Beyond - Legends Sacrifice (Jaina, Jacen) Proverb Challenge

Title: Sacrifice
Author: Ceillean
Timeline: LotF
Characters: Jacen, Jaina
Notes: Written for the Proverb Challenge

Genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains.

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It was her soft touch that brought him back to the present. How long had he been standing there staring out the window without seeing anything at all? Minutes? Hours? Jacen took a deep breath and it felt like breathing for the first time. The weight on his shoulders was slowly smothering him, taking its toll because somehow he?d lost himself.

He forced a little smile on his face and turned around. The look on Jaina?s face almost made him cringe. She was worried about him, maybe even scared for him. No one could blame her. Jacen had locked himself up tightly and he wasn?t about to open up.

Not yet.

Maybe not ever.

?What?s wrong with you?? Jaina asked, her voice a mere whisper. Her eyes were open wide, her fingers trembled on his shoulder and her lower lip quivered. She was sad and hurt. It was his fault. But she wouldn?t understand.

She couldn?t.

No one could.

?I don?t know what you?re talking about.? Slowly, Jacen shrugged away from his sisters? touch. He kept his smile in place but it never reached his eyes nor was it kind. His smile wasn?t a smile at all. It was a lift of his lips to placate those around him. Most were fooled by it.

He hadn?t smiled in months.

There hadn?t been a need to.

?Jacen, you?ve changed.?

He laughed mirthlessly. ?Don?t we all? Change is the way of life.?

His office was large yet sparsely furnished. He?d never understood the need for decorations. He owned that which he needed and it was enough. Jacen rounded his desk and sat down. Files lay stacked on one side; documents he needed to sift through. A red icon on his computer screen blinked rapidly ? new messages he needed to deal with.

There was enough work here for two days straight.

Jaina wasn?t welcome.

?Was there something you needed?? Jacen asked, leaning forward with his elbows on the desk and folding his hands underneath his chin.

?I?m worried about you, Jacen. I don?t even know you anymore.?

[i]You never knew me.
[/i]
He frowned as the thought raced through his mind. Of course Jaina had known him. She was his twin, she knew everything there was to know about him.

?There?s nothing to worry about.?

Jaina shook her head. ?You?re lying. I can feel it.?

Jacen raised a single brow. ?I don?t care what you feel, Jaina.? He sat back in his leather chair, folding his hands atop his stomach. ?I have work to do. If there?s nothing I can help you with, please leave.?

?That?s the easy way out, isn?t it?? She narrowed her eyes on her twin. ?If you don?t like it, get rid of it. If you can?t change it, destroy it. You?re like a petulant child, Jacen! Look at yourself!?

[i]She doesn?t understand.
[/i]
?Watch your words, Jaina.?

?Or what?? She slammed both hands on his desk and leaned in close. Their eyes locked in anger and frustration. Brother and sister, strangers to one another, bound by no more than rules and regulations. She was a Jedi and he was a politician.

A maniac.

Delusional.

Gone.

?I [i]will[/i] call security, Jaina.? Jacen gestured to the door. ?Leave now and I?ll spare you the embarrassment.?

Jaina ground her teeth but she took a step back. It would do her no good to drag her twin across the desk and pound his head until he finally saw some sense again.

Too bad.

?Jacen, take a look at what you?re doing.?

?I?m doing my job.?

?You?ve turned into a dictator!?

?If that?s what it takes.? The words were a whispered threat and Jaina knew so. Her features became impassive as she stared at her brother, a complete stranger.

It tore her apart.

?I don?t know you anymore.? She turned on her heel and headed for the exit.

?You never knew me.? Jacen said and he noted how Jaina halted before her fingers touched the control mechanism. But she didn?t turn around. She didn?t say a single word.

Instead she opened herself up to the Force and Jacen fe

 

A very chilling look into Jacen's mindset as he turns increasingly to the dark side. Very well done.

 

?You?ve turned into a dictator!?

?If that?s what it takes.? The words were a whispered threat and Jaina knew so. Her features became impassive as she stared at her brother, a complete stranger.

It tore her apart.

?I don?t know you anymore.? She turned on her heel and headed for the exit.

?You never knew me.? Jacen said and he noted how Jaina halted before her fingers touched the control mechanism. But she didn?t turn around. She didn?t say a single word.

Instead she opened herself up to the Force and Jacen felt her emotions. It was a slap in the face, a punch in the gut. He felt sick because of what he was doing to the people he loved.

Very powerful piece.

 

Poignant and insightful into what drives both characters.

 

Wow, Jacen really did change and started turning in Palpatine. That was very scary to see. Well done

 

Very powerful piece, Cei, and great look into both Jaina & Jacen.

Well done !!