Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2013 14:42:19 GMT -8
It had been two months since Stetson's visit and Esohn's announcement of the Aumu deaths. Ahska had almost succumb to the grief. Her body was frail, her weight had plummetted, and she was but a shadow of her former self. It was at this time that Esohn entered her chambers with another Etimonian in tow. Shahn was nowhere to be seen. In fact, Shahn's duties seemed to take her away from Ahska more and more with each passing day. "It's time," Esohn announced.
Ahska looked from where she was sitting next to the window. "For what," she asked. Then, she saw the man behind Esohn. It was the Trahmak. "But you-"
Esohn held up his hand, silencing her with just the gesture alone. The Trahmak approached her. He had followed Esohn's rise to power and trusted the man to make the right decisions, just as he had trusted Etheron. Rumors and political affiliations were exchanged rapidly in the Etimonian society lately, but when he saw Ahska and her condition, he knew that Esohn was the right choice. Who would follow such a frail leader? Of course, the Trahmak had never lost a child, let alone two in one fell swoop, so it was logical that he failed to understand the depth of her grief.
Ahska was tired and simply looked from one to the other.
"This will not take long." The older man stepped over to her. "It is for the best, Hezak." She simply closed her eyes and put her head back against the chair. His hands felt cold. One of them extended the fingers until the thumb and fifth finger were as wide apart as could be. She shivered slightly at the touch of those two fingers, one on each of her temples, while his other hand pressed against her chest to hold her down. "Relax," he said. Her lips parted as his mind met hers. An amber glow surrounded his hands and wrapped around her head, tendrils of light mingling with her stark, white hair. She could feel him exploring and she fell into a trance for just a second, allowing him full access. It was at that second that his own body jerked.
"I know the truth."
It was Stetson's voice, clear as day.
"Be strong. Though I might not be here physically, in spirit and in memory I'm with you always."
The Trahmak's eyes popped open and his body jerked again. He could see her staring up at him, accusing him, daring him to continue.
She could feel the kiss that Stetson had left on her cheek.
"...protection of its friends, allies, and personnel. It was a truth, an observation, and a promise, all of which you would do well to remember."
Ahska suddenly found within her the strength of the ages. Buoyed on with the help of Stetson's memories, his words, the love of the people she had met on an alien ship and, curiously, the voices of Stetson's spirit guides, Ahska fought back.
Esohn looked between the two in confusion and even exclaimed out loud at the sight of the woman pushing both hands against the Trahmak. This was not done. This was unheard of in all of the literature. No one resisted the Trahmak.
"I know the truth," the Trahmak said, and a chill spread up Esohn's spine. Ahska kept pushing, both mentally and physically until she was standing. The old man's knees buckled and he found himself cut off from her mind, his own energy snapping back at him like a whip. Looking up at her, he saw in her eyes the power of a leader...a warrior, one with a spirit so unjustly dismissed. He lowered his head and spoke four short words. "I ask for peace."
She put a spotted hand on his head. "Peace is yours." Turning, she walked over to Esohn. "Get out."
The Trahmak pulled himself up off of the floor with difficulty. He had learned much and had many to tell. As far as he was concerned, he had seen the true ruler of Etimon today.
Ahska looked from where she was sitting next to the window. "For what," she asked. Then, she saw the man behind Esohn. It was the Trahmak. "But you-"
Esohn held up his hand, silencing her with just the gesture alone. The Trahmak approached her. He had followed Esohn's rise to power and trusted the man to make the right decisions, just as he had trusted Etheron. Rumors and political affiliations were exchanged rapidly in the Etimonian society lately, but when he saw Ahska and her condition, he knew that Esohn was the right choice. Who would follow such a frail leader? Of course, the Trahmak had never lost a child, let alone two in one fell swoop, so it was logical that he failed to understand the depth of her grief.
Ahska was tired and simply looked from one to the other.
"This will not take long." The older man stepped over to her. "It is for the best, Hezak." She simply closed her eyes and put her head back against the chair. His hands felt cold. One of them extended the fingers until the thumb and fifth finger were as wide apart as could be. She shivered slightly at the touch of those two fingers, one on each of her temples, while his other hand pressed against her chest to hold her down. "Relax," he said. Her lips parted as his mind met hers. An amber glow surrounded his hands and wrapped around her head, tendrils of light mingling with her stark, white hair. She could feel him exploring and she fell into a trance for just a second, allowing him full access. It was at that second that his own body jerked.
"I know the truth."
It was Stetson's voice, clear as day.
"Be strong. Though I might not be here physically, in spirit and in memory I'm with you always."
The Trahmak's eyes popped open and his body jerked again. He could see her staring up at him, accusing him, daring him to continue.
She could feel the kiss that Stetson had left on her cheek.
"...protection of its friends, allies, and personnel. It was a truth, an observation, and a promise, all of which you would do well to remember."
Ahska suddenly found within her the strength of the ages. Buoyed on with the help of Stetson's memories, his words, the love of the people she had met on an alien ship and, curiously, the voices of Stetson's spirit guides, Ahska fought back.
Esohn looked between the two in confusion and even exclaimed out loud at the sight of the woman pushing both hands against the Trahmak. This was not done. This was unheard of in all of the literature. No one resisted the Trahmak.
"I know the truth," the Trahmak said, and a chill spread up Esohn's spine. Ahska kept pushing, both mentally and physically until she was standing. The old man's knees buckled and he found himself cut off from her mind, his own energy snapping back at him like a whip. Looking up at her, he saw in her eyes the power of a leader...a warrior, one with a spirit so unjustly dismissed. He lowered his head and spoke four short words. "I ask for peace."
She put a spotted hand on his head. "Peace is yours." Turning, she walked over to Esohn. "Get out."
The Trahmak pulled himself up off of the floor with difficulty. He had learned much and had many to tell. As far as he was concerned, he had seen the true ruler of Etimon today.