Lost Souls & Changing Fate Part Two: Changing Fate

Chapter Eleven: Gaharis and Telemachus

It was nearly morning before Arianna returned to her quarters. After everything that had happened, she just couldn't bear to be confined. She spent the better part of two hours aimlessly prowling the corridors of the Andromeda, glad for once not to see anyone. If she was being honest with herself, which she tried to be, the person she was really avoiding was Rhade. In spite of what Trance said, Arianna was terrified that what she had done, what she had been forced to do, would change the way he felt about her. As her door slid silently closed behind her, Andromeda's hologram popped in with a message from Rhade.

"He requests that you meet him in his quarters whenever you are ready."

Arianna looked at the little clock on her bedside table. She had been awake for nearly thirty hours.

"Tell him I will be there in a few minutes please Andromeda."

"Of course."

What did he want? 'Whenever you are ready' sounded like something he would say. Arianna had never met a more understanding Nietzschean. She looked at her clock again, she had spent almost five minutes trying to talk herself into going over there.

"Courage heart," she whispered to herself as she crossed the hall to face her lover.

)0(

Rhade was pacing. There really wasn't enough space in his room to go very far, but he was making the most of what he had. When Andromeda had popped in to tell him Arianna was on her way, his stomach had given a rather sickening lurch. Thank the Divine his family wasn't here to witness this. His eyes again made the circuit from the door to the bedside table and back to the door again. He was having trouble breathing. What was taking her so long? What was he going to say?

)0(

The door gave a little ring to let him know she was there. Wiping his damp hands on his pants, he moved to let her in. Arianna stood frozen at the door. His face was completely unreadable, everything he might be thinking hidden behind a mask. As he gently ushered her inside, she couldn't help the spasm of fear that gripped her chest. Leading the way to a small seating area, Rhade moved to the box by his bed. His hands hovered for a moment, as if debating the wisdom of this plan, before he carried it gently to the sitting area. Arianna was puzzled. Usually, when they could find a spare moment, they were all over each other, but tonight there was not even a kiss.

"I think we need to talk about a couple of things." Rhade began, shifting slightly in his seat. "I must admit, things today were very surprising for me."

"I...I can explain" Arianna interrupted, panic exploding in her chest.

"I don't need you to explain."

"No! You have to give me the chance. I know how it looks..."

Rhade took her hands, "Never be ashamed to survive, to do what you have to do to protect yourself and the people you care about. Never." he said in a low, soothing voice.

That was all it took for the tears Arianna was desperately trying to hide, to come pouring down her face. Rhade moved to crouch beside her, his hands moving rhythmically up and down her back as he murmured soothing things into her hair.

"There is something very important I need to ask you." he said quietly, as her tears abated.

Arianna nodded, trying to rebuild her defenses. Rhade shifted the box so it was directly in front of Arianna.

"Open it."

Arianna reached out with trembling hands.

"Oh God."

"Arianna?"

"Oh my God."

"What do you think?"

"Dear sweet God."

"Do you like it then? Do you...what do you think?"

"It is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life."

"Is that a good thing?"

"This is the same one Gaharis bought."

"Excuse me?"

"Silver and pink, my two favorite things."

"Gaharis?"

"Yeah. Is that a problem?"

"I...really don't know."

"Do you want to take it back then?"

"No...no. I want to do this...if you want to."

"I want to."

"So it's settled then."

Telemachus Rhade reached into the box and pulled out the two double-helix arm bands. The silver and pink one he clipped lovingly onto Arianna's arm. The silver and blue one he passed to her. Reaching out with trembling hands, Arianna made the move that would bind her to Rhade forever.

)0(

In her quarters, Trance was smiling. Things were working out better than she ever could have imagined. Already, the future she so dreaded, was starting to fade away. What happened now was anyone's guess.