Post by siresssarika on Jul 13, 2009 23:35:36 GMT -5
Chapter 1
""Hearts fall Serenely""
By Princess Sarika
""Hearts fall Serenely""
By Princess Sarika
Apollo paced the floor of his father's office, with a million thoughts going through his head, while Boxy just sat on the sofa playing a game of two dimensional chess with his grandfather, Adama, while they waited for their guests to arrive.
"Apollo, I do wish you would sit down and join us in our game, instead of wearing out my carpet", the commander said, giving his son a frowning look, with a touch of sympathy in it though.
Apollo looked at his father and then at his son who were both now looking up at him.
"Yeah dad, my aunt Sarika and cousin Pelagia won't to be here for another few more centons. Come and play chess with grandpa and me"!
"Thank you Boxy, but ahhh, I am just a little..."
"Nervous?", Boxy finished his father's sentence, holding a cheeky grin that Apollo knew only too well it meant his son was reading his thoughts all too clearly.
"Am I that obvious?"Apollo's face was near to the berry hue of a good vintage Ambrosa, while he flashed Boxy a slightly scowling look.
"Son, pacing the floor is only going to make you feel more nervous about meeting Serina's twin sister, Adama added, gesturing with his hands. "I'm sure you would do better to just sit down and relax before she arrives with her daughter. The starliner shuttle is yet to dock with the Galactica, if it hasn't already", Adama consoled.
Adama knew his son's anxious feelings were only due to the anticipation of seeing Serina's sister, who was to be expected to share a striking likeness of her sister. They were identical twins after all. But how Apollo would truly react and feel seeing someone who would remind him of his lost love and late wife, he felt worried for his son's past pain and broken heart.
Suddenly the door buzzer sounded, and everyone looked up toward the commander's door. "They're here!", Boxy shouted, Apollo swallowed hard and felt he was about to choke, but the touch of Boxy's hand sliding into in his, calmed his anxieties, as he looked down and realized his son was beside him and smiling, excited to be re-united with his long lost cousin and aunt whom he had not seen in many yahrens and had not known were still alive until a fews days ago.
Sarika was the identical twin of Serina, and a Siress since marrying a Sire from the colony, Piscon. Her husband was killed in the attacks from the Cylons during the annihilation. Only her and her little daughter, formerly called Tuppy, who had since had come of age of her naming festival and ceremony and now was known as Pelagia, had survived. They had been living on the Starliner, "Rising Star" for all this time, since the escape from the colonies. Siress Sarika was only discovered recently by Adama who conducted a profile search for any possible surviving blood relatives of Boxy's in the Fleet.
Even though Boxy seemed happy with his new adopted family on the Galactica, Adama believed if there were any blood relatives of his grandson's still alive and on the Fleet, it would be of great value and wealth for Boxy, to reconnect with anyone who holds a family connection to him.
Boxy remembered his aunt and cousin from his very young days on Caprica. They used to visit often, and his aunt was just as loving and beautiful as his own mother was. Pelagia was just a couple of yahrens older than Boxy.
But Boxy wasn't the only one who was holding visions of the memory his mother though. Apollo could only see Serina's face and smile, her voice, her touch, and now the moment had arrived to come face to face to a woman he had not met , yet he sensed something more than just the familiarity of his late wife's features, on some inexplicable level of consciousness. He somehow already knew this Siress who was about to come into his life. Or was it just wishing Serina was still alive?
The next thing Apollo heard was his father's command to the person's on the other side of the door, to enter. The door slid open and Boxy squeezed Apollo's hand tighter, as his smile grew wider across his face. Apollo didn't even realize his mouth was slightly agape as their visitors entered the room.
His green eyes glazed over, and his heart felt like it had just stopped.
Trying to keep it together and remain composed, he watched the Siress walk in through the door with her daughter following at her side.
Adama stepped forward first to greet them. All Apollo could do was stare, feeling as though his legs could barely move. He couldn't swallow now, his mouth was dry.
"Welcome to the Galactica, Siress Sarika!" Adama said smiling broadly as he held the Siress's hand in salutation, then turned and lowered slightly to greet the young girl beside her mother, "Welcome Pelagia. You don't know what a pleasure it is to finally meet you both". Adama was grinning from ear to ear at both of them.
Sarika held out her hand to reciprocate the Commander's warm welcome.
"Thank you Commander, my daughter and I are very happy to be here", came the reply from a softly spoken and gracious woman.
Adama, stepped aside to allow Sarika to meet his son and grandson.Sarika's eyes fell upon Apollo, they exchanged gentle smiles before she then saw her long lost nephew standing beside him, and stepped forward to embrace him.
"BOXY!, oh it's so good to see you again! "
Apollo watched Sarika hug Boxy tightly, all the while thinking he was looking at Serina, his heart ached more than it had in a long time. She smiled just the same as the woman who died in his arms almost two yahrens ago. Her voice sounded the same as Serina's. If he didn't know better, Apollo would have thought he had died and was standing on a ship of lights, looking at Serina.
Suddenly his thoughts that seemed as though they were thousands of metrons away, were jolted back when he heard the Siress speak to him.
"Captain Apollo, it is a pleasure and an honor to meet you at last. I am very grateful for the way you have taken care of my nephew all this time", the siress held out her hand to Apollo.
Apollo managed to send a message to his brain to speak, as he held Sarika's to shake hers in return. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Siress Sarika. As for Boxy, I love him very much, and think of him as every bit as much as if he were my own."
"It shows, Captain. My sister obviously chose a fine man and loving father for her son. I'm happy Boxy has had such a wonderful home and family here on the Galactica."
Apollo gazed back at the Siress, who seem to hold him in that gaze, as he replied, "Thank you Siress. I wouldn't change a thing about having Boxy with me".
Adama simply observed his son and the way he looked at Sarika. She was beautiful and it seemed Apollo was captivated by her already, but he hoped he did not confuse Sarika with the memory of Serina.
