Chapter 11:

POV: Mara

Date: October 10, 2025

I could see why my sister cared for Neeklet enough to keep her a secret.

Neeklet was brave. She had revealed to me that very first day she'd arrived at the Pythia's compound that she was here to help me escape. I hadn't thought it possible at first and had told her it would be better for her to save herself, but she refused. She'd insisted that she could take care of herself, and that she couldn't live with herself if she'd stood by and watched the Pythia "commit atrocities which rival that of the Great Ceolian Desolation". Whatever that meant.

She was also cunning. She had quite easily ingratiated herself with the Pythia without them ever suspecting a thing. Ohila and her sisters had welcomed her with open arms and had quickly begun to include her in their strategizing meetings. All she'd had to do was spin a story about the importance of an iron hand when ruling over a planet, and lament about the "overly optimistic drivel" she asserted my family was prone to spouting. Soon enough, she had a memory stick filled with information that would help my family in keeping the Pythia from starting another Time War.

She was also incredibly kind. She had kept Ohila from using the awful device attached to my chest to hurt me on a number of occasions, citing that it would be better if they were able to bring me around to their thinking through reward rather than force. The logic hadn't always worked, but I was grateful for the few times Ohila had stopped to consider her point.

All in all, Princess Ser Neeklet of Ceolia was my sister's type to a "T".

So, it didn't surprise me, really, when I was called to the throne room only to find Neeklet standing there with Ohila's bracelet in her hands.

"How the hell did you manage to get that?" I demanded as I hurried over to her. If she had ahold of the bracelet it was only a matter of time before the Pythia descended on us.

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. What matters now is that we need to get out of here." She held up her wrist to show me another device—my Vortex Manipulator. "What's the code for this thing?"

I stared at her in bewilderment. "How did you find it?"

"Mara—"

We both spun around at the sound of people entering the room. "Well, what do we have here?" Ohila clucked her tongue at the sight of us. "I should have known better than to trust anyone who would align themselves with the Tylers for any length of time."

"Neeklet, go, get out of here." I nodded toward the bracelet. "I'll stall them. Press the red button when you're ready to call me." I snatched the Vortex Manipulator from her hands and typed in the code before I handed it back to her. "It'll work now."

Ohila ran for us with a furious shout. "Guards!"

"Neeklet!" I exclaimed, but it was too late. Ohila had already produced a long knife from somewhere within her robes and was slashing at Neeklet erratically. I moved to jump into the fray as Neeklet attempted to fend her off, but she easily tossed me aside. For an old woman, she was surprisingly strong and quick.

I jumped to my feet, but I wasn't fast enough. I felt Neeklet's screech as much as I heard Ohila stab into Neeklet's abdomen. I rushed over to her and forced her hands over the wound. I glared up at Ohila.

"How can you be so small?" I shouted at her.

Neeklet gasped for air as Ohila cackled. "I could ask the same of you, miss Tyler. Did you really think you were strong enough to escape from us?"

"But you could have had mine and my family's help if you had just asked!" I countered. "We are of Gallifrey just as much as you are. My father would have helped you, and so would my sister and I, if you had only asked. Why be cruel to us instead? Why imprison me?"

Ohila rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. "I don't expect you to understand." She moved to come at us again, but I was faster.

I had never attempted this without being forced, but with a furious cry, I felt the tear in the vortex open behind me. "Go, Neeklet!" I shouted as I latched on to Ohila and pulled her into the tear behind me. She screamed and clawed at me as we launched into the vortex with a rush, but it was no use. We were hurtling through time and space now.

My hearts wrenched in my chest. I would never know if Neeklet made it back to my family. In all likelihood, I would be stuck here, trapped with Ohila unless I could find the strength to reopen the vortex somewhere I could land. The thought of not seeing my family again tore me in two as I shoved Ohila away from me so that she would be hurled even deeper into the vortex.

"Find me," I whispered as I closed my eyes. "Please find me."

In the distance, I heard a howl.

POV: Jenny

Date: January 22, 2012 – Prior to Silence Will Fall No More

I entered the glitzy ballroom with a sigh. I had been on the planet Ceolia for more than a week, and I had yet to find the object that had set off my sonic. Something on this planet should be the stolen ring of Tirius II. The very ring my good friend Tijal had hired me to find for him. It was a family heirloom, he'd said, one that he wanted back so he could propose to his long-time partner. The Ceolians had stolen it long ago, but he had no means of getting it back himself. He'd offered to pay me handsomely.

I had, of course, refused his money and instead had asked for information. Information on my parents—my dad specifically. I needed to know—if I had any chance of recovering after what had happened on Aqu—I had to know if he was a good man. If he wasn't…I shuddered to think of what that meant I had the potential to become.

At least the Ceolians knew how to party. All around me people were dressed in their finest, sipping on something that was equivalent to Earth Champaigne and dancing to the music that was being performed by a live orchestra. The finest orchestra in this section of the galaxy, or so I had heard from my fellow partygoers.

It didn't surprise me one bit how extravagant this gathering was. This was the engagement party for Princess Ser Neeklet of the Ceolian royal family to High Prince Termarin of the planet Kijxal. I knew there were many that were relieved to see this alliance form. The two planets had been at war for centuries until peace had been brokered just a decade ago. Now, the royal houses were hoping to strengthen that alliance with the match of the princess and the prince.

I smoothed down the skirt of my red gown and stepped further into the ballroom. At least I got to dress the part tonight.

I grabbed a nearby flute of the bubbly drink everyone was enjoying, and sipped on it as I made my way across the ballroom, carefully avoiding the shrewd eyes of one Great Tsar Tooedkisleau Piflim. In his haste to gratify himself to any passing dignitaries, Tooedki had yet to notice me and I intended to keep in that way.

I paused to observe the scene across the way, where the princess was laughing on her husband-to-be's arm as she entertained some dignitaries from a neighboring planet. I took her in with sharp eyes. There was no denying that she was beautiful. She was a slight build, with heavy dark hair perfectly coiled atop her head and adorned with elegant jewels. Her dress was a deep blue, and fit her perfectly, as I would expect it to. No member of the royal family would ever be accused of being "frumpy."

My eyes narrowed in on her hands as I got ever closer. There on one of her fingers was the ring. It sparkled brightly under the lights of the ballroom and fit Tijal's description perfectly.

I paused in my approach and tried to think up a plan. I was an adept pickpocket, but I would need to get her somewhere she wasn't being so watched. A hard task, I knew, but not impossible. I looked around me trying to come up with a plan, when the princess simplified matters for me. She looked up at her fiancée with a smile, gave his arm a squeeze, and excused herself from the crowd. Gracefully, she moved toward some open doors that I knew led out onto a balcony. Perfect.

I followed her out onto the balcony quietly.

The princess glanced back at me as I stepped into the space. "I saw you watching me." Her admission made me jump a little as she turned to face me fully. "That's not so unusual—everyone watches me, but you seem…particularly focused. I was curious, so here we are. What is your name?"

I pursed my lips. "Lynn, ma'am."

She tipped her head back and laughed at me. The sound was musical. "Oh, I do not believe that for a second. Try again."

I raised my eyebrow at her and couldn't help but be amused by her quick ability to see through my lie. "Jenny," I finally answered.

"Jenny…?"

I shook my head. "Jenny is all, your Highness."

The princess chuckled, and her eyes sparkled at me. "Well, Jenny-is-all, you are lucky that I am a sucker for a liar in a red dress. I will let you keep your secrets for now." She nodded back toward the ballroom. "How are you enjoying the festivities? I can tell you are an off-worlder, though your Ceolian is very good. Have you been to our palace before?"

I gave her a shrug. "I've not spent much time in the palace, but the party is lovely."

She smiled delicately. "I suppose it is. I do not much care for these parties, I admit. They are rather overly-lavish for my taste." She waved toward a nearby bench and my eyes narrowed in on the ring as it sparkled under the moonlight. "Would you join me for a short reprieve?"

I nodded once and sat beside her on the stone bench. "Had you met the High Prince before tonight, your Highness?"

She laughed again, and I found the sound filled my hearts with warmth. "Oh, please miss Jenny, call me Neeklet." Neeklet shook her head, then, in answer to my question. "Though I've met him in passing before tonight, this is the first time we've ever held a real conversation."

"And what do you think of him?"

Her face shifted into a careful mask. "He is a fine gentleman, I am sure he will be a fine husband."

I gave a chuckle of my own. "Spoken like a true princess."

She studied me carefully. "And how is it that you came to find yourself here, Jenny? You speak Ceolian very well, but I can tell that this is not your home. How is it that you came here?"

I let out a breath and looked away at the view of the Ceolian valley before us. The lights of houses twinkled in the distance. "Oh, I'm just a traveler. I saw a party was happening, and I thought, what the hell?" I shrugged. "And besides, some lovely Kijxalians once helped me when I was in a tight spot. I thought I'd try to pay a visit later."

Neeklet narrowed her eyes a bit. "Another lie if I have ever heard one. Or a partial lie, I suppose. I should be concerned about your intentions, but as I said, I will allow you to keep your secrets."

My hearts thudded in my chest. It unnerved me how well this woman was able to see through me. The sooner I could get the ring and leave, the better, I decided. I opened my mouth to speak again, when we were interrupted. From below the balcony, there came the loud roar of an engine.

We both looked, startled, as a spaceship appeared before us. Three tall figures covered in armor with masks that hid their faces descended onto the balcony and grabbed the princess and I before we had time to react.

"Unhand me!" Neeklet shouted as she struggled against our attackers. "Guards!"

"Quiet!" one of the attackers commanded as they dragged Neeklet and I back toward their ship.

I fought against the one who had me and struggled to get ahold of my sonic. I could hear the palace guards running in our direction, and soon enough there was blaster fire being exchanged. Despite the efforts of the guards, however, our attackers managed to get us onto their ship and away from the palace.

"Get off me!" I hissed and let out a huff when the attacker who had ahold of me shoved me down next to Neeklet. "Who are you? What do you want with the princess?"

The figure closest to us pulled away his mask to give us a glare. "We work for the High Prince's cousin."

Neeklet gasped. "Duke Dukinson?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Duke Dukinson, seriously?"

She gave me a confused look. "What? It is a family name. Very important to the Kijxalian royal line. There has been a Duke Dukinson for generations." She shook her head to clear it. "And that is not the point—what could the Duke possibly gain by having me kidnapped?"

"The Duke does not believe that we should sully ourselves by creating an alliance with the Ceolians," the Kijxalian spat. "He has instructed us not to hurt you unless we have to. We're just to keep you away to prevent the engagement ritual."

Color me intrigued. "Engagement ritual?"

Neeklet glanced at me. "At midnight, we are supposed to come together to declare our acceptance of the match both verbally and through drinking from the Kijxalian goblet of unity." She huffed. "They are quite insistent that it occurs on time, or the marriage will not proceed."

"By keeping the princess from completing the ritual, the Duke will prevent Kijxal from being aligned with a weaker house." The Kijxalian attacker sneered at Neeklet. "Freeing us to make alliances with better, more worthy planets like Clom."

I snorted. "Clom? Who would want to ally themselves with Clom?"

Neeklet sighed heavily. "Duke Dukinson. It's all he ever talks about. Something about minerals." She was jolted by us suddenly landing and glared up at our Kijxalian captors. "Where have you brought us?"

The Kijxalians forced us to our feet and started us walking as the doors to the ship opened. "Don't worry, Princess," their leader grumbled. "It'll just be a few hours and then you'll be free to go."