A/N: Illness struck my household and literally everyone has been sick, so I'm a little delayed on this chapter. However, I wanted to make it a nice long one. Initially, I planned to have Nia and her father's conversation in this chapter, but I decided it would make a good start to the next one.
Stalek's words repeated over and over in her mind. Was her father married, and she didn't even know it? Why didn't that sit well with her? The idea of her father remarrying left a sour taste in her mouth, though she couldn't pinpoint why. They weren't particularly close. She looked at the box on her lap she had yet to open and was suddenly nervous. Glancing back towards the hallway, she decided to look over the pictures upstairs and as far from the office as possible. Her head still hurt, but she left the ice pack on the couch. Carefully holding the red feather in one hand and the box in the other, she went upstairs.
Sitting cross-legged on her bed with the box in front of her, she took a deep breath and mentally prepared herself. She carefully lifted the lid and took out the first photo. It was a group photo. She brought the photo closer to her face, trying to read the small trophy her mother held in her hands, but couldn't quite make it out. Next to her mother, her father stood, also holding a small trophy. The other two people in the photo had nothing, but still smiled happily. They were all dressed as if they had just gotten out of an important business meeting, though her father wore robes. She assumed they were formal wear. She would have to ask about this one later. Setting it down, she grabbed the next one.
She thought she was prepared. Truly, she did. But the next photo immediately made her choke up. Her mother stood with her arm hooked through her father's, and they stood in front of a large Ferris wheel, a sunset in the background. Her smile lit up her face and even her father appeared relaxed, though he didn't smile. Tucked away, almost hidden, Nia could see a small pink stuffed bunny in the crook of her arm. They looked so happy and content. Resentment closed her throat and the tears finally fell. Roughly rubbing her eyes with one hand, she gently sat the photo down.
Once she had composed herself, she picked up another. It was another candid, but this one showed her father on one knee in front of her mother, who had both her hands over her mouth in shock. A river ran behind them and they appeared to have been hiking in a forest. Why would he propose in the middle of a forest? Despite the angle, she could see the slight curve of a smile on her father and her heart ached again. Had he done something special like that with that other woman?
Her head and chest ached as she put the photo down and reached for the next one.
Valok gripped his hands tightly behind his back as they settled into the office. Matriarch T'Shel took a seat and looked at him expectantly as Evoras sat. Suppressing his annoyance at her clear ambush, he sat as well.
T'Shel met his eyes steadily while Evoras would not meet his gaze. An uneasy feeling settled in his chest and he assumed the following conversation would not be a pleasant one for him.
"We must discuss the wedding." T'Shel cut straight to the point.
"I agree." Valok said, though for far different reasons. He knew T'Shel understood his double meaning and stared at him hard for a moment. Evoras still sat quietly, normal for her, and Valok considered why she was here for the conversation. Perhaps T'Shel intended to use her as a manipulation tactic to pressure him into going through the original wedding plans. This was faulty logic on her part — she would not easily manipulate him when he had Nia to consider.
"I have already discussed a few matters with matriarch T'Amar. She is content to continue forward with the marriage in lieu of… recent discoveries. However, there are still things that need to be discussed." She spoke carefully. Valok centered himself, acknowledging his oncoming annoyance and letting it go. Nia was a factor that needed to be considered in marriage, he thought. If Evoras was not comfortable with the fact he had a child, it would be logical to dissolve the arrangement. However, Evoras' lack of eye contact was troubling and implied discomfort. If she wished to dissolve the arrangement, why had she come herself instead of going through the matriarch as most would?
"Evoras wished to speak to you in person." T'Shel gestured towards Evoras, who now looked up at him steadily, having centered herself.
"I will give you two a moment." T'Shel stood and walked to the door, though he knew she would not stray far. Their age benefited them this time, and T'Shel trusted the unbonded pair with a moment alone. Or perhaps, he considered, it was because she knew Valok's thoughts on the arrangement.
There was silence once the door shut and Valok considered breaking it first. Evoras was painfully shy as the youngest of 3, not counting her many cousins. Her clan was large and successful, which had been part of the reason that T'Shel had pursued the arrangement when Matriarch T'Amar approached her with it. Despite this, Evoras had a tendency to fall into the background and go along with things. She rarely spoke her mind, but after meeting Valok she had insisted her matriarch propose an arrangement.
"Valok," she began quietly, "I know a lot has changed since the beginning of our engagement. Speaking privately granted the best opportunity to discuss things freely."
"I agree." He encouraged. He knew her well enough at this point that she needed to speak without being interrupted as much as possible or else she would lose the courage to speak.
"My matriarch is… hesitant to continue with the arrangement. However, you should know that I spoke with her at length and told her I wish to continue forward." Valok held his response while she gathered her thoughts to speak again, though a whisper of guilt skirted the back of his mind. Pushing it down for later meditation, he focused on Evoras, who once again wavered in her eye contact.
"These conversations are… difficult for me." She admitted. "However, if we are to be married, it is logical to discuss important matters with you." She spoke as if reading a script she had rehearsed, which wouldn't have surprised Valok in the slightest. Likely, T'Amar had coached her through this conversation prior. Again, he said nothing.
"I believe it is necessary to meet Nia before we marry. She is your daughter and a positive relationship would cause less… friction."
Valok rested his elbows on the arms of the chair and steepled his fingers together. He considered his next words carefully. He did not know Nia well yet, but he had a feeling she would not take to Evoras well right away. Her face frequently betrayed her true feelings, much like her mother, and he knew she was easily frustrated and hurt. Nia was also in a vulnerable place now, and introducing yet another large change might send her over the edge and hinder her healing and integration into the clan. He sensed Evoras growing anxious as the silence stretched and he returned his hands to his lap.
"I agree." He began. "However, there are still things I need to discuss with Nia. I will consider nothing until after her final healing session and speaking to her about other important matters." He spoke with finality and rather than relaxing under his words of agreement, Evoras seemed to tense more as she squeezed her hands together.
"I see… Do you want to move forward with our marriage?" She asked.
There was a moment of tense silence and Valok was actually a little impressed at her sudden boldness.
"We will move forward once Nia is healthy." He answered.
"You did not answer my question." She pointed out.
"I want what is best for my clan. I will move forward as agreed upon."
She said nothing, but she didn't have to. She had previously made it clear to him she did not see this simply as an arrangement of mutual benefit or convenience.
"You do not approve of my answer?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. He knew he shouldn't act so brusque with her, but he would not be swayed on this. She looked down and fell quiet, as he had expected. He made a move to end the conversation, he and matriarch T'Shel would need to have a few words, when she spoke up again.
"I do approve." She said firmly, sitting up straighter. He was taken aback for a moment at her sudden change in demeanor.
"It is my hope that this arrangement is fulfilling for all involved. I do not intend to replace her mother, only to have a positive relationship with her because she is your daughter and is important to you. I respect that, and I understand you also need time to adjust, but withholding important information from her will be detrimental if she hears it from someone other than you. I would not hide this from her for long." She met his slightly shocked gaze unflinchingly. Once the shock had worn off, irritation took its place. It wasn't her place to tell him how to parent or how to handle his relationship with his own daughter. He took a deep breath.
But the more he thought about what she'd said, the more he realized she was correct. Exhaling, he recognized his irritation was illogical. She had spoken a truth he needed to hear.
"I know. I will speak to her today." He assured her. She was quiet for a moment.
"I know you see this as a formality, but I do not. It is my intention to make our marriage as fulfilling as I can." She said softly. Guilt once again reared its ugly head as he saw her attempt to be open and vulnerable with him, to cultivate a more intimate relationship. As much as he tried over the last year, he couldn't seem to find anything more than a warm regard for her.
To save him from the inevitable awkward silence, she quickly stood and walked towards the door, sensing the conversation was done.
As the door shut, he sat in silence and waiting to T'Shel to reappear.
Nia had just replaced the lid on the box when a soft knock on her door startled her. She walked stiffly, nearly falling on her face, as the blood rushed back into her legs after sitting cross-legged for too long on the bed. Wincing at the pins and needles in her toes, she opened the door to find one of her aunts standing there. She knew she was T'Mir's mother and her father's sister, but the name escaped her.
"It is time for your next appointment. Are you ready to go?" She asked.
"Oh. I guess so. I forgot that it was today."
As she descended the stairs, her aunt's name finally came to her. T'Shel.
"Is my father okay? I assumed he would take me." She asked as they walked towards the hallway to the front door.
"He is indisposed at the moment." She answered. They saw Matriarch T'Shel quietly shut the office door as they approached. Nia wished for nothing more in that moment than to be a fly on the wall. Her curiosity was evident as she cast another glance at the office door while putting on her shoes.
"Your father is fine. He needed to discuss things with Matriarch T'Shel."
Nia wasn't sure if T'Vach was trying to reassure her, but it didn't help.
Nia held her tongue as a passive aggressive retort nearly escaped. She silently put on her shoes, wondering what else her father wasn't telling her.
The second healing session had gone almost exactly as the first. Free from the headache and tight band of pressure around her head for the first time in, well, she couldn't even remember, Nia had, much to her embarrassment, cried in relief. She hadn't realized how much the headaches had worn on her until she was free of them. For the first time in a long time, she was relaxed. The healer had mentioned she would notice improvements in her memory and emotional control now, and once she'd calmed down, the healer showed Nia several breathing and meditation exercises to practice. Her final session would essentially be a formality to ensure everything had healed properly.
It felt surreal to Nia that she was so close to being fully healed so quickly when she had suffered for so long. It was kind of scary how quickly things could go wrong. Maybe if she had seen a proper doctor sooner, she thought bitterly, she wouldn't have suffered for so long. Clenching her hands, she again debated on whether she actually wanted her father to arrange a conversation with her mother. She tried one of the breathing techniques the healer showed her, a slow breath in, hold it, and exhale slowly. Her frustration ebbed away slowly, and she uncurled her fingers.
"Are you alright?" Her aunt asked as they sat at the transport stop.
"Yeah, just thinking." She wiped the sweat from her hands and they sat quietly for a moment. The heat wasn't as oppressive today, thankfully.
"Your father mentioned you wanted to see the art gallery. The exhibit he mentioned is open now. Would you like to see it today?" Her aunt asked suddenly. Nia looked up in surprise. She hadn't expected a day on the town with her aunt, but she wasn't opposed to it. It would prolong the conversation with her father. She felt guilty that she was actively trying to avoid him now after the progress they seemed to make the other night, looking at the stars, but she couldn't help but feel a little betrayed.
"Sure, that sounds nice." Nia smiled. She was doubtful that things would work out so perfectly for her, but she wondered if she'd see the artist there today, or even some more of his artwork.
Not much later, the transport pulled up exactly on time.
If Nia had to place the architecture of the building into any genre of art, she would, hands down, place it in modernism. The main body of the gallery comprised of dark glass windows, each large section going in a different direction and angle. On the back left of the building, the second floor was square, gray brick. The right side of the building was mostly the same gray brick as well. The most interesting design choice, however, was the large, thick silver and white metal that wrapped like ribbon around the main portion of the gallery, connecting and separating the sections of windows that changed angle and direction.
"I've never seen anything like it. I didn't expect it to look like this." Nia muttered as they approached the building.
"Did you know the Vulcan council on uniformity nearly vetoed it for being too unique?" Her aunt asked. Nia stopped in her tracks and looked incredulously at her aunt.
"What? Really? There's a committee for that?" She asked.
"Of course. Vulcans are efficient. To maximize efficiency, everything has very specific guidelines." She answered with a straight face.
Nia stared at her for a moment with her eyebrows furrowed, sensing she was missing something. When she noticed the corner of T'Vach's mouth twitch ever so slightly, realization dawned on her. She stared at her aunt in surprise for a moment, shaking her head with a smile.
"That was a good one. You had me convinced." Nia shook a finger at her as they continued walking towards the gallery.
The inside was, thankfully, much cooler than the quickly rising temperature outside, and had a similar modernist design. Her aunt assured her this would likely be the last "hot" day before the weather began cooling for fall and winter. Nia wasn't convinced.
The gallery wasn't busy, only a handful of Vulcans, and one Andorian, milled around the various displays and exhibits.
"Do they do guided tours here? I'd love to hear the history and context for some of these." Nia asked. She leaned up on the balls of her feet and craned her neck to see the exhibit of ancient looking sculptures on display in the next room beyond the front desk.
Her aunt went to the desk and spoke to the woman briefly before returning to Nia.
"A guide will be here momentarily." She said. Nia nodded and continued looking around.
"The current exhibit features ancient sculptures and pottery." T'Vach explained before pulling out her tablet.
"I suppose my tutoring is starting early, then." Nia joked.
"Hello, I'm Torin. I will be your guide today." A voice behind them spoke. Nia felt her heart skip a beat in excitement as she stared, momentarily stunned, at the familiar man in front of her. He nodded in greeting at both of them before looking at her again. He seemed to watch her for a moment, and she hoped he couldn't see her surprise. He wore the gallery uniform, an asymmetrical navy blue button down with a small embroidered logo, and matching navy blue pants. A shadow of stubble appeared since the last time she'd seen him and his hair looked more styled this time. This was definitely the same man she'd spoken to from the open market. Looking back at his face, she realized he had definitely noticed her staring.
Feeling suddenly self-conscious, she tried to think of anything to say. Bringing up his art now in front of her aunt felt awkward. What if she said something that was considered inappropriate? Her cousin had acted strange after catching her speaking with him alone last time. Had she broken some sort of etiquette rule? Great, she thought. Now she'd waited too long to speak and it was getting weird.
"Thank you Torin." Her aunt spoke up after a slightly awkward silence, shooting her a quick glance as she put her tablet back in her bag. Hands behind his back, Torin motioned for them to follow him into the first room.
She didn't miss the looks her aunt sent her way as they followed Torin.
Valok glanced at the clock on the desk and realized Nia would likely be on her way back from her appointment now. He finished writing the schedule he had compiled for various upcoming appointments for Nia. Tomorrow she would need to get various vaccination updates as well as begin her educational assessment. Once the assessment was complete, she would begin regularly scheduled tutoring to bring her to where she needed to be and, hopefully, she would be on par with her peers within a year. He had high hopes for her achievement potential.
Taking a deep breath, he stood and headed to the meditation room downstairs to consider his earlier conversation with Evoras. As reluctant as he was to admit it, she had been correct.
He took a deep breath of the familiarly comforting and spicy smell of incense as he walked into the room and sat on a cushion facing the incense holder. Grabbing a string of marbled glass beads, he closed his eyes and focused on the feeling of them in his hands as he cleared his mind and allowed his thoughts to come and go, releasing them with a deep breath.
The realization his daughter was alive.
Alina's death, returning fresh in his mind.
His fear of losing Nia again.
His anger over the pirates who ripped his family apart.
Feeling guilty and thinking there must have been something he could have done to protect them.
His lukewarm feelings towards Evoras and how Nia will react to her.
He considered each thought as they entered, considered the logic of the emotion behind them, the true reason behind the emotion, and steps to be taken to resolve them.
He took a deep breath and tried to release his feelings of anxiety, knowing Nia was out with his sister instead of him, but couldn't seem to fully shake it.
Having seen the newly updated modern painting wing, they headed now towards the exhibit Nia had been most excited to see. Sculptures of figures elegantly cloaked, some holding scepters, some holding amulets, various birds of prey and sehlats near them, lined the room. Paintings of fiery desert scenery lined the walls, while glass cases displayed pottery and jewelery stood in the center of the room.
The lone Andorian man paused in front of a statue of a man, cloak flowing in an invisible wind, hand outstretched with some sort of bird of prey on his arm.
"Please excuse me for a moment." T'Vach suddenly said as she pulled out her tablet. She swiped at the notification on the screen and walked away to speak to whoever had called her. Turning back, Nia walked to the first display. Five statues stood in a semi-circle. Nia looked in fascination as each seemed to have two people connected to each other.
The first depicted a man holding an open book, reading, with a thick chain connecting the book to his wrist. Behind him, a middle-aged man stood with his arms crossed. The wrinkles on his face gave him a dissatisfied appearance as he looked over the room, his head raised haughtily.
"This section contains the Ka-ta-pek, the inner chorus." Torin explained as she took in the 5 statues in a semi-circle.
"What is the inner circle?" Nia asked.
"The inner circle are personifications of the strong emotions that can take control and lead to destruction if allowed to run unchecked. Each personification has a joyful and wrathful aspect. They are used to symbolize the duality of different emotions and the consequences if not dealt with properly. Different schools of meditation teach Vulcans how to confront them in different ways." He went on.
"What is this one?" Nia pointed towards the chained man. Torin stepped closer to her and the statue she pointed out.
"That is Tal-alep, the Watcher. He represents curiosity. He is chained to a book that contains all the knowledge of the world. Behind him stands Alep-tal, the Bitter. He is jaded and cynical from all his experiences in life and readily gives advice to reflect that."
Nia stood quietly and took in the representations before nodding.
"I think it's a good lesson." She said.
"How so?" Torin asked. Nia turned to look at him as she explained. He seemed genuine in his curiosity.
"Well, on Earth, we have a saying. Curiosity killed the cat. People say curiosity is a good quality until they are curious about things they don't necessarily need to know, and end up hurt in the end." Nia explained. Torin tilted his head as he considered her explanation for a moment.
"Do you believe there are things people should not know?" Torin asked.
"That's a loaded question." Nia smiled. "I think the answer to that question is based on opinion and there isn't any "real" answer. Personally, I think knowing the truth is one of the most important things." Her smile faded as she spoke. This particular topic hit close to home and she thought about whether she wanted to hear the full truth from her mother.
"Even if that truth is more harmful than not knowing?" He prodded.
"Well, that's what this statue is all about, right?" Nia asked. "Finding balance between curiosity and knowing the truth, but not allowing it to darken your own outlook on life." Torin stared at her intently, invested in the discussion.
"And how would you do that?" He asked quietly. He didn't take his eyes off her as she answered.
"I'll let you know if I ever figure it out." Nia retorted with a small smile. Her answer felt anticlimactic, but he seemed to find it satisfactory.
The next figure showed a woman holding a string of meditation beads, fingers steeped, with closed eyes. There were no wrinkles of worry or agitation lining her face. Instead, she appeared serene in her meditation. Behind her, a woman sat on her knees, hands opened palm up, as she stared at the ground with closed eyes. Wrinkles formed on her forehead as her brows furrowed.
"Is this one…. peace?" Nia guessed.
"Correct. Kir-alep represents peace, and Alep-kir the Sullen, represents apathy and pessimism."
They continued on through the various statues, discussing their meaning. Love and jealousy, grief and unforgiveness, and finally anger. The final statue didn't have a counterpart, to Nia's confusion.
A tall man stood in an ornate ceremonial cloak, a stern expression on his face, as he looked over the room. In his hand he held a lirpa tightly, his other hand balled in a fist at his side. Behind him, a length of coiled rope lay on the ground.
"Who is this? Why doesn't he have a counterpart?" Nia asked.
"You have not heard of him?" Torin asked with a raised eyebrow. "He is Ket-cheleb the Destroyer, and the most dangerous one of all. We are warned of him as children once we begin meditation training." Nia keenly felt her lack of knowledge and awareness of Vulcan culture. She felt self-conscious.
"Oh. I was raised on Earth…." Nia felt the need to justify her ignorance, and she toyed with the sleeve of her cloak. Torin glanced around the room quickly before responding.
"I apologize if I seemed judgemental. That was not my intention." He said quietly. "It is merely surprising to me. He is very well known on Vulcan. Having been raised on Earth, I understand why you have not heard of him."
"Oh, it's okay. It's… complicated." Nia waved it off. Feeling awkward, she broke eye contact.
"So, what does he represent?" Nia asked, changing the subject. Torin didn't seem to mind the sudden transition and readily explained.
"He represents anger. It is said that he killed his counterpart long ago by hanging him from a great tree in the center of the world."
"I understand why he would be considered the most dangerous, but why would he kill his counterpart? Symbolically speaking, it implies that Vulcans struggle with peace. Yet, Vulcans are pacifists." Nia pointed out.
"We weren't always. In the past, before Surak's teachings, emotions controlled Vulcans. There was constant war and violence. While we are mostly pacifists now, Vulcan still have very strong emotional reactions. It is why we meditate." He explained quietly.
"A lot like humans were… are." She mumbled.
"Humans are… fascinating in their handling of emotions," he replied. Now Nia looked at him in interest.
"How so?" She asked curiously. She'd always been told Vulcans viewed humans as illogical, irrational, and too emotional. Being half human and raised on Earth, she understood the criticism and, even to a small degree, agreed. But she'd never spoken to a Vulcan and gotten their opinion.
"A human is one of the most loyal species I have seen. An emotional human defending one they consider part of their clan is a sight to behold." He explained.
"It is admirable." He added on quietly. They shared a comfortable silence, and Nia wasn't sure what else to say. She looked at him, momentarily forgetting the statues.
Suddenly, she remembered his own artwork.
"Oh, I was going to ask you about the statue that you-" Nia began, but was cut off by the return of her aunt. Nia did not notice Torin take a few steps back.
"I apologize for my absence. T'Mir needed to speak to me." She said, coming to stand by Nia.
"It's alright. Torin has been a very informative guide." Nia gave her aunt a small smile. T'Vach nodded and looked towards Torin.
"Please continue."
Nodding, he continued the tour. Nia couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that their conversation had ended so abruptly. She was even more disappointed that he didn't initiate any more engaging conversations like he had before; he did his job and nothing more.
The remaining tour had been informative, but Nia was beginning to feel tired and was glad to be on her way back home. She paused for a moment as she watched the city buildings grow smaller in the rearview mirror. Home. When had she begun thinking of her father's house as home? She tried to think of when exactly it happened.
"Nia, are you well?" T'Vach interrupted her musings.
"Yes, just tired." Nia answered with a yawn.
"Nia, perhaps there is something you and I should discuss." She said carefully. Nia furrowed her brows in confusion.
"Like… what? Is everything okay? Did I do something wrong?" Nia asked anxiously. She chewed the inside of her cheek as she recalled and reviewed every interaction she'd had today. T'Mir had said something similar, but they hadn't actually discussed anything.
"You are not in trouble, Nia." Her aunt tried to assure her.
"But I've done something wrong." Nia pointed out her lack of response to her other question. Her aunt was quiet for a moment.
"No. You have not." She finally answered. Nia was unconvinced.
"There are things I need to explain to you as a female."
Nia stared at her in confusion, her concern growing.
"… Are you giving me the sex talk? Because I do know where babies come from." Nia blushed furiously at the idea of getting the sex talk a second time. Unless…
"I mean… unless things are… different for Vulcans?" Nia added cautiously. She saw her aunt's face tinge green.
"No… Well…" She hesitated and tightened her grip on the steering wheel for a moment, having been caught off guard by Nia's question.
"That is a conversation for another day." She stated firmly. Now Nia was extremely concerned. Was the whole "make a baby" process different for Vulcans?
"I will be blunt. It is considered improper for an unbonded male and female to spend time together alone. T'Mir informed me of what happened at the open market and I do not wish for you to recieve unwanted attention because a male thought you were giving signals of interest when you were not." She explained quickly. Nia digested her words before responding.
"But I was alone with Torin at the art gallery." Nia pointed out.
"I was standing nearby. I could see both of you clearly." She added. Oh, Nia thought. Did her aunt know Torin was the one she also spoke with at the market? She hesitated, but curiosity got the better of her.
"Torin was the one I spoke with at the market." She said. Her aunt didn't say anything for a moment.
"What did you talk about in the gallery?" She asked. Nia knew her aunt was gauging how worried she should be that her unsocialized half-Vulcan niece spoke to a Vulcan male alone.
"We just talked about the art and its meaning. He told me about the concept of the inner chorus and how it was addressed in meditation. That's it." She answered.
"Then there should be no cause for concern. I'm sure he was aware you were not raised on Vulcan and should not be held to the same social expectations." Her aunt seemed to relax. Nia frowned, however. Had her aunt just assumed she'd throw herself at the first man that spoke to her?
"Nia." Her aunt spoke up after an extended silence. "Please do not think that I assume you tried to gain his attention in a romantic way."
Nia looked in surprise at T'Vach. Had she read Nia's mind? T'Vach gave a quick glance to Nia.
"I am the youngest of 3 daughters and a mother to a daughter of my own. I understand how you may have construed my words." She clarified.
"I mean, I'm not the type to just throw myself at a guy I don't know…" Nia mumbled uncomfortably.
"I know. There are things you do not understand yet. It will be clear in time why these expectations are in place."
"Why can't you explain them to me now?" Nia asked, growing frustrated. She was tired of all the implications with no explanations. Being in the dark was incredibly frustrating.
"How can I be expected to integrate into a society I don't understand if nobody will explain things to me?" Nia huffed.
"I know it is frustrating. We need to focus on healing first, then you will be told everything. Please trust me on this, Nia." T'Vach said patiently.
"I'll make sure I have a chaperone with me if I talk to a guy, then." Nia crossed her arms. She couldn't help letting her attitude slip in frustration.
"It is for your own best interest and safety, Nia. Please remember that." T'Vach turned into the drive leading up to the clan home. Concern quickly replaced her frustration. She was about to ask her aunt to clarify why it was a safety concern when she spoke first.
"Your father wants to speak to you privately. He is in the meditation room. I'll show you where it is."
Nia shelved her question for later. As she got out of the car, she considered asking her dad about what her aunt had discussed with her, but had a feeling that there was a reason her aunt spoke with her "woman to woman" instead. Sighing quietly, she followed her aunt inside.
As she showed her to the mediation room, T'Vach made a mental note to speak with her brother about Torin and her suspicions that Nia was interested in him.
A/N: For this chapter I got a ton of info and inspiration about Vulcan mythology from here: post/624903836321120256/vulcan-polytheism