Moonstone: Scene 8

G Minor Delirante

I'm still not even sure what happened exactly, but it's what I remember, for what that's worth. I woke up with a rash on my collarbone, just like I used to have when I was male - which I thought I wouldn't have any more. I'm still pretty groggy, so forgive me if I can't recall everything very well. I must have fallen into a deep sleep and then had a sleep-walking episode. I remember opening the gift that was next to me. It was a lumentext that had to have been ancient. I opened the fragile metal cover and then I think I read the text. I must have read the text and then fallen right back down into REM sleep. That would be the only way to explain this. I'm going to call this a dream, because that's the only logical explanation for everything I felt and knew.


I was in Dryft, before it fell to the Air race forces. Dryft was the capitol for the Energy race. Dryft was a gorgeous city, made of shimmering crystalline, that floated in the sky. The floating sky cities of the Energy race were called "Snowflake Cities" because they looked like delicate snowflakes floating in the air. I had never actually been to Dryft, because after the war, there was nothing left.

I was walking around the city, in the early Starlight. It was hushed and frosty, with only the slightest hint of crickets and birds. I held a glowing Kyr in my hands. It was the Snow season, and a light sprinkle of white powder had started to fall. I was not dressed properly for the season, and I started getting very cold. I was walking back to my house, feeling a sense of dread.

"It's almost first Dawn."
"I know." My father was standing at the entrance to the atrium in our house, near the family room.
"His offer is reasonable."
"I know."
"I won't make you accept it." He sighed heavily. He had been up through the sleeping hours debating his decision, while I had been up unable to sleep.
"I am relieved." I knew how hard it was for my father to give up the chance to tie our two races together. Maybe mother was right, and I had pushed my father too hard. What else was I to do? I did not want to be owned! Even more, I did not want to be owned by the aristocratic, arrogant, pompous, cruel, and decidedly fake son of the Air Arkh. I hated him!
"You won't accept his offer, will you?" I heard a slight twinge of something in his voice that wasn't familiar to me. Hope? Pain? I wasn't sure, but it broke my heart even more so.
"No." I hated to tell him that word. He sighed again.
"Is there any offer you will accept?"
"Not from him."
"No, I meant in general."
"Yes... " I hesitated.
"Go on. I know you've wanted to talk to me about it. It's ok."
"You and mother are a team. That is what I want."
"Your mother said you would. She has mentioned someone to me."
"She has been looking?"
"She knew you would refuse the offer, and she knew I would give in." He shook his head.
"So you two both approve of this second offer?"
"Yes."
"I will accept it then."
My father looked like I had just grown another head.
"You will accept the second offer without even meeting him or knowing who he is?!"
"If you both, as a unit, agree that the second offer will be what I want, what more could I ask for?"
"I knew you would agree."
"Mother!" She was in the atrium.
"You were spying on us."
"It's an important decision."
"Ame-hana..." My father just shook his head.
My mother came over to the two of us and put her arms around us.
"I even made some coffee, why don't you two come join me?"
"I will need to make the announcement today."
"There will be plenty of time, come."
We sat together in the atrium enjoying mother's coffee the rest of the morning.

His name was Drakkyn. He was very beautiful, and he was very kind. I didn't feel like a piece of property around him.

I had just given birth to our second child when the attacks came. The attacks came without any warning, and were horribly vicious. One by one, all the cities in the Energy domain fell to the Air race forces.

I was in the atrium, visiting my parents with my two children. My father was completely taken with my youngest, the female. My mother however, loved my eldest male child.
"Have you named them yet?"
"Yes, I have, but I'll announce their names during the festival."
"Your sister won't be able to make it tonight."
"I know."
We were so happy, all of us, sitting there, watching the children. That moment was stolen from me when the explosion impacted the city.

Sirens. More Explosions. The very ground trembling. Fire. Smoke. The house was on fire.
"Mother! Mother!" My son! My children! They were screaming. The domed, clear ceiling shattered. My mother! My father!

I saw my two children protected under my mother and father. The shattered pieces of the dome were sticking out of them. They had died protecting my children! I heard another explosion and felt the ground shift and start sloping. The stabilizers! I had to get my children out of this city!

I scooped up both of my children and went running through the house. Another explosion, and the ground shifted again. My sister! I had to get them to my sister! The pod! My father's pod!

"You laugh, but I am Arkh, and it is possible I will need a pod to escape in the case of an emergency. The Arkh must survive!"
"You are so silly! Who would attack the city of Dryft? We are beloved by all!"
"You mock me Ame! It could happen!"

I was in my father's private library, pulling up the rugs looking for anything that looked like a door. My children were screaming and crying. I pushed his chair out of the way, and found the door. When I opened it then opened the pod and looked inside, I recognized instantly that I would not be going with my children. There was only enough room for the two of them. I grabbed them and as gently as I could, stuffed them into the pod. I heard the main wing of the house collapse. I kissed them and closed the pod door, then sealed it, crying.

"MOTHER!"
I could hear them screaming inside. The pod dropped from my view. I reached out for them but they were gone. I heard voices. Quickly I shut the door and pulled the rug and chair back over it.

"You check in all of the rooms. She has to be here."
I knew that voice.
"Yes Arkh."
Kallus!
The door opened, and Air dominion forces entered, with their weapons aimed at me.
"We have her." One of them said.
"On my way." His voice echoed.
Kallus had attacked us? WHY?! Why had he attacked us?
He appeared in the doorway, in all his arrogant glory. He was wearing his father's crown.
"You're prettier when you're crying. Bring her."
I was dragged out of the house. The city was in ruins; shattered crystalline, fire, smoke.
"You see my dear, this is your precious city." He didn't even look at me as he spoke. They were pulling me up into the Air craft.

In the craft he threw me into the command room and pushed my face into the clear panels.
"Look, LOOK you WEED! LOOK AT YOUR PRECIOUS CITIES!"
All I could see was smoke, coming from where our cities used to be. Dryft was still standing down below.
"Bring him!"
I saw Drakkyn in confinements, bloody, thrown onto the floor.
"Drakkyn!"
He picked his head up.
"THIS?! THIS IS WHAT YOU CHOSE WHEN I OFFERED YOU OUR DOMINION?!"
Kallus was screaming at me. He kicked Drakkyn. Drakkyn coughed blood. I screamed.
Kallus came over and hit me.
"Don't touch her!" Drakkyn tried to stand.
"DON'T SPEAK TO ME!" Kallus motioned to his guards, and they picked Drakkyn up.
"Watch closely my dear." Kallus pushed my face into the clear panel again, his fingers digging into my cheeks.
"Drop him."
In horror, I blinked. Then I saw Drakkyn's body falling down to the city. I tried to scream or gasp or anything, but I couldn't even move.
"There goes your precious Drakkyn." He pushed me away.
"Wipe your face." He threw some rags to me. I looked at them. They were my children's dress clothing.
"Yes, that's right. Those are all that's left of your children. I had them disposed of before we found you."
My children!
"I did save you a souvenir... " He smiled at me and opened a bag. My sister's head. I couldn't speak. I recoiled in horror. My family. All gone?
"Did you think I wouldn't find your children, hiding with your sister in the celebration room?"
Celebration room? My neice and nephew! He didn't kill my children! My children were still in their play clothes! She was going to surprise me after she told me she wouldn't come. I was filled with relief, surprise, and immense grief.
"This is what you deserve you weed! I knew you had refused my offer, even if your father had made the announcment. HOW DARE YOU!" He kicked me again. I'm not sure how many times he hit me.
"YOUR CITIES ARE GONE! YOUR FAMILY IS GONE! YOU ARE THE LAST WEED OF YOUR ENTIRE RACE!"
He had destroyed the entire Energy race?! THE ENTIRE RACE?!
"You have destroyed an entire race because I rejected you?" I spat through the blood in my mouth. I could see the guards fidgeting. They didn't know! They didn't know he had caused the war because he couldn't have his way!
"You have killed every last individual in the entire Energy dominion, because MY FATHER CHOSE ANOTHER OFFER FOR ME? I had to get him to say as much as possible in front of his guards.
"You see? SHE IS A WEED! We cannot allow these WEEDS TO DESTROY OUR CULTURE!" He was grandstanding... he must have started broadcasting to his people... I had to say as much as possible.
"My father rejected your offer for another one, and you have destroyed my family, my cities, my RACE-"
"DO NOT TALK TO ME YOU WEED!" He slapped me.
"YOU KILLED US ALL BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T HAVE YOUR WAY!" He put his hands around my throat and started squeezing. My children were safe.

"So that's when you woke up screaming?"
"Yes, I was screaming, "Mother!" - does that make any sense to you?" I was still shaking. I had ran to Drendyn's room and awoken him. He was sitting up groggily on the side of his bed.
"And you think you read the lumentext while you were sleeping?"
"Well, I think so, but now I can't find it."
"It sounds like you've just had a horrible dream."
"But it felt real!"
Drendyn looked at me like I was crazy.
"Do you want to sleep in here tonight?"
I stared at him.
"I have to get up soon and start my morning routine, so why don't you just sleep in here? I'll watch over you ok?"
I scratched my collarbone and climbed into his bed. He tucked me in and I fell back asleep.