Come Home, Dear Children

[Liliane]

She didn't just want to come back. She had to come back to her home. The place where she had spent the most of her childhood. Until the day she had moved out of the Zahat'n'ira house, she had always wondered why people kept wanting to go back to where they had lived for a decade or two. It looked rather tiring and boring to her then.

But maybe becoming more and more mature had its effects on the want to go back to the very first home. And it was a nice feeling she had when she finally made it to the planet.

Making her way through the village of Zahati'i, she felt a lot of nostalgia. It was a fancy feeling, but at the same time, it nearly broke her heart and made her eyes fill with that salty water she hated to much. But she couldn't help but let them flow freely down her cheeks.

She looked at the druids of the planet and smiled. They were just like she had left them. They didn't care much about the wars of the galaxy, but focused on their own calm lives. Just what the girl needed after coming from the bus core of the galaxy.

Peace was what lived in the outer areas of the galaxy while countless battles took place in the middle of it. A little bit ironic and not what you'd think it would be like, but... That's how it was. A look at these people just minding their own business gave Lilin the one feeling she had not experienced for a long time. Harmony.

She saw the walls of the house she and her father, along with her brother Vindi, had lived in for a long time. And the number of tears she released doubled in an instant.

Before opening the door, she took a short pause to breathe in. And then she took the handle, pushed it down, and opened the door.

"Dad," she whispered.

She was home.

 

[Onrai]

"Sweetie..."

A voice would soon respond to Lilin's own. It was certainly tired and well-worn - and why not? Between hunting for artifacts and doing his best to keep his children safe from the locals that viewed them as monstrous abominations clad in human form, Vitor had aged a bit less than gracefully. Still, he struggled, his armor heavily patched and mended now. "I thought you wouldn't come back here now that you have your own home and territory." He sighed, frowning and lowering his head.

"I had to sacrifice so much for you and your siblings..."

 

[Liliane]

"Of course I would come back. It's my home. The one and only true home."

She tried to smile to her father, forcing herself to bend her mouth a little, and she thought she succeeded in doing so. Her eyes shined more than a diamond due to all the tears she had shed, her cheeks had wet trails on them and her voice trembled more than ever.

While walking closer to Vitor, Lilin looked around, let her eyes look at what she had left behind. It was good to be back and she sincerely meant it. There was no better feeling than escaping all this madness and get back to the home of her heart.

"I know, dad, and I thank you for what you have done!"

She smiled once again, looked at her father and took a seat on one of the armchairs in the room. They were just as comfortable as she remembered them to be.

"How have you been?"

 

[Onrai]

"I've been better." He winced. "A bit sore from recent events... A woman came by sometime back to seek me out specifically for some artifact hunting. She seems like a nice woman." If Lilin remembered her previous stepmother, she likely would know what he was thinking - that perhaps she had down degree of interest in him. "How have my sons been doing?" She likely kept in greater contact with Vindi and his son with that energy vampire.

"I miss your mother. Though I suppose her dream about having a Sithspawn was unfounded..."

 

[Liliane]

"Vindi has been doing fine, that's what I know," Lilin answered her dad's question shortly, with no thought put into that before. "He could do better, though. He has some struggles at figuring things out, but I'm always there for him if he needs me."

He smiled lightly and took a deep breath. Even the smell of this house felt a lot more like home than her actual residence did. There was just something about living in a busy city that she couldn't actually tolerate. Peace was what she needed -- both inside and outside. Zahat'n'ira was one of the only places she could feel like she had both.

"But I don't know about my half-brother. We talked shortly about a week ago and then it seemed like he was doing great, but I am not too sure. He sounded a little bit worried."

He had sounded a bit troubled and that was the truth. She couldn't go for a visit, but she had actually planned to do that soon, perhaps after visiting her father.

However, the remark about how Vitor missed Lilith came before she could go into deep details about how her brothers were doing. She had to admit, she had lived most of her life without a mother and she didn't feel as terrible as her father did, but she did understand his pain. Losing somebody you love like that is heart-breaking.

"I... I miss her too. Both I and Vindi would have needed her motherly care. A biological mother's care."

She sighed.

"But you never told me she wanted to have a Sithspawn."

 

[Onrai]

"She didn't want to. It nearly drove her crazy when she had the dream about it - she was pregnant with you, then." He frowned. "She practically went mad when I told her I would accept the child like any other. She nearly ran herself through with a lightsaber... That could've killed both you and her." He sighed. "I hate to say this, but I nearly ended my life over the grief she caused me... Though she would one day return back to me after her mind was returned to her."

Smiling, he scooted to the side of the couch, motioning for her to sit down next to him.

 

[Liliane]

Lilin saw her dad's motion, stood up with a swift motion and took a seat again next to him.

"I can feel why she didn't want to have the child. I've heard things about Sithspawn I would like to erase from my brain."

She adjusted her hair with her right hand to get them away from her face. Her brown hair was something she had not inherited from neither of her parents. They were just the way they were, but considering how both her mother and father and mother's parents had dark hair, it was just a little bit magical and mystical at the same time.

"But I also understand why you would have raised him."

For a moment, she thought whether she should let her father know the truth, but quickly came to the conclusion it would be better if she were honest about some things.

"Well, there is actually this one thing -- Vindi was contacted by Lilith before her final death. She told him about a child she wanted us to give to you when we think you're ready for that."

She smiled.

"She had taken the time to carefully engineer a Sithspawn with all the corruption and Sith Magic she had inside her. It's now at Vindi's, but I could tell him to come home and bring her along."

 

[Onrai]

"Please do." He gave a soft sigh. Apparently she had given birth to one last child, one that was the perfect mirror of the warped visage that had touched the corners of her mind during the dream the spirit had run over her. "If this is my last child... Well, I really would rather not watch her from afar. I want her to be a part of my life." He wondered what sort of intriguing quirk she had. Vindi killed electronics, Lilin drained life, and his other son was a blood drinker.

What would she be?

[member="Lilin Imperieuse"]

 

[Liliane]

Lilin gave her father a nod and stood up to give her brother a call. She didn't know how he'd react to the two bringing the third child of Lilith's to their father so soon, but now they had to bring her to the family. They had to let her father raise her just like he had done with both of them, as well as he'd raised their half-brother who they typically didn't consider as a member of their family.

"Hey, Vindi! Remember the child mum gave you? Well, you should go to dad's with her. I've told him the truth and he'd like to raise the Sithspawn as if it was a typical child."

She didn't let the boy reply to that, but instead ended the call as soon as she had ended her last word. She wouldn't have wanted to hear her brother's reaction if they had sworn to keep this a little secret until they had agreed on bringing her to Vitor.

"I haven't seen her yet, but Vindi said she is quite a nightmare."

 

[Onrai]

"A nightmare in what manner?" He raised an eyebrow. "She's not a changeling, I know that much of course... Though it makes me wonder what sort of mutation she has received." He frowned. "Why is it that my children always seem to be mutated in some fashion?" He was uncertain as to what the reasoning was, but perhaps being preserved in the oubliette was a reason behind his state.

"Hopefully he will be here soon. I want to meet my daughter."

[member="Lilin Imperieuse"]

 

[Liliane]

"I don't know. Perhaps her behaviour? Maybe her appearance?" Lilin guessed. All of her knowledge on her sister came from conversations with Vindi, but her appearance had never come to discussion. Neither had her attitude.

"Maybe you're special and that specialty goes on to your children? Or maybe it was the corruption of our mother that made us that odd?"

She didn't consider their unique traits an oddity. In fact, sometimes they were even abilities to at least the two. She had no idea what the energy vampire's son was like. He could have had to suffer due to the strangeness he had inherited.

"It will take Vindi some time to reach that end of the galaxy, but I have no doubt that he'll be here soon."

She sighed.

"What do you do nowadays? Now that you haven't had children to raise for a long time anymore?"

 

[Onrai]

"I do archaeological work - the same thing I did back wen I was supporting the both of you." He paused. "Perhaps it's simply mutation that's gotten to me. I spent hundreds of years entombed inside an ancient Dark Side artifact, with a Sith sword as well." He sighed, pondering over what he could do for his daughter now that she was here.

"Perhaps you are finally old enough to have one of my possessions."

[member="Lilin Imperieuse"]

 

[Liliane]

"Glad to know you still manage to live your life like you used to, dad," Lilin said with a friendly tone, wiping away the last of her tears. She was starting to feel a whole different emotion now -- something like a mixture of happiness and peace, having inherited the best traits of both of these feelings.

She was a little bit surprised to hear her father would give her something he has had his hands on for long now, but she didn't show that off. Sometimes it was better to hide some feelings, just like sometimes it was good to not tell somebody the truth.

"What is it, dad? What do you want to give me?"

Her mind pondered around the possession. What could it be that she'll get?

 

[Onrai]

"There's one thing I've kept for a long while now. Something that has been the reminder of my entire existence for many, many years." He stayed quiet, reaching around before pulling out a large sword, one-and-a-half-handed with a curved blade. "This sword was once mine - it was made many thousands of years ago by a Sith sorcerer as part of his quest to take over the Galaxy. I used it to battle a member of the infamous Shan family when I was younger, and it was stored away with me as well. It's yours now." He offered it to her.

Hopefully she would take it.

[member="Lilin Imperieuse"]

 

[Liliane]

The sword looked amazing -- Lilin couldn't even take her eyes off of it, not even speaking of managing to listen to what her father was telling her. She could sense the darkness inside it and its corrupting powers, but she didn't let it shake off her want to get the sword. But common sense told her to be polite, even though it was her own dad who was offering her that valuable item.

"I... I fear I can't take it. Unless you're really sure you want to give it to me."

She touched the flat part of the sword with her finger, feeling its coldness, yet being amazed by how shiny it actually was.

"I like it and I would like to have it, but... If it's something that defines you and your personality, I wouldn't want to take it from you."

 

[Onrai]

[member="Lilin Imperieuse"]

"I mean it." He smiled. "The weapon is yours to do with as you wish." He wanted the weapon gone, truthfully. It reminded him too much of the things that he had done - for her, it wouldn't bear the same level of sentiments as he. "I want to to take it and use it on many foul beasts and abominations." She would slay many infernal entities with the weapon.

"And above all, never let yourself be lost to its power."

 

[Liliane]

Lilin looked at the sword first, then at her father, and then back at the metal sword. She wanted to take it, she had to take it. Her right hand grasped around the handle of the beautiful artefact and lifted it up. It was a lot heavier than she thought it would be, so for a moment, her arm started to fall, but she managed to regain from the surprise fast enough not to drop the weapon on the ground.

"Thank you, dad!" she whispered while admiring the beauty of this fine weapon.

"I promise to keep it with me until my death and use it for deeds you'd be proud of."

She felt a little bit cocky -- the weapon had been given to her and not Vindi, which was a good sign in her opinion. After all, she was the older sibling and deserved to own the weapon her father had once used to fight with monsters she couldn't even imagine.

 

[Onrai]

[member="Lilin Imperieuse"]

A smile crossed her face as he gave her forehead a quick kiss. "That's my girl." The sound of a knock at the door raised an eyebrow as he stepped over to see who it was. "Vindi! Great to see my son here... How's it going?"

"Good, Father. Your daughter should be forthcoming." He stepped inside as Vitor awaited her arrival.

 

[Liliane]

Lilin eyed the brother without saying a single word. She was surprised he had decided to come after all. Even though she had broken her promise to keep their little sister in secret, he still trusted her, cared about her. Just like a family should work. But she did not know how Vitor would react to the daughter her wife had given birth to.

Or even worse, how would she react to that?

Her eyes tried to find the little kid, but she couldn't see her. Was she hidden somewhere? Behind the boy? She couldn't tell. But she could tell both her and her father's hearts raced and were seemingly on the edge of breaking through their ribcages.

She put the weapon down on a table and waited.

 

[Onrai]

"Where is she?" He was a bit confused, for he saw nothing at all. There was no shadow, no light, none of that. "Are you two pulling a joke on me... I'm not a big fan of that sort of thing, you know." He frowned. Though he sensed something a bit out of the ordinary, he couldn't see it, and that annoyed him greatly.

[member="Lilin Imperieuse"]