Chapter 1: In the Darkness Binding

Without saying goodbye, Cami shut off the message system in her temporary office and ran out the door. She knew that if Lysia said that something was urgent, you had better come running. A thousand possible emergencies flashed through the doctor’s mind, each growing more horrible than the previous one.

‘What more can happen?’ she wondered, now racing down through the corridors that lead to the medical wing. She would glance briefly on Ilene and hopefully find Dr. Cross. She needed him to care for the patients alone in her absence.

“Galen, wait up! It’s urgent!” Cami called, running down the hallway.

Surprised, Galen turned around. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know,” Cami replied. She froze when she realized that an awake Elara was in his arms. “Elara, thank heaven, you’re awake! You’d better come, too.”

“Cami, what’s going on?” Elara cried.

“Lysia has called a meeting of all the Sailors, Dylan, and the captain of the guard,” Cami explained. “I was going to ask Dr. Cross to stay on duty while I go.”

Elara paled. “You don’t think that something’s happened?”

“Whoa, Elara,” Cami said, hoping that she was exuding more conviction than she truly felt, “you’re jumping to conclusions. Maybe Lysia’s heard from Leda and the others.”

“Yes, maybe,” Elara said quietly.

Galen squeezed her briefly. He had wondered the same thing she had. Things on Jupiter had been going from bad to terrible at a frightening pace. He didn’t know how much more bad news the sisters and their family could take.

“We’d better get moving,” Cami stated. “Waiting isn’t going to help anything.”

They quickly made their way through the hallways, Galen still carrying Elara despite her protests. Within a few minutes they had arrived. Seeing the bleak expressions of the captain of the guards, Iphigenia, the twins, and everyone else in the room, Elara’s heart sank.

“This can’t possibly be good,” she whispered.

Holding her tighter and noting Lysia’s pale, stricken face, Galen knew Elara was right.

* * * * *

One of the guards threw Catilyn’s unconscious form into Alex’s arms while another opened a thick wooden door. Before he could get a good grip on his wife, Alex was shoved through the doorway. Feeling Caitlyn fall, he turned and took the brunt of the landing.

“Long live the Prince and Princess of Jupiter,” a guard jeered, slamming the door.

Alex carefully sat up and examined his wife. Caitlyn had been unconscious for a long time and he feared that the blow to her head may have caused some permanent damage. Although she appeared to be breathing and otherwise functioning fine, he just wasn’t sure. He wasn’t medically trained.

“If only Elara or somebody was here,” he whispered desperately.

Glaring around the room, he found it wasn’t a dungeon cell. Rather, it was a simple guestroom, meaning that they were locked in Naffid’s or some supporter’s house. Gently, Alex picked up his wife and laid on her on the plain bed. He quickly removed her shoes and tucked her under the quilts. He didn’t know who had paid them the small favor of letting them stay together, but Alex was nonetheless grateful.

He turned away from the bed reluctantly and examined their prison. The main chamber was a simple bedroom with three doors. One door was the one they entered through and undoubtedly guarded. Another door led to a closet which contained extra quilts. The final door led to a plain bathroom. There were no windows and no sizeable vents, offering no escape for the captive nobles.

With a sigh, Alex sat at the foot of the bed, watching his wife breathe. ‘I should have listened to your instincts, Cait,’ he silently realized. ‘You knew something wasn’t right, but I didn’t really pay attention. I’m sorry. Oh, Caitlyn, I’m sorry.’

Closing his eyes, he reached for his wife hand and vowed that she would get well, that they would get through this, and that Naffid was going pay dearly.

* * * * *

“. . . and your legacy.”

Leda sat up in the bed and swung her legs off the edge of the bed, fighting to keep quiet so Paul would continue to sleep. However, she immediately felt an arm around her shoulder, pulling her against a warm wall of flesh. Trembling, she clung to her husband.

“You’re okay,” Paul whispered, stroking her hair. “You’re safe. It was just a nightmare.”

She nodded, but the images of the dream were still vivid in her mind. ‘The ebony and the oak, Cignus and Jupiter, Cignus fallen and Jupiter to follow. My future and my legacy.’ Leda shivered convulsively.

Paul tightened his hold. “Shh, love. It was just a dream.” He felt so inadequate, repeating the trite phrases over and over, but he couldn’t think of anything else to do.

While Leda had still experienced visions during their marriages, her nightmares had never reached the levels as the ones on Cignus. It hurt him to see his wife so shaken, especially when he seemed so helpless to do anything about it. Yet, he would continue to be unable to do anything until Leda decided to tell him what was she was experiencing.

‘Leda, let me in. Don’t keep shutting me out,’ he pleaded silently. ‘Please, love.’

Closing her eyes, Leda could almost feel Paul’s frustration and concern. While she wasn’t sure her dream was exactly foretelling, she knew that her secrecy was hurting him.

“Continue to have faith in those you love, Lady Leda,” Cassandra had told her a long time ago. “No matter how dark the circumstances become. Remember my words.”

Leda had wondered why she had remembered those words now. The Princess of Jupiter had thought they were about her fight with Paul before Nadomus kidnapped her. Yet, she wondered if Cassandra had seen deeper into the future, to this present crisis. How much did the Guardian of Hope truly know about what was happening?

Paul gently held her against him, continuing to stroke her hair. Her wonderings about Cassandra would have to wait. The Guardian was right that Leda needed to trust in those she loved. Sighing, she opened her eyes and pulled back slightly out of Paul’s arms so she could face him.

“It wasn’t just a dream, Paul,” she said quietly. “I think it was another vision.”

His arms tightened again, a myriad of thoughts running through his mind. After a lengthy pause, he asked quietly, “What did you see?”

Quietly, with a strangely calm voice, she told him everything. She told of the vision and it’s frightening images. She gave him the details of Ulei’s story. Finally, she told him of her feelings of being torn between two things.

“It doesn’t seem good, does it, Paul?” she concluded with a shaky laugh.

He hugged her fiercely, as if he was protecting her from the future her visions were foretelling. “We don’t know what it all means just yet, Leda. Hopefully, things were become clearer, if you have more dreams.”

“Something to look forward to,” she murmured.

Paul took one of her ice-cold hands and placed it on his chest. “Leda, look at me.”

Perplexed, she gazed up at him with her stormy gray eyes. “What is it, Paul?”

He pressed her hand tighter against his chest. “I love you. When I married you, I promised to love you for better or for worse. I promised forever.”

“I promised the same to you,” she replied, using her free hand to cup his cheek.

He smiled briefly. “Sometimes, it seems you forget my vow. You take or do too much on your own, love. Please, remember, that I am here. As long as my heart beats, it’s yours.”

Leda closed her eyes briefly. “I’m sorry, Paul. I should have told you all this a long time ago.”

He gave her a genuine smile. For a moment, Leda’s worries and anxieties melted away. He loved her, the love shining from his eyes promising that they would face the future together. Taking her hand, he kissed the back of it.

“Let’s not make these secrets a habit,” he quipped.

Grateful for the joke, she laughed. “I’ll try."

As the laughter faded, the couple just held each other. For the first time since their arrival on Cignus, Leda felt a tentative, but genuine, hope. As she smiled, she found herself yawning. Paul chuckled.

“I think we still have a while before Cassandra gets us,” he said. “Want to give sleep another try?”

She nodded. “That’s a good idea. Who knows when she will let us have another break?”

They stretched out on the narrow cot, arms still wrapped around one another. Kissing his wife’s forehead, Paul drew the blankets over them. “Sleep well, love.”

“Sweet dreams, Paul.” Then, Leda curled against him and fell into a dreamless sleep.


In the Darkness Binding Without saying goodbye, Cami shut off the message system in her temporary office and ran out the door. She knew that if Lysia said that something was urgent, you had better come running. A thousand possible emergencies flashed through the doctor’s mind, each growing more horrible than the previous one. ‘What more can happen?’ she wondered, now racing down through the corridors that lead to the medical wing. She would glance briefly on Ilene and hopefully find Dr. Cross. She needed him to care for the patients alone in her absence. “Galen, wait up! It’s urgent!” Cami called, running down the hallway. Surprised, Galen turned around. “What’s going on?” “I don’t know,” Cami replied. She froze when she realized that an awake Elara was in his arms. “Elara, thank heaven, you’re awake! You’d better come, too.” “Cami, what’s going on?” Elara cried. “Lysia has called a meeting of all the Sailors, Dylan, and the captain of the guard,” Cami explained. “I was going to ask Dr. Cross to stay on duty while I go.” Elara paled. “You don’t think that something’s happened?” “Whoa, Elara,” Cami said, hoping that she was exuding more conviction than she truly felt, “you’re jumping to conclusions. Maybe Lysia’s heard from Leda and the others.” “Yes, maybe,” Elara said quietly. Galen squeezed her briefly. He had wondered the same thing she had. Things on Jupiter had been going from bad to terrible at a frightening pace. He didn’t know how much more bad news the sisters and their family could take. “We’d better get moving,” Cami stated. “Waiting isn’t going to help anything.” They quickly made their way through the hallways, Galen still carrying Elara despite her protests. Within a few minutes they had arrived. Seeing the bleak expressions of the captain of the guards, Iphigenia, the twins, and everyone else in the room, Elara’s heart sank. “This can’t possibly be good,” she whispered. Holding her tighter and noting Lysia’s pale, stricken face, Galen knew Elara was right. * * * * * One of the guards threw Catilyn’s unconscious form into Alex’s arms while another opened a thick wooden door. Before he could get a good grip on his wife, Alex was shoved through the doorway. Feeling Caitlyn fall, he turned and took the brunt of the landing. “Long live the Prince and Princess of Jupiter,” a guard jeered, slamming the door. Alex carefully sat up and examined his wife. Caitlyn had been unconscious for a long time and he feared that the blow to her head may have caused some permanent damage. Although she appeared to be breathing and otherwise functioning fine, he just wasn’t sure. He wasn’t medically trained. “If only Elara or somebody was here,” he whispered desperately. Glaring around the room, he found it wasn’t a dungeon cell. Rather, it was a simple guestroom, meaning that they were locked in Naffid’s or some supporter’s house. Gently, Alex picked up his wife and laid on her on the plain bed. He quickly removed her shoes and tucked her under the quilts. He didn’t know who had paid them the small favor of letting them stay together, but Alex was nonetheless grateful. He turned away from the bed reluctantly and examined their prison. The main chamber was a simple bedroom with three doors. One door was the one they entered through and undoubtedly guarded. Another door led to a closet which contained extra quilts. The final door led to a plain bathroom. There were no windows and no sizeable vents, offering no escape for the captive nobles. With a sigh, Alex sat at the foot of the bed, watching his wife breathe. ‘I should have listened to your instincts, Cait,’ he silently realized. ‘You knew something wasn’t right, but I didn’t really pay attention. I’m sorry. Oh, Caitlyn, I’m sorry.’ Closing his eyes, he reached for his wife hand and vowed that she would get well, that they would get through this, and that Naffid was going pay dearly. * * * * * “. . . and your legacy.” Leda sat up in the bed and swung her legs off the edge of the bed, fighting to keep quiet so Paul would continue to sleep. However, she immediately felt an arm around her shoulder, pulling her against a warm wall of flesh. Trembling, she clung to her husband. “You’re okay,” Paul whispered, stroking her hair. “You’re safe. It was just a nightmare.” She nodded, but the images of the dream were still vivid in her mind. ‘The ebony and the oak, Cignus and Jupiter, Cignus fallen and Jupiter to follow. My future and my legacy.’ Leda shivered convulsively. Paul tightened his hold. “Shh, love. It was just a dream.” He felt so inadequate, repeating the trite phrases over and over, but he couldn’t think of anything else to do. While Leda had still experienced visions during their marriages, her nightmares had never reached the levels as the ones on Cignus. It hurt him to see his wife so shaken, especially when he seemed so helpless to do anything about it. Yet, he would continue to be unable to do anything until Leda decided to tell him what was she was experiencing. ‘Leda, let me in. Don’t keep shutting me out,’ he pleaded silently. ‘Please, love.’ Closing her eyes, Leda could almost feel Paul’s frustration and concern. While she wasn’t sure her dream was exactly foretelling, she knew that her secrecy was hurting him. “Continue to have faith in those you love, Lady Leda,” Cassandra had told her a long time ago. “No matter how dark the circumstances become. Remember my words.” Leda had wondered why she had remembered those words now. The Princess of Jupiter had thought they were about her fight with Paul before Nadomus kidnapped her. Yet, she wondered if Cassandra had seen deeper into the future, to this present crisis. How much did the Guardian of Hope truly know about what was happening? Paul gently held her against him, continuing to stroke her hair. Her wonderings about Cassandra would have to wait. The Guardian was right that Leda needed to trust in those she loved. Sighing, she opened her eyes and pulled back slightly out of Paul’s arms so she could face him. “It wasn’t just a dream, Paul,” she said quietly. “I think it was another vision.” His arms tightened again, a myriad of thoughts running through his mind. After a lengthy pause, he asked quietly, “What did you see?” Quietly, with a strangely calm voice, she told him everything. She told of the vision and it’s frightening images. She gave him the details of Ulei’s story. Finally, she told him of her feelings of being torn between two things. “It doesn’t seem good, does it, Paul?” she concluded with a shaky laugh. He hugged her fiercely, as if he was protecting her from the future her visions were foretelling. “We don’t know what it all means just yet, Leda. Hopefully, things were become clearer, if you have more dreams.” “Something to look forward to,” she murmured. Paul took one of her ice-cold hands and placed it on his chest. “Leda, look at me.” Perplexed, she gazed up at him with her stormy gray eyes. “What is it, Paul?” He pressed her hand tighter against his chest. “I love you. When I married you, I promised to love you for better or for worse. I promised forever.” “I promised the same to you,” she replied, using her free hand to cup his cheek. He smiled briefly. “Sometimes, it seems you forget my vow. You take or do too much on your own, love. Please, remember, that I am here. As long as my heart beats, it’s yours.” Leda closed her eyes briefly. “I’m sorry, Paul. I should have told you all this a long time ago.” He gave her a genuine smile. For a moment, Leda’s worries and anxieties melted away. He loved her, the love shining from his eyes promising that they would face the future together. Taking her hand, he kissed the back of it. “Let’s not make these secrets a habit,” he quipped. Grateful for the joke, she laughed. “I’ll try." As the laughter faded, the couple just held each other. For the first time since their arrival on Cignus, Leda felt a tentative, but genuine, hope. As she smiled, she found herself yawning. Paul chuckled. “I think we still have a while before Cassandra gets us,” he said. “Want to give sleep another try?” She nodded. “That’s a good idea. Who knows when she will let us have another break?” They stretched out on the narrow cot, arms still wrapped around one another. Kissing his wife’s forehead, Paul drew the blankets over them. “Sleep well, love.” “Sweet dreams, Paul.” Then, Leda curled against him and fell into a dreamless sleep.


Chapter 2: Setting the Stage Jupiter's Gone