Chapter Six: Secrets (Part Two)
The day was growing short as the sky over the homestead adopted a soft orange hue. Inside, the family finished their evening meal, the son retreating to his bedroom whilst the parents remained at the table. Their plates empty and stomachs full, the two shared a moment of contentment as they looked into one another's eyes.
"Still can't believe I'm here to stay, can you?" Liasha said with a warm smile. Having shed her battle attire, the woman actually possessed a gentle aura about her that overpowered even her sturdy, athletic build. As sculpted as she was for conflict, within her own home, she was capable of relaxation. Capable of peace.
The husband took a tender hold of his wife's hand.
"It's understandable, is it not?" Orbek replied, matching his wife's smile. "Then again, I'd have a hard time believing any of the last decade had I not experienced them first hand. At least the worst part is finally over. No more waiting. No more wondering if you were even alive out there. Now we can focus on raising Jresh."
Liasha's gaze lowered to focus on their bonded hands. "You know things will never be simple. For us. For Jresh. We remain on precipitous standings. The Republic fears our kind, and I've not yet fully turned my back on the Empire."
"You didn't make things easier for yourself when you chose to marry the impure Pureblood whose grandfather was exiled for treason." Orbek grinned, whilst the smile faded from Liasha's face.
"Have you… noticed anything with Jresh, yet?" the mother calmly asked.
"No… no signs of Force-sensitivity. Just like his dad," Orbek admitted. "Are you disappointed?"
"No, of course not," Liasha replied, gently rubbing her husband's hand. "But we must know for sure, so that we can take extra precautions."
"If he actually does take after me… at least he should have an easier time fitting in with the colonists."
Liasha hesitated. "We can't be sure of that. People will see the red skin. The budding features upon his face. They'll know from whom he descended. They'll fear him regardless of whether or not he can use the Force."
"Sadly, I think you're right. We've been isolated ever since you left. We've spent the credits you'd send having supplies delivered out here. The boy still hasn't set foot outside the homestead."
"You've done a good job protecting him all this time, physically and emotionally, but we cannot keep hiding forever."
"What are you suggesting?"
"I left so that we could start a new life. But a life lived in fear is no life at all. You've been strong to endure everything that's been thrust upon you. Jresh must be strong as well. I will train him. Force-sensitive or not."
"But he's still just a boy."
"I was but a girl when I was trained in the way of the Sith," Liasha admitted. "He can't remain sheltered. Better he learn the harsh realities of the galaxy from the ones he loves."
Orbek's gaze drifted lower and lower. "I thought all of this was so that we wouldn't have our lives dictated by Imperial standards."
"Don't worry. I'll not force him to endure the things I endured at the Academy. Just enough to set him on the right path."
"A path dominated by pain and hardship," Orbek muttered.
"Pain… is having that which you care about taken away. Hardship… is knowing that there are those who would see you never know love," Liasha explained. "I'll not have my son be a victim. I want him to live, love, and dream, all without fear. But such is not possible without strength. Not in this galaxy…"
The husband let out a soft sigh. "I understand. I more than understand. I guess I just wanted to put off introducing him to all the nonsense that surrounds us for as long as I could."
"The Empire may have turned its back on you, and yours on it, but it has much to teach us. Good and bad. Same with the Republic. But ignoring that which is wrong doesn't make it go away. It's up to us to foster the strength needed to change it."
"You're right," Orbek said with a smile. "I know you only want what's best for Jresh."
"And I know you'll help me in figuring out what's best. You've been a good father. No reason that should change now."
With the day's tasks behind them, the husband and wife would retreat to their bedroom as night fell upon the homestead. An unclear future laid ahead of them, but even as darkness surrounded them, they took solace in each other's presence. The cares of the world began to fade away as the couple spent their first night together in a long time.
Days turned to weeks. Weeks into months. The trio of Sith spent their time together as a loving family, constructing the foundations for their continued living. The father would eventually come to venture outside the homestead's perimeter, walking the streets of the rural colony that neighbored it under the shroud of a heavy cloak and hood. His muted Pureblood features and cloaked visage allow him to travel without being properly identified, but the populace supplied their fair share of wayward looks and glances.
Back at the homestead, Liasha and Jresh stood amidst the grassy field in front of their house, the green blades wafting amidst the gentle breeze. The mother and her child stood opposing one another. While not donning her previous suit of battle gear, Liasha was garbed in form-fitting robes intended for martial applications. Her son possessed a similar outfitting.
With a deep breath, Liasha signaled for Jresh to start. The boy ran forward, letting out a harsh battle cry as he did so. Closing the gap between himself and his mother, the child threw his first punch. Deftly, the mother intercepted and deflected it single-handedly, her other hand remaining behind her back. Jresh offered another blow just to have it suffer the same fate. His motions were turned against him as any move he made was promptly misdirected away. The ineffective exchange continued until the boy finally backed off, heavily panting as he rested his hands upon his thighs.
"You still do not understand. Strength is not raw power. It is control," Liasha instructed. "Fueled by passions but never defined by them. You must control yourself. Then you might control your surroundings. Be at peace with your emotions, and you can draw from them at your own accord. Then you can find your strength."
"But we gain strength so that we can fight… and fighting is the opposite of peace… so shouldn't peace be the opposite of strength?" Jresh asked.
Liasha let of a soft chuckle. "You've certainly Sith blood running through your veins." Jresh dipped his head in embarrassment, only to find a hand lifting his chin. As he looked up, the warm visage of his mother gazed upon him, lifting his spirits. "Just because two things are opposites, doesn't mean they cannot cooperate. There will always be conflict in the galaxy. It is a way of life. The trick is ensuring that conflict benefits you. Those with dark hearts know this well, but I believe it can be utilized for good. Conflict is merely the opposition of forces. We are the ones who assign meaning and intent. Conflict forces us to adapt, become stronger. It is also a source of much pain, sorrow, and death. But I don't think it has to be that way. There is a deeper understanding to be gained, but we cannot achieve it whilst we are at battle with ourselves. Inner peace. Outer conflict. That is how we gain strength. Remember that."
The wind surrounding the pair violently picked up. Raising her gaze, Liasha witnessed a starship zoom by over their heads. Black and gray. Utterly imposing. The mother immediately recognized the model. Imperial interceptor. Fury-class.
"Jresh… get inside. NOW!"