The Tradgedy of Xavier Harkonnen part 2
Xavier opened the door even before Serena reached it. At first his face seemed like a sunrise, nearly blinding her. He looked older, stronger, more handsome than he had even in her fantasies. She wanted to melt.
"Serena!" He gasped, then grinned and swept her into his arms. After only a moment he pulled away awkwardly. "I knew you were at the City of Introspection, but I didnt realize you had recovered yet. I just returned in the middle of the night last night, and I, uh-" He seemed to be fumbling for words.
"Oh, Xavier, it doesnt matter! I needed to be with you so badly. There is so much... so much to tell." All at once the magnitude of what she needed to say seemed to crush her shoulders. Her voice caught.
He stroked her cheek. "Serena, I already know the terrible news. I've heard about... our son." He looked at her with sadness and pain, but a firm acceptance
When they stepped into the foyer, Xavier withdrew to an awkward distance, as if facing her was more difficult than confronting all the forces of the machine armies. "I'ts been so long Serena, and everyone thought you were dead. We found the wreckage of your ship, analyzed the blood samples, confirmed your DNA."
She reached out to clasp his hand. "But I survived my love! I thought of you constantly." Her eyes searched his face for answers. "My memories of you were all I had to sustain me."
Finally, his words falling like massive boulders from the highest peak, he said, "I am married now, Serena."
Her heart seemed to stop beating. Serena took a halting step backward, and bumped into a small table, which toppled over with a crash, spilling a vase with fresh roses, like blood on the tile floor.
She heard hurried footsteps from the main sitting room. The slight figure of a young woman appeared, with long hair and large eyes, rushing toward her. "Serena, oh Serena!" Octa carried a bundle in her arms, held close to her bosom, but she managed to give her sister a fierce hug anyway.
Overjoyed, Octa stood beside her husband and her sister, but as she looked from one to the other, her happy expression crumbled into embarrassment and shame.
The bundle stirred in Octa's arms, and made a soft sound. "This is our daughter Roella," she said, almost apologetically, and drew aside the cloth to show Serena the child's beautiful face.
An image flashed through Serena's mind: her terror-stricken son only seconds before Erasmus dropped him from the high balcony to his death. The baby girl Octa held looked remarkably like little Manion, who had also been Xavier's child.
In stunned disbeleif, Serena Stumbled toward the door, her world crashing down around her. She whirled and ran off like a wounded fawn.
Just thought I would relay the happy ending. You should all call your boyfriends or girlfriends now and tell them you are happy to have them in your life.
"Serena!" He gasped, then grinned and swept her into his arms. After only a moment he pulled away awkwardly. "I knew you were at the City of Introspection, but I didnt realize you had recovered yet. I just returned in the middle of the night last night, and I, uh-" He seemed to be fumbling for words.
"Oh, Xavier, it doesnt matter! I needed to be with you so badly. There is so much... so much to tell." All at once the magnitude of what she needed to say seemed to crush her shoulders. Her voice caught.
He stroked her cheek. "Serena, I already know the terrible news. I've heard about... our son." He looked at her with sadness and pain, but a firm acceptance
When they stepped into the foyer, Xavier withdrew to an awkward distance, as if facing her was more difficult than confronting all the forces of the machine armies. "I'ts been so long Serena, and everyone thought you were dead. We found the wreckage of your ship, analyzed the blood samples, confirmed your DNA."
She reached out to clasp his hand. "But I survived my love! I thought of you constantly." Her eyes searched his face for answers. "My memories of you were all I had to sustain me."
Finally, his words falling like massive boulders from the highest peak, he said, "I am married now, Serena."
Her heart seemed to stop beating. Serena took a halting step backward, and bumped into a small table, which toppled over with a crash, spilling a vase with fresh roses, like blood on the tile floor.
She heard hurried footsteps from the main sitting room. The slight figure of a young woman appeared, with long hair and large eyes, rushing toward her. "Serena, oh Serena!" Octa carried a bundle in her arms, held close to her bosom, but she managed to give her sister a fierce hug anyway.
Overjoyed, Octa stood beside her husband and her sister, but as she looked from one to the other, her happy expression crumbled into embarrassment and shame.
The bundle stirred in Octa's arms, and made a soft sound. "This is our daughter Roella," she said, almost apologetically, and drew aside the cloth to show Serena the child's beautiful face.
An image flashed through Serena's mind: her terror-stricken son only seconds before Erasmus dropped him from the high balcony to his death. The baby girl Octa held looked remarkably like little Manion, who had also been Xavier's child.
In stunned disbeleif, Serena Stumbled toward the door, her world crashing down around her. She whirled and ran off like a wounded fawn.
Just thought I would relay the happy ending. You should all call your boyfriends or girlfriends now and tell them you are happy to have them in your life.