Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Fameanon, dettaarsvenska, bina W, maba7x, Nyotarules, and 09sasha for reviewing!
T'Kara's family home was a sprawling complex, the stronghold and surrounding land passed down for generations. Her clan was old and still influential on Vulcan, and her father held office in the High Council. The match Sovar had acquired for his son was an advantageous one, but Solok knew from the time he was ten that this was not right, that he would never be content with T'Kara as his mate. They were cold to each other, formal, and it would be best for both of them if they parted ways. It was only logical.
Her family's courtyard was bright and warm, the reddish stones reflecting heat into the octagonal area. Solok walked along the spiral design in the middle of the courtyard, methodically placing one foot in front of the other, trying to clear his mind. He heard the door open.
T'Kara strode out towards him, her bearing stately, her demeanor calm and collected. He straightened and offered her his two fingers to touch, and she did so lightly, as was tradition. But she quickly pulled away and stared him straight in the eyes, and he saw no warmth or affection reflected there.
"What is the purpose of your visit?" she asked without further ado, her tone clipped and cold.
Solok took a calming breath. "I came to inquire after you, and to talk to you."
"And what do you wish to discuss with me?"
"The nature of our bond, T'Kara," he said after a short pause. It was illogical to waste time with pleasantries. He wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible, so he could seek another bond as soon as he left here.
"It has never been strong," he continued. He paused again. "I do not wish to strengthen it."
He could have sworn he saw relief in her gaze, but it disappeared as soon as he glimpsed it. "Are you implying that you wish to release me from our engagement?" she asked quietly. Was that hope he saw in her dark brown eyes?
There was no logic in denying the truth. "Yes, I wish to release you. You and I would not be content if we were to marry, and I get the impression you would call the kal-if-fee. I mean you no offense, but I do not wish to fight for you."
He could almost feel the relief pouring off of her in waves. "And I would not wish you to. I will admit to you, telsu, that I would have called the Challenge. I wish to bond with another."
Solok allowed the tiniest smile to grace his lips. "Then pursue him. I too wish another as my mate."
T'Kara nodded, looking satisfied. "Then in three days time, may I call upon you at the temple? There is no logical purpose in continuing?"
He bowed his head in affirmation. "I will see you at the temple. Peace and long life, T'Kara."
She raised the ta'al. "Live long and prosper, Solok."
He nodded to her one last time and departed her family's home, and once he was alone in his family's shuttle, he breathed a soft sigh of relief.
…
Solok was packing his clothes back into his bag when he heard a knock on his bedroom door. He called for his visitor to enter, and his mother came in and sat on his bed.
"My son, are you leaving us so early?"
He nodded and avoided her gaze. "I have been invited to a social engagement on Earth to celebrate their New Year, and I wish to go. I will have to leave in three days at the latest if I am to return to Earth in time for the gathering."
His mother raised her eyebrows slightly. "Who invited you?"
He swallowed. "I have been tutoring a human in Calculus, mother. She asked me to go."
T'Pel's eyebrows rose higher. "She? What is this human's name?"
"Her name is Roxanne Hartman," he admitted after a long pause.
His mother was quiet for a few moments as he nestled some old books in between his clothes. "T'Kara's family contacted me yesterday. Your father was out on an errand, and I have not told him what you have done. I do not intend to. That is your duty, my son."
Solok stopped packing and finally faced his mother. "She and I would have never been content, mother. I did what was logical."
She closed her eyes and shook her head. "You do not have to explain your actions to me, Solok. I understand your discontent, and it is your right to find another mate...however, I do not believe your father will approve. He will find someone else for you, as he believes is his duty."
His tense, cold expression eased, and he relaxed his shoulders. His mother understood and lightly touched his shoulder.
"Tell me more about Roxanne."
Solok was silent, and he looked away and continued to pack his bag.
"You wish to have her as your mate?"
He could never hide things from his mother for long. He nodded slowly.
"Does she make you happy, my son? Do you feel content when you are with her?"
He nodded again, awash in memories and half-suppressed emotions, and he had to turn away.
"Does she stir your katra, Solok? Does her essence call to you?"
Solok finally composed himself and turned to her. "Mother..."
T'Pel smiled slowly. "Forgive the private inquiries, but I only wish what is best for you. Is she a worthy woman?"
Solok nodded. "She is. My only wish is to be worthy of her."
His mother stared at him a moment longer, then quickly exited the room. He heard her footsteps return a few minutes later, and she handed him a small box.
"Give her this."
Solok ceased arranging folded clothes in his bag and took the box, carefully lifting the lid. Inside, nestled in soft white cloth, was a small metal IDIC of bronze and gold. A ruddy stone was set at the tip of the triangle, and the sides of the circle were slightly worn with age.
"My mother gave that to me when I was a girl," his mother explained. "I promised myself that I would pass it on someday, but in the end, I gave your sister the silver IDIC my grandfather gave my father, who then passed it to me. So I give you this one, to give to her. I hope she wears it well."
"The colors will look agreeable on her..." he murmured, lightly touching the cool metal. "She has red hair, mother."
T'Pel smiled ever so slightly. "She must be remarkable, if she has captured my son as she has. And do not be ashamed of her, Solok, or of your children should you choose to have them. If you give her this, then remember what it stands for. Even after centuries of platitudes about diversity and acceptance, some of our people still fall prey to delusions of superiority and pride."
Solok nodded. "I almost walked down that path."
"I know," she whispered. "And it pained me to see it. But if you intend to have a human as your wife, then I know you have changed your view of them."
He nodded again, absentmindedly, then turned to his mother and let her see the gratitude in his eyes. "I believe Roxanne will appreciate this. Tell me, mother, is there paper and a writing utensil in the house, or should I fetch one?"
His mother's eyes gleamed with affection. "I have some in my office."
…
Roxanne woke up late on Christmas morning, and she walked groggily down the hall to the living room and blinked in the bright light of day. The window curtains were cast back, revealing a winter wonderland outside, where half-imagined shapes were muted in the blanket of snow. The sun radiated over the tops of the pine trees, casting its weak light over the chilly morning; the snow sparkled in the sun as if it had been sprinkled with tiny diamonds.
Her silent contemplation of the scene was interrupted when her brother called her name. She turned to him and he tossed a box to her, and she flopped down on the floor to open it. Her mother was quiet as she gathered the spare tissue paper, and the morning turned into one of the quietest Christmases Roxanne had ever seen. She got some nice things, like a pair of thick gloves for the cold and a nice dress from her mother, a wooden flute from her father, and a set of old books from her brother. She thought that was all since she was the last one up that morning, but her brother handed her one more thing.
"This came last night, after you had gone to bed," he said quietly. It was a tiny box wrapped in plain paper, and across the paper were scrawled three symbols. She got the sudden notion that she didn't want her family to see what was inside, so she gave her mother a pleading look and begged off. Her brother went out to see some friends, her father left to chop some more firewood, and her mother set about reading a book she had gotten from Roxanne's father.
Roxanne retreated to her room and closed the door before she unwrapped the gift, and sure enough, there was a note in Vulcan waiting for her when she opened the lid of the small box. She quickly translated it with her PADD and leaned back onto her pillows to read it.
Roxanne,
My mother owned this IDIC when she was a girl, and she bid me give it to you. I hope this gift finds you happy and healthy, and I eagerly anticipate our next meeting.
She didn't have to look at the signature to know who had sent this item to her. She lifted out the soft cloth and unwrapped it, and a small metal pendant and chain fell onto her bedspread.
She held it in her palm and examined it, letting the bronze and gold and the ruddy stone catch the light. It was a lovely piece of art, and her eyes suddenly welled with tears.
She couldn't help but be touched by this gesture on his part, and without further ado, she unlocked the chain and set it around her neck and let the cold metal be warmed by her skin. A part of her was scared of the intentions behind the gift, reminding her of her foolish mistake regarding Solok, but most of her was simply pleased that he had thought of her.
What on Earth had she gotten herself into?
…
"Roxanne?"
She looked up and saw her mother in the doorway, and Roxanne put down the book she was reading.
Her mother came in and shut the door behind her, then sat on her bed. "Is everything ok, honey? You've been sleeping a lot more lately, and I know this last semester was hard on you. Are you sure you're all right?"
Roxanne shook her head. "Mom, I'm just tired, ok? This has nothing to do with school. School is fine."
Her mother sighed. "Do you need to go see the doctor? Do you feel ok?"
"I feel fine," she insisted. "My goal for the break was to relax, which is exactly what I'm doing, ok?"
She sighed again. "All right, Roxanne. But if you need to talk to me...I love you, baby. You can tell me anything, and I'll still love you no matter what. Ok?"
"Ok," Roxanne replied, a note of irritation slipping into her voice.
Her mother left, stopping at the door to look back at her, but Roxanne directed her attention to her book. The door slipped shut.
I know this chapter is short, but it leads into the next one, which will be longer, I promise.