Reputation - Part 2
Dathomir was as she had left it, a red, misty swampland, full of hidden secrets and the underground village of her sisters was as she remembered. Zaiya was quite a bit taller than when she had left, she was so different, and yet everyone here was still the same. Her sisters greeted her warmly, many appearing from the trees as she landed, their suspicion becoming excitement once they recognised her. She was unused to such attention, at least not from her sisters. She was used to being something of an outsider.
Her mother was also so happy to see her, she looked so relieved, though Zaiya still had some questions. Though Mother Talzin insisted that the girl needed to train immediately. Though whereas before she would ignore her mother in favour of Talzin, she lingered a little longer, realising how there were so few that knew her so deeply.
"My darling daughter… you have grown so much, your body yes, but spirit and mind too!" Zaiya nodded.
"I have met many in my travels and learned much." She explained as they walked toward the village. "One of them… a Mandalorian."
Tailli stopped walking, frozen in place as she looked up at her daughter that had now become taller than she. "Mandalorian?" She breathed.
"Yes. Sheena said my father was one as she left." Zaiya replied casually, though she felt angry inside. Why didn't her mother tell her? What did this mean for her magic? Was she weaker because of the diluted blood? Why was she not allowed to know her father? Not only that… but no one had mentioned Savage or Feral the entire time she had been home… granted it was only a short time but- oh… It must have meant they had been moved to the male village already. That meant that she was forbidden to see them unless she were choosing a mate. Would she be able to see them? She had to, she promised them, she just… couldn't tell Mother Talzin. So many thoughts in her head, one then another all swirling together.
"That… was not Sheena's place to tell you." Tailli's voice snapped the gil back to the present.
"Perhaps. But you never did. Not even when you knew I was leaving." Zaiya remarked bluntly.
"I-"
"Were you ever going to tell me?" She snapped, her anger getting the better of her.
"Of course! I just… never found the right time. "
"The last time we spoke? Or… perhaps any time before that?" The teen was struggling to control her emotions, was her mother always going to coddle her? Did she have no faith in her? Did her own mother think her so weak?! Tailli hung her head, looking toward the ground, was it because she knew she was wrong?
The Nightsister looked at her daughter, feeling helpless, could she really explain everything? Would she listen? She had always been so strong-willed, so determined… and ever since Talzin had begun her training, Zaiya had become more guarded against her own mother. Did she not see her obsession with returning that boy was dangerous? That Talzin was feeding in to her desire for her own benefit and not Zaiya's? Did she not see her mother just wished to protect her?
It was moments like these that she missed Zaiya's father. He always seemed to know what to do. What to say. What would he tell their daughter were he here? Would she listen to him?
"It's… hard to talk about…" She admitted, pain flaring in her chest. She looked at her daughter's accusing blue eyes, the was taller than Tailli now, so looked down at her with a hard stare. "I am not as strong as you are, my daughter…" This statement gave the teenager pause as they stopped, stepping into the shadows of one of the buildings near them. "I know I ought to tell you about him… but I just… I just can't talk about it so easily. It's painful."
"So he's dead then." Zaiya replied coldly. This was the first time Tailli has said so much about him. Most of the time Nightsisters chose a male from the village for a mate, used him, and discarded him afterward, not always did the males survive it, but those that did were stronger for it. So Zaiya had been told of them, though what she had seen led her to believe otherwise. Now to see her mother looking at her like this, eyes filled with tears and ghosts. Zaiya realised that Tailli loved her mate. Zaiya was born of love and caring, not just for the sake of the clan's prosperity.
"I… I think so." Tailli replied finally, looking like she was barely holding herself together. It was strange to see her this way, Zaiya had always seen her mother with a cold and distant expression, neutral and the occasional smile… but seeing her like this was very unusual. Was her mother holding all her emotions back all this time? Was this really her mother?
"You think so? Did he leave then?" Zaiya asked with a frown.
"N-no… it's not-" Tailli cut off, her eyes darting to a spot behind Zaiya. The teen turned and was faced with Mother Talzin, the Great Mother's eyes were hard and dangerous as she looked at her students' birthmother.
"Come, sister, there is much you need to learn, come with me to the inner sanctum, I have a great gift to bestow upon you." She stated, though Zaiya could sense the tension. What in the Fanged God's name was going on? Was Mother Talzin listening to that? Was there something she didn't want Zaiya to know? It didn't make sense, Mother Talzin had always wanted her to thrive, to grow stronger and become more powerful. Mother Talzin always supported her. Why did everything feel so strange? She turned away from her mother, her mind still reeling, there was something about this situation that prickled at the back of her neck.
Mother Talzin swept the girl up and guided her to the inner sanctum of the village, a room very familiar to her. It was here that Mother Talzin revealed that Zaiya would learn to summon items to her hand through her sister magick. Whether it was summoning items from somewhere else or manifesting them completely.
"Even… something like this…" Talzin hissed, waving a hand. From flames that seemed to appear from nothing, a long item manifested in her hand. A sword, but it's blade was made of flames and green smoke. "With this, you can even fight a Jedi…" Zaiya's eyes widened, her mouth dropped open, it was incredible. She had heard of the powerful lightsabers that the Jedi wielded, able to cut through anything. That was something she was keen to control. "It may not be able to do everything that a Jedi weapon can do, but you will be able to defend yourself."
"I take it this is not an easy thing to create?" Zaiya asked with a curious glance. As she stepped forward, her eyes on the simple blade. She could feel the power ebb and flow from it at the will of Mother Talzin, she held it there with ease, a passive magic as easily as Zaiya had learned to change form.
"Not at first. Though soon you will be able to wield it as though it were a part of you." Talzin swung the sword, showing the power of the blade as flames rushed through the air. Zaiya faced the Great Mother, and began her lesson. She learned how to hone her energies, how to focus the power she held, how to push and shape the ichor into a physical shape, and how to maintain it. After a long session, Zaiya finally had the hang of it, but she had to learn how to summon and hold it in place as she used the blade. By the end of the session, she had managed to hold the sword for a few minutes without thought. Talzin instructed her how to practice, but let her go for the moment.
Zaiya already knew where she was going, and as soon as she had the chance took off toward the speeders, sneaking away and taking the side paths and tracks to make her way towards the Nightbrother's village. She had to see Savage and Feral. Clearly they would be older now, though, would they really be able to survive so young? The brothers would be able to look after the younger ones, they would have to still be cared for! She felt a sense of injustice, it felt wrong, that the boys were just pushed aside, that the younger males were abandoned the way they were. She would have to make sure they were alright.
The Nightbrother village was small, makeshift and there were no temples, carvings, or shrines as there were for the Nightsisters, and it gave the teen a sense of abandonment. That the men had been pushed away and left in the swampy jungle alone. She drew up short before reaching the village proper, hiding the speeder in the brush of the nearby flora, and moved forward on foot. Her hearts raced in her chest, her movements swift and light, difficult to detect, even for the astute warriors that guarded the village.
Zaiya's face was hidden behind a mask, only her eyes peering out through the dim red mists. She had to find them. Her eyes darted back and forth sharply, looking for a hint as to where they might be, slipping through the shadows to find the housing section. She creeped closer, peering through one of the windows, her eyes lighting up as they landed on the two younger males within. She glanced around, not seeing any of the other males as she stayed low and pushed the door open slowly. It creaked, alerting the two, who were sitting on the other side of the room, tasked with sharpening blades of their male tribe. She noticed nicks and cuts on their hands as she entered, her hearts ached to see it. The boys froze, seeing a sister crouching in the doorway, it wasn't until she lowered the mask and hood that they recognised her.
"Zaiya!" Savage gasped, he was growing quickly, already nearly her height as he ran to her in seconds. Feral was only a step behind.
"Shhh-" she began but was cut off as Savage more or less slammed into her in a tight hug. Feral, the smaller of the two embraced her on the other side, the top of his head reaching her shoulder as he snuggled against her side. Her mouth split into a grin as they clung to her, and she felt that ache in her chest again. "I missed you too." She whispered, and felt Savage's hands tighten on her. "I can't stay long, but I had to visit." She warned, petting their heads, and gazing at their faces lovingly. She couldn't believe how much they had grown in just a few short years.
"It's been so long! I thought you had forgotten us!" Feral pouted, his lower lip sticking out.
"Never." She assured him with a smile. The boy's expression brightened.
"Are you going to come home soon?" He asked, holding to her sleeve. This time she had to disappoint him.
"Not yet, little brother, I haven't found him yet."
"You mean Maul?" Zaiya stiffened. It had been a long time since she had heard his name, longer still since she had spoken it. It was hard to bring herself to say the name aloud, it felt… it felt like that if she held it inside, held the name within, that she could still have hope and hold him with her. Foolish, but… it was something she had stuck in her mind.
"Y-yes." She nodded, and gave him a small smile. Feral seemed deflated, his cheeks puffed out and Zaiya could not help but stroke his head.
"You will find him, won't you?" This time Savage spoke up, reaching out a hand to lay on her arm. His big eyes were soulful and hopeful.
"I will." She assured, touching his cheek. "I will let you know as soon as I do, here-" She reached into her pocket and held out a little metal disc-like device, a long range commlink so that she could keep in contact with them even when she was far away. "I will be able to talk with you often. Though, sisters are not allowed here unless for the selection… You must keep my visit and the comm a secret from the others, alright? Otherwise they will take it from you, we don't want that." The boys adamantly shook their heads, agreeing with what she was saying. They didn't want to be forced apart from her again. At least this way they could leave her messages and talk to her directly if they needed to.
"You don't have to go yet, do you?" Savage asked, looking like he wanted to ask something else.
"If the others come back, I will have to go, but I can stay a little more." She told him.
"Can you tell us a story?" Feral piped up, "pleeeease?" She let out a little chuckle and petted his head again.
"Aren't you a little old for stories?" She asked, playfully tapping his nose with a fingertip.
"We want to know what you have been doing…!" Savage explained, so he wanted a story as well.
"Oh alright." She sighed with a chuckle, moving further into the room, "I will help you with these so you don't get in trouble." She gestured to the collection of blades and weapons the boys had to clean and sharpen. As she sat to talk with them, she showed them the best way to complete their tasks in a safer and more efficient manner. As requested, she began to tell them what she had been doing, telling them about Ohnaka, Treshan and Bane, and one of the more fun jobs she had been a part of, and not something that would worry the two boys.
She wondered if she would see them soon after this, would they be men the next time she saw them in person? The two of them standing above her… would they want to still see her and continue their promise? Or would they forget her too?
As her story drew to a close, she heard rustling outside, and froze. She may have lingered too long. Standing, the boys protested, but she held a finger to her lips. Indicating that they may have company. The two were sad to see her go, but were somewhat sated when she whispered their names in a loving tone, leaning over and laying a gentle kiss on their foreheads.
"I am always with you, little brothers. Remember that, if nothing else." With a last warning, to keep the comm device safe, she slipped out of the building, and in silent and swift steps, returned back toward where she left the speeder. The last time she had left, she was proud… though seeing such a difference in them… it was harder to leave this time. Her hearts felt heavier, she didn't want to go. She didn't want to leave them. ...but she had to.
It was after she returned that she had the call come for her on her main comm link, that Adaji had been in contact. She took the transmission on her little ship, a small two person orbit-hopper type, nothing fancy but since it was only Zaiya alone, it was perfectly sized and hard to detect.
The hologram of Hondo appeared before her.
"You said something about a job in your message…?"
"Yes yes, that crazy Mandalorian thinks you would be good for a job he has lined up, though I do not agree with the politics of it all, I agreed to tell you anyway." He waved his arms as he spoke in typical Hondo fashion.
"Another political job?" Her pale brow raised.
"Well, this one is a little different, it's on Mandalore itself… or, the moon anyway. I will tell him the same thing I will tell you, it's not good business, and not a good idea. The Mandalorians don't trust outsiders." He waggled a finger at her, his warning suggested the pay day might not be worth it. Still, the opportunity to see Mandalore itself- could she really pass that up? Especially if what her mother said was true… Maybe she could learn something?
"Is he on Mandalore's moon now?" Zaiya queried, Hondo let out a sigh.
"How did I know you would do this anyway!" He shook his head. "Yes, he is on Concordia. I am not in the system but if you head there I should be able to meet up with you afterwards." He pinched the bridge of his nose, something he seemed to do often when he was exasperated with her. She just let out a chuckle. There was a pause. "How was your visit?" He asked, and she gave him an odd look, it was a rather domestic question. How uncharacteristically thoughtful it was. The Nightsister tilted her head slightly in confusion.
"What? Your uncle can't ask you a question?" Hondo folded his arms and then chuckled at her confused expression. "Treshan told me what ba'vodu means." he clarified. Zaiya rolled her eyes.
"Fine. It was… well…" She rubbed the back of her neck. "I got to see- my brothers." She shrugged.
"You have brothers?" Hondo asked, suddenly with a blink.
"Well sort of, they are not blood brothers but I sort of raised them." She shrugged, "and… mother spoke about my father…" She managed.
"The Mandalorian? Did she say who he was?"
"No… Mother Talzin didn't give her a chance to answer, she said I needed to train…"
"Talzin… the… leader you mentioned before, yes?"
"Yeah I-" wait… why was she saying all this? Granted it felt good to be able to talk about it… but he was an outsider! She shook her head, her tone professional once more. "It's not important. I will be leaving shortly, and meet you on Concordia. My thanks for the message."
After a moment he let out a sigh, clearly disappointed. "Yes, yes of course." He nodded, "See you there, Siren."
Zaiya disconnected the hologram and sighed, she was spending too much time around these hunters. Getting too close to these outsiders. Perhaps she needed to move on.
