Chapter Text
Pain and madness. Swimming in an ocean of despair. That’s what Lotor remembered before opening his eyes. His entire body still felt sore, his muscles and sinews screaming silently underneath his skin. He couldn’t hold back a low moan, squeezing his eyes.
“Pat, be a good boy and fetch the vials from the herbarium. You know, the ones on top of the table. Hurry!” Lotor opened his eyes and through his initial blurry view he made out the face of an elderly woman. Her garments were simple, in earthen colors, but of good quality. Deep wrinkles were carved into her features, accentuating especially her eyes, which showed two deep black pupils that were filled with worry and kindness.
Suddenly a young boy came rushing to Lotor’s bed, holding three vials and giving them to the woman. He looked at Lotor with wonder and admiration, shouting out, “He’s awake!” Lotor shut his eyes, grumbling.
“Not so loud, silly!”, reprimanded the woman. But there was a smile in her voice. Pat always got too easily excited about the smallest of things. For him the world was still full of wonders and his aunt wouldn’t want him to be any different. Still for the sake of her latest ward she needed to remind him to stay calm. It wouldn’t do to delay the recovery of this strange fellow, who literally fell out of heaven and right into her herb garden. Of course she had questions, but they could wait. For now she mixed the contents of two vials in a wooden cup, diluted it with water and lifted Lotor’s head to help him empty it. Lotor was taken aback by the sudden physical contact, but he was unable to move his limbs, so he had to accept it. After he finished the cup, the woman opened the third vial and held it under his nose. Almost immediately Lotor drifted off to sleep.
“Good”, she uttered to herself.
Pat seemed impatient and demanded, “What is good, aunt Circe? Will he be better soon? When do you think he’ll get up? What–”.
“No more!” Circe cut him off firmly, but not unfriendly. “Let’s leave him in peace and quiet. Healing takes time, as you well know. When he is ready, I’m sure he will tell us all we need to know. Until then we have to be patient.” With those words Circe ushered her nephew out of the small room. The sun began to set. “Make sure to lock the stables well. The harpies have been seen again and we wouldn’t want them to feast on our poor livestock, now would we?”
Pat made a rueful face, “No, auntie, of course not.”
“Off you go then, you have a big responsibility to fulfill here and I trust that you will do your share in keeping everyone safe!” Puffing out his chest, Pat smiled proudly, turning around on his bare feet and running off to the stables to make sure all the pigs, chickens and goats were locked up properly.
While he did so, he imagined showing the stranger around. In his imagination they quickly had become great friends, he could tell the stranger anything and everything. Pat would go on great adventures together with his new companion, they were invincible! Slaying harpies and hydras, solving the riddles of the sphinx, taming a Pegasus! But most of all he wished that the stranger would show him the world and planets beyond Aiaia. Pat had seen a few space ships already, even different species and it made him crave more of it. He wanted to go and explore it all and see the universe. Learn the secrets of other planets and systems. Become someone his parents would’ve been proud of. Shutting the last lock, he leaned against the stable door and looked up into the swiftly darkening sky.
Pat’s parents had died shortly after he was born. Aiaia had been attacked by a race called Galra, they were after the Quintessence it produced. The high quality of Aiaia’s Quintessence was legendary in their part of the universe and was highly protected on the main planet of the Aiaia system. Pat’s father was one of the generals responsible for the defense of the outer walls, his mother was one of the navigators. Before the attack they had left Pat with his aunt Circe, because she lived on one of the smaller planets on the outskirt of the Aiaia system. They thought it to be the safest place for their son and they were right. Pat survived, like so many others did and they won the battle, but the entire Aiaia system was never the same as before. Gone were the days of glory and splendor. Pat never knew those times, but sometimes he felt like being pulled back in time, his intuition leading him to places his aunt Circe wouldn’t be so happy knowing he visited. Now wasn’t a time to worry about that, though. Now someone new had entered their lives and Pat was itching to finally talk to the stranger for real.
Every single day Pat hoped that he would open his eyes, getting more and more impatient. Circe was known for her great healing powers, so Pat couldn’t understand why it took so long for him to get better. Only once he had woken up and Pat had been so thrilled about it that he couldn’t sleep that night, hoping that with the new dawn their ward would wake up and a new life would begin. Only that didn’t happen. Days became weeks and Pat felt as if the ever same cycles were grinding down his spirits. One day he went far into the forests stretching out behind their abode. Farther and farther he went, well past the limits set by his aunt, farther than he ever dared to go. But he wasn’t afraid, because his friend, the stranger, was with him. They worked their way through the thicket, up steep rocks and along lively streams. Until all of a sudden the air seemed to change and Pat knew that he was utterly on his own, with nothing but a small knife and a bough, which he had picked up along the way, wielding it like a sword. He came to a halt on a clearing. The forest had muted all its sounds and Pat’s skin was covered in goosebumps. A centaur came striding into the clearing and Pat couldn’t move. The majestic creature pinned him to the spot with its glare. “You belong to Circe’s kind.” stated the centaur, stopping a few meters away from Pat, who could only nod his head in response. “We have looked into the stars when one of them fell. It was foretold a long time ago. Long before your kind settled on Aiaia, long before you took what was not yours to take. Circe knows this and now she is trying to make amends, she is trying to restore a fallen star to the firmament, so it might illuminate the darkness that is coming.” Pat was frozen, yet every word from the centaur burnt itself into his memory. The centaur gave him an intense look and seemed to consider his next move. Without pretext the centaur stomped over to Pat, grabbed him and took off with him through the forest. Pat felt the overwhelming strength of the creature and all he could do was to shield his face with his arms against the boughs and thickets it was galloping past. It felt like an eternity and yet it was over within the blink of an eye. The centaur stopped at a threshold Pat had never noticed before, although the white marble pillars stood out brightly against the colors of the forest. Pat was dropped to the ground and he quickly stood up, looking at the centaur, who had his gaze fixed into the direction in which Circe’s home was. It was an unfathomable mask. Pat was surprised his knees didn’t give out when the centaur looked at him again, speaking, “What was broken will be mended, but Charon shall be paid twofold, for he will be tricked one more time. To pay his fare the fountain needs to flow again. Give these words to Circe.” and with that the centaur was swallowed up by the forest. At last Pat’s kneed didn’t hold him any longer and he sank to the ground, heaving as if he’d run to the main planet and back again.
Circe knew immediately that something had happened when she heard the front door opening. She knew it was Pat and she knew that one of the centaurs had come to the gate of her barrier. The gate she had made in hope that alliances could be forged, but it was a hope she had let go of ages ago. She always knew it when Pat breached one of her barriers, she could feel him roaming farther than she officially allowed him to, because she understood his yearning for more, for a life more exciting than their simple existence on the outskirts of the Aiaia system. She let him believe that she was clueless about his little adventures.
His parents had both been brave and strong people and it had been their end. She herself had been too confident in her own abilities and powers and the price to pay had been terrible. It had brought upon them the Galra and thus the end of the golden era of Aiaia. She had seen it coming and tried to stop it, but it was too late. She hadn’t stopped early enough, hadn’t left the main planet soon enough to prevent the Galra from coming. So many lives lost, so many stars fallen. And what for? What good did the Quintessence do she had developed now?
She had grieved, long and deeply and it showed on her face. She looked old, but she felt even older. It was Pat who kept her young in a way, because she needed to keep going for him. Her sister had trusted her to look after him, she didn’t know that Circe was responsible for the attack of the Galra. It was Circe’s darkest secret. No one knew, because the ones who did were dead now. She tried to help Aiaia heal the best she could, but she refused to resort to her old powers in order to do so. No more Quintessence to fool around with, no more! It was an oath she had sworn to herself. Yet it seemed that it was impossible to heal the stranger’s wounds without it. His healing made an incredibly slow progress and it was eating at her, because she wanted answers. She could tell that he was part Galra and she feared that they might come back. Standing in front of Lotor’s bed she pondered what she should do next, when she heard Pat’s footsteps in the hall.
She turned around to greet him and found him sitting at the kitchen table, his face white as chalk. When he saw her, he ran to her, embracing her with all his might, as if he’d never let go again. Calmly she wrapped him in her embrace, hugging him tightly back. After a few moments passed, Pat seemed to relax and she put him on a chair, pouring fresh milk and getting some of the sweet fig and walnut bread she had baked this morning. Pat wolfed down every single bite as if he hadn’t eaten in days, then he drowned the milk and breathed deeply. Circe took it as a sign to speak up. “Will you tell me what happened?” she asked quietly. Pat told her everything and repeated the words of the centaur truthfully.
“What was broken will be mended, but Charon shall be paid twofold, for he will be tricked one more time. To pay his fare the fountain needs to flow again.”
A sad smile settled on Circe’s face. She knew what fountain the centaur had spoken of. Very well. She had been trying hard not to open it again, but it seemed that it was futile. She had an inkling about the first part of the prophecy, but wasn’t sure about it. Time would tell. Now she had to act. It was beginning to turn dark outside. Perfect. She tucked Pat into bed, looked after the half Galra once more before entering her own chambers. She changed into robes she had wanted to forget about, but never had the heart to let go of. Now she knew why. She wasn’t as agile as in her young years anymore and the sudden cut-off from Quintessence had accelerated her aging, but the uniform still fit her. She went out into the night, with three light blue moons shining brightly above her.
The next time Lotor opened his eyes he didn’t feel any pain and his vision wasn’t blurry. Physically he felt great, but he remembered everything that had happened and he squeezed his eyes shut in remorse. Going through the events of the past few weeks he finally took a deep breath and sat up, wondering how he had ended up in this place. Sunlight was spilling through windows. The room was spartan, but made him feel comfortable with an intricate mosaic pattern on the floor, whitewashed walls, a wooden ceiling and sturdy furniture. A bed, dresser, table and chair was all there was. The designs reminded him of pieces he had come across once before and he had admired the craftsmanship behind them. He also knew of the great power of the Aiaian people and how they had defied the Galra empire, although being exiled at that time he didn’t know the details of what happened. But how could he have landed in a system so far away from where he had been?
The door opened and Circe entered. Lotor became stiff at first, but Circe was unfazed to see him up in bed. Smiling warmly she remarked, “I was wondering when you would finally wake up. You have been gone for a long time. How do you feel?” Lotor was instantly in survival mode. He hadn’t lived so long by trusting strangers immediately, he knew how to play along.
Gracefully he replied, “Thank you for looking after me, I am in your debt! I feel good and hope I wasn’t causing you any trouble.”
“Not at all, I was very happy to be of service.” Circe sensed the currents of his Quintessence, knew that he was being cautious. She had come with a tray of food and put it on the table. Turning around to Lotor she invited him, “Why don’t you refresh yourself and once you’re ready, you may come and join me and my nephew in the kitchen, just down the hall.”
“That sounds lovely.”
“Wonderful! But I must warn you, my nephew has been impatiently awaiting your recovery and he will be quite excited to see you.”
Lotor gave a smile, “I am already looking forward to meeting him.”
Circe laughed, “Don’t be too hasty about that, he can be a handful! Please make sure to take your time.” and with that she left Lotor.
When he got out of bed, Lotor stretched his limbs, already feeling invigorated. The food on the tray looked delicious, although unknown to him. He decided to eat without caution. If the old woman had wanted to kill him, she needn’t wait until he woke up for that. While he ate, Lotor suddenly realized that he wasn’t wearing his armor anymore. Instead his body was clad in soft fabrics that flattered his figure and skin tone. It was unfamiliar, but not unwelcome. In fact it made him feel like he left a rather unpleasant piece of himself behind. Still, he would’ve liked to arm himself before leaving the room, yet there was nothing that could serve as a weapon.
He found the kitchen, following the voices he heard. The one from the old woman he recognized and then there was the happy bubble of a young boy. When Lotor entered the kitchen he saw the latter wielding a short stick like a sword, while the old woman stood at the table arranging herbs. Listening to her nephew’s eager chatter, “…I’m sure he’s a great fighter! Did you see his muscles, aunt Circe? And–”, seeing Lotor in the door cut off the boy’s voice at once, which caused Circe to look up.
She gave Lotor another smile, “Welcome! Please join us. I hope you found the food agreeable.”
“It was quite delicious, in fact I don’t know how to thank you for your hospitality.”
“Don’t mention it. Healing is my profession and providing my wards and patients with what they need is a part of that. Have a seat.” She pointed to a chair by the table, addressing Pat she added “Be so good and bring some fresh water from the well.” Pat spun around and dashed out of the kitchen. Circe chuckled. “It would seem that your actual presence left Pat rather mute.”
Lotor made a rueful face, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset him.”
“Oh, don’t worry! He’ll find his tongue again faster than we might like.” Putting aside her herbs, Circe sat down across from Lotor, saying, “I fear I had forgotten my manners. I haven’t introduced myself yet. My name is Circe and you are currently on one of the outer planets of the Aiaia system.” Lotor felt satisfied that he had guessed his location somewhat correct. His survival instincts kicked in with full force. He wasn’t fond of deception, but life had taught him to be careful and to trust no one. Because even after he thought people were worthy of his trust, he had been betrayed and found himself on his own. He wouldn’t make the same mistake again.
Again Circe felt his Quintessence stirring, although his face didn’t show any of it. In fact it was a calm and composed mask of gratitude, with a hint of bashfulness. He knows how to play his cards, Circe thought to herself and it saddened her. She had shown him nothing but kindness, but he didn’t trust it, a sure sign that someone hadn’t been treated well in life. There was a story to tell and she had every intention of hearing it from the horse’s mouth. But one must do so when one is ready. That’s fine, she could wait.
Knowing that he needed to introduce himself and give some explanations about how he came to be on Aiaia, Lotor opened, “My name is Aquila. I was on a research mission when my ship suddenly broke down. I remember an explosion and then I woke up here, honestly not knowing what happened.” Lotor wanted to make sure that no one could draw a line from him to Zarkon. On instinct he had decided to create a new identity for him. He knew that Aiaia was far away enough that he was probably unknown in this system, but he didn’t want to take any risks. The Paladin were most likely hunting for him at this very moment, gathering forces and allies to bring him down.
Circe decided to go with his story for now when Pat came back in and poured water for everyone. Lotor smiled at him, “Thank you.”
Pat blushed, “You’re welcome… ummm… I’m Pat.”
“Nice to meet you, Pat. I’m Aquila.”
“Aquila! What a cool name! Aunt Circe, doesn’t that mean ‘eagle’ in some language?”
Beaming eyes looked up to Circe, “Indeed it does. In a language from earth, called Italian. Do you have connections to earth, Aquila?” It felt strange for Lotor to be addressed with that name and he would have to be very careful from now on. Pat’s eyes were full of adoration and he felt a stab of regret about lying to him especially. Pat looked so full of life and energy, he seemed to be a happy boy, the kind Lotor himself was never allowed to be.
Snapping out of it Lotor replied, “No, I don’t. But my mother was a researcher and taught me many things from various cultures. She gave me that name. I was not aware of its meaning until now.” He smiled at Pat. “You seem not only to be very strong, but also very smart! One day you’re going to become a great man, I’m sure.”
Pat’s breast swelled with pride, “But I still have a lot of growing to do, if I want to become as great as you! You’re so tall and strong, I’m sure no one can beat you! Do you know how to fight with a sword? Can you fly a ship? How many planets have you seen?” Once the questions had started to spill out of him, it was hard for Pat to stop them. It made Lotor laugh and Circe saw that it was a real laugh. Real and unguarded.
Lotor told Pat, “Yes, I know how to fight to defend myself and I spend more time aboard ships than I like and I know how to fly one. As for the number of planets, I’m really not sure. It never occurred to me to keep count of them.” There was warmth in Lotor’s eyes, mixed with the first buds of affection. His Quintessence was also at ease. Circe noted all of this with great interest, leaving the boys to themselves.
Pat already piped up again, “Can you show me how to fight? Please?” In the entire universe not a single being had ever looked up to him with such pleading eyes, at least that’s what went through Lotor’s mind.
“I’m not sure if your aunt would approve of that.” he remarked with a questioning look at Circe, who looked unimpressed.
“Why not? As long as you won’t start any real fighting I don’t see any harm done in teaching this overly energetic little man how to coordinate his limbs in physical exercise. It will help him to steam off I hope, but don’t let it get to your head. No serious injuries, no abandoning chores! Speaking of which, have you looked after the goats yet?”
Pat turned a little red, “Sorry, I’ll get to it right away!” and wanted to be off, but Circe called him back.
“Wait a moment, Pat. Aquila, why don’t you go with him. It would be a good chance to get familiar with your new environment and I’m sure Pat will appreciate your company.”
Pat chimed in, “Yes, that would be so great! I can show you around! I’ll introduce you to all our animals and then I can show you the ruins in the forest, maybe we’ll even see a Pegasus, or a sphinx or a harpy! Although the latter would be not so good, but I’m sure you could fight them off easily! Let’s go!” and with that Lotor hadn’t the slightest chance to protest. Not with Pat pulling him by the arm, jumping with giddiness.