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the continuing saga of the Meridean Twins . . .
Laying in bed that night, Mara beside him, Luke couldn’t help thinking about what effect the Empire had on his Loki. She sold herself to the Empire, she later became Vader’s apprentice, eventually lost her arm, and, worst of all, her father was the darkest entity to ever slither out of the woodwork.
He tried not to think about it. Instead, he rolled over and pulled Mara close to him, taking in her warmth and the smell of her hair. Think about something nice, a little inner voice told him. You won’t have good dreams if you think about bad stuff before you fall asleep, so think about good things.
Luke thought about his wedding to Mara, soon to take place in about six months time. He couldn’t help but smile when he thought about Loki and the other girls of the Sweet Sixteen in matching bride’s maids dresses. He drifted to sleep slowly.
Luke’s little voice was wrong. He had a strange dream that night. An epic battle. He had seen one similar to it. His father vs Obi Won. But there was a female in this one.
The duel seemed to last an eternity, but instead of a lake of molten fire, they seemed to be fighting on ice. The girl had angelic wings, beautiful angelic wings, feathered with navy blue tips, almost like a Seagull’s wings.
The boy had deep, fierce eyes. His were anger ridden, vengeful. He swung his saber around and the girl screamed, falling to her knees. Luke watched from the side. The girl looked up, right shoulder bleeding heavily where the saber lashed out at it. Her eyes were the most exquisite deep lavender. Her hair was black silk, that hung down her back, low to her waist.
“Why, Veltan?” She said up at him, in some foreign tongue he understood like Basic.
“Because, Lillabeth,” the boy said. “That will be the wound of the Rose Queen. The next Rose Queen. So The Prophecy states, so it will be done.” Lillabeth straightened and also lashed out. Her saber cut under Veltan’s right eye. It was a light scratch, not really portraying what the lightsaber could really do, but it looked like it hurt like hell.
Veltan bit back any pain. All he did was stare at Lillabeth with pure hate.
“This will be the bond the Vine bears with you, brother,” she said. “The Prophecy is all that connects our empire now. Even if this is true, The Prophecy can not come be! It will only destroy those we love. It can not be true.”
“It is,” Veltan said. Lillabeth looked like she was fighting within herself. Then she raised her saber and brought it down. Luke thought she had slain her brother, but instead, the saber was imbedded deep within the lake of ice.
“The Prophecy of the Rose, the Vine, and the Thorn may come to pass, but not now,” she said, snow cascading onto her long black hair. “Do not make this mistake, Veltan. Do not take the part of the Thorn Prince. Together we can stop The Prophecy before it starts. Do not damn the Fire Child!”
She stood before him, unarmed. Veltan grabbed her saber and held it out in front of him, the en garde position. Veltan hesitated. Lillabeth closed her eyes and spread out her arms, allowing full exposure to her heart.
“Lillabeth,” Veltan muttered to himself. Veltan closed his eyes. “Very well.”
A silent tear fell from Lillabeth’s eye. Only one. But she did not move from her spot.
“I love you, Veltan. I have always loved you.”
She screamed.
6
Luke sat up right in bed. He gasped and rubbed his face. The dream seemed more like a vision. But how could he know what happened in Loki’s reincarnated soul’s past? Or Roki? And who the Sith was the Fire Child?
One thing was certain, Veltan murdered Lillabeth, Loki’s incarnate and ancestor.
It seemed like every mystery Luke solved, three more grew in its place. It was like a monster that could not be killed by cutting off its head.
7
Loki lifted the wand to her lips and blew. A stream of bubbles drifted into the air. She watched them, planting a wish in each and every one. In due time, they popped. She sighed and dipped the wand into the bottle of soap again. If only wishes came true, she thought.
“Hey, Loki,” someone said quietly. She turned from her sitting position on a high stone pillar, a ruin from one of the older temples. It was just as the sun was setting. Reds, oranges, and golds reflected off her eyes as she watched it. Rio Solo was standing at the base of the pillar, gazing up at her. “Blowing bubbles?”
Loki had been avoiding Rio since his profession of like. She wasn’t sure if it was love just yet. His soft hazel eyes met hers and she nodded.
“Yeah, figured it couldn’t hurt,” she said. She blew another set. “That ‘blow a bubble, make a wish’ stuff.”
“Mind if I come up?” He asked, quieter still. Loki nodded, looking to the sun, huge as it set. He placed two hands on the column and looked down to find foot holds.
“Can’t you use the Force to climb up?” Loki asked. Rio shook his head. They didn’t talk until he had climbed all the way up and sat right next to her. “Why not?”
“I’m not that good at it,” he said. “The Solos are not Force Sensitive folk. I’m the first in seventeen generations.” Loki whistled. “Not that that means anything. Han only adopted me as a brother. I’m not really a Solo.”
“Sure you are! Besides, Force Powers are not dictated by genes. Just look at me!”
“Obviously,” Rio said. “It’d take someone like, I dunno, the Emperor to take you down.” Loki fell silent. She exhaled. “Loki?” She turned to face him, to find his inches from her own.
“What?” She said, trying to draw back. Then she stopped. “Rio . . . is all of what you said true? This crush or whatever it is you’ve had on me since Force knows when? How do you know it’s not just puppy love, or something?”
“I know its real because of everything I’ve thought about you,” he said. “Simple things, not stupid things. Not ‘Gee, Loki looks good in that flightsuit from behind.’ But real things. Things that mean something. Not just primal boy emotions and thoughts, which I know you can sense. Especially from Max and Nikolai.” Loki let a small, barely noticeable smile play across her lips. “Real things”
“Like what?” She asked. Rio licked his dry lips.
“Like how your eyes sparkle when you laugh. Or when your hair is all wet, like after you’ve gone swimming. Little things I guess, but important. Important to me.”
“Rio, that’s all very sweet, but how do I know you won’t turn on me like you-know-who?” Loki said, standing, turning to the sunset, now the red was mixed with lavender, indigo and blues. Rio stood as well. It was hard to balance on the column, but they managed.
“Feyd Scorpio was a b*****d!” He said, loudly. “He didn’t deserve you. No one deserves you. You’re too perfect.” Loki looked at him, surprised by how much he towered over her. She was never really aware he was so much taller than he was. But, right then, it didn’t matter to her.
She kissed him, a sudden, hot rush of passion. Rio was surprised at first and leaned back. Then he allowed her to continue.
The sun set behind them.
8
Roki Meridean was always fairly quiet. He didn’t have to say much if he wanted his opinion to be heard. He kept to himself too. Though he had friends, they could be wild at times, getting into trouble when there was enough trouble to go around. One of his favorite things to do was to re-read The Prophecy, looking for any kind of hope that he shared his sister’s power.
Roki sat on an over turned stone pillar and pulled a notebook/folder from his robes. Sneaking around the archives had its advantages.
The Rose Queen and the Vine,
Born as two,
Surviving as one.
The Thorn Prince seeks out the Rose.
The Rose’s tears heal the land.
Her’s is the way of Peace.
The Rose’s blood spills for the Vine.
For the Rose and the Vine are born as two,
But survive as one.
The Rose’s petals change.
Red to black,
And black to red.
She is salvation.
The Vine’s destiny is to be forever with the Rose.
The Thorn Prince corrupts all it pricks.
As the Rose approaches her seventeenth year,
The Vine will strike against her.
He will strike at her wings.
She will fall to the Thorn Prince,
Or die at the hands of the Thorn Prince and the Vine.
So Lillabeth, the Beauty, proclaims,
So Veltan will make it so.
The Rose Queen will die by the Vine,
If she is not destroyed by the Thorn.
But if the Fire Child is pure of heart,
If the guardian angel is sacred,
The Fire Child will return and save the Rose.
But if he is not,
The Rose will die.
So The Prophecy foresees,
So it shall come to be.
Morbid, but somehow Roki loved reading it. The Fire Child. The Rose Queen. The Thorn Prince. The Vine. Which one was he? Well, the Rose was Loki. The Thorn was Loki’s sworn enemy, the one who will attempt to kill her. The Fire Child could be her savior or her damnation. The Vine is the Rose’s brother, but, where Loki and Roki are twins, he shows no signs of Veltan’s reincarnation. Roki sighed.
He slipped the sheaf of paper in his notebook again and rose to leave.
9
Xinix watched as the Meridean boy read the ink stained paper. He smiled. Those holo-cams he placed around the academy did come in handy. He reported immediately to Lady Revan. She was pleased.
“Perhaps,” she said, thoughtfully, “I should convince the Senate to allow a small search, a . . . review of Yavin IV? That way, I can be there and confront the boy personally.” Xinix grinned with pleasure.
“And I can take my revenge on Meridean,” he said.
“No,” Revan said sharply. “She will fall on her own sword. Believe me, once our little scheme is worked out completely, she will do anything to reverse it.” Xinix’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Even kill herself?” He asked.
“Even kill herself,” Revan said, nodding. “Remember that prophecy, and you will see where I’m coming from. Once we have what we want, she’ll beg for it back. It’s the one thing she’d never forgive herself if she lost.”
Xinix looked as if he didn’t understand. Revan sighed, exasperated. She took another gulp of red wine, then, habitually reapplied her black lipstick.
“It’s her most precious treasure, let’s say,” she tried.
Xinix was shooting blanks. Revan growled.
“Who are we going there to turn, boy?!”
After thinking for some time he said, “Oh! Yes, now I remember.”
Revan exhaled. She downed the rest of her wine and threw the glass against the wall where it shattered. What did she care? She had millions of others.
“You’re definitely your father’s son, Xinix,” she said, closing her eyes. He smiled, a secret smile that didn’t betray his hatred of the women. She rolled her eyes. “Idiot . . .”
10
Luke re-read over the summons on his desk. He looked up at Han and Leia.
“They think we’re what?” He asked.
“Lady Iris Revan brought the question before the Senate as to what exactly you’re teaching the children to do. She also wants a list of names and home worlds, or possible residences, of all Force Sensitive children you know of for filing purposes in case the Senate wishes to register them.” Leia explained. Luke rubbed his temples.
“So they’re sending her to do what?”
“Revan is coming to ‘observe’ what you’re teaching the kids. That register bit sounds like they’re talking about animals or something. I think that’s bullshit.” Han said. Luke rolled his eyes. “Personally, I think she’d got no business snooping around here, questioning what you teach the squirts.” He blinked. “Speaking of the Squirt, how’s everyone’s favorite apprentice?”
Leia scowled.
“I can’t believe you’re still teaching her,” she said. Luke was not surprised. Ever since he told her Loki’s parentage, she’d been less than happy about it. “She’s Palpatine’s daughter. Who knows what she does in her spare time. She might be plotting to bring him back.”
“I’ve told you,” Luke said, “Loki does not want to bring the man that chopped her arm off back. And just because her father was someone Dark Side doesn’t mean she is Dark Side. Right?” Leia blinked, realizing her blunder.
“We were raised without the Force, Luke,” she said. “Loki was raised by Darth Vader for the most part! He taught her the Dark Side. Remember the Starkiller comment?”
“Then we should see her as a bit of a half sister,” Luke said. Leia’s nostrils flared. “But this doesn’t solve the Revan issue.” Han had been thinking throughout the conversation.
“Is she related to one of your students?” He asked. “The name sounds familiar.”
“Jaken, Fina, and Riku are decedents of Darth Revan, the first ‘El of Draconia. Is Revan a Draconic?” Luke said. Leia shook her head. Luke sighed.
“Well, what do we know about her?” He asked. Leia opened her mouth to answer, but closed it just as abruptly and frowned.
“Very little,” the President of the Senate said. “In fact, I think this is the first time she’s ever addressed the Senate.” There was a moment of uneasy silence. “There is nothing we can do about the summons, but we can find out a few things on Revan.” Luke nodded.
“We should do that and fast. Mara can ask Karade if the name rings any bells. I’ve got to talk to the students soon about this.” He said.
Han smirked and said, “Let me guess: ‘be on your best behavior?’” Luke nodded.
“Maybe tell them to be on the lookout for anything suspicious as well.”
“Some of them are definitely acute enough to sense Dark Side,” Leia said. “I’d better be going now. Han and I will do some research on Lady Iris Revan.” She and Han left not long after. Luke leaned back in his chair. He looked out the window.
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” he whispered to no one.
11
Mara sat, her high-heeled boots kicked up on Talon Karrde’s table. The man looked at her with mild interest. He was older than she remembered; his grey hair was greyer, and hung down to his shoulders. Karrde was a bit of a hippie.
The Wild Karrde was as hectic as ever, but running smoothly.
“It’s been hard to get by without you, Jade,” he said. Mara gave him a cocky smile.
“It takes a woman to run a smuggling business,” she said. “I’ve told you, time and time again. But, that’s not why I’m here. I need you to do some snooping for me.”
“Name and species,” Karrde said. Mara pulled a file out.
“Iris Revan,” Mara said, throwing a folder at him. “I need all you can get on her.”
“Will do, Mara,” Talon said. She rose, ready to leave. Mara felt odd about this whole Revan business. The name felt so familiar, but she just couldn’t place it. Perhaps it was a name from her Emperor’s Hand days. She even remembered Loki from those times. She was short and slim and, at times, out of place. She followed Vader around mostly. Mara never saw her in action. So many questions, and yet there didn’t seem to be any answers.
12
The wind kicked up around him and he stopped. The trees rustled and birds took flight. His robes swirled around him as well as his already messy hair. He blinked his mismatched eyes as a numb feeling washed over him. He gazed up at the sky as the unseen presence descended on him. His skin crawled. He shivered; his eyes closed. They reopened, glowing a vibrant blue. His eyes faded back to their normal colors. But there was something else behind those eyes.
Something sinister.
something wicked this way comes . . .
scream FEEDBACK scream
 Omni.
Author.
Someone Loved Me. Blakaize · Fri Jan 18, 2008 @ 12:31am · 1 Comments |
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