Memories of Old

written by Kimberly Blaire

As the sun begins to rise over the mountains, Eve awakes feeling depressed because her parents are elsewhere, and she is lonely. She walks slowly to the window to watch the colors transform as the sun climbs over the mountains, shedding light over the valley. As she reaches the window, the sun's base is balancing on the snow-capped peak of Mount Pent, giving a redish orange glow to the mountain. The valley suddenly lightens with newborn color as the sun shines on the trees and Lake du Vin. While Eve observes the beauty of landscape, she begins remembering the happiest times at home.

***** *****

"Mommy, can I go horseback riding in the country today with Richard?", Eve asks anxiously. "

"Yes, dear as long as you are back in time for dinner, and you take a guard along."

"Oh, thank you Mommy."

Eve hurriedly gets dressed and runs down to the stables to meet Richard. As she arrives he is emerging from the stable with the two finest mares. Behind him, Jimmy, her favorite guard emerges with his horse.

The day was spent racing and playing games. Never in her life had she had that much fun. Eve had a feeling beginning that day that she was in love. Richard and she had so much fun together.

When the time to return home approached she felt sorry that they weren't able to have more together. She wanted so much to have him in for dinner. While the men were rubbing the horses down, she ran to the house to ask if Richard could stay.

Breathlessly, she ran up to her mother and asked, "Mommy, would it be alright if Richard stayed for dinner, it would make me very happy, please."

With out hesitation her mother answered with a firm "no". When asked why, her mother said that he was unsuitable for her. This news confused Eve, and when told about her responsiblity to provide an heir to the throne, she locked herself in her room.

Eve finally came out of the room only to state that she wanted to begin working on the new space shuttle. In the time she in her room she had read all of the reports on the progress made and how the shuttles operated. Eve's mother was shocked and her father was delighted that his only child was interested in the new technology of the planet.

Eve was given the command of the shuttle GARDEN. She buried herself in her work to try and forget about Richard. She had succeeded until now.

***** *****

Eve drifted back to the present time to find the trace of tears on her cheeks; she quickly walks to the lavatory to wash her face and remove all the traces of past sorrow. She hurries to get dressed, for she has a whole days worth of work ahead of her. She rushes down the spiral staircase to livingroom where Tony, James, and Ricky are waiting to give her the report on the remodeling and repairs on the space shuttle.

The shuttle was getting a new make-over with the help of Adena's mechanics. The shuttle would soon be able to stand up to minor attacks and metiorites, and, if necessary, give a feeble battle. All of this would have been impossible without the help of Adena, who had become a close friend before she went to fight off a man by the name of T.G. Taft. A man Eve was not sure she would care to meet. From what had been told to her, Eve felt that Taft must have had a deprived childhood, which she therefore concluded that evil overtook him and he felt that it was his duty to over to take the universe.

All three men stand as Eve enters the room and greets them each personally. Tony gives her the report containing the progress of the renovation of the interior. He states that there will be a minor delay because of the new mechinary being installed. James gives the report on the weapons being installed. He makes a light comment on how exciting it will be to use them. Ricky simply states that the exterior repairs are going smoothly. Eve gets up to leave and states, she will be by to see the progress sometime in the late afternoon.

Eve drops the reports on her desk and walks to the stables. She enjoys the outdoors enormously. As she mounts her horse she recalls the first time Adena brought her here and showed her around. When they sat at dinner that night she was still marvelling at the beauty of the continents that they had visited. Suddenly, Adena states casually that two of continents were hers she nearly died. Then she settled in the mansion Adena had built for her. She named one Amour and the other Aime. She was living on Amour in the city named Le Ville.

Eve mounts her mare and gallops to the site where a few farm houses are being built today. When she arrives, she discovers the final touches being made to the exterior. She continues on the road to the lake Du Vin. Eve dismounts and observes her reflection in the water. She is stunned at what it reveals. At the age of twenty-two she still appears to look like a teenager. She would have thought she would age as fast as her mother had.

After completing the work at hand, Eve returns to her bedroom. She sits at the desk and reads the reports given to her earlier. She finds that progess was far above that scheduled. Eve slowly walks to the window to watch the sun set.

As Eve sits down to eat, she recalls her family once again and how they all discussed the day's happenings at the dinner table. The only person Eve has now is Adena, and she is off fighting. Tears once again roll down her cheeks, she becomes very upset. Her favorite meal consisting of steak, potatoes, corn on the cob, and milk suddenly loses all appeal. Eve finally gives up on eating and goes to bed.

Eve falls into an exhausted sleep, praying that Adena arrives home safely and that maybe one day she will see her parents once again. She hugs her teddy bear tightly as if it is the only security she has.