[Xenogears] Old Battles.

[runiclore]

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.

---

Word: Photograph
Notes: Every attempt to pick at Zephyr's thoughts on Fei and Elly ends in failure.  It's an interesting subject, just... not when I write it, apparently!

Comments

[totorojo.livejournal.com]

It's an interesting subject, just... not when I write it, apparently!

No, no not at all! I really like this.

[myaru.livejournal.com]

I'm glad one of us does. Thank you. ^_^