Another Life

In the beginning

It all started so long ago, and most of my memories are still so distant and distorted. I felt my mind pulling towards Talon, wanting to delve into the details of our obviously complex relationship. I really didn't think I had it in me though. Everything felt so raw and dirty.

"Think about Danny," I muttered to myself, maybe hoping that issuing myself an order would motivate me. "Come on, Skye. Get it together." I closed my eyes and grinned to myself, imagining what Danny's response would be if he overheard me. Of the three, Danny was the one I felt safe with. Our interactions felt easy and natural and I just instinctively trusted him.

I tried to relax, letting my thoughts go, but still focusing on Danny. I watched his face grow younger, his eyes wilder. I remembered us as teenagers back in the land.

"Skye, you shouldn't be here, it isn't safe." I felt a thrill of excitement as he grabbed my hand and rushed me into a shack on the side of the street. I knew I shouldn't be there, but neither should Danny, and I loved him.

The wind howled down the debris filled street, but still the atmosphere felt thick and heavy with smoke. The skirt of the blue silk dress I was wearing fluttered in the wind.

I stared upwards into Danny's blue eyes and felt a rush of love and lust. Reaching my arms around his neck, I paused to run my fingers through his long, sandy locks; before cupping his face and pulling him into a kiss. As our lips drew together I revelled in the feeling of power. I was in charge and if I wanted to kiss him I would. A small part of me felt smug and satisfied as I pulled him into a passionate kiss. His arms locked around me and I surrendered to this feeling of power mixed with dependence and lust.

Danny pulled away from me, his hands on my shoulders. He stared down at me intently. I felt I could spend forever just staring into the incredible sapphire blue of his eyes.

"Skye, you have to go home. It's way too dangerous out here for you Kiddo."

I recoiled slightly at his use of my hated nickname.

"I don't want to go home Danny. I don't agree with what my Father is doing and I don't want to be part of it. I want to be part of the resistance."

"I know, Princess. And if I could see a way for you safely to be with us we would do it. But there's not. And your father is unpredictable. I can't risk him hurting you if he finds you on the wrong side. Or hurting someone else to spite you."

I suddenly remembered why I couldn't openly support the rebellion. Back home were my mother and sister. My mum in the dungeons and my sister kept as a prisoner in our home, a step away from the dungeons but only to appease me. And I had abandoned them for an anticipated lust fest with Danny.

" Good Gods, I'm a selfish b***h. How could I do this?" Danny chucked slightly to himself and pulled me in for another kiss.

"You're fifteen, Kiddo. Irresponsible acts are kinda part and parcel. And I love you for coming, but you better get back. "

He kissed me again and I relished in the feeling of surrendering completely to him. He smelt musky and smoky, his muscular arms felt so powerful and safe around me. I suddenly thought that he was only two years older than me, so how dare he patronise me? Pushing my outrage down, I broke away from the kiss and headed back out into the street, running towards the massive building dominanating the skyline, the place I called home.

I arrived at one of the back doors, breathing heavily, sweat dripping from my face and down my back. I slipped through the door, and made my way through the corridors to my part of the building. Looking left and right to make sure no one saw me, I pushed open the door and breathed a sigh of relief to be back in my sanctuary. Closing the door, I stripped naked and entered the ensuite shower. As the warm water cleansed me I breathed deeply and cleared my mind. Suddenly I felt hungry, and without a thought I stepped out of the shower, wrapped myself in a luxurious oversized towel. I pressed the intercom button on my bedroom wall and asked for some lunch. Within minutes, there was a knock on the door and a servant entered with a lunch trolley. She brought the trolley into the room, gave a shy bow, then exited, closing the door behind her.

I opened the wardrobe, dumbfounded at the choice of gowns and garments inside. "Daddy buys whatever I want," I breathed, hardly believing my own recollections. I chose another blue dress, a more everyday style, but still far more elegant than my older self was used to. I moved over to the lunch trolley and uncovered the food. "Oh my Gods," I breathed. The trolley was loaded with every possible choice, from a club sandwich to suchi. I let my eyes devour all the possibilities before deciding on a smoked salmon poke bowl, filled with salmon, edemine beans, pepper and rice. The food was exquisite and I savoured each bite. Once my hunger was satisfied, I thought again of my sister and mother. I focused in on a door within my room, connecting to another internal room. Opening the door I entered a smaller room, my eyes drawn immediately to the girl sat on the single bed. She looked up at me intently and I was paralysed by the aura of beauty and innocence around her.

"Starr," I breathed, staring at my twin sister. She was so beautiful, despite the rags she was dressed in and her extreme thinness. Her black curly hair and emerald green eyes looked at me with intensity and trust.

"Skye. Is everything OK out there? Is Danny OK?"

"As OK as he can be in the middle of a war zone I suppose. Starr, I have a lunch trolley in my room, why don't we get you something to eat?"