Page 19 of Ruarc
I am not sure who is more shocked by his words, even though they are true. Leaning forward, I take her hand in mine, tracing the wrinkles on her skin that were not there before. “Mam, can you tell us what led up to the revolt? Slavic and I have gone overthis in our minds and had many conversations about it, but there are just so many things that we cannot answer.”
The smile that had been on her face leaves quickly, and I can tell she is reliving the worst moment of her life. Her voice, which had been strong with breaks on some words just a tic ago, is now barely a whisper.
“Your sire and I personally blamed ourselves for practically gifting the Aynar our family on a platter, as we had no real way of fighting them once we were on Viri 9. However, the breaking point for both of us came when they took Murgul out of my arms, at merely a few risings old, only allowing me to see him when he needed to feed. You all know the horrors the Aynar were putting the younglings through, as you have experienced them yourselves in one way or another, but the things they were doing to Murgul were unimaginable.
By the time of his birth, I was mostly alone and completely helpless to stop the horrors those monsters were inflicting upon my younglings. Slavic, you and Ruarc had already been forced to work in the mines for rotations. The only knowledge I had of either of you was the assurance from your sire that you were both well, but that the mines had stolen the youth from you both.
The Aynar had taken Einar, Falon, and Bikar at a young age as well, but at least I was still reunited with them each rising until they were all sent to the training camps. But when they took my baby from me, I spiraled into such a dark pit of despair that I was barely functioning.
Your sire did everything he could to spend more time with me, but the Aynar, specifically Elwas, always found a way to keep us apart, and it was almost too late when we realized why he was doing that. I had no idea the plans Elwas had for me until onedarkness, he arrived unannounced and tried to force himself on me. Thankfully, your sire arrived in time to stop him, but Elwas was arrogant, and he mocked your sire with his plans for me to become his breeder. Your sire was enraged, but Elwas was smart and never went anywhere without his guards. They had to hold your lifegiver back, and that is when things started deteriorating for everyone that the Aynar had brought to Viri 9.
Elwas came to me one rising, saying that Murgul needed me. Like a fool, I followed him willingly, only to find myself locked on the lower level with several others he had taken a personal liking to.
It took some time, but your sire found a way into the lower level, and he promised me he would find a way to get all of us out of their grasp … and he did … at great personal cost! I do believe that was the darkness we made, Atasha. Now that I have had time to think about it, I imagine he always knew that he would never make it on that ship with us, and I would need something to tie me physically to this world, so he gave me her. After Elwas found out I was once again expecting, he showed his true colors. He beat me to the point I was willing to die simply to make it all stop.
Your sire was told of what happened, and I do not know all the particulars, but once again he snuck into the lower level of the palace, only to find me unconscious from the beating Elwas had just given me. They said he lost complete control of himself. Zauz told me later that it took four of them to get him out of the lower levels before he was caught and destroyed all their plans, as he wanted to act immediately.
Thanks to Kallen’s intervention and quick thinking, I survived, but I ended up waking up having no idea how much time had passed. Through our heartbond, I felt your sire’s worry and reliefwhen I woke. I was too weak to sneak out to meet him, even though I tried multiple times. Each time I was lucky that it was Kallen who always found me collapsed in the hall and she would help me back to bed. When she realized I was not going to stop trying to see him, she sent a message to the mines to let them know that the room cameras would be disabled and that Elwas would be busy elsewhere at a specific time.
I remember your sire walking in the door, bruised and haggard looking, but with a determination I had never witnessed before. I will never forget the feeling of his arms around my weakened body while he told me about his plans to overthrow the Aynar and how we were going to escape this hell. If only I had known that would be the last time we talked or the last time his arms would hold me … I would have never let go.” A single tear streaks down mam’s face as she gets quiet, her mind drifting back there.
“Anyway, I can recall being a nervous wreck when the alarms went off, just like he said. Unfortunately, my strength had not returned, and I knew I was going to have to trust Kallen if any of us had a chance of escaping. She helped me until the corridors became too crowded and others needed her more. I snuck out a side door slowly making my way topside and to the dock where your sire said the ship waiting for all of us would be docked. I stopped when I saw all of you fighting against the Aynar when I should have kept going.
It was like it all happened in slow motion from that point on. Suddenly, there was a knife at my throat. I must have made a noise, or maybe he felt it through our bond, but your sire turned toward me, and the Aynar he was fighting took advantage of his distraction, running him through with his sword. I do not remember being cut, only collapsing to the ground, unable to breathe. The world around me became foggy as I watched Einarand Ruarc collapse halfway up the ship’s ramp, while Slavic, my dear youngling, you fought against impossible odds. I remember praying to the gods that they not take my young ones, that they would give you a chance to fix the mistakes of your lifegivers.”
Mam reaches over, her hand gently cupping Slavic’s cheek. “The look on your face when you saw me lying there has forever haunted me. A youngling should never have to witness that. I watched as the ship left the surface and broke through the atmosphere. Then I closed my eyes, ready to join your sire in the afterlife, even knowing I was sacrificing the life I carried inside me. I was done trying to survive in a world without him. Just as I felt my spirit heading to the afterlife, a sturdy set of arms yanked me up off the ground.
Kallen risked her life running through the miners still fighting the Aynar to get to me. I was told later that she worked nonstop on that cargo ship for risings without a break, determined to save me and Atasha. Her strength has gotten me through when I was at my weakest.”
“She says the same about you, Mam. Kallen told us that none would have survived here without your counsel.”
Slavic’s heartfelt response is quick and without hesitation as he assures our mam that Kallen’s devotion to her is still as unwavering as it ever was.
“There has been much loss, and even though I have tried, I am not a leader by nature, but I refused to sit in the background and allow others to suffer if I could see a way forward. We barely endured the first cold season. Even after all this time, hunger and clothing issues persist. The survivors deserve more than this; they have all been through so much, but still, each rising they get up to fight again. This compound is a luxurycompared to the grass huts we were staying in, and there is a partially working replicator that has helped with sustenance. Nevertheless, because there are so few of us, we have not explored half of this cave system as there is plenty of room in these front tunnels for our needs.”
Ruby gets up out of Slavic’s lap, walking around the room until she stops to peer out of the transparent wall panels. “Kallen said that there were others here like us, other humans?”
“We had been here two lunar rotations when we saw fireballs falling from the sky. At first, we thought it was either asteroids or an invasion. When the skies quieted, the scouts went out, and they found four separate pods. They were closed up tight, and we had no idea how to open them or even if we should. But the pods started malfunctioning quickly after landing and then started opening on their own.
The females were terrified, but we did our best to help them through the transition and integrated them into the small society we have built here. Thankfully Ruby, at some point after they had been taken from your home world, someone had given them translators. I cannot imagine how much harder it would have been for them and us if they had not been able to understand our language.”
“Oh, it’s a blast, take it from someone who’s experienced that firsthand! Sorry, please go on with your story.” Mam just smiles at Ruby and her playfully flippant quip before turning back toward the rest of us.
“Lunar rotations had passed when, one rising, I saw another human female stumble out of the wood line. Originally, I thought we had missed one of the cryo units, but that was not the case. Ginger arrived in a damaged pod that was stocked withan array of items from her world. Even though she survived the destruction of her planet. She has found little happiness here as she watches the sky every darkness, looking for her mate as they launched at the same time. However, he has not been found so far. She smiles easily, but it never reaches her eyes. I understand more than most the loss of a mate and the struggle to survive in their absence. I have sat with her many a darkness in prayer that her mate be reunited with her. Mine is waiting in the afterlife for me when my time comes, but she is so young it would be a shame for her to live out the rest of her rotations alone. I do believe even if another male took an interest in her, she would never accept his affections as her heart lies elsewhere.”
Mam looks straight at me, and I feel like a squirming youngling. I see several other Ruks waiting at the doorway, and she motions for them to come into the room. They carry trays with an array of different foods, and I immediately stand. “Mam, Kallen has not broken her fast this rising. Can you tell me where Atasha’s room is so that I can retrieve her?”
She smiles at me, “Three doors down on your right.”
“I will return momentarily.” Stepping out into the long hall, I hurry in the direction mam sent me. As I approach the entrance, I expect to hear voices behind the hanging curtain which provides some privacy, but instead, there is only silence. Hesitantly, I step inside, and the familiar smell of mam surrounds me. Glancing around the space, I take in all the things that have been missing from my own quarters. The area is sparse, but it still feels like someone’s home. Seeing a door off to the side, I gently brush back the curtain only to find Atasha and Kallen curled up together on the sleeping platform. Neither of them moves when I step further into the room and stare down at them both. Kallen is curled protectively around Atasha whileAtasha’s small hands are wrapped tightly around Kallen’s wrist as if she is scared to let go, lest Kallen disappear on her again.
I jerk when a soft hand lands on my shoulder, only to turn and find mam silently motioning for me to come with her. We walk back out into the hall before she says anything.
“That is the first time Atasha has slept on her own sleeping platform since they took Kallen away. I had a time with her when we realized the Velgriddix had taken Kallen, as she blamed herself for not fighting hard enough to get away from them. Kallen has always held a special place in her heart, and she grieved her absence deeply.”
“Kallen is stronger now than she was when we found her on that Velgriddix ship. There are some risings she seems better than others, but lately she appears to be weakening all over again.”
Mam reaches up, tracing the collar I had hoped my vest was hiding the majority of. “Have you considered this might be the cause of her weakened state?”
