Aquae (Jacen Solo/Jysella Horn)
Jysella's knees knock against the side of the bathtub as she leans over, resting her head on the plasteel edge. Her arms, clamped tightly around the knees drawn against her chest, are white, and there are small red marks developing on the underside of her legs where the fingernails have clamped into flesh. The air tastes like steam, and the only noise in the room is the tumbling rush of water from the spigot into the tub.
***
"I don't understand."
Lightning splits a tree down the middle in the distance. Jacen watches as it divides and falls, jagged pieces tumbling over grass and leaves and animals. He winces, and turns back to his uncle, facing him on the balcony where they stand.
"I don't want you to teach her anymore."
***
It's dark except for the tub's underlighting. Bathed in blue light, Jysella dips a shaking hand into the water, draws it out , and watches the water trickle through a clenched fist with a steady tip-tap into the tub. A noise like a wounded animal escapes her throat, and she suddenly uncurles herself and stretches out underneath the water, mouth open in a silent scream.
***
"Have I done something wrong?"
She has a tendency to exasperate. To slide over the tender edges of his self control and cut it to ribbons, like the ragged edges of the lightning-split tree.
Luke looks thoughtful. "Not wrong, exactly."
***
She comes up spluttering. Her arms flail for a moment as she loses grip on the slick, wet sides of the tub. There is water in her lungs, and in her nose, and her eyes. Her throat forces out a sob that scrapes her throat as it leaves her mouth.
***
"What is it, then?" Jacen turned from Luke and ran a hand through his hair, over his face. "What am I supposed to tell her?"
The rain is upon them now, roaring over the temple, the wind whipping their cloaks about their feet. Jacen has the sudden urge to leap over the balcony railing and into the middle of the storm. Luke senses this, perhaps, and moves closer.
"She's already been told."
***
The sound echoes off of the tile walls. She slumps backward, and the water swishes and swirls around her thighs as she shifts. The tops of her knees stick out about the water, and they're cold. Gooseflesh rises on her legs.
***
"Have I been too timid, then? I know we haven't exactly been...well...it's hard to get control of her sometimes. But I can fix it."
Luke smiles genuinely this time. He walks over and places his hand on Jacen's shoulder.
"It's hard to command a thunderstorm, Jacen," he says. "Believe me."
***
After a while the gooseflesh spreads to her entire body. The water is growing cold, and her skin is folding and wrinkling from prolongued exposure to water. Instead of stepping out and drying off, she uses one foot to kick the shower back on, hot water this time, and revels in the sting of it.
***
"Please," Jacen says. "I don't want to be away from her."
Lightning strikes right in front of them, leaving a black scortch mark on the jungle floor below. Jacen jumps a little, but Luke doesn't. He looks at the spot with a fondness, almost, and then looks at Jacen.
"Who said you had to be away from her?"
***
She drifts in and out of sleep, and when she finally jerks awake, it stings her eyes so badly that they water. She rubs at them with wet and wrinkled hands, and then a quizzical look crosses her face.
There's a knock on her door.
***
"I don't understand."
Lightning splits a tree down the middle in the distance. Jacen watches as it divides and falls, jagged pieces tumbling over grass and leaves and animals. He winces, and turns back to his uncle, facing him on the balcony where they stand.
"I don't want you to teach her anymore."
***
It's dark except for the tub's underlighting. Bathed in blue light, Jysella dips a shaking hand into the water, draws it out , and watches the water trickle through a clenched fist with a steady tip-tap into the tub. A noise like a wounded animal escapes her throat, and she suddenly uncurles herself and stretches out underneath the water, mouth open in a silent scream.
***
"Have I done something wrong?"
She has a tendency to exasperate. To slide over the tender edges of his self control and cut it to ribbons, like the ragged edges of the lightning-split tree.
Luke looks thoughtful. "Not wrong, exactly."
***
She comes up spluttering. Her arms flail for a moment as she loses grip on the slick, wet sides of the tub. There is water in her lungs, and in her nose, and her eyes. Her throat forces out a sob that scrapes her throat as it leaves her mouth.
***
"What is it, then?" Jacen turned from Luke and ran a hand through his hair, over his face. "What am I supposed to tell her?"
The rain is upon them now, roaring over the temple, the wind whipping their cloaks about their feet. Jacen has the sudden urge to leap over the balcony railing and into the middle of the storm. Luke senses this, perhaps, and moves closer.
"She's already been told."
***
The sound echoes off of the tile walls. She slumps backward, and the water swishes and swirls around her thighs as she shifts. The tops of her knees stick out about the water, and they're cold. Gooseflesh rises on her legs.
***
"Have I been too timid, then? I know we haven't exactly been...well...it's hard to get control of her sometimes. But I can fix it."
Luke smiles genuinely this time. He walks over and places his hand on Jacen's shoulder.
"It's hard to command a thunderstorm, Jacen," he says. "Believe me."
***
After a while the gooseflesh spreads to her entire body. The water is growing cold, and her skin is folding and wrinkling from prolongued exposure to water. Instead of stepping out and drying off, she uses one foot to kick the shower back on, hot water this time, and revels in the sting of it.
***
"Please," Jacen says. "I don't want to be away from her."
Lightning strikes right in front of them, leaving a black scortch mark on the jungle floor below. Jacen jumps a little, but Luke doesn't. He looks at the spot with a fondness, almost, and then looks at Jacen.
"Who said you had to be away from her?"
***
She drifts in and out of sleep, and when she finally jerks awake, it stings her eyes so badly that they water. She rubs at them with wet and wrinkled hands, and then a quizzical look crosses her face.
There's a knock on her door.