Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Inej
She leaned against the rail overlooking fifth harbour, gazing at The Wraith. Her ship. She still could barely believe it. Even the talk she had had to have with her parents earlier couldn't dim the excitement and joy she felt at having a chance to strike back at the kind of people who had brought her to this city and forced her into slavery.
She closed her eyes and sighed as she thought about what had happened after the meeting.
After her mother had stopped sobbing and her father had finally let go of her, Inej had introduced Kaz to her parents. "Nice to finally meet you, Mr and Mrs Ghafa" Kaz had said, looking rather awkward.
"Glad to meet you too, Mr Brekker." Her father had said in slightly accented Kerch, looking askance at Kaz's dark suit and crows head cane. Her father had held out his hand, and Kaz had stared at it like it was some sort of venomous snake for a few moments before slowly reaching out with an ungloved hand. Inej could see the the internal battle taking place as he shook her fathers hand.
"How did you come to know our daughter?" Her mother asked.
"Ah..." Kaz looked back at her, a silent question in his eyes.
"And," her mother had continued, "How did you come here? We heard there was a slaver ship nearby, after your disappearance, and we feared..." She had trailed off and glanced around the harbour nervously, as if fearing that said slavers would pop up right there and then.
"It's... complicated, Mama." Inej had said. "Come on. There's more people I need you to meet!"
They had walked through the streets towards Wylan's mansion, her parents holding her hands, unwilling to let go for even a moment, like she was going to slip away if they didn't hold on tight enough. Kaz had been trailing behind them, an odd look on his face. It had taken a few moments for her to realize what it was, the emotion was so foreign on his face- longing. How long has it been since he's seen his own parents? She wondered sadly. Then he had seen her looking back at him, and the emotion had vanished from his face, to be replaced by his customary scowl.
Footsteps behind her shook her out of her reverie. She turned to see Jesper walking towards her, a concerned look on his normally cheerful face.
" You alright, Wraith?"
She smiled slightly. "I'm fine, Jesper."
The sharpshooter rocked back on his heels. "Just thought I should check. I know how hard it is to talk to your parents about...everything."
Inej nodded, thinking about Colm Fahey, who'd left on a boat with Nina... and Matthias. It hurt to think of the huge Fjerdan lying in the bottom of that boat, robbed of all his massive life and strength.
"I'm alright, Jesper. Really." She smiled, despite memories of Matthias fresh on her mind.
Jesper looked at her doubtfully, but seemed to realize she meant it. "Alright, Wraith." He turned to go.
"Jesper?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it."
She turned back toward the harbour, deep in thought.
When they had reached the Van Eck mansion, her parents had gasped. "This is where you live?" Her father had exclaimed.
Inej had laughed softly, thinking of where she had been living for the past three years. "No, papa. I'm just staying here for awhile. My friends live here."
Her father had looked doubtful but he had let himself be led inside. Almost as soon as they entered, Jesper was skidding towards them, Wylan on his heels.
"Inej-" Jesper started, but stopped short when he saw Mr and Mrs Ghafa peeking out from behind her. Wylan stopped too, almost bowling Jesper over. The lanky sharpshooter had reached out and steadied Wylan, all the while never taking his eyes off her parents.
"Inej, are these... are these your parents?"
Inej had beamed. "Yes. Mama, Papa, these are Jesper and Wylan, my other friends."
Both Jesper and Wylan had smiled, and had shaken both her parents hands.
"Wonderful to meet you both." Wylan had said, in that quiet, mild mannered way of his.
"Nice to meet you too, both of you. But Inej," her father had said, turning to her, "Can you please explain what happened?"
Inej had nodded, feeling butterflies erupt in her stomach.
"Follow me."
Thus followed one of the most uncomfortable, scariest conversations of her life, trumping even talking to Kaz after she had done something particularly stupid, and he was zeroing in on her face with those flat, emotionless shark eyes. She explained how she had been taken by slavers and sold into a brothel, feeling her heart hurt as her mother gave a frightened gasp, and her fathers face drained of colour. She explained how Kaz had freed her and brought her to the Dregs as a spider, to which both her mother and father looked at her like she was from a different species, and- her heart had felt like it would stop, and she had wanted nothing more than to run out of the room and go sit atop the Church of Barter and stay there- she explained what her jobs had been in the Dregs.
"I-I spied. I've stolen. I-I've done horrible things. She had paused and taken a deep breath before continuing, not that it helped. Saints protect me. "I've killed people."
She had looked down at her hands, and for a long moment there was absolute silence. She was taken by surprise when she felt her father bundle her into a hug, her mother close behind. She couldn't help the tears that began to flow.
"Shh. It's all right." Her mother murmured, stroking her hair.
Inej couldn't stop the tears flowing, but they were tears of relief.
Everything was going to be alright.
