the floor beside her and took her hand. Wordless, they spent the night.

It was morning when he took her home.

"Love is a hole in the heart."

Ben Hecht