Post by magma on Nov 12, 2006 23:24:15 GMT -4
OOC: What's this? Me taking up Christine's suggestion in the "Bikini Day" thread? Why yes, yes I am XD Basically, this is just my take on what life was like for Amara after she returned to Nova Roma after the crystal shattered.
High up in the sky, the moon shone faintly through the gathering clouds, casting pale silver glimmers of light across the water's surface. A storm was beginning to brew but, for the time being, the night stood still in perfect peace and the silence was only penetrated every so often by the sound of the rustling plants that surrounded the hot springs.
It was here that Amara found herself on that particular evening. Though she knew without a shadow of a doubt that her father would not approve of her actions, would not appreciate her abandoning her bed in the middle of the night to go on an impromptu swim, Amara pushed those thoughts out of her mind. Her late-nights solitary swims had been her one true rebellion in the years past, had been the only way she could think of obtaining the satisfaction of defying her father without prompting the release of the full extent of his wrath. A ghost of a smile crossing her features as she recalled the first time she had been caught swimming in the hot springs after dark, Amara remembered her father's irritation, his claim that she was putting herself needlessly in danger's way. That had been years ago when she had been but a young child but even so, Amara sensed she would receive the same reaction even now when she was more than capable of protecting herself - even when her motive wasn't to incite his anger but rather ironically, to simply find a little peace.
Closing her eyes at the memories, Amara shifted onto her back and exhaled quietly as she felt her body float effortlessly, her long hair fanning out serenely around her head in silky waves. Peace. Here in the water, she could be at peace. She could forget everything that had happened and she could pretend that she had never once left Nova Roma. She could pretend that she had never known of the outside world; that she was simply Amara Aquilla, daughter of the senator, Lucius Aquilla. There was no need to remember anything else, especially that of her life at Xavier's; it had had little bearing on who she was. She was still herself. Still Amara. She had not changed so much in her time there that re-assimilating into her own culture would be impossible. She could forget. She could pretend it had all been a dream . . .
In the distance, a low rumble sounded, the sound of an impending storm, only moments before the clouds opened and sheets of rain came pouring down from the heavens. Her eyes flashing open as the cold drops pelted against her body, Amara felt her body sink slightly into the water as her concentration broke and upset the tenuous balance she had been maintaining to keep herself afloat. Without thought, Amara shifted her body to an upright position and began slowly treading the water around her, her thoughts gradually turning inward and away from the storm at hand.
Instead, Amara wistfully recalled the first time she had heard a storm at the institute. No one else had shown even the slightest signs of fear and she, curious as to why no one seemed to recognize that they must have upset the gods, had asked Dr. McCoy to explain it to her. She hadn't been able to see it then, but now Amara knew that it had been that moment that she had changed, that it had been that moment that had forever destroyed the possibility of her ever returning to her life in Nova Roma as she had once known it. Her mind had been opened to a whole new world, a world of science and technology - a world where the weather was explained in terms of things like atmospheric conditions, not by the temperament of the gods.
Could she ever go back to believing? Could she ever again find complete satisfaction with her life in Nova Roma? Could she ever forget the things she had learned or the people she had met - the people she had grown to see as family? Could she close her mind to them all?
Snapping back to the present moment as a bolt of lightening briefly lit the sky, Amara's senses returned to her and she began to paddle toward the shore. In the old days, she never would have hesitated to remain in the water, but these weren't those days. Now she was educated; now, Amara thought with a slight touch of bitterness, she knew that swimming during a storm could very well get her killed.
High up in the sky, the moon shone faintly through the gathering clouds, casting pale silver glimmers of light across the water's surface. A storm was beginning to brew but, for the time being, the night stood still in perfect peace and the silence was only penetrated every so often by the sound of the rustling plants that surrounded the hot springs.
It was here that Amara found herself on that particular evening. Though she knew without a shadow of a doubt that her father would not approve of her actions, would not appreciate her abandoning her bed in the middle of the night to go on an impromptu swim, Amara pushed those thoughts out of her mind. Her late-nights solitary swims had been her one true rebellion in the years past, had been the only way she could think of obtaining the satisfaction of defying her father without prompting the release of the full extent of his wrath. A ghost of a smile crossing her features as she recalled the first time she had been caught swimming in the hot springs after dark, Amara remembered her father's irritation, his claim that she was putting herself needlessly in danger's way. That had been years ago when she had been but a young child but even so, Amara sensed she would receive the same reaction even now when she was more than capable of protecting herself - even when her motive wasn't to incite his anger but rather ironically, to simply find a little peace.
Closing her eyes at the memories, Amara shifted onto her back and exhaled quietly as she felt her body float effortlessly, her long hair fanning out serenely around her head in silky waves. Peace. Here in the water, she could be at peace. She could forget everything that had happened and she could pretend that she had never once left Nova Roma. She could pretend that she had never known of the outside world; that she was simply Amara Aquilla, daughter of the senator, Lucius Aquilla. There was no need to remember anything else, especially that of her life at Xavier's; it had had little bearing on who she was. She was still herself. Still Amara. She had not changed so much in her time there that re-assimilating into her own culture would be impossible. She could forget. She could pretend it had all been a dream . . .
In the distance, a low rumble sounded, the sound of an impending storm, only moments before the clouds opened and sheets of rain came pouring down from the heavens. Her eyes flashing open as the cold drops pelted against her body, Amara felt her body sink slightly into the water as her concentration broke and upset the tenuous balance she had been maintaining to keep herself afloat. Without thought, Amara shifted her body to an upright position and began slowly treading the water around her, her thoughts gradually turning inward and away from the storm at hand.
Instead, Amara wistfully recalled the first time she had heard a storm at the institute. No one else had shown even the slightest signs of fear and she, curious as to why no one seemed to recognize that they must have upset the gods, had asked Dr. McCoy to explain it to her. She hadn't been able to see it then, but now Amara knew that it had been that moment that she had changed, that it had been that moment that had forever destroyed the possibility of her ever returning to her life in Nova Roma as she had once known it. Her mind had been opened to a whole new world, a world of science and technology - a world where the weather was explained in terms of things like atmospheric conditions, not by the temperament of the gods.
Could she ever go back to believing? Could she ever again find complete satisfaction with her life in Nova Roma? Could she ever forget the things she had learned or the people she had met - the people she had grown to see as family? Could she close her mind to them all?
Snapping back to the present moment as a bolt of lightening briefly lit the sky, Amara's senses returned to her and she began to paddle toward the shore. In the old days, she never would have hesitated to remain in the water, but these weren't those days. Now she was educated; now, Amara thought with a slight touch of bitterness, she knew that swimming during a storm could very well get her killed.