Kassia was in the back of her shop meditating. She'd had a sense that something terrible had happened, but she hadn't gotten a clear image. Sometimes these things did not present themselves to her mind as she would like, if they did not directly affect her or those around her at a given moment. To try and calm her emotions she had opted to meditate, which she needed to do for the day anyway. It helped to keep her centered and in control of her gifts. Just as she finished her meditation session, she felt a presence enter her shop. With relief, she knew it was Katianna. She exited the room and greeted her friend. But even before seeing Kat, she knew how bad things had been. Looking into Katianna's eyes proved all their fears had been true.
"Come into the back," Kassia smiled gently, "I have something for you."
Katianna nodded. Danni just looked on curiously before getting distracted by a customer wanting to buy some candled and incense.
As they entered the back room, the meditation candles were still burning brightly. She had Katianna sit down at the table and then took the woman's hand. She saw everything, including the the potion that didn't work. She saw the events as they happened. She heard it, smelled it, felt it...
"Kat, I am so sorry..." Kassia began. "I really hoped he wasn't Kalimar."
"I know," Katianna replied, wanting there to be no more tears to cry. "So did I. But I guess the prophecy was right in that a great evil awoke... Jovo is dead." Her voice began to crack as she spoke, but she tried to reign in her emotions. "I should have trusted my gut when I first got back. I sensed something was off... But I just... I wanted everything to be back to normal... I wanted Jovo back so badly that I let that... monster into my bed..." She shuddered.
Gently Kassia put her hand on Katianna's. "It's okay. There is nothing wrong with what you did. Most of the people on the station would have done the same thing in your position... You're not alone in wanting a loved one back..." Kassia soothed. "Sometimes we see what we want to see."
"But how many of those others let a demon into their home and bed?" she asked.
"You're being too hard on yourself," Kassia replied gently.
The tears began to fall again. "But so much of this really is my fault... Not that I directed it purposely, but Kalimar was able to... take over because of me. Because I wanted Laurissa back and Jovo went to get her..." Katianna hid her face in her hands.
"Neither of you knew about the orb. Neither of you knew what would happen..." Kassia said. "You can't hold yourself responsible for this..."
"Yes, I can," Katianna replied. "I have loved four men in my lifetime. Do you know how many of them are alive now? Only one... Arturus is dead, Will is dead and now Jovo is dead..." She sighed sadly. "I guess it comes down to the fact that any man who gets too close to me is going to die one way or another somehow. Or at least the odds are pretty high."
"That's fate, Katianna," she replied, at the moment, not knowing what else to say. "Not anything you did. Believe me, I would know..."
Katianna looked up at Kassia for a moment, their green eyes meeting each other.
"Take some time for yourself," Kassia said. "Take time to remember what's important to you, or you might find yourself lost."
Katianna nodded, but she was beginning to feel numb again. "Thank you, Kassia," she replied as she got up. "Is Kalimar dead?"
Kassia shrugged her shoulders. "My visions wouldn't show me... Its a very ominous sign. But I would think he's dead... Let's hope he is," she replied with a gentle smile.
Katianna nodded. "I'll see you later," she said and headed to the door.
"Remember, get some rest. You need it," Kassia replied.
"I will," Kat replied as she left and headed to her quarters.
As she walked through the corridors she still must have looked pretty bad. A couple of people who recognized her stopped and asked if she was all right. After assuring them she was fine, she continued to her quarters. As soon as she entered, Laurissa who had been coloring on the floor quietly and watching an ancient Earth cartoon got up and ran to her.
"Momma!!" she cried as she embraced her.
Katianna smiled as she scooped the child into her arms. "I've missed you so much!"
"But you were only gone just a day," Laurissa giggled.
"Yeah, but I missed you a lot anyway..."
Suddenly Laurissa got quiet as she began picking up her mother's emotions, though Katianna had blocked most of them.
"You're sad? Why are you sad?" she asked.
"Well, the good news is that the fake Jovo isn't coming back here again," she said. She saw the relief enter her daughter's emerald eyes. "But the bad news," she began as tears misted her eyes and her voice cracked, "Is that the good Jovo isn't either..."
Laurissa's brows knit together. "Why?" she replied with upset concern.
"Because, honey, he's gone... He's... dead..." Katianna said.
"Like my father?" she asked sadly.
Katianna nodded as a tear trickled from her eyes. "I'm sorry, honey..."
Laurissa was sad, but she didn't cry. She wasn't sure why, but she didn't believe he was dead. Maybe because as a child death was a hard concept, but she wasn't ready to believe it. Seeing how upset her mother was, she embraced her though and comforted her. Laurissa was, however, very grateful that the bad Jovo was gone... He had really scared her.
"Everything will be okay, Momma... "
As they drew apparent, Katianna smiled gently and sighed wishing it were true. She tenderly caressed her daughter's face. "Have I told you how much I love you, Baby?"
"Every day, momma," Laurissa smiled and kissed her mom quickly. "Daniel wants you."
Just then, Daniel cried. Katianna looked at her daughter with a raised eyebrow and smiled, for the moment, her mind diverted. She quickly went to the bassinet that was in the main room where he had been sleeping. Kara had appeared, but seeing Katianna, she stopped and smiled. Katianna went to Daniel and gently scooped him up into her arms. Immediately his crying ceased. She held him close to her. His nearness soothed her. He was a part of Jovo that was still with her, she though... Her little Daniel Jovan... Just like Laurissa was part of Arturus...
"Are you hungry?" she asked him. "Do you want momma to feed you?"
He gazed at her with his eyes and it was as if she knew. She figured she was picking up his wants telepathically like she had done with Laurissa at that age, and yet it felt different. But without giving it too much of a thought, she prepared him a bottle.
The rest of the evening she diverted her thoughts by trying to spend the time with her children and with Kara Lac, but finally after tucking Daniel and Laurissa in bed and Kara heading that way herself, she knew there was nothing she could do now. She prolonged it just a bit longer with a shower, but it just delayed the inevitable... As she had the towel wrapped around her body, she entered her room and looked at the bed. Immediately her stomach turned and she took a deep breath to quell it. She had wanted him to be Jovo, but she had known something was wrong and she had still let him into her bed... had let him touch her... Had let him... She couldn't stop the tears as they came. She crumpled onto the bed as the pain washed over her. Not only had she lost Jovo, but she had betrayed him... and with someone as vile as Kalimar... The thought revulsed her as sobs wrecked her body.
Kara Lac heard the sounds of crying and got out of her bed. She checked on the children, but they were fast asleep. She then went to Katianna's room. She stood in the doorway, out of site and watched as Katianna cried with abandon like someone whose soul was scorched by intense sorrow. She knew that her mistress had lost Jovan Kalimar, the man she loved, but this seems to be more than that. Part of her wanted to go in and comfort her, and yet... she didn't. She still felt as if Katianna was above her, having been married to the Prince of her world where she had been raised to be a servant. Katianna had said that they were friends and equals, but some things died hard, she thought. Quietly, she left Katianna to her grief and went back to her room. Her own heart going out to her.