PRESENT COMPANY: Balun Dashiell, Makai Dashiell, Pheobe Dashiell.
ADDITIONAL INFO: Set during the thread "You Belong In A Museum".
At such a young age, Kellan Dashiell was still ignorant of certain aspects of life. For example, when looking at his Father, he only saw a man who loved and cared for him, never once considering how difficult life had been for Balun since he had become a Dad.
Life was largely simple compared to the grownups. Kellan remained too young to comphrehend or even hold any interest in the going on's in the larger Galaxy around him. His priorities were set in the everyday moment, such as having fun with his Cousin Pheobe at the Museum they were all visiting.
Focusing on the wondrous crystalflies that fluttered around them, like rainbow colored insects with huge wings that were almost too big for their little stick-shaped bodies. Or thinking about when and what they were all going to eat for lunch when his stomach rumbled heavily enough to shake him from the fun of the day's adventures.
Yet for all his innocence and youthful ignorance of the greater scheme of things, even Kellan knew that he wasn't like his Cousin, his Uncle or Father, for that matter. His cyan eyes were bright, luminous and allowed him to see ahead of what most kids could make out details of things.
The largest distinguishing physical traits most first noticed about him too his crown of aquatic natured tendrils that grew from his forehead and temples, surrounding his human head of hair, instantly setting him apart from what other younglings his age looked like, and often elicited reactions of apprehension, curiosity or concern from others.
Yet it was his elongated ears that gave him superior hearing to full-blooded humans, that really ruined the day for Kellan and for the first time, made him begin to feel a little scared about what else he didn't know; that which his Dad hadn't told him.
"Kellan asked me about his mother the other day"
Kell and Pheobe were enjoying being surrounded by the Crystalflies when he heard his father's words from quite some distance behind them. Pheobe was also talking excitedly, explaining all that she knew about the pretty little bugs, yet he couldn't help but focus on the fact that his Dad was talking about his Mom to Uncle Mak. He gave a smile to his cousin, awkward as it were, not really sure what she had said to him while still listening with his back turned to the grownups.
"How did that go?" Makai had responded.
"It wasn't great.
I've been battling with how to approach the subject ever since he came into my life, only to go with my first instinct which was a blatant lie.
I told him she had died. That she loved and adored him before she passed...-Which she would have, if she were the same person I fell in love with, when he was born
I know it's karked up, and it's going to bite me in the arse one day...-But I have to protect him. Not a day goes by that I don't wonder when that ball is going to drop and she's going to try and take him again".
He didn't understand what his Dad was saying, seemingly zoning out as Pheobe's voice could be heard beside him, yet his mind was reeling as he struggled with what he heard. He wanted to suddenly start shouting back at the grownups, to make them tell him everything he didn't and couldn't understand. His Uncle responded, leaving Kellan only able to listen intently, refusing to turn around and show that he was doing something he shouldn't be, eavesdropping on his Dad, but it was impossible not to want to know more.
"If I'm being honest I would have done the same thing. He is too young to grasp the concept. In a way, it is not far from the truth. The woman who birthed him is no more, technically I would assume it is safe to say she is dead. I think...if he is raised with a good head on his shoulders...it will be a shock but perhaps with a plan in place...
Don't worry. I've had my noghri bodyguards tail Kellan since his appearance into our lives. Much like when I was young, they remain a respectful distance. I hope you don't view it as an overstep - Kellan is an heir to a vast fortune, many would kidnap or kill him for a piece of that fortune. Surprised you haven't noticed them with your mystical powers."
Kellan turned to look to Pheobe, pale as a ghost, even for one of such blue skin like his. He wasn't sure what exactly Noghri were or what a bodyguard did, but it sounded like it was something scary. Especially if they were hiding and watching, and had been for a while. That was, of course, the least of the problems in all that he was hearing!
What happened to his Mom? Dad had told him that she wasn't around anymore because of some bad people, and that it was important that he know how much she had loved him. Of course, Kellan had wondered. All the other younglings he met all had mothers and fathers, families that were all together. But if his Mom couldn't be around anymore, then why did his dad say that he had lied—telling tall stories which weren't the truth, which his Dad had always told him was a really bad thing to do!
"Mama is evil and she abandoned you isn't exactly developmentally appropriate for his age. Plus you would open him up to potential abandonment issues. As a child who had abandonment issues, I don't recommend it. It took a lot of mistakes and therapy to correct."
"Evil?" Kellan murmured to himself under his breath, barely more than a whisper, as he followed Pheobe, who had now taken his hand in order to encourage him to pay attention to the pretty bugs fluttering around them.
"I wouldn't know, to tell you the truth...
My Mother abandoned me to the Jedi at the same age Kellan was when Nouqai left him with us. I didn't know any better. The Jedi were honest with me when I was old enough to understand. Still, their ideology was all about self-discipline, emotional restraint and letting go of attachments that weren't healthy.
"Kell! Hurry! I can't catch these all myself!" Pheobe pleaded with him, distracting Kellan from the adults for a moment.
Blinking a couple of times, he stared back at his Cousin as though she might have been speaking an entirely different language. His mind was racing with burning questions, yet not where to even begin to start. Pheebs was like his best friend, more than just family and a cousin. When his dad was away, like he often was on business stuff, Uncle Mak and Aunt Myra Arceneau Dashiell would take care of him, which meant that he and Pheobe would always spend heaps of time playing together.
The way she was looking at him now made him feel bad, as though he was making her sad for not enjoying the Crystalflies like she had hoped he would. Of course, that wasn't the case at all. They were very pretty insects, and he had never seen anything like them before...
"Sorry, man, it probably seems pretty chit of me, but later that night was when Nouqai and I had our fight. It was the last time I saw her, before she turned up on our doorstep and she handed Kell over to Dad".
"I..." Kellan started to speak, yet his throat felt like something had suddenly got stuck there and he had to swallow a couple of times to find his words; "Okay..." he murmered. Running a little more to catch up with Pheobe.
Everything the grownups said was stupid and frustrating, and he didn't want to hear any more of it. At the same time, he wanted to know, but not while Pheobe was showing him all of these cool new creatures and trying to have fun playing together. It was all so stupid and annoying, and he wanted to get further ahead so that he didn't have to hear any more of it.
"Talk louder Phee!" Kellan encouraged Pheobe, hoping that somehow she might be able to drown out the sound of the discussion that continued some distance behind them, where Balun and Makai were taking their time, under the impression that they were having a private conversation.
Naturally, his father should have anticipated that Kellan might have the same hearing ability that his Mom did.
"Wha? Why?" Pheobe replied, suddenly confused by the suggestion.
In the Archive's hush, it is written:
"When night gnaws the rim of the stars,
a maw of shadow will drink the dawn
and wear its chains of radiance.
Called by the Living Light, the beast will kneel,
devouring fear and spitting out truth,
its roar a hymn through Kyber halls
and where it treads, the darkness meets the Light,
balance made flesh and stride.".
