The Dark Crystal von Nukamira (Quest of the Lost Sister) ================================================================================ Prolog: Proloque ---------------- Dark Times where in the offering, the rebellion of the Gelflings is near. Right now, everything is still in order, especially for a young Gelfling named Saria. She didn't know what happens to one of the Castle Guards, but that's not a surprise. Because she lived isolated in the Castle, No Guard and most of the other Skeksis don't know about her existence. Kapitel 1: Chapter 1 -------------------- Saria was preparing herself for the night, brushing her long platinum blonde hair. It was typical for a Vapra, where she belonged to. She was sitting on a luxury bed, covered with pinkish, Silke blankets. Even when the Girl was shackled, the Gelfling whistled happily; Saria was waiting for the Emperor for him to return from the dinner. She was alone for the whole day and the sadness overwhelmed her finally. Only the thought of her beloved Emperor was giving her strength. And the Vapran knew, he will come back, even if just for sleeping. After all, it was unusual that the Gelfling didn't see him for so long. In the beginning, the Emperor was visiting her often per day, but it seems that he was busy recently... too busy for her. Saria started to worry, if she was enough for him, if she got bored of her? After all these Trines? Was she boring and annoying for him, in the end? With the heavy heart she carried inside her breast, she waited like always. But she didn't wait long, the Emperor was on his way to his Chambers. Slowly, walking thru the long hallways, SkekSo was marked by the experiments with the Darkening. His Body was rotten and you could hear this, with every step he was wheezing. SkekSo passed a Castle Guard, a Stonewood Gelfling that patrolled alone. The Girl was snarling a bit when the Skeksis crossed her way. It was hard for the Guardian, to control her Emotions. She hated the Emperor from the depths of her Heart. She, after all, was suspecting all Lords in the castle. But that was another story, she stared after him. SkekSo felt the deadly stare from the Gelfling, he saw her often around his bedroom. But he didn't give that much attention to it, he didn't care about the Gelfling. But this girl, who was she? There was something about her, but what? When he turned back to her, she just smiled happily and greeted him. "Good afternoon my Lord." SkekSo couldn't help himself, but there was something familiar about her, especially in her smile. The Skeksis shook his head, maybe it's just in his imagination, all Gelflings look alike in some way. The only thing he wanted right now was his bedroom, and the gelfling inside it. When the Emperor was out of sight, the Guard stopped faking a smile and the anger came back. She held her sword tightly and her hand was shaking, her wish to bury the sword into the back of the Emperor grew day by day. And she would do it, for the evil deeds, he did to her family. SkekSo had ve to pay for it, for all the grief he caused. Just at the moment, she felt that someone touches her shoulder. And warm lips gave her a kiss on her cheek. „You Shouldn't be so angry, it makes you ugly Thea. You will be full of wrinkles and then you look like one of the Lords of the Crystal." The boy said it with a laugh, a Stonewood Gelfling, like her. His hair was black and his braids and bangs had some purple highlights. Thea was surprised to see her husband so suddenly out of the nowhere, she calmed down a bit, his pacifying nature always kept her calm. But as soon as he mentioned, that she would look like one of the lords she became sulky. „Haha very funny Theo, really, but see? I was able to control myself even when you weren't here" Her Voice was sweetly and she smiled at him, She gave her Husband a soft Kiss on the lips. „It's dinner time, hm?" Theo nodded and departed, holding her hand. Finally, the Emperor entered his Bedroom. The Gelfling beamed with pleasure, as soon as she saw him. Saria jumped from the bed and fluttered around him. „Emperor, Emperor! I'm so happy that you are back, it was so boring here being alone...the whole day without you. What are we doing now? Can we go out for a walk? Or dance oh please, 'so long ago since we danced together, we should do that!" Saria caught for air, she was babbling and forgot nearly to breath. Then she took his hand and danced around him, giggling. Skekso sighed annoyed and removed his hand from her grab. „No, NO to everything, I'm tired, the day was exhausting.. maybe tomorrow I will take you with me for a walk." SkekSo didn't even look at her, he already had problems to hold his eyes open. The Vapra was now upset, her big hazelnut-brown eyes were shinning. „You say this all the time ..but in the end, we do nothing." Her voice was quietly filled with sadness. But the Emperor just harrumphed and looked over his room. Seeing all the mess that she did, he starts yelling at her. „Tell me Gelfling, how can your day boring, when you leave just a mess here!? What have you done the whole day? It looks like a battlefield here!" The Emperor's voice was full of anger. Saria became frightened and tried to explain, why it was so messy. „But I... I made some new elixir for you, my Emperor. I just wanted to help you, there was no time to clean up!: She pointed on two bottles on the table, while she cleaned up her mess. His eyes wander to the table, where all of the lotions and elixirs stood. With the scepter in his hand, he destroyed the potions. The shards and the liquids flew everywhere. „ALL OF THESE ARE USELESS, like you, Gelfling! Look at my beak, it's still rotting!" And while he screamed in his anger, he began again to wheeze. Saria was shivering like a leaf. She knew the Emperor was a moody lover, one day he treated her good and the other day he is impatient and easily angered. The Girl babbled something and held back her tears. She didn't want to disappoint him. „My Lord, I try my best, but since you don't have some magical essence, that restore your youth, I can't help you." A tear dripped down from her cheek; she was sobbing. The Skeksis sighted again, a weird feeling was sprawling inside his chest. Seeing the girl crying made him feel bad, like always. He didn't care for Gefling, sure, but she was something special. SkekSo liked the Vapran, he cared much for her. Saria made him feel young and he could forget all the troubles he had with his fellow Skeksis. His thin hand reached for her cheek and with his thumb, he smeared her tears away. But when she mentioned the essence, the Emperor gasped but smirked. "What if I tell you there is such essence?" Saria laughed "So the magic essence, is it made out of podlings?" she asked. The Emperor was almost amused over her cluelessness. The thought of making a lot of delicious essence watered his mouth. Skekso laid his hands on her shoulders and licked over his teeth. "No, it's not made out of podlings," he told her. The girl rolled her eyes. "I never heard about "this" essence and I think I should know about it. If it's true, do you have some? And what are the secret ingredients?" she asked. The Emperor just harrumphed. "Unfortunately I don't have any essence, it got stolen...but now is not the right time to talk about it." He looked at the mess he made and recognized a little test tube with a violet liquid. "What's that, a new elixir?" he asked, picking it up. "Ah yes, it's a sleeping potion, it should help you sleep calmer. My parents gave it to me once when I wasn't able to sleep properly because of nightmares. I hope it will help you. I tripled the amount of the sleeping leaf, so you should sleep like a childling." She giggled and went back to cleaning the chaos again. While she spoke, the Emperor drunk the potion completely. "But you shouldn't drink-" When she turned to him, she saw the empty tube. "You...you drank the whole elixir?" Saria asked him nervously. "Yes? What's wrong?" He asked. "Nothing... Uhm... I just don't know when it will start working, so maybe we should prepare you for the night," she replied even more nervously and swallowed, she didn't know if it was too much Sleepingleaf. Skekso was yawing, he already felt tired. "I guess it's working," he said. Saria helped him change his clothes. "Uh... well I hope so, your past nights were really restless. I have to say I wasn't able to sleep either, in those nights." When the Emperor laid down, the Gelfling laid next to him and cuddled to his side. A smile spread across her face. "Why are you grinning, it's something wrong with me?" The Emperor asked. Saria shook her head. "Nothing is wrong with you, I'm just happy to be with you, that's all." And so she gave him a kiss. Skekso just snarled. "Before I forget, do you know the Gelfling who is patrolling in front of...my..." Before he was able to finish his sentence, he fell asleep. "Emperor?..." she poked him but when he didn't respond, she sighed in relief. This was close, she didn't know how to answer him, she knew the Gelfling he spoke of very well. Her name was Thea. From time to time she was visiting her, but how could she explain this? Saria was a secret within the castle walls Hosted by Animexx e.V. (http://www.animexx.de)