Fractal

by Rachel J Mannino

  “Your Majesty, Tael wishes to speak to you and the Protector,” Jessick told her.

  She straightened from leaning over Varick, smiling at his dazed expression. She focused her attention on Jessick who, along with another Guard, held a bound, limp Tael. Shoulders slumped and expression full of anxiety, Tael stared at her feet

  “Yes, Tael?”

  “I’m…I’m so sorry, Your Majesty. I don’t know what came over me. I’m sorry.” Tael’s voice wavered with emotion. His face scrunched and shivered as he fought to keep his emotions from spilling over. He swallowed hard, his lips trembling.

  She took a few steps forward. “Tael, look at me, please.”

  Tael grimaced, and peeked up at her. His eyes were clear and sober—not the crazed and bloodshot eyes she stared into as she faced his deathly rage.

  “You were affected by the pulse emissions when your shield broke. It’s understandable that you were not in control of your actions. Still, I would like you to remain bound until we return to the ship and the doctors can make a complete assessment.”

  “Will you execute me?” Tael shivered

  Anna blinked. How could anyone think her capable of executing a man who was not in control of his actions? Had all the Vadanas before her been capricious? “No, Tael, I will not. You were not in your right mind.”

  Tael breathed a deep sigh of relief, and a few tears slid down his cheeks. “Thank you, Your Majesty. And, again, I’m so sorry for what I’ve done.” He licked his lips, as he resumed staring at the floor

  She held up her hand to stop his words. “Your apology is accepted. I’m just glad you’re back with us again.”

  Tael nodded, not meeting anyone’s gaze as they murmured their agreement

  It was time to leave this graveyard behind

  “It’s time for us to leave. We can schedule a scouting party to go to Dahrel and get a better understanding of the situation there. In the meantime, I want Decana to try to understand whether the animals that have been affected by the pulse emissions for decades will revert to their innate nature just as easily as Tael did. We should try to get a better understanding of that prior to resettling on Dahrel. All right, everyone, to the ship.” She gestured to the door.

  “What about the captain?” Varick asked.

  She hesitated. The man she executed. The man who tried to kill her and Varick and would have killed off everyone she cared about. She shuddered. “We will send someone to bury him, but everyone should know what he did and why he died.” Anna registered the faces of the bewildered mission crew members. It was going to be a difficult story to relate

  Varick nodded as he rose. He leaned on Brendan’s shoulder. “We will inform the crew when we get to the ship.”

  Varick let her take his other arm

  Everyone moved to the doors all at once, not wanting to linger with the visage of death all around. Anna and Varick led them out, holding one another. There was no point in denying their relationship now. No one on the mission crew could have missed those kisses.

  Varick urged them along, pulling at her arm. He remained as vigilant as before, scanning the horizon and the surrounding landscape with frequency.

  When the star craft took off, they sped toward the ship, passing Dahrel on the left. Anna stared at the planet with newfound wonder. In a couple of days, Dahrel’s purple sky would be over her head. She would wander through the palace, with Varick at her side. She caught his gaze. Warmth spread across her chest

  He took her hand, and smiled into her eyes. “You’ve saved us.” He kissed her hand.

  Anna let out a rueful laugh, her cheeks flushing. “I prefer to think it was a team effort.” She leaned closer to him

  He wrapped his good arm around her and she settled into his embrace. “No, you and Hannah saved us. Because of you, we can go home.” Varick’s voice turned raw as he spoke. He cleared his throat.

  “You know, you deserve some credit yourself, Protector. If you hadn’t found me on Earth and convinced me to come with you in the first place, it never would’ve happened.” She nuzzled his neck.

  Varick squeezed her to his side. “You’re right. Are you going to reward my exemplary service to Dahrel?” he lowered his voice to a whisper.

  Anna raised her head and quirked one eyebrow at him, while her eyes narrowed. “What kind of reward?” A small smile played at the corners of her mouth

  Varick’s grin widened as he palmed her cheek. His smile dazzled her, and her breath caught in her throat. The rest of the star craft, the mission crew, and the universe fell away from their awareness. He kissed her, his lips a feather-light caress on hers. “Your hand in marriage.”

  “You ask for a substantial reward.” She gave him a slow, teasing smile

  He raised his eyebrows. “The reward should fit the service.”

  She settled both of her hands on his chest. Varick kissed her forehead, her cheeks, and her chin as he waited for her answer. Still smiling, Anna held his gaze. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  He laughed. Then he wound her in his arms.

  Epilogue

  Anna paced in the center of her palace office. She glanced over at Varick, and a spark of annoyance flared. He was reclining on a couch, looking unconcerned and relaxed. He observed her movements with amusement. That annoyed her even more

  “How can you just sit there like you’re on vacation? Why aren’t you a bundle of nerves?”

  “Because pacing would only grate on my nerves. Besides, you’re doing enough pacing for the both of us.”

  She frowned at him. He chuckled and held a hand out to her. Anna huffed, blowing out her own impatience, but she stalked toward him and accepted his hand anyway. Varick pulled her down on the couch beside him. He turned her away from him, and his hands kneaded and massaged her shoulders. She sighed as he found the worst of the knots there

  Anna enjoyed his patient ministrations, while she stared at the door to the Council chamber. Six months had passed since their return to Dahrel. The ship’s crew, along with the Guards of the Realm had set about improving the palace and the capital city first. Varick found the homing beacon in the Protector’s office and activated it. Within days, ships arrived from all across the galaxy.

  The long-lost vessel holding most of the Council members and their families was one of the last to return, almost four months ago. In the quarter of the century since they had left Dahrel, the Council members had settled on an abandoned planet halfway between Dahrel and Earth.

  The reconstruction and rebuilding effort consumed everyone at first. The capital city of Aurelia was in good condition, but all of the smaller cities and towns had been reclaimed by nature. Varick and Anna spent all of their time deciding which towns to raze and rebuild and which to salvage. She met with more architects and engineers in the past few months than she could name.

  The incredible chaos of those first few months had begun to wear away. Housing and public service buildings were in working order. All of the citizens moved out of their ships’ quarters and into housing on Dahrel or Assis. Sidewalks, streetscapes, recreation spaces, and so many other things needed to be rebuilt, but slowly life on Dahrel took shape. The Council, having returned to the Palace and revived its halls with life and activity, took up governing again.

  Anna had announced her intention to marry Varick to the Council several days ago, and today was the day that the Council would vote on her proposal. As Vadana, she could not be present. She spent all week meeting with individual council members.

  Many of the older council members had turned over their governing powers to their children, who were much more open to her radical proposal. They estimated the Council was split almost evenly with a few undecided members determining their fate.

  Anna sighed. She should be working on other proposals: plans to bury the citizens who had died at the science center and Assis before evacuation took hold; a memorial to those who perished; a center that would reconnect missing family members; and others. She had a le
ngthy to-do list on her desk, but her concentration didn’t go beyond a few words at most.

  “Breathe, Anna,” Varick murmured against her ear. “We’ve faced worse than this.”

  She opened her mouth to reply, but the main door to her office slammed open. The door bounced off the couch they were sitting on and sprang half closed, blocking their view of the intruder.

  “You can’t go in there.” Tael yelled

  “I can and will,” replied an unfamiliar woman’s voice

  Varick sprung from the couch like a coiled snake. His hand reached for his sword hilt, as he moved between her and the door. A middle-aged woman swept into the room, her dress whipping around her. The woman’s honey-blonde hair was wound about her nape in intricate braids. Her lively green eyes widened as they poured over Varick. She took in a sharp breath

  “Mother?” Varick asked

  “Varick,” she whispered

  He took only a step forward before his mother launched herself right into his arms. He held her fiercely. His mother clutched at his shoulders, shaking in his arms. An air of lithe and willowy gracefulness hung about her. He buried his face into her shoulder

  Anna rose from her seat on the couch.

  “Raala?” a deep, booming male’s voice called from the hallway.

  Varick looked up at the man entering the room, followed by two young men who bore a striking resemblance to him. She held her breath. They must be his younger brothers. They had to be. His father had silver threading through his closely cropped blond hair. He had a few extra pounds around his middle. His brothers were nothing but smaller copies of him and his father, with blond hair, green eyes, and well-muscled physiques.

  Robbed of speech, Varick stared at each of them in turn, and they stared back

  Anna broke the silence. “You must be Varick’s family. Welcome home.” She took a few steps forward

  His father swallowed hard as he stared at his son. He tore his eyes away, and presented her with a polite bow.

  “Yes, Your Majesty. We are his family. We have been searching for him for over two decades.” His father blinked as his eyes took on a glassy sheen.

  Varick’s mother stepped out of his arms. She grabbed hold of his hand instead. Raala sank to one knee before Anna and rose.

  “You must forgive our intrusion, Your Majesty. I had to find my son. When we learned he was now the Protector, we came straight here. I am Raala, Varick’s mother. This is his father, Thesa, and these are our two younger sons, Dalvon and Kumir.” Raala gestured to them

  “I’m very glad you came straight here. When you didn’t return with the council members, we had feared the worst.” She imparted a gracious smile.

  Thesa nodded. He moved forward and clasped his son’s shoulders with both hands. He pressed his fingers over the pin that held Varick’s caplet in place—the sign of the Protector.

  “When we evacuated, we went with the council members’ ship, but we couldn’t be away from Varick in such a crisis. We took a transport pod and set out toward his training ship. A malfunction in the ship forced us to land on the nearest planet. For more than a dozen years, we lived there, trying to acquire the parts to fix the ship. By the time we were able to leave, all of Dahrel’s people had been scattered to the stars. We had no idea where to find you again.” Thesa squeezed Varick’s shoulder.

  He met his son’s eyes with an imploring expression, silently asking Varick to understand why they weren’t there.

  Varick smiled, and embraced his father in a rough hug. Thesa let out a ragged breath, and squeezed him. Anna had to blink away tears.

  When Thesa let go, he surveyed Varick again. His eyes shown with a misty light as he eyed Varick’s pin again. He gave his son a lopsided grin. “My son, the Protector,” he said.

  Varick swallowed hard. He pulled his mother into an embrace, while wrapping one arm around his father. They chuckled, but hugged him just as tightly

  When Varick stepped away, he looked over at his two brothers. They were standing by the door, looking out of place. Neither of them were old enough to have ever lived on Dahrel for even a day. They couldn’t have been more than twenty-two or twenty-three years old.

  They pinned Varick with narrowed eyes and took a step back toward the door. One clutched at the doorframe. They were in a strange land, meeting an older brother for the first time, and they seemed ready to bolt out the door at the first sign of trouble.

  “Do they know how to fight with swords? Did you train them as a Guard would be trained?” Varick asked his father.

  “As if I would neglect such an education.” His father puffed up his chest.

  “Good. I will test them for service. I want them to serve with me as Guards of the Realm. Would you like that?” He smiled at them

  The two young men exchanged glances. They regarded Varick, their expressions lightening. Dalvon produced a slight smile. “Yes, I think we would like that very much.”

  Varick nodded at him. It would be a long road ahead, but she and Varick would have to take time to get to know his younger brothers

  The door to the Council chambers opened. Councilman Meroca lumbered in. His expression was impassive

  Anna rushed forward. “Well?” she asked

  Meroca’s gaze moved from her to Varick. Then his face broke into a wide grin. “The motion has passed.” He clapped his hands together.

  A squeak of delight escaped her lips. “It passed.” She threw her arms into the air

  Varick opened his arms to her. Anna came to him, wrapping her arms around his neck while he bent his head and kissed her. The kiss was swift and passionate, with a promise of more to come.

  When they parted, he faced his family. His parents were wide-eyed with shock. His mother’s hand rested over her lips to cover her gasp of surprise. He took Anna’s hand. “Anna and I intend to marry. The Council has just approved a law that will allow anyone to choose their husband or wife, regardless of social class. This includes the Vadana. We can begin planning our wedding now.”

  Raala shook her head in wonder. “Our son is the Protector, and he is marrying the Vadana? We have returned to a whole new life.”

  “Hopefully one that is better than the Dahrel you left behind. At least, I intend it that way.” She slipped her arm around Varick’s waist

  Thesa grasped Raala’s hand. He and his wife exchanged a warm glance. “I think we’ll have a very good life here, indeed, Your Majesty,” Thesa said.

  Varick responded by putting his arm around her shoulders. She wasn’t so tense now. She wanted to be alone with him to celebrate their impending marriage, but that would have to wait. They had a family to take care of now. “I hope you will move into the Palace.” Anna gestured to the grand room in which they stood.

  “We would be most honored.” Raala beamed at her. “But you must tell us how all of this happened. And how the dark plague was eliminated.”

  She laughed, leaning into Varick’s embrace. “That’s a long story. Perhaps we can tell it to you as we give you a tour of the palace. We can also introduce you to my brother and sister who will be anxious to hear the news about the council’s decision.” Anna turned her face up to Varick’s

  “That is an excellent idea.” He kissed her temple.

  Councilman Meroca bowed himself out of the tour, claiming he had a great amount of work to do. Varick took Anna’s hand and together they led their new family out of the office. They strolled through the halls of their new home in search of Brendan and Hannah, so they could share all of the good news this day had to offer.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  RACHEL MANNINO

  Rachel Mannino is a passionate writer who creates characters and settings that allow readers to explore power dynamics in relationships, the empowerment of women, and the ethical and moral dilemmas love can create in our lives. Rachel also uses her writing skills to raise thousands of dollars for entities that enrich our lives and create community change around the world. She has worked for the Peace Corps,
the Humanities Council of Washington, DC, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, and the Mayor’s Office of Arts, Tourism and Special Events in Boston, MA.

  Rachel’s first novel, Love or Justice, was published by Limitless Press in November, 2015. Her second novel, Fractal, will be published by eTreasures in the fall of 2016. Rachel has a BA in theatre studies and writing, literature, and publishing from Emerson College, and she has used it every day since graduation. She lives with her husband, author Christopher Mannino (www.christophermannino.com), and their adorable dog and cat in College Park, Maryland

  Thank you for reading Fractal from eTreasures Publishing. If you enjoyed reading this novel, please help the author by leaving a review on Amazon and/or tell a friend who may like it.

  eTreasures Publishing offers a wide range of family friendly genres including children’s books, romance, poetry and more. Please visit our site at eTresurespublishing.com or check our titles at popular distributors such as Amazon and Smashwords

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