HELIOS

Chapter 20

"My family is very old; we have ruled in an unbroken succession for uncounted generations." Jah-jahní begins to tell me of her ancestors and of the many intrigues that have plagued them, for as long as there are stars. Not in great detail or we'd be here forever, but none the less more than two hours pass us by. "You must think us a terrible people, with no morals or scruples." I can see the shame on her face.

I sit back and study her for a bit. "Why tell all of this?" I ask her. She owes me no explanations of her families actions. So why me?

She turns those silver eyes in my direction, and I can feel the intelligence behind them. "I don't know why, but I feel that I can trust you, with anything." Whoa, this is not what I was expecting since we are for all intents strangers. However, I've noticed that I have a certain fancy towards Jah-jahní that I would normally not have. Her extraordinary beauty aside, there is something about her that I can't shake from my mind like a nexus or joining, I don't know. "Do you not sense it?" I look at her. "From the moment we met we share this affinity; it is rare between my people, but even more so between another species."

"So what does this mean?" Are we destined or something? I don't believe in destiny, not even a little bit. We are free to chose, but I know that some paths are meant to be taken.

"Somehow, we are supposed to meet, for what ever purpose it is not our place to question." Not our place to question? I can't agree to that one, we must always question the reason of things because that's how mysteries are solved.

I look out the window and watch the activity down there, like busy ants even as the day comes to a close. "I can't say what it is Jah-jahní, but I won't deny that there is... something."

She reaches out to me with two fingers. "May I please?" I straighten not sure what to do; I don't want to make her feel bad. I nod giving her permission hoping it's the right decision, and that I won't regret it. She places her fingers on the center of my forehead; a bright light flashes in my mind. I panic, but soon I feel a warmth spread right to the core of my being and a serenity that I've never felt before. I see a scene spread in front of me and there I see a little Majah-tu girl sitting playing with a doll. An older, much older Majah-tu woman stands near her and gives her something, a piece of paper. There's some kind of drawing on it, though I can't make it out. [The future is drawn.] I hear a whisper and I look around to find the source of the voice, but no one is in sight. I turn back to the little girl and I find myself standing right behind her.

Curiosity gets the better and I peak over her shoulder at the paper in her hands, but what's on it is not possible. It's a drawing of me! The little girl turns to look at me and that's when I realize that it's Jah-jahní... those silver eyes are unmistakable. I step back looking around; this is a memory, so what does this mean? She knew me the moment we met; the way she smiles at me and how she treats me. I step back, what the... It all begins to fade and I feel myself coming back.

I open my eyes and I'm on the floor with my head on her lap as she looks at me with concern. "Are you alright?" I lay there still wondering what she thought of all that.

I sit up slowly and face her. "You've been waiting for me haven't you?" I ask her knowing the answer already.

    She reaches behind her and pulls out a small box made of a material I'm not familiar with. I look at it and then back at her and she smiles, moving her index finger in some strange pattern. The box opens with a slight click; inside is a folded piece of paper that she pulls out and unfolds it. She gazes at it as if  it's something precious to her and then she hands it to me, and I am speechless. The paper looks old, as it crinkles as if  when I touch something really dry. But, the drawing is what has me fixated; it's me. I've never believed in the paranormal or in magic because everything has an explanation, but how do you explain this? I look up and Jah-jahní is studying me, I can't help myself I sit there doing the same.

    "For many years I have studied that image, learning every line and angle, but I always focused on the eyes." I see the eyes on the drawing are like mine. "They seem sad to me; and they are sad." She moves her face closer to mine, close enough for me to feel her breath. If someone was to come in here this would not be good.

    "Listen..."

    "What happened to you that made your heart so sad?" She asks and I begin to tell her about my experience in the war. I can't explain it; I feel at ease with her, that I know I can share anything and not be judged for it.

   She sits quietly listening to me go on with one story after another, I never thought I could talk that much of my own life. I'm a very private man, but with Jah-jahní... I want to tell her. "You still feel you did something wrong, but it seems that you only fulfilled your duty." Yeah, my duty. I made it back, that was my only goal; I had no other thought in my mind at the time.

    "I had no altruistic ideas then, so I don't think duty was my primary motivation." No it was just survival and getting home alive. "I have to live with the fact that when it came to push I did what I had to to make it back; really, nothing was more important to me." I say to her and she has the look of compassion on her face, that is so different from what I've seen until now. She struck me as a strategist and excellent tactician, a thinker and calculator. Never had the thought of soft, compassionate or affectionate enter my mind; I like this side of her. I'm still holding the paper in my hand. Looking at it I can see the sadness there; I guess I am sad. I never thought of it before now. I hand it back and she takes it carefully folding it and placing back in the box, closing it with a snap. "What more did you see in that drawing?" I ask, and I could smack myself for asking that question.

     She analyzes me curiously; I hope that she doesn't get insulted for my prying. "I see... possibilities." She shrugs her shoulders slightly. "Many paths yet to explore before the choice is made." She says. "But I have made my decision, a long time ago." Well I'm not quite sure what that means.

    "Will you answer something for me?" I ask hoping she will agree.

    "I will as long as it is within my power to do so." she responds. Great, at least she'll consider it.

    Ok here goes. "What happened at your sisters ceremony?" Asking sounds easy but it's not. "Was that the way it was supposed to go down?"

    Her silver eyes bore into mine, and for a second I see a blaze in them. But just like that they cool down. She looks away. "I'm sorry, please forgive me." She seems to diminish, as her shoulders sag and she closes her eyes, with tears forming. The urge to hold her close to me and letting her cry in my chest is almost over powering. I breathe in deeply and shudder; what the hell is wrong with me? "The answer to your question is no."

"So," I gain her attention. "This was a set up to make your sister kill that man, but why?" Jah-jahní puts her hand over her mouth, closing her eyes.

She seems apprehensive about responding to inquiries of that fight, that Jah-jahní said almost never ended in death. So, if this was a set up then who is behind it? "They... loved each other." she swallows hard. I see, so that's the angle here; they were lovers. My Lord! this can have a devastating effect on her sisters mind. "They planned on marrying after she came of age." She stands up walking to the opposite side of the small room leaning against the wall; I can see the sadness that she feels for sister.

"I know this is a difficult time for you and your sister, HELL probably your family and his, but who would benefit from this disaster the most?" I think they need to get over this and focus on their enemies right now.

She looks at me smiling. "The Barhalmahni." The who? "They are an old race; almost as old as we are and they are ancient adversaries of ours." She stops standing straight like when an idea hits you. "That would be far to easy to blame them solely; no, they may have played a part in this, but they are only a cog in the plan." Now the wheels in her head are turning. "I must go. Please come here and put your hand on the panel for a moment." I do as she asks and she hits a few buttons and my hand is scanned and then something causes a stinging sensation. I pull my hand off quickly! "Yes, I'm sorry I should've warned you about that, but now you can enter this room when you like as well." I nod my head; she takes my hand and my whole body begins to feel warm and fuzzy. "We will speak again if you wish here or where ever you prefer." Yeah, that sounds fine.