The Glass Weaver | A Novel #Wattys2018 #Wattys2019

Chapter 11

Once we reached past Saturn, I disabled the Shimmershield and charted the course to Aquarius. which was quite a bit of distance from Earth. Shouldn't take as long as when we all fled Aquarius, but I made sure that we had more than enough for there and back. Picturing Jazz in my mind, I hoped to all of the gods that she is still alive and will be by the time we make it there. 

"Nevada, how long is the charted course?"  Corrig asked, unbuckling from his seat. 

I looked at him, "We should be there by the end of next week at the latest. At the earliest, around 6 days."

Corrig nodded and spread that information amongst everyone. I was wishing that it could be sooner, but I didn't want to burn any more fuel than I needed to. For the race home, we would need lots of fuel, especially if we were going to be chased. It is a bit difficult to fuel up a spaceship in the middle of space.

I decided to go to bed, not just because I have been awake for a long amount of tiresome hours, but to pass the time. In my dreams, I saw her parents back on Aquarius, when they discovered that I was courting a female. My father was yelling at me, a murderous look in his eyes. To him, I must've looked like Sveta, one of the High Priestesses who took from females, something humans call virginity. My mother was trying to keep Jazz and Jacob away from the scene my father was creating. 

That day was the worst day that I ever lived through. Not only was I exposed to my parents about my sexuality, but the love of my life was also executed in public. I was forced to watch her execution, with my father giving the excuse that this girl had tricked me by 'dressing as a male' and coercing me into sex. That couldn't have been further than the truth. In secret, I was trapped within the walls of a home above the sea after the execution. 

I watched, forced to smile, as she gets decapitated by the King's Executioners. It was in slow-motion, and I saw her mouth the words Je evamo, or I love you. Tears fell from my eyes as the blade met her neck, and blood spilled onto the ground. As I fell to the ground that day, I heard cheers amongst the crowd, all of whom were illicitly supporting my father as if he caught a plague before it happened. That day, I lost my compass in my life. And since then, I haven't been with anyone else.

"Nevada? Are you alright?" Corrig asked, rubbing my back after I woke up startled.

"I saw it again," I muttered, and Corrig sighed in displeasure. 

He knew my past as he was one of the few people father let me see during my imprisonment. Corrig was interested in me, and my father thought that he could change my mind about being a leba; someone who likes women, humans call it lesbian, but on Aquarius it was leba. But that didn't end up happening, and Corrig and I became good friends. Once he realized that I wasn't interested, he was more happy to be my friend. According to him, his father was trying to use my house influence to raise his son in the ranks.

"Do you want to talk about it or do you want to try and sleep again?" Corrig asked.

"I could have saved her, you know that right?" I spoke, trying to make my body as small as can be.

"Yes, but we have gone over this. Li's fate was set, no matter how much you prayed to gods to bring her back, it wasn't to be. And before you bring up the point of calling a necro, they can't bring souls of people back."

I groaned in frustration, "Everyday this tattoo reminds me of her, and it hurts. Its been several years, and I am still falling apart over her."

Corrig scooted closer to me, holding me close to him, "That is true for those we love too much. And with the Bonding tattoo, the pain is even more so."

Tears were pouring out of my eyes as I broke down. Corrig pulled me into his chest and began rubbing my back to try and soothe me. After a few minutes, I calmed down enough to think rationally. I stayed in his arms, comforted by his hold on me. Sniffling, I thought off all the good times Li and I had on Aquarius. We swam in the salty sea; we dressed each other in goofy outfits; we spoke secrets to each other; we held each other when times became tough. I knew she was the one for me, but unfortunately, she had to die because she was a lower noble.

"Corrig, were you ever interested in me?" I asked, raising my head a little.

"At one point, yes. When I was a young lad, I saw you for who you are; a person with flaws and someone who needed a home. But when father forced us to meet, and eventually he wanted us to marry, I pushed those feelings aside." Corrig sighed, his voice vibrating my body.

"Are you still now?"

"I don't think so. I don't get the fuzzy feelings anymore like I did when I younger."

I nodded, "Thank you."

"It's my job to protect you, even from yourself."

"I know, but thank you for putting up with me, even in hard times."

Corrig nodded and I closed my eyes in an attempt to fall asleep and pass time. This time, in my dreams, I didn't have the memory of Li. Instead, I was dreaming of what could be. The Bonding Tattoo burned against my skin, but it was more like warmth from a fire, far enough to be comfortable but close enough to stay warm. 

Corrig rubbed my back, which I noticed before I fell asleep and during. It was comforting, much like the Bonding Tattoo was. But I knew that every time I would think of her death, the tattoo would burn furiously. I wanted to give my parents forgiveness, but if I did, there was a chance of being hurt again. Regardless, I needed to find Jazz and help her free our home planet, flaws and all.

With a final rub against my back, I drifted off into the lands of Rever and hoped to Ateni, god of curses and blessings, to not let my dreams  drift into Cark's domain, lest be tested by those same plauging nightmares.