Before - Legends "Wolf whelp", the story of a female clone, comment co-author & fanart 23rd Jan 2012

A very good picture of Sionnach. Your artwork is amazing.

 

Here two other ones because I am off to bed now:

[image=http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n2/AzureAngel2_2006/SW%20pictures/P9240047.jpg]

[image=http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n2/AzureAngel2_2006/SW%20pictures/P9290083.jpg]

Okay, change of plan for tomorrow night. Therefore the update now. What will the members of the royal family, Boreas Kyrene and Valiant, the Force knight find? Actually THIS is the siituation:

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The entrance hall, also called ´The Hall of Fire´, was the biggest room of the hunting lodge, a large, spacious hall divided into various living areas. It was open-plan living really. It housed the kitchen with its counter-tops and large oven, a dining table for six, a larger-than-life chimney breast, a lounge area and a lot of sofas. Plus, of course, all the trophy animals, carpets and other furniture that Luçien had scattered masterfully all over the place.

Aranea was still not upstairs at the second level that housed the other rooms. Five were guest chambers, the sixth was a generous bathroom and the seventh his own bedroom. I came to stand next to the Director of State Intelligence, when she asked with a strained voice: ?How can anybody get so ill from the Dark Side when he can erect such a place in the middle of complete wilderness??

?Grianán might have asked herself that very question,? Mora confirmed. ?Over and over again. You know how she is.?

Luna, usually wearing a cool composure, said very shaky: ?Bringing her here when he abducted her from the castle was a bold move.?

The eyes of Aranea watered: ?Yes, the opening gambit in a real crying game. I hope he hates himself now. Otherwise
I' ll help him out. I mean it.?

Nobody else paid them heed. Èleos sat in front of the chimney, lost in deep meditation.and obviously connected with the Unifying Force. His body was hoovering five inches above the wooden floor. The others were just enthusiastically swarming around, admiring the self-made furniture and objects of art.

?Can you imagine it, Ciall? All is mine, mine, mine for the taking!? Draíocht shrieked, dancing around in circles like a little girl. The loss of the long-house seemed to bother her no more. I was slightly crossed with her. It had been home to us for many sun years and then some mad person had burnt it to the ground.

I saw Eibhear and Garou sneak upstairs, hand in hand. The rat pack followed them immediately and so did I. The boys let it happen.

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Ruadhan had left the door Luçien´s bedroom wide of open for us. It seemed harmless in the bright afternoon light. A bed, a wardrobe and a chair. Everything was neat and clean. It was like the hotel room in a breakfast pension really. But within a short time Aranea and her forensic investigation showed us that our eyes deceived us. After an initial walk-through she opened her metal suitcase and started to document the scene by drawing sketches. Then she took out medical gloves and started touching objects. She collected all potential evidence and began to analyse it straight at the scene.

?Remind me to ask Carcra if he is with us or against us!? she murmured, while looking into her scanning electron microscope.

?Who is Carcra?? I asked.

?Your grandfather Commander Cú Síth,? whispered Mora, gesturing me not to disturb Aranea with a silly question like this again. ?It is his soul name.?

The girls knew his soul name and I did not. Once more the way that Grianán did her networking amazed me. She really brought people together.

?I will force him to become a scullery maid at Dún Barr if that fuzz ball ever meddles with important evidence like this again,? Aranea said to herself more than to us. ?I bet he smells strongly of lemon and vinegar now. I should send his son Ruadhan after him really, gah!?

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You are talented, as an artist and a writer.

Hall of Fire seems to be a good name for that place.

 

?How can anybody get so ill from the Dark Side when he can erect such a place in the middle of complete wilderness??

Because the Dark Side is nauseating?


Once more the way that Grianán did her networking amazed me. She really brought people together.

Yes, well?she is quite special.


Skylt opened the door for his father, jumping up and down like a little rabbit. Far, far, far!?

He?s adorable

I?m glad I was wrong about Skje!


But they are still busy adjusting to each other

It just sounds, and seems, so wrong.

Ugh, she shouldn?t let him near her.

 

?How did he know that we are here?? asked Dána suspiciously, closing one of Luçien´s kitchen cupboards. She held a tin box for cookies in her hands.

?Even if your gathered Force presence had not given it away, the five ponies and sixteen horses outside were hard to overlook. Can I suggest that somebody helps me to unsaddle them and make them comfortable for the night??


It would be hard to miss five ponies and sixteen horses.

 

Plus, of course, all the trophy animals, carpets and other furniture that Luçien had scattered masterfully all over the place.

I can see Lucien as the kind of person who'll keep a lot of trophies.

"I hope he hates himself now. Otherwise I' ll help him out. I mean it.?

No kidding! I will help Aranea!

The others were just enthusiastically swarming around, admiring the self-made furniture and objects of art.

?Can you imagine it, Ciall? All is mine, mine, mine for the taking!? Draíocht shrieked, dancing around in circles like a little girl.

Somehow this makes me sick. They are so happy about this place, but it's the very house where Grianan was tortured. The contrast between the horrible things Sionnach uncovers and Draiocht's happiness is huge.

?I bet he smells strongly of lemon and vinegar now. I should send his son Ruadhan after him really, gah!?

So Taran has helped Lucien by trying to remove all the traces of blood or whatnot from the house.

Skylt opened the door for his father, jumping up and down like a little rabbit. Far, far, far!? he called out and hugged his knees that really showed off in a short Amnionan tunic. Father, father, father!

?Hej!? Skje laughed, looking fabulous in azure blue. Good day to you.

I sank into my lover´s arms, despite Skylt being in the way. I cried even more than before. My tears were hot and felt good.

This family moment was so sweet!

?How did he know that we are here?? asked Dána suspiciously.

I was wondering about the same thing.

?Even if your gathered Force presence had not given it away, the five ponies and sixteen horses outside were hard to overlook."

Five ponies and 16 horses! And to think they even wanted to bring more people! That's a small army right there.

Hey... you think anyone will notice if one horse is missing? *tries to sneak off with one*

"Parhelion indicated that Grianán was not feeling that well of late."

Aha. And she was the blossoming life before that?

"Therefore Luçien took her on a sea cruise at short notice."

*snorts* Like that's gonna help.

?Great! He married her without us,? Daná shouted and kicked against the cupboard with blind ire.

Lucien!!!! Argh!

"Did he tie her to the mast like he did with Isabeau once?"

Goodness, I hope not.

"He seems to like naughty rope games. I can play along with him. The hard way.?

Please do!

?Amends for what?? yelled Daná.

I'm not sure if I want to know the answer.
At least Lucien seems to have seen reason. Well...he has a lot to make up for. Mostly to Grianan, but she isn't the only one he has wronged.

This reminds me of a song.... King of Pain by Alanis Morissette (it's a cover, but I love the instruments here, combined with her voice).

Good update!

 

Thanks for the praise, sweet Misty. The name is inspired by Tolkien.

Dana has a hard time being upset and worried. To let go of her fears is not easy for her.

 

Very good!

 

Hey... you think anyone will notice if one horse is missing? *tries to sneak off with one*

I am glad that this is not "Tintenherz". Apart from both being German Claudia Funke and I have not much in common. You would not only go for the horses, but also for attempted murder on Lucien, would you not.

I? I'm completely innocent!

[image=http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n2/AzureAngel2_2006/SW%20pictures/PA020109.jpg]

Yes, that's what I was thinking about, too.

I should enlist him as an endangered species. But it makes me happy that you guys would vote him once more as best villain. To tickle those feelings out of all of you shows I did a good job.

Yes! It def is a good sign that we all are getting so worked up.

Seems like you had a busy, but very nice week!

And text by Bouke.... I'll watch out for it and see if I notice a different style of writing.



Perhaps I had the wrong picture of the education that Isabeau had given her protégées altogether. I had romanticised the Holy Consort beyond recognition.

Sionnach has romantizised a lot, including the life and actions of her husband.

It was very likely that I would have seen the complications around Caelestris earlier. Or even realize the true nature of my husband´s conflicting feelings.

It's very easy to get caught up in the what-if's. But unfortunately what's done is done and Sionnach can't change the past. She can only make her peace with her actions.

I had misjudged the look in his startling blue cat eyes back then. They had shown a deep affinity for Grianán. An affinity he had tried to mask behind religious ambition, aggression and sternness.
*nods to herself* I already thought he was trying to cover up his affection for her by hurting her. But he went way too far.

The holy scrolls of his people had continued to demand her death by his hands. But he could not sacrifice her. The frustration must have given a further foothold for the Dark Side in him.

Yes. That inner conflict will have made matters worse. Because sadly Lucien isn't the type of a person who will question his upbringings and the traditions.

His view of me as a victim might even have saved me all along. After all, I was a clone, a product of necromancy, as his beliefs told him.

Great realization. I think she's right.

?May it be as it is, Grianán is not anywhere near Aconite and for this we have to be grateful to Luçien,?

I'm sad that Grianan and Aconite never get close to each other again.

Iocus and Blandita wanted to protest, but Èleos stared them down. One by one he made all of his siblings look at their feet with flushed faces. It was rather an impressive sight to see. He glowed in the Force like a star. So much serenity, so much strength.

Love Eleos and love what he did here.

Aranea produced an ugly cackle. ?Nope. You can strike her down six times and she would rise seven times just to annoy you. To torture her is no fun. But she ordered us to injure her severely. Knowing Luçien would visit her later on in her chambers. To fuss over her. To heal her gently. To give her comfort. Because he could not see her suffer. Not after Polysýndeton.?

What? What? What? Grianan had her friends hurt her so that Lucien would come and heal her??? How could her friends do that to her? If she wants to get fussed over by Lucien, I'm sure there would have been other ways.

For the first time ever the thought occurred to me that my former master truly might have found his equal.

I've been thinking that several times, too.

Before Boreas could stop Daná she zoomed toward the book that Calathus had been busy with earlier on. She threw it straight into the fire.

Reminds me of one of my favorite quotes: "This is not a book to be tossed aside lightly. It is to be hurled with great for

 

I am glad you were wrong about him. Perhaps you will see, as time passes by gradually, that you might be wrong with other folk, too. The line between good and evil is awfully thin.

Like Lucien? Because I was wrong about him BEFORE and I turned against him and I don?t want him to be good because he?s too slimy to be good.
*sigh* that line really is thin.

Go hubby



Chapter 41: Wuthering heights

We all gave Daná the time she needed to cool off. She was not only one of the strongest Force users in the room. She was also the sister who had the strongest bond with the missing Grianán.

Both very good reasons to let her be.


Each time I had forced myself to visit Luçien I really had not taken notice of what had happened around me. Ignorance was never a wishful state. Especially not for a student of the Force.

Yeah, it?s not good that she didn?t pay attention, but of course she didn?t think she would have to. I feel the same at times *sigh*
Definitely not good because she IS a Force sensitive.


He was such a jerk.

LOL that?s a polite way of putting it


The way he had pronounced her name. It had almost been like a gentle prayer

That?s because he?s a creeper.


But if I had noticed more, and taken more action, would I have crossed his path, and thus his plans, more often?

Those are scary thoughts.


?Yes, Khion Aletheia.? Skje nodded happily. ?Nice lad. He lives on a boat because he hates the political climate in the city too much.?

I can?t blame him. So Blandita?s response made me roll my eyes.


I never had understood why Arcana had done it.

Because she?s a psycho witch?


She seemes to have dreamed of becoming Lady Ankou her entire life.?

Yeah. That disturbs me.


Daná made a face. ?This is not his house any longer and it is my planet. He will need to live with that.?

That made me laugh.
Still, as much as I despise him, burning his books makes me sad.


The lengths that they went through for their mutual interest and feelings were as bewildering as they were frightening for outsiders.

Yuh-huh, that?s for damned sure.


?Honestly I don´t know. My head is swimming with information, while my heart aches. The man that I called master for so long is not anything I believed him to be. Nor is Grianán.?

It truly is a lot to wrap the brain around.


That gift runs stronger with the female members of the royal family than with the male ones.?

That also made me laugh. Females are crazy!


It?s all very overwhelming. I don?t blame Sionnach at all for crying.

 

Excellent update

both of you writing One story

 

A lazy day in is nice and it is great the your hubby helps with the story, well done.

 

Thanks, dear Misty.

 

Can´t stay that dead serious and dramatic all the time with this story here.

of course not!


See, Luçien has an ice cellar just at the back of the property.?

That wouldn?t be so weird, except it?s Lucien. So I just WANT to find it weird and suspicious.


At least she had not been kept out here in the dark, alone, afraid and cold.

Small favours. It?s the little things, for sure.


?This is not something that my children did,?

I was about to ask why it would be, when I remembered that Lucien & Sionnach did have children together.


Suddenly I noticed a change. The child had gotten older and more skilled, using an oil crayon now.

I like that, and that he kept them all
DARN! Now you have my heart feeling warm towards him. Rawr


The latter had holes instead of eyes. That was more than spooky.

Yes, well, it?s Lucien.

I really love that you included your paintings! They added depth to the story.


?Don?t forget that the princess is a seeker.

That is truly something dangerous to forget.


?How can a girl of barely four sun years old stand the total recall of another being??

Wow. I can?t believe it?s taken her this long to fully understand Grianan?s abilities.
Even though she?s naïve and doesn?t always pay attention, I?d think that such thoughts would have gone through her head.


Somehow it is sweet to know that Luçien kept all those that were ever done for him.?

Yes that? s why I?m angry. Hmph



Isabeau would not have left her with that creep, let alone let her have harp lessons.?

No, but Grianan?s always had a will of her own.

You know, I can?t even be frustrated with the girl. I can dislike Lucien easily, but not her for being so drawn to him. *shrugs*

I found Grianán barely alive. Ink tattoos of the Brotherhood of Shadows all over her body. Shaven like a sheep in spring.

 

Lucien sure is a person of many guises and so is all he does.

Nice to see that he has some nice too to keep the chest with drawings

But that writing

Nice update

 

Pretty pictures!

 

In this area of the planet, it was common to have such an ice cellars, just as the long-house used to have. That did not need to mean anything.

Uh.... I have to agree with Pants. It's suspicious because it's Lucien.

?Well, actually I do not know what exactly I found,? he admitted. ?But I would very much like to share those strange objects with all of you.?

Somehow I expected Sith artifacts....

At least she had not been kept out here in the dark, alone, afraid and cold.

Humpf. The way she was kept wasn't any better.

The more drawings I took out of the chest, the more it became clear to me that they were all done by the same child. Everything was done in bright, lively colours. It reminded me of the vibrancy of the Force vortex somehow.

This made me smile. That seems to fit perfectly to Grianan and the way she sees the world. Full of colors and wonders.

I love how you've tied in the drawings!

The latter had holes instead of eyes. That was more than spooky.

It's great how she (you) can capture what Lucien is like in a drawing.

?This is Adamah´s old holocron,? said Ruadhan while he peaked over my shoulder. ?I never knew you had it.?

Wow, Adamah's? Great revelation!

Draíocht also had a plausible explanation for this one. ?Don?t forget that the princess is a seeker. For her the past of a person is not only embedded in the objects she touches, but also in the skin of that person. I bet she can read almost everything she directly touches."

That must be a terrible gift. I would hate to touch people if I had such a skill. Too many terrible things to learn, too many cruel memories....not to mention that it's very invasive.

Even the bearer herself could end up as a victim of cruel interests.

Or could go insane. Or become completely indifferent to human emotions.

Èleos presence blazed up inside me and a heartbeat later he rested his chin on my other shoulder. His touch was soothing. ?My little sister was always stronger than most people give her credit for, Sionnach,? he let me know.

That comforts me.

"Grianán does not relive your memories the way you would yourself. That intensity would wear her out and kill her.?

Glad she doesn't relive them with the same intensity.

Oh Force, I just realized that it must be very hard for her to touch Lucien. All the things about him she'd see....

?Why would she want to do paintings for him?? she spat.

Because she loves him. *sighs* Dana, do you still don't see it?

?Harp?? Dána shrieked. ?Gri can play the harp? Who taught her? Blandita? She only plays the violin.?

Somehow the way Dana is freaking out here annoys me. Hwy is she still surprised that Grianan has secrets from her? It's not the first time Dana had to discover that.

?If my midwinter angel is broken beyond healing, I will turn your life into a living hell, Luçien. Make no mistake about that.

YES!!! He's on their side! *cheers*

I found Grianán barely alive. Ink tattoos of the Brotherhood of Shadows all over her body.

All the things Lucien has done make me sick. But I'm glad Taran came.

Shaven like a sheep in spring. You really make a neat mess of things sometimes, mon ami.

To hear of their sudden deaths does not surprise me in the least. Did you expect them to shrug their shoulders over your dark deeds and pretend everything was fine? You are the great pretender here.

Is he suggesting that Lucien killed Agathos and Narthex?

She is not the one that needs redemption at all. You do! And do not pretend that you don´t know deep down inside.

Yes! Finally someone who sees clearly! I wish Lucien could read this note!

You need more light upon you, not less.

Taran even sees the solution to it. The light will conquer the dark.


Great update! I hope Lucien will realize what he has done. Having to live with that will be the greatest punishment for him.

 

I'm glad I'm not alone!

 

Sunday was a lazy day for me too, we finally took the boat out and dropped anchor in a bay near a beach and waterfall. It was lovely going to sleep that night to the sound of the flowing waterfall.

Very nice pictures of Isabeau , Mórag MagUdhir and even Lucien in your story.

Funny you should mention a harp, I wear a gold harp on a chain around my neck.

 

People make their own choices.

 

Yes, people make their own choices, dear Misty. Which is always the danger and the chance with a Force user. But also with ordinary people.



*has just finished to comment to all the kind comments and put those before the actual update*

 

Nice update and see you soon

 

That they loved each other with sweetness, dedication and quirky humour was clear enough for everybody at Dún Barr to see and appreciate.

Mm, and sometimes that?s all that is needed.


Daná still hopes that Luçien has a food poisoning by now or will get one in the future at least.

Hmph, if only!


It still amazes me what siblings can do to one another.?

Yes, what families in general can do to one another


But rest assured it shook him to the core of his being. Made him realize the true dangers of the Dark Side of the Force. Even for himself.?

I believe it, but I still don?t trust it, not with Lucien.
Good hell, why did I like him so much originally again?


Sure, one fine sun day I would probably forgive Luçien on my behalf. Whether I could forgive him his crimes against Grianán was a totally different question

Fair enough. I understand those feelings completely. It?s so much harder to forgive someone for their crimes against another than it is to forgive them for what they did to you.


And I don?t blame Parhelion for not wanting to sleep in Lucien?s room!


Ah well, I am allowed to hold you in a public place. With many witnesses around us. And no Luçien is around to stop me.?

That makes me happy for them.


Luçien is hardcore though. Their prince of light. His name is like a reverent prayer. He is the purgatory around which they all gather.?

That?s because he?s psychotic.


?I need to hear it from his own lips though,? I said.

I think we all do. And yes, with as many witnesses as possible.


when our two love birds are back from their adventures on Amnion

Ew. I hate the thought of them being ?love birds.?


?We need to respect the honeymoon tour that Luçien has made for our sister as long as she wishes it.

?.
Yeah, yeah.


Parhelion made a flustered impression. ?As Luçien´s older brother I made some very wrong choices in the past.

I think he has atoned for those sins though.

 

The bit about the cookies reminded me: "Come to the Dark Side, we have cookies!"

So much going on here, all the wedding plans in addition to Lucien and Grianon's return. It should be interesting to see how this will play out.