Blood Bonds

By Ginomo

A continuation of my story "Honor Gives Little Comfort" (though you don't have to read that one to understand this.) As Worf and prepares to marry Martok's daughter, his position in the House of Martok becomes more solidified. This causes Martok's son Drex to question where he stands within his own family. Meanwhile, Worf must deal with the choice he made regarding his brother Kurn years ago.

CHAPTER 1

Deep Space Nine- 2374

Jadzia Dax could feel her husband turn over next to her in the bed they now shared. It had been a long time since Dax shared a bed with someone on a regular basis, not since Torias Dax and his wife Nilani. Worf usually slept soundly but tonight he'd flipped over about a dozen times, grunting and groaning each time.

"Hey," she whispered groggily, "Are you okay?"

"Yes." Worf responded quickly. He was obviously wide awake, "Go back to sleep."

"I will if you do. What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Jadzia sighed, "Here's where you insist nothing is wrong but I keep pushing until you finally admit it. Why don't we just skip to the end?"

She was right. And deep down, Worf really did want to talk about it, "It is my brother."

Worf had two brothers. Jadzia knew of both but had only met one, his Klingon brother Kurn. The other, his human brother Nikolai, lived in isolation with a pre-warp civilization he'd joined and had a family with years ago, "Which one?"

Worf let out a slow, pained breath, "Kurn."

Jadzia swallowed, "What's going on?"

Worf was quiet for a while as he stared up at the bulkhead, "I think that perhaps… perhaps we made a mistake."

"Why do you think that?" she asked gently.

"When Kurn came to DS9 he said to me that my life was 'soft and comfortable.' That I made decisions that affected him while I lived hidden away in the safety of Starfleet," Worf paused, "And he was right. I made the choice to oppose Gowron and Kurn paid the price. Then I made the choice to take Kurn's life from him and now mine is flourishing. I am part of a proud House again, I have a career in Starfleet while getting to serve on the Rotarran, and I have you. He doesn't even have his name."

"Kurn came to you asking for death. If he'd been willing to see things through then he could be enjoying the good fortune that's come your way, but he was not. Thanks to you, he at least he has a chance at living some kind of life."

Worf clearly was not in the mood for logic and reason, "He does not even have his own name"

"He has a new name along with a whole new life. He could be doing great for all we know."

Worf's guilt was not so easily assuaged, "When I had nothing to offer him this choice made sense. But now…"

"So what do you want to do? Turn his new world upside down by revealing the truth? Bring him to Martok and ask if he can join his House too? Sirella would love that."

One thing Worf was certain of was that Martok would never understand all this. What Worf did to Kurn was far too "human" for the General to accept. And if Worf couldn't make Kurn a part of Worf's new life then Jadzia was right, there'd be no reason to go upsetting his. But that didn't make the gnawing feeling in his gut go away.

"I will have to live with the choice we made for my brother. But that does not mean that I don't regret having to make the choice in the first place. And now that my life has gone down a different path, it makes the regret that much more palpable."

Jadzia knew there was no use trying to get through to him when he got like this. He was determined to be upset and she had to just let him be. Dax leaned over and kissed her husband's forehead, "You've got to at least get some rest. If not for yourself then for me."

Worf stood from the bed, "You sleep. Perhaps a little mok'bara will help me relax my mind."

Jadzia nodded, then turned back over. In seconds, her heavy eyelids drifted closed.

Worf went into the main room of their quarters and began the meditative exercises that he'd done for years. Unfortunately, tonight it wasn't working. He glanced over to the shelf and poured himself a drink instead, tossing it back in one large gulp. He closed his eyes for a moment and when they opened, they rested on his computer terminal.

Before he knew it, Worf was downing another glass and looking up Rodek, son of Noggra in the Klingon Civilian Database.

Klingon Homeworld- 2377

Worf had been living on starships and space stations for so long that he'd forgotten how much he loved open space. He had it as a small child living on Khitomer, then when his adoptive family took him first to Gault and then to Earth. Now he had it again at his new home in the Ketha lowlands of the Klingon Homeworld. And even more than that, he had a par'machkai to share his home with.

The sun was beginning to ascend over the horizon. Anderel stirred in bed and found that the other side, which had been occupied the night before, was empty now. She sat up; the sun was rising, which meant that Worf was awake already. She stretched before standing and heading toward the window. Sure enough, he was outside engaging in sunrise mok'bara, something that had become a favorite activity of his. Anderel stood there watching him, and a smile came over her. A little more than a week ago when they were on Bajor, they took the Klingon Oath of Marriage. Worf was to be her husband and she couldn't be happier.

Anderel decided to join him outside, but not before replicating a hot cup of raktajino. She watched as her par'machkai moved fluidly; his eyes closed and his muscles taut. They had been isolated in their own world this past week. She had not been back to her professorship at the university and Worf had not been to the consulate since they'd returned from Bajor. Anderel knew this couldn't last forever as much as she wanted it to.

It was as if Worf could feel her presence. He opened his eyes and there she was, standing in the doorway watching him exercise. She wasn't the morning person that he was which reminded him of Jadzia. She also did not start the day without her raktajino, which also reminded him of Jadzia. He walked toward her, "Good morning," his voice was like music as it rumbled deep in his chest.

"You didn't have to stop on my account," Anderel said, "I enjoy watching you."

"One day I'm going to drag you out of bed to exercise with me."

Anderel took a long sip of coffee, "Perhaps, but not today."

They both went back inside; Worf went straight for the replicator and ordered his morning (and noon, and night) drink; prune juice, chilled. She smiled to herself as he did it; many Klingons would find Worf's affinity for certain Federation things off-putting, but to Anderel it was endearing. The way he balanced the duality of his life was fascinating to her, which was somewhat ironic for a woman who spent her life studying Klingon culture and history. Plus, she really liked having a Federation replicator at her disposal.

Worf sat down at his console and began going through his messages, "I am going to have to go to the First City today," he began, and then looked up at Anderel, "We should go together, before your break from the university is over."

Anderel was quiet for a moment, she knew what Worf meant and she wasn't quite ready for that, "I would like to get some more of my things brought in and organized before—"

"Why do you not want to tell your parents about us?" Worf asked bluntly. "They know that we are together. Marriage is the logical next step."

"I never said that."

"You do not have to," Worf lowered his voice, "I know you."

"It is not what you think," Anderel said, shaking her head, "I am proud to be mated to you, and my parents already know that. My mother," she sighed, "My mother will want to turn this into an event, a way to show off to her friends, or more importantly, her enemies. And that would be the case no matter who I marry."

"The marriage of the daughter of the Chancellor is an event that should be celebrated. As someone who prides herself in knowledge of Klingon tradition, I'd think you would be looking forward to it."

"You know," she began as she sat down on the couch, "According to tradition we are already married. In the days of Kahless the Oath was all that was needed. It was the nobles who began the formalities."

Having a wedding filled with all the pageantry and spectacle of Klingon nobility was what Worf had wanted with Jadzia, but due to circumstances could not have. And, it probably wasn't fitting for a marriage to a Trill anyway. But now he could have all that, and with a Klingon bride at his side. Sirella wasn't the only one who'd want to make an event of this marriage.

"Tell me, since we are already both members of the same House, how do we proceed?"

Anderel's tone changed; now they were talking about the kind of tradition that interested her, "Well, it makes things simpler. Instead of one of us having to request permission to join the other's house and having to undergo the trials along with it, we request permission to marry from the leaders of our house- my parents."

"And do you think they will grant it?"

She laughed, "Mother will grudgingly, but Father will wholeheartedly. Once we are married you become a blood member of the family in direct line to the leaders- no different than my brother or myself."

Worf suddenly felt a sense of conflict at the idea. Being asked to join the House of Martok years ago was one of the greatest honors of his life. But it also meant that he put aside his true self and the House of Mogh. And now with this, he would through Anderel become a blood son of Martok's, in essence completely leaving Mogh behind. And Kurn. Though he thought of his brother often he'd not even told Anderel, or Martok for that matter, about him. And what did he say if he did tell her? The truth? What would she think? Even though it was done and there should be no room for regret in the heart of a Klingon, not a day went by where Worf didn't question whether or not he'd done the right thing. And now as he found himself rising even higher, he wondered if he did right by Kurn and if Anderel could ever understand.

"Are you alright?"

Worf snapped back to reality, having not even noticed that Anderel had come over to where he sat at the desk and put her arm around his shoulder, "Yes, yes, I am fine," he looked back down at his display and then up at her, "We go to them today," he said definitively.

"Yes," she sighed, "Today."

The servants in the home of the Chancellor and his wife were busy preparing the dining room for the evening meal. Worf wasn't the only one who'd recently acquired a new place to live; Sirella had her eye on of the largest, most opulent homes in the First City since Martok took over the Council. When this one became available, Sirella had to have it. And, as usual, Martok could deny his wife nothing.

Darok, Martok's faithful servant from his days as fleet commander on Deep Space Nine, had found a new role coordinating the household with Sirella. It kept him employed and out of Martok's hair. When Worf and Anderel arrived he led them into the house. They had to first pass through the great entry hall where on the walls hung life sized portraits of Martok on one side and Sirella on the other. She'd had them done by one of the most popular Klingon artists on the Homeworld.

"Mother certainly is enjoying this new lifestyle of hers," Anderel whispered to Worf as they entered the dining room, which was much more like a banquet hall. The table seemed to go on and on, it looked like it could seat at least 2 dozen. Darok took them to the head where four settings had been arranged.

"The Chancellor and The Lady will be with you shortly."

They sat next to one another and Worf took it all in, "This is glorious, absolutely magnificent," he said, clearly in awe of the home- which was more of a palace than a house."

Anderel rolled her eyes, "It's ridiculous. What would two people need with a place like this?"

"To establish our position among the other nobles and council members, of course." Sirella entered the room upon hearing her daughter's comment, "I thought you'd appreciate the classic architecture; it dates back to the 4th dynasty."

"I think classic architecture is more Worf's interest than my own," Anderel said sarcastically.

Worf stood respectfully as she entered and lowered his eyes in reverence. "I think it is a wonderful home, befitting of the position you and the Chancellor now hold in the empire."

"Thank you," she said as she sat across from them, "Your father will be along in a moment. I think he gets lost around here sometimes," she paused, "I hear that you have acquired a home of your own, Worf?"

"Yes," Worf answered nervously, not sure if now was the time to say that it was to be he and Anderel's home, "A home with a sizable piece of land in the Ketha Lowlands."

"Ketha?" Sirella frowned, "Why in the world would you want to live there?"

Anderel interjected, "It was my idea. It's where Father is from and I love it there. The pretentiousness of many of those who live in the First City is more than I can bear."

Sirella narrowed her eyes, she knew that she'd just been insulted by her own daughter, but chose to ignore it, "And why are you the one choosing where the Ambassador lives?"

And there it was. Time to stop being snotty to Mother, Anderel said to herself. Her stomach began to clench; where was her father?

As if he could read her thoughts, the Chancellor barreled into the room, "It should not take a man 10 minutes to cross his own home. I was raised in Ketha where my family shared a proud home half the size of this dining room."

"It only takes you that long because you get lost," Sirella said, "And we were just talking about Ketha. Worf apparently has a home there, at the advice of our daughter."

"Really?" Martok took a seat at the head of the table and leaned towards them, "So, Worf, why would your home be any concern of my daughter's?"

Worf looked to Anderel, who took a deep breath. As the blood member of the House, it was her duty to present the news to Martok and Sirella. Under the table she took his hand in hers and squeezed it, "Worf and I have taken the Oath of Marriage," she began, "And as the leaders of our House we ask that you look favorably upon our union and that you, Mother, would perform our wedding ceremony."

Martok pounded the table with excitement, "Well it's about time! Of course, of course!" then, remembering his place, Martok turned to his wife, "That is, unless you have objections, my lady."

Sirella had plenty, but she knew she was outnumbered. Martok loved Worf and now Anderel did as well. Her eyes met with Worf's for a brief moment; they had been down this road together with Jadzia and she knew that he would not back down. Sirella sat poised in her chair, her voice remained as calm and even as ever, "I have no objections. My husband has always thought very highly of you Worf, and I respect that. You have done a great many honorable deeds for the good of this House. You have earned your place as one of us."

"Mistress, I am more honored by your words than you can know," Worf said sincerely, "Thank you."

At that moment the servants began bringing dinner out. Martok was beaming, "You were taking so long I was beginning to think that my daughter would grow tired of you."

"Oh no," Anderel said, looking fondly at Worf, "Not at all."

"Well, then, this is as good a time as any to tell you my intentions," Martok took a swig from his cup of blood wine, "Worf, once you and my daughter are married, I plan to formally name you yaS cha'DIch of the House of Martok."

Sirella dropped her fork. Anderel's mouth fell open and Worf's blinked his eyes in disbelief, "Sir, I, I do not know what to say…"

"Neither do I," Sirella said angrily, "Is this not something you should have discussed with me first?"

"You have your domain and I have mine," Martok replied.

"Yes, but we also have a son-"

Martok cut her off, "You just said yourself that Worf has done many honorable deeds for this House. I can think of no one better to lead it when I cross the river of blood. So, what do you say? Will you accept?"

"Of course. With great honor, I accept."

The two men stood and locked forearms in the traditional Klingon manner. Martok was laughing and beaming, as was Worf. Yet both Anderel and Sirella sat quietly looking down at their plates in utter disbelief that Martok had just given his son Drex's birthright away to Worf.

The next day while Worf was at the Federation Embassy, Anderel headed to the Council Chambers to speak with her father. She had not said much to Worf the night before, mostly because he couldn't stop going on and on about this being a dream come true for him. She had to talk to Martok and find out why he was doing this before it got too far out of hand.

"Daughter! As always I am pleased to see you. I could use a break from the council session, there's nothing but posturing going on today anyway," He led her into his office, "Come in, sit with your father."

He sat, but she remained standing, "Why did you not come to me with this first? Worf is my par'machkai, you should have told me before announcing it to everyone."

Martok was confused, "What? What are you talking about?"

"You cannot make Worf yaS cha'DIch."

His confusion deepened, "I expected dissension from your mother, but not you. I would think you of all people would be thrilled."

She shook her head, "Father, you are not thinking this through. I know how highly you think of Worf. I know what he has meant to you. But this, this is a mistake. This is not for him."

Martok stood, paced a bit and then leaned against the edge of his desk and crossed his arms, "You are telling me you don't think the man you plan to marry is capable of running a House?"

Anderel sighed, "I love Worf, more than I ever thought I could love anyone. But I also know Worf and accept him for who he is. He wants this badly; but for him it is more an ideal than a reality. He wants desperately to fit in with other Klingons, to be accepted and revered. But that part of him that is of the Federation is never going to go away. What if he has to choose between the Empire and the Federation again? What then? What would become of all you have built and all those who have become part of this House?"

"Worf would not side against the Empire."

"He has done it before." She stated plainly.

Martok shook his head, "No, you are mistaken. There are none more honorable than Worf."

"I'm not questioning his honor, or his prowess in battle. But as much as he wants to be, he is not of this world. At least not only of this world. His loyalties are and will always be divided. Those are not the qualities of the next leader of this House."

"He would be upset to hear you say these things."

Anderel paused, "Perhaps. But I would be remiss as your daughter if I did not."

"So if what you're saying is true, that means you are willing to marry a man you think is disloyal to the Empire."

"I did not say disloyal, just divided. And it's quite honestly not fair to put him in a position that would test that."

Martok walked around the desk to his chair, "What is done is done. I cannot take back what I offered, and truthfully I have no desire to. Worf becoming your husband means that I can officially put him in the place he has earned through his loyalty to me. A loyalty that has been unmatched by anyone else, I might add."

She crossed her arms over her chest, "This is about Drex, isn't it? Doing this is only going to drive the two of you further apart, you know."

It was rare that Martok was cross with his daughter, but right now he could feel his anger rising at the mere mention of his son, "Your brother has made it clear that he wants no place at my side. He spends his time building up his own name, he cares nothing of ours."

"Did you even ask him? He is bound to find out about this sooner or later and when he does-"

Martok angrily pounded the table, "I am still the head of this House, regardless of what you and your mother seem to think. I have spoken my mind on the subject and that is the end of it. I do not expect to hear about this again from you."

Her eyes locked with his in silent defiance. Without breaking her gaze, she replied, "Yes, Father."

Klingon Homeworld- 2370

"I don't like that you are going alone, Martok. You are not as young as you used to be."

General Martok grunted, "None of us are. If it is my time to cross the river of blood then so be it. Either I will bring home a bear or a bear will bring me home. That is what makes it sporting."

Sirella watched as her husband gathered his belongings in the small bedroom they shared in their modest home, "I do not know why you insist on doing this. You are barely home and then you are off to traipse through the forest hunting for no reason."

Martok didn't even look at her. This was their little routine before every one of his hunting trips, "You know why. I've only got another week or two before saber bear go into hibernation. I got back as fast as I could so that I didn't miss it."

"I imagine they are easier to catch when they're sleeping."

Martok smirked at her attempted humor.

Sirella took a breath before stepping out on a limb, "You should take Drex with you."

That did get him to look at her. Martok glowered angrily, "Don't start this again, woman."

"And why not? You go on this hunting trip every year to honor your father. Yet you do not bother taking your own son? Where is the honor in that?"

"I'd rather take Anderel," Martok muttered.

Sirella came over to her husband and placed her hand on his arm, "Do this, if not for him then for me. It pains me to see the two of you at odds. He is our only son and will eventually be the head of this House. If he is not the man he should be then teach him."

Martok had not been able to deny Sirella a single thing since he met her all those years ago. Especially when she was right. He nodded, "Tell him to ready his things."

Drex, son of Martok, had never wanted to accompany his father on his nostalgia filled hunting trips. When his mother called him and insisted that he go, he wanted to say no. But he'd never been able to say no to his mother, even though he knew she was lying when she said that Martok really wanted him there. Now he was out in the middle of nowhere, climbing Kang's Summit in search of a bear to kill. He'd left the company of a very beautiful and very willing young lady to be here.

Martok walked ahead of his son, hacking through the foliage to clear a path for the two of them. They walked in silence yet Martok's mind was racing. Where had he gone wrong with the boy? When he was young, he idolized his father. Martok wanted nothing more than to make him proud. That his father died before seeing the man Martok had become was his greatness sadness.

His own son, however, wanted nothing to do with him. Martok knew Drex would much rather be somewhere in the city, drinking and showing off at a bar or getting his perfectly managed hair and mustache trimmed. He liked nice things and even more than that, he like impressing people with his nice things. In that way, he was just like his mother.

Martok suddenly stopped in his tracks and held up his hand.

"What is it?" Drex asked.

"Quiet!" Martok snapped, his own voice much louder then Drex's had been. He saw his father close his eyes and draw in a slow breath, "That way."

Up on a ridge above them was a stirring in the trees. Drex could barely make out the form but there was definitely something there. Drex began to take steps to get into the kill position. If he could get the bear himself his father would be impressed. Plus, it meant this would be over before he had to spend a night out here.

"No!" Martok whispered hoarsely, "You have to get downwind!"

Drex ignored him. A stupid bear couldn't tell which way the wind was blowing. Drex kept going, creeping slowly and raising the crossbow as he did, "I can get him."

Martok groaned as silently as he could at his son's ignorance. They needed to get better position. One wrong move and the bear would-

The bear's head snapped up and turned quickly. He was staring right at Drex. Drex's hands fumbled the trigger of the antiquated weapon. The saber bear spotted the two men and begin to charge.

"Shoot!" Martok bellowed.

Drex was frozen with fear. The beast was gaining on him, faster than he thought something like that could run. Just then, a mek'leth came soaring through the air over his shoulder and lodged itself into the bear. The animal yelped but did not stop.

"Dammit!" Martok took out his disrupter and shot. The shot missed but it was enough to scare the animal. The bear turned and ran in the other direction, taking Martok's weapon with him."

Drex was panting furiously, the crossbow still cocked uselessly in his hands.

"Put that damn thing down," Martok growled, "I told you to wait!"

"I could have gotten him."

"Except you didn't, and you almost got us both killed. You don't go after a beast like that head on. You spot him and then you track him until he's vulnerable."

"That could take days!"

"Yes it could. You're always trying to take the easy way out of things," Martok spat.

"This is ridiculous," Drex threw down the weapon, "We don't need to hunt."

"Fool!" Martok pushed his son to the ground and delicately picked up the crossbow, "This is older than both of us. It belonged to my grandfather and has killed countless beasts over the generations."

"Maybe that's why it wouldn't fire."

"You don't know what you're talking about. I should have never given it to you."

"You shouldn't have made me come!" Drex stood, brushing the dirt away from his pants and picking leaves out of his hair.

The two men continued to argue, their voices carrying over the summit. Any animal within 5 kelicams would know to steer clear. There was, however, another predator out there with them. One that had been watching General Martok since he left his home the day before. This predator had no intention of killing him and was instead learning a great deal just watching the father and son interact. The solids' familial relationships were peculiar, but he realized that this one could be used to his advantage. Night was soon to fall and that's when he would make his move.

Author's Note: I hope the time jumps weren't confusing. The first scene takes place right after Worf and Jadzia's wedding. The second is 3 years later when Worf is on the Homeworld as Ambassador. The last scene is several years before Worf and Martok meet in the Dominion prison camp. I've been working on this one off and on for the last six years but I think I finally have handle on where I want it to go. Here's hoping it doesn't take me that long to finish! Please take a moment and tell me what you think.