Between the Light and the Darkness - Chapter 16 - Truth and Consequences

"What!?"

While Tim stood there with his mouth gaping open, Ileeya took the water pitcher and sat down, back against the wall. She took a long drink before starting her tale.

"It was a lot of fun growing up with a twin sister."

"We used to play tricks on friends who could never tell us apart. We were very close."

"Our father was a warrior, and couldn't wait to shove a sword into our hands. It didn't matter to him that he had no sons - he wanted to share his knowledge with us. I loved it, the feel of the sword in my hand and the cool breeze against my face, the flowers still wet with dew in the early morning, bright sunshine in a crisp blue sky. The way father smiled at me so proudly when I did well...it was a great time. But Shirra didn't think so. She never seemed to be cut out for athletic pursuits. She preferred reading indoors than to swordplay out in the sun. Shirra took a liking to magic and started studying it in secret because father refused to let her practice it."

"She began to resent father for not giving up on her when she wanted to quit. He thought magic was a waste of time. 'A strong warrior doesn't need magic to aid him', he'd always tell us. 'Let your sword do your talking.'

We were always grouped together. Birthdays, celebrations, schooling. It was always 'the girls' this and 'the girls' that, never 'Ileeya did this while Shirra did that.' I enjoyed sword fighting, so father made us both continue. Shirra really hated him for that."

"I can't put my finger on exactly when it happened, but Shirra began changing. She didn't enjoy the same things anymore, she grew impatient and hateful. We began to drift apart. She would constantly challenge and rebel against our parents. I can't believe some of the things she used to say to them. Heartless things. My mother used to cry herself to sleep most nights. Father didn't know what to do."

"Shirra started using her knowledge in magic for the wrong reasons, usually to cause discomfort to another. Rashes, bug bites, things like that. She wouldn't admit to it, of course, but I knew my sister."

"Gradually, she grew more aggressive with her powers. She started killing small animals, and delighted in making people sick."

"Our mother became very ill, she was bedridden for weeks. We thought she would die."

"Father accused Shirra of being behind it and sent her away. She claimed innocence, but he wouldn't have it."

"She begged him on her knees to let her stay, and that she would try to help mother with her magic. Father refused - and scorned her for even suggesting it."

"She vowed she'd be back and we would all pay. Her face was so black that day. She was so mad. Shaking with rage. But underneath I could see the pain. I felt really bad for her, I hadn't really believed she made mother sick, but I was relieved to see her go. The house had been in turmoil for years, and this promised relief."

"And for a couple of years, everything was so peaceful. Shirra was practically forgotten. Father and I continued our lessons. I started seeing one of the boys from the village...", fresh tears started to stream down her face. She wiped them away with a shaky hand and continued. "His name was Malir.

"He was a childhood friend of both Shirra and myself. We both had a crush on him. He was so handsome with his smooth golden skin, straw colored hair, and bright green eyes. He had so much promise." She giggled and said, "Shirra and I had promised to share him when we grew up, switch places so we could both have a turn in case he liked one of us better than the other. It was a silly girl thing, we were just children."

"When Malir and I grew past adolescence, we started seeing each other on a regular basis. I was very happy. Happier than I had ever been before. Our relationship grew very serious. There was talk of marriage."

"One day, Shirra came back, as she had promised. I didn't even know her. She was so different. She looked the same, but everything else about her was different. So...evil. She told me she'd come back for revenge. She wanted Malir..." her voice started to shake and she took a moment to compose herself.

"I refused to give him up. She got really angry and promised she would take him anyway."

"That night, while everyone was sleeping, a freak fire set the entire village ablaze. Many, many people died in that accident; my parents and grandparents, neighbors, friends."

"I managed to get out, and when I did, Shirra was standing there, laughing. I was disgusted and horrified. And mad."

" 'I told you," she said, 'I told you I'd seek revenge.'

And then I saw him. Malir was standing a few feet behind her. He was alive!"

"I ran to him, but he wouldn't answer. He wouldn't look at me. I kept calling to him, it was like his mind had just...stopped."

" 'What did you do to him?' I yelled at Shirra.

'He's mine, now,' she said. 'I took his memories of you away from him.' "

"I looked back at Malir, at his vacant eyes reflecting the light of the burning village. His once beautiful eyes, that shone like pale green gems when he looked at me...now saw nothing.

Shirra walked over to him then."

Ileeya's voice filled with rage and her eyes grew dark with hatred as she talked. "She walked up beside him and kissed him on the cheek.

'Does it bother you to see him this way, sister dear?' she asked me.

'Why would you do this?'

She laughed. 'You can have him back, if you wish. All you have to do is come with me.'

'Where?' "

" 'To the other side, of course. Let me show you what it's like to have real power. With your sword skill and my magic, we could be formidable, indeed.' "

" 'You disgust me.' I told her, 'How could you do this? How could you kill our whole village? All our friends? People we grew up with? Our parents? You're a freak! I'll never join with you!' "

"Her eyes turned black. 'So,'she said, 'you're rejecting me too? First our friends, then our own parents, and then Malir. Sweet Malir,' she said as she ran a finger down the side of his face. 'That's right, sister, I came to Malir. I tried to persuade him to come with me. But he rejected me, too. And now my own sister.' She pulled out a dagger..."

Ileeya began to talk breathlessly, barely able to keep from hyperventilating.

"She took out a dagger," she continued, "and before I could stop her, she slit Malir's throat. His blood gushed out everywhere as he fell to the ground. She started laughing! I had never felt so much hate for anyone

"I lunged at her, knocking the dagger out of her hand. We fought for what seemed like an eternity."

"I managed to get it away from her and...and...," she choked back a sob, "I killed her. I buried the dagger in her chest up to the hilt."

She looked at Tim, her eyes pleading, "I didn't want it to end that way. You have to believe me. I loved my sister. But I had no choice. It was either her or me," she broke into hysterical sobs.

"I'm sorry, Malir! I'm so so sorry."

Oh boy. Tim never would have expected such a horrid tale from such a seemingly innocent young woman. No wonder she didn't want to share this story.

For a moment, Tim did nothing. Just stood there and tried to absorb everything Ileeya had told him. Then common sense took over. He embraced her, clutching her tightly as she sobbed. He just held her, with her head pressed against his chest, for several minutes. He smoothed her hair down and kissed the top of her head.

"Now you know the truth," she whispered, pulling back from him.

Tim felt a stab of guilt at this. He was the reason she was in so much pain right now.

"It wasn't your fault, Ileeya. Nothing you could have done would have changed anything."

"I know. But that doesn't make it any easier. I still have nightmares about it a lot. For days after that I wandered aimlessly. That's when I stepped into the portal. I was too numb to be scared. I didn't really care what happened to me. I had nothing to live for. I had lost everything that was important to me. Gradually, I accepted what happened, and learned that life was worth living again. I made a few friends and shared my fighting skills with them, when requested."

She gave him a small smile and brushed some of the hair out of his eyes. They stood in the comfort of each other's arms, eyes locked.

"Just for the record," she said in her sweet voice, "I love you, too." His heart leapt for joy as he placed his hand on her head, under her hair and pulled her to him. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, one hand in his hair and the other across his strong back. They shared a tender kiss, then retreated to their beds.

In a few short moments she was sleeping lightly. She must be exhausted. It had been an emotionally taxing evening. Tim, however, could not claim sleep, even after more than an hour.

While her breathing gradually grew deeper, Tim leaned against the door mulling over her tale. What a horrific thing to have gone through. To lose so many of the people you loved, and under such dire circumstances. At the hands of your own sister! Tim didn't think any less of her for killing Shirra. She definitely deserved it.

He paced restlessly as he thought about the nightmares he had after he had gotten here. They almost made some sense. Especially the one he had where he was in the dark and quiet village, only to find all the town's residents in a heap. The woman standing there, that must have been Shirra. The bodies going up in flames obviously represented what had happened that night. Shirra turning into a demon must be because she had opened herself up to evil, and became, in essence, a monster.

The other dreams, the first one where Ileeya was an angel and then turned into a demon, didn't make a whole lot of sense, but then again, most dreams didn't. Maybe it wasn't Ileeya, but Shirra the whole time. She had been a good person before she started changing. Tim wondered what had happened in Shirra's life to make her change so drastically. The dream where Shirra was on the black horse and killed Ileeya did make sense. It represented what really happened; Shirra had tried to kill Ileeya.

But why was he having these dreams? Were they subconscious messages to him from Ileeya? Gertie had said Ileeya had great power, then it wouldn't be entirely unreasonable for Ileeya to have sent these messages to him. But why? To tell him about her past? That didn't sound right. To ask you for help. That did sound right. But what kind of help? And how was he supposed help her realize her potential? Just come right out and tell her? Would she even believe him?

Frustrated, Tim took a deep breath and gazed upon his sleeping angel. She stirred up passions in him he didn't even know he had. No woman had ever made him feel so alive. He'd had relationships before, but they never lasted long. None of the women he had dated for more than a week really got his blood flowing like Ileeya did. He really wanted to help her, but didn't know how. Tim hoped he would find the answers to all his questions soon.

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"AAAAAUUUUUGGGG!!! How could you let this happen, Jondak?" Shirra screamed as she flung a heavy bookend at him.

He dodged it easily, anticipating it. Jondak was in Shirra's dwelling again, and, begrudgingly, had just told her about Tim and Ileeya's kiss in the courtyard. He knew she'd be furious, and that she'd blame him. He considered not telling her, but he knew she'd find out if he were lying. And the punishment would be severe.

"That little slut is going to ruin everything!"

Jondak remained quiet, so as not to fan the flames of her rage.

"Do you understand what's at stake here? I know I asked you to back off, but I didn't think the little strumpet would ensnare him so quickly. That's just going to make my job more difficult. "

"You're going to need to remedy this situation. But don't kill him. He's mine."

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The next day was a field day. The time had come for the field to be planted again. Tim, for once, was not bothered by the toiling in the hard dirt, nor the hot sun blazing upon his back and neck. And when the planting came to an end, Tim whistled to himself as he scrubbed the sweat and muck from his body. Life was different when you were in love. Even if you were in love with a nonhuman on an alien world.

After the men and women had gone to their separate bathhouses to wash up, they went to the dining hall, as usual. It wasn't ten minutes into the meal when he looked up and saw Jondak sitting next to Ileeya, being his usual annoying self. Then he rested his hand on top of hers.

Tim stiffened. This, he would not tolerate.

He got up and when she saw him, Ileeya pleaded with her eyes for him not to intervene. Tim decided to regardless. He walked over to where Jondak was sitting.

"Heya, Jondak. I believe you're in my seat."

"That's funny," said Jondak in his thick accent, "you don't usually sit here."


"Well, I decided that this will be my seat from now on. I'm asking you nicely to move," Tim said with a confidence he didn't feel.

Jondak stood up. "Are you telling me I can't sit where I want?"

"I don't care where you sit, Jondak, as long as you don't sit here."

Ileeya piped up at this point, "Tim, stop acting like a jealous boyfriend."

Tim looked at her. "I am a jealous boyfriend."

"Did you hear that? It sounds as if Tim owns you, Ileeya," Jondak said with a sneer.

"Nobody owns me, Tim."

Not taking his eyes off Jondak Tim said, "I'm aware of that, Ileeya, but Jondak doesn't have the right to hassle you everyday at lunch."

Jondak feigned astonishment, "Me? Hassle her? She enjoys my visits. Don't you, Ileeya?"

"How can she possibly enjoy your visit when you're breathing down her neck? She can't even eat her lunch because you're always there, grabbing at her, blowing in her ear...,"

"Tim, please..."

"All the lady has to do is ask me to leave if she doesn't enjoy my company," Jondak interrupted.

All the people in the lunch room stopped eating to listen. Even the guards were paying attention, debating on whether they should break it up or not. They decided not. It was starting to get entertaining.

"Would you actually leave if she asked you to, Jondak? Because I kind of get the impression you're pretty stubborn."

"Will you guys please stop it?" Ileeya asked them both.

"I don't see how this is any of your business, Tim. This is between Ileeya and myself," Jondak said.

"I'm speaking on her behalf," Tim replied.

"I don't need you to protect me, Tim."

"There. You see?" Jondak told Tim with the arrogance that was as much a part of him as his head. "You're not necessary to this conversation. I suggest you leave."

Tim drew himself up. "I'm not going anywhere. You're the one who should be leaving. Ileeya is spoken for."

"That's enough, Tim. You're embarrassing me."

"Yes, Tim, you're embarrassing me, too. Run along, now, human."

As a reply, Tim punched Jondak square in the jaw. Jondak staggered back but retained his footing. Tim closed the distance and slugged him again. Jondak repaid him with a punch in the stomach.

And the fight was on. The entire lunchroom was gathered around them now, watching with fascination. The guards watched with interest, as well, and let it go on for several minutes to see if the situation would resolve itself.

Tim got in a few good punches, as did Jondak. Ileeya looked like she didn't know either one of them. The guards, seeing this going on and on, decided to finally separate the two.

Both men had blood coming from various parts of their faces. The guards apprehended them both and took them to separate punishment cells.

Tim's cell was almost pitch black and he was served only water. He cursed himself for his temper and wondered how long he was going to be stuck in here.