Before - Legends "Cat litter" (re-loaded), an old fanfic in a new coat

Well I'm leaving tomorrow so it was perfect timing!

 

I find this a very intriguing, but quite different, part of your story.

And as we saw before, her morals are a touch different from our own. How does one judge a decision made based on what the living force tells you is needfull even if it seems to violate someone you love?

Then again, Lucien also knows the force, and he loves and trusts Grianan, as much as she does love and know him. So, stripped of his and our embarrassment, and his need to disown his proclaimed 'messiah' destiny in which name he got lost to the dark side, how is it different from how we attempt to bring endangered species back,and who's to say Lucien wouldn't agree on the need for it? The Liderc species was after all, not a natural creation in the first place. As long as it is voluntary (and again, grianan knows lucien well) I am not sure it is a priori bad. A clone of lucien might be a great person, given the right stimuli (and a name without extra vowels or inserted apostrophes

By the way, writing this I noticed that one might well speculate what Luciens prophesied role would entail? That was left for the reader to decide or find out. It might still happen, and perhaps these events put him (his clone?) on that path.

That is, I believe, not so very different in concept to what occurred (well, in this before the saga fiction: what will happen far in the future) with Anakin/Luke Skywalker; if one considers their story part of what was to be accomplished by 'the chosen one'.

 

Anyway, it´s show time again.

DarthUncle

SWpants

earlybird-obi-wan

Lady_Misty

Gkilkenny

Tyranus230

Chilla


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It was on an exceptionally bright morning almost a sun week later when Sionnach smiled down on the tender, rosy skin that covered my husband´s body.

“My work here is finished. I now have other patients to attend to. Skje also would like to see me again and I miss him. I fear that this war will cost us more energy and time than we anticipate.”

Heavy-hearted, I gave her a sisterly farewell kiss. “May the Force be with you.”

When Sionnach was out of the room, I returned my focus to my husband.

“One more healing session with Valiant, and I will be as good as new,” he assured me.

“About the last time I was here,” I started.

Sunlight glinted off his face. He smiled with suppressed laughter.

“I should not have ripped your hair out like that. Or drawn blood. I - “

“Hush now!”

His hands slid down the sides of my neck. I caught my breath, electrified by his familiar touch.

“You surprised me, true.” His fingertips moved on to my shoulder blades, stopped there to stroke them lovingly. “But I would not mind if you would give me such fierce love bites again.I am not made out of glass.”

My pulse hammered through my veins even more, when his nose skimmed across my collar bone. One of his arms created a gentle snare around my waist. The guilt in me spread when his lips brushed against my jaw once more. They moved across my face to my left ear and to my chin.

“I am yours, forever,” he mumbled softly, but distinct. “But please do never ask me again to bed other women.”

I would not. Not his true self, anyway.

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

War continued in the stars. The losses were high on both sides, but our planet-wide shieldheld strong. They could not send their ground forces in, and for that I was grateful. Their weapon technology was different from ours though, and their atomic missiles were harmful to my people. They also worked with dedicated scientists from Amnion, who were sworn enemies of the royal House Tjiehenet.

Aranea and I received the daily updates from Cunabula. Sometimes it was Daná who wrote us, but mostly it was Lunawho gave grim news.

“Bacillus anthracis?” I stuttered after having read a very devastating report. “But biological warfare is forbidden.”

“Tell those humans,” snarled Aranea, walking up and down the command centre. One of her agents was crying, and she stroked the woman’s cheek. Then she spun around to face me again. “They want us dead and gone. To them, we are the aliens, the freaks of nature.”

“But to use...,” I marvelled, my face losing all its colour.

Aranea interrupted me heatedly. “They inject their friendly personnel with suitable antibiotics, leaving them with a perfect way to destroy us. Their bio-weapons form hardy spores, which are not transmissible. And -”

“Enough!” I held up a weak hand, which silenced her for a brief moment.

“Aconite´s men must have worked on this silent killer for ages.” Her voice lowered, but was still hard. “We should be all glad that it was not used against us earlier.”

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

Two sun days later, I collapsed where I was standing, a scream erupting from my lips.It was Hayden who found me. “Grianán!” he exclaimed, dropping the thick atlas that was in his hands to the ground as he knelt down. “Are you in pain?”

I could not answer him. The shock that one of the greatest lights in my life had gone out foreverwas overwhelming.

“Here, let me help you up.” My brother-in-law lifted me from the stone floor and carried me inside the sun-flooded library.

“Quick, get me Val! Or Luçien!” he called out to somebody I could not see, nor feel properly. All my perceptions were numbed.

Hayden placed me down on a sofa, threw a blanket over me and barked anxious orders to a couple of people. “Close the curtains! I want water for tea. And a wet cloth. Also bring some light snacks.”

Many shoes were running over the floor. The door opened and closed several times. I lay gasping for breath with my eyes closed, searching for a presence I knew was no longer there.

His hands grew sweaty in mine. “All will be well,” he assured me, but uncertainty edged his youthful voice.

I opened my eyes and stared blankly at him, trying to understand what had happened and why.

Dust flakes danced in the sun light and I watched them, until somebody finally closed the curtains. Twilight now ruled.

Hayden´s fingers trembled more and more. “I do not know what is taking them so long.”

A clear voice cut through my consciousness, forcing me to focus again. “Grianán, do not cling on to the pain. Even suns have to die. We both know that as much as we know the dark.”

Sionnach’s ghost stood in front of me as if nothing of consequence had happened. Her hair was done in two extremely long braids. As the Udaler tradition demanded it from a married woman, her head was half covered by a headscarf. She wore one of her favourite aprons.

“Why?” I sniffed. “Why you?”

“Not just me. Only Éibhear and Hjorton survived the massacre at the lodge. They are on their way to the castle, trying to outrun the enemy.” My cousin came closer, spreading her blue light. “Be brave now and keep your wits together. Life is not finished with you.”

I swallowed hard.

Sionnach began dissolving. “Remember what you taught me once,” she said, her eyes bright with determination. “I can pass it on when the time is ripe.”

“To whom?” I breathed, so tired suddenly.

“To all those who are in need of healing. The Unifying Force will be there for them, making them whole again.”

My eyelids began to flutter uncontrollably and my mind drifted.

“My love?” Luçien sounded shrill and unnaturally loud. “Hayden, what happened?”

“She fainted in the hallway,” he replied.

“With no warning? Nobody upset her?”

“Not as far as I know, Luçien. She was alone when I found her, shivering like a leaf. Hypoglycaemia?”

“Let me see...”

The last thing that I felt with clarity was my husband´s hands on my temporal bones.

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


(To be continued!)

 

What is happening?
Will Lucien be able to help her?

 

Dear bird, Gri felt a tremble in the Force when somebody died under the most horrible circumstances. A cousin, she forged a special bound with. Of course she is sick.

 

Sickening. But then as someone was saying they see them as something to be destroyed we don't give much thought before putting out poison or traps out for animals that we consider pests. But still.

So much loss and death. THey should run; pure and simple.

 

"I would not. Not his true self, anyway."

She's selfish and has become the rapist in a way. She can't respect his 'no.'


Humans are all too good at bio warfare


"“To all those who are in need of healing. The Unifying Force will be there for them, making them whole again.”"

Yes

 

The force is a good thing to those who enjoy it's power, but it also has the ability to send horrible images and death to their unsuspecting minds. She has seen something devastating, the death of a loved one.

 

Your judgement serves you right, dear Gkilkenny!

Hi everybody, could NOT update last weekend because I was at the Celebration Europe and then I had to pack my things for Berlin. I arrived save and have a nice flat sharing community. Also love my old/ new job as nursery school teacher. I just miss my husband and will not be able to see him that often. Just every two months, hopefully.

Anyway, here we go:




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


My body was nestled against Luçien´s when I returned to consciousness. His breath was loud and heavy in my ears.

“Sionnach,” I whispered hoarsely when I met my husband’s concerned gaze. “She is gone.”

“Gone?” he swallowed audibly. “Why have I not felt it? Are you sure? Perhaps your mind is playing tricks on you.”

Somebody broke out in tears, but it was not Luçien. I carefully looked behind me to see what I could not feel.

Our entire family was gathered in the library, wearing travel attire and overloaded bags.

“Why are you all here?” I demanded to know in a flat voice. The bulky outlines of the bags, along with the empty shelves around us, told me that a considerable part of Father´s book collection was on its way to safety.

“The enemy made contact. The castle is lost,” said Aranea, her face unhappy and withdrawn. She stood behind the sofa, peering down on us.

“Why are you still here and not in Cunabula?” I inquired carefully.

“Éibhear and Hjorton just came through.”

The double-winged doors swung open, as if she had summoned them.

I could clearly see that my step-son and his fiancée had been to the mouth of hell and back. Their clothing was smeared with blood and some oily substance.

“Paraffin,” Valiant murmured.

My stomach turned, dreading to think how Sionnach and her clan had died. Had Heulwen dared to fire at the hunting lodge with a ship laser? But why the paraffin? Things made no sense.

“Auntie!” Éibhear gasped and nearly ran towards me. “Are you okay?”

The closer the young man came, the better I could see his swollen eyes. They spoke of a loss too great for simple words. His hands were clamped around a familiar large book.

“What happened?” asked Luçien, his fist clenched above the blanket that he had wrapped us in. He would not let me touch Éibhear, not willing to let me reach for the special gift.

“Oh, papa.” Éibhear wheezed, his Elfin eyes watering.

I took heart and gave Luçien a soft nudge. If I was not allowed to touch the teenager, he could.

Being hugged by his father and a glass of Highland whiskey loosened Éibhear´s tongue.

“The shock wave came from nowhere and paralysed us. Then there were gas shells, which knocked us out. We woke up tied to the wooden columns in the Hall of Fire. They had gagged us, and the Force sensitives even had torture masks on their heads. In front of us lay Ciall´s and Draíocht´s broken bodies. A machine gun had taken them apart.”

I cried soundlessly, biting my knuckles.

“Mother was the next to die. Heulwen, wearing a uniform of the enemy forces, slit her throat personally. Skje got shot in the head by her just several heartbeats afterwards.”

Luçien tightened his arms around Éibhear. They both shook with extreme emotion.

“Next, she tortured Grandfather Ruadhan. She took her time, using some of papa´s old instruments, stating more than once that sons must pay for their father´s crimes is the unwritten law of the desert.”

Luçien growled like some trapped animal.

“When he finally died of his injuries, Heulwen beheaded him. I found the head back later on. It was stuck on a broken broom stick. Then Heulwen stabbed Jord, Tosk and Rådjur in their hearts, without even looking at them properly. With poor Skylt she took her time again, opened him up like a turkey on Thanksgiving.”

Without letting go of his father, Éibhear wiped his tear-streaked face with the edge of his dirty cloak.

“It was a blessing for my little brother when his heart stopped beating.”

Daná had severe trouble keeping her thoughts to herself, and all telepaths in the room pretended not to listen to her murderous manifest against Heulwen. We were all as disappointed, shocked, and infuriated as she was.

“Then Heulwen rolled up my mask until my mouth was free and kissed me. She said nothing though, turned away, and ordered the by-standing soldiers to drench us and the lodge with oil.”

“How did you escape?” wondered Garou.

“Heulwen had underestimated Hjorton.” A strained smile spread over his brother´s face, but it did not stay for very long. “When they burned the place, she rescued me and then the herbarium. We could not allow the flames to have it.”

 

I guess a lot of angry jealousy is what fuelled Heulwens fall to the dark side, that admiral must be crazy if he thinks he can control her. I do not quite understand why Sionnach was killed quickly, but I suppose that too was Heulwen underestimating her for not being a violent person? And even in these circumstances,Éibhear is considerate enough to spare Grianan the direct experience.

Quite a lot to take in.

 

“Gone?” he swallowed audibly. “Why have I not felt it?

That IS weird.


“The shock wave came from nowhere and paralysed us. Then there were gas shells, which knocked us out. We woke up tied to the wooden columns in the Hall of Fire. They had gagged us, and the Force sensitives even had torture masks on their heads. In front of us lay Ciall´s and Draíocht´s broken bodies. A machine gun had taken them apart.”

It is so sad and so painful to read.

 

Éibhear's experiences would enough to keep anyone awake from nightmares for the rest of their lives.

You do have a point, I have moved several times in my life but to have to flee the only home you know and leave things and memories behind must be so much harder.

 

A very sad update but torture and fighting is always very horrible

 

apparently torture and pain is a way of life, so sad that they have to suffer. Goog luck with your job.

 

Okay, here it comes:




Chapter 50: The calling

Dún Barr had been built in a time when nobody thought that warfare would include strategic air power or close air support. During the Great War, the Elfin nation and my ancestors had fought each other with only steel and arcane powers.

When Mother had seized the crown of Cunabula at the age of twenty-three, she had a deflector shield from Amnion installed. In addition, she had asked fovea centralis to send some of their best secret service agents to the North. Now we were the ones suffering forher eccentric choices, with the water planet against us.

Bomb detonations shook the castle at its ancient core. We even felt it within the former torture chamber. We were lucky that Heulwen did not know of this place, though she was aware that we were hiding from the enemy troops.

At our stubborn persisting, the staff members were the first ones to walk through the centuries-old teleportation gate. My family, the Force knights and secret service agents waited for them to pass safely to the Holy Isle.

I had Dawn nestled in my arm while I watched the exodus with dry eyes. I had used upall my tears when I had mourned the passing of Sionnach.

“Why does Heulwen hate so much?” my youngest daughter asked me in a pressed voice.

I saw Carrie passing by, holding a thick volume on philosophy. Remembering one of Father´s favourite quotes, I answered, “Hate can be seen as a type of sorrow that is due to an external cause.”

Dawn’s eyes were bright in the twilight around us. “Is she sad that she lost her parents when she was a baby?”

I took a deep breath. “Elle a la haine.”

“She has hate,” Dawn echoed in Basic and played with some of my hair. “But everything can be healed by daddy, can it not?”

My husband appeared next to us. “Hate remedies require more effort than the disease itself,” he answered sadly.

“You know all about the light and the dark, don´t you, daddy?”

“That is why I pity Heulwen instead of hating her.” He shifted closer and gave us both kisses. “I feel that I should be the last one to condemn her.”

“Perhaps Heulwen just needs some light of hope,” Dawn mused.

“What that girl needs is a good bashing,” mumbled Aranea who stood close to us. Her face was as tense as the rest of her body. The state of her uniform told me that she had a rough time getting here.

Luçien made a muffled sound and jumped forward, his face a mask of frozen horror. Forcefully, he pushed me and my fried aside. He tackled an Elfin footman to the ground, rolling away from the porta nigra. I watched them in stunned horror.

“Behold!” Luçien gasped, holding up one trembling hand.

We all watched him cut off the ponytail of the unfortunate servant. He threw it into the heart of the porta nigra. There was an eerie blue flame that devoured the hair immediately.

My eyes widened in recognition.

Portae nigrae were built in a way that would burn a true-blooded Elf out of existence. With the Great War so long behind us, we had all forgotten its death trap.

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

While Èleos and Luçien worked in tandem to teleport all the Elves in our midst to a safer place, Éibhear approached me nervously.

“What is the matter?” I asked him gently.

“I forgot the herbarium in the library.”

My stomach tightened. Sionnach´s heritage. “We should not leave it behind.” I started walking towards the door.

Valiant blocked my path immediately. “Grianán,” he croaked, his voice sounding charred. “This is complete madness. The library is already in flames and enemy troops are on the premises. It is just a book.”

“It is Sionnach´s herbarium and I will not give it up easily,” I argued. My heart pounded wildly.

“Reading is a murderous hobby” he ranted as we made it through the corridors of the castle.

I smiled dimly.

Throughout his life, Father had been a classic bibliophile. The royal library was his life’s work, or as Luçien liked to put it, his oeuvre.

“I know that books are irrelevant to you, Val, but to me they mean life.”

The tall Lidérc threw up his hands in despair and defeat. “I will come with you, Grianán. And you better stay alive and unharmed around me.”

Since Isabeau had died, Valiant seemed to have become obsessed with protecting me. It was annoying at times, though I appreciated his concern and help.

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

(To be continued!)

 

Bomb detonations shook the castle at its ancient core. We even felt it within the former torture chamber. We were lucky that Heulwen did not know of this place, though she was aware that we were hiding from the enemy troops.


Very lucky, indeed.


“But everything can be healed by daddy, can it not?”

Oh, the naivety of children.


Portae nigrae were built in a way that would burn a true-blooded Elf out of existence. With the Great War so long behind us, we had all forgotten its death trap.

Fortunately, Lucien didn't.


Oh, yes, this is where Gri loses her mind (not literally for those who think I've given a spoiler)

 

Going after that book might be the last thing they do.

 

Don't go after material things like a book

 

But we know someone did , likely Grianan, or that it was recreated, as it is the book found for luke in the prologue of Wolf Whelp

 

My beloved husband, you paid attention! How clever you are!

Listen to DarthUncle you must, sweet bird. Wand die heeft namelijk helemaal gelijk!

And that part I have not told yet, dear Misty. You are right & with me as an author you never know.

Well, let us NOT spoil anything, my magnificent pants, and get on with the story:


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

When we were in the corridor close to the royal library we could see a sea of flames ruling everything. They were biting away at the wood panelling of the walls. The air was hot and sticky.

“We better go back,” said Valiant.

“Why?” asked a small voice from behind us.

I turned around in horror. “Dawn, you should not be here!”

“Uncle Val and you also should not be here. Daddy wonders where you both went. If he was not so busy saving Elves, I would have told him so he could come for you himself.”

I cast my senses out to Luçien and felt a surprising level of confusion and concern. Immediately, I said via telepathy, “Do not worry, beloved. I will just get the herbarium and will fly back into your arms.”

“You better,” he answered calmly. “Because if not, there will be hell to pay.”

“May the Force have mercy on both of us,” I replied.

Before I could say anything more, I saw our daughter walking straight into the inferno. She became one with the flames. I knew better than to stop her.

Next to me Valiant nervously shuffled his feet.

“Dawn will be just fine,” I assured him and gently squeezed his right shoulder.

My daughter was in her element, in the truest sense of the word. It was her friend, her companion, her heritage. The flames did not harm her.

Valiant sucked in his breath.

We watched Dawn as she walked towards the side table where the herbarium lay. I could tell that she had difficulty lifting it, until she figured out how to use the Force to support her efforts.

Beaming, Dawn returned to us. Her cheeks were pinkish and a new self-awareness was in her step.

Suddenly I sensed several humans nearby. They felt strange in the Force, alien even. There was just star dust in their bodies and no Midi-chlorians.

Valiant, also aware of the danger, exchanged a long look with me.“I hope this herbarium is worth the price. Luçien n'est pas aussi indulgent que moi,” he commented gravely. Luçien is not as forgiving as I am.

Sighing, I showed him a bundle of papers that was stuck between the pages. “Those are the birth certificates of her children. There would be no way of replicating them.”

I added two additional documents as he stared, which I had put in my décolleté hours earlier. They were the twin´s birth certificates.

Voices became audible.

“Val, take this and run back to the dungeons with Dawn. I will be your backup.”

He gave me a shocked glare. “You cannot be serious.”

“I know exactly what I am doing,” I insisted. Then I quickly bent down to give my daughter an ancient Lidérc battle blessing. “C'est la Force qui a dressé mes mains au combat, tellement qu'un arc d'airain a été rompu avec mes bras,” I spoke in a hushed voice. The Force teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

Dawn gave me a wide grin, exposing gaps in her teeth. “Beat them to a pulp, mammy,” she said.

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


I felt that the ten soldiers were startled when they found me in front of the burning library. Their heads were covered with full-face helmets that protected them from the smoke and debris. I could not see their eyes, because the visual panels were mirrored.

“This is Grianán Tjiehennet,” said one of the men. “The great Force witch. The Admiral wants her alive. Set for stun.”

I did not know what a stun was, but before any muzzle could be pointed my way, I fully cast out my Force senses. Within the blink of an eye, I tore all the laser weapons away from their owners. Satisfied, I sent all their firearms into the heart of the inferno behind me.

“Don´t be poor sports,” I said, my voice void of any feelings.

One of the soldiers started howling in frustration, “Angelina!”

Frowning, I picked up disturbing emotions from him. He had loved his weapon as much as a real woman. Not even Luçien thought this way about his scimitar.

“Jones, shut up!” snapped another soldier, whom I believed to be their commanding officer. “I do not care what the Admiral said about capturing this filthy half-blood. Nobody goes TK on me without regretting it.”

My legs and feet opened in a side stance.

“Permission to speak, sir?” piped one of the men.

“Permission granted,” he baffled back.

With a much calmer and more natural voice the man said, “It can do Karate, it seems.”

Grimly, the commanding officer took his helmet off and threw it on the ground. “I bloody hope so, for its sake.”

A smile split my face, despite being called a thing.

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

(To be continued!)

 

This might be the end for her.

Maybe I should find a way to send my younger brother to her aid. He's a second degree black belt. Or better my siblings' Sensei. He's a seventh degree black belt.

 

Well, I do not want to spoil things. Let me hug you instead, luv!

 

I turned around in horror. “Dawn, you should not be here!”

Children are idiots.


Then again...

My daughter was in her element, in the truest sense of the word. It was her friend, her companion, her heritage. The flames did not harm her.

True. Facts.

[b]Sighing, I showed him a bundle of papers that was stuck between the pages. “Those are the birth certificates of her children. There would be no way of replicating them.”[/b]

*presses lips together* I forgot about that. Those are quite important.

I did not know what a stun was, but before any muzzle could be pointed my way, I fully cast out my Force senses.

The first part made me chuckle.


“It can do Karate, it seems.”

Grimly, the commanding officer took his helmet off and threw it on the ground. “I bloody hope so, for its sake.”

I don't blame her for smiling. It's great to know hand-on-hand combat is about to happen.

 

Thanks for saving my evening, girls! I felt rather lonely tonight, but your comments cheered me up & so did David Tennant on youtube by reading "How to train your dragon"!

 

A fight is beginning and what will it bring?