Branwen awoke with a start that morning the purple eyed girl blinked back sleep. as she stared at an unfamiliar ceiling in an unfamiliar bed, something with large and heavy resting on her hip and making the bed sinking under it's weight. she tilted her head and felt her stomach knot up when she realized it was a sleeping Tarn his optic were dim and she could feel his vents whirring softly mimicking breathing. Suddenly his optics turned on startling her.
the decepticon noticed she was awake gave her loving stare, before glaring at the door she felt his voice rumble. as the door opened to revealed a nervous Ghrid who said something before bowing, the goop alien gave Branwen a sad smile before walking away.
The rust haired girl felt Tarn get up she watched as he walked over stared out the window glaring at something. Before turning his gaze back to his mate "{I have matters to attend to...}" he signed stunning the small girl; causing him to smirk under his mask before walking to her and leaning resting his forehead against hers. "{I'll be back..}" he said nuzzling Branwen's neck, causing her to shudder before he pulled away and walked out of the room.
Branwen finally let out the breath she unknowingly been holding, her eyes searched the bedroom for her belongings before pausing at the desk. She saw the stack of books Tarn had out, she read the titles they were Ozias old journals? and instructions on how to translate her sign language, and noticed a new book a journal? she tried to read. but, it was written in the same characters on her wrist she then compared the detailed drawing of a hand and compared them to the ones Oz's journals. She frowned not really sure how to feel about this, why was Tarn going through this much effort, for some lowly halfling?
The rust haired girl was brought out of her thoughts by her stomach rumbling. she frowned resting a hand on her belly she hadn't had lunch or dinner yesterday..., sighing she looked around the room for her clothes. finding her blue sun Dress instead of her maid uniform, she frowned checking the closet again...all street clothes. then stared down a the blue dress *I'm not a maid...anymore.* she shook her head. before getting dressed and walked out to the hall checking the hall for any of Tarn's lackeys she recalled vaguely seeing them wandering the halls last night. before making her way to the kitchen.
one back and forth argument with the kitchen staff to let her cook later...
Branwen was fed and on her way to Dr. Gray, when she ran into Tarn on his way back from whatever his business was, she rather not guess, if those pink stains he was wiping off his hands was anything to go by... it was nothing good. his eyes brightened up when he noticed her, "[where are you headed off to little one?]" he signed Branwen felt her stomach knot up again; she swallowed trying to keep her breakfast down.
{Doctor's} she signed quickly; hoping the con wouldn't be able to catch it and leave her alone. only for a chill to to go through her as weird light traveled along her body. {" you're perfectly healthy why do you need a medic?"} Tarn demanded before looking like going to call someone that femme from yesterday? Branwen was not ready to see her again "nowt whurt!" she exclaimed surprising Tarn that she could talk...sort of. "{speech, therapist teach me to talk.}" she explained before walking to the west wing Tarn followed her.
She explained who her doctor was; he came from earth like her. Ozias and Ajir bought him when they found out he was a doctor and a therapist. he could teach Branwen how to talk. he and Nives didn't get along for some reason? Gray had told her it was because Nives was very sick needed help, while Nives said he was lying and racist and tried to keep her away from him. but, she had put her foot down and told the cyexian that she needed her speech therapy! whether Nives liked it or not. that was the first time Nives ever called her Aino.
Branwen against her better judgement let that that little slip up slide, because it had been a short time since Aino died, and assumed that Nives was still going through seven stages of grief. Branwen pulled herself out of memory lane when she stood outside of Gray's office. Tarn was silent as he listen to his small mate intently. His fuel pump felt like acid was building up when she mentioned this Nives person, just what were they to his Brawen? he was brought out of his thoughts when he heard shouting coming from behind the door. it's sounded like his Steward and another male arguing.
Branwen knocked on the door calmly entered with Tarn standing behind her They saw Ajir and a human male with graying hair and stubbly beard inside, the two seemed to be in an intense conversation. when they noticed them. Aijir stood up a little straighter at the sight of Tarn then nodding at his young friend, while Dr. gray forced a smile, "[Hello, Branwen are here for your lessons?]" the graying haired man asked she nodded shyly at him.
[were you two talking? i can com-]
"[no, we're done, Ajir was just leaving.]"
[are you sure? I mean it's no problem]
"[ Branwen it's fine.]"
She looked at Ajir who nodded "[it's fine dear.]" he said with smile Tarn eyed them both suspiciously as the catman tuned back to human male "Remember what I said." Dr. Gray nodded, "I'll look into it" he said as Ajir seemed content and bid them all farewell, well Tarn was left to wonder what Ajir wanted Gray to investigate? Before turning his attention back to his mate's medic. said man who straightened out his coat and gestured for them to sit down...
Tarn felt his optic twitch when he watched his mate gently put her tiny hand on the doctor's throat, the male said "physicality was vital in speech therapy. the vibrations help her get a clear understanding on how to pronounce words and numbers." the con watched in curiosity and annoyance as Branwen stared at the doctors mouth intently as he said simple phrases to her to repeat, the last stumped her it was a quote from Flanders fields. "In flander's field the poppies grow between the crosses row on row." he said the rust haired girl just gawked him before she mouthed it out silently, then tried repeat him "In phu- Plunders fed puppies g-go?"
Gray put his hand up to stop {"Close...are you having another headache?"} he ask noticing Branwen rubbing her head perplexed as her reached for bottle of pills on his desk. "No, I'm not" she said confused, Dr. Gray cocked a brow as something flashed in his eyes which Tarn had noticed, the older male coughed then straightened himself out " Oh, I think well call it a day for now Gwen, I'll see you next week."
The deaf girl tried to protest! as there was still fifteen minutes left. but, Tarn gently pushed her out of the office, Tarn glanced back at Dr. Gray the old man tensed up as he waved at them ...he knew, the decepticon knew; he and Ajir were hiding something and it involved Branwen and he going to get to the bottom of it.
Meanwhile
Nickle was roaming the manor halls, curiously checking out the displays of old armor and weapons, before stumbling on an open door she peeked in curious as to what was inside, Just a servants quarters? she hummed it was in the midst of being redecorated the mini-bot shrugged about to leave when something teal caught her optic, a journal? Nickle picked it up and read the first entry.
[Entry 1 She's gone...Aino is gone. she's the only one I ever loved and now she gone? how she just leave me! Ozias told me the mine collapsed and the overseers who bought her saw no point in looking for survivors, we're just cattle to them...i'll never forgive them! ]
Nickle frowned and turned through to the pages to a more recent entry. But, paused when saw Tarn's mates name pop up and read that one she frowned deepened.
[entry 14: Aino...came back! she came back to me. master brought her down to see me...But, what's wrong with her skin and eyes? why doesn't she recognize me? I'm her wife dammit! Master got her name wrong too! he's been calling her Branwen it's disgusting! why isn't she correcting him? why isn't she talking to me!? did i upset her? Aino please remember me! it's Nives!]
{Entry 50: Master died last night, boo-hoo... about time, I was starting to think that poison was a dud stubborn old fool. manage to leg it out this long I'm almost impressed. now, I just need get rid of his nephew and I'll have Aino to myself.]
[Entry 53: Tarn...Where's My name? where's my name?! Why does Aino have that-that monster's filth on her wrist? she mine dammit! why does her mind keeps rejecting me why doesn't she remember me?]
Nickle read through a couple more entries, growing more disturbed as the writing got more frantic, eventually the medic closed the book having had enough even Tarn wasn't this intense! and he sings people to death... She felt her fuel pump twist as a picture caught her attention. it was two alien women one with purple skin and when with ice blue skin, given their eleven like appearance and topaz colored eyes.
they were Cyexian. But, that's not what got her attention the one one with the red hair and ice blue skin...Her face bore a scary resemblance to Branwen..., Nickle was silent as she tried to remember Cyex biology she knew off world couplings for that species were very rare, when a voice caused her to jump, "Excuse me what are you doing in here?" the Mini-bot whirled around to see Ajir standing in the doorway his eyes widened when he saw what she was holding.
"D-did y-you read that?"
"I did...Why haven't you said anything to Tarn about this Nives woman?"
"Because it's doesn't concern him."
"If it involves Branwen then it will concern him...Melding!"
Ajir blinked confused why she suddenly yelled that for. as Nickle turned her attention back on her previous thoughts, "Cyex, breed and interface through melding their mind together! that's what makes their biology exclusive to their species!" the minibot exclaimed to the catman looked at her perplexed as Nickle glared at him "you, read through this! you knew what she was doing to Branwen every night!" Ajir blinked still not getting it as the minibot continued her rant "uhg...Has Branwen ever complained about headaches?"
the dysmian nodded "yeah, especially in the mornings, sometimes they gave her nose bleeds." Nickle face palmed as the penny dropped with Ajir " ...wait are you saying" he grimaced as the medic nodded "That woman was doing the Cyex equivalency of molesting Branwen, The nose bleeds and headaches were the effects of her Cybertronian side rejecting the intrusion." The minibot said then put her hand under her chin as Ajir swallowed the bile that threatened to come up from his throat. "What would've happened if Branwen wasn't half-cybertronian?" he asked not wanting to know the answer. Nickle frowned.
"It wouldn't have worked, Cyexian minds can only meld with a another Cyexian, Branwen's brain would have fried turning her into a vegetable or worse!" The catman grimaced as Nickle suddenly grabbed the photo and tried to leave only for Ajir to step in front of her "what are you doing?" the minibot gave him a disappointed mom look.
"I'm taking this to Tarn..." she said as Ajir knew there was no arguing with her. "Just promise me that he won't tell Brawen... please." he said desperation on his face it was clear he cared a great deal for the girl, Nickle mentally cringed as she looked him in the eye "I promise" she said unsure if he believed her or not as he let her leave...Ajir knew he was so dead.
