Return - Part 2
"Won't catch me, brother!" Savage had shouted, racing ahead. Maul was the fastest of the three boys, being the oldest, but Zaiya had been quicker than them all. She dashed forward toward the thicket, but stopped when she heard a cry. She turned and Maul shot past her. Savage wasn't far behind, but waddling frustratedly with his chubby little arms out, looking like he was about to cry, was Feral. His big eyes were so sad that he might be left behind. Zaiya waited. As Feral reached her he clasped her leg tightly and she gasped. He looked up to see her hands on either side of her face, a wide smile on her lips.
"You got me!" She grinned excitedly and dropped down to pick him up. He squealed with laughter and clapped his hands. "Come on, Feral, we won't leave you." She assured, and held him to her side as she hurried to catch up to the other two. The swampy landscape was hard to get through, especially with a toddler on her hip, but she managed to make it through to the secret spot she had shown Maul the day before. It had a flat piece of stone jutting up from the marshes. It was dry and slightly raised like some kind of natural stage. Maul and Savage had been standing there with concerned expressions.
"Where did you go?" The red zabrak had asked, worriedly. He stepped over and grasped her sleeve in his little hand.
"I couldn't leave Feral! He was so sad we were leaving him behind!" She explained with a smile, and passed over the baby to his big brother. Maul held the child easily enough he had done so many times now.
"But he might tell." Maul bit his lip, shuffling closer to her.
"He's a baby, he can't speak yet, it will be okay." She grinned, excited to show them.
"What is it?" Savage had asked, as he waddled over and tugged on her shirt. Zaiya knelt down to look at him and ran a hand over the short nub-like horns sticking out from his head. He smiled and let out a small trill-like sound, not quite a purr yet.
"I learned a new dance!" She grinned. Savage looked confused.
"...So…?" She asked, seeming to not know why it was secret.
"It's part of a ritual dance to summon magick." Zaiya had explained. His big blue-grey eyes had become wide in his small yellow face at that. He had seemed a little afraid but also excited. He was going to see Nightsister Magick, of course he was excited! "Okay, so, sit over here…" She gestured to a small stone that stuck out from the ground that could be used like a seat for the three. Maul's eyes were trained on her, he hadn't looked away even when he sat down.
Once they were settled, she took a deep breath in order to ground herself. Feel the stone under her feet. Know where to step, know where to move. Feel the power. Feel the air. Her eyes opened. She spun to music only she had been able to hear, even then she had always been destined to be Siren it seemed. She turned, twirled and stepped to a beat she had listened to over and over, each step had to be perfect. Her hands moved in a fluttering fashion, still jerkier than the older sisters, Zaiya had yet to master her body's movements and functions. The green smoke had ignited in her hands as she spun, as elegantly as a child could move and slid along the rock as though there were an opponent there. She spun again, extending her hands out and rolled, the magick flaring as she turned back. With another sharp turn the little Nightsister kicked off the ground into a short flip. She remembered hearing the boys gasp, and as she landed, her hands extended in front of her, facing near where they sat.
There was silence. Zaiya had been confused. Had she done it wrong? Were they bored? She had looked over to find three pairs of eyes staring at her widely. Three mouths slack in awe. Colour flushed across her cheeks.
"Wha-what?" She'd stammered out, suddenly nervous. Feral made the first sound, squealing with delight and clapping, clamouring to get out of his brother's arms and over to her.
"Wow… that's amazing!" Savage gaped, he'd rushed over and tried to imitate some of her moves. He had jumped and stamped his little feet making her laugh with excitement.
"You'd be great at it!" She beamed, throwing her hands up in the air excitedly. She hadn't remembered his round yellow face look so proud. She looked back to Maul who was staring still. He'd managed to close his mouth by then. "You could do it too if you wanted?" She suggested, suddenly feeling shy.
"Me?" He seemed a little lost, and she hadn't been sure why.
"Of course! You can do anything!" She had insisted and she was sure his face had somehow become redder. Maybe she had imagined it.
It was moments like that she missed the most. The small ones, the little smiles. So many she had missed out on. So much time she had spent chasing the moments that had slipped away. Zaiya stood from the water and opened her eye. She would not miss those moments again while she could help it. She needed to see the brothers, and hope they still remembered her.
Walking from the water, she took up her old clothes to take them inside. Inside, the fireplace had come to life with warm orange flames. Atop a little table opposite the bed was a bowl of food and goblet of dark liquid. Beside all that was a folded package of clothing.
The first thing she did was throw the white cloth into the flames, making sure it all burned. She re-dressed into a pair of dark leggings and a long dark robe. It shimmered a little, it seemed to be made up of various fabrics of varying shades of black, dark red and purple. She had not seen anything like this here before. Perhaps it was left by Mother Talzin as a gift? She wasn't sure. It slipped over her head and tied at the waist, the hem line dragging on the ground as she walked, a split up the middle that stopped at hip height. It even had a hood. It felt soft and comfortable, and was surprisingly warm. At least that would keep the chill away for a while.
The white-haired Nightsister took a seat, eating and drinking what was left for her gratefully. She didn't realise she was so hungry until after she swallowed the first bite. She tried to keep her pace slow, to savour it but it was difficult to do. She was utterly famished. The drink she recognised as an essence of blackroot, something used for replenishing energy. Her condition improved just from the sustenance.
Once done she stood, while her body was lighter, she still had a heavy weight on her chest. She still had to tell Mother Talzin she had failed. That her son was… gone.
As she moved through the temple, the cloak-like dress billowed behind her, bare feet padded on the cold sandy stone of the floor. She found Mother Talzin in the great hall, sitting with her back to the fire, cards laid out on the table, consulting them. Zaiya knew that this was her way of divining the future. Perhaps then she already knew what Zaiya would tell her.
"Welcome, Sister." Talzin cooed with that rich voice of hers, the one that echoed like many voices speaking as one. One that had previously made the white-haired Nightsister feel safe, and protected. But there was something else to it that she recognised in there now. She was unsure exactly what it was, but it put her on edge. "You seem better than before. But you are still troubled, I sense." The Great Mother was indeed wise and it seemed there was little she did not know… why did it feel familiar? She shook off the thoughts and doubts, bowing her head low. Her mouth moved, but a rasp was all she could manage.
"Ah yes, your voice, little one, allow me." Talzin stood, she towered over the younger woman as she moved to a cabinet at the back of the room. Zaiya righted herself and just watched silently. "The Zygerrians were fools to think they could break you." Talzin remarked softly, almost off-handedly. Zaiya stilled, her eye trained on Mother Talzin's back as she rummaged through jars and containers, she seemed to be preparing something. She knew? She knew where Zaiya was? Why did she not come to save her? The soft sound she made belying her calm.
"I felt it when you returned to your powers, sister." The Ma'tra explained. "Something had cut you from us, but when I felt the connection return, I had my suspicions… seeing you in this way confirmed my fears." Well… that made her feel a little better, to know she was not abandoned. She wasn't… right? She didn't know where this doubt had come from, she'd always been stalwart in her faith and yet there was much that was not right in her hearts. Finally, with a flourish of her hand, Mother Talzin turned back to her and held out another goblet. This one had a strange reddish purple tint to it, Zaiya examined it carefully, she recognised some of the scents she picked up, but not all of them. She looked to Mother Talzin curiously.
"This will return to you what has been lost." Was all she said. Glancing at the cup again, Zaiya decided there was nothing for it, and tipped her head back to swallow the thick, sour concoction. Once she had drained the glass, she let out a groan. There was a heat that began the moment the liquid touched her tongue and spread down her throat. She could feel a burning in her esophagus, across her body and on her face. The goblet clattered to the ground as she grasped at her head and neck in pain. The young woman dropped to her knees as she felt this strange burn course through her entire body. A cry sprung from her mouth, agony tearing her muscles, an unseen fire scalding her skin.
It seemed an age before the feeling passed, leaving her panting on the ground, her hand gripping the edge of the table to keep from falling completely. The pain was gone now, a tingling on her skin that tickled somewhat. She opened her eyes. Then blinked. She could see. Her hand raised to touch her face in shock as she looked up to the Great Mother.
"How…?" She whispered. She could speak! It did not hurt anymore and her voice came freely.
"See for yourself, child." Talzin responded, waving an arm in a circular fashion, green smoke swirling, and creating a mirror before her that Zaiya could look into.
She was still too skinny, her cheeks sunken, dark rings under her eyes and her frame looked weak even under such a shapeless robe, but her face. No longer was there a dark mass on the left side of her face. There was indeed a scar, it started across the bridge of her nose, and extended in a ragged triangle that engulfed her left eye and stopped at her hairline. It was now just a discoloured pinkish red, the skin still puckered but much smoother than before. Her eye itself was the greatest change. There was none of course, but where her eye had been was a glow. It was as though the green glowing magic had filled her up and instead of a pupil and iris and sclera it was just green. A little smoke in the same hue flowed from it and as she looked around, not only could she see things in the physical realm, she could see traces, glimmers of magick around Talzin, around the fire… in her own hands.
"This is incredible, I can see… more." She marvelled in awe. There was more to see somehow and she was reminded suddenly of the stars in his eyes. The mood sombered on that thought and pain gripped her hearts. "Mother I… I failed… Sidious discovered me- I wasn't able to-" She cut herself off, clamping down on the emotions that threatened to rise up in her chest.
"You did not fail, young one." It took a moment for her to realise what Mother Talzin had said. She looked up slowly.
"What do you mean?"
"He lives, child."
It was as though the galaxy opened before her and light flooded her mind. The heavy weight of her failure and grief and sorrow lifting from her frame. Zaiya rose, looking the Night Mother directly in the eye.
"How do you know?" She breathed, her knees felt weak, she could have cried in sheer relief. "Where is he? Is he alright?" Mother Talzin held up a hand to slow her excited questioning.
"I do not know where, only that he is alive. He is in darkness, far from my reach, but you, you Zaiya Valessa, can find him." Talzin pointed at Zaiya's chest. The young woman's hand went to the amulet there, she fished it from the robes she wore and held it in her hand, the pulse she had felt… it was his heartbeats. She squeezed the golden trinket tight, whispering in her mind, in what was almost a prayer.
Stay alive. I will find you, my Prince.
"Then I will continue my task…" Zaiya assured, her gaze determined as she looked back at Talzin.
"Good child, you are still weakened however, take your time to regain your strength and skills, you will be more powerful than ever." Talzin purred, with a hand raised before her, long fingers ending in pointed nails curled slowly into a fist to punctuate her point.
"Yes Ma'tra." Zaiya bowed her head once more.
"Take your time here in the temple to rest, then you may return to your search."
"If I may, mother, there are some people I wish to see." Zaiya framed it like a request, but she wasn't really asking. Talzin paused.
"Of course, young one." She gave a graceful nod of her head and turned away again. Zaiya took that as her moment to leave. She wished to see her mother.
Her old home was as she remembered it for the most part, though it seemed… smaller now. Most of the meals and social activities were done among the clan, the small houses were simply for sleeping, it wasn't uncommon for hunting parties to sleep in the same quarters, and the children to all sleep together, though Tailli had always wanted Zaiya to stay close to her.
She was going through some small items in a drawer when Zaiya entered. The woman turned sharply, almost looking like she was ready to fight, but her face softened as she laid eyes on her daughter.
The woman looked more worn and tired than Zaiya had ever seen her. Her ashy hair hung limply around her face, only reaching the bottom of her ears. Her eyes were paler than Zaiya's, a more hazel colour. Her skin was paler too, an almost greyish tone in comparison. Her nose was different, a smaller and more pointed shape, her frame thinner and more willowy too. Zaiya had wondered why she didn't quite look the same as her mother, there were similarities, but there were vast differences too. She supposed she got them from her father.
She hadn't cared to know about him before. It was not the way of things, Nightsister had their clan and their mother, the Nightbrothers were picked as the strongest mates then-
"Zaiya…" Tailli breathed, reaching out to touch her shoulder, but hesitated, Zaiya had usually pushed her aside before, this time however the young Nightsister stepped in close to her mother, and embraced her. "I was so afraid…" Tailli whispered, her fingers digging into Zaiya as though she were fearful she might disappear.
"Do not be fearful, ma'dri." Zaiya replied gently, pulling back to stroke the older woman's hair. "I am stronger now than I have ever been."
"I know." Tailli replied with a sorrowful smile, "Mother Talzin has taught you well."
"That is not my only lesson." She sighed and stepped back, taking a seat on the edge of the bed to look at her mother more carefully. "You have taught me much, even if I have been too stubborn to acknowledge it." She muttered.
"You have your father to thank for that." Tailli muttered in a rare moment of openness, there was a look of wistful nostalgia in her eye, and Zaiya drew her legs up to fold beneath her.
"It's why I am different, isn't it? Because of him."
"Yes, but it has made you stronger than any other Nightsister before you."
"You aren't allowed to talk about him are you? Is it because of…?" She gestured her head toward the temple in a reference to the Great Mother. It was burning her inside, to wonder who the other half of her could be. But she knew that demanding answers from her mother about his identity wouldn't work. She would have to be gentle. Tailli however became nervous again, the suggestion of Mother Talzin seemed enough to frighten her into silence.
"Perhaps we should discuss something else-" Her mother began, and moved to turn away, but Zaiya held out a hand to stop her, a pleading look in her eyes.
"At least… Tell me what he was like? A little?" Tailli glanced around, concerned, as though someone might be listening.
"Well…" She started, and lowered herself down beside her daughter. "He was… brave, beautiful and strong. He was stubborn and clever and was a great warrior. Most importantly, he was kind. Kinder to me than ever I deserved, and it… changed me." She gestured to herself, "I loved him, as much as I love you and for that I will never have any regrets that led me to having you."
It was absurd. Or it should have been. There was not meant to be love between Shi'aad and Shi'kaa. She had learned that the hard way as a child, but only after the separation. The way her mother spoke of it though, the way she had heard it described out in the rest of the Galaxy… sounded so wonderful. Powerful too, but not in the way Mother Talzin described power. This was a whole other… just other. Was that why she cared for the Nightbrothers? Because she was born out of love? It was such a strange concept when she thought about it. She was different and sort of finally understood why. Though it just brought up more questions the more she delved into it.
That was all Tailli was willing to say on it however, and the conversation shifted to talking about what Zaiya had been doing, and as she discovered, her mother really had no idea what had happened. The white haired woman felt guilty, not realising how distant she'd been all this time. Tailli however seemed pleased at many of the stories, as well as the amusement she shared when discussing the three bavodu'e that she had somehow adopted. Or rather, been adopted by. While criminals and scoundrels, they had taught her more about how the world outside worked, how people worked, sometimes cold, sometimes warm, but there was more for her now, more than just what she knew of the Nightsisters. It seemed to make Tailli very proud.
After sharing a long conversation, Zaiya stood, feeling better than she had in years, a smile coming to her lips for the first time in years.
"I think there is one more place I need to go." Tailli looked confused for a moment, then nodded in realisation.
"They will have missed you." She said, and Zaiya smiled a little wider. She'd missed them too.
Notes:
WHAT IN THE ASS?!
A THIRD POST?! OMG the world is ending! Hahaha No I am being dramatic again, BUT! I thought that I would like to post one full chapter a week (parts 1 and 2) for a while until I am caught up with the back log so I am posting part 2 here now, then Next week will be Recovery parts 1 /
Makes sense to me!
BUT! (again) The most exciting part! I can finally post the art of Zaiya I had made! Because ... eye. I didn't wanna post it before now because spoilers but now I can!
Here is the artwork: imgur dot com /a/RfhnkQO
So check that out, the artists are in the image description so big thank you to dragonwhisperer23 on tiktok and instagram and also to elizelis and Johdals on tumblr.
Next week I'm back to two posts per week for a while and as always, I love the comments, they give me LIFE.
