| -Ding Dong- "Daddy! Someone's here for you!" Angie declared as she ran into the living room and jumped onto my lap. I laughed and tickled her until she got off. "Alright sweetie. Go finish your snack." Angie scampered off to the kitchen as I rose from my seat next to my wife. I kissed her on the cheek and walked to the door, opening it slowly. "Yes, who is?" I stopped midsentence and just stared in shock at the young man on my porch. I couldn't find my voice as my mind went numb. "Who is it?" my wife called to me from what sounded like miles away. All I could do was stare, while he stared right back at me. Then, my limbs suddenly quit working on me and I slumped down against the wall, in a state of shock. ***** (The young man's point of view, 9 months earlier...) The jade walls of my room were so boring, so familiar, it drives me crazy. I've spent most of the last ten years cooped up in here with no knowledge of the outside world, or the people that supposedly celebrate my presence here. I don't know any of the people of this planet, outside of the palace gates. My life has been run and ruled by Kivar, my grandfather. I avoid him as much as possible, and try to obey his commands even though I don't like what he's trying to teach me. All he preaches about is hatred and conquering our neighboring planets. He teaches hate, and I despise him for it, but I try my best to show him respect. He's my grandfather after all. I feel so alone, I barely get to see my own mother, and when I do, it is at the dinner table, when we are forbidden to talk out of turn. My mother seems to be an outsider just like me, not fitting in at this world, always having this sad glint in her eye. I've tried to ask her about my past, who my father was, and why I was forbidden to ask about him, but she just gets depressed and walks away. I mean, who am I? It just didn't seem fair that I was completely isolated from everything and everyone. What had I done wrong? Suddenly my bedroom door opened and the priestess known as Della rushed in. "Come, Prince Zack, your grandfather will be upset if he finds that your late for the training lesson again." I sighed and bowed, signaling she could leave. I was unenthusiastic about seeing Jonus again, the General's son who gave me combat training by order of my grandfather. We disliked each other, but did not dare disobey Kivar. He was feared by just about everyone in the Galaxy. But he was getting old, and it was harder for him to keep the power hold over everyone. The four neighbors that made up our system of planets have teamed up against Kivar for the first time since the war among us has began, over sixty years ago. Since then it was dangerous to even look at Kivar the wrong way. I hurried to the courtyard, escorted by this brute Veknor who was my Guard and watcher. He stood outside my door day in and day out. And he wasn't the funnest guy on earth to talk to either. I finished the training session and went back to my room to prepare for dinner. My mother stopped by before dinner, to my surprise. "Hello mother, how are you." I replied respectfully. She forced a smile and answered, "I'm fine, thank you son. I came by to warn you that your Grandfather isn't well today, so try your best not to upset him. I don't want anything to happen to you." I was taken aback by her caring nature. She wasn't mean to me or anything, but usually she just kept quiet and asked others to take care of me. I smile warmly at her, and she gave me a real smile back. She made an attempt to come closer to me, but her Guard grabbed her arm. She gave him a venomous look, and sighed as she looked back towards me. I saw her drop a stone quietly on my marble desk when the Guard wasn't looking. "Thank you for coming to see me, mother. I miss not having you around." Her eyes filled with pain and regret, causing her to turn away. "This is the way things have to be. Your grandfather does not wish for me to spend time with you. I'm sorry." She turned around to leave, and a sudden feeling pushed me to call to her, "I love you, mother, despite the fact you?ve never been around while I was growing up." She turned back towards me with tears in her eyes. "Thank you," my mother whispered in a voice covered with emotion. She sucked the tears back and left, her Guard closing the door after her and following her to the Dining Hall. My heart ached for the chance to be with my mother. I could tell she truly cared for me. All this time she had been kept from me by orders of my grandfather. I could hardly mask my anger towards him at the dinner table, where I sat next to Jonus and Pheelix, the son of Captain Aragon. All of the high commanders were seated near the head of the table, closest to Kivar. They were all restless, obviously on edge. Kivar was grumpy, and ignored the small talk his Jester was saying to break the silence. Finally, Kivar signaled for the Guard to take the jester away, he aggravated him. After two minutes of silence, an officer pounded the table in frustration and hissed at Kivar, "We can't just sit here and pretend nothing is wrong. We need to discuss what's happening to are hold over Baltak!" Kivar snapped his head toward the officer and glared at him in such a frightful way, I had to look away. Next thing I knew, the Officer was dragged out of the Dining Hall. "Anyone else want to speak up?!" Kivar roared at the table. There was no sound except the clinging of silverware on plates, and the chewing sounds from various people. The supper finally ended after what seemed like hours of silence. I tried to corner my mother so I could speak with her on the way out of the Dining Hall, but her Guard and my Guard directed us away from each other, to our bedrooms. I glared angrily at the Guard, but followed obediently towards my wing of the Palace. That night, I lay in bed staring up at the designs on the ceiling. I held the stone she had put on my desk earlier that day and held it to my heart. I wondered what it would feel like to have my family all together, to have a father and mother to be with, and talk casually about the day's events. My heart ached for that chance. Suddenly, I felt the stone begin to pulse in my hands. I looked down at it, and saw a bright flash of light, forcing me to close my eyes. When I opened my eyes again, I was in a room totally absorbed in white light. There, on the edge of my bed, sat my mother. She saw my bewildered expression, and answered my question before I asked it. "The stone gave you access to meet me in another mental plane of existance, but only for a short while. I've been trying for years to get this stone so we could finally speak about who you are." I sat in shocked silence, the ability to speak completely lost. "I'm so sorry son, for this horrible existence. If I hadn't ...." she sighed and looked at me sadly. "Well, we don't have much time, so I must quickly tell you everything you must know. You see, son, it all started when the Royal Four died in the conflict at the beginning of this war that has continued to go on. Your father and I... we were part of the Royal Four." I looked at her incredulously, as she continued. ?We were all born again, but on the planet Earth, as humans..." ***** (to be continued.....) |
| "Who Am I?" (a story about Max's son) by: cybergrl_1 Rated: PG-13 ***** |