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Old Battles By Amber Michelle K. The explosion, when it came, wasn't quite as devastating as Zephyr expected. Rather, it was quiet and stealthy, the shockwaves hitting one by one during the week following Maria's arrival with Fei. Her ministers and councilmen were reluctant to speak of the matter. It was the new ones that arrived with their complaints first - they didn't remember Sophia or her friends, and knew of the disaster at Nisan only from history books and the reminiscing of their fellows. "We can't give them shelter," one had said, three days after their arrival. "They're wanted criminals! We have enough trouble with Solaris as it is." His was a viable complaint, and if Shevat had not been neck-deep in conflict with Solaris already, Zephyr might have even given it some thought. The children, however, were in trouble more for antagonizing Shakhan and Aveh than as offenders against Solaris, at least at the moment. The second, one of the old guard, had handed her a missive and said grimly, "They have caught his eye. He won't leave us alone if we let them stay here." That he was in contact with Krelian shouldn't have been a surprise. It was at the end of that harrowing week, after the attack, after the children left with Hyuga to infilterate Etrenank, that Zephyr found herself questioning her own choices. There were days when she couldn't shake the memories and the nightmares came without end, jolting her awake night after night to leave her staring at the ceiling in horror. Veterans often dreamt of their old battles, she'd heard. It was true enough for her. Though she hadn't participated much in the fighting, there were a few battles she'd been unable to avoid, and the last, especially, left its mark deep and enduring. The images were like old photographs, desaturated, or faded as if she'd left them too long in the sun. Pain faded with time. It was a fact of life that five hundred years of living taught her. Sophia's death was only a faint pang to her heart, and Shevat's betrayal simply an annoyance that came back to haunt her during meetings and conversations with ministers she felt a particular dislike for. There were times she wondered why Krelian chose her to live forever, when she had been with them in the thick of battle, watching the tragedy unfold. He hadn't spoken to her since then. Even his request for custody of the land dwellers passed through the hands of another before reaching her. Part of Zephyr wanted to open a channel to Etrenank and demand that he speak to her, but it was too late for that to make a difference. She had seen for herself what he was after - and if she knew, Krelian must have known all along. Letting Fei and Elly walk into his hands was one of the most difficult decisions she'd made in a long time. Not just them, but the Fatima scions as well. She wouldn't be surprised if an image of Rene walked up to her tomorrow and demanded to go with them. He always was impulsive like that; it was what killed him, in the end. |