Chapter 10: Worries and Duties

“You’re the Child of Light,” Monea said quietly, her eyes widening in surprise. “If you defeated the Empress, you have to be.”

Glancing briefly at Cassandra, Jupiter turned back to the younger woman. “Yes, I am.”

“Then you’re the true princess,” Ren cried. “You’re the rightful ruler of Cignus, not Hadrian.”

Jupiter lowered her head. “Perhaps.”

“Perhaps? As the Child of Light, it’s your duty to free Cignus of the Shadow Moon.”

“And what about Jupiter, our home?” Ganymede asked, wrapping a supportive arm around his wife.

“Cignus is her home, her legacy!”

“Enough!” Cassandra cried, standing between the two mean. “That is enough!”

Ren stepped forward about to say something else when Monea grabbed his arm, restraining him. Glaring at the other man, Ganymede stepped in front of his wife as if to shield her from Ren. Cassandra sighed and rolled her eyes.

“It’s late and nerves are frayed,” the Guardian of Hope stated. “Nothing meaningful can be decided now. I suggest that we all get some rest and try to discuss things in a few hours.”

The Guardian’s tone made her suggestion an order. Nodding, Jupiter grabbed Ganymede’s hand and led him back into his room. Ren and Monea watched the pair leave before they too left and entered a room further down the hall. Dido made a gesture and the Teardrop Glaive disappeared.

“I hope that you don’t plan on those two helping us out,” Dido commented dryly.

“Ren will do what Monea tells him to do. She has the real power,” Cassandra replied.

Dido quirked an eyebrow. “How do you know that?”

“Can’t you feel it?” Cassandra asked, her surprise evident on her face.

Dido gave a noncommittal shrug. “Nothing too astounding.”

“Maybe I’m losing my touch,” Cassandra murmured.

Dido studied Cassandra for a moment. “What do you mean?”

“What?” Cassandra asked.

“What do you mean by losing your touch?”

“Oh, nothing,” Cassandra replied. “I suggest we both get some rest, Dido. Who knows what’s ahead of us?”

Dido nodded, reluctant to leave. As she held headed to the room she would be staying in, she glanced back at Cassandra. “I was hoping you did.”

Cassandra remained motionless. Sighing, Dido entered the room and shut the door. As she headed to her room, Cassandra released a sigh of her own.

“I wish I did, Dido.”

* * * * *

“Are you hungry?” Leda asked, removing her cloak and her bag of supplies.

“Sure, I could eat,” Paul replied.

Opening her bag, Leda pulled out two packages and a canteen. The pair sat down on the cot, unwrapping their sandwiches. As they ate, Paul glanced at his wife, relishing their reunion.

Although they had been married for twenty years, they tried to spend as little apart as possible. Each time they were separated he felt that he had left half of himself behind. Over the past couple of days, with the stresses they were facing, he had been extremely reluctant to be apart from her. Yet, it had been the best solution at the time.

However, Leda’s appearance concerned him. She was pale, emphasizing the dark circles under her eyes. She seemed so withdrawn and distant.

Swallowing the last bite of the sandwich, he reached out and covered one of her hands with his. “Leda, love, are you all right?”

She glanced up, surprised by the question. “Of course.”

“You’re a terrible liar,” he said gently. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Placing a hand on his cheek, she studied him. ‘How can I tell him that I now doubt who I am? That I am constantly plagued with guilt? Does he know that a wrong decision on our part can mean that people will die? How can I tell him that I am being torn and I don’t know by what?’

Closing her eyes, she pushed the grim thoughts aside and shook her head. Sighing, he covered the hand on his cheek with his.

“You can tell me, Leda,” he said gently. “You know that don’t you?”

With her eyes still closed, she nodded. He leaned forward and brushed his lips against her forehead.

“Then, tell me, love. What’s troubling you?”

Again, she shook her head. “I can’t, Paul, I just can’t.”

“Why?”

She pulled away from him and opened her eyes. “I’m tired. Can we just go to sleep?”

“Leda, I need to know . . .”

“Paul,” she said, interrupting, “I’m tired. Let’s sleep.”

“All right, Leda,” he said, sighing in defeat.

She grabbed his neck and kissed him with a sense of urgency. ‘Like this is the last time,’ he thought, wrapping his arms around her. After a few moments, Leda reluctantly pulled away.

“When I can, I’ll tell you, Paul,” she promised.

“I’m here for you, Leda,” he said, running his fingers through her hair. “You know that.”

She nodded and then managed a weak smile. “Can we sleep now? I haven’t slept in almost two days.”

Nodding, he got up with her and turned down the covers of the cot. He stretched on his side, leaving her enough room on the rather small cot. Pulling the covers back over them, she snuggled against him and immediately fell asleep.

As his wife slept, Paul watched her, wondering what was troubling so much. Generally when Leda had a vision or a recurring dream, she would tell him. It had been a long time since they had kept secrets from each other.

Brushing a stray strand of hair off her face, he kissed her forward. “I am here for you, love,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “Never forget that.”

Gazing for a few more moments, he laid his head on the pillow next to hers and drifted into an uneasy sleep.


Worries and Duties “You’re the Child of Light,” Monea said quietly, her eyes widening in surprise. “If you defeated the Empress, you have to be.” Glancing briefly at Cassandra, Jupiter turned back to the younger woman. “Yes, I am.” “Then you’re the true princess,” Ren cried. “You’re the rightful ruler of Cignus, not Hadrian.” Jupiter lowered her head. “Perhaps.” “Perhaps? As the Child of Light, it’s your duty to free Cignus of the Shadow Moon.” “And what about Jupiter, our home?” Ganymede asked, wrapping a supportive arm around his wife. “Cignus is her home, her legacy!” “Enough!” Cassandra cried, standing between the two mean. “That is enough!” Ren stepped forward about to say something else when Monea grabbed his arm, restraining him. Glaring at the other man, Ganymede stepped in front of his wife as if to shield her from Ren. Cassandra sighed and rolled her eyes. “It’s late and nerves are frayed,” the Guardian of Hope stated. “Nothing meaningful can be decided now. I suggest that we all get some rest and try to discuss things in a few hours.” The Guardian’s tone made her suggestion an order. Nodding, Jupiter grabbed Ganymede’s hand and led him back into his room. Ren and Monea watched the pair leave before they too left and entered a room further down the hall. Dido made a gesture and the Teardrop Glaive disappeared. “I hope that you don’t plan on those two helping us out,” Dido commented dryly. “Ren will do what Monea tells him to do. She has the real power,” Cassandra replied. Dido quirked an eyebrow. “How do you know that?” “Can’t you feel it?” Cassandra asked, her surprise evident on her face. Dido gave a noncommittal shrug. “Nothing too astounding.” “Maybe I’m losing my touch,” Cassandra murmured. Dido studied Cassandra for a moment. “What do you mean?” “What?” Cassandra asked. “What do you mean by losing your touch?” “Oh, nothing,” Cassandra replied. “I suggest we both get some rest, Dido. Who knows what’s ahead of us?” Dido nodded, reluctant to leave. As she held headed to the room she would be staying in, she glanced back at Cassandra. “I was hoping you did.” Cassandra remained motionless. Sighing, Dido entered the room and shut the door. As she headed to her room, Cassandra released a sigh of her own. “I wish I did, Dido.” * * * * * “Are you hungry?” Leda asked, removing her cloak and her bag of supplies. “Sure, I could eat,” Paul replied. Opening her bag, Leda pulled out two packages and a canteen. The pair sat down on the cot, unwrapping their sandwiches. As they ate, Paul glanced at his wife, relishing their reunion. Although they had been married for twenty years, they tried to spend as little apart as possible. Each time they were separated he felt that he had left half of himself behind. Over the past couple of days, with the stresses they were facing, he had been extremely reluctant to be apart from her. Yet, it had been the best solution at the time. However, Leda’s appearance concerned him. She was pale, emphasizing the dark circles under her eyes. She seemed so withdrawn and distant. Swallowing the last bite of the sandwich, he reached out and covered one of her hands with his. “Leda, love, are you all right?” She glanced up, surprised by the question. “Of course.” “You’re a terrible liar,” he said gently. “Tell me what’s wrong.” Placing a hand on his cheek, she studied him. ‘How can I tell him that I now doubt who I am? That I am constantly plagued with guilt? Does he know that a wrong decision on our part can mean that people will die? How can I tell him that I am being torn and I don’t know by what?’ Closing her eyes, she pushed the grim thoughts aside and shook her head. Sighing, he covered the hand on his cheek with his. “You can tell me, Leda,” he said gently. “You know that don’t you?” With her eyes still closed, she nodded. He leaned forward and brushed his lips against her forehead. “Then, tell me, love. What’s troubling you?” Again, she shook her head. “I can’t, Paul, I just can’t.” “Why?” She pulled away from him and opened her eyes. “I’m tired. Can we just go to sleep?” “Leda, I need to know . . .” “Paul,” she said, interrupting, “I’m tired. Let’s sleep.” “All right, Leda,” he said, sighing in defeat. She grabbed his neck and kissed him with a sense of urgency. ‘Like this is the last time,’ he thought, wrapping his arms around her. After a few moments, Leda reluctantly pulled away. “When I can, I’ll tell you, Paul,” she promised. “I’m here for you, Leda,” he said, running his fingers through her hair. “You know that.” She nodded and then managed a weak smile. “Can we sleep now? I haven’t slept in almost two days.” Nodding, he got up with her and turned down the covers of the cot. He stretched on his side, leaving her enough room on the rather small cot. Pulling the covers back over them, she snuggled against him and immediately fell asleep. As his wife slept, Paul watched her, wondering what was troubling so much. Generally when Leda had a vision or a recurring dream, she would tell him. It had been a long time since they had kept secrets from each other. Brushing a stray strand of hair off her face, he kissed her forward. “I am here for you, love,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “Never forget that.” Gazing for a few more moments, he laid his head on the pillow next to hers and drifted into an uneasy sleep.


Epilogue: A Vision Jupiter's Gone