Shi'kahr, Vulcan, 2288

"Ko-mekh, I do not wish to bond with Soluk"

T'Saral studied her wayward daughter, noting the trembling lip with some exasperation. T'lia had always been a well behaved, dutiful child and it was unusual for her to rebel. No doubt it was simply nervousness – an emotion certainly and hence to be controlled but the occasion was important enough to merit some degree of trepidation. "Is there another that you prefer?"

"No, Ko-mekh." That was not quite true. The little girl thought of her classmates. Soral, Tuvan, S'harien… even L'Orahk or Taryn. Any of those would be infinitely preferable to Soluk. There was no point in telling her mother how horrible Soluk was, that she disliked the mean look in his eyes and the condescending way he treated the younger children at school. She already knew all the arguments in favour of this bonding. Soluk was of good family. It was a good match for her and for the clan. Her parents had her best interests at heart. It was logical. T'lia knew all that but she did not want to bond with Soluk. She also knew that there was no escape and that by the end of the day, she would be bonded to him. To refuse now would be to shame the family.

"You are simply nervous, T'liakam," her mother said. "It is a very important moment for you."

T'lia tried again. "Ko-mekh, I don't like him and he doesn't like me."

"I did not like your father when we first bonded," T'Saral told her daughter. "I thought he was arrogant and insufferable and like you, I was convinced that my parents had chosen wrongly."

The little girl considered that with interest. Her parents had always seemed… happy… even if that was an emotion and hence inapplicable to their relationship. "When did you change your mind about Sa-mekh?"

"I didn't." Despite herself, T'Saral's lips twitched in amusement at the memory. "Your father is arrogant and insufferable. Yet I cherish him, just as you will learn to cherish Soluk."

"I will never cherish Soluk," T'lia said emphatically. "I hate him!"

"Do not say such things," T'Saral said sharply, losing patience with her daughter's recalcitrance. "You will behave today, T'lia. Unless you wish to bring shame on our clan, you will do as you are told and bond with this boy. Am I understood?"

Cowed by her mother's anger, the little girl bowed her head. "Yes Ko-mekh."

"Good," T'Saral said. "Now come here and let me braid your hair. It looks like a kravohk has been nesting in it."

T'lia stared at herself in the mirror, not quite recognising the image staring back at her. The gown her mother had chosen for her was stiff and uncomfortable, the fabric a heavy brocade that was completely unsuited for the heat of a Vulcan summer. Its colour at least was pleasing to the little girl, blood green with clan symbols denoting her rank and status embroidered in silver. Her hair had been braided to within an inch of its life and piled up high in a style that was far too old for her. Various jewels, large and ostentatious yet extremely valuable, completed her ensemble.

"Come, T'lia, it is time to go." That was her father, already waiting for her at the doorway. A hint of annoyance entered his voice when she did not immediately respond. "T'lia, I said it is time to go. You will make us late for your koon-ut-la."

Good, the child thought rebelliously. Nevertheless, she tore her gaze away from the stranger in the mirror and obeyed the command.

Half an hour later, she was standing in front of the priestess on the burning hot sands of the marriage grounds, Soluk at her side. Her betrothed appeared equally unhappy to be here, T'lia noted with some satisfaction. Like her, he was dressed formally, in heavy robes and she reluctantly admitted to herself that he looked good in them.

Before she knew it, the ceremony had begun and both children were being instructed to kneel in front of the priestess. T'lia took little notice of the ancient Vulcan words being spoken. This was happening against her will and she wanted no part of it. Glancing sidewise at Soluk, she came to the realisation that he felt the same. That rankled. She was of good family and was both healthy and intelligent and she knew without conceit that her features were aesthetically pleasing. Nor had she ever been unkind or rude to him. Well… except that one time when… no, he'd deserved it so that didn't count. So, what were his reasons? Was there another girl that he preferred? Or maybe, like her, he just wanted to choose for himself. Was that why he was so horrible to her? She would have to meditate on that, she decided.

The priestess leaned closer and T'lia's nose was assailed by the heavy scent of incense and favinit flowers, a perfume that T'lia would instinctively dislike for the rest of her life. A hand reached out and aged fingers touched her face, seeking and finding the psi points. The intrusion into her mind felt cold and clinical, nothing like the mind melds she had shared with Sa-mekh and Ko-mekh. Those had been warm and comforting. This… this was almost painful. Instinctively T'lia raised her shields, mentally pushing back at the unwanted presence in her mind and forcing it away. She felt a brief touch of surprise and displeasure but also respect and then her mind was her own again.

Concentrating hard on the imaginary brick wall that formed the visual representation of her shields, T'lia did not hear the brief discussion amongst the adults as the priestess testily informed her parents that she could not breach the child's shields. It was an impressive accomplishment on the child's part; the priestess was old and extremely experienced… more, she was a very strong telepath. It had been a very long time since the old woman had encountered someone with such powerful shields. If the child's telepathy proved as strong as her shields, it was almost certain, the priestess realised, that she was destined to become either a priestess or a healer.

That knowledge however, had no bearing on what must be done today. The bonding must be accomplished. Brute force would harm the child and so the priestess tried something different. This time, instead of attempting to barge in, she reached out and touched T'lia's shield wall, nudging it gently to get her attention.

T'lia's raising of her shields had been purely instinctive rather than deliberate and wilful defiance and now, as the priestess requested permission to enter, she slowly and reluctantly opened a door and allowed her in. Moments later it was done, and her purpose accomplished, the old woman withdrew, leaving the spark of the newly formed bond to develop and grow.

So... this is the first of the insights into T'lia's past. I thought it would be interesting to understand where she comes from and why she is so determined to allow Solkar to make his own choices. Just to clarify, no, Soluk is not Solkar's father.

My thanks to JDC0 and Solasnagreine for your support of my stories, and i hope you are enjoying this one.