Bravais held on
to Telthis, unable to let him go. Sobs wracked her as pain and anguish
continued to wash over her body and race through her soul. She suddenly felt
lost now; her love for Telthis had kept her going all this time, since the day
they’d met. Unknown to her at the time, it had been her longing for him, and a
secret hope that one day they could be together that truly been her
inspiration. All that was gone now, and the regret of that thought made her
question the validity and purpose of her own life, now that he was gone.
Bravais was
wrapped so tight in her own grief that she nearly missed the startled cries of
the women who were standing near her. Pulling herself out of the depths of
sorrow, Bravais followed their collective looks to see what had alarmed them
so. They were looking down at Telthis, backing slowly away. Bravais followed
their gaze to his right hand, which still grasped the red crystal firmly,
despite his apparent passing. Bravais gasped as well when she noticed the red
glow of the crystal was becoming more intense each time it flashed. Soon it was
basking the entire clearing in its crimson glimmering, the light becoming
almost too intense to look directly into. The standing women backed away, but
Bravais refused to budge. If the crystal was going to take her lover, it would
have to take her too, to whatever fate it intended.
Soon the light
filled the clearing with its glow, and Emerald’s former crew began to run back
toward the ship. Bravais vaguely heard them calling after her to run, but she
had no intention of leaving, now or ever. She could feel the heat of the
crystal now, the glow seeming quite warm and refreshing. Suddenly she felt her
grief begin to somehow melt away, replaced by a strange calm, unlike anything
she’d ever felt in her life. She knew she was still in mourning over her beloved
Telthis, but contentment somehow managed to break through the barriers of pain
and anguish to reach her soul.
Suddenly Telthis
drew a huge breath, sucking the wind into his lungs as if he’d been underwater.
Bravais’ eyes grew wide, and her legs tried to instill a panic in her that
forced her to flee. She resisted that effort, still refusing to leave Telthis
for a second, no matter what. The young man’s eyes were wide in an expression
somewhere between fear and astonishment. He looked over at Bravais as he took
another deep breath, this one somewhat calmer, then another. As his breathing
finally slowed, Telthis managed a small, sly grin.
“I knew it all
along, captain.”
A happiness
Bravais was still unsure she could accept fell over her like a heavy blanket of
exhilaration. She pushed open Telthis’ shirt to study the grievous wound on his
chest. Thick blood coated the young man’s chest and had already begun to clot
together in a sick covering of crimson. Bravais pushed it aside where the ball
had entered his chest. The wound had completely closed, and only a small point
marked the place where the shot had pierced him. His smile was markedly wider
when Bravais lifted her red and swollen eyes to meet his.
“You son of a
bitch, Telthis. Oh, my God.” Bravais wrapped her arms around him, tighter even
than she had before when she thought he was dead. In the years that followed,
the two discussed the distinct possibility that he had been dead. Although
Bravais would often argue that he had in fact died, Telthis clung to the belief
that he had merely come close, and was brought back. In the end it mattered
little to Bravais, and the argument often led to the two of them making love,
as many things did in those happy days.
The
crystal’s red glow subsided as they embraced. Bravais continued to curse at him
unceasingly, while proclaiming her love for him at the same time. He smiled at
each word, promising never to scare her like that again. At last, all Bravais
could do was hold him, basking in the mutual emotions she now knew they shared.
Because when she eventually gave her man the chance to speak his mind, he said
simply, “I love you too.”
