80614.2300
...continued
-=Six Months Later: Early 2378=-
"I swear if little Trevin turns his wrinkled nose up at my home made soup one more time I will tell him to make his own dinner."
Camen grinned, sitting on his stool in the kitchen and sipping his bowl of soup as Fleur scrambled about, cleaning up from the day's meal. She had been nothing less than a miracle worker in these last few months, taking a tremendous load off of Camen and the other members of the order. As of yet she had never asked for any sort of compensation other than the food she ate and the bed she slept in.
As promised she had also attended services, learning the teachings of the Prophets. Always, Camen noticed, his services. Somehow whenever Timal or other members of the order held their services, she just could not make it for some reason.
In recent weeks she had requested private study in the evenings, after dark when the children were asleep. Camen would walk with her in the seclusion of the grounds and discuss everything from the ancient prophecies to the life of the Emissary.
Timal had chided him several times, pointing out that a beautiful woman does not ask to take long walks with a man in the evening just for exercise. Camen could feel her desire and could not lie to himself and say he did not share her affection in return.
As Timal had predicted, Camen had thrown his hat into the ring for the election of the new Kai. With overwhelming support, it was plainly apparent Camen would win election. Timal also predicted that when he became Kai, Camen would lead Bajor to a place of influence in the Federation, with a woman from the Emissary's home planet at his side.
Camen dutifully followed the path the Prophets had laid out for him. However, he still felt an empty place in his heart, as he sat here in this kitchen, where he had Zanh Liis had embraced each other for the first time. One precious night they had finally let their inhibitions fall away, only for her to depart for Starfleet Academy the next day.
Each day he wondered if she would return.
"Done!" Fleur declared with glee, as she set the last bowl in the cabinet. "Walk with me Vedek?"
"Of course."
They left the monastery, taking Camen's favorite path down through the trees to the small brook that ran behind the building. At this time of year, only the fading gray aura of twilight lit this area, and would eventually be replaced by the light from Bajor's moons.
Camen stood at the edge of the brook, removing his footwear to let his bare feet sink into the grass. The cool crisp air felt good to him after spending an evening in the hot kitchen preparing food.
"What did you think of the services today?" He asked, as he asked her every night.
"I will answer you, Vedek, but I have another question this evening if I might ask first. About the Prophets."
He turned to her, intrigued. "Go ahead."
"Do the Prophets love?"
The question was easy enough for Camen to answer. "Of course. They love all the people of Bajor, we are their children."
"No, Camen." Fleur turned to face him. "Do they love each other?"
Camen considered her question, and realized he only had one answer. "I don't know. I've never thought about quite like that. I would like to think they do."
"I would like to think so as well. That way we can know when they bring love into our own lives, that they are doing what they know is best for us, from their own experience."
She stepped closer to him now, her face lit from the side by the rising moon. Camen felt his heart begin to race as it became apparent what Fleur really wished to ask him tonight.
"How long must I live in her shadow, Camen?" She whispered. "She has been gone so long, haunting you. I am here, now, and I love you Jariel Camen, I love you. I want to be at your side, and walk with you in the light of the Prophets. I am young but I am not a fool, I see they way you glance at me, and laugh with me; you must feel as I do. We have shared everything these last six months, is it asking too much that you share your bed with me as well?"
She leaned against him, her hands disappearing into the folds of his robe, as her lips parted and her eyes closed. Camen wanted so badly to show her how he felt, but the presence of Zanh Liis in his heart slowed him even still, as he leaned towards Fleur....
-Flash-
"Why do you resist her still?" the Prophet, in the form of Vedek Timal asked.
"She is out there, I know she is."
"This is the path we have laid out for you. This is how you will guide Bajor to glory."
"What of Zanh Liis?"
"She has chosen her path Camen. If you are ever to be loved, it will be by the human woman. We know you love her too, care for her."
"She has been nothing but supportive and affectionate the last six months, I could not help but feel as I do for her."
"Then be with her now, Jariel Camen." The Timal Prophet placed his hands on Camen's shoulders. "There is no reason for you to suffer in this life. We are proud of the man you've become, and the leader you will be."
-Flash-
The vision concluded, and Fleur still stood before him, eyes closed, awaiting his kiss. Camen cast aside whatever doubts he had, and leaned forward into Fleur's awaiting lips. He embraced her, kissing her deeply. Her hands slid up to his neck, and unclasped his robe from his shoulders, letting it fall gracefully.
Camen and Fleur followed moments later, slowly descending to the ground below.
-=Six months later=-
It was a day celebrated across the quadrant. Jariel Camen had won easy election to the post of Kai, and in an unprecedented event, had taken a bride and his place as Kai, all in the same day.
In the spirit of peace, leaders from across the quadrant had attended the event; even the Romulan Praetor shared a balcony with the Federation President, Klingon Chancellor, and other dignitaries. It was the dawn of a new era where Bajor would take its place as a leader in the Federation. Even that Cardassians had sent a delegation, and were willing to discuss formalizing ties and setting aside the wounds of the Occupation once and for all.
The Central Temple of Bajor was packed to capacity with cheering revelers as Jariel Camen, in traditional clothing of the Kai, and Fleur Le Marc in a long flowing white dress crafted by the finest artisans from Paris, took their final vows of matrimony.
"Are there any final objections to this man and woman being joined in marriage?" Timal asked the assembled. There was silence in the crowd. One woman in the balcony in the rear opened her mouth to speak, but closed it just as fast.
"Very well then..."
Vedek Timal completed the ceremony and presented the couple to the crowd, as all leapt to their feet in joy. Steamers and confetti filled the air, along with the loving cheers of the Bajoran people.
The woman in the balcony was the only person not standing and cheering for the couple. Zanh Liis sat, motionless, pulling the dark robe she wore closer to her body to keep the pieces of confetti from falling onto her clothing. She stared straight ahead, her view of Camen obscured now by the standing parishioners in front of her. Despite their cheers, she heard nothing, just silence as she sat and watched.
Outside the Central Temple, Keiran O'Sullivan smiled and nodded politely as the Bajorans began to leave.
“May the Prophets smile upon you!”
“Aye, thank ya very much.” Keiran had heard the benefaction so many times he was beginning to wonder if he had done something wrong and was needing forgiveness from Bajor’s gods.
He squinted into the afternoon sun, looking to see if Zanh Liis was going to exit. Thousands of Bajorans, along with Humans, Trill, Romulans and any other number of other species from across the quadrant filtered out of the building. At last, as the crowd began to thin out, Liis slowly walked out of the building towards him. He pushed his way through the throngs to her side.
“Where to, lass?”
“There’s nothing for me here now.”
“Back to Earth?”
“I don’t care, just get me the hell off this planet.”
Keiran guided her through the crowds and back to the landing area where their runabout was located. Liis did not say a word; she just kept her eyes on the ground. As they reached the runabout, Liis jogged up the ramp and into the copilot seat. In the time they had been partnered, Keiran had never once gotten to fly a ship. Liis always took the pilot’s seat, but not today.
Keiran sat down and began the pre-start sequence. Liis drew her leg up against her body, and set her chin on her knee.
“Do you want to talk about it?” As soon as he asked he knew what the answer was, and knowing Zanh Liis as he did he felt stupid for even offering.
“No.”
Liis blinked, and a tear rolled off her face to the deck below. Keiran felt like he had been punched in the stomach, seeing her suffer like this. Liis spun out of her chair and went to the back of the runabout. She had convinced herself Keiran would not see her cry, but could not help herself.
He did not see her again for the rest of the trip back to Earth. Every once in a while he’d ask if she needed anything, just to make sure she was still alive. “I’m fine.” She’d call back through the door.
As they arrived back at Temporal Investigations several days later, she finally was able to speak to him again.
“All I ever wanted was for him to be taken care of. I should be happy. He‘s safe, my mission was a success.”
“But ya never planned on it being another woman to do it. It’s all right to feel like shit, Zanh Liis.”
“They made me promises, it wasn’t supposed to be like this. Vox...”
“Is a rat bastard, Liis. We both know that. But this is what we do.”
With Jariel Camen, her inspiration for preserving the timeline now happily married to another woman, Liis honestly wondered how much longer she would let men like Jonas Vox run her life.
Ship's Chaplain
USS Serendipity NCC-2012