"Can I...Can I listen to it?" she asked timidly with a hushed voice, looking up at Elek with wide, innocent brown eyes. He had always been the nicest of her three brothers, reading to her and teaching her new things.
He regarded his sister seriously for a moment, tentative to broach the sensitive subject of his recent surgery. They were both outside, resting against the trunk of a large, willowy tree. Duci nestled into his side, curled in the crook of his arm like a baby. She was still so young, and she didn't understand. Lowering the book into his lap, he closed it.
"Sure," Elek finally replied, smiling benignly at his sister as he opened his arms invitingly.
She shifted around excitedly, her whole face lighting up at his acquiescence. "Oh, k'sz"n"m, thank you!" she breathed out in a single breath, her voice soft and wispy. Settling into Elek's lap this time, Duci turned sideways and leaned into him with her ear pressed to his sternum.
"No, Duci, my heart is over here," he corrected her, gently guiding her head slightly to his left so it was over his heart.
"Oh," she replied, embarrassed. Her face flushed a gentle, rosy pink, but she didn't dwell on her embarrassment as his heartbeat captivated her attention. It tharrumped loudly, like the beat of drums in war. "It sounds so strong and powerful, Elek," she remarked in childish awe.
"I was lucky to receive my heart from a warrior." His voice was calm, hands soothing down the unruly mop of curls his sister possessed. He leaned back so his head touched the smooth bark of the tree's trunk.
"A warrior?" she inquired, her interest piqued as she sat upright and alert in his lap.
"Yes. He fought bravely in our fleet against the Cylons and other threats. A general, too, with many awards and stripes."
"I'm going to be a warrior, too, like you and your heart," she told him with undisguised determination and confidence.
That was how this docile little child grew into a woman and a fighter pilot.
He regarded his sister seriously for a moment, tentative to broach the sensitive subject of his recent surgery. They were both outside, resting against the trunk of a large, willowy tree. Duci nestled into his side, curled in the crook of his arm like a baby. She was still so young, and she didn't understand. Lowering the book into his lap, he closed it.
"Sure," Elek finally replied, smiling benignly at his sister as he opened his arms invitingly.
She shifted around excitedly, her whole face lighting up at his acquiescence. "Oh, k'sz"n"m, thank you!" she breathed out in a single breath, her voice soft and wispy. Settling into Elek's lap this time, Duci turned sideways and leaned into him with her ear pressed to his sternum.
"No, Duci, my heart is over here," he corrected her, gently guiding her head slightly to his left so it was over his heart.
"Oh," she replied, embarrassed. Her face flushed a gentle, rosy pink, but she didn't dwell on her embarrassment as his heartbeat captivated her attention. It tharrumped loudly, like the beat of drums in war. "It sounds so strong and powerful, Elek," she remarked in childish awe.
"I was lucky to receive my heart from a warrior." His voice was calm, hands soothing down the unruly mop of curls his sister possessed. He leaned back so his head touched the smooth bark of the tree's trunk.
"A warrior?" she inquired, her interest piqued as she sat upright and alert in his lap.
"Yes. He fought bravely in our fleet against the Cylons and other threats. A general, too, with many awards and stripes."
"I'm going to be a warrior, too, like you and your heart," she told him with undisguised determination and confidence.
That was how this docile little child grew into a woman and a fighter pilot.