The Journey

She decided to go to the throne room, taking a seat with her back to the balcony rail. Sitting silently, eyes closed, she swallowed her emotions as she heard someone walking up to her.

“I’d like to talk to you, if it’s all right.”


Kylie nodded, recognizing the woman’s voice immediately.


“Thank you.” She could hear Kyra kneeling, then sitting close to her. “I want, first, to thank you, for carrying my message.”


Kylie shrugged, choosing not to speak. It wasn’t like she had really had a choice in the matter anyway.


“Vaako wants me to train to do what those women at dinner do. They’re some sort of elite force. Guards and assassins.”


“They are very good.”


”’Cording to him, you are too.”


Kylie looked over at the younger woman and gave a slight smile. “I’ve had no choice, so I do what I have to.”


Kyra paused for a moment, as though searching for words. “You know I care about Riddick.”


Kylie closed her eyes, head leaning back. She stifled a sigh, not particularly wanting to go where the other woman was going with this, but she wouldn’t stop her. She didn’t dislike Kyra, she actually liked the girl, but she didn’t like how she had been feeling because of the younger woman.


“It’s not the way you think though. He’s family, the only family I have really. He saved me, twice now.”


”I know.”


“No, I mean when I was..”


”Yes, I do know, on the planet, those creatures. You and some holy man, a good man.”


“How?” She could hear the shock in the girl’s voice.


Kylie stood, offering Kyra a hand up. “Not here, even with the ones who left, well, I still don’t trust most of them.”


Kyra nodded, and stood, letting Kylie lead her back to her ship, where she shut the ramp behind them, ensuring they weren’t bothered.


“I don’t know what Riddick has told you about me. I’m able to see things sometimes, and when you reached out to me, besides that being why you could reach out to me, I was able to see some of your memories. Not all of them, but enough to know that you and he do care about each other a lot.”


Kyra nodded, taking in what she’d been told. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you though. I love him like a brother, he protected me, and he saved me. I admire him, and have since that damned planet.”


Kylie nodded slightly, understanding what she was telling her. “Doesn’t even touch on his side of things though does it?”


“Suppose not, but you don’t have to worry about me.” Kyra smiled at her. “It’s pretty obvious how you feel, least to anyone who actually has eyes. I want to help you, to be your friend if you’ll let me.”


“You’re not the same headstrong person you were.”


”No, I know I’m not. Guess coming back from the dead will show you what’s really important.”


“I would imagine so. Thank you Kyra. You should take the training with Vaako. It certainly wouldn’t hurt anything, and he’s an honest man.”


Kyra hugged her, and before she left, she turned to look back at the older woman. “You should just be honest with him. He’s not used to being treated like a human, and you’ve done things for him only one other person I know of did. I think that bugs him, that you’d have risked your life for his. Probably why he’s so blind to what everyone else can see so easily. Just watch your back, there aren’t many who would want to get at him who wouldn’t use you to do it.”


“Thanks.”


Kyra shrugged, and walked down the ramp, heading to tell Vaako that she’d accept his offer.


Kylie sat in silence for a long time after Kyra left. While she knew she should talk to Riddick, telling him how she felt was likely to push him away. She did have to make sure that he knew she wasn’t going anywhere though. She had made a promise, and feelings aside, she never broke one.


She also knew that she couldn’t keep acting like a whipped puppy over him. She had been through hell, and as a child at that, she damned well knew she was stronger then this. She stood, smiling to herself. She knew what she was going to do now.


She changed, donning her “off duty” clothes, seeking out Lord Vaako.