Disclaimer: Too crazy to own it, too lazy to try. So don't sue!

A/N: Hello dear readers! So thank the goddess for Rae D. Magdon because she has generously agreed to co-author this with me. This is a full collaboration with her, so make sure to thank her profusely in the reviews as well if you like this story. XD And go check out her profile and buy her books on Amazon! Let me reiterate just one more time: THIS IS A COLLABORATION WITH RAE D. MAGDON. You do the math. Let me help. This story=awesomeness because Rae D. Magdon helped write it. X3

Also. This piece was inspired by another fanfic on this website called "Of the Night Wind." The author never finished it and that made me sad. So I asked Rae to write our own fic about these two, and here we are! If you like the Rila/Falere pairing, I highly recommend reading that other fic as well. ^_^

A Note About Lore Continuity: Morinth's name, before she changed it, used to be Mirala. Since this fic takes place before she changed her name, we will always refer to her as Mirala. So Morinth=Mirala. Questions? No? Good. Also, a big thank you to DrLucienSanchez for being my personal Mass Effect loremaster. ^_^

WARNING: This is an "incest" piece, though it won't contain the usual smut (No D/s, no magic dildo), as that would ruin the tone of the fic. This counts as your warning for mature content.

The Flower of the Vine

Chapter 1

"The latent gene-set is actually quite common. Some geneticists estimate that it is present in one percent of the asari population..." Rila stared at the holo-display while their doctor – a cold, lifeless looking Matron – droned on about genetics and how they worked. They had already been trapped in the small, sterile examination room with her for half an hour, and she showed no signs of stopping her emotionless speech. "Unfortunately, the gene-sets present in all three of your daughters show obvious signs of activity. My colleagues and I have diagnosed their conditions as moderate to severe . . ."

Rila bit her lip and looked away, staring at the ground as she tried to shut out the doctor's words. She didn't need to listen anymore. The test results had already told her what she was. Ardat-Yakshi. A real one. She risked a glance at Falere, small and silent on her side of the bench. Her sister had retreated into herself, shrinking as much as possible and refusing to raise her eyes from her lap. She looked terrified, and she had every right to be. Their future had gone from endless possibilities, to death or imprisonment in the blink of an eye.

Part of Rila wanted to reach out, to offer comfort, but the stifling atmosphere in the room prevented her from doing anything. Mirala was stiff with tension, boring into the doctor with her eyes, and their mother... Goddess, their mother just sat there with a blank expression on her face. She should have been screaming, yelling, crying. Any reaction at all would have been enough. But she remained seated, quiet and elegant as usual. Rila could not bear to look at her. She followed Falere's example, turning her eyes to her lap. Growing up, she had worshiped her mother. Now, she hated her.

The doctor continued talking. If she noticed their grief and anger, she showed no sign of it. "Unfortunately, in cases like these, there are very few options. We often refer borderline sufferers to our work programs and simply monitor their condition, but our laws dictate that all officially diagnosed Ardat-Yakshi must be transferred to one of the monasteries. I believe the Lesuss monastery currently has openings..."

Rila couldn't concentrate on the doctor anymore. The words filtered into her head and washed out again before she could absorb them, but a small noise beside her captured her attention. Falere had finally looked up from her lap and was looking at her with such a broken expression that it made her chest ache. She reached out and cautiously rested a hand on Falere's, praying to the goddess she could somehow comfort her sister.

Mirala stood so suddenly her chair was knocked to the floor with a loud clatter, interrupting the doctor in mid-speech. The room was silent for several seconds as she whirled on their mother, glaring down at her. "Say something, Mother!" she screamed. "Are you just going to sit there and accept your own children's fate so easily?! Weren't you listening? They want to send us away!"

"Mirala, sit down," Samara said firmly, though she did not rise from her seat.

Rila felt Falere's grip on her hand tighten.

"So, what. We're just supposed to accept this? We can either die at the hands of some faceless Justicar, or be imprisoned for the rest of our lives in some goddess forsaken monastery? How can you just sit there and do nothing! We're your fucking daughters!"

"Be silent, Mirala!" Samara snapped. This time, she did stand, broad-shouldered and unwavering as her fingers clenched into fists. For just a moment, Rila thought she saw a glimpse of the mercenary her mother had once been. She looked terrifying and powerful and nothing like the gentle woman who raised them.

"Or what?" Mirala continued, her voice taking on a familiar, scathing edge. "You'll kill me? Oh, please do. I'm sure it would ease the shame of having three Ardat-Yakshi daughters. The Matriarchs would be so proud of you."

Moments later, a loud cracking sound filled the small room. Rila gasped and covered her mouth when their mother's hand came in contact with Mirala's face. She heard Falere let out a strangled cry next to her and immediately wrapped a protective arm around her little sister's shoulder. Mirala covered her darkening cheek, cradling it in her palm with a look of complete shock and betrayal. Samara barely ever raised her voice, let alone a hand to any of them.

When Mirala recovered from the initial shock, a dark defiance crept into her eyes. "I'll be damned if I rot away in some fucking monastery for the rest of my life." She spun around and fled from the room.

"Mirala!" Samara shouted, quickly following after her.

Their doctor panicked and began fumbling with her Omni-tool. A moment later, red lights began flashing around the room and loud sirens blasted from somewhere near the ceiling. "You two stay here," the doctor barked, locking the door before hustling out.

Rila began rising to follow her, but she stopped when a hand clung to her arm, keeping her from moving. "Please don't leave me, Rila," Falere whispered. The desperation in her voice was enough to convince Rila by itself, but seeing her little sister's terrified tears broke her heart. "Please don't go with Mirala."

Still shaking, Rila sank back into her chair and wrapped her arms around Falere. The wail of the alarms and the bright flashing lights faded around her, and she sank deeper into Falere's trembling arms. The idea of being imprisoned in a strange monastery with other Ardat-Yakshi for the rest of her life terrified her, but the idea of leaving Falere alone in some monastery somewhere terrified her even more. She bit her lower lip hard as tears threatened to spill over. She needed to be strong for Falere, she couldn't cry. She couldn't cry . . .

Pressing her cheek to Falere's soft crest, she took in several shuddering breaths. "Don't cry, Falere," she whispered, gently rocking them back and forth. "Don't cry, little sister. I'm here now. I'll always be here for you."