Letting Go

Willow, I don't know about this... I think it's a big mistake. Plenty of people look alike in the world, that doesn't mean you go past their security fences and up to their mansions and say a quick hello. Can we just leave?

"And go where, Saige? We can't go back to Glen's family, because we have no idea where they are. This is our last option. Now go on."

Terrified, I walk across the dirt, and stop again. How am I supposed to get past that barrier?

It's tens of hundreds of feet high, and made of lasers, shooting straight up towards the sky.

"You can go through them. They're biological lasers. If you have the family genes, they'll just let you walk through. If not, you'll be severely burned."

Are you insane? I don't have the "family genes! I have nothing to do with this family, Willow!

She materializes in front of me, take my hand, and starts towards the barrier. I fight her, but she's strong, and pulls me closer and closer... until we pass straight through without incident. She turns and rolls her eyes at me. "See? Are you convinced now? Follow me."

We walk across the bright grass and around the enormous house until we reach a large tree right on the edge of a balcony. Willow looks at me glowing with excitement.

"Now just climb up to the balcony and knock on the door. She's going to be so surprised. She won't know what to do."

"Willow are you sure you know what you're talking about? Because if you're wrong, I could probably go to jail for trespassing."

"Just trust me."

Sighing, I start to climb the tree, squinting against the sun. The purple clouds still throw me off when I look at them. The bark of the tree is a lot softer than on earth, feeling almost like foam padding around the harder wood inside, and it's quite comfortable to scale it. At the top, I carefully hook a leg over the railing of the balcony, and pull myself over it. Proud of my accomplishment, I stretch, and turn to the door.

On the other side of the curtain-less balcony doors stands... an exact copy of me. She stares at me with a expression that so matches mine I wonder for a quick second if I'm looking into a mirror. But then she blinks, and moves, opening the door, and steps through.

She looks confused, and slightly scared as she looks me over. A bit further down, I can tell she's hopeful which makes me a little less nervous.

I raise a hand, smiling tentatively. "Hi... um, I'm really sorry to just show up like this, but there's a really annoying voice in my head that told me to come here." I hear Willow giggle.

The girl's head tilts to the side, and I see her swallow. "S... Saige?" asks, her voice small.

A wonderful sense of relaxation comes over me as she says my name. Unexpected tears come to my eyes as I nod, and I do my best to wipe then away. "Yes." Why am I crying? I don't know this girl.

Next thing I know, I'm on the ground from her tackling me, and we're both crying our eyes out, hugging each other tight. Even though I don't know anything about her. She must be...

"Our sister. We're one of three. Triplets. Two girls and a boy. "

Of course it's not enough to have a twin. I'm a triplet?

When my eyes dry, I manage to move into a sitting position, still holding her, as she hasn't stopped crying yet. I rub her back gently.

"It's okay..." It's odd to be holding her like this. It feels like I'm comforting myself instead.

She sniffs, lifting her head from my chest. Whatever eyes makeup she had on has smudged all under her eyes, and I wipe at it with my sleeve. She looks like she still doesn't believe this is real.

"I really hope this isn't another dream," She whispers, "because I don't think I could take it if I woke up again and you were still gone."

She seems so serious, I feel a sharp stab of guilt. Why do I feel guilty? I don't even know what's happening.

"I don't think it is," I say, frowning. "But I've been seeing so many impossible things lately, I'm not the best judge of that."

She laughs, wiping her face, and stands, pulling me with her. "Impossible things?"

I nod. "For one thing, the clouds are purple. That's not supposed to happen. And the carriages move without horses. I mean, a car is one thing, but a carriage? But it's beautiful here. I have a question."

She nods, grinning, and I bite my lip.

"What's your name?"

Her smile fades, and she looks hurt. "You don't know who I am?"

"Well... you're obviously my sister, but I don't remember having one. I don't remember living here- I don't remember... anything."

I only hear the chirping of birds as she stares at me. I'm distracted briefly by he sound; it sounds off. Deeper than it should be.

But I'm jerked back to reality when she takes my hand and starts pulling me after her. "Everyone will not believe this. Come on!"

I run with her through her room, and down many hallways. How big is this place? We end up in a big, bright room.

It's made completely of glass. The walls, the ceiling, everything. Even the furniture seems to be made of some type of crystal. Sparkly rainbows bounce off of everything, and I gasp in awe. "This is amazing," I breathe.

"Mom!"

I jump at my sister's call. She let's go of my hand, running through a door towards the right of the room. At the suddenly opportunity, I sprint to the wall and look out. I'm looking over the backyard. All the grass is clean and litter-free, with crystal statues all over, each in a different color of glass or crystal.

Footsteps jerk me out of my observation, and I spin around as the door swings open again.

"What is it, Raija? I haven't seen you this excited in decades-"

The woman being dragged by my sister stops as she spots me, the same unbelieving expression on her face that my sister(Raija?) wore minutes ago.

She crosses the room to me quickly, seeming to float across the polished wood. Her hands come up to touch my face, and she looks back to Raija before meeting my eyes. "Saige?"

Again, I nod, and she pulls me into her chest, hugging me with all her strength. "Oh, my baby," She sobs. "My darling baby girl..."

She rocks side to side with me in her arms, speaking in an odd language, and Raija joins in, hugging me again.

"What is all this noise about? I'm trying to study here, and all I hear is-"

"Leon, there are better things for us to worry about than you and your stupid test!" Raija yells across the room, not letting me go. I can't see who it is because my face is still buried in the woman's chest. She continues to sob into my hair.

"She's not some woman! She's our mother!" I tense at Willow's angry voice. Our mother?

I have a mother...

"Mom, who are you holding on to? It looks like you're suffocating her. You too, Raija. " A deep chuckle comes from somewhere behind Raija.

Mom pulls back, still crying, and I get my first good look at her. Her skin is light brown, her hair silver-white, and her eyes are silver with dark grey streaks. Her eyes show a kindness that's extremely comforting. She only looks to be in her twenties, which makes me wonder how old she really is. Looking lower down, I'm shocked to see her rounded stomach. She's pregnant.

A throat clearing turns my gaze away, and I gasp as I almost hit into a wall. But then I look up, realizing its not a wall, but a chest. Someone very tall...

"Well this is unexpected..." a very raspy and deep, yet gentle voice says, coming from the giant. The man leans down to look me in the eyes. "It's been a while, little sister. You look well. I'm glad. We've all been very worried about you, but I should have known you'd be alright." He smiles, reaching out to rub my hair. "You were always tougher than all of us combined."

I frown at him, moving my head from under his giant paw. He only seems amused by this. "Still a fiery little thing. "

"Leon, leave her alone! She has to be scared." Raija walks over and shoves at him, but he barely moves.

"Saige isn't scared of anything," he dismisses her, giving her forehead a flick.

"Why are you guys talking about Saige? Isn't it enough that we have to look at all of the pictures of her in the family room? Are you all trying to make Sky have a nervous breakdown? Keep your voices down, she's under enough stress as is with the baby."

I turn to the new voice, just as it floats through the door. A boy with electric blue hair walks in, spots me, and stops. He looks between me and Raija a few times, before walking across the room to me. He stands in front of Raija and I, looking perplexed. Then his face clears.

"You're... You're back," he whispers. He let's out a rush breath, and I don't know why I feel compelled to hug him, but next thing I know I have my arms thrown around his neck, squeezing as hard as I can. I feel his arms wind around me just as tightly.

"I missed you too, Ray," He says, sounding like he's trying not to get choked up.

"Everybody get down here now! Saige is back!" I hear the giant yell through the house, and tense slightly. How many more people live here?

The sound of a stampede fills my ears, and suddenly I can't make out one voice from the loud buzz.

My name is said so much, like a chorus, and I start to feel dizzy. I try to fight it, but it just grows and grows until my vision distorts and blackness creeps into my mind. The last thing I hear are alarmed voices around me.

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My eyes open to darkness, and I start to panic, my breathing picking up and my heart fluttering.

A hand covers mine, and I start to scream.

"Saige, shhh, it's okay," a gentle voice urges. I pant, recognizing the voice, and a light turns on. My face stares back at me, a concerned look on it. Raija wipes at my forehead with a cloth.
"Bad dream?"

I roll over onto my back. "No... Or yes. Kinda. But I'm fine."

She doesn't look convinced. She sits up against the pillows, and I sit up too. I'm still not used to having someone who looks just like me. It's creepy.

"Saige... I have to ask you something personal. I don't want to, but when we were getting ready for bed I couldn't help but notice..."

"What?"

"You have bond marks," She whispers. "I know you have someone. Can you tell me his name?"

Surprised, I relax. That's all? "Glen. And it's not what you're thinking... it was a little forced. Neither of us wanted it. I still don't really understand the whole of it-"

"Glen what?" She looks terse.

I think back hard. His mother called herself... "Mykel. Glen Mykel. I think."

Raija is so quiet, I fear I've gotten it wrong, like that's not even a name. But then she speaks, her voice low. "He has a brother? Guy?"

How does she know them? "Yes..."

Her eyes glow, and her face morphs into a mask of rage. Nervous, I inch away from her.

"That barbarian had the nerve to actually come near you? To bond with you? A Namai? How DARE he! He and his family must have been plotting this from the very beginning! That's it, this means war."

She moves to leap from the bed, but I grab her around the waist. "Wait! What are you talking about?"

"The Mykels have been after our rights to rule Silva since the two hundreds! They have Ardon, but no that's not enough. They think we're unfit to rule-that we use our gifts to otherwise influence the people instead of letting them think from themselves. They hate all Sirens with a fury, all because of our ancestors! We've changed, and we never use our talents unless it's completely necessary, but they refuse to see the good we do. Only the mistakes. Well these 'mistakes' are about to erase them from the planet!"

I hold on a tight as I can when she tries to break my hold. "Raija please don't do this!" I beg desperately, terrified by the promise in her voice. "Glen isn't like that! He had no idea what I was until it was too late, I promise. I didn't even know what I was; all I knew was that I couldn't talk to humans or they'd freeze. He and Guy saved my life."

She pauses now. "What do you mean?"

"I was very depressed. I was thinking about killing myself, when they came to my house a couple days after I met them, and begged me to come with them. They knew I wasn't happy. How could I be? I hid every day for centuries while the people I was around went on dates and girls nights out. Glen hates me. I know he does. But he cares about me now, against his will. He fought his family for me! I won't let you hurt him!"

Raija sits stiff as a board in my arms. She looks like he still wants to jump up and wake the whole house up.

"Raija please. I'll take you to meet him and you can see for yourself-"

"That's not going to happen. I'm not going anywhere near a Mykel. Him in particular. He's a very dangerous boy."

"Just don't say anything to anyone. Please?"

Now she turns to me, and I sit up miserably. "Saige, they'll figure it out soon anyway. They already have a husband picked out for you. A prince from Tubaj. They'll be calling him soon, no doubt. We have to tell them."

A prince? Husband?

"Isn't it enough that I just found out I'm a princess? I don't need to worry about getting married. Glen and I probably won't even get married-"

I shriek when there's knock on the balcony door. Raija starts to stand, but I pull her back down. "We don't know who that is!" I hiss.

Willow appears next to the bed. "It's Glen," She says quietly.

"Glen? How in the world-"

"He tracked your energy pattern. Mates can trace each other like that."

A low growl makes me pause, and I rest hand on Raija's back. "I'll be back in a minute. Try to relax for me..."

She glowers at the bedroom door, not answering, and I slip out if bed and to the balcony door, opening it. Even though I knew it was him, It's still uneasy seeing him standing outside of my house(wierd to say that). He looks past me to Raija, and his eyes closed briefly.

I step onto the balcony and close the door behind me, wrapping my arms around myself in the cold. He takes off his jacket immediately and hands it to me, not meeting my eyes. There's a spark of electricity(literal electricity) as our fingers brush, and I jerk my hand away, sliding my arms into the sleeves and wrapping it around me. It's very long on me, almost to my knees.

We stand in complete silence for a long time, just listening the noises of the night. Then he takes a deep breath.

"I noticed the uncanny resemblance the first time I saw you on earth. You reminded me so much of princess Raija, I couldn't help but hate you. But you were still just a teenager human then to me." He leans back against the railing. "Even after I realized you were a Siren, I still thought of you as human. But now... I fully realize that not only are you one of the most powerful type of Siren there is, but you belong to the line of royalty that I've been taught from birth to hate with a passion. To kill, if at all possible."

I do my best not to cower as his eyes roam over me, and I feel his disgust. "Do you have the slightest idea how this feels? To be mated to the enemy?"

I keep my eyes on the ground. "I've tried to give you a way out many times. If you hated me that much, you would've have taken them gladly." I look up at him, my temperature flaring.

"Do you have any idea what it's like to suddenly be taken from the only world you've ever known, told you're a different race and royalty, and that you're now practically married to a guy that hates you and wants you dead but wont let you do it yourself? And all that's not even including the parts about this this strange place and my new family. I mean, I'm a triplet. A triplet. I have a 'divide'. You don't know what this is like. I'm surprised my brain hasn't exploded."

Glen frowns, nodding slowly. "Touchè," is all he says. The balcony door opens, and Raija walks out to stand next to me. Glen doesn't move, but he goes very still, keeping his eyes on her.

"Young princess Raija," he acknowledges, venom dripping off the three words.

"Ape," Raija sniffs. "I don't want you near my sister."

"You think I want to be around her? This isn't a choice. Nor is it any of your business."

I stay quiet.

"How did you get past our security fence?"

"It's a mediocre system. Anyone with the training could have disabled it."

Raija bares her teeth at him. "I wish you'd died in that explosion back on earth, " She growls.

Glen's expression doesn't change. "I suppose we finally agree on something then."

Shocked, I frown at him, but he doesn't look at me.

"Raija go inside."

She turns to me. "What?"

I don't move my eyes from Glen. "Now please."

She seems upset by this, but listens, shooting a last glare over her shoulder at Glen.

"What was she talking about? What explosion?"

"Forget it, Saige. It's not your business-"

"Everything that concerns you is my business now! What is she talking about?"

He takes a couple steps towards me, and I hold my ground. He pulls something out of his pocket, and lifts my left hand, sliding a thick ring on my middle finger. I stare at it in shock.

"What-"

"This is the only reason I came here. I know if you haven't passed out already you soon will, so we have to properly join."

I know he's only bringing this up now to distract me, but it's working. "Properly join?"

He sighs, and lowers himself to his knees on the ground. When I just stares at him like an imbecile he tugs on my hand for me to sit too. Then he looks around and above us. Shaking his head, he stands again and lifts me up with him, walking towards the end of the balcony. He leaps over the railing and onto the tree, and let's go, falling to the ground. His voice floats up, urging me to follow him.

But I'm in a silky nightgown that won't really allow for that in a ladylike manner. "Don't look," I call down. He makes a sound of exasperation, but walks off.

Quickly and modestly as possible, I climb over the railing and jump on the tree, lowering myself to the ground. I hurry to catch up with him, as his legs are so long, he walks ten feet before I can walk six. He finally stops when we're about a good hundred feet from the house.

"This should be safe enough," he mutters, and kneels again, gesturing for me to follow.

I do, pulling the skirt of my gown down to cover my knees as I kneel in the damp grass. "What are we doing? Why do we have to be so far from the house?"

"We have to join. Usually you wait until you're married to even bond, but our situation is... different. Seeing as you have so many types of blood in you from your extremely erratic heritage"-he says this with sarcasm-"there's no telling what might happen. So I brought you away from the house hoping you won't break anything and wake everyone up."

He looks slightly apprehensive as he holds out his right hand, palm up. I see he has a ring that matches mine. "Your left hand," he instructs.

I hold my hand out, placing it on top of his. There's a vibrating sensation that comes from my ring, and it gets hot. I frown down at it, gasping as a blue light starts underneath my fingernails. Slowly, the light spreads throughout my hands and up my arms, bringing with it a cooling sensation.

"I-is this supposed to happen?" I ask, trying not to freak out. Glen doesn't answer, watching it spread over my body. Why isn't this happening to him?

My limbs go numb one at a time, and the light changes from blue to bright white. My hair starts to whip around my face from some invisible force, and the light grows brighter and brighter, until even with my eyes closed it hurts them.

I focus on taking deep breaths so I don't start screaming. A different type of screaming starts, in the air around me, and my body winds up as tightly as possible. Then It all cuts off so abruptly, I fall back into the grass, unable to move. Glen leans over me, concern evident in his face. "Saige?"

I try to move, but my whole body is too heavy. I can't move a muscle. Not even my mouth. I see him look me over, his expression one of shock. Raija's face joins his over me, and she shoves him away.

"Our parents are coming! You have to leave right now! I'll get her back to our room, just get out of here, or this will turn ugly very quickly."

Wait! Will he come back? Why can't I move...

"I'll be back tomorrow. I'll have to; I'm sure your family will notice your ring and see my family's crest on it. If they start to come for me, tell them I'm already on my way," Glen instructs, his face serious. Then he takes off, and I barely hear his footsteps disappearing before it goes quiet.

Raija helps me up just as I start to be able to move, and with her help I'm able to get back up the tree and to bed. We jump in and try our hardest to look asleep just as the door opens.

I hear the soft footsteps of our parents coming towards the bed, ad the covers are tucked more securely around us.

"I still can't believe she's back," Mom whispers, and a hand strokes through my hair. "I was so scared for her. And Raija was growing more and more depressed without her. So was Scott. All of our children... they were all close to her. I hope she doesn't resent us. Any of them. If only they knew why we had to send her away..."

"I'm time. For now, we have make her feel home again. I know she must be scared, not remembering anything about her home and family. She must have been so lonely on earth. Hopefully she'll be glad to have Denis, when he gets here in few days. She was obsessed with him before she left. They were so good together. He adored her. He can barely stand waiting to see her."

Carefully, not wanting to hear anymore, I sigh softly, shifting, and they go quiet until I settle.

"Come on, we don't want to wake them," I hear dad whisper, and they leave stealthily.

Waiting a few seconds more, I open my eyes, and Raija stares back at me.

"Who is Denis?" I whisper.

She sighs. "He's prince of Tubaj, and our parents arranged for you to be married before our first birthday. It was supposed to happen when you returned from Earth... now... " She winces. "You two were inseparable when we were little. I don't know at dad will do when he finds out about Glen... he'll want to kill him. I still do too... We have to be very careful about how we do this."

My life is just one roller coaster after another lately... "I guess we'd better get some sleep then."

"Yes... goodnight, Saige. I love you, and I'm so glad you're back. I was very near going mad without you."

This makes me feel good inside, and I hug her. "Goodnight Raija."