A Captain’s Sacrifice, Part 2

by Calvin

(This is a continuation of last week’s vignette. If you haven’t read it already, do so here and then come back.)

Elara sat on the edge of her bed with her fingers tented, leaning forward with her eyes staring at the floor in front of her. She calculated and recalculated, trying to come up with a way out of the new prison she and her sister found themselves in. Despite the situation, her mind couldn’t help but consider the spaciousness of the room, the softness of the bed and even the window that offered a view of the gleaming blue orb that was their neighboring planet.

It was all far better than the cold cruelty of the cryo chambers.

A shiver went up her spine, unrelated to the regulated warmth of their palace room. Elara glanced up to watch Ersa, her twin sister, pacing back and forth, feeling just as tense if not more. Their jailer and controller, Lady Lunar, had allowed them a semblance of freedom for longer than expected. Usually, their aunt would only allow them to be unfrozen for short periods of time. Long enough to put down any unrest stirring against the monarch’s reign, to ward off curious Earth heroes or to be subjected to experiments involving the ancient Moonstone. For whatever reason, likely paranoia, Lady Lunar had kept the Twins unfrozen for longer, allowing them to rest in their old room while handling the occasional security issue. Something had their aunt concerned that she would need her favorite weapons at the ready and it left the Twins time to think and to make new allies in the palace.

Elara’s brow furrowed at a knock at their door after a short conversation with her sister. In truth, Ersa was the one who had made those allies. Elara wasn’t a match for her sister when it came to making connections. One example of that had just entered the room. Erik, Captain of The Royal Guard and deeply in love, if his repeated proclamations were any indication. Elara didn’t trust him, and made that known. She couldn’t trust anyone working with Lady Lunar, regardless of what she saw in their heads. Still, Erik had a plan and it was far better than having nothing at all.

The plan itself was simple. A lieutenant loyal to Erik would stand guard at their door while the captain himself would sneak them out. Once in the courtyard, it would only take a short jump to escape. Elara had tried to probe the mind of the lieutenant named Mayar, but was only able to glean his surface thoughts. His mental defences were surprisingly strong but she didn’t have the time to dig further. She had to put aside her nervous feelings to focus on the job at hand. Looking forward, she could see Ersa looking at Erik. She didn’t need a mental link to know what was happening in her sister’s head. Elara’s eyes narrowed as she told her sister to focus, ignoring her own hypocrisy.

Moving through the halls of their home, Elara was struck by how much of it changed since their youth. The same old walls and rooms that were once draped in the emblems and history of the royal family were now dressed in Lady Lunar’s symbols. Each door held another hidden potential for treachery. Ersa was busy locking the doors to prevent anyone inside from exiting, or at least slowing them down. Which left Elara to deal with the minds inside.

Elara couldn’t expand her reach too far, out of fear of making Lady Lunar aware of her presence. She was still able to catch the minds of the occasional guard or member of the castle staff busy at work on the other side of those doors. Should any have a thought or a task that required leaving their rooms, Elara would give them a nudge to consider otherwise. There was feedback from surface thoughts as she walked on. Bits and pieces of the lives of the workers of the castle, ever loyal to their ruler. Elara sneered in contempt, wishing she could take every cruelty her aunt showed onto them and apply it to these people tenfold. Perhaps then they would see the tyrant for what she truly is. But doing so would lead their aunt right to them, and everything would be over.

Erik interrupted her thoughts, turning to address the Twins but focused on Ersa. Elara allowed herself an eyeroll but kept silent. After everything she heard, the telepath thought it impossible to trust any guard, much less one so highly ranked. And yet, he made Ersa happy. Happier than Elara had seen her in years, perhaps ever. His charms were obvious, as were his looks, but there was more to it than that. Elara could see it on both of them.

Part of Elara knew what it was that really bothered her about the Captain of the Royal Guard. Beneath the disdain and distrust. For so long it had just been Elara and her sister. And now that Ersa had Erik, she felt that she would have to share her sister’s attention. Elara found that she had one more thing to fear. The possibility of being completely alone.

Erik interrupted again, giving the agreed-upon signal. Elara exhaled, clearing her thoughts before establishing mental communication. He slipped out of a door, moving towards the courtyard as the Twins watched.

Have you seen anything yet? Elara asked across the psychic connection, only a few seconds after Erik left.

Nothing yet, Erik replied, moving stiffly in his route.

Well, make sure to say something if you see anyone. I don’t want to be caught by surprise.

I…Yes, I know. You can trust me, Elara.

Oh, I’m sure I can, Elara said across their connection, with much sneering sarcasm. Just like all the others in the palace that have been here working for our aunt while we’ve been on ice. I’m sure you all have a secret desire to disobey her. A chance to rebel is all you need, right? Don’t make me laugh…

Most of them don’t know any better. Lady Lunar has been the ruler for as long as many of us have been alive…but some of us know our history.

A simple history lesson for you. The worst day of our lives for us.

I know…and I’m sorry. I can’t change the past but I can do whatever it takes to save your sister, and you as well. Even if you don’t want me to help.

Is it that obvious? Elara’s eyes narrowed with suspicion, her hands balling into fists.

You might not be as subtle as you think…For what it’s worth, I really do care about your sister. I meant everything I’ve said about her. But I understand I need to earn your trust. Maybe I can do that after we get out of here…Speaking of, it looks like the coast is clear.

Elara avoided giving herself a moment to consider his words by telling her sister that the way ahead was clear. They stepped into the courtyard, moving towards one of the walls. Elara looked upwards, thinking of old memories of this place and how the tall walls made her feel safe. Now, she was jealous of her sister’s mastery of telekinesis as she would love nothing more than to tear this place down and bury everything in it. If it couldn’t be hers then it certainly shouldn’t belong to their aunt. Elara caught herself mid-thought, reminding herself that it should belong to her and her sister. That moment almost distracted her as she heard a door open. She roughly yanked Ersa into the closest cover she could find as someone else entered the courtyard. The last person she wanted to see.

Aunt Selene. Lady Lunar.

A horrid shiver ran up Elara’s spine again. In an instant she felt helpless. Her fantasies of vengeance and destruction shattered upon seeing the real thing only a few meters away. Moving with ethereal elegance, she approached Erik, who was already in the process of making up a story. She didn’t dare maintain a mental connection with him in this moment, but she could see a conviction and calmness on his face. One she couldn’t have held in the same situation. Just as she thought she might change her opinion about him, Lieutenant Mayar entered the courtyard.

They had been betrayed.

Lady Lunar was giving orders. A smug grin played along the face of the newly promoted Mayar. Erik was being detained by a cadre of guards that spilled into the courtyard. Lady Lunar left them to their work, not even bothering to capture the Twins herself. Elara tried her best not to panic but could hear the fear in her sister’s breathing. Ersa’s telekinetic powers were about to reach a boiling point.

Elara gave a warning a moment too late. Ersa let out a beam that tore through the courtyard, knocking down the guards caught in its force. The telekinetic twin fell with exhaustion. Elara felt terror, her head in her hands as she tried to think. She wasn’t a fighter like her sister, she couldn’t get them both out with force. A mental attack might work, but not against this many people in so large a space. Attacking one at a time would be too slow. She could take control of one and…

No. Elara shook off the thought. Even now, she wouldn’t commit the worst transgression that a telepath could make. To steal the free will of another, especially while she had lost so much of her own. Still, when Captain Mayar stood over them, she felt a sensation unlike anything she had felt before wash over her. Much like the palace around her, if she wasn’t going to rule Mayar’s mind, then she would just tear it down.

Elara reached into Mayar’s head, piercing through the mental protections he had shown before. It seemed that in his arrogance, he had let his guard down. That would be his last mistake. Mayar’s entire life was laid out before Elara. The vain ambition, scrambling to make a name for himself, climbing the ranks of the Royal Guard, betraying Erik and proving his loyalty to lady Lunar.

The telepath held it all in her hand and squeezed.

Captain Mayar fell to his knees as Elara stood, gazing down at him. She watched as the last of his defenses was destroyed, shattering his mind with a painful crunch. Ersa said something to her in concern that she could hardly hear with the thudding of her own heartbeat in her ears. All Elara could manage to say was that it was deserved.

She didn’t dare to mention how much she enjoyed it.

Elara was in a haze as they were returned to their room to await being imprisoned within the ice again. She replayed Mayer’s last moments over and over, trying to understand what came over her. A tapping at the door made her more alert. Another guard entered, an older one this time. Elara was ready to pounce upon his mind, expecting to have to fight, despite her exhaustion. Instead, the guard handed something to Ersa. A coat. It looked like the one Erik wore just moments ago.

As the guard left, Elara could catch stray memories of his. Being a young, new recruit to the Royal Guard, the whispers of a coup, the day that everything changed and the decision to try and stay out of trouble long enough to survive and the knowledge of who rightfully deserved the throne. Elara let the guard go as Ersa sat beside her. Elara held her sister as she cried. Soon, the exhaustion of the failed escape overcame her and she couldn’t hold back her own tears.

Still, there was something new brewing in Elara. She realized that Erik was right. Some of the people of Farside still knew who the Twins were and what Lady Lunar had done. That they had more right to rule the Selunites of the Last Refuge than she did and could be useful during another escape attempt. Elara had also discovered something about herself. That she could be merciless to her enemies, even without her aunt’s influence. Elara let the tears flow but held onto that in her heart.

She would be as cold and cruel as the ice itself until she got what she deserved.