Before - Legends "Cat litter", an attempt to redeem Darksiders, 33rd update, 19th March 2012

I was introduced to popcorn.

I love popcorn

The beginning is just full of warmth and love


We practised our Force skills in secret, usually during our boat tours.

I like how each of them has more ability in a specific skill than the others.
And of course Isabeau?s the best


?It is bad enough that you will soon send Éleos and Sereno off to live with some Elves,? Caelestris moaned. ?Now we have to bear Grianán´s friends among us. She needs no handmaidens at her age.

First off, how rude of him to disrespect Gri?s friends.
Secondly, royalty is WEIRD.


but in the end I did not need to join the beanmna feasa yet. Isabeau was able to win another six sun years for me.

Which is totally awesome.


?There are other ways for attack and defence than the Force.? A malicious smile sprang from Nanny´s lips. ?You will learn them the hard way.?

Y?know, I?d feel bad for them if I didn?t love Isa?s way of teaching them. Because she?s right ? you have to learn through trial.



?Seeing the girls thriving under your tutelage makes me very happy,? Was his standard reply and left my nanny mollified each time.

That makes me laugh.


Luçien was good at hurting the ones who cared most for him.

EXACTLY Gri! What are you doing?!



But the darkest shadow in her life was Luçien. It was unbelievable what he had done

Yup. That?s a big reason why I stopped liking him. I stopped with Isa?s story, but it was Sionnach?s that set it for me.

 

I love popcorn to.

Practicing their abilities while out int the jungle. Really cute and like little children.

 

seeing more and more developping for her and the links with Isa and Lucien. Great writing.

A very rich story

 

Each time I had a painting ready, I rushed into his office to present it to him. Within a short time he had a large art collection, keeping it in a special drawer.

And those drawings later went into the box in his basement, right?

?Do not worry! I will let you know before I come for you, Grianán,? he said calmly. His eyes told me that he was not joking. ?And there will not be any torturing. I will make it quick.?

Yeah, he didn't torture her at all when she was older. *groans in frustration*

?Look very close! Green. Not black and white. Green."

Great line! He sees the world in black and white only.
I especially like that you picked green instead of gray.

?This is why you use pencils. You are afraid. Afraid to do the twins in colour.?

While I like this metaphor....you know that I draw black and white portraits, right?

?It is just forbidden to mention the dead. But Sionnach is not dead,? I said and added hastily. ?Not yet!?

Good reminder!!!

?This is not possible,? He growled. ?This cannot happen to me. I am immune.?

That should be a wake-up call for him, a warning. Showing him that he is NOT immune. No one is. But people aren't predestined for it, either (like he seems to think Grianan is).

?It must have been that cursed holocron I destroyed. This is all Solitaire´s fault.?

Of course, that idiot is denying it. Doesn't see his own mistakes.

He had been strong until now, but now there were chisels in his perfect façade.

The poor man. Again, a great sentence.

?Who?? asked Isabeau, fetching him with her strong arms. ?And how??

She doesn't know it?

She spit into his face. ?And you killing me tonight is an act of love. How kind of you. You spread love and peace everywhere you go.?

She understands how twisted his thoughts are.

?Now and then a child is born who is ahead of its actual age. That must be hard on you.?

*whistles and thinks about Dune*

It lay not in the destruction of buildings and life forms, but in the creeping shadows that attacked the goodness of the heart.

As it did in Lucien's and Jacen's.

Luçien´s father was a large humanoid with white-blond hair that was shoulder-length. He wandered around with ease and grace, radiating love and hope. There was a friendly twinkle in his blue-grey eyes. He made people smile at him despite their worries. When he looked up to me, my heart expanded. He had such a beautiful face, his features timeless.

Lucien's father sounds like a good man. I wish he had spend more time with Lucien, that could have prevented his fall.

?His had so little light,? I confessed.

So you gave him yours. *sighs*

---

[b]I feared that it had to do my sudden departure from Luçien. I felt so weak without him. It almost hurt me physically. [/b]

It should be good for her to be apart from him. That way he can't hurt her with his twisted thoughts.
But it appears they really are bound together.

[b]Full of love, pride and admiration I looked at him.[/b]

Lucien, you....! *is speechless*
Of course now Grianan will elarn more things about Lucien that are lovable. But dang it, he killed Isa! They are siblings and he killed her (okay, not happy with Jaina killing Jacen either).

[b]Luçien was an assassin. And he loved this hideous work.[/b]

[face_sick]

No wonder he is so rotten. Instead of the loving father in Dealg, he had the bad step-dad who made him kill.

[b]Nobody is better than you and my friends envy me, because of it.[/b]

Oh goodness. And he takes pride in his son killing others. Taking a life is not something to be proud of.

[b]She wanted to spare me the traditional representation of the bastard embryo on a plate.[/b]

Okay, so Solitaire was pregnant? Is that the reason why she was killed, because she was pregnant from the "wrong" man? And after the kill, the dead embryo was shown around? That's disgusting!

[b]?Unlike you, she had a childhood, Luçien.?[/b]

Which might be another reason why Lucien is so messed up.

[b]Then I spit blood straight in

 

Leaning marital arts sounds fun!

 

As I said, reading "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" was an inspiration.

 

And being with Lucien is good now for her. But he is a person with many traits

 

You will surprised what will be revealed about Lucien in the months to come.

 

Our bodies were lean and steeled after three sun years of hard work. The Shesha guards all around the Holy Isle would greet us like battle comrades. Should the Force ever fail me as a tool I had other means to fight an aggressive attacker off.

It makes me glad that they were taught to hone other skills aside from their Force ones.


?Luçien actually wants to be there for your father. His heart is not well.


Neither of their hearts are well, erally.


My sister went for the short and painful way. ?One thing that matters is that Luçien is coming.?

Isabeau looked at her as if she was an unknown jungle plant. ?Nonsense. He would never dare.?

*sigh* I love Isa but she can be very hard-headed sometimes.


In the end, I could not stand being reunited with Luçien that soon. Not after running through Isabeau´s memories again.

GOOD!!!!


?Oh yes, there is. I need to understand the Dark Side side from within. Perhaps this will help me to understand why mother was so afraid of her all her life.?

It?s good to know all sides of things. It?s one reason why I love to read about Mace Windu, like in Shatterpoint. He understood both sides of the Force, was always on the edge, but chose the ?selfless? path more often than not.


Love and understanding were my weapons in a war that I had not started. It had to be sufficient.

Too true.


?Not yet.? I could not help feeling scared now, even though he addressed me as his ´little illusion seller´. That nasty book about witch hunting had left a deep impression on me, especially with its unmistakable illustrations.

See, he?s a frightening being.


How could anybody resist the innocence shining in your eyes? I am not heartless, Grianán.?

Hmph. He still can?t get me to like him.


He was a parent who pined his loss, and was unable to communicate it to anyone.

Stupid rules of society.

 

Chapter 14: The heart knows best

When the hunting lodge came into view, I held my breath. Luçien had erected a two story house in the heart of Ceilonwyn. It was more of a family estate than a simple lodge. I was more than impressed; I was stunned.

He slid out of the saddle, put his hands around my hips and helped me down on my own feet. ?Here you go, Grianán!?

I kept on staring, taking every little detail of the building in. The windows were made out of Elfin glass and immediately caught my eye. The midwinter castle had similar ones. There were heavy, yet elegant shutters to protect them for the severe storms around oskorei, the Wild Hunt.

?I had to admit, I had some help with this project,? Luçien said from behind me. ?Some friends of mine lent me a hand, once they saw the construction plans. They wanted to be a part of it. Do you

 

a) We are talking about Isa.
b) She is of feline origin.

too true!


But I can present him to you through the eyes of a person that loves him despite the dark in him.

*mutters* yeah, yeah



I nodded, glad to hear that he had some friends. He could not be that lost to the Dark Side if he had any.

This is an excellent observation.


Luçien walked off to light the chimney fire by using a single blow of Force lightening.

He can't just light it another way, huh?


?Sometimes I take my tools and have a go at carpenter work, yes.?

Sometimes a person needs to focus their mind by using their hands


?Really?? Luçien was delighted and my cousin was utterly forgotten. ?I would love to see that.?

Ah, yes. Gri is bound to give him many more surprises.

 

War does scar you.

 

Lucien is a man of many skills
Grianan too

 

Grianán is a man? Why didn´t I notice? I am the author! Oh, my!

I get your true meaning though, dearest bird. There are both like a box of chocolate.

*sees Forest Gump passing by*

That is very true, dear Misty. It is not only soldiers experiencing that, but civilians, too.

My mother was 3 years old in WW2 and had to flee her region of Germany by the courtesy of the Allied Forces. My father was 5 and also was on the run.

A lot of powerful politicians decided that the map of Germany should look very different. Millions of people lost their home in the eastern regions forever. For most Germans in central Germany those refugees still do not count as true Germans.

Their experiences hardened both of my parents a lot: corpses in ditches, the weak collapsing during the march, raids via the army of the enemy forces, bombs falling from the sky...

A lot of my friends have equally traumatised parents, the majority are also the 1st generation of those refugees and the 2nd child that was born. WW2 shaped us a lot as well in the aftermath. Not only our parents who saw all the horror of it.

Until recently it was forbidden to talk about such matters, because the generation of my parents never talks openly about the war they experienced as toddlers or very young school kids.

 

* Gkilkenny, reads enthusiastically when she has enough spare time I do, I do, and now after spending ten days on Sydney harbour finishing the stay on the water with the fireworks I'm back reading and writing again.
Happy New Year Nicole and Bourke



Isabeau doesn?t sound fond of having to listen to Mother and coming for useless visits

Lucien is Lucien and he will come regardless of who wants him or not.

?Upset me?? Isabeau?s laugh had a mad edge to it. ?Letter writing seems to be the favourite hobby of this family. Is anybody else writing letters to unacceptable persons??

?His Lordship seems regretful about the death and destruction that he has caused.?

?And how exactly does he intend to close the wounds? Send flowers? Write poems? Erect a temple? Crawl up the holy pyramid on his knees??

My sister tried to prove that she had learned a lot the past sun years by saying, ?One has to keep one´s friends close and one´s enemies even closer.?

?You do not wish to have something like him at all at the royal court. Listen, Daná! Luçien is a trained assassin and the user of dark powers, even though he tries to convince himself that he serves the Light Side of the Force.?

She isn't happy!


The heart knows best

He can?t help himself he has to use the Dark side -Luçien walked off to light the chimney fire by using a single blow of Force lightening.

 

By the time we reached ´The Book of Water,´ the girls, and I had learned to bear our injuries with dignity and grace.

Oh, books named after elements? I like that! And water can be both soft and strong at the same time. It's an excellent element. My martial arts teachers always told me to be like water.
And bearing your injuries with grace...that might explain how Grianan was able to stand the terrible tattoos Lucien gave her.

Should the Force ever fail me as a tool I had other means to fight an aggressive attacker off.

That's very useful. A lot of force-sensitives rely too much on their powers.

I frowned before the realisation came through to me. ?He will come to me??

That's better than "He will come for me?".

The Dark Side was like a dangerous narcotic, bringing the brain functions together. It was neither known for producing great healers nor for its life-giving aspects.

I also can't see how Lucien could help. He would need to mend his own heart first. Sionnach would be a better choice for a healer, but I guess Lucien is more experienced.

Seek shelter somewhere else before you are an adult!

Actually, I believe that she is a lot safer from him as a child. She should hide when she reaches her mid- to late-teens.

The next morning, Isabeau was also visited by Mother, which did not contribute to lighten up her spirits.

Definitely not. After all, that is considered necromancy in her culture.

If you ever die, do not waste your time on useless visits.

Lol! Did you ever watch the Robot Chicken Star Wars parodies on Youtube? There is one where Vader kills Jar-Jar and Jar-Jar comes back as a Force-Ghost every night to talk to Vader....lol.

?And how exactly does he intend to close the wounds? Send flowers? Write poems? Erect a temple? Crawl up the holy pyramid on his knees??

Unfortunately, there is truth in that. How do you atone for something so terrible?

Luçien is a trained assassin and the user of dark powers, even though he tries to convince himself that he serves the Light Side of the Force.?

Glad his sister sees the real problem with Lucien.

Isabeau. When this device finds you, I will be gone to see Her Holiness Mórag MagUhidir.

No, Grianan! That's super dangerous!
But at least Grianan seems to have realized that Lucien can become dangerous for her. Lost some of her great naivety in regards to him.

Daná crossed her arms in front of her. The confident way she stood told me that Caelestris was the wrong candidate for the royal crown.

Although I don't always agree with Dana, she has an exceptionally strong will and that will be necessary for a ruler.

You want a witch hunter off your cute little bum by joining the Order of the beanmna feasa. Where is the logic in that? You might as well sign the order for your termination straight away.

Yes, that's right. Once Lucien figures out who she has joined, he will be all the more convinced that Grianan is evil.

Soon he will be after the abbess and her order.

And if Grianan joins them, he will be after her as well.

I need to understand the Dark Side side from within.

Know thy enemy. But I recall that Luke did the same (join the Dark Side) and it did corrupt him. I'm worried about Grianan.

Of course Isabeau was not willing to let me go. She came after me on a rancor, when I was already marching through the Montes Nubii. To my surprise, she had another proposal for me.

Love Isa. I can practically see her coming for Grianan on the rancor, her hair flying in the wind and eyes glowing.

Love and understanding were my weapons in a war that I had not started.

But they are some of the best weapons one can have.

I helped with the calves being born and disassembling dead members of the livestock.

I'm a bit surprised she doesn't mind taking dead animals apart. But she seems to be more practical than Sionnach, even though Grianan is such a gentle person.

Instead of desert robes he was wearing the fur-trimmed clothing of an Udaler.

lol. Wo

 

?Does that have to do with witch craft, Grianán?? His eyes turned concerned. ?Because if it does, you are in great trouble.?

He needs to make up his mind. Either he can deal with her skills or not.


I could not wait to read the entire book and experience all the training sessions attached to it.

She would


?Why is it that adults always see the worst case scenario??

Good question.
To be fair, it?s usually because the worst case scenario happens.


?Grianán, if he wanted you dead, you would be dead already.

This is true. Her fear over him would annoy me more if she wasn?t a child. She WAS the one who bonded him.


He needs a child that he can spoil once in a while. When children die suddenly, a lot of things become hopeless.?

STOP making me feel bad!!!

 

Grianan and Lucien bonded forever?

Intriguing

 

Chapter 15: The wind in the willows

When I crossed the draw bridge at noon I could see a lone rider in the distance. He did not dare to come closer and also chose to mask his presence in the Force. I forced myself to walk towards him reverently. No false haste.

?Hallo there, Grianán! Long time no see!? Luçien grinned through the hood of his thick fur coat. With that he could be easily mistaken for a human from the Northern polar region. His golden skin gave his true species away though.

I beamed up at him. ?Grandfather Narthex will bring my luggage to your place later on.?

?What did your father tell the rest of the family??

I stroked the slender neck of his steed. ?Everybody believes me to be with Mórag.?

He stiffened visibly, his gloved hands cramping around the reigns. ?That is exactly why I requested your presence in the first place. I do not know what arrangements your cursed mother made with her mistress, but I insist on spending some time with you before my mad half-sister comes for you.?

I did my best to sound surprised. ?She is your half-sister??

?Do not act as if you didn?t know, nor about the fact that Parhelion is another child fostered by my true father, the Skywalker.? He gracefully slid out of the saddle. ?That little, blond head of hides a lot of sharp intelligence, Grianán. Do not act stupid around me! I can see right through you.?

?Always?? I requested.

?Mostly,? He growled.

?Because I am a demon from another dimension?? I suggested sneakily, repeating the insult he had given me at Polysýndeton.

He sighed. ?I found out that the truth is much more complicated. Things around you are usually complicated.?

?And you happen to like to solve such complicated puzzles?? I asked, while he lifted me into the saddle and then jumped behind me immediatly.

?I like you, insolent child. A lot. At times you remind me of my step-sister, when she was younger. And at other times you remind me of...? He stopped, embarrassed that he almost had spoken out a forbidden name.

I snuggled into the arm he had scooped around me. ?It is okay to remember the dead, Luçien. There is no need to feel guilty. If you would start to feel less guilty about things, then your judgement would not be so clouded all the time.?

?Pray, how old are you again?? He asked dryly. ?I keep forgetting that.?

I laughed carefree. ?If you do not move this horse before the spring equinox I will be nine.?

?Then don?t act as if you?re older than me,? he scolded me softly. ?I know more of the universe than you do.?

Even though I thought differently, I did not try to argue with him. It was pointless.

********************************************************************

A

 

Ooh!

Love isn't a curse.

Sorry that I missed a update. I must have been in La La Land.

 

Lucien is at it again,
Come to your senses and leave the dark.
But that might be difficult for him

 

Now that the Christmas holidays are over I will be rather busy, too, dear Misty.

But luckily pants worked very hard as my editor and she is in Chapter 22 already. In principle we have text until April 2012.

As for love being a curse, Lucien behaves that way.

And yes, dear bird, he cannot help acting thus.

Just let us check the PM list once more:

* SWpants666
* Lady_Misty
* earlybird-Obi-Wan
* Gkilkenny
* Chilla
* DarthUncle

Anyone on or off here?