Becoming Nyx: Nyx

I was no longer the trusted heir of the Porter dynasty.

 My father's goons followed me everywhere. I was only allowed to be alone when I was in a locked room, and even then they waited outside the door to escort me wherever I needed to go.

 Those few times I was alone, I thought about Lee, and what he must be going through now. I missed him desperately. He had been the one bright spot in my life. Now that he was gone, everything was dark.

Before they left, we’d figured out a way to get messages back and forth. Ilyana had managed most of the logistics. As far as I could tell, she added some hidden code to my laptop that meant it could send and receive emails from a hidden address. Honestly, I didn’t really get it, but I was hopeless with computers. Those messages were what kept me alive.

The messages were the one thing I managed to keep secret from my father during that time. Sometimes I thought that maybe he did know about them, but that was ridiculous. If he’d known about them, he would have sent his people after Lee and Ilyana, but he never did.

They looked for them, but Lee and Ilyana were nowhere to be found. Part of me was strangely delighted to be in on such a private secret, but it was the part I was ashamed of. It was dangerous for all of us for me to know where they were, but they said someone needed to let them know when their pursuers were getting too close.

I did my job for what felt like forever. It was certainly several years. I was kept sequestered in my father’s fortress. My only way of telling time was the pictures that Lee sent of the baby in his updates. I kept their secret faithfully for all that time, even knowing that telling would improve my life drastically. How could I ever do that to them? I would never betray the man I loved that way.

And I did still love him. My dreams, my fantasies… they were all of him. I knew it was utterly impossible, especially now, but I couldn’t help but dream.

I dreamed of us in the butterfly garden, where we had so many conversations. This time was different, though. This time, he loved me the way I always had him, and acted accordingly. It was a beautiful dream…

 But I knew it could never be reality.

Still, it nearly killed me when I got that message.

Lissie,

I hope you're still doing okay. Your father hasn't been too hard on you lately, has he? We're all doing great here. Sam's been growing like a weed. He says hello. I got him some baby books last time I went into town, and I'm trying to teach him to read. Ilyana's going a little bit stir-crazy cooped up in here. I don't really blame her, but she knows we can't go out very often. It's crazy to think that we've been on the run for almost four years now, and that Ilyana and I have been together for five. I'm going to ask her to marry me. We can't actually get married in the eyes of the law, obviously, but we'll know. It might seem a little bit sudden, but we're grown-ups now. This is what grown-ups do. We're still staying just outside of Riverview, so the townsfolk will be a little bit suspicious, but I'm not too worried. No one knows enough about the Dragons to snitch on us. Be happy for us!

Miss you,

Lee

I had to read it three times before I could understand what it said. Lee and Ilyana were getting married. Married.

I was fine. I had to be fine. I couldn't possibly be upset. They'd been together for five years. Marriage was the natural next step.

I couldn't really lie to myself, though. I was upset. I was really upset, which honestly kind of surprised me. I had really thought that I had let go of Lee. But I obviously hadn't, because I was becoming more upset by the second.

I was in a turmoil of sadness and regret and guilt and… jealousy.

Envy was quickly overcoming every other emotion. Why wasn't it me he was engaged to? It should have been me. By all rights, he was mine… until she took him. And the worst part was, I let her. I could easily have told him how I felt, but I hadn't. Still… he had to have known. She had to have known. I hadn't been subtle. They had known, and they'd betrayed me.

They would have to pay for taking what was mine.

In the moment, I had no idea why I hadn't done this before. Neither of them deserved my loyalty.

“Take me to my father.”

In my pain and anger, I could barely even think. I didn't care that I would regret it later. I didn't care that I might be overreacting. All I cared about was making them pay for what they'd done to me.

“You wanted to see me?”

He had his back to me, but I still couldn't face him as I betrayed the only friends I had ever known. “They're hiding in a house just outside of Riverview. The neighbors are suspicious, so that should be enough to find them.”

He hit a button on his intercom and repeated the information I had given him.

He looked back up. “I'm glad you came to your senses.” Then, to my guard. “Please escort her back to her room.”

After I was deposited in my room, I sat down, feeling numb. Why on Earth had I done that? I remembered that overwhelming feeling of jealousy. I knew why I had done that. I just wished I didn't.

I had just wanted him to be mine so badly. I still wanted him, but the uncontrollable envy was fading. I was beginning to really process what I had done.

I had betrayed them. I had done exactly what I had spent the last four years vowing not to do. I was horrified by my actions, but part of me -- the part I buried deep down inside, the part that reveled in theft -- felt a bitter, vengeful glee.

She had taken him from me, so now I was taking him from her.

I shook myself out of it. I couldn’t let myself think that way. Everyday I struggled not to let that part of me out. It had broken free today, but I would just have to lock it down even tighter in the future.

Once I’d gotten ahold of myself, I focused on damage control. My father’s troops would find their house, but if I could warn them in time, Lee and Ilyana might be able to escape. I typed a quick warning:

They’ve found you. Hurry.

I pressed send and waited. I knew they would send me a message as soon as they were safely away. It should only take a few minutes for them to get packed up, and then maybe half an hour before they deemed it safe to stop and let me know they were okay. But the message didn’t come.

An hour passed. Then two. I was beginning to panic. They had to have gotten out in time. If they hadn’t… No. They had. They were just being extra cautious and hadn’t stopped to email me yet. I just had to give it a little bit more time.

After hours of waiting, I finally got a message, but its contents were not what I’d hoped for.

Lissie,

They took Ilyana. They got there just as we were leaving, and they took Ilyana. They didn’t seem to care about me or Sam, but they took Ilyana. I’m sorry if this sounds repetitive, but they took Ilyana! I wish I could go after her, but I know I can’t. I would ask you to try, but I know you can’t either. It’s just not possible. Sam and I are going back to Sunset Valley for a fresh start. Without Ilyana, I don’t think anyone will come looking for us. I won’t send you any more messages, but if you ever want to find us, my mother lives at 24 Sim Lane.

Until we meet again,

Lee

I didn’t realize I was crying until a tear fell onto my keyboard. They had taken Ilyana. I knew what that meant even better than Lee did. I doubted she would even make it back to Bridgeport alive. Part of me, the bad part, had hated her, but I still mourned her. I mourned her because Lee had loved her, because her child didn’t deserve to be motherless, because she was too young to die.

I looked at Lee’s email again. A fresh start in Sunset Valley… maybe I could make one, too.

I had always been good at making plans. I put on my most nondescript clothes and took my hair down to hide the dragon tattoo on the back of my neck. I took the most valuable trinkets from my jewelry box and stuffed them in a bag with some extra clothes. I would pawn them on my way out of the city. Finally, I took all of the pretty ballgowns my father had bought for me and tied them together to make a rope. They weren’t bedsheets, but they would do.

I climbed out the window and slipped out into the night. It was time to begin my new life as Nyx Doe.

Author's Note: The prologue is done! Next chapter will begin the official legacy in Sunset Valley. Honestly, I'm thrilled. This thing was kind of a pain to shoot, and I got a little bit lazy towards the end. Sorry. Also, her new name is Nyx Doe because:

1. She left in the night and she's corny like that, and

2. Her father told her (way back in the very first post) that she would end up a Jane Doe in the morgue without him, and this is her way of spiting him for that.

Hope everything made sense. Feel free to comment if it didn't, and I will do my best to explain. The next time I post, it will officially be Generation One!