Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Chapter Two: A Painful Explanation

As I stood in front of my family, the ones who truly love and care for me, I began to explain what had gone horribly wrong.

“About… four years ago,” I managed to choke out as I looked at the faces of my silenced family. “Wh-when I was in the orphanage… I had tried to run away, and was hiding in the forest. Along came this boy. We had never met, but we were connected, and neither of us knew it. Well, he… he, uhm…” I stammered.

“And I got…” I said softly, one hand placed gently over my stomach and a tear rolled down my cheek.

A soft gasp and a few growls were emitted from my audience, but I pushed on.

“Soon after, someone who will be related to me soon, sooner than I though, came to my rescue. Any guesses?”

A few names were called out, all wrong. Suddenly, my rescuer appeared in the doorway. A voice rang out from the silhouette. “Who else would it be?”

Everyone stood and got in their fighting positions.

“Relax,” I sighed heavily. “He’s the one who saved me.”

They remained standing, but lowered their weapons.

He walked over and draped his arm around my shoulder protectively. Shinri growled and narrowed his eyes.

“Kazi…” Shinri warned.

“Oh, relax, Princey. She’s not yours, anyways,” the Dark Lord said with a smile.

He growled louder and took a step towards us. “What do you mean, of course she’s mine!” He looked over at me.

I just stood there, staring at the floor.

“Right, Taren?” Shinri asked with wide eyes. I didn’t reply. “Taren, tell him that he’s wrong!” he cried, tears in his eyes.

“Oh, you haven’t gotten to that part yet. My sincerest apologies,” Kazi said with a mischievous grin.

I sighed and wiped my eyes. “Kazi… ‘Uncle’ Kazi took me in. He was kind, loving, and sweet. Just like the father I can remember so vividly. A few months later… Well, I think you know what happened…”

“Taren, you... you’re not serious…” Shinji stammered.

I lowered my eyes. “H-hai…”

Everyone stood in shock, except for Shinji, who fainted, and was quickly caught by Sekai.

“You’re joking,” Sekai said with a smirk as Shinji woke a few minutes later.

I looked up to them with sorrowful eyes. “You have no idea how serious I am.”

“B-but you… And… We… I… How could you, Taren?” Shinri stuttered, tears already running out of his eyes.

Shinji looked up to me with hurt showing in her silvery mirror eyes. “Taren… Why didn’t you tell us? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I… I couldn’t… Shinji… You don’t understand… I finally found a family. I finally fit in somewhere. I didn’t want to ruin it, Shinji. I didn’t want right now to happen. This. All of this. I just wanted to be able to live with my family. For once, by the gods. I guess that’s just too much to ask for sometimes…”

I slid against the wall, overcome by my tears, and continued. “That’s not all, either. T-that boy, that horrible boy… The father of my baby girl… Is Koru Lazuko… King of Exile…” A few confused looks. “And also… My betrothed.”

Shinri, at this point, was crying. He’d finally realized that I wasn’t joking. He’d really lost me forever. Jinku had her face buried in Aeolus’ shirt, and Shinji’s silver eyes were filled with tears.

“I… I’m… Just so… Sorry, guys… I… wish that it was… all okay again…” I managed to force out.

“Oh, Taren, I brought you a surprise,” Kazi said with a fatherly tone.

I looked up at him in shock. “You… You didn’t.” He nodded. “Where?” I asked and looked up at him with hopeful, thankful eyes.

“Lady Kiza! You may come in now,” he called.

In a split second, the tall, lean blonde whose eyes I had inherited turned the corner, with a small person behind her that could barely be seen.

“Go see Mommy,” Kiza said smoothly to the small figure behind her, giving her an encouraging, but gentle push forward.

I looked at the short, thin girl that stood before me. She had her father’s eyes, the blackest black, making it look like they were just two enormous pupils. Her hair was long and straight, in high pigtails it fell down to her knees. Her hair was just as black as her eyes, with several streaks of royal purple, light blue, and a golden yellow that stood out brilliantly. She was wearing a knee-length play dress, the color of the purple in her hair, with large white polka dots, and black shin-high boots with faint blue and yellow markings up each side.

She ran towards me, and I kneeled and opened my arms, catching the toddler that nearly tackled me. “Kigara! How are you today?” I asked with a loving, motherly smile.

“I’m okay, Mommy it’s pretty here I like the trees who are those people wow this place is cool her hair is cool it’s all blue and brown and stuff wow can I hold the silver guy’s sword it looks really awesome I want to make cookies, can we make cookies wow that guys hair is blue and red why does everyone look so sad, Mommy? That painting is cool can I go outside wow that guy looks tough his eyes look like fire! Can me an’ him fight, Mommy, I can take him, really I can!” Kigara said, in one big breath and looked up at me with excited eyes.

I looked up at the group. “Eheheh. Guys, this is Kigara. Kigara, these people are Shinji, Shinri, Sekai, Kaji Da, Jinku, Sato, and Aeolus,” I rambled off, pointing to each person as I said their name.

Shinji promptly fainted again right into Sekai’s arms. Shinri stared, shocked and dazed. Sekai smiled slightly, because she was just like I was at that age. Kaji Da raised one eyebrow, staring at her with slight amazement. Jinku poked Aeolus jokingly and his eyes widened. Sato had gotten distracted, as usual, and wasn’t paying attention.

“Taren,” said the smooth feminine voice of Kiza from beside Kazi, “Outside, please.”

I nodded and followed her out the door and several feet away from the house.

“How much would you like to have your parents around again?” she asked.

“I think you know that I miss them very much and would love to have them back, Kiza. But they were killed for a reason, and I know that they were bad, bad people.”

“But what would a royal wedding be without the bride’s parents?” she said smoothly.

I stopped in my tracks. “I am not marrying that spoiled little-“

“Oh, yes, you are, Taren. I set this marriage up long before you were born. Before your grandparents were even born. You are marrying Koru, Taren, like it or not.”

I gasped. “So… This… Is all your fault, then…”

“But you might want your parents at the wedding,” she said with a convincing smile.

My expression saddened. I nodded, and she explained that my parents would be back with every memory they had except the day of the murder, and artificial memories would be placed in to cover the time gap.

“So… What do I have to do?” I asked.

“Just close your eyes, Taren, and hold out your hand.”

And I did, just as Shinji ran out after hearing that I was alone with Kiza. Kiza held up a vile and quickly drew her dagger and slashed my wrist. I gasped and held it with my other hand, immediately doubled over and crying. “Damnit!” I gasped out.

“Taren!” Shinji cried as she ran to me.

And with that, Kiza and Kazi simultaneously disappeared, taking my baby girl with them.

“Taren, show me your arm,” Shinji said, slightly panicked.

“Nah,” I said, forcing a smile. “It’s fine, really.”

The emerald liquid was dripping off both hands, and I’d gotten a little pale.

“Taren, show me your arm,” she repeated.

I refused, and she activated my command necklace. So there I was, face first in the dirt, Shinji healing my bloody wrist and asking me what seemed like five million questions.

I muttered and answer.

“She WHAT?!”

“She… told me that she would bring back my parents, Shinji. I refused at first, knowing how they were and all, but… She was just so persuading… I’m a horrible person, Shinji… Greedy and selfish… I just didn’t know what to do,” I explained, the tears finally overflowing out of my eyes.

Once my arm was fully healed, she stood and walked back to the house, muttering about Inverses.

I lied down in the grass and stared up at the sky, making some dark clouds roll in and lightning flash, illuminating the cloud-darkened, seemingly night sky.

As the heavens began to cry, so did I, and when the soothing tears of the clouds hit my face, they washed away my sorrow for that short moment.

End Chapter 2

HEY GUYS, I'M NOT DEAD. -cling-
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