Beyond - Legends ~ The Meaning of the Stars ~ Over 30's challenge, OCs only

Title: The Meaning of the Stars
Author: MsLanna
Characters: Lor Alkana (OC)
Summary: Lor Alkana remembering his lost wife
Notes: Written for the Over 30's Challenge for February: Write a vignette (one shot) from the POV of a SW character on Sweetheart's Day who is reflecting back about losing the love of his/her life.
Please include the following words in any order you choose: bitter, soft and sparkling.
I just hope OCs count. the required words are marked in bold.






Lor Alkana stared into his half empty glass of brandy and sighed. Sweetheart's Day was almost over - almost. Taking another sip, Lor tried to swallow the hard knot in his throat as well. It worked, if only for a second.

With a sigh, he leaned back in his armchair. He should know better, after all those years, he should know better. Drink did not help. Not really. It numbed him, stole his memories and his consciousness, and it would leave him sore and hurting the morning after. And still -

Still, there was this short moment, the blessed infinite second between sadness and anger, when he could almost feel her at his side again. A happy melancholy that lasted for a sip of brandy or two, when he could accept. The love, the loss and life in general, almost as before, when she had been leaning against his arm, pointing at the starts and calling them by their own names.

Lor stared out of the window, the glass held tight in his hand. How could he stand the stars now, that she had gone, and all their names were void. He emptied his drink, his eyes fixed on 'Meeting', a curved row of four stars that depicted her way, and at the end of those, three more forming the 'v' of his open arms as he caught her.

It had been an accident, but he could truthfully say that meeting her had knocked him off his feet. When they had gotten up again, disentangling their arms and legs, she had apologised and shouted juicy curses at her brother in one breath. After a long berating for positioning the cannon in such a dangerous way, she had dragged him up to the stage, introducing her saviour to the audience. Lor had been rather embarrassed.

But he had earned a hug and a kiss from Sira, and in that moment, his aching chest had been about forgotten. She had invited him to watch all remaining shows for free, just in case her brothers acted like dorks again. The crowd had cheered, and the show had moved on, leaving Lor rather confused right in front of the stage.

She had been smiling at him for the rest of the evening. And he had been back for the next show, even though he had some ribs broken. That's how it had started. Lor poured himself another drink. They had been so young then, so carefree, and of course, the war had not been raging yet.

He kept his back to the window through which the memory of her was sparkling with merciless clarity. It had seemed such a wonderful thing back then, to take the stars and make them display the history of them. He did not look up at night anymore these days. He avoided the star sprinkled sky. He avoided every memory of her that led to sorrow, and tried to keep to those that gave him anger and hate. Hate for the rebels that killed her, anger that the Vendorians did not give up and accept their ultimate dependence on Rendoria, did not accept their status as colony.

It was what kept him going. He had to end the conflict, had to keep the status quo as it had been, had to make the Vendorians get back into line. It was his duty. It was how it had always been. They had killed Sira.

Lor kept telling himself he was not bitter about that. He could handle it, he was a grown man, and he could clearly separate his private feelings from his political function. It was his solemn duty to see the rebels crushed. It was his job to fight their wish for separation.

People kept alleging that it was about the tax money from Vendoria. There was a deep chasm running through Rendorain society. On e half believed that he was correct, and that it wa

 

Outstanding!!! And yes, OCs are fine...especially in a fic this wonderful.

Bravo!

 

Simply gorgeous!

If only Sira was here to see him. If only. Lor didn't dare closing his eyes, knowing that the bright flash that snatched her from life would explode behind his lids. Again. And again. And again. If only she had stayed at home that day. If only the ambulance had been faster. If only the doctors had been better. If only there had been no war.

If only.

Lor downed the whole glass in one go, and placed it on the table. There was one constellation rising now, just before dawn stole the stars away. A cluster of bright stars, one of them set a little apart. He sighed as he watched it's slow progress upwards. Slow and vain, because the day would break before they had made it further that a hand's breadth up.

"I called them Parting," he whispered into the empty room. "Because we are still together, and you are almost gone."

He could almost hear her laughter at that. "I will always be with you, as long as you remember me, we will be together."

Closing his eyes Lor laid back in the chair. He could almost feel the soft pressure of her head against his arm, almost smell her scented hair. He could almost believe that she had been right.

Almost.

 

That was wonderfully depressing.

 

Interesting background for the characters, and wonderful use of the stars in their relationship. Good work!

 

How touching. I loved the idea of watching the constellations, and having one called "meeting" and one called "parting." So beautiful!

Still, there was this short moment, the blessed infinite second between sadness and anger, when he could almost feel her at his side again. What a wonderful description of that "happy melancholy."

Really, lovely work on this. I feel so sad for Lor.

 

I and my author replies. I should be quartered.

I'm glad you like them, Jade_Pilot. I'll make use of Lor in a later story.

Always happy to entertain, Vadey. *hands over tissues*

I love depressing, Alexis. Nothing but a ggod cry to get your systems cleared.

It was supposed to give Lor a 'soft' side, Jedi-2B What I have in mind for him will show his hard side mostly, so i have to keep him human somehow...

Don't we all know that moment, divapilot? And the idea for the stars is actually stoen. I just forgot from whom.