I6
DOE Retold
By James
Episode 32 — The Future Comes But Once
Making a visit to the Bandar village filled Jedda's heart with a sense of peace. Everything was calmer than it was in the city. She noticed so much that she hadn't back there. The clouds flowed gently above the huts. The whisper of the wind was melodious.
Then there were things she couldn't get in a town: the distant crash of the waterfall; the beauty of the chimps as they swung on trees; the red-and-blue flowers that blossomed here.
She needed a break from the Defender stuff. This was shelter. This was home.
"Tell me more about the obelisk." Kandace sipped from her cup of tea, sitting cross-legged with her usual look: a calm, collected, attentive stare, the one she'd worn in their previous sessions. She had the same aura as her spouse Guran.
As a little girl, Jedda had rarely sought the woman's counsel; Kandace always seemed too busy for that. But when Jedda did ask to speak with her — sharing some things she couldn't share with her dad — Kandace succeeded in improving her mood.
Jedda turned her gaze to the hut's window. The obelisk had astonished her. "It showed us what we dreaded, or what we desired." She'd laid hands on it right before Kshin, but hadn't told anyone until just now.
"Did you see something that troubled you?" Kandace sounded like she knew the answer already.
Jedda grew tense, then looked at Kandace, who had a celestial appearance now — her shining brown skin seemed to glow in the sun, her gold robes sparkled to show her rank. Her face had grown gentle and sensitive; the woman looked almost motherly. "I saw two possible futures, I think. In one of those visions, I was Queen of Mongo. In the other one, I became the Phantom." Jedda's gaze fell. "The thing is, though, I don't know which I dreaded, and which I desired."
Kandace paused before speaking up. "Isn't Mongo the planet..."
"Where Krotan lives." She stroked her cup. "In my vision, I was Krotan's wife." She'd told Kandace all about him before — the prince who was raised under Ming's influence, the boy who'd shown Jedda a softer side.
Kandace spoke calmly. "How do you feel about becoming a Phantom?"
"It's a legacy. I know it's an honor."
"I'm not asking you how you think you should feel. I'm asking you to tell me how you actually do."
Now it was Jedda who had to pause. She once again thought of her younger days. "A lot of little girls dream of being queens. I dreamed of being a warrior." Her tone grew soft. "But now that I'm older, and I've met a prince..."
Kandace nodded. "Perhaps you have a new fantasy."
"I'm actually facing reality. There's more to life than I used to think. Leaving the village made me realize that." Jedda confronted what she'd tried to avoid. She finally admitted what she knew was true. "I like the thought of being Mongo's queen...but I'm not so sure about Krotan yet. The same goes for donning the Phantom suit. I don't know what I desire or dread."
Kandace began stroking Jedda's hands. "I'm glad that you're willing to acknowledge this. It means that you're being honest with yourself."
Jedda felt a flutter of warmth within. Kandace's pride was comforting.
"Perhaps it's too soon to reach a conclusion. Time should tell how you actually feel." Kandace smiled. "You have a great heart inside of you...and I hope that you'll always listen to it."
Scene Commentary
She needed a break from the Defender stuff. This was shelter. This was home.
I feel that I could have explored more of Jedda in her element — swinging between trees, basking in the water, and so forth.
I liked revealing that she had an occasional motherly figure while growing up, and it seemed only natural that the obelisk would show her the futures she describes.
----------
Chapters
Four of the Defenders are captured by Queen Hadea.
Flash and Lothar discuss Flash's new romantic interest.
Held prisoner on Mongo, Jedda makes a bargain with Zorelda, believing that they can change the world for the better.
LJ's discusses his relationship with his father.
Hadea intends to make radical changes with the Necklace of Oros.
Jedda reveals the details of a recent vision.
Castra frees her brother and encourages him to change his ways.
Comments
Post a Comment