Antar, About five months after Fandom
The visit by Parker was only the beginning. Every time Isabel slept, she would dream, elaborate dreams where she was back in Fandom, sitting with Greg watching a movie, dodging Nerf balls on the beach with Peter and Cedric while Jack watched, laughing.
They spilled over to when she was awake, staring at the walls of the cell. Xander was there, so real she could swear that she smelled the cup of coffee he held. And they were all telling her the same thing, to forget about Max and accept Kivar's offer.
Waking up from a dream where she was laughing with Dawn as she did her nails, Isabel screwed her eyes shut, blocking out the sight of bare walls of the cell.
"Closing your eyes and burying your head in the sand won't solve your problem, Isabel."
"I don't have a problem," she replied. "I'm just taking some time off. Relaxing."
"Yeah, you look relaxed," Sam said, turning in a slow circle as she took in Isabel's predicament. "Someone who didn't know you might think you were hiding."
"Is it really hiding?" Isabel asked, staring at the ceiling. "It's not like there's a door I can walk out of."
"Not from the cell. From your responsibilities." Sam just looked at Isabel, who might be able to see her disappointment. "Your duty."
"My duty?" Isabel refused to meet Sam's gaze. "I am doing my duty. I'm surviving. Isn't that enough?"
She leveled another look at Isabel. "I don't know. Is it?"
"What am I supposed to do? Betray my brother and everything he's trying to accomplish? I did that once already," she said. "I won't do it again."
"You have to do your duty," Sam said, adjusting her collar and bringing herself to attention. "To do anything else makes you less of a person."
"It makes me less of me. It makes me more like Vilandra," Isabel whispered curling in on herself. "I won't do that." Closing her eyes, she triend to cling to the memory of the Sam she knew. The same that was loyal and true and would never betray what she believed in.
"Being an effective ruler isn't all parades and tiaras, Isabel," Sam shook her head, definitely disappointed in her, "Sometimes it's about making the unpleasant choices for the good of your people."
Sam had a point, Isabel thought, forgetting for a moment that it wasn't real. If she could stop the war, finally give the planet a chance for peace...that had to be more important then a crown Max really didn't want. Isabel opened her mouth to agree and then shut it. She wouldn't let Kivar win like that. She could hold out a bit longer. "Just go," she whispered.
Sam shook her head despondently and faded away.
[NFB due to distance. Pre-played with the most excellent carter_i_am No IC interaction possible. OOC comments are always welcome.]
They spilled over to when she was awake, staring at the walls of the cell. Xander was there, so real she could swear that she smelled the cup of coffee he held. And they were all telling her the same thing, to forget about Max and accept Kivar's offer.
Waking up from a dream where she was laughing with Dawn as she did her nails, Isabel screwed her eyes shut, blocking out the sight of bare walls of the cell.
"Closing your eyes and burying your head in the sand won't solve your problem, Isabel."
"I don't have a problem," she replied. "I'm just taking some time off. Relaxing."
"Yeah, you look relaxed," Sam said, turning in a slow circle as she took in Isabel's predicament. "Someone who didn't know you might think you were hiding."
"Is it really hiding?" Isabel asked, staring at the ceiling. "It's not like there's a door I can walk out of."
"Not from the cell. From your responsibilities." Sam just looked at Isabel, who might be able to see her disappointment. "Your duty."
"My duty?" Isabel refused to meet Sam's gaze. "I am doing my duty. I'm surviving. Isn't that enough?"
She leveled another look at Isabel. "I don't know. Is it?"
"What am I supposed to do? Betray my brother and everything he's trying to accomplish? I did that once already," she said. "I won't do it again."
"You have to do your duty," Sam said, adjusting her collar and bringing herself to attention. "To do anything else makes you less of a person."
"It makes me less of me. It makes me more like Vilandra," Isabel whispered curling in on herself. "I won't do that." Closing her eyes, she triend to cling to the memory of the Sam she knew. The same that was loyal and true and would never betray what she believed in.
"Being an effective ruler isn't all parades and tiaras, Isabel," Sam shook her head, definitely disappointed in her, "Sometimes it's about making the unpleasant choices for the good of your people."
Sam had a point, Isabel thought, forgetting for a moment that it wasn't real. If she could stop the war, finally give the planet a chance for peace...that had to be more important then a crown Max really didn't want. Isabel opened her mouth to agree and then shut it. She wouldn't let Kivar win like that. She could hold out a bit longer. "Just go," she whispered.
Sam shook her head despondently and faded away.
[NFB due to distance. Pre-played with the most excellent carter_i_am No IC interaction possible. OOC comments are always welcome.]