Fan Fiction
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Beyond My Knowing, chapter 32
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”It’s… very good stew.” Miteza complemented. Kes looked over to Miteza who’d been watching Vastu eat and now looked over to her and Anara. Kes could sense her thoughts too, wondering how involved she would be allowed to remain in raising Vastu, now that Anara was back in his life. She didn’t want to deny Anara her son, because she knew very well how it felt even just to think of the possibility of another woman trying to take Artem or Thalla from her, but, at the same time, Vastu felt like her own son too by now.
-We can share in raising him.- Anara sent to her sister in thoughts. -I won’t take him from you.-
Miteza looked over to her wonderingly. They’d told her about how they were using Kes’s abilities to keep watch for danger and how that it meant that they couldn’t help from overhearing their thoughts in the process, but it was one thing to have been told, another to experience. Somehow though, Miteza found, it didn’t bother her that Anara and Kes could hear what she thought. Anara’s words in her mind felt like a comfort in fact. It made her feel less alone. And what she’d told her, that was very much a relief too… profoundly so. -Thank you.- She thought back to her.
”Do you have friends you’ll miss?” Kes found herself asking Artem after a few more moments of silent mutual enjoyment of the stew. She’d looked at him and thought about her own friends she’d left behind, whom she hoped to see again soon, and wondered if he’d be leaving anyone like that behind.
Artem looked up and met her gaze. He looked uncertain. ”Perhaps I did.” He answered.
”…Lingen’s two sons?” Miteza put in quietly. ”Vinja and Karbel are their names.”
”Yes.” Artem replied. ”They’re off training with the military. They wouldn’t call themselves my friends any longer though, not if they knew any of the truth.”
”…No. I guess they wouldn’t, would they?” Kes replied regretfully.
Artem shook his head. ”What’s past can’t be undone…” He said simply.
”The past is a juggernaut…” Anara commented softly. ”Only fools and blind men fight against it, for it’s a fight that can never be won.”
Artem cocked his head to the side a little. ”Zanrin, right?” He asked. Zanrin was a Kazon warrior sage who’d written a small book of wisdom and poetry that had been popular during the Kazon people’s years of slavery. It was still very well-known and one of the only books that most of Anara’s people would be likely to know very well.
Anara nodded.
”Well, it’s true anyway, I guess.” Artem allowed. ”Whatever else though, I wouldn’t be able to live with hiding my crimes from them, so it’s best I go, as much for that reason as for any of the others.”
”You haven’t committed any crimes against them.” Kes told him softly, with meaning. ”If anything, I’ve done that.” She admitted.
Artem shook his head again. ”It doesn’t matter. Unless I’m willing to fight you to the death, I’m still guilty as far as they would ever see.” He told her, meeting her eyes again. ”And, even if I could win that fight… I no longer want to.”
Kes smiled, feeling happy at how genuine she could feel his words were. He wasn’t conflicted about his feelings towards them anymore. He saw her and Anara, Tresit and Lanam as part of his family now, she could tell. And he’d fight to protect all of them if he had to. ”I’m glad.” She told him.
———————
to be continued
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MITEZA has trouble showing affection and watching the interaction between KES/ANARA is puzzling to her since she only knew her husband but yet she ponders if being with a woman is expected of her or THALLA. ARTEM/KES need to find his sister and leave not wait until its too late and all is lost.