Chapter ~ Ten

Chapter ~ Ten

          A cool-down

Quorra:

Ok... that was not expected!!
Everybody starred at Venila, then to me.
Trying to decide if what Zaydie had just said was true, or if she was pulling our legs.
Even Venila looked a little startled. But not that much.

"Wait... what? A... clone?" Lexi asked.
Zaydie nodded slowly. I looked down at myself. My hands, my hair, my face, they were all mirrored on her. Almost exactly.
The two of us turned and studied the other.
She wasn't real.
She was just a clone.
Well. At least my identity wasn't stolen... really. In a way I guess it was.

"Why did Reese call me Venila?" I asked, turning to my sister... at least who I thought was my sister.
She hesitated, and pain washed over her face. Like it was a real touchy subject.
We heard commotion up stairs and we all tensed.
"We'll talk more latter." Zaydie said. "For now, lets get out of here. Are you coming?" She turned to Venila.
She shook her head.
"No I have to go get everyone settled down and find out what's going on and all."
Zaydie nodded and motioned for the rest of us to go.
I was the last one to jog out of the room.
I glanced back for a moment and met the gaze of Venila. She was examining her right hand, as if it didn't belong to her. She then looked up at me and gave me a kind,... yet sad... smile.
I didn't return it, I was to confused and a little hurt to be nice to her. So I just turned and ran out the door to catch up.

****

Creator... why?... what's going on?.... I'm only human... I don't understand everything you do....
So you've got to help me.... I don't understand.... I'm lost.... it's dark.... I can't see the end of the tunnel.... show me what I'm missing.... show me why it's all messed up....

****

Everybody else went back inside, but not me.
No not me.
I stayed outside on the roof of Hakeam's roof.
My leg dangled over the rim of the roof while I wrapped my arms around my other.
I gazed absently over the city as the snow fell on my eyelashes and my hair.
The hum of the city became dull, as I tuned them out of my mind. Soon it was peaceful as people started to go to sleep. Lights turned off, and soon the city was quiet on it's own.
I could hear the wind whip past my ears and it made music of it's own.

"You and your sister." I turned to see Sav come up next to me and sit down in the cold snow.
"You've always been attracted to really tall heights haven't you?" He asked with a chuckle.
I smiled but didn't say anything.
"So what's eating you this time?" He asked, looking at the dark city as well.
"Did Zaydie tell you?"
I saw him nod out of the corner of my eye.
"Then I guess you already know the answer to that question." I stated.
He nodded slowly.
"Alright. So Venila's a clone. Boo-hoo. Tough for her. But why does that have you down?" He asked.
I sighed.
"Reese called me 'Venila.'"
"He was old. He was dying. He probably had you mixed up." Sav defended.
I shook my head.
"There was... clerity. He knew what he was talking about. He didn't have us mixed up."  I said quietly.
Sav groaned and turned to look at me.
"Are you for real?"
I met his hard gaze.
"Yeah... why?"
He shook his head.
"Why won't you just ignore the facts and go with what you feel? I mean you know your Quorra. Zaydie's rambunctious sister that always gets in trouble, the one that's always happy and hyper, the one who always looks at the bright side of things!"
His eyes were full of fire... but why? What did he have to loose? it was me that should be fighting back, not him. Yet here I am... giving in.
"I can't find the bright side of this problem Savrin." I said quietly. Looking back out at the city. Sav jerked back in shock.
"I've only been able to see the bright side because I knew I would figure the answer out in the end... but now.. I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. It's just been draggin down on me so bad... Everything has been wearing on forever. I can't seem to get a break. It all just keeps coming back over and over again. And I think... It's finally caught up with me." I confessed quietly.
It was true. But I had never said it to anyone. It was just something I bottled up and didn't let out.
But it made sense to tell Savrin. Ha!

I didn't dare look Sav in the eye. I didn't want to loose what little self-control I had left.
But I could tell he was watching me.
"There's a silver linning in everything Quorra. It just takes a little courage to find it." Sav said kindly. "And I know that you have that courage. So where'd it go huh?" He bumped into my shoulder playfully. I chuckled and moved a strand of hair behind my ear, while wiping a tear away at the same time.
"it's crazy... but... I think I know where it is." I said with a smile.
"Well why don't you just get it?"
I looked him in the eye and gave him a cocky grin.
"Well that's just the trick isn't it?"
yeah... I knew where it was...
"Well at least your smiling again. Even if I have no clue what your saying."
I laughed.
"Yeah. I figured. Come on. It's getting cold, and I'm freezing." I said standing up and wiping the snow off my pants.
Sav jumped to his feet and suddenly pulled me into a hug.
I was too shocked to react at the moment.
"I'll keep my promise. Ok? Just holler if you need a helping hand." He let me go and gave me that smile that sent butterflies to go crazy.
I chuckled and nodded.
"Same here."
He nodded and we jumped down from the roof.
Zaydie and Kylun met us in the door way. She wore a face that made me worry.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"You want to know why he called you 'Venila'?" Zaydie asked quietly.
I nodded. I felt Sav slip his hand in mine supportively as Zaydie prepared to give me the full story.
I grinned on the inside when I watched Kylun do the same to my sister.

"Well... he knew what he was talking about."
I cocked my head and waited for her to continue.
"Sixteen years ago, Ulrikima was attacked. Reese was still the Governor and he was married as well."
My eyebrows rose.
"His wife died in the battle, and after that, he sent his infant daughter away from the city. He told the messenger to get her as far from Ulrikima as possible... The city didn't know that the princess had been sent away from the city. So he improvised. He didn't want to bring the daughter back because it wasn't safe. The Fallen was watching him extremely close.
So... he made a clone. No one was the wiser, and he called her by his daughter's name, so no one never knew the mix up."
As Zaydie had been talking, my grip on Savrin's hand had tightened as I tried to make sense of this all.
"So... your saying... that I'm a princess?! And I'm not even related to you?!" I asked.
Zaydie nodded.
"Yes you are a princess. And you might not be related to me by blood, but we opened our arms to you and welcomed you into our home, our family. Your as much as related to me as anybody else in this world." Zaydie said with a kind smile as she took a step forward and grasped my shoulders gently.
"Even though your adopted. That doesn't change anything. Your still my sister. And I'm still yours. You just found out that you have a new path you can take. One that might turn out better. You can start a new life here." She looked around with a smile on her face. I looked up at her, then around at the dark city. "In peace and quiet. With no chance of dying in the morning by a dark figure. And who knows. You might even have kids of your own someday. When your old enough."
I couldn't believe this. Zaydie was offering me a tick out. She was saying that I could take up my old life and have a new shot at everything. But then...

I looked up at Zaydie who was trying to hold back tears with a smile. Then to Kylun behind her who looked like the old glum Kylun I use to know before he was taken over by this blondie.
Kigo and Lexi were leaning inside the door way giving me smiles. Saying they'll support me in what ever decision I choose.
And finally I turned to Sav right next to me. He tried to mask the fear and loss in his eyes, and he gave me a reassuring smile.
"But then... I would loose all of the things I have in this life." I said, turning back to my sis.
"All of the things I've worked for. All of my family. The ones I actually consider family. All of my friends."
[I noticed that side glance.]
So? haha your point?

"And I don't want to loose that. That would be to much. I'm staying right where I am." I said with a determined smile. Zaydie let out what seemed to be a mix of a laugh, sob, and a sigh.
The tension between the four of us evaporaited. Kylun gave me a wink and a thumbs up and Sav scooped me up and spun me around. Causing Zaydie to jump back in order to avoid getting hit in the face.
We were both laughing as I kept my grip around his neck.
"You freaked me out for a minute there." He said, coming to a stop. My feet swung around till I pulled them under me.
"I have a promise to keep. Remember?" I said with a grin. He looked at me for a minute and nodded.
"Yup. And I don't think I would let you break it."
I laughed.
"No. Some how I don't think so either."
He let me go and I turned back to my sister who was grinning with a cocked eyebrow.
I stuck my tongue out and everyone laughed.
"Time for a cool down." Lexi stated, jumping up next Zaydie. "A well deserved cool down I might add." She said. We all chuckled again and nodded.
"What did ya have in mind?" I asked. Lexi got a sneaky look in her eye. Uh-oh

****

It's hard to tell where your sense of balance is when your on skates, on slippery ice.
Hahaha. yup. That was Lexi's evil idea.
Ice skating.
Us girls were naturals... naturally. Ha! But the boys... well that was a different story.

I spun around Sav who was still trying to get the hang of it.
"would you stop that? It's freaking me out." He stated. I laughed and came up next to him, offering my hand.
He glanced up at me and took it.
"Why?" I asked as I pulled him a long the frozen lake.
"Because I keep waiting for you to fall." He answered.
"Look, push, and glide. Real easy." I demonstrated. "But look where your going!" I cried, jerking his arm closer to me as I wove my way through the crowd.
We came to an open space and I slowed down. He looked winded slightly, and also, slightly startled.
"don't do that either."
I laughed.
"spoil sport."
He shot me a look. Which just made me chuckle more.

I looked around and saw Havrin sitting in the snow near the lake. His eyes were on me.
I looked up at Savrin with a smile.
"I'll be right back."
"where are you going?"
I glanced back at Havrin.
"To help a friend. Your doing fine." I said with a smile. I then let go of his hand and skated off toward Havrin.
I skidded to a stop in front of him and bent down, with my hands on my knees.
"Need help?" I asked.
Havrin glanced up at me with that gloomy look.
"What are you looking for?"
He took a minute to answer, but he did.
"Peace."
I was a little shocked by his answer. But I understood.
"You'll be leaving soon won't you?"
He looked up at me in shock, like I had just guessed his best secret.
His face turned grave again, and he gave me a curt nod.
"Hmm...." I stood upright and held my chin in my hand.
"Well there's only one place I know to get that. And that's in Paradise."
"Pfft. Well that's not going to help me." He muttered.
"Maybe not right at this moment. But do you believe in the Creator?"
He gave another curt nod.
"Then your all set!" I exclaimed.
He shot me another look.
I groaned.
"Pessimist." I muttered. That made him crack a smile. "Look. So long as you know your going to Paradise, there's nothing to fear here in this world. Nothing can hurt you, there for your at peace. Granted... that's hard sometimes, but the only way I've found peace is when I know that I'm doing something right. Like the Creator himself is behind me whispering 'Good job.'"
He dazed off and seemed to be thinking. I waited quietly as he seemed to be miles away.
"Does that help?"
He then turned to me with a smile growing on his face. A sincere smile!!!!
"yeah! It does!! Thanks Quorra" He jumped to his feet and threw his arms around my neck.
I gasped as gripped his arms to keep my balance.
"Don't change. 'kay?" He asked, pulling me away and giving me a smile. Which was really weird to see on him I must say.
I got over the shock and returned the smile and nodded.
"Sure. I'll do my best."
He nodded and then ran off.
Leaving me there with a fuzzy feeling. Like I had just done something right, and the Creator was standing behind me saying. 'Good job Quorra.'

****

I skated over to Zaydie and Kylun.
"What do we do now?" I asked.
Zaydie sighed and clutched her stomach again.
"I knew it wouldn't last long. Well-"
She was cut off by an ear-piercing whistle.
I leaned backwards and looked toward the edge of the lake. My eyebrows shot up, and my jaw dropped.
Zaydie chuckled, and Sav laughed.
"You've got to be kidding. He's got one heck of timing." He said.
I skated off to the edge of the lake and jumped the boy.
He was startled and we fell backwards into the snow.
"Sheesh Quorra!" He groaned. I giggled and rolled off him. Careful to not cut him with my skates.
He sat up and I grinned.
A girl came over and smiled down at both of us.
Her brown hair fell into her eyes, but it didn't cover her smile.
"Vegg!!" I cried pulling her down into a hug.
She giggled and hugged me back.
"Hey Quorra. I see you found Matrix again. Haha."
I grinned and looked over at her brother.
He rolled his eyes but that didn't keep the smile off his face. He fixed his hat that covered his brown hair.
"Humph." He muttered, looking up at me with blue eyes.
I smiled at him and pushed myself back to my feet and back out onto the ice.
"Welcome back!" Zaydie cried. Coming up next to me.
"Hey man. Haha! I see you bumped into Quorra already." Sav said lending a hand to Matrix.
"yeah." He said as Sav pulled him to his feet. "Who are they?" He asked, gesturing to the rest of the gang.
"This is Lexi, that's Kigo. And this," I swung my arm around Kylun's shoulder. "Is my sister's husband. Yes!" I shouted stopping them from saying anything. "She got married after you left. Well... not right after you left, see when you left we then had to go and see-"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ok thanks Quorra." Kylun interrupted. I chuckled and let go of him.
"So what are you guys doing here?" Zaydie asked.
"Well... we wanted to beat the traffic." Vegg explained.
"Traffic?" the rest of us asked. The two of them nodded solemnly.
"Better sharpen your blades, cock your guns. What ever. We're going to have a big long battle ahead." Rix said grimly.
The group went quiet and we all prayed silently.
Protect us... keep us safe.