Selection - Part 1
"She's where?!" Zaiya cried, glaring at the Nightsister that had just spoken. The woman, Karis, had recoiled in fear of Zaiya's temper, already seemingly regretting speaking to the Ale'sule.
"She… she went to the Nightbrother village… for the Selection," Karis said, and Zaiya's hearts froze.
Savage and Feral!
Before she even had the time to think, she was already running to her speeder, no thought in her mind other than protecting her Brothers. She had spent most of the day looking for Asajj, being distracted with training and research. Zaiya had to wonder if this was part of the plan Mother Talzin had refused to share.
She zipped through the marshes toward the mountain where the Nightbrothers resided. She hadn't heard anything from them all day, and Talzin had been keeping her busy enough that she had been unable to visit them, despite her own desires.
She hated this.
Her hand reached up to grasp her own throat, her thumb brushing one of the small burn scars. All she was missing was a collar and it would be exactly the same as Zygerria. She felt trapped and Zaiya despised being out of options. She dare not think that Asajj would use Savage or Feral for her plans… but… of course she would. Had Zaiya doomed them by training the two of them? They were already the greatest warriors of the tribes, would they be chosen? Goddess, of course they would, strong, fast, powerful, beautiful… every bit like their brother.
The mountain loomed before her and she pushed the speeder to the limit, were they already at the selection grounds? Her hands were clammy and she felt her hearts pounding in her chest. How much could she really protect them? All her promises… could she really do what needed to be done now? Did she have the power to back up her oaths?
The lingering feeling she tried not to think about stayed in her head. The words she tried to give no thought to, but they raged in her now as she raced up the mountain path toward the village.
Was this her fault? She had been the one to suggest to Ventress that she needed to come back to Dathomir. Had Zaiya been the one to do this? Whatever fate befell Savage, Feral and the Nightbrothers… was Zaiya's doing.
If any of them were hurt… it would be her fault.
The trials were in full swing, Zaiya could hear the drumming and she sprinted further up the mountain in order to reach the sacred site where such trials were held. The trials were of strength, agility and endurance, everything physical that might make for a good mate.
The idea of Ventress taking either Savage or Feral as a lover physically made her ill. Zaiya's skin was crawling as she made it to the wide circular platform, the drumming still sounding throughout the mountainside.
The area was dark, and set for the final task. Large square stone platforms rose and fell across the surface, lifting or dropping the occupants. In the middle… her worst nightmare. There were only two left.
Savage and Feral.
Her hearts seized and she spotted Ventress going for the two brothers. Zaiya's eyes widened and she moved before thinking, leaping into the fray and leaping between Asajj and Savage.
"No!" she cried, her voice made the ground tremble a moment. "You will not lay hands on them, Asajj Ventress," Zaiya snarled.
"Won't I?" Asajj asked, recovering quickly. "Mother Talzin sent me to procure a mate, and these two fine specimens have been more than adequate so far."
"You cannot touch them," Zaiya snarled.
"Zaiya, what are you doing?" Savage whispered. The urgency in his voice told her he knew there was trouble.
"I have invoked the Trials and the Selection, as per the ways of the Nightsisters…" she tilted her bald head and a smirk grew across her lips. Behind her, she could see the other Nightbrothers, watching. Viscus, Sunder, Riot and Brutus… Their horrified faces, the pain in their eyes. Zaiya's eyes flicked back to Asajj as she continued. "I have followed all the rules of the clan and even the Ale'sule has no power to stop my choice. Unless of course you were to choose one of them as a mate." Asajj shrugged and Zaiya realised with a cold shiver up her spine… that Asajj was right. "But you already have a mate," Asajj said with a smirk. "So you need to step aside."
Asajj was right. Kriff it to the void! Zaiya didn't have power over the situation… not like Talzin did. She had to do something…
"Maul is not a Nightbrother any longer, he is a former Sith and a man of his own destiny," she began. With a sinking feeling in her gut, the Nightsister realised that she only had one option.
The only thing Zaiya could do… was choose one… and let Asajj have the other brother.
Unless she was going to fight Talzin for the power over the clan right then… she had no other choice.
"Then take your pick," Asajj shrugged, a cruel smirk hinted on her lips.
Zaiya turned back to look between the two zabrak men. Her hearts felt like they would be shattered into pieces. She could only save one. Savage's worried gaze met with hers. He gave her the slightest of nods and she knew.
She turned back to Asajj and grit her teeth for a moment. Talzin had clearly been coaching her with the rules of the clan, Zaiya had no grounds in which to deny Asajj's claim. The two women stared at each other for a moment in silence, until finally Zaiya spoke.
"I will take Feral," she announced. There were whispers in the area where the Nightbrothers watched and she glanced up. Expressions of shock, fear and betrayal were littered among the faces, but one glared back at her in a seething rage.
Brutus.
Goddess… he looked ready to kill her. They could not hear the full exchange, and did not know as Zaiya did… the Dark Side flowed through Asajj, and she didn't know how bad it was about to become, but she knew that nothing good could come of it.
It didn't stop the pain and disgust from blooming in her chest. She heard Feral whimper slightly and it nearly broke her. She could almost feel a collar squeezing the air from her throat.
Her face remained neutral… but on the inside she was screaming. She had just become the very thing she hated. What was worse… she had done it so easily.
There was not even time to linger and explain to everyone, and Asajj shoved Savage back toward the village and the speeders, there was not the full rotation for the Brothers to mourn their lost brother, instead, it seemed Asajj was taking him now. Which meant Zaiya had to follow in order to figure out what was happening. She didn't have time to talk to the other Nightbrothers. Or Feral. The two men followed obediently, just as their Master's commanded. Zaiya felt ill.
Goddess… she hoped Feral and Maul would understand. She hoped Savage would… Oh sithhells this was a mess. She was certain the Nightbrothers would not trust her now. Kriff… she'd run off without telling Maul or Sixy what was happening.
She was in trouble. The brothers were in trouble. She didn't know what was happening but everything felt so wrong. She could not ignore the sense of danger that screamed warnings in the back of her head.
What was Asajj's next plan? Why was Talzin keeping it from her? What was happening?
Her hearts pounded all the way back to the Village. Feral didn't speak a word, his head down the whole time. Zaiya's hearts were surely about to be crushed with the way her chest was so constricted. She tried to tell herself it was going to be alright, that at least Feral was alright… but Savage… Savage was…
So… she was just like the others. Dawnsister they'd call her. She'd fought another Sister, they'd thought to defend them… but Brutus could see it clearly now. She'd done it for power. For the loyalty of his Brothers - just another trick to make them obedient! And he'd fallen for it!
Dawnsister.
Liar.
Traitor.
Just another Nightsister. Just like the others.
Agony and rage burned in his mind and he felt like a taut rope ready to snap at any moment. He'd kill her. The lying traitorous bitch!
Just when he thought one of the Sisters weren't so bad. He had even… liked her a little bit. But that was done. The gates snapped shut and all he could think of was the way she'd led Feral away. Of course she chose Feral. Of all the Nightbrothers…
Not Savage that had clearly been in love with her for years. Or Sunder that looked at her with big eyes, or Riot that made her laugh. It had felt so real… No, she'd picked Feral. Even after she knew how Brutus and he were- and she'd cast her crimson companion aside so easily?!
Everything in Brutus told him to chase them down… but he couldn't. They'd just kill him, and he still had to protect the others. It was the way of things. The Nightsisters had all the power. The Nightbrothers could do nothing to stand against them. Brutus watched as the lights from the speeders faded into the dark, his hearts shattering in his chest.
"Feral…" he whispered. In the dark, hidden from the others, the Nightbrother let one single tear fall. He knew this would happen one day… but he still wasn't ready for it. Not like this.
No, stick together. Savage had said. The entire journey back he'd wondered if he'd done the right thing. He hadn't even known Zaiya was home! Fear and hatred clawed up his spine. He wanted to talk to Zaiya. He wanted to make sure Feral was okay.
He didn't know all the rules of the Nightsisters, but from what he'd gleaned from the conversation, Zaiya had little choice. This Nightsister that had come for the Selection had been stronger than he'd expected. More than that, he'd felt the Force when she'd attacked. He'd been holding his own but… she was too powerful.
Since then it had been a blur. He recalled pledging his life to the Nightsister, the words coming out monotonously. It was a kick in the gut… there was only one Nightsister he had ever wanted to pledge his life to… and she sat on the other speeder with his brother. This had to be some trick, something was happening, Zaiya seemed nervous. She would think of a way out of this. He wasn't going to be the mate to this strange and cruel Nightsister.
Before he knew it, he was before Mother Talzin, presented like some sort of trophy.
"He has surrendered his life to me," the Nightsister that had claimed him bragged. Talzin ran her hand across his chest and over his shoulders as he circled him, an eerie feeling washed over him as she did.. He knew this was his mother only because of what Zaiya had told him. Many Nightbrothers didn't know who their mothers were at all. His skin crawled. She towered over him, and was every bit as intimidating and sinister as Zaiya had described and his childhood mind remembered.
"This one is strong… a perfect male specimen." She stood before him again and he resisted the urge to growl at her. He hated to admit it, but she frightened him. It was like she could see into him, and it revulsed him, her touch was vile, she was no mother… She was a cruel witch. "Oh the hate… the sheer power of it…!" She revelled in his anguish and it made him detest her all the more.
"A tremendous gift from the Galaxy Mother," the Nightsister said smoothly, his hatred of her growing steadily. "He will serve us well."
"What exactly will he serve you for?" Zaiya said, and Savage turned, seeing her there with a bereft looking Feral.
"Ah, Zaiya, I was not aware you had followed Asajj on her task," There was a tone in Mother Talzin's strange voice. There was a prolonged silence and he could see Zaiya eyeing the Matriarch.
"I thought I could help," she said and Savage's eyes widened. Help?! Zaiya wouldn't… no… she wouldn't help this Asajj woman! She wouldn't! Before he could say anything, Mother Talzin reached out, and with a touch to his forehead, he fell back.
"Mother-!" he heard Zaiya cry out.
Then everything went black.
Notes:
Happy New Year!
I hope you're all having a wonderful day and there's not too many hangovers among you! Here we have another APOD chapter and ohhh dear... here is the tragedy of canon come to mess with our little family. Still... my divine powers of author... Feral is safe! ...at least for now 👀👀👀
In the next chapter... Maul will learn of what has happened... and... some more canon stuff. Ew. Canon in my fic, what is this? Either way, it should be interesting. I hope you all are well and if you can, please leave a comment, they really help keep me motivated. I see your comments and they really make me smile. It's brilliant.
Next week I will have another Sins chapter, and we're well into chapter 3 now! Yay! Until then my lovelies, I fare thee well! 3
