Writing: Sarris + "bringing her home"

    It is not June yet, okay? I'm still ahead of the deadline. This is going to be a lame post, but it's a post and it counts, okay? I also might have to go to work in forty minutes and have to eat, do my hair, brush my teeth, and finish getting my snack together. Short post.

    Long story short, I'm in Alaska (again), I'm working 1-8pm, five days a week, our internet is not in our house yet, and I've been reading a lot of books.

    Yeah. That's about it. It's been a busy few months of travel. Once again.

    My writing scribbles have meandered all over story ideas, but I liked this scrawl best that I did over this last week. Hopefully you guys do too.

    Original storyline, just by the way. Since it's so confusing with the four some different storylines and I get turned around every once in a while as well.


    Sarris found herself wide awake despite not having slept in almost two days. The starliner thrummed around her, as soothing and constant as the sleepy warmth pressed to her front.
    It felt like events had not stopped slipping past faster than she could almost comprehend. Two days ago she had been returning home to an empty apartment and an aching pain in the wake of visiting Tara—again.
     Now she glanced down and wondered that the past forty-eight hours weren’t anything more than a dream. That she would wake up in an empty bed, reaching for the only constant in her life, only to find him gone.
    Downy blond curls were stark against the gray of Sarris’ uniform jacket, softening the military edge in a way no smile could. Quiet breaths left the child in her arms as she slumbered.
    At six months old, Ruusan was just beginning to take an interest in the world, and was sleeping through the night on a somewhat regular basis. Not that it would’ve made a difference.
    The Warrior had been struck by the vivid blue of her eyes from that first moment on the side of the road after dragging the crying child from the burning wreck of her parents’ streamer.
    Letting her head settle back, Sarris stared at the illume casting faint light over the rows of seats, the low setting telling that their destination, Sinjaro Kahn, was in the late hours of night. Sleeping now would be in the passengers’ best interest.
    She hadn’t commed Novarr any details beyond asking him to meet her at home tomorrow, or the earliest he could get away from his current job.
    This wasn’t something she would be able to talk about, could make a decision about, without being able to see him, to grip his hands with hers and see the truth of his own choice in his eyes.
     Ruusan could and would change everything. Already had. Even if they didn’t keep her, even if they committed her as a ward of the bureau on Norsha’ac, Sarris knew there would be no going back now. Not after memorizing the weight of the child in her arms, the pitch of her cry, the gentle scent that clung to her hair and skin after a bath.
    It was burned into her mind as deep as Gogam, as her time with the Force, as the people who meant everything to her.
    No, there was no return from here. And Sarris didn’t care, as she laced her fingers together over Ruusan’s back, her eyes closing. She knew that she wouldn’t get much rest, but it was worth it to at least try. There was no telling when Ruusan would awaken. Or what the next few days would hold, for that matter. She would need every moment of respite she could manage.

    //

    Sarris knew that the only thing Novarr would read on her face and in her eyes would be strain, so she grabbed his hands, hoping the contact would help him understand.
    “You’re really starting to freak me out here, Sar,” his voice was strained, brows at an odd angle as he attempted to keep at least a hint of a smile on his features. His fingers were tight around hers with rising tension.
    The words stuck in her throat, as easy as they should’ve been, but she didn’t know what to say anymore.
    Staring into the concern in his gaze, the Warrior struggled. She didn’t do well conversing even within normal parameters, let alone when it came to an issue of this magnitude.
    “Her name is Ruusan,” Sarris murmured at last. Her name almost got stuck, came out as a whisper. “She’s six months old, Norsha’acite, and her parents are both dead. Killed in a streamer accident.”
    Novarr was uncomprehending, a frown crowding out his failing attempt at a smile, and he rubbed agitated circles around her knuckles with his thumbs. “What about her, Sar? I need details here, babe.”
    “Next of kin waived their claim, she was going straight to a bureau-operated home, Novarr.” Sarris was unfamiliar with the desperation crawling beneath her skin. It was wishful, devastating, craving, unthinkable, nothing like she’d ever known.
    Her hunter, her Novarr, waited, knowing to give her time, to allow her to work past her barriers and speak, perhaps already thinking he knew where this was going.
    “I—“ Sarris paused, closed her eyes. “She’s here. I brought her home with me. She’s asleep in our bed right now.”
   It might have been amusing in any other situation, with any other circumstances. Novarr stopped functioning, frozen, staring at Sarris.
    She let him process, her attention on their conversation, but every sense tuned to the small noises of their apartment. Waiting for that familiar cry to come.
    It would be weeks before her usual sleeping schedule returned. Before her senses dulled again from razor sharp awareness, at a level she hadn’t seen in years.
    Since her first years off Gogam, struggling with the blood that had soaked her.
    “We… have a baby?” Novarr’s dawning comprehension made warmth spread through Sarris’ fingertips.
    Drawing in a breath, she explained in low tones, “If that’s what we want. I have temporary custody because of my dual status as a Warrior that’s acknowledged by both Kahn and Uhric. It allows some space to maneuver legally.” Away from the emotion of the situation, her tongue loosened, thoughts flowing with more ease.
    Not that it made a difference what she said now. Novarr wasn’t attending again, just smiling, a goofy expression she didn’t see on him often. His good humor was usually more focused, not an uncontrolled reaction like now.
    “Her name is Ruusan?” He checked, squeezing her hands at odd intervals.
    Sarris blinked at him. Nodded once. “Yes. Ruusan Armstrong.”
    “And her family doesn’t want her?”
    “No.” That was the part of this she couldn’t understand. How Ruusan’s grandparents had walked into that security station where Sarris had waited with their granddaughter, and had turned their backs on her. Had signed all the forms to give up their rights without looking at her twice.
    It had made her burn with anger. That they were so willing, so eager, to be rid of Ruusan. Of her blue eyes and golden curls, her sweet giggles and priceless babbling.


    Short but sweet, I hope. Unfinished, as with all my projects. But it hit me during church last week and I ran with it. This is a phase of their lives I never really got around to writing out, just put a mental marker in with an idea of events and moved on to bigger fish.

    Baby Ruu is so. adorable. Just so you know. One of those babies that makes you think, "I wouldn't mind having kids after all" because she's just precious and a sweetheart and. Yeah.

    I've gotta run now.

    Thoughts?

    Ad astra per aspera.
    To the stars, through difficulties.

0200 Hours and I am Interneting (Alt: Writing -- Jade + Jase)

    Contrary to popular belief, I am still alive. 

    And the hour is depriving me of my usual wit and humor (joke) so... life is life-ing as usual. I'm on a sort-of internet break, but I wrote a page and a half of a Microsoft Word document on my ipod while avoiding schoolwork the other day and figured it was better than the nothingness I've produced up until now.

    It's been one of those "I have so much in my head but everything I put on the page sucks" sort of phases, I'm afraid. But the scrawl I'm posting tonight (this morning...?) came rather easily after a couple days of computer break, so. We'll see if I can continue in this line and maybe find it in me to do something with Jandy and Dechlan.

    But, for some background. I was sitting and idly thinking about Deviant Storyline Jaydn and Jase and the ever present issue of her martyrdom for her family that's causing her to say no to a potential future with Jase. Do not ask how I got to this point, but I ended up with Jase getting pinged by Charles (contact/good friend of Jade's) to go rescue Jade, who'd gotten herself in a bit of a fix. 

    Through an unfortunate twist of events, I believe she fell down a flight of stairs and ended up getting caught by the local law enforcement who... were on her tail for reasons unknown. I didn't say this idea was hole-less, just FYI. Anyways, by the time he gets there, she's at the hospital and on a couple more painkillers/sedative-type-drugs than she's used to. Which, considering Jade stays away from all that stuff in general because it clouds her mind and she can't think, makes for an interesting Jade. Like, you hear about alcohol bringing out different sides of people? Well. Yeah. 

    After she commented on Jase's eyes making her imo (father) smile, because they were special like Ha'imo and Merri's, and commenting that she didn't like drugs because they made her mind all "woo-woo", Jase knew it'd be quite a tall order to get her away without attracting attention. 

    And there was another moment while she was still pretty out of it that was humorous but stemmed from a much more serious subject, which is referenced in my scrawl, but I haven't quite worked out what her comment was. 

    As for the timeline, I'm putting this ten or so months after Ruusan was rescued and brought home and also post another event that Penny and I never got to but considered, which had the space station attacked and a bunch of hunters (Jase included) captured by baddies and just... stuffs. My brain is so dead right now.

    If you're really confused over stuff, ask. Please. Because my explanations are really crummy at the moment.

    I may also have taken a small liberty founded in hopeful wishes for Ruu which you should be able to figure out as soon as she enters the scene. 

    Anyways, kicking off on the space station where the Vhanders live, in the infirmary, Jase having managed to get Jade there. (And Jase is familiar with Ruusan because she was one of the attending doctors after he and the other hunters were rescued following the proposed attack on the space station.)


   Her head turned on the white pillow, the rustle drawing Jase's attention and he watched as her eyes blinked open, disorientation clear to be seen there.
    For a long moment, Jade watched him, pieces clicking together in her gaze before she looked past him, then to the machine that was displaying her vitals. He'd muted it a half hour earlier, having no desire to listen to it blip in pace with Jaydn's heartbeat.
    "Charles called you?" The woman asked at last, her voice rough from the effect of the drugs that were still making their way from her system.
    Reclining back in the seat Ruusan had found for him and trying to ignore what seeing her like this was doing to him, Jase nodded once. "Sooner would've been better, but I got you out before they called in anyone higher than bootlicker."
    Jade braced her usable hand on the mattress and shifted herself upwards so she was sitting up, but the crease between her brows spoke of the pain she had to be in.
    "I don't remember a lot," she murmured after she'd resettled, glancing at him with something akin to apology in her gaze. "Just... a lot of different drugs. And later."
    He didn't need a translation for 'later'. When she'd started coming back around. The things she'd said that still echoed in his thoughts.
    Deciding to spare both her and himself until a later time when they would both be prepared for that conversation, Jase offered, "Your sister-in-law, Ruusan, said it'd be a while until she'd get everything flushed out of your system. They gave you quite the cocktail. Must've known who they were up against." He allowed a brief, faint smirk to pull at the corner of his mouth.
    The woman shrugged her free shoulder before looking down to observe the status of her arm, discontent showing through to her features. Jase leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees.
    "The medical read-out in the hospital said you fell down a flight of stairs and Ruusan concurred with that prognosis." He didn't know whether the fall had been a miscalculation or an honest stumble, and thus wouldn't try to reassure her, but he would've put money on the former. Dark environment, possibly being pursued, assumed that a distance was farther than it turned out to be...
    A ghost of a smile appeared on Jade's face, as if she had already guessed the direction of his thoughts, even with her fogged mind. In response, he raised a brow at her, daring her to contradict him.
    She didn't, but that may have been because there was a scuff of feet on the smooth infirmary floor, drawing both hunters back to the present as they made sure there was no imminent threat.
    Wrapped up in a sweater and with her hair braided back out of the way, small curls escaping, Ruusan brought warmth to the room with her presence alone, blue eyes bright with cautious interest. A blanket was in her hand, held out of the way of her growing baby bump.
    Jase was still surprised at the change between this Ruusan and the one who's been there to greet him and the other rescued hunters upon their delivery to Loophole's infirmary five months prior. But he hid it well, sitting back in his seat to allow the doctor access to her sister.
    "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," Ruu said, glancing between the two. "They just keep the infirmary cooler than is normal so I wasn't sure if either of you wanted this." She indicated the blanket in her grasp.
    "I wouldn't mind," Jade replied, honesty in her voice and Jasen could see her mind processing all the different signs in Ruusan's movements and expressions that would tell of her physical and emotional welfare. "Their cocktail is proving hard on my system."
    Professional disapproval drew a frown to Ruu's features as she approached, hesitation falling away, and she moved to unfold the blanket, tucking it around Jade. "I don't know what they were thinking. Mixing some of those things can easily be toxic to anybody's system, let alone someone like you, who isn't accustomed drugs of that potency."
    "I don't doubt that whatever law enforcement dragged me in gave them strict orders to make sure that there would be no way I'd be going anywhere without help," Jaydn shrugged again, too tired to work up any great amount of frustration over the spot of trouble she'd gotten herself into.
    One of Ruusan's slim hands drifted over her extended abdomen, while the other settled at the small of her back, neither action going unnoticed by the two hunters in the small, curtained off room. "Still. Our oath is to do no harm and whatever doctor or nurse administered your dosages got darn near committing malpractice."
    Jase was content to let the conversation flow around him, the adrenaline high he'd been running on for hours finally beginning to slow enough that he could relax. Plus it was... nice. Being there. There was still a lot that would need to be talked about, but Jade wasn't pushing him away and that was enough of a start in his book.
    "You should go home," Jaydn said and for a moment, he thought she was addressing him until stormy-blue glanced up and saw that she was talking to Ruusan still.
    That woman was not enthused by the idea. "I'm okay, Jade, really and I would really rather be here, making sure there's no adverse effects from that cocktail then twiddling my thumbs and pretending to sleep."
    From the sound of it, this was a conversation that had been had more than one time and Jase knew it had everything to do with what had occurred less than a year ago and the life currently sheltered within Ruusan. His priority was currently Jade, but he did agree with where the other hunter's thoughts undoubtedly were at. Get Ruusan to rest so she doesn't wear herself out and cause complications to her pregnancy.
    He stood, the movement drawing the attention of both females. Jade's gaze was calculating, deciphering his intentions, while Ruusan's was curious.
    "I'll walk you to your apartment and then I'll come back and stay with Jaydn," Jase said, informing more than anything else. "If anything changes, I'll find someone to send and get you. And the rest of your guys' family will be here before too long."
    Protest again rose in Ruusan's blue eyes. "That's very sweet of you, but I really don't need to be--"
    "Ruu." Her sister's voice was gentle but not allowing for further argument. "I'm fine. And whether you like it or not, you need to be off your feet. Go and someone will come get you when the others arrive, alright?"
    When the doctor finally came to terms with that fact that she wasn't going to be able to talk herself out of this one, she sighed. "Alright, fine. But I want to be notified the moment anything changes."
    Jase stepped around the bed to take Ruusan's elbow in hand and guide her towards the exit, noting the gratitude in Jade's eyes as she watched the proceedings. The pregnant woman's instructions died out rather quickly after he ushered her from the room. The rest of the infirmary was vacant besides a man whose appearance suggested that he was on the night shift. All the same, Jase did a quick assessment as they passed to determine if he was armed and decided he wasn't an immediate threat. If he did turn out to be one, he was certain Jade would be able to hold her own until his return.

    And... yeah. It's something. I kind of like it. Might fill in the blank spots before and after at some point, but I really (really, really) have to get some schoolwork done one of these days, so we'll see.

    I haven't forgotten Jandy and Dechlan, either, Trinity. Really, truly. It's just again with that "I know what I want to do, but it won't come in a way that I'm satisfied with" sort of thing. Which is getting rather frustrating, so I might need to change something in the idea I've been chewing over for the last while to make it different and see if that kick starts anything....

    Anyways. I should go read about transcendentalism and all that fun stuff before it gets to be too insane of an hour. 

    Many thanks for hanging around (and did you just follow me, Nate? If so, awesomeness, muchas gracias, and welcome. :D) and again, don't be afraid to leave comments or questions. I will get back to you pretty quickly. 

    Ad astra per aspera.
    To the stars, through difficulties. 

Writing: Steampunk -- Ruusan

   My schedule is really erratic these days, isn't it? Life has been hectic and that's really all there is to it. My family will be moving into our new house this coming Wednesday and then we'll be getting settled into our routine.

   The scribbles for today, though, are back in the steampunk setting, but with Ruusan. I didn't think I'd ever get back around to the steampunk, but another facet of Ruusan's character called to me, so I did a small amount of writing.

   They're both pretty self-explanatory. Sarris died a long time ago, having never met Novarr. Novarr has also passed on by this time, possibly from illness or an infected wound; I'm not sure. Ruusan is a nurse and has Vivian, but Cameron is gone by this time as well. 

    On that depressing note, shall we?


   Ruusan settled back in the intricate cast iron chair outside the small café, one hand resting on the matching table set alongside her tea cup. Blue eyes took in the busy street with a certain level of reserve. It's been too long since I've been able to just sit.
   Across the tabletop, her longtime friend and mentor sat with a similar pose, but instead of her brown gaze being on the people and variety of transportations, Ruu could feel Lauren watching her profile, waiting for the reply to her inquiry.
   It took her a few more moments to formulate the rest of her answer, then Ruusan looked back to her fellow nurse, a quiet sigh leaving her. The expelling of breath loosened the corset of her dress for a few seconds, enough that she was allowed a brief respite from its tightness.
   "I can't, Lauren," she said at last. "I just... can't. I work twelve hour days to pay the rent on a home that I hardly see. My daughter spends more time with Mrs. Vhander then she does with me. Both my father and my husband are dead. I can't ask someone to have to-- to-- I don't know, deal with that? Come to terms with the fact that this heart of mine would probably never be truly and completely his, not unless he was someone very special? No man deserves to have to live up to another man's shadow and I would never ask him to. Please tell your cousin that I will have to decline his invitation, Lauren, and to find another woman who can accept and return his affections. Because I cannot."
   There'd been hints of a smile on the older woman's face while Ruusan had been speaking, but now it's truly there as Lauren nodded her understanding. "Don't fret, Ruusan. You didn't need to get up in arms on me. Fred just talks of you a good deal and finally asked if I'd be willing to relay the invitation to you. And I did and you declined."
   Relief filtered through her thoughts and Ruu's answering smile is a bit subdued, but heartfelt all the same. "I'm sorry. I just get tired of offers from parties who don't realize what they're getting into."
   Lauren stood while listening, taking a few coins from the purse looped around her wrist and setting them beside her empty cup and saucer. "And that's perfectly understandable. I'm meeting my mother-in-law for lunch, so I need to hurry home to freshen up now, but I'll see you in a few days, yes?"
   A quiet nod. "Yes. The matron gave me a week off so that I could recover completely. I'll be back on Monday."
   "That's good. The hospital isn't quite the same without you there. Just make good use of your free days, Ruusan. They'll be gone all too soon. Take Vivian out to the gardens in Ironstate, or just go out for the day. Spend time with your daughter." Lauren checked that her hat was still on straight, brows raised to make her point.
   Even though she kept her seat, Ruusan smiled again, chin leaned into her palm. "I'll be sure to do that. Thank you for meeting me today. I'm not used to being out of touch."
   "My pleasure." Warmth colored the raven-haired woman's voice and then she was gone, whisked away by the flow of people until not even a trace of her long brown dress could be seen.
    Alone again, Ruu lifted her tea cup to finish the last of its contents, nose wrinkling when the lukewarm liquid washed across her tongue.

*****

   Ruusan smiled at the woman who came to receive the package of bread, water, and two blankets the medical team was handing out, feeling her chest contract in pain at the other female's wary expression. 
   Her skin was darkened with dirt and her extended hands shook visibly. Settling the wrapped bundle into her awaiting palms, Ruu wished there was more she could do.   
    There was no murmuring of thanks before the ragtag woman disappeared into the gathering crowd. The nurse soon turned her attention to the next person to approach, determined to fulfill her purpose here so she might return home. 
   Return to Vivian. 
   Blue eyes took in all but revealed little as the afternoon wore on towards evening. 
   It was two small faces, peering at the goings-on, that broke through the carefully maintained barrier Ruusan had to erect around her heart. Grabbing the nearest unclaimed package, the curly-haired woman slipped from the safety of her fellow nurses and their police guard.
    Her hard-soled boots skidded on the broken cobblestones as she made her way to where the children had been moments prior. Their hunger-pinched faces had disappeared, but Ruusan was fairly certain they wouldn't he far. The draw of food would be too strong to allow them to stray any great distance. 
   Rounding the corner of the decrepit building they'd set up their operation near, Ruu searched the shadows for the two young ones. 
   "Come out. I'm not going to hurt you," she called, her voice quiet but beckoning. "I have food and water."
    Ruu couldn't see where they might've gone, and when they didn't reappear after a few moments, continued down the passageway, glancing back the way she'd come. 
   She'd give the food to these children, and then they'd go home, back to the hospital and their respective homes.
   Turning her attention back to her path, Ruusan realized somewhat belatedly that a man had appeared now, staggering along towards her with an expression that caused fear to curl through her on his features.
   God in heaven, protect me.

   And that's all I've got for the time being. My siblings and I are currently bunking with our cousins, so with fourteen-some kids in the house, it's kind of crazy.

   But for other news, Penny and I are looking at doing a couple of "blog challenges" over the next couple of months. Keep an eye out for a massive amount of posts from the two of us as we attempt to keep up with these journaling prompts.

   For those who are curious as to what ones we're looking at using, drop me a note and I can get you the Pinterest links.

   Thank you much for reading and feedback is always welcome!

    Ad astra per aspera.

    To the stars, through difficulties.

Writing: Original -- Of Moving and Storms

   I haven't a lot of time due to a baby sitting job in forty-five minutes and not even having gotten out of bed yet, but I wanted to post this real fast so as to reassure Trinity that every one is doing quite well. Well, in the original they are. We won't speak of the deviant.

   This scrawl was one that just came out of no where last week and is a short amount of time after Jhidek, Ruusan, and their four children moved from Norsha'ac to Istilanda, the difference being, from grassy hills, to oceans and beaches.

   Please note, also, that Gramma Ti-ti is Tara and Grampa Ar-ar is Nuridarr. Vivian did love her nicknames as a baby and a few have stuck.

  
    It is almost one o'clock in the morning when the first crack of lightning illuimnates the bedroom and it is quickly followed by a boom of thunder, wakening Ruusan almost instantly.
    Disoriented initially, her heart pounds in her chest as she lifts her head from her pillow then lightning flashes again and she realizes, belatedly, that a storm has blown in off the ocean and even now, the rain batters against the glass windows taking up the far wall of the room.
    Rolling over and sitting up, Ruu pulls the comforter around herself, glancing at the empty space on the other side of the bed. A quiet sigh escapes her.
    Sometime in the next twenty-four hours, he'd said when he'd called earlier. This job was turning out to be a bit more unpredictable than expected, stretching to three days, possibly four, but Ruu knows Jay has to make up for his absence while moving her and the kids to Istilanda.
    There are still boxes scattered everywhere because she hasn't been able to find the energy to both unpack and mind her children. Vivian and Ellora's excitement over the new location is complete, but just as often, she has to wipe away tears because, yes, they're going to see Gramma Ti-ti and Auntie Merri and Grampa Ar-ar and Auntie Raina again.
    That is one thing Ruusan hadn't considered entirely when she and Jhidek had decided to move; the relative solitude that she'd be placed in by the new location. Having lived his family for the past five years, not having someone popping in and out throughout the day or meandering over to Auntie Tara's house when the girls had too much energy was a foreign concept.
    But the change is doing her a lot of good at the same time. The fresh start and new setting helps Ruu keep her head clearer, freer of thoughts that threaten to weigh her down.
    A faint smile pulls at her mouth as she looks around she and Jay's new room, the large bay windows looking out over the ocean, the light wood flooring and white-painted walls.
    Overall, the house has five separate bedrooms, four on the second story, one on the first floor, and there is a  small basement that acts as a storm shelter in case of a typhoon. Vivian and Ellora have been installed down the hall in the other room that overlooks the beach and sea, much to their delight, and Connor will be across the hall from them in a couple more months. Ruu has already had to nurse more than one pair of bruised knees due to the slippery hardwood floors, but is finding she likes them much better than the carpet in the apartment on Norsha'ac, if only because they are far easier to clean.
    Sleep having fled for the time being despite her exhaustion earlier that evening, the woman slides out of bed, not bothering with the robe pooled on the floor beside the bed. She goes to the tall windows and pushes the curtains out of the way so she can see out. Wind is whipping at the trees and the ocean rolls and tosses, crashing up on the beach only to subside again.
    Thunder continues to boom as well, and she absently hopes it won't wake the kids as it had her.
    Ruusan watches the effect of the storm, crossing her arms over her stomach. She doubts it will hamper Jhidek's return, but still worries a bit that it will.
    She lingers over the view a few minutes longer, then goes to check on Connor. At seven months, he's just beginning to crawl and Ruu made quick work of installing gates on the stairs so that neither he nor Ellie will take a tumble down them. Leaning over the crib, she smiles softly, brushing her fingers over the baby's cheek.
    As always, the curls are her own, but it's the sandy color that means her genes have finally had some influence. A small triumph, but after both Vivian and Ellora turned out looking much like their respective fathers,
having Connor bear some resemblance to herself made the back-aches worth it.
    Of course, his eyes are still brown.
    Oh well, Ruu muses, tucking the blanket closer around her son and straightening to go check on her daughters. Maybe next round.
    As she pads across the floor to the bedroom door, a small frown pulls at Ruusan's mouth. Not being near Jhidek's family any longer means that, aside from her husband, who is constantly coming and going, she'll be devoid of an extra set of hands to help with the kids while she's pregnant, especially when she nears her due date.
    Considering this problem a few moments later, Ruu decides to bring it up with Jay at some point and tucks the thought away as she goes to her daughters' room.
    The nightlight casts a faint glow over the space, giving it a warm atmosphere that seems to ward off the severity of the storm. On the short table between the two little beds and their slumbering occupants, a small, lavender music player has a soft piano piece on, keeping the thunder at bay.
    Ruusan gently pushes back Ellora's dark curls, feeling her warmth and hearing her little breaths and pulls up the light purple comforter before shifting across the space between Ell's and Vivi's bed to check on her oldest.
    Vivian's leg is hanging over the side of the mattress, so she eases back under the covers and bends down to  kiss the five-year-old's temple.
     I have no idea what I ever did to deserve all this, Lord, she thinks, rising after a couple more moments and going to stand in the doorway.
    She stays there, lost in thought, until a faint clatter from downstairs catches the mother's attention.
    Hope causes her pulse to pick up.
    Jhidek.
    Closing the girls' door behind herself, Ruu makes her way downstairs, the gates opening soundlessly at her behest as she passes through them to reach the main floor.
    The air is cooler on the first floor and she crosses her arms over her chest to ward off the chill that causes goosebumps to break out over her arms. There's another faint noise that draws her attention and guides her through the dark house towards the entry way.
    Ruu wanders to the short hallway that leads to the front door and draws to a halt when she sees Jhidek there, leaning over to pull off his boots.
    He looks up and she smiles.


   There you have it. Right as rain.

   And now, I must dash. Thank you for reading!

   Also, I'm considering doing a short review on BBC's North & South. Would anyone be interested in that?

   Thank you muchas for reading!

   Ad astra per aspera.
   To the stars, through difficulties.

A Writer on Pinterest

   You know that awful moment when it's a Saturday morning and you're expecting to sleep in after a really long, really emotional day yesterday that had you in tears as you crawl into bed, and then it's 7:30 in the morning and you never wake up this early, let alone on a Saturday, but you're awake now and it's just... Sigh.

   So, yes, it's 7:45 and while my headache from last night is gone, I really had wanted to sleep longer. Oh well.

   For the focus of this post, Pinterest.

   I believe that the majority of you already follow me on Pinterest, but I'm going to put this together for those who don't.

   As any good writer on Pinterest does, I have a variety of story and character related boards to which I pin a good deal of pictures pertaining to the board's title.

   I will provide a link to each board and a brief summary about what's entailed below. Please don't hesitate to follow through, even if you don't have Pinterest. (Though if you don't have Pinterest, you might consider it.)


   Story Inspiration
   I have three boards that all begin with "story". Story Inspiration is a collection of pins that provide me with inspiration for something to include in a story. That could be anything from a bunch of dragon pictures to a short quote that makes me go "Ooh, that'd be a fascinating line to spin a story off of."
  
   Story Setting
   As the title might suggest, Story Setting is all about the world in which a story might take place. The locations range from an artwork of an oriental palace in mountains to a digital rendering of a sci-fi style hotel room. Take your pick.

   Story Style
   This would be for those looking to outfit their heroes in anything from silver wire masquerade masks to a black bustle skirt from the Victorian era. This board is still a bit new and my eye is not particularly drawn to things of the accessory/clothing genre, so filling it is a work in progress.
  
   Faces to Remember
   When you're on Pinterest and going through people's story boards, you'll find that they have a penchant to save pictures of people who they find inspiring, and this is my take on that. All the faces to be found in this board are ones that I think would be interesting in a story, but have not yet found a home for. Ages range from adorable little Asian girls to an older woman with gray hair who has all the qualities of a mentor in her face.


   Now, for the more personal boards, involving the characters I already have.


   Characters
   This is a stashing spot for the pictures I find that remind me of my characters. It doesn't always have to be spot on. Maybe it's his hair, or her expression, but it's a little conglomerate of things that make up the people inside my head. (Hint: If you wanted to have an idea of what Vivian looks like, here's your chance.)

   Hints of Character
   This board is very similar to Characters, but it's in words, songs, and poses instead. This song lyrics remind me of those two characters at this given time; that Mustang is one that I could see my character's brother fixing and then the character driving. Little things that make up the characters on the inside, instead of on the outside.

   Profile: Sarris and Novarr Schaefe
   This is a specialized board for my characters, Sarris and Novarr. It's a big mish-mash of Characters and Hints of Characters, just for the two of them. I also enjoy doing MBTI for my characters, so Novarr has a fair deal of ENTP pins. Sarris, on the other hand, shares her type with several other of my characters, and I have stuffed them all in another board that I'll share at the end. (Warning: Sarris has had a tough background, and a couple of the pins in this board reflect that. One is of bloody hands, the other uses the word "h*ll", so if you're not comfortable with either, consider skipping this board.)

   Profile: Ruusan and Jaydn Schaefe
   Technically, Ruusan has been both an Armstrong and a Vhander, but calling her a Schaefe was easiest, so I went with that. Like Sarris and Novarr's board, this is just a collection of pictures and quotes that remind me of these two sisters, although now it's extended to encompass the Deviant, so if something doesn't make sense, see if it has a "Deviant Ruu/Jade" note attached. If not, it may have a "Kidnapped Ruu" note, and that means the same as the deviant.

   Profile: Ianthe and the Tribes
   I believe I already shared this board when I posted about Ianthe a while back, but I'll share it again for any newcomers or happen-byers. This board is a bit more expansive than the last world, extended to include Ianthe's world and all the people and places in it. So there'll be pictures that remind me of characters or images of real life Arabian palaces, all in an attempt to capture the feel of that world.

   Profile: Jasmine "Jaz" O'Haire
    Not one of my largest boards ever, but this is a smattering of things that make me think of Jaz, who I've posted a couple of scrawls about. The majority of this board's contents are her MBTI type, which is ESTJ, but there are a handful of others things included as well.

   MBTI Personality
   And last but not least, my MBTI Personality board. This has a mix of various types that either hold meaning to me via friends or characters, or just interested me enough to repin them. If they are connected to a character, there will be a note at the bottom saying who it is. For instance, there are several ISTJ pins that are marked with Sarris, Jaydn, and Cameron, and more still of ISFP, which is a new character of mine, Leo Argon.


   And with that, I think I've covered all my story-related boards on Pinterest. If you feel like delving into the bottomless pit that is the rest of my Pinterest, feel free, but don't expect to escape for some time.

   Hopefully, you all found this quite interesting, or some such. Thanks for your time and I pray you all will be sleeping on Saturday morning, not writing blog posts, as I am.

   Ad astra per aspera.
   To the stars, through difficulties.

Writing: Original -- A Psycho from the Past (VOID)

    I did not forget about the deviant Jade bits, don't worry, I just meant to put this before I went on to those ones.

    The title explains most of what this bit is about. Original storyline Ruusan went back to Uhric with Connor, she and Jhidek's second child, after her mother was in an accident and ran into an old acquaintance who is a few fries short of a happy meal from her ERTP days.

    Also, this scrawl -- or at least this version -- has been voided due to Jhidek's insistence that Ruusan take his younger brother, De'keth (fifteen or thereabouts, but a Vhander and thus not to be taken lightly) along with her.

    I just thought it was an interesting look into some of the things Ruusan dealt with while she was an ERTP on Sinjaro Kahn, a borderline psychopath being one of them.


    Ruu hummed to her son absently, glancing at the time on the spaceport’s display screen, the digits glowing blue in the warm morning light. Despite the hour – 0715 -- the port bustled with life.
    There weren’t many families, the multitude being mostly made up of single business workers, suits almost seeming to glint in the sunlight. She sat in an otherwise empty row of seats near one of the large windows that gave an excellent view of Uhric’s capital city.
    Their flight left in half an hour and she was ready to be home. After the past week with her parents, all that they’d talked about, Ruu felt drained. She wanted to be back with the rest with her family, to be able to actually see Jay as opposed to the visual communicator they’d been using for the past few days.
    “Momma’s kind of pathetic without Daddy, isn’t she, sweetheart?” Ruusan murmured to the child who slept in the sling on her front, a bemused smile touching her features.
    The hand that appeared on her shoulder made the woman jump because she hadn’t seen anyone in her vicinity for several minutes now, and the chances that anyone knew her here were slim.
    A man swung into her vision and Ruu felt coldness wash through her.
    “Ruusan! You haven’t changed in the slightest. Do you remember me?”
    Delusional. Obsessive. Borderline psychotic.
    She could remember every detail of the fateful day she got assigned the case that led to her save Patrick Wile’s life. He had scared her then and that hadn’t changed.
    “Mr. Wile, what are you doing here?” Ruusan asked, telling herself to keep calm as she put her arms around her son protectively.
    He took it badly if he knew you were unnerved by his presence. Don’t show fear. Remain serene.
    “I came to get you!” The curly-haired man dropped into the seat at her side, resting his arms along the backs of the chairs. “They said I would find you here. I didn’t believe them at first, but now I do.”
    "Mr. Wile, I’m leaving Uhric soon. I’m sorry, but I don’t have time to catch up right now.”
    It was as if her words went right through him. Patrick leaned over to look at the child in the sling, and Ruu leaned away out of instinct, her guts clenching at the thought of this man being near Connor. Right now, every fiber in her being was telling her to get far, far away from this man and to not look back.
    The frown that appeared on his face due to her shift away from him made Ruu’s pulse speed up with fear.
    Stay calm.
    “Don’t be like that, Ruusan. I’m not going to hurt you. I just can’t let you get on that flight, you see.” His tone was matter-of-fact but she knew that could change in a heartbeat.
    She could still see his face from all those years ago, the way it had been pleasant and then turned so very black when something didn’t go as he wanted it to. Her team had been informed that he’d been put away in a care center. Obviously, that hadn’t worked out.
    “I have a husband now, Mr. Wile. This is our son. If I don’t get home on this flight, he will come and find me and you won’t like how he will take your presence.” Ruu’s mind went to every other antagonist who had appeared in their lives and she badly wished this was one of those moments, when she’d look over and Jay would be standing there, ready to protect her again.
    But he was light years away, at home with the girls and waiting for her to come home to him.
    Patrick was unbothered by her words. “They said he was wrong for you, Ruusan; that he doesn’t take care of you like he should.”
    Anger bubbled through her fear in a moment, rising to the surface and bringing sharp words with it. “Jhidek has never done anything other than take care of me, Patrick Wile. Talk about him like that again and you’ll regret it dearly.”
    His easy posture didn’t change but he slanted her a hard look that made Ruu want to run.
    So she decided to do just that.
    Collecting her tote bag and pulling it onto her shoulder, Ruusan stood up and took hold of the handle of her rolling suitcase. The light metal was cool beneath her hand as she made sure Connor was situated before starting to walk away.
    Patrick was on his feet in a moment, striding after her and grabbing her wrist to wrench her around to face him again. Ruu was unable to help the gasp of surprise and she twisted her hand, yanking it away from his tight grasp. She used both her arms to support her child who still slumbered despite the proceedings. It would have been humorous in any other situation.
    “I can’t let you leave, Ruusan. They said, no matter what, you can’t leave Uhric.” His green gaze was pleading as he reached for her again.
    The Norsha’acite took a step back to avoid his touch, her throat tight. She wanted to be done with all this. She wanted to be home, with Jay, and Vivi, and Ellora, and blast anyone who tried to stop her at this point.
    I’m an ERTP and I’m a Vhander. I’m stronger than this.
    Her voice was uncompromising. “I don’t care, Patrick Wile, what they told you. If you touch me again, there are a dozen security guards within shouting distance so don’t you dare take another step.”
    It was strange to Ruu, playing this role. The strong one, the one who employed the threats.
    Jhidek usually covered this bit when it was needed.
    Patrick’s gaze hardened in a way that spelled disaster. His hand disappeared into his jacket and returned with a gun clearly designed for stealth and secrecy. The cameras would be unable to pick it up, at that size.
    “You see, the problem now, Ruu—“
    “Don’t call me that,” she interrupted before she could help herself, earning a dark look from Wile.
    “Shut up. I’m talking now. Your turn is done. As I was saying, the problem is that I love you, and another man’s child doesn’t fit into that equation.”
    Ruu stilled, heart racing with fear as it exploded through her. No, Lord, please, no. I can’t handle this. Please, Lord.
    “I’m not the paramedic here, though. What do you think even a low-level stun round would do to a child his age, Ruusan?” The was a deceptive note of lightness that might’ve worked if the circumstances had been different.
    If he hadn’t been talking about killing her son to force her into doing what he wanted. Because it would kill Connor. She knew too much about the effect weapons had on children to consider otherwise. She had too much experience to be able to think otherwise.
    Ruusan’s hold on the baby sleeping against her chest tightened in an effort to protect him, at least in her mind. “He’s going to kill you, Patrick. You’re going to die if you don’t stop right now. So just leave us alone and maybe things will work out better for you.”
    “But I’ve got friends, Ruu,” Patrick announced smugly. “Friends who can hide us away where no one will be able to find us! It’ll be perfect, I promise. You’ll love it. Away from all these people who—“
    “No.” She bit out, taking an unsteady step backwards. “No. Patrick, no. I’m not leaving with you and even if you force me to, my husband will find me and then you’ll regret ever considering something like this, I can promise you that.”
    “I don’t care about this husband of yours. He’s one man, while I have so many friends in the shadows who know how to hide things.”
    “Jhidek Vhander specializes in finding things, as does his family and my parents too.” All her strength was bravado now. Trying to intimidate him into releasing her before any further harm could be done.
    Patrick shot her a flat look. “We’re done here. You either come with me now, and your son might be okay, or you can continue to resist, and he won’t make it out of the spaceport. Am I making any sense here?”
    Ruu wished her comm. weren’t buried at the bottom of her tote where she’d stuffed it in her hurry to leave that morning. She could feel the hot sting of tears at the corners of her eyes, but strove to ignore them.
    Jay’s going to find us. He will. That’s what he’s good at. She repeated that to herself over and over as she took her suitcase by the handle and followed Patrick’s instructions, always aware of the weapon he still held discretely in one hand.


    I may or may not like kidnapping Ruusan, although it never really got that far in the original while Penny and I were TGing, so it was probably an uneventful trip to and from Uhric with Connor and De'keth.

    Now I shall move onto the Jade bits, although I may send an email first, so there will be a slight delay.

    Thank you for reading!

    Ad astra per aspera.
    To the stars, through difficulties.

Writing: Original -- Ruusan, Vivi, and Life

    Honestly, half the time I don't even know how to title these things because the contents are so hard to define in a few words.

    But, the three original Ruu bits I have decided aren't too awful to look at take place about ten months apart, although the last two will require a bit of explaining. As does this first one, I suppose, though it needs less than the others.

    The first scrawl takes place about a year after Ruusan and Jhidek are married in the original storyline, putting Vivian at three years old, as you will read. I am contemplating not explaining the reasons behind Ruu's odd physical health until the very end of this post, so you smart readers who figure it out can congratulate yourselves on not needing to be told what was going on.

    Actually, you know what, I'm going to hold on and let you guys see if you can work it out, just for kicks. Also, as a warning, this one's a bit on the old side and probably needs a bit of cleaning, but I'm not in a current mindset to do so, so you'll have to wade through the un-edited-ness. My apologies.


    Ruusan puttered through the apartment, humming along with whatever was coming through the radio. Jhidek was off-planet working, so she and Vivian had been left to their own devices for a few days.
    The three year old was caught up in an alphabet video, and her vocabulary had been expanding by the day. Ruu had been surprised though, that her daughter didn’t ask a hundred million questions, preferring to observe and learn for herself what something did.
    She picked up a pair of socks and added them to the laundry basket on her hip, pausing to watch Vivi’s video for a moment.
    The animated characters on the screen were in the midst of singing the alphabet song, and Vivian’s brow was lowered in concentration.
    Ruu continued her foray for dirty clothing, getting the towels from the kitchen and bathrooms then went to the washer. She started a load, bent retrieve the dry clothes, and reached out to steady herself when she straightened. The world went black for a moment, and Ruusan hurriedly sat down, fighting a sudden bout of nausea.
    Her heart pounded as she tried to control the urge to throw up.
    Ruu worked to rationalize. We haven’t been anywhere; I haven’t been exposed to anything. So what’s going on?
    When her stomach settled enough so she could stand again, Ruusan left the laundry and went on unsteady legs to sit on the couch near Vivian.
    Her daughter’s green eyes turned her way when she came back into view. “What’s wrong, Mommy?”
    “Mommy just feels funny,” Ruu said, smiling a bit to put the child’s worries to ease. “I’ll be okay in a minute.”
    Vivian watched her for a moment, and then came over to sit beside her on the couch. She didn’t comment further, drawn in once more by her video, but Ruusan reached out to smooth her curls that were going wild.
    After a few minutes, the nausea and dizziness faded entirely, leaving Ruu wondering what had happened as she contemplated returning to her work.
    “When’s Daddy going to be home?” Vivian asked, looking away from her show.
    The woman tucked the child close and kissed her forehead. “He said tomorrow, but we can watch for him tonight as well.”
    “At bedtime?” Vivi checked, brow furrowing.
    “Yes, at bedtime,” Ruu said, getting to her feet and carrying the child with her. “Are you hungry?”
    Vivian thought for a minute, gaze returning to her movie and Ruusan knew she’d lost her.
    “Alright, you stay here; I’ll scrounge up something to eat. Mommy’s starving all of a sudden.”
    She went to the kitchen, and began to go through the fridge, looking for something that seemed at least remotely edible. The music of the alphabet movie shut off and Vivian appeared in the doorway.
    “Vivi, does something smell funny to you?” Ruusan questioned, wrinkling her nose as she took a whiff of a Tupperware in the fridge.
    “No,” the three year old said simply, coming in to sit on one of the stools.
    “Huh.” Ruu murmured, frowning. “I think your father brought home something the other day and decided to share it, Viv.”
    “Share what, Mommy?”
    The blue-eyed woman smiled, and held out an orange to her daughter. “A bug, sweetheart. Mommy feels kind of off.”
    “You said you were okay,” Vivian said, seeming put out.
    She ruffled the mop of curls and picked out a couple of apples.

    Alright. That is that. Feel free to leave a comment if you figured out what's up before I revealed it at the end. :P

    Oh, crud... I just realized that the next two bits are going to spoil my surprise. How very frustrating. Oh well. Kudos to you if you figured it out before getting down to these next scrawls.

    They take place, again, after about ten months, and in that time, several things happened. Namely, Jhidek being in an accident with a chemical (I think...) called tefloidite that caused him to go blind, followed promptly by the birth of his and Ruusan's first daughter, Ellora, the following day. There was a bunch of drama around all that as well, considering Ruu came pretty close to dying and such, but she was fine in the end.

    It takes a month to locate a doctor who (Ha. Anyone else see that?) can fix Jay's eyes, and two days after that, he's already gotten a job. To say the least, Ruusan was not pleased over that, but he distracted her pretty well after allaying her fears.

    These bits take place during the week that Jhidek is gone working, one mid-week, the other the day before her gets back, although they seem a bit disoriented, in that, the first doesn't seem to have any effect on the second.

    You'll see what I mean. But, on their own, I rather like both the bits and I hope you will as well.


    The darkness poured in then and she couldn’t see anything, could barely breathe, and this couldn’t be happening, not again, not to her, please Lord don’t do this to me.
    Ruusan woke to more darkness interrupted only by a pale splotch that was her mother’s face. That was the only thing that saved her from panicking.
    The sheets were tangled tight around her legs, and her heart was pounding from her dream; no, her nightmare. Definitely a nightmare.
    Ruu drew in a shaking breath and croaked, “Momma...” She sat up with Sarris’ help that came in an arm across her shoulders.
    “You were... crying, Ruu,” she replied, voice hushed in the stillness of the room as the Warrior drew a cool hand across the younger woman’s forehead.
    “Did either of the girls wake up?” Ruusan asked, wiping the evidence of tears from her cheeks with a trembling hand.
    Focus on the girls, don’t think about it, she told herself.
    “No. Ellora almost did but she fell back asleep.” Sarris informed her, easing down onto the bed at her daughter’s side. “Do you need your comlink?”
    The reminder of Jay brought tears back to Ruu’s eyes, but she blinked them away and shook her head. “No, I’ll be okay.”
    Silence reigned for a long moment before Sarris murmured, “You were screaming, Ruu. It was like someone was killing you.”
    Years of learning this woman, her mother, had taught Ruusan how to read the hidden emotions in her voice and on her face and right now there was a tinge of pain to her words. “I’m sorry, Mom,” she whispered, leaning into the Warrior. “It was a nightmare about Jay and... and Cameron too.”
    The details of it felt like they’d been etched into her mind; the blood, the distorted scream of pain – not her own – and then the silence that had been the part to truly terrify her. He’d been motionless, not responding, then Cameron had been there – she’d known it was him from the moment he took her arm in hand – dragging her away. He’d pulled Jay’s arm around his shoulders, dragging him way into the darkness and he didn’t look back once.
    Ruu didn’t remember screaming in the nightmare, but she must have. Her skin prickled and she shook her head to try and dislodge the memories. Sarris rubbed her upper arm, resting her chin on the top of her daughter's head.
    Some of her bubbling fear slid away at the soothing touch, and Ruusan slumped against her mother, exhaustion pouring into her. “Sorry about this, Mom... you should be sleeping since your flight is tomorrow, not dealing with a nightmare.”
    “It’s fine. I can sleep on the way home.” The Warrior said dismissively.


    Did I mention Sarris visited? Calling her "the Warrior" is a reference to her being a Uhrician Elite Force Warrior, just as a reminder, and I'll go more into Ruu's nightmares after the next bit.


    The apartment was dark and quiet, moonlight peeking through the shades over the windows. Ruusan lay on the couch with Ellora sleeping on her chest. Vivian had been asleep in her room for hours already and she had no wish to know what the time was now.
    All that she needed to know was that it was late – or early - and even though she felt weariness weighing her eyelids down, Ruu didn’t want to get up and go back into the bedroom and the empty bed to be found there.
    Ruusan studied the pale light that illuminated the living room, noting how much larger it felt right now and wishing it didn’t appear that way.
    He’ll be home soon, the woman reassured herself, rubbing El’s back absently, unperturbed by the small puddle of drool staining the tank-top of her pajamas.
    Jay had said he would be back tomorrow afternoon, so she just had to hold out until then, but it felt like the time between now and then was a month, not a matter of hours.
    Her attempts to hide how much his absence had affected her this time from Vivian had failed rather dismally. The four-year-old could be more than observant at times, and Ruusan had already fielded a question of, “Are you sick, Mommy? You’ve got black things under your eyes.”
    A quiet sigh escaped her as blue eyes went to the roof, contemplative.
    As much as she missed him while he was gone, Ruu knew Jay was happy. With the device implanted into his eyes to help him see again, he was back to flying. And she was here with Vivian and Ellora, waiting for him to come home.
    That was the way it was supposed to be, right? That was how it had been since the beginning, and that was how it would continue to be.
    Ruusan laid an arm across her eyes, her other hand on Ellora’s back. I miss him more than I thought I would. I guess I just got used to having him around after El was born. Now though...    It hurt.
    A quiet breath left her. The first year of Vivian’s life had been like this, only ten times as worse. There'd only been a sleeping child and a bed devoid of a warmth she needed to be there during the heavy hours of night.
    Ruu knew Jay was all right. He was out there, doing his job, doing what he loved. But when she would be just waking up in the mornings, still between sleep and awareness, and she’d reach out to find him... feeling that emptiness where he should be made her heart stop. Then she would wake fully, and remember that he was fine, just working, you don't have to be afraid.


    And that is that. What doest you all think?

    I mentioned explaining Ruusan's nightmares, so allow me to digress briefly on the matter. For some reason, after Cameron's death in the Original and after a rather difficult situation with a very close family friend in the Deviant, Ruusan is often subjected to nightmares when she has a lot of negative emotions swirling around inside her.

    For instance, with the second bit, she'd been majorly worried about how Jay was doing, adjusting to his eyes being functional again while working at the same time, and that translated over very strongly into her dreams. She dreamed he'd died and that Cameron had dragged him away.

    Also affecting her at that point were the similarities between that week and basically any point after Cam died, before she married Jay. Having a small child and waking up alone in a bed when she'd been expecting to find her husband there with her. The reminders of the devastating days following Cameron's death weighed really heavily on her mind.

    And those are just a couple of emotions that her subconscious can be affected by; stress can get to her, feeling alone, even though she knows she's not, general worry over things occurring in her life, etc.

    I find it, personally, to be a very interesting trait of hers. Thus far, it has cropped up more in the Original than in the Deviant, although I believe that, with all this kidnapping business, her four months completely cut off from her family and Jhidek in difficult conditions are going to have some pretty bad aftereffects on her mental state.

    (I absolutely cannot wait. #sadisticwriter)

    And, with that, I am finished with this post. Next, I want to do those Jaydn and Jase scrawls that I mentioned, although I can't decide whether or not to split them up into two different posts, because the bits are of some length and there are at least four of them, possibly five.

    At any rate, I hope you've enjoyed this glimpse into another aspect of Ruusan and thank you for putting up with all this randomness! (And muchas gracias for reading, my amazing followers and random visitors. I adore you all to bits.)

    Ad astra per aspera.
    To the stars, through difficulties.

    P.S. This forgetful writer almost forgot to let you know what Ruu was suffering from in the first bit, although you all probably know due to the following two bits. It was that evening that, with a bit of help from Jay, Ruusan realized she was pregnant with their first child. It was all quite adorable, let me tell you.

Writing: Deviant -- Jaydn on Ruu's Kidnapping

    As the title suggests, I have kidnapped Ruusan by a band of slave-traders and this is a small glimpse into Jade's thoughts on it all a couple of months after she disappears.

    I don't have a lot of lead-up to tell about it aside from that, when Ruu was kidnapped, she and Jhidek had been married maybe five months, six at the max. As one might expect, he is not taking her absence well, and that shows up in this bit with Jade.

    Also, please take WARNING that there are some sensitive themes mentioned in this scrawl, and while they're nothing explicit, they're enough that it might make someone uncomfortable. So please be aware before you head on into this scribble of mine.

  Gogamian Language Review:
    Imo = father
    Ha'imo = mother, or, literally, sub-father
    Shak = a curse (don't try this at home, kids.)
    Ji = no

    With that, please enjoy and I will have more news down below.


    Jade collapses onto the couch, exhaustion causing her head to ache and her limbs to feel weighted. She can’t recall the last time she’s had more than a couple hours of solid sleep. They’ve been on the go since two and a half months ago, constantly on the move, searching, questioning, following up leads, and breaking down the proverbial doors on more slave-trading rings than she cares to remember.
    It’d taken them just a few weeks to run down any enemies in either their pasts or Aunt Sar and Uncle Novarr’s pasts that might still be alive and holding a grudge and because there had been no ransom demand, they can only assume that it means she’d been taken by a slave-trading operation.
    Ordinarily, she might feel a quiet sense of pride over what they’ve accomplished in such a short time, how many syndicates and crime gangs they’ve brought down, but their goal was never the human trafficking.
    Despite her weariness, Jaydn is aware of the helpless frustration churning inside her. There is nothing. No whispers. No crumbs. Nothing to lead them to Ruu.
    Jay looks worse and gets quieter by the day and Jade wishes that they would just find something, anything at this point that will give him, and the rest of them, hope.
    There’s been too much time to consider what may have befallen her, because although Ruusan is strong, she’s not strong in a way that will protect her from the malevolent side of this galaxy, and that’s what Jade’s truly afraid of.
    Not that Ruu will be found dead, although that is her second greatest fear, but that she will be dead inside, a shell of her former self, broken down with her good heart crushed into dust.
    She’s seen it before in the past, and countless times in these recent months. Women who have had everything taken from them. Bruised, beaten, abused, destroyed until there’s nothing left of who they were before.
    Jade shifts onto her back, letting her arm fall over her eyes to block out the faint light from the rest of the room. Her mind is full of images she wishes she could erase and she makes her tensing form relax once more, although her fingers remain clenched into a fist.
    That can’t happen to her; not to Ruu.
    We just need one sign, one bread crumb to show us where to go. Everyone is looking, talking to their people. Aunt Sar is edging the line of abusing her authority as a grandmaster searching for Ruu and Uncle Nov disappears for days at a time to search.
    We’re doing everything we can.
    And it’s not. enough.    She swallows back the emotion that tightens her throat, feeling hot water flood her eyes. What do we do, Imo? Ha’imo? I can’t bear seeing Jay like this. I can’t bear seeing any of us like this, but Jhidek especially.
    Her brother’s pain drives her to the point of distraction sometimes, unable to fathom what it is he feels every time they come out with nothing again. Raina’s being affected by it as well. Shak, everyone is.
Jade sits up without warning and hastily sheds herself of her gear, dropping her weapons on the coffee table before she gets up to go to her room.
    Shower. She needs a shower because otherwise she’s going to break down.
    Ji. I can’t.
    The door slides shut behind her and Jaydn goes about divesting herself of her clothes, stepping out of her boots, throwing her jacket on her bed, and she tries to ignore the fine tremble that’s setting into her hands.
    The cold water is a shock to her system. Jade forces herself to remain under the icy rain from the showerhead, leaning her forehead against the wall.
    Dear God… help us…


    So that's pretty much the situation with Ruusan in the deviant storyline currently. I'd had one idea how things go down with Ruu while Jay and everyone else is looking for her, but my sisters got to me and I decided to take another path, one that will have far more serious repercussions on Ruusan.

    It's all deliciously dramatic and just a wee bit angsty.

    Just a little awkward, "Is she alright?", sadistic!writer moment there for you all.

    News, news. Well, I hope to sit here on the computer and post several more various scribbles from different points in both the Deviant and Original storylines this evening while I am avoiding math and Latin.

    Beyond that, I don't have any plans, but I do have a good-sized stack of randomness that I'd like to share with you, including deviant stuff including Jaydn and this hunter with stormy blue eyes who goes by the name Jase Drouais.

    Unfortunately, the course of love (true love?) never did run smooth, as I am very fond of proving in my characters' love lives.

    Ah well. They shall survive.

    With that, I shall cease talking your ear off and go put together a few more posts for your perusal.

    As always, thank you ever so much for reading! (And I hit 1000 views today, which is incredibly exciting, and I thank you all for that as well!)

    Ad astra per aspera.
    To the stars, through difficulties.

Writing: Deviant Jaydn: "Years"

    As always, life; it eats me. As does schoolwork, but what else is new in the life of a sophomore highschooler, huh?

    I was revisiting my deviant documents just now and realized I had a short series of scribbles for Jaydn that didn't need any editing.

    They're basically brief glimpses at the first nine years of Jade's life on Gogam, with an added little blip on the end that kind of wrote itself when I was scrawling down the various years.

  Gogamian Translation:
    Imo = father
    Ha'imo = mother (or, literally, sub-father)
    Virke-yset = green eyes
    Shikhan = somewhat fluid, chieftan/acknowledgement of someone higher in rank than yourself


   At one year, Jaydn is learning very, very quickly how angry her parents can be if provoked, and teaches herself to keep quiet, to play out of sight, and not to cry no matter how badly it might hurt.

   At two years, Jaydn is realizing that it’s not just her that her parents get so angry with. Imo yells at his warriors and Ha’imo shouts at him. In the chaos, Jade hurries off to sit by herself to avoid any potential danger that may arise.

   At three years, Jaydn now knows to never speak back to her mother. Her face will hurt for weeks and the world hasn’t stopped spinning yet. And then Virke-Yset is there and she hardly knows what’s going on but when a day passes without these strangers causing her any harm... Jade knows a glimmer of hope.

   At four years, Jaydn has seen so much and has never known happiness like this. Virke-yset and Shikhan want to be her new Ha’imo and Imo and Jade couldn’t be more excited to be able to call them as such.

   At five years, Jaydn is expanding her borders. Imo gave her a little gun and taught her how and who to use it on while Ha’imo explained that she always had to be ready to protect herself if ever a time should arise that she and Imo couldn’t. This left Jade confused, but she was glad that she could be like Imo and Ha’imo now.

   At six years, Jaydn is just beginning to grasp the dangers of the world she lives in and she uses her gun for the first time on a man who was trying to hurt Ha’imo. For once, Imo’s quiet praise didn’t make her want to jump around in glee. Jade is finally starting to understand.

   At seven years, Jaydn is taking a much keener interest to what occurs around her and she actually begins to listen to that which her parents speak of. Despite the danger, though, Jade is happy because she knows she can protect her family and that they’re not going to hurt or leave her.

   At eight years, Jaydn is trying to wrap her mind around the concept of leaving Gogam. She sits with Ha’imo and asks questions about the rest of the galaxy, then regrets it whenever that sad wistfulness enters into the green eyes that Jade finds to be so very captivating. But her curiosity is kindled and she asks as many questions as Ha’imo will answer for her.

   At nine years, Jaydn is unable to believe she’s actually leaving home. Yes, her parents make up most of that sentiment, but she can’t imagine a world not covered in sand that is watched over by a brutal sun. The ship that will carry them away scares Jade but she hides that fear, because Ha’imo, beneath her unease, is excited. She is the one going home now.

   Jade awakens and knows it is early not so much by the gray light, but by Imo’s presence, where he lays behind Ha’imo, an arm around her waist and his nose in her hair. The sight calms her nerves, because no matter what the day might bring, it’s going to be all right.
   They’re going to leave Gogam, probably never to return, but it would be all right because they are a family and nothing is going to break them apart.


   My updating schedule will most likely be sporadic until I can get caught up in schoolwork, which my dad wants to be by the end of April, and while that'll take a bit of doing, I hope to be able to pull it off.

   Aaannnddd, because I'm feel either benevolent or guilty or maybe both, a deviant Ruusan blip.


   Some might accuse them of being too hasty, to spend more time together before their lives were irrevocably tied together. After all, they might've known each other when they were kids, but it had barely been five months ago that they'd met again as adults. And several of those months had been spent in silence, waiting and wondering what would be next.
   But this feels right.
   No, it won't be perfect. But when is anything perfect these days? It doesn't have to be perfect to be real.
   And warmth still lingers within from his kiss when she'd leaned close and whispered I love you for the first time and that's how she knows they'll be okay. We're going to last.
   There's never been someone else like him in her life and she doesn't want there to be.
   He's the one I want to spend the rest of my life with.
   There'll be arguments and fights, but there will be apologies and make-ups to match. Neither of them are perfect, but both of them are dedicated to working through their differences.
    I've never wanted to take care of someone like I want to take care of Jhidek. I want to know him better than I've ever known anyone in this galaxy. I want to be here for him when he comes back from putting his life on the line for a galaxy of people who don't even realize he and his family are. I want to be able to soothe his pain and put him at ease.
    We still have a lot to learn about each other and I'm okay with that.
    I don't mind learning late at night when we're still awake as opposed to across a table over dinner like normal people. Neither of us have ever been normal.
    Which is why I don't need a ceremony and an expensive dress, because there's never going to be someone else. The words binding us together can be said in front of the people who matter the most to us. There doesn't have to be a pastor with a Bible because we both know what this means.
    In sickness and in health, through every storm that tries to break us, overcoming every person that tries to stand between us, every day for the rest of our lives, until we draw our last breaths and death do us part.
    Ruu lays on her back and stares up at the ceiling, humming along with the violin piece that plays through her radio on the bedside table as she drifts through her thoughts.
    Less than a day.


   And with that, I believe that's all I've got for the evening.

   Once again, I apologize for the touch-and-go schedule these days. Such is life, yes?

   Thank you both for your patience and for reading!

   Have an amazingly awesome day, ne?

   Ad astra per aspera.
   To the stars, through difficulties.