It had been three weeks since she and Jaxyn had adopted Zele, and he’d already met Brelon and Tivran, and was settling in with them very well. So Rasilvenaira thought it was about time to finally let him meet his cousins as well as Shadow and Sanguis. She also felt it would be fun for Sorin in particular to have someone nearer his own age to play with.
She had called and set up a date when Sanguis would be able to be home from working at Havoc Base, and once the day came, she couldn’t help but be excited.
“Come on Zele, little sleepy head, wake up.”
He had fallen asleep between her and Jaxyn again, but instead of waking up when she got up to get dressed, he had just rolled over and gone back to sleep. She resorted to the tickle attack and he finally woke up giggling and squirming.
“I awake, Momma!”
“Good, Zele, we’re going to go meet your cousins and Aunt Shadow and Uncle Sanguis today. Let’s go get you dressed and ready to go.”
He squealed happily and scrambled off the bed to run to his room with his mother right on his heels. She helped him pick out an outfit and then helped him get dressed and combed his hair.
Jaxyn met them in the living room having made Zele a snack so he wouldn’t be hungry without a big breakfast. He grinned when they came into the room and held his arms out for Zele who ran to him and giggled as he was picked up. Rasilvenaira couldn’t be happier knowing that not only had be bonded well with her, but he had a good solid bond with Jaxyn too.
“Alright, you two ready to go.”
“Let’s go, Momma and Daddy!”
“Well, you heard it, let’s go,” Jaxyn chuckled.
They headed to the *Caliburnus * with him holding both their hands and skipping between them. Once on board, Rasilvenaira led the way to the cockpit and settled into the pilot’s chair to begin the preflight check, while Jaxyn got Zele buckled into his seat. Then he got settled in the co-pilot’s seat.
“Looks like it should be a great day.”
“Yeah, good weather, hopefully everything else goes well.”
Satisfied everything was in order, she powered up the engines and carefully lifted off and once clear of the tree line, pulled back on the throttle to increase their speed. By ship, it wasn’t that long of a trip between the continents. Zele happily finished his snack and gaze Jaxyn his trash to be thrown away once they landed.
Before long the Caldiren estate came into view and she carefully landed the *Caliburnus *next to their ship. The ship landed easily with the hydraulics letting out steamy hisses. Rasilvenaira and Jaxyn both stood and he pulled her into his arms for a quick kiss and then flashed her a cheeky grin. She playfully swatted his arm.
“Go throw the trash away, I’ll get Zele.”
“Yes, Ma'am.” He ducked away before she could swat him again for ma'aming her.
She laughed and unbuckled Zele and picked him up, giving him a kiss on his little cheek. “You going to be a good boy, for Momma?”
He nodded, “Yes, Momma, I be good.”
She followed Jaxyn down the ramp and didn’t bother closing it since they were among friends here. They headed toward the manor where she saw Shadow, Sanguis and the kids coming down the steps to meet them.
Shadow smiled and immediately met Rasilvenaira halfway. “Ras! Jaxyn! Good to see you two again. And this must be Zele.”
The half-Sephi offered a friendly wave. “Hello, Zele. I’m happy to finally meet you. I’m your Aunt Shadow, but you can call me Auntie Ro if that’s easier.”
She gestured towards Sanguis as the Nagai joined her with little Sorin in his arms. “And this is your Uncle Sanguis and cousin Sorin. Don’t worry if your uncle seems a bit scary. He’s really sweet and loving. I promise.”
“It’s great to finally meet my new nephew,” Sanguis added, his Nagaian voice more serene. He studied the boy before his gaze shifted over to Zele’s parents. “He’s a lovely boy. Has a good spirit.”
Meanwhile, Sorin looked at his new cousin curiously with his head cocked to the side. Slowly, he smiled and giggled. “I Sorin! Pway wit me?”
“Later, little one,” Sanguis assured him. “Patience. You two will have a chance to play soon.”
“Awww.” Sorin huffed, his smile turning into a pouty frown. “Me wanna pway.”
“You will, Sorin. You will.” Shadow ruffled his hair and kissed his cheek before turning her attention to the twins. “Zele, these are also your cousins. Deus and Artorias. Though he goes by Arty too.”
“Hiya, Zele!” Deus greeted excitedly. “Happy to meet ya!”
He looked at his Aunt Ras. “Jeez, Aunt Ras. I don’t know how it all works, but you and Uncle Jax work fast! Zele is bigger than Sorin!”
“Deus Tarsus,” Sanguis growled warningly. “Mind yourself. That’s inappropriate. Plus, we told you Zele was adopted.”
“Oh, right. Sorry, Aunt Ras. I forgot that. Anyway, it’s so cool that we have a cousin now! Isn’t it Arty?”
All eyes fell on Artorias, but whatever joy everyone else was feeling didn’t quite breach the boy’s heart. As the younger twin studied Zele, he found himself mentally in a gloomy realm of loneliness and abandonment formed prematurely from his youthful imagination. His aunt now had her own child, who just happened to also have white hair. There was only one logical, insecure conclusion: he was being replaced.
“Artorias?”
His mother’s voice stirred the eight-year-old from his woeful abyss. His lip quivered slightly, but he pushed aside his despair and faked a smile. “H-hello, Zele. N-nice to meet you.”
Zele grinned so big and waved to both adults as he was introduced, “Auntie Shadow, Uncle Sangwis, hewwo, I happy to meet you.”
Then he gave a happy little squeak and wiggled in his mother’s arms as Sorin and the twins came forward. “Hi Sorin, Deus, Arty!” he warbled cheerfully, “I play!” But when Sorin’s mother said play would be later, he pouted.
Rasilvenaira ruffled his hair and kissed his cheek, “Yes, there will be plenty of time for you guys to play. Just be patient.”
He huffed, but nodded, “Okay, Momma.”
Then she felt a ripple in the Force and noticed Arty’s hesitation in greeting Zele. She arched an eyebrow at that, and casually turned and handed Zele off to Jaxyn.
“Hold our boy for a moment, I want to talk to Arty.”
She walked over and gently took Arty’s hand, “Walk with me, please?”
Then she led him far enough away to be out of earshot, for the children at least. She knelt down and pulled him into a warm hug.
“Arty, my sweet boy, what’s wrong? I feel it in the Force, so don’t tell me nothing, okay? Talk to me, please, Arty?”
Artorias tensed, trying to hide his emotions better, but to no avail. Restrained tears began to trickle down his cheeks. He couldn’t hold back his emotions any longer.
“Aunt Ras…are…are you replacing me because…because something is wrong with me?” He sniffled and met her gaze. “Is it because of my dreams? Or…or am I not good enough like Deus? I…I promise to try harder. I promise. I’ll do better. Just please don’t replace me. Please.”
Shadow didn’t need to hear, but the overwhelming pain in the Force from her son struck her heart agonizingly. She wanted to run to him, but held fast with an assuring look from Sanguis. This was something between her son and Rasilvenaira even if her maternal instincts screamed for her to go to him.
Rasilvenaira’s face softened and her heart ached feeling so much pain coming off Arty, but his words cut deeper. She pulled him into her arms and hugged him close.
“Oh, Arty, my precious Arty. Nothing in this universe could ever replace you. In fact, I need you now more than ever. I was hoping you could be like a big brother to Zele. He was bullied a lot by the other kids at the orphanage we adopted him from. He needs a role model he can look up to. We’ve only recently discovered that he’s Force sensitive with at least telekinetic powers. You’re just a few years older than he is, so you can help him to understand the Force as he gets old enough to really start training it.”
She loosened her hold on him and leaned back on her heels to gently brush her fingers through his hair and then she kissed his forehead.
“Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you’re not good enough. I love you, I will always love you. You are perfect the way you are. But tell Auntie Ras about these dreams, maybe I can help you figure out how to control them or block them. Can you help me do that?”
Artorias sniffled once more, his Aunt’s comforting words eroding the fears that plagued him. “Big brother?”
He looked past his aunt, studying his new cousin again before returning his attention to his Aunt. “Why me? Why not Deus?”
The young half-Sephi looked down at the mention of his dreams. He hesitated before he finally spoke. “They’re scary and confusing. So much anger? I just tear everything apart, and…and it feels good.”
He looked up at his aunt. “But it’s not me, Aunt Ras. It’s not me. I don’t want to be like that. I don’t.”
Rasilvenaira listened carefully, giving the boy the attention he needed. “Dreams can be scary and confusing. I know its hard to control but just hold on to the fact that you have a big family that loves you and we won’t let you fall down that path.”
She smiled warmly, “ I think Zele might relate more to you because you share the same hair color, and I think you are the more patient one when it comes to being understanding of others, even when he means well.”
She hugged him closely again, rubbing his back, “Feel better now? Remember you can always talk to me or your mom about the dreams. In time though, perhaps you will have them less often as you get over the fear that they’ve given you.”
She finally rose to her feet, then offered him her hand, “Ready to go meet your new cousin?”
Artorias nodded slowly, knowing Ras spoke true about his family’s love. The many nights his mother spent at his bedside humming Sephi lullabies as well as the check-ins from his stepfather were proof of that. Not to mention, the love and assurance his aunt was now giving him.
He looked at Deus, watching his twin barrage Jaxyn and Zele with questions and comments. Though Deus did have his soft moments when he worried about Artorias, he wasn’t exactly the greatest when it came to patience and slowing down. Even Sorin had times when he’d seek Artorias out for a quiet tour of the gardens to escape Deus’ tiring energy.
The half-Sephi nodded again to his aunt’s inquiry as he hugged her back. “I know, Aunt Ras. And I hope so. They’re exhausting.”
He looked towards his cousin, his golden gaze fixed on the youngling for a moment before he finally smile at his aunt. “I’m ready, Aunt Ras, and I promise to be the best cousin I can be for him.”
Rasilvenaira offered him a warm smile and gently ruffled his hair, “That’s all I could ever ask, thank you, Arty. Let’s go.”
She held her hand out for him as she turned toward the others. They walked back to their families and as she got close enough, Zele wriggled free from Jaxyn’s hold and ran toward her. She let go of Arty’s hand to kneel down and catch Zele who threw his arms around her neck with a happy squeak. Then he looked at her and grinned.
“Time to play now?”
Then he looked over at Arty with his bright silver gaze and held a hand out. “Hello, I Zele.”
Rasilvenaira laughed and kissed his cheek and ruffled hair. “Let’s ask your Aunt Shadow if it’s time to play.”
She stood up watching him interact with Arty, smiling brightly at the two. Slowly, she moved away, leaving the two boys standing together. She took Jaxyn’s hand and leaned into his side. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and returned her smile.
Artorias smiled and took Zele’s hand in his. “Hello, Zele. I’m Artorias, but you can call me Arty or Art if that’s easier for you.”
He looked up at his mother, noting a hint of relief from Shadow in the Force. “Can we play now, Mom?”
“Yes! Pway!” Sorin exclaimed excitedly in his father’s arms.
“Of course, sweetheart. I had Mr. Mason already set out some snacks and juice in the courtyard.”
“Thank you, Mom.” Artorias then looked at Sorin as Sanguis placed the little one down. “Sorin, we have to be on our best behavior, and no nomming, okay?”
Sorin nodded eagerly, the toddler ready to play with his new cousin. “No nom nom! Le’s go pway!”
“I’ll race y'all to the courtyard!” Deus excitedly stated, only to receive a soft pull in the Force from his twin. “Hey! What gives?”
“They can’t run as fast as we can, Deus,” Artorias reminded. “Besides, Zele is our guest, and I’m sure he’d like to see a bit of our home first.”
“Oh, yeah. I guess you’re right. Fiiiine, no racing.”
Artorias looked up at his father and saw Sanguis nod in approval, which brightened his spirit. He took Sorin’s and Zele’s hands in his and began leading them inside with Deus following behind. “Welcome to our home, Zele. It’s big, but cozy, and you’ll always be welcome here. Our home is your home. We’ll take you upstairs a little later to see our room. For now, we’ll show you the library, and then we’ll head to the courtyard to play. I’ll also make sure you meet Tracyn. He’s my wolf pup your mom gave me. Oh, and Alfie too. He’s a Tooka cat your mom gave us, as well as Zozu, Sorin’s Mott.”
“And don’t forget Rémy!” Deus added. “And all the other Gizkas!”
“They’re in the enclosure, Deus. We’ll go visit them a little later.”
“Fair enough. To the library!”
Rasilvenaira watched and smiled proudly at them all. “It’s amazing how fast they grow, isn’t it?”
Jaxyn stepped closer and wrapped one arm around her waist, “Yeah, it seems like he’s grown so much just in three weeks since we’ve had him, a far cry from the lonely scared boy he was when we met him.
She nodded, "I’m so happy we got him, we can spoil him like he deserves.”
Turning her attention back to Shadow and Sanguis, she offered a warm smile. “Thank you both for letting us bring him over. I didn’t want to do it right away because I was afraid it might overwhelm him, but he did so well with meeting Brelon and Tivran I figured it was about time for him to meet you and his cousins. It’ll be nice for him to have kids he can actually play with and not be bullied for being different.”
Zele happily walked along with his cousins, he didn’t wobble quite as much as Sorin did, but he was grateful that Arty seemed to recognize that they couldn’t take as big a step as the older two could. He perked up at the mention of the animals and references to his momma. He grinned.
“We have lots of aminals too. My favwite is Rywa, Momma says she’s an old Tooka kitty.” Zele wasn’t used to talking so much in sentences since his parents just always seemed to know what he was trying to say. It was clear he was really concentrating on his words and he was proud of himself.
Shadow smiled with a curt nod. “Of course, and that’s very understandable. It’s the same for the boys. They have each other, but it’ll be good for them to have someone else to play with.”
“It was hard on them when we left Nagi,” Sanguis added. “Forcing the twins to leave the few friends they had made was tough, and they haven’t had much opportunity here since our return.”
“In the meantime,” Shadow interrupted, remembering to be a good host, “how about we all go in for some refreshments? We can relax in the library or join the boys in the courtyard.”
Artorias listened as Zele talked about Rywa and his Aunt’s menagerie of animals. It was a fact both he and his brothers already knew, but he still made sure to show interest. “Yeah, your mom has a lot of cool animals. Deus likes her rancors.”
“Yep! They’re fierce and tough!” Deus added. “I’m gonna ride one, one day!”
Artorias rolled his eyes. “Of course.”
“Hey! Aunt Ras rides them! I can too!”
“Not saying you can’t. It’s just you want to ride anything that can kill you like a Krayt Dragon.”
“You watch, Arty! It’ll happen!”
“If you say so.” Artorias looked down at Zele apologetically. “You’ll have to be patient with Deus. He thinks he thinks he can take on the entire universe sometimes,” he whispered.
“I’m right here!”
Artorias chuckled as they arrived at the library door. He briefly let go of Sorin’s hand and waved his own, the door opening at his command. “This is the library, Zele. My brothers and I often play here whenever we can’t play outside. Deus and I study here too, and I like to spend time reading alone here. Mom and Dad have collected a lot of books about many things during their trips. As Mom always says-”
“Knowledge is power. Yes, yes.” Deus huffed. “C'mon, Arty. Let’s go play. Stop boring our cousin.”
Artorias shot a glare at Deus, catching his older twin off guard. Yet, when he spoke, he did so with an unnerving softness. “Patience, Deus. This isn’t about you or me. We’re showing our cousin a part of our home. Zele is our cousin and our guest, and I want him to feel welcome here.”
“Gah! Fine! I’ll just go wait outside.”
Artorias watched his twin stomp off, a soft sigh escaping his lips. “Deus…”
“Arty? Deus mad?”
Artorias looked down at Sorin. “He’s just…impatient, Sorin. He’ll be okay.”
“Mm.” Sorin reached for Artorias’ hand, squeezing it tightly. “We go pway?”
“Yes, Sorin. We’ll go play now.”
Offering a reassuring smile to both cousin and brother, he led them from the library to the courtyard where the ancient cherry blossom tree stood above the rest of the garden, waiting in its crimson glory. “And this is the courtyard, Zele. Our favorite place to play.”
Rasilvenaira nodded, “The courtyard is fine, we can enjoy some tea while the boys play. I don’t want Zele to get too anxious if he doesn’t see me for too long.”
Jaxyn rolled his eyes and playfully pinched her side. “I think you’re the one with separation anxiety, not Zele. But I do agree, the weather is too nice not to enjoy for a bit.”
She elbowed him and huffed, “I just want to make sure he’s okay. This is the first time around other children since we’ve had him. I don’t know if something might trigger something from his past and upset him or not.”
He nodded and leaned over to kiss her, “I understand, love.”
Zele looked at the library in awe, “So many books. I have one Momma weads me for bedtime.”
He looked up at Arty when Deus stomped off but Arty’s gentle tone reassured him that nothing was really wrong. But he did echo Sorin’s sentiment. “Wanna pway too!”
The courtyard was a welcome sight and he stopped to look up at the giant tree. “Ooo, big twee. It’s pwetty.”
Then he looked up at Arty, “What we pway?”
Shadow nodded understandably before leading the couple inside with Sanguis. Upon reaching the courtyard, they were greeted by the butler awaiting them. “My lady?”
“Hello, Mason. Could you please have some tea and some refreshments brought out? We’ll be joining the boys out here in the courtyard.”
“Of course. Right away.” He bowed his head to Ras and Jaxyn before disappearing for the kitchens.
As Shadow and Sanguis led their guests to the table and chairs nestled within the shelter of the ancient tree, Artorias thought about what game to play. He thought about Sorin’s favorite game and decided to go with that. “What about hide-and-seek?”
Rasilvenaira nodded gratefully as she and Jaxyn followed Shadow and Sanguis through the house and out to the courtyard. She always appreciated the sight of the large tree, especially when it was in flower. She inclined her head politely to Mr. Mason as he left. Then she and Jaxyn took their seats at the table under the tree.
Zele tilted his head and thought a minute. “How pway that?”
He had never been included in games when the children at the orphanage played so he’d just tried to watch or he’d go back inside and play with his stuffed bear Rooka. He always wanted very much to play but didn’t know how to.
Artorias smiled. “It’s really easy. One person counts to ten, and everyone else has to run and hide. Once the person finishes counting, they have to find everyone.”
The twin looked at Deus, not wanting to leave his brother out. Deus took the hint and beamed before he continued the explanation. “Yep. Super easy, Zele. For example, if I’m the seeker, or the person counting, I will close my eyes and count to ten. You and my brothers would go find a hiding place. Once I reach ten, I’d go looking for all of you. Now, if someone finds a super good hiding place, and I give up looking for them, that person wins. Otherwise, if I find all of you, I win.”
“And someone else would become the seeker in the next round,” Artorias finished. “We only have one rule, and that’s no one is allowed to use the Force to seek. That way it’s fair. Otherwise, well, we’d always find Sorin.”
“Noooo, Arty, there’s two rules. No Force Cloak, remember?”
“Oh, right, anyone hiding cannot use the Force to hide themselves.”
“Unless Dad or Mom is the seeker,” Deus quickly added. “Then we can use the Force to hide ourselves, but they can’t use the Force to find us. Especially since Sorin can’t really hide himself yet. That, and, Force Cloak isn’t exactly my thing anyway.”
“But you don’t have to worry about anyone using the Force,” Artorias assured Zele. “We’ll play without it. It’s more fun that way.”
“Yep! Anyways, you ready to play, Zele? I’ll go ahead and be the seeker this round.”
Zele listened intently to the instructions and then thought about it. It did sound simple enough. He nodded.
“I ready. I go hide good!” He waited until Arty started counting, then turned around and looked at the courtyard. The count was getting low when he finally bolted to what he hoped was a good hiding place.
He squeezed behind the big tree, between it and the stone wall that fenced in the courtyard, and scrambled up the tree a little ways since it sloped gently forward.
He wasn’t sure where the other two hid, but he hoped his spot was good enough for him to win. He thought it would be nice to win at a new game since he’d never even really been able to play at the orphanage.
Rasilvenaira watched carefully, arching a brow when her son rushed past to scramble up the tree. She was glad when he stopped and didn’t try to go too far up. It was an interesting choice of hiding space since his white hair stood out against the deep brown bark, but you’d only be able to see him from certain side angles, so it was pretty clever for his first attempt.
Artorias took hold of Sorin’s hand the minute Deus started counting. He led his little brother to a patch of shrubs, and quickly urged him to the ground until the little Nagai hybrid was curled up in a fetal position within the shaded shelter of the shrubbery. Once his brother was hidden, the younger twin rushed for one of the smaller trees, and climbed up until he was perched in in a densely-covered branch.
“Ready or not, here I come!” Deus proclaimed, his eyes shooting open as he looked around. Excited for the challenge, the little Mandalorian began going from tree to tree, knowing well that Artorias preferred the high ground. “You’re so predictable, Arty. Your spot never changes.”
Artorias only grinned and quickly used the Force to nudge the branch of another tree close by. As expected, Deus rushed to the sound, only to scowl when he didn’t find his brother. “Not this stupid trick again.”
Meanwhile, Sanguis watched the game, a soft chuckle escaping him. This was a trick he had taught Artorias during training, and the boy had capitalized on it for every game of hide-and-seek. However, even the Nagai knew that Deus was becoming wise to his brother’s tricks.
Easy, Arty. I don’t think Deus is gonna fall for it completely this time.
Zele kept himself pressed to the tree hoping that his white hair wouldn’t give him away too easily. He heard Deus moving through the courtyard and he put a hand over his mouth to keep from giggling when Arty wasn’t found after all.
Rasilvenaira watched her son out of the corner of one eye, not wanting to give his position away if Dues looked at her. She felt the Force swirling around him and hoped that Dues wouldn’t notice as easily. She really did need to start teaching Zele about the Force, it was becoming more noticeable lately. It was as though finding a happy, loving home had awakened his natural abilities and they were growing.
She glanced around the courtyard casually when Deus looked in her direction, if anything, she pointedly looked the opposite direction hoping to throw him off. It would be fun if Zele could actually when a game for the first time in his life.
Arty watched as Deus looked around, and he decided to take a gamble. Knowing there were only a few trees left for Deus to check, he made an adjacent branch of his tree shake. It was a risk, but he hoped that if his brother thought it was just another trick, then Deus wouldn’t bother to check his tree out, and his spot would be secured.
He held his breath as Deus stiffened and looked in his direction. Artorias stayed still, hoping that his risk would pay off. Both of his parents had always taught him that some risks were worth the reward, and he hoped this one act of boldness wouldn’t lead to his discovery.
Deus’ hands squeezed into tight fists. He took a step forward, a part of him telling him to investigate while another part told him it was just another ruse. The temptation to use the Force was strong, but Deus Tarsus was no cheater. He was a Mandalorian with a code of honor like his father. Then again, there was such a thing as using available resources. In all honesty, were the late Brandon Tarsus alive, he’d have encouraged such ‘justification.’
“Arty and his dumb tricks,” he muttered as he took a step forward.
Seeing that Deus wasn’t completely fooled, Artorias quickly made the branch of another tree further away shake. A part of him regretted it, wondering if he had made his spot more suspicious. That was how Artorias normally was. He considered every outcome of his actions, and though it sometimes helped him plan, it also sometimes held him back or made him act too hastily.
Please don’t come this way…
Much to Artorias’ relief, Deus spun around towards the sound, and the half-Sephi had to stifle a chuckle as his brother scowled in frustration and began searching elsewhere. A wave of pride washed over him from the direction of the adults, and he briefly felt Sanguis’ presence brush against his mind. A soft grin formed on his lips, but the boy wouldn’t get complacent yet.
Meanwhile, Sorin fidgeted around, trying to get a bit more comfy in his spot. Staying silent was a fifty-fifty with the toddler, and Sorin had no issue staying silent when it came to hiding. However, staying still in one position was another issue, and just as Deus was looking towards the adults, Sorin accidentally kicked one of the shrubs.
Wuh woh.
Deus’ head swiveled, his senses on high alert as he looked toward the direction of the disturbance. He wondered if it was another trick by Arty, and was tempted to ignore it. However, instinct guided him forward, and he zeroed in on the part of the garden where Sorin hid.
Zele risked a peek around the tree trunk and saw Dues heading for Sorin’s hiding place, and he focused his mind on a shrub several feet away. He remembered his Momma talking to him about the Force when he accidentally pushed her hands away during a tickle game. He didn’t know how to really do anything on purpose, but he thought he would try.
He concentrated his little mind on the other shrub, finally after a minute a branch shook slightly. He felt drained and pressed himself back against the trunk he was hiding behind. He hoped his trick worked to help Sorin stay hidden just a little longer.
He also hoped he hadn’t somehow given himself away by trying to use the Force without really knowing what he was doing. He took in a few deep breaths and listened for Deus’ footsteps.
Rasilvenaira arched a brow as she felt the flicker in the Force from her son. Gently, she reached out to him.
*Well done, Zele, just be careful, don’t push yourself too hard. You’re doing very well, sweetie. Momma will start training you soon, so you can control things better. *
Zele smiled brightly at the silent praise from his Momma. He quietly nodded since he hadn’t mastered talking back to her telepathically yet.
Sorin held his breath as he heard Deus approaching. A soft whimper threatened to escape him, and he muffled himself with his hands. This was it. He was going to be found.
Then the noise of a rustling branch caught his ear, and Deus’ eyes shot toward the sound. As he went over to investigate, Sorin gasped for air. It was a mistake. Next thing he knew, the shrubbery concealing him was shoved apart, and a grinning Deus was staring down at him.
“Gotcha!”
“NU!” Sorin exclaimed, a mixture of toddler anger and unaccepted defeat bringing him to a pout. “No fair!”
“Absolutely fair,” Deus countered. “Better luck next time.”
“Aww.” Sorin looked down and sighed. “I never win.”
Deus’ expression softened, and he ruffled his half-brother’s hair. “Hey, that’s not true. You won that one time, remember? We couldn’t find you, and we had to use the Force. Hiding in the soil bag was smart.”
“That one time.”
“Still. You’ll win again. Now come on. How about you help me find Arty and Zele, huh?”
“Mmm, otay.” Sorin offered Deus his hand. “We find.”
“Awesome. Let’s do this!”
As Deus took Sorin’s hand and began snooping around with his new partner, Arty couldn’t help but smile. For all the rough edges his twin had, Deus truly cared deep down when he allowed himself the patience to. Looking toward Zele’s hiding spot, he worried Deus would find his cousin next. Sure, he could try and keep Deus distracted, but there were only so many times he could use his tricks before Deus wised up to him.
You can only fool your opponent so much before they catch on to your strategy. You must be ready to adapt and try something different until you finally defeat them. Think on your feet, but take too long, and you’ll lose whatever advantage you had. In other words, be spontaneous and resourceful.
Artorias’ mother’s words echoed in his mind. He looked around, trying to see what he could do that would keep Deus distracted a bit longer. Especially since he could see Deus drawing closer to the ancient tree.
Think, Art. Think. What can I do?
Meanwhile, Sanguis watched, curious as to what Artorias would do. He took a sip of his tea that Mason had finally brought out, and briefly exchanged glances with Shadow as he sensed her own curiosity. His gaze then shifted to Deus and Sorin, more pride swelling in him from seeing the older twin redirecting the toddler’s disappointment to an eagerness to help him find the others. Slowly, but surely, the twins were learning, and their efforts were showing.
Zele sighed when Sorin was found, he had hoped his little cousin could stay hidden longer. But that also meant he was likely next to be hunted since Dues hadn’t found Arty yet.
He held his breath as he heard their footsteps coming closer to the old tree. He didn’t think he could fool Deus a second time. All he could do was sit and pretend to be part of the tree and hope that somehow they missed finding him.
Rasilvenaira watched with concern and curiosity as to how Zele would react once he was found and at this point unless she interfered in the game, he would soon be found. And her interfering wouldn’t be fair, so she bit her lip and resisted the urge to roll a rock or two over to distract Dues and Sorin.
She could feel his excitement and other emotions rippling through the Force, she smiled warmly. Poor thing, if the twins were using the Force, he’d have been the first one found because his emotions were giving him away. She had hoped he’d have a shot at winning, but also knew how good Deus was at seeking. She had witnessed many games of hide and seek over the years.
Gently she reached out to her son, mental voice as soft and soothing as she could make it.
*Easy, Zele, calm yourself down. He’s close but if you stay quiet and calm he might still turn away. Try to relax. *
Surprisingly, he looked over at her and nodded again, and his emotions calmed as he closed his eyes and just focused on being still and quiet, stay calm as the tree. She couldn’t help but smile proudly at that.
Artorias watched with bated breath as Deus neared the tree. He looked around the garden again, still trying to figure out how he could draw his twin away. When he found nothing, he decided to take a more direct approach. Reaching out with his hand, he used the Force and shoved his brother forward sharply.
Deus whirled around after the sneak attack, his eyes darting around. “Arty! I know that was you!”
Arty stayed silent before using the Force again, this time to Force-pull his twin forward. However, Deus was ready, latching onto the tether of Force energy and following it to a particular tree before channeling his own, more powerful telekinetic Force push. The blow smacked Artorias hard in the chest, almost knocking him out of the tree.
“Found ya!”
Artorias sighed, acknowledging his plan hadn’t been the best one. Reluctantly, he climbed down and met his brother’s victorious grin with a soft, half-smile. “Okay, okay. You got me.”
“Still, nice try, Arty.” Deus smiled and playfully punched Artorias in the shoulder. “Come on. I gotta find Zele.”
Zele put his hands over his face now as he realized he was the last one to be found. He wasn’t big and strong enough to climb any higher up the ancient tree, and it was too late to try running for a different spot. He barely dared to breath, not wanting to draw attention to himself.
Rasilvenaira also waited anxiously, though she was better at keeping her emotions under wraps. She took a sip of her tea and again had to resist the urge to interfere in the game. Still, even if he was found now, he was the last one, so its still something to be proud of. She hoped that he wouldn’t take losing to seriously.
She would have to teach him a few tricks so he’d be ready next time he came to play with his cousins. She smiled warmly at the boys when she noticed Sorin grinning and waving at her and she waved back. She figured he’d find her after the game to nom on her arm for a little bit. Or maybe Jaxyn’s since he discovered his new uncle didn’t mind being chewed on either.
She glanced over at Jaxyn and saw that he was also intently watching the game. Though he lacked prominent Force abilities, he was still very intuitive which had made it easy for him to form a bond with Zele. It made her happy that now he had a father figure in his life. She knew how much Phutari’s presence in her life had meant, and she wanted that for Zele, to feel like he was truly loved and cherished, that he had a real family.
She stuffed one of the small pastries in her mouth as Deus and the others got closer to Zele’s hiding spot. If it were Arty seeking, he probably would let Zele win, but Deus loved his victories a lot, so she wasn’t sure if he would even consider it.
“Can I have bun bun, Deus?” Sorin asked as they neared the tree. “I want bun bun.”
“But don’t ya want to help me find Zele?” Deus asked.
“Bun bun.”
“Just let him go, Deus,” Artorias encouraged. “I’ll help you.”
“Oh, alright. Go get your bun bun, Sorin.”
“Yay! Bun bun!” Sorin cheered before rushing off towards the adults. “Momma! Bun bun!”
Shadow chuckled as her son threw himself at her knee before she lifted him up into her lap. “Alright. Just one for now. You want a milk tea or a custard bun?”
“Milk tea, pwease!”
Shadow obliged and grabbed a milk tea bun for her son. “Here you go. Eat it slowly.”
Sorin smiled before biting into his treat, the boy no longer caring about the hunt now that he had a delicious sweet treat to keep him occupied. “Thanks, Momma.”
“You’re welcome, hun.” Shadow placed a light kiss on his forehead. “Enjoy.”
While Sorin was distracted, Deus began looking around the tree. Artorias glanced towards where he knew Zele was, hoping he could at least stall Deus a bit. “Hey, Deus. Maybe Zele isn’t here? I think it’s too obvious a spot.”
“Exactly. It’s where someone his age would probably hide,” Deus countered. “Kids his age don’t know how to hide well.”
“Maybe you’re underestimating him. Some four-year-olds are clever.”
“Yeah, well, there’s nowhere else he could’ve gone.”
“There are the shrubs and bushes on the far side, Deus. Maybe he hid behind the small waterfall there.”
“Maaaaaybe.” Deus studied his brother. “You’re not trying to help him, are you?”
“What? No. Just giving some suggestions.”
“Hmm. Fiiine. For now. We’ll go look over there then.”
Artorias nodded and followed his twin to the other side of the courtyard. As far as Deus knew, he didn’t know where Zele was hiding. Besides, it was Deus’ fault if he listened to Artorias or not. After all, just as he often heard his mother say: You should never trust a Sith.
Zele heard the footsteps fade away and he let out a slow breath and peeked over at his mother and smiled brightly. He was having fun, even though it made him nervous when Deus came closer.
Rasilvenaira smiled back at Zele since Deus had his back to her. Then she looked over at Sorin who was grinning brightly as he ate his bun. She reached over to ruffle his hair.
“Hi, sweetie, did you have fun?”
Zele stretched tired muscles and then leaned his back against the tree instead of his front. He wasn’t used to standing so still and quiet for so long.
Rasilvenaira was proud of him, but knew he probably wouldn’t last much longer before he got too uncomfortable to stay hidden.
Sorin looked at his Aunt and grinned. “Yep! I no good hider, tho. Deus find me.”
Artorias, meanwhile, followed Deus and searched around the waterfall. As expected, Zele wasn’t there, and Art knew he’d have to prepare another lie to stall his brother. “Maybe Zele went inside?”
“Arty…” Deus turned to look at his brother. “I may not be as clever as you, but I’m not dumb. You’re stalling.”
Artorias’ heart sank. Deus had figured him out. “Deus, I-”
“It’s okay. Look, I don’t know what you and Aunt Ras talked about, but I know you’re protecting Zele. You did all you could to distract me when I went near the tree. He’s there, isn’t he?”
Artorias nodded slowly.
Deus sighed. “You want me to let him win, then?”
The younger twin hesitantly nodded again. “Please? Just this time. Would make Aunt Ras happy.”
Deus looked towards their aunt pensively before he offered his brother a relenting nod. “Alright.”
“Thank you, Deus. Really.”
“Yeah, well, don’t get too used to it.” Deus cleared his throat and suddenly allowed himself to fall dramatically to the ground onto his back. “Ugh! Zele’s too good! I give up!”
When Zele heard Deus say he gave up, he took a deep breath and peeked around the tree.
“Did I win?”
Rasilvenaira smiled at him. “Yes, you won, sweetie.”
He grinned brightly and left his hiding spot to run over to where Deus lay and threw himself at his cousin to give him a hug. Then he got up and hugged Arty.
“Tank you for pwaying with me. I hungwy now. We pway more later?”
He didn’t really wait for an answer but turned and ran to where his parents sat and stopped in front of Jaxyn.
“Daddy, did you see? I won.”
Jaxyn picked him up and ruffled his white hair. “That you did, good job. You want a snack now?”
He nodded, “Pwease, I hungwy now.”
Jaxyn nodded and kissed his forehead before handing him over to Rasilvenaira who was closer to the snacks.
Zele happily hugged his Momma and beamed up at her, so proud of himself. She kissed his cheek and hugged him back, then reached over for a milk tea bun and handed it to him. He gave a happy squeak and turned to sit in her lap with his back against her chest to eat his treat.
She looked over his head at Deus who was finally getting up. Focusing her thoughts, she reached out to him.
*Thank you, Deus. *
Deus sighed again, but smiled back at his aunt nonetheless. Anything for his Aunt Ras. However, he would have a victory one way or another.
“The last milk tea bun is mine!” Deus proclaimed as he suddenly sprinted towards the table.
“Wha!? HEY!” Artorias charged after him, determined to get his hands on the treat.
Deus pushed himself, doing all he could to stay ahead of Artorias. The head start kept him ahead enough, and before long, he was at the table, grabbing the last milk tea bun victoriously. “A-ha! It’s mine!”
Artorias came to a halt, watching with disappointment as Deus took a bite. He was tempted to anger, but in the end, it was just a bun. Instead, he just shrugged and went up to Ras and Zele.
“Good job, Zele,” he praised with a soft smile. “You did great. I’ll have to show you some better hiding spots sometime.”
Sanguis and Shadow both smiled as they watched, pride swelling within their hearts for their sons as Sorin nibbled away at his bun bun. Their mother made a silent promise to have one of Arty’s favorite treats made while Sanguis gestured for Deus to approach before he gently squeezed the boy’s shoulder. “Well done, Deus. That was a noble sacrifice. I’m really proud of you both.”
“Yeah, well, it’s not like I don’t win a lot, anyway,” Deus remarked. “…but thank you.”
Rasilvenaira held out her free hand to Arty and gently pulled him into a hug. Zele who had only taken a couple bites of his milk tea bun tipped his head looking from Deus to Arty. Then, completely unbidden, held up the remaining part of his bun.
“Arty want some? I share.”
The gesture and his open innocence just melted his parents’ hearts all over again. It seemed that despite his past, he was a little wiser than his young age. He had known neglect and being shunned for being different, while it wasn’t abuse in the direct sense, it had shaped his early years.
He had also known the feeling of abandonment, when his mother left him behind at the orphanage. But in the three weeks he had been with Rasilvenaira and Jaxyn, he had learned unconditional love, joy, and a life of plenty. He wanted for nothing at home. But it hadn’t made him arrogant or selfish. His heart was warm and caring. So he was perfectly happy to share what he had with those who he thought needed it.
His silver eyes met Arty’s gaze and he smiled brightly as he held the bun half out to his cousin.
Artorias was lost for words, Zele’s gesture completely catching him off guard. At first, he wanted to decline; his overthinking mind worried he’d come off as greedy for taking from someone younger than him. However, a brief glance at his mother pushed away his concerns as she smiled and nodded assuredly. With a smile of his own, he curtly bowed his head and accepted the milk tea bun.
“Thank you, Zele. That’s very kind of you.” Artorias took a bite, the sweet taste of the milk tea cream custard stuffing immediately brightening his mood even more. “Maybe my mom can teach yours how to make these. She learned from a Nagai baker back on Nagi.”
“They’re very easy to make,” Shadow added as she adjusted Sorin on her lap. “And you can add a bit of tapioca balls to it too to make it more chewy.”
“Ah, yes, one of the numerous perks of being married to my wife,” Sanguis quickly remarked. “A great provider of good foods and sweets. I often prefer her food over what the cooks make.”
“Hush, you. I’m not that great.” Shadow smiled. “But I appreciate the compliment, love.”
“I’m just being honest, Ro,” Sanguis remarked as he leaned over and kissed her cheek. “To lie would bring upon me an excruciating death, I’m sure.”
“Yes, yes, and you talk too much, you overdramatic husband of mine,” Shadow teased back. The half-Sephi then looked at Zele and winked. “If your uncle ever gives you trouble, let me know. I’ll beat him up for ya.”
Zele looked over at his Aunt and Uncle and then shook his head. “No hurt.”
Rasilvenaira looked at him, then looked over at Shadow and Sanguis. Then she hugged Zele close and gently brushed her fingers through his hair.
“She didn’t really mean it, Zele, she was just joking.”
Zele looked up at her, his silver eyes showing concern. “No hurt?”
“No, sweetie, no one’s going to hurt anyone. Auntie Shadow didn’t really mean it.”
The four-year-old relaxed and snuggled against his Momma’s chest and finally looked back over at his Aunt and Uncle and smiled happily.
Rasilvenaira kissed the top of his head and then looked up at the others. “He’s keenly sensitive about violence, it makes me wonder what he went through before he was dropped off at the orphanage. I know he was treated poorly there by the other kids, but this goes deeper than that, I feel.”
Jaxyn nodded, “He called me on being too rough with Ras one day when we were play fighting. He got really upset by it so we’ve stopped doing that when he’s awake.”
Shadow nodded in understanding and smiled back at Zele. “I’ll just poke your uncle a bunch,” she assured him.“
"No kicking his shins?” Artorias asked. “You used to do that with Papa…I think.”
Artorias’ remark caught Shadow by surprise. “You remember that?”
The boy nodded. “I think so. You did it a lot.”
“Yeah, I suppose I did. I’m surprised you remember, Art. You were only two when he…he passed.”
He shrugged. “I remember, but I don’t. It’s like…it’s like…” He looked towards the waterfall that fed into the small pond. “Like a ripple in the Force. Or…or an echo.”
He looked back at his mother. “I just remember Papa hopping around a lot.”
“Yeah, well, sometimes he asked for it,” Shadow confessed before she forced the memories away and focused on Zele again. “No kicking shins either. Just many pokes. I promise. No hurt.”
“She can’t hurt me anyway, even if she wanted to,” Sanguis added. “I’m too tough for your aunt,” he said with a playful wink. “And if your aunt ever bothers you, I’ll tickle her crazy. It’s her weakness.”
“Yeah, yeah. Anyway…” The half-Sephi smiled. “Did you wanna go check out your cousins’ room? They’ve got a lot of stuff to play with, and I know they won’t mind sharing.”
Zele smiled and giggled at the mention of tickling. “I like tickle.”
Rasilvenaira grinned too and lightly tickled his side just to make him squeal happily and squirm in her lap.
“Momma!”
She laughed softly and hugged him close, kissing his cheek. “Gotcha.”
Then as his Aunt Shadow continued, his mind went to more fun thoughts. “More pway?”
“Yes, more play, Arty and Deus and little Sorin have a lot of toys and games they can share with you in their rooms. Want to go see them?”
He gave a happy squeak and slid out of her lap, then turned to hug her leg before turning back to his cousins. “Pway inside now?”
Both Artorias and Deus nodded. “Sure! I can show you my cool starship collection!” Deus exclaimed. “And Arty has plenty of games too.”
“Mhm, and I’m sure Sorin won’t mind sharing some of his plushies,” Artorias added as he looked at his little brother. “Right?”
Sorin grinned. “Yup! Plushies! Me share!” He looked up at his mother. “Me go pway.”
Shadow nodded and set her son on his feet. “Alright. Just don’t get too rowdy. I don’t need anyone getting hurt.”
“I’ll make sure we won’t,” Artorias assured her before nodding to Deus that they were ready to go.
“Awesome!” This time, Deus extended his hand towards Zele. “C'mon, Zele. We’ll have lots of fun upstairs. I promise.”
Zele laughed happily and took Deus’ offered hand. “More pway!” Then he stopped and looked back to his parents, questioningly.
“Go have fun, sweetie. We’ll be up in a while, okay?” Rasilvenaira offered him a reassuring smile.
She was trying to encourage his independence so that he didn’t feel so dependent on her presence. Though of course, she was happy to have him in front of her all day every day, but she knew that for his growth, he needed to learn to be independent. And a chance for him to play with his cousins who wouldn’t bully him or harm him, was a perfect chance to let him have some independent space without feeling abandoned.
Zele nodded and looked back to his cousins. “Let’s go pway!”
She watched as the boys headed into the house. Being as familiar with this house as she was with her own, she could follow their route and progress without even trying. She was counting on Arty to keep things from getting out of hand if the others got overly excited.
She finally took a sip of her tea again and looked over at Jaxyn who gave her a knowing smile. “I still say its you who has the separation anxiety, not him.”
“That is what I’m trying to ensure, that he doesn’t develop it. This is the first time he’s had a chance to interact with other children instead of the adults all the time. I want him to learn that he can be independent and have fun without me standing there watching every moment. Even if it is hard for me.”
She laughed softly, “We’ve only had him three weeks but it feels longer than that. I can’t help that I’m really attached to him already. I just wish I knew what his first three years were like. Pretty sure he was just as neglected by his real mother as he was in the orphanage, but as sensitive as he is to any form of violence, makes me wonder what he’s seen. We had to sit down and explain that our sparring was just adult play, that we weren’t really going to hurt each other. And he still got upset a few times when we got really into it. He’s a very sensitive and intuitive child. Little wonder he’s got the Force in him so strongly.”
Jaxyn nodded, “I’ve felt it a few times when I’ve been playing with him, when he pushes my hand back without meaning to or realizing that he is doing it. So we need to start teaching him about the Force before he gets too much older so he can learn to control it while its still… oh what’s the word, anyway, I think its why the Jedi started kids young so the training would be easier.”
Rasilvenaira agreed, “Indeed, that’s why I had some challenges teaching Brelon because he was already an adult, and used to doing things his way. Teaching someone like Zele who’s young and open to learning, it’ll be a lot easier to help him learn to use and control his abilities.”
Deus and Artorias led Zele and Sorin to the staircase, being patient with the little ones as they ascended. As soon as they made it to the top, they made their way to the bedroom where Tsume rested in his usual guard spot. The black Arx wolf lifted his head as they approached, his head cocking slightly to the left in curiosity about the newcomer.
“Zele,” Artorias began, “ This is Tsume, your aunt’s Arx wolf. Mom told us that somehow, before grandpa passed away, he discovered him as a pup in a cargo he was smuggling. Grandma took him in until she gave him to our Mom as a late wedding gift for her and our actual dad.”
“Yeah, our actual dad was a Mandalorian mercenary,” Deus added. “But now, Sanguis is…our dad.”
Artorias noted the hesitancy in Deus, but chose to ignore it for now as he encouraged Zele to approach Tsume. “You can pet him, Zele. Tsume has been with us since we were little, so he’s good with kids. Sometimes, he lets Sorin ride him.”
As if to confirm, Sorin toddled past and climbed onto Tsume’s back, burying his face into the wolf’s mane. “So fwuffy.”
Shadow and Sanguis listened as Ras and Jaxyn talked about their encouragement for Zele’s independence, as well as the all-too-familiar separation anxiety Shadow had suffered from. “In time, Zele will overcome it,” she remarked. “It might be a few years, but it’ll happen. Maybe if he watches Deus and Artorias spar, it’ll help as well.”
“And starting him early with the Force is a good idea,” Sanguis added. “Artorias has been trying to show Sorin how to levitate small objects as is, though Sorin ends up smacking me with a pebble somehow anytime he’s interrupted. Flight-or-fight response, I guess.”
“A funny response,” Shadow teased. “I began teaching the twins when they were around Zele’s age. Just small things like levitating and moving objects. Sensing seemed to come easily to them since their bond as twins allowed them to sense each other’s thoughts and emotions immediately. That, and Art has just always been more sensitive to the Force than Deus. It used to overwhelm him.”
“I think Zele will learn quickly so long as he learns to be patient with himself,” Sanguis added. “And I’m sure Artorias will happily help in that endeavor as he already does with Sorin.”
Zele listened intently to the twins as they spoke, and then when Sorin climbed on the wolf’s back he smiled. He walked over and held a hand out where the wolf could smell him. Then once Tsume sniffed at him, he moved closer and started petting his head gently.
“Good wolf. Very fwuffy.” He finally hugged the wolf’s neck. After a few moments of enjoying the warm fluff, he straightened up and looked to the twins.
“We pway more now?”
Rasilvenaira nodded as she listened to her friends. “I’m sure you’re right. He’s a very bright child, I think he’ll be able to learn the difference between a training spar and actual violence as he gets a little older. I am grateful that he has your boys to socialize with instead of just us adults. It’ll boost his confidence to know he can play with others and not be teased or bullied like he was at the orphanage.”
Jaxyn reached over and took hold of her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “And now you can relax since they’re getting along well. I know you were worried about his reaction to the others.”
She chuckled softly, “I was, just like I worry over every new thing with him. I want to protect him and guide him but I have to keep reminding myself that sometimes he needs to learn to do things without me there beside him.”
Jaxyn smiled, “Just means you’re a good mother. He’s a lucky boy. He’s got a family who loves him, cousins to play with, and how many other uncles to get in trouble with?”
Artorias smiled and nodded. “Yup, we play more. Come on.”
Artorias opened the door, letting Zele go in first before he and his brothers followed. With a wave of his hand, the lights turned on, revealing the bunk beds and Sorin’s bed, accompanied by a dresser, two closets, and two trunks full of toys and games. A shelf with Deus’ collection hung low enough on a wall for the boy to reach, while safely being high enough away from Sorin’s curious hands. Closer to Sorin’s bed hung a net filled with Sorin’s various plushies.
Sorin immediately toddled over to the net and grabbed a voorpak plushie before bringing it back to Zele. “I share Mr. Fuzz Fuzz.”
Sanguis chuckled from Jaxyn’s remark. “Gods forbid Zele ever meets Horus. I’m sure Reiden will be happy to know he’s got a new nephew to spoil. Tivron, I’ve no doubt, will be a good influence on him, but Brelon is the one I’d keep an eye on. I’ve heard too many stories from Tiv about that one.”
He reached over, poured himself some tea, and took a sip before he continued. “Your apprentice keeps stealing my cousin away for mischief, Ras. Tiv was supposed to help me with some House business a few days ago, but instead, I find out he’s saving Brelon again from trouble.”
“Imagine the mischief you’ll have to deal with when Deus and Art are older,” Shadow remarked.
“Gods, Deus is going to try my patience. I already know it.” Sanguis sighed. “Thankfully, Artorias will have a level head on his shoulders.”
Shadow chuckled softly before looked back at Ras. “Zele will have one crazy family, but it’ll be a family that will love him all the same. We will always be there for him just as you have always been there for our boys.”
Zele looked around the room wide-eyed and then smiled brightly when Sorin came over with one of his plushies. “Mr. Fuzz Fuzz is cute!” He took the offered plushie and gently hugged it and then waved it around in his hand like it was hopping. “Looks like Momma’s fwuffies that like to crawl on me and tickle.”
He sat down, little legs finally getting tired, and gently bounced the plushie around from one leg to the other. Then he looked up at Sorin and smiled again, “If you come to our house, I have wots of pwushies too. I will share too.”
Rasilvenaira laughed, “Oh, I know, Brelon is very good at getting himself into trouble. I’ve told Tivran not to let him drag him into so much, but they are genuinely friends.”
Jaxyn chuckled, knowing he was going to end up being good friends with Brelon too since he enjoyed visiting the cantinas as well.
Rasilvenaira glanced over at him and huffed, “Don’t you go encouraging him either, Jax. And I do not care if Zele ever meets Horus, the less I see of the man the better. Though Reiden is a good egg, so I’m sure we’ll get around to having Zele meet him.”
Sorin grinned and grabbed another plushie, this one a Bantha, before he went and joined Zele on the floor and played. Deus went to his shelf, taking a few of his starships down to show off to Zele. Artorias, content to see Zele and Sorin playing together, went to the dresser and grabbed a puzzle cube before sitting on the edge of the bottom bunk, where he focused on solving the new challenge gifted to him by Sanguis.
Shadow chuckled. She and Sanguis didn’t care for Horus being around her own sons, but at times, she found the man’s banter made him good company. At least when he wasn’t drunk. Allowing him to remain in their lives periodically was more out of gratitude than anything. He had warned them of the impending attack on Nagi and had allowed them to stay in one of his many safe houses until they had chosen to return to the Brotherhood.
“Anyways, how are things with House Caliburnus? If you ever need to, you’re welcome to leave Zele with me since I’m home with the kids most days. Plus, I’m sure Teyla wouldn’t mind looking after him on the days I’m needed elsewhere.”
Zele made happy little sounds, trying to imitate what he remembered his mother’s Voorpaks sounding like. He was happier than he’d been in a long time, though he’d been perfectly happy with his mother and father too. But having someone nearer his age wanting to play with him, and older kids being nice to him, it had been so very different at the orphanage.
But now he didn’t need to remember those bad times. He had new friends, cousins close to his age, and new uncles as well as his new parents, so he was a very happy boy. His silver eyes shown brightly as he had Mr. Fuzz Fuzz playfully tickle Sorin’s leg.
He glanced around to see what the older two were doing, and he watched Deus a moment as he saw the ships he was bringing down. Then he looked over to Arty and couldn’t figure out what he was doing.
“Arty? What you doing?”
Rasilvenaira shrugged lightly, “Things have been going well. I’m grateful that I’ve been able to take some time off when we first adoped Zele. That was my biggest concern when we did decide to adopt him. I didn’t want to confuse the poor thing by dragging him back and forth every day, or for days on end before he had a chance to realize he had a home. I’m also glad he’s formed such a good bond with Jax too. Having clearly never had much of a father figure, I was hoping he would bond with him. It helps since Jax can look after him while I’m up to my neck in paperwork that has to be done.”
“Yeah, looking at him now you wouldn’t gets where he came from.” Jax added. “I was so happy when I really felt our bond growing instead of him just humoring her and being nice to me. It’s definitely going to help as he gets older, cause I’ll be able to teach him some non Force combat skills once we get over his worry over perceived violence.”
Artorias looked up and smiled. “I’m trying to solve this puzzle cube.”
He slid off the bed and scooted close to Zele. “There’s a secret hidden within, and I have to solve the puzzle to get to it. Each layer of the cube is a new puzzle, one harder than the last. I like puzzles because they test your brain and patience. Dad says life is full of problem solving, so it’s good to practice it in small ways.”
“I say it’s boring,” Deus remarked as he finished retrieving his collection.
“You know, Mandalorians have to solve things too, Deus,” Artorias pointed out. “They don’t always rush in. They have to strategize.”
“Well yeah, but I bet they didn’t mess with silly puzzle cubes.”
Artorias sighed and shook his head before returning his attention to Zele. “Anyway, for this puzzle, I have to use this thing here to make the images align with this part on the cube.”
He demonstrated how to work the puzzle, twisting a small nob to move a set of images while trying not to move another set. “I’ll figure it out eventually. But that’s how this one works.”
Sanguis nodded, understanding the importance of that bond. It was a bond he had formed with Artorias quickly, and one he was struggling to form with Deus. “Understandable. It’s good he’s accepted you both equally.”
Zele watched and listened to Arty intently, peering at the puzzle cube as his cousin worked the mechanism. His little mouth formed a perfect O as his eyes widened.
“That wooks hard.” Then he turned his attention back to Sorin, trying not to be rude. He held out Mr. Fuzz Fuzz. “You want to pway with him now?”
Then he looked up at Deus, not understanding why the brothers seemed to disagree, but he didn’t want any tensions. “Deus come pway too?”
Jaxyn nodded, “I’m very grateful, I mean, I’d manage as long he bonded with Ras, but its so much nicer that he clearly loves us both.”
Rasilvenaira nodded, “It is so much nicer to know he feels comfortable with both of us. That will be important as we start training him and as he gets older.”
She finished her cup of tea and reached out to pour herself another one, then glanced at the house, resisting the urge to go check on the boys. She knew Zele was in good hands with Arty, though Deus could be hot headed at times, and she was sure Zele and Sorin were going to end up great friends.
She finally looked back over to Shadow and Sanguis, “I do appreciate knowing you wouldn’t mind babysitting him sometime.” She chuckled, “We might take you up on it and let him come over for a sleepover while we have a date night. And I would love to maybe have regular play dates where either you bring the boys to my place, or we come here, so the four of them can get to know each other better.”
Sorin nodded and took back Mr. Fuzz Fuzz, though he, too, was now ogling the puzzle Artorias was trying to solve. Deus was the only one seemingly disinterested, and he smiled when Zele asked to play. “Sure, Zele. Though, check this Destroyer out? It’s a Victory-class like the one your mom and our dad command. The ISN Devastator and the ISN Subjugator. You can play with it if you want. Same with these ships, too.”
Next, he showed off a custom-painted, black ARC-170, his eyes alight with pride. “This one is painted like my mom’s fighter. She doesn’t like TIE fighters for some reason.”
“They look silly,” Artorias remarked. “I mean, a sphere and hexagonal wings? It’s like someone was bored and just drew shapes together and called it a ship. At least Dad’s Sabre has a nicer design.”
“Yeah, well, TIE fighters are some of the best starfighters out there,” Deus countered. “But Mom’s fighter is cool too, though I think the X-Wing looks cooler.”
Deus looked at his collection. “I need to get some Mandalorian ships. So far, I just have Imperial, Old Republic, and Mon Calamari ships. Anyways, you’re free to play with them, Zele. They won’t break.”
Shadow smiled. “I think that would be good for all the kids. Plus, I wouldn’t be surprised if Reiden takes the boys out for another beach day soon. I’m planning another camping trip myself, and you and Zele are more than welcome to join us. It will just be the boys and me. Sanguis is booked for the next two weeks.”
“Ah, yes, weeks of logistics and inspection,” Sanguis muttered. “That, and we’ve discovered more ruins, but my excavation teams are asking for more funding and tools while complaining since I won’t let the archaeologists publish their findings. I’ve had to silence one who dared to attempt to do so anyway.”
The Nagai shrugged. “In short, I’m going to be very busy and away for a while.”
Zele smiled when Sorin took Mr. Fuzz Fuzz back. He liked sharing. At the orphanage he never had much besides his bear Rooka. And no one there wanted to play with him, so he never had a chance to share and play with others. His mother and father, however, had made certain he had plenty to play with, big soft plushies, colorful story books, and some blocks to build things out of. And now he had cousins he could share his toys with when they came to visit. He was extremely happy.
He looked over and listened intently to Deus who explained each ship. He reached a tentative hand out to run his fingers down the hull of the Destroyer. “Is it a weally big ship? And Momma has one? I only seen the Cawiburnus.”
Rasilvenaira nodded, “I agree, they definitely seem to be hitting it off, so giving them chances to interact will be very good for them all.”
Jaxyn offered Sanguis a sympathetic look, “Oof, that sounds like everything but enjoyable. Good luck with it all. I know you’ll be missing your family. It’s hard for me to imagine being without Ras and now Zele for very long. Funny really, when you consider how long I spent on my own.”
Rasilvenaira chuckled softly, “How do you think I feel sometimes, I’m older than you are. It still feels surreal at times when I think about it. And yes, now its very hard for me when I need to be away for too long. I know I’m going to need to soon, and I’ll have to be focused on it, so I won’t be able to have you and Zele. So that would be the perfect time for you to take Zele to visit his cousins.”
“But as for camping soon, I’m all for it, Zele’s never been, so it will be fun introducing him to the outdoors.”
Deus nodded with a grin. “Oh yeah! The Devastator is really big! It carries a ton of people. Arty and I got to visit the Subjugator one time, and it was so cool to see. Really huge with a lot of power!”
Artorias chuckled. “Yeah, it’s pretty awesome. As are all the ships in the fleet. One day, Zele, you’ll get to see the Caliburnus fleet. Maybe even our dad’s fleet, too.”
Sanguis shrugged. “It was different back in the day. I was single, with only Linette waiting for me at home. Carrying out orders for the Dark Council and being away from home didn’t bother me much.”
Realization hit him as he spoke, Sanguis never having mentioned the Twi'lek ‘slave’ that had given him company. “Ah, right, I haven’t told you about Linette. She was a good friend who lived with me. We looked out for each other, and she managed my estate while I was away. In the end, well, she’s the reason I’m still alive in this era.”
He cleared his throat. “Anyway, it’s definitely a change. I hate being away for so long, but in the end, my work benefits my family in more ways than one.”
Shadow nodded, excited for the camping trip to come. “Perfect! Sanguis and I found a spot we enjoy taking the boys. It’s located near the base of the mountains, not too far from here. There’s a small lake with a little island. Above it is a trail that leads further up into the mountain, where there are a series of caves we think were carved out by the Aborigines. The boys enjoy looking at the cave art left behind on the walls. It’s probably not safe to visit the caves this time of year with the recent snowfall, but the lake is safe. Tsume always goes with us and keeps watch. Eqkaesyr haunts the area as well.”
Zele’s bright silver eyes went wide as he listened to the twins. “Ooh, that sounds weally, weally big. I wanna see it. But Momma’s been weally busy lately, I don’t wanna bug her.”
He looked at each of the models Deus had shown him and smiled, “Think I fwy one when I get big?
Jaxyn tipped his head curiously as he listened to Sanguis and then nodded, "Well, if she helped to save you, she must have been a very good friend indeed. It’s good to remember those along the way, we don’t often have that many true friends in one life time.”
Rasilvenaira laughed softly, “No kidding. But then for us, being a pirate or an assassin did somewhat limit our social circles over the years.”
“Yeah, oh in my prime I had a lot of fair weather friends, but they’d bail on me the first sign of real trouble. So I never counted them for much. In the end, I didn’t have but two crew members that actually stayed with me when I stopped being a pirate and spent so much time trying to catch up to Ras again.”
“Yeah, and in my line of work, I have had even fewer friends, because not many people trust someone like me.”
“I’m sure you’ll fly something,” Deus answered with an assuring smile. “Maybe not a Destroyer, but surely a cool fighter or something. I’m sure Aunt Ras will teach you how to fly.”
“And then we’ll all be flying together once Sorin learns as well,” Artorias added. “We could have our own small squadron. We’d have to come up with a name.”
“Trust is something we Sith can’t really afford. At least not without caution,” Shadow commented thoughtfully, a painful memory of Kamjin’s betrayal briefly surfacing. “But it is a precious thing when it comes to those we can truly trust. I am grateful for your friendship. Back when I had just been knighted, I don’t think I ever expected to make friends apart from Rayne. Always felt it was safer to be on my own.”
“Agreed. Trust often led to a knife at your throat or a lightsaber through your back,” Sanguis added. “Back then, Korriban was a deathtrap for the unwary and foolish. You had alliances, but you always kept your blade ready.”
He looked at Ras. “I would’ve probably never trusted you had it not been for Rowan, but here we are.”
Zele clapped his little hands, excited about flying some day. He carefully picked up one of the fighter models and swooped it through the air making little whooshing sounds. Then he giggled happily and put the model back down. He was unusually careful and polite for a four-year-old, but he didn’t want anyone to hurt his toys, so he was careful with other’s things.
Though this was really the first time he’d been invited to play with anyone, there had been some communal toys at the orphanage. He’d seen some of the kids breaking or tearing toys up and they got scolded by the adults. The idea of being scolded didn’t appeal to him so he was always careful in what he did, so no one had a reason to scold him.
Finally, he tired of ships and turned his attention back to Sorin who was still playing with Mr. Fuzz Fuzz. He looked over to the stuffed bantha that Sorin had been playing with and pointed to it. “Sorin, can I pway with it?”
Rasilvenaira chuckled softly, “Agreed, after all, what have I always told you? Don’t trust a Sith. It’s so typical among the Sith, the backstabbing and betrayals. It is exceedingly rare to have a friendship among Sith like we have.”
She nodded at Sanguis, “I can only imagine. Part of me wishes I could have seen the Sith Empire at its peak, but the rational part of my brain tells me it would be a bad idea. And, no worries, Sanguis, it’s mutual. If it weren’t for Shadow, I wouldn’t have been likely to trust you either when we first met. Hell, I don’t blame anyone for not trusting me. I wouldn’t trust me half the time. Except when it comes to kids. I do enjoy the kids, sincerely.”
Sorin looked up at his cousin, back at the plushie, and then once more at his cousin before he offered the plushie back. “You pway. I has more.”
Sorin pushed himself back to his feet and went back to the net, grabbing more plushies and bringing them to Zele. “I share all!”
Artorias smiled at his half-brother’s willingness to share as he continued with the puzzle cube. Deus focused on some of his models, creating a dogfight between a TIE Interceptor and the ARC-170, mimicking fighter sounds and voicing commands from the starships that presided over the imaginary space battle. Sorin just went over all the names of the plushies before booping Zele’s nose with an Anooba plushie appropriately named after their late companion, Loki.
“I think it’s safe to say, the kids are the binding of this unusual family,” Shadow added. “After Tarsus passed, Reiden was the only one at the time whom I could trust with the boys. When I became Empress, he still was the only one until Sanguis came along and needed some way to coax you out of retirement. Didn’t fully work, but you gained two nephews. Then we left, Sorin was born, and you became his chew toy when we finally returned to the Empire.”
She took a sip of her tea and chuckled. “Perhaps the kids are the key to forming impossible alliances.”
“Well, they are one of the reasons we didn’t kill each other,” Sanguis remarked with a soft smile. “They won me over the minute I met them, and becoming their father was the greatest decision I’ve ever made.”
Zele giggled happily when Sorin booped him with another plushie. He leaned over and hugged Sorin before picking a couple plushies to play with. Every so often he’d glance up and watch Deus’ imaginary space battle, and then check Arty’s progress with the fascinating puzzle cube.
He was so completely happy he couldn’t help but laugh and clap his hands, then he hugged one of the plushies and went back to playing with them. Hopping them around in front of himself
Rasilvenaira nodded, “Yeah, my poor often interrupted retirement. It was fun while it lasted, but I am honestly glad to be active again, even though I get crazy busy with House work some days. I’m also glad I could be there for you and the kids. By the time Sorin is Zele’s age, I think he’ll have to find other things to chew on, because by then his little fangies are gonna be long enough to possibly draw blood. But right now he’s just too cute and they don’t hurt.”
Jaxyn looked over at Sanguis and nodded, “I have to agree with that sentiment. I will never have any regrets about becoming Zele’s father. And I look forward to continuing to be there for him as he grows. I can help with those questions he’ll have that Ras would have a harder time answering. But she’s there for when he needs to just be held and loved.”
Now and then, Artorias glanced over at his brothers and cousin, smiling to himself at the joy filling the room. He still worked on his puzzle cube, and after a few more minutes of tinkering with it, he solved the puzzle and unlocked the next one. He grinned with satisfaction, quickly moving onto the next puzzle in silence, not wanting to interrupt the others.
However, Deus noticed and quickly scooted over next to his twin. “Oh, you solved it. Cool. This puzzle looks like a maze.”
“Sorta. See this? I have to rotate and shift the walls around to make a clear path for the little ball. This one will take a bit longer.”
“Maybe. Does look kinda…what’s the word? Starts with a ‘t’.”
“Tedious?”
“That’s it! Tedious.”
Artorias chuckled. “It is, but that’s fine. Just makes me more excited to solve it.”
Sanguis sighed in relief. “Hopefully, I can break that habit so he doesn’t need anything to chew on. I worry that Rowan and I will have another hurdle to navigate soon. My gut tells me he’ll be experiencing the thirst soon.”
Shadow squeezed his wrist comfortingly before she intertwined her fingers with his. “We’ll get him through it. We have the synthetic stuff that should hopefully assuage the thirst.”
“Hopefully.” Sanguis sighed. “We just have to make sure he doesn’t attack someone. It was a hard situation for me, but for his age, it’s going to be confusing and frightening for him, I’m sure.”
The Nagai looked at Jaxyn and Ras. “There…may be times we may need you or Reiden to take the twins. I want them to understand, but…I don’t want them to become terrified of their brother either. They…still don’t know the full extent of my own affliction. We’ve only told them I suffer from a rare condition. I’m afraid I’m going to have to tell them the entire truth soon.”
The Marauder sighed again. “I just don’t want to shatter what relationship I have with the boys.”
Zele looked over when he heard that Arty had solved part of the puzzle and he clapped and giggled happily. “Yay Arty!”
Then he happily went back to playing plushies with Sorin, the two trading giggles and laughs as they made the plushies bounce and roll around.
Rasilvenaira nodded, “I will try to help too, make sure as he gets older that I stop letting him chew on me and I’ll tell him its because it hurts and he can’t do it any more.”
Jaxyn offered a sympathetic look to Sanguis. “I really think the boys will be able to handle it. They’re well loved and they all know it. While it may be a bit of a shock at first to hear the full story, I’m sure they’ll come to understand why you waited to talk to them about it. I have my own issues that I’ll have to find the right time to talk to Zele about. I want to be the first one he hears about me being a pirate from.”
Rasilvenaira reached over and put a gentle hand on his arm. “Sweetheart, its nothing compared to trying to explain what I’ve done for a living. We both have issues to deal with in time. And as with their boys, we just have to work on building as much of a solid and loving foundation with Zele as we can, and then face the rest when he’s a little older and able to understand things.”
Artorias smiled at Zele’s praise and continued working on his puzzle cube until a yip was heard outside their room. He knew who it was immediately and set the cube down before getting up and going to the door. As he opened it, he was met by Tracyn, the mahogany-furred wolf pup, greeting him with a rapidly wagging tail.
“Ah, perfect! Zele, this is Tracyn. He’s the wolf cub your mom gave me.”
Artorias watched as Tracyn noticed their guest and approached, sniffing the boy before firmly placing his front paws on the boy’s lap to lick his face. “Tracyn. Let him pet you first.”
“You gotta work on his manners more,” Deus quickly advised.
“I have been. It’s just taking a little bit.”
Shadow held back a sigh, understanding well what it meant to have a past that was far from clean and innocent. Yet, that’s what made her children all the more precious. They were the light that grounded her and Sanguis, as she knew Zele would be for his parents. “Whoever thought we lot would find ourselves parents one day, right? It definitely wasn’t on my bingo card when I first joined the Empire.”
“Elena and I had hoped to have children,” Sanguis added. “After her death, and the Sith taking me, I thought that dream had died.”