Mirror

Chapter 8: Viewpoint

The banner is just what Re'Jel looks like. I spent a lot of time editing the photo, so please enjoy. This is how I envision him. I'm sorry it's in B&W. And yes, the white patches are on purpose.

FunFact: This chapter was written while I was supposed to be doing physics. Typical me.

If people are curious, I may include the translation to this beautiful piece of Russian poetry.

Я вас любил: любовь еще, быть может,
В душе моей угасла не совсем;
Но пусть она вас больше не тревожит;
Я не хочу печалить вас ничем.

Я вас любил безмолвно, безнадежно,
То робостью, то ревностью томим;
Я вас любил так искренно, так нежно,
Как дай вам бог любимой быть другим.

-Anatoly Liberman

Re'Jel swallowed as he met Rory's eyes for the first time in several minutes. Her expression was stern, chiding, even, but her brown eyes glowed with compassion. Strange girl.

His eyes darted hopefully to the other side of the room where Kyli and 'Quera stood talking, wishing, somehow, that they would come back and join in the conversation.

But no, they would not: Kyli was too tactful; Marquera, too obedient. Re'Jel would have to go to them if he wanted to speak to Kyli.

His thoughts must have shown on his face, because Rory grabbed his arm and shook her head warningly. He sighed in disappointment and crumpled onto the bench, empty and cold.

_POV_

Rory's thoughts whirled happily in her head, causing her to grin despite Re'Jel's despair. They were like a yellow circuit's program, light and whippy and free, everywhere and nowhere, with her and with the SM.

And then a pair of sad gray eyes was looking into her own, and she sighed wearily and sat next to Kyli's friend. Re'Jel was not alive. Always, it was her job to make certain they were all alive. Even Re'Jel.

"Must you always be so depressing, Re'Jel?"

"Must you always be so happy?"

"I have reason to be happy."

"Eh?"

"I think I've found the gateway."

And Re'Jel straightened, and his dark eyes were looking into hers, full of fire.

He was alive again.

_POV_

Marquera slid out of bed, feeling the cold creep up her legs and down her arms like an icy river, yet silent and stony like moss on a boulder.

She lit a match and set the candle on her nightstand ablaze, then walked over to the window and gazed into the pouring rain.

The flame flickered in the still air, and the sound of the pouring water on her roof filled her heart with warmth, strange and beautiful.

Tonight.

Yes.

"Are you agreeing?" Marquera whispered aloud.

No. They spoke together.

"I thought not."

_Flashback_

"I have decided to go to the Mathematics University of Uuyta."

"No."

Re'Jel spoke, his eyes lighting with an unfamiliar flame. The gray sparkled and crackled, giving off a light like none Marquera had ever seen before.

"If you must go into Engineering, the MUU is no place to do it." He pulled a rolled scroll out of his leather bag and handed it to her.

"You must have heard the rumors."

And indeed she had. The tales and stories of a mechanics lab so huge that it covered half of the unexplored Northern continent. So well protected, there had been none who could find a break in the invisibility shield, or a fault in the locking system.

And yet, it also seemed that no one had ever tried.

_EndFlashback_

There was a quiet knock on the window as Marquera finished changing into her heavy rain-clothes and made her way to the bedroom door.

So quiet she barely heard it, and yet...

She crossed the floor and pushed the shutters open.

Two figures climbed through the space, one short, with fiery red curls that lit up the night, the other tall, and blessed with long black hair that blended without effort.

"Kyli, Rory, you shouldn't have."

"We know where you're going." Kyli stated, and Rory flipped her hair over her bony shoulder.

Marquera gaped, then turned and shut the window.

"Please, leave." She pleaded with them, ignoring their determined expressions.

"We're coming with you, 'Quera."

It's short. Forgive me.