"Ja'far? Sinbad? Seishuun? Bain? Sigrid? And Tilda? What are you doing here?" asked Neeran, surprised that they weren't at their homes. "And where's Hiccup?"
"Neeran, they live with us now," said Chopper.
"Why?" asked Neeran. "What happened?"
"A month after you went into a coma, Sinbad, Ja'far and Seishuun's father was killed by the Empire and their shortly after that, their mum got very ill and passed away," said Chopper. "Three months after that, Bain, Sigrid and Tilda's father was also taken by the Empire and-"
Chopper stopped himself from the last bit.
"And what?" pressured Neeran, almost demanding to know.
Chopper sighed and said, "Mira and Ephraim were also taken about a week after you went into a coma."
"What about Ezra?" asked Neeran, gripping the blanket that was covering her tightly.
"He wasn't taken, but we can't find him anywhere in Capitol City," said Janan.
"And Mira sent me a message to pass onto you," said Chopper, closing his eyes and opening a mind-link with Neeran to share a specific memory.
Neeran entered Chopper's mind-space as he pulled up the memory to share with her.
'Neeran!' called Mira.
'Mira!' replied Chopper . 'Neeran's unconscious at the moment. What's wrong?'
'The Empire found out.'
Chopper froze for a second and then replied, 'Hang on, I'm coming to help.'
'No.'
'S-Sorry?'
'Don't come Chopper,' said Mira. 'Ezra will be fine. Don't interfere with him.'
'But, Mira,' started Chopper.
'Don't worry about us Chopper,' said Mira. 'We'll be fine.'
'But, you and Ephraim were the first real family I had,' said Chopper breaking down in tears. 'I can't just let you go.'
'You have to,' said Mira kindly. 'You know the Jedi Code and Way does not call for attachments.'
'But I'm not a Jedi,' replied Chopper. 'Not in the proper sense at least.'
'I'm sorry Chopper,' said Mira. 'This is goodbye for now. Please tell Neeran this when she wakes up.'
'I will,' replied Chopper through the tears. 'I promise.'
"I'm sorry," whispered Chopper as they both faded out of his mind space.
Silence engulfed the house.
"And Hiccup?" asked Neeran tentatively.
"He's gone," said Zach, sparing the other children from explaining the disappearance of their brother. "He left not long after I awoke from the coma. We don't know why or where he went. He was here one day and gone the next. And he never showed any signs prior of wanting to leave."
Silence consumed the house again and Neeran felt as if her entire world had fallen apart. Where could Hiccup have gone? He was like a son to her and she knew that he treasured that relationship between them and would never want it to fall apart.
Jexxel dare to quietly ask her, "Are you okay?"
"I..." started Neeran, before getting up and leaving the house. "I just need some time to think."
YOU ARE READING
SWRC: Too Soon... (Book 3)
FanfictionProblems new and old have arisen for Neeran and her ragtag family of misfits. At first, it seems like nothing the family can't handle but, what if it turns into something that they can't? What choices will Neeran have to make? And will they be go...
