The thought of having someone else in her life was a scary notion. Who would take her, with her history? Zvezdana could not even consider it right now. There was too much at stake to have her baby towered over by someone she did not trust. Alistair was right. Having no father was better than having one that would abuse her child. Kaleb had left far more scars than a parent should on his children. Zvezdana blushed at the thought that Alistair even considered her to be a decent mother. Good probably was a stretch having no inkling as to how she was going to do it on her own. She lowered her arm back into her lap, allowing the realization to strike Alistair.
His reaction had not been what she expected. It was not fear or shock. It seemed to be along the lines of understanding. Somehow, his mind seemed to accept the fact that she was a Sessfiend. Maybe he was a little surprised, but not as much as she had expected to see. Zvezdana waited for a change in him. It never came.
"Sister, there is a true beast of Rynmere -- and it is not you."
"What do yo-"
The carriage was gone. Zvezdana, having previously been in a sitting position, fell promptly on her ass atop some grassy hill. Her stomach swung back and forth, nausea building up in great ways. Her mind could not comprehend what had just happened. They had been in one place, and now they were in another. Zvezdana's head was spinning. Had they fallen into a rabbit hole? Some strange thing had just occurred. He mentioned a beast and then there was a blackness before her. She blinked and now she was here. Zvezdana remained on the ground, pulling her hand to her mouth while trying to control the sick feeling. The pregnant woman wanted to vomit. She looked up to find her brother disrobing, his back marked up by the bat-like wings of a demon. The last time she had seen something similar was when Syroa had cursed her. Although she had changed her form, the look of the demon was burned into her mind.
Sure, Zvezdana had believed Alistair to be the "Wonder Boy". He was the heir to the duchy, Willow and Kaleb's pride and joy. He had been nothing but perfect in her eyes, elevating himself above and beyond her in every way possible. The year that he had been gone had been a glimpse at what she thought he had. She had been so close to being named heir. Then he came back, ruining her dreams yet again. He spoke of cults and the arcane. Of a form more dangerous than any she had heard before. Zvezdana's eyes were barely focused on him, her hand still covering her mouth as her brother spoke.
He had to be delirious.
His speech left her confused, but his actions would come to speak volumes. His motions seemed benign at first, but the first blip of a black sphere developed out before them. As it grew, the earth seemed to react. It broke and flexed in ways that were impossible. Yet it was happening. No wonder he had not shown shock before when she proclaimed herself the Sessfiend of Rynmere. He did not have to fear her. For all that had been shared, he could have laughed at her. Ultimately, the truth was simple. Alistair had once again surpassed her.
Part of Zvezdana wanted to pick herself up and run screaming from the hillside. He was a demon, a mage with too much power. He could ruin Idalos just by raising his hands and making it so. The other side of her was sensible. It had been a side that laid dormant for many seasons now. It was the one that had brought her to Veljorn, shown her happiness, and requested power. It had plotted and attempted to place Veljorn on the throne so that she might have been powerful and respected. All this time, she had been going at it all wrong. This side of her wanted to come out and play again. With old and new opposite one another, her physical being had to decide.
Power was no longer her dream. She liked the new Zvezdana. She wanted to be happy and frivolous, to choose her destiny. That did not mean she could not help her brother with his dreams. They were his now. As family, she owed him her support. Everything had been lain on the table for both to evaluate. Now they would be stronger for it.
"Alistair that is enough. You have proven your point." Zvezdana stated firmly, rolling onto her knees so she could stand up. It took some effort, given her condition. "All this time, I thought I could gain power and make people love me. I was wrong. Rynmere deserves someone better. Although I wish only ill upon our parents, upon the Boy King himself, you would make Rynmere a better nation. You are what the kingdom needs now."
Zvezdana moved gingerly towards him. No one could blame her for being cautious around a mage. Reach forward, she set a hand on his bare shoulder, letting it run gently down to touch the mark on his back. "Misfits or not, we are still family. So, if this is who you are, I'm alright with it. I'll learn to love you as you. If your dream is to become King, you have my support."
His reaction had not been what she expected. It was not fear or shock. It seemed to be along the lines of understanding. Somehow, his mind seemed to accept the fact that she was a Sessfiend. Maybe he was a little surprised, but not as much as she had expected to see. Zvezdana waited for a change in him. It never came.
"Sister, there is a true beast of Rynmere -- and it is not you."
"What do yo-"
The carriage was gone. Zvezdana, having previously been in a sitting position, fell promptly on her ass atop some grassy hill. Her stomach swung back and forth, nausea building up in great ways. Her mind could not comprehend what had just happened. They had been in one place, and now they were in another. Zvezdana's head was spinning. Had they fallen into a rabbit hole? Some strange thing had just occurred. He mentioned a beast and then there was a blackness before her. She blinked and now she was here. Zvezdana remained on the ground, pulling her hand to her mouth while trying to control the sick feeling. The pregnant woman wanted to vomit. She looked up to find her brother disrobing, his back marked up by the bat-like wings of a demon. The last time she had seen something similar was when Syroa had cursed her. Although she had changed her form, the look of the demon was burned into her mind.
Sure, Zvezdana had believed Alistair to be the "Wonder Boy". He was the heir to the duchy, Willow and Kaleb's pride and joy. He had been nothing but perfect in her eyes, elevating himself above and beyond her in every way possible. The year that he had been gone had been a glimpse at what she thought he had. She had been so close to being named heir. Then he came back, ruining her dreams yet again. He spoke of cults and the arcane. Of a form more dangerous than any she had heard before. Zvezdana's eyes were barely focused on him, her hand still covering her mouth as her brother spoke.
He had to be delirious.
His speech left her confused, but his actions would come to speak volumes. His motions seemed benign at first, but the first blip of a black sphere developed out before them. As it grew, the earth seemed to react. It broke and flexed in ways that were impossible. Yet it was happening. No wonder he had not shown shock before when she proclaimed herself the Sessfiend of Rynmere. He did not have to fear her. For all that had been shared, he could have laughed at her. Ultimately, the truth was simple. Alistair had once again surpassed her.
Part of Zvezdana wanted to pick herself up and run screaming from the hillside. He was a demon, a mage with too much power. He could ruin Idalos just by raising his hands and making it so. The other side of her was sensible. It had been a side that laid dormant for many seasons now. It was the one that had brought her to Veljorn, shown her happiness, and requested power. It had plotted and attempted to place Veljorn on the throne so that she might have been powerful and respected. All this time, she had been going at it all wrong. This side of her wanted to come out and play again. With old and new opposite one another, her physical being had to decide.
Power was no longer her dream. She liked the new Zvezdana. She wanted to be happy and frivolous, to choose her destiny. That did not mean she could not help her brother with his dreams. They were his now. As family, she owed him her support. Everything had been lain on the table for both to evaluate. Now they would be stronger for it.
"Alistair that is enough. You have proven your point." Zvezdana stated firmly, rolling onto her knees so she could stand up. It took some effort, given her condition. "All this time, I thought I could gain power and make people love me. I was wrong. Rynmere deserves someone better. Although I wish only ill upon our parents, upon the Boy King himself, you would make Rynmere a better nation. You are what the kingdom needs now."
Zvezdana moved gingerly towards him. No one could blame her for being cautious around a mage. Reach forward, she set a hand on his bare shoulder, letting it run gently down to touch the mark on his back. "Misfits or not, we are still family. So, if this is who you are, I'm alright with it. I'll learn to love you as you. If your dream is to become King, you have my support."
