Confusion and Expectations

[Arabella Darkhold]

Here far from the maddening crowds of everything and everyone she felt some calm begin to find her giving ease to her restless mind. The mission with Muadie had taken something from her. It wasn't something that could be touched and yet she felt it missing.

She needed a conversation with her father.

Standing on the surface of Dathomir looking around at the devastation that had been done was a reminder that her family on Alderaan had recently suffered another attack. She would in time go there and do what any sister should.

She waited for her father @garith darkhold to come. Like any child who loved a parent in times of chaos and uncertainty she reached out hoping to find answers. She hoped the answers that he had to share would not be ones that pushed her deeper into herself.

She looked down at the picture of [member="Jia Darkhold"] ....her daughter. But that wasn't possible...it just....she shook her head wishing that the words would leave her alone.

She knew her father had often saw her as weak and this meeting might just prove that too him once more. But she had to try. She had to see him.

 

[Garith Darkhold]

What had happen on Dathomir?

Was it another war? It was always war. Even within Garith an internal struggle. It was that internal struggle that plagued the Elder Kashi even now.
Traversing the battered landscape the Kashi Elder could hear the pain of the planet. Confusion came from the feelings that followed. There was a deep seeded conflict within the Elder. His love for his children had awoken the compassion within the Elder Kashi.

“What happened here”, the Elder spoke to [member="Arabella Darkhold"]. “Why, this location”, the Elder asked another question.

 

[Arabella Darkhold]

She had felt his presence before she had really seen him and as always no greeting of hello just his gruff manner of speaking and getting directly to the point. "Why here no real reason other than convenience and n one would think to bother us. Least not right now."

She looked up at her father he had always been taller than she, "They were looking for a cure to anyone who used the force. But from what I understand it is only on Mandalore now that they have banned them from. Like we have some kind of sickness." She stared down at the ground for a moment.

"But that is not why I asked you to come. My....visions of the future are traveling two different paths. You are predominant in my visions. Father...is something wrong?" She would have said Dad but that was a title a child gave to their parent. Least that is what she had been told.

[member="Darkhold"]

 

[Garith Darkhold]

[member="Arabella Darkhold"]

“Is there something, wrong”, the Elder repeated the question asked.
“There is plenty, wrong”, he answered and continued to ask a question of his own.
“I will answer what is on my mind soon. First tell me what is on yours?”

 

[Arabella Darkhold]

[member="Darkhold"]

"First thing on my mind is how to parent a grown child I never knew." This was a truth even [member="Muad Dib"] questioned this ability. Neither of them had ever thought to have children ever. and now...well...and..."She has my genetics...and my flaws...I think she suffers from the same problem I have with metabolism." She had never asked her brother if he suffered from this. She had felt it was how she was created. But that was different too wasn't it..

Could be something, could be nothing.

"Second....I've seen a time when you aren't here....are you..ok?" She hesitated to say the word leaving. She couldn't not to have her father again would crush her. Was he leaving? Or was it something else that the future had not shown her yet.

 

[Garith Darkhold]

There was a moment of confusion that came across the Elder’s features. What was that first thing Bella was speaking of? Parent a grown child? The content of that sentence [member="Arabella Darkhold"] suggested she was in the role of the parent.

The look of confusion shifted, as the elder’s body shifted. It had turned from a semi casual conversation while looking over the landscape of Dothomir to…

The Elder’s intense eyes looked off to the daughter. Bella was used to this intensity and most likely knew she had got the elder’s attention.

“I am ok, is a relevant term”, was the answer it came from the Kashi’s lips. “Truly, it would be based off the perception of who may or may not be asking.”

“Truth as you and I know it, I’ve not been ok for a very long time. I’ve been learning to live all over again. My very perception is being reawakened. My very motives have changed. I’ve been playing a charade, pretending to still being the person the very few remember as. My motive before was hate and revenge. Now it is for love of my children and their children. So if I have another grandchild, please tell me. I may not have been the best parent but I do care. I will help how I can.”

 

[Arabella Darkhold]

[member="Darkhold"]

Bella nodded and sighed, "Muadie and I went on a mission based on a vision I had about the runes we got as padawans on Korriban. As usual we did some fighting, got hurt, got mad, got stomped rallied and won." She looked up at her father knowing he knew her best.

"When the dust settled what I had pulled from the tormentors mind was a name of a girl named Jia and...well..." There wasn't an easy way to tell anyone of this so she would just say it..."she's mine and Maudie's daughter. Made from our DNA....she's been told we are her enemy. She has little to no reason to trust Muad or I, and...she's angry...but...she saved us...it's all so confusing."

Her brow wrinkled, "were Garith and I so vexing? How do I parent her...or...you know..be her mother, or her friend." Bella struggled for words she wasn't ready for this she really wasn't..but her father..he had chosen to be parent to her and Garith...so he could help.......right?

 

[Garith Darkhold]

[member="Arabella Darkhold"]

Why was everything so complicated? The Elder somehow felt responsible for all of this. Like somehow all of this happened because of the craziness the Elder had brought into his children’s life. He had wished he had some solid answer.

“I wish I had some simple answer “, these words flowed out with a simple with a shrug of the shoulders. “Being a parent has been the hardest challenge of my life. It has been a challenge I felt I’ve failed on more than one occasion.”

Then a smile parted the lips as some fantastic memories came to mind, “Then there were moments I felt blessed just to witness.”

“The hardest obstacle I had being a parent was myself”, The Elder head sighed remembering mistakes made and challenges overcame. "I was controlling, abrasive, and sometime downright mean. I don’t know if I ever learned a balance of a steady hand and unconditional love. From child to child it varies. Knowing when to give them room and when to be there is tricky. With her saving you and Muad, that does tell you something. It is an opening for later encounter with a chance a relationship. Give it a chance without putting too much pressure on it.”

“I would like to meet her myself”, the thought came to mind, “However I don’t think I will be able to get that opportunity.”

 

[Arabella Darkhold]

[member="Darkhold"]

She nodded, "I am my own worst enemy. I invited her here [member="Jia Darkhold"] to meet you she shouldn't be too long . My visions...drive my actions at times...I will try to remember what you have said...I only had days were I felt like I was a disappointment to you. But for the most part you have been a wonderful Dad. I don't lack for anything, I was able to receive the best schooling I wanted, I had a freedom that others didn't. I had more freedom than Faith and Theo."

She reached over put a hand on her father's arm, "Jia uses the name Darkhold."

A shadow crossed her face again, "Dad don't just leave please...I couldn't bear it." She couldn't his disappearance the last time drove her to the edge of madness and obsession. She did not want to walk that path again.

 

[Garith Darkhold]

[member="Arabella Darkhold"] [member="Jia Darkhold"]


A mood can shift rather quickly. Gar’ith just felt a dramatic shift. From joy to hear the grand daughter would be stopping by for a visit.

Then sadness hit hearing how he would crush his daughter if he disappeared again. That sadness twisted and then hit Gar’ith so damn hard turning into anger at himself.

With a symbolic gesture Gar’ith reached out at a nearby tree, and then clinched his fist. From the tree a loud popping sound rang out. A large knot in the tree, about the same size of a grown man, was just crushed. Then Gar’ith pulled his closed fist towards himself. The crushed tree knot dramatically floated away from the tree, and then it just dropped to the ground.

A large hole was left in the tree from a well place telekinetic kill.

“Sorry”, embarrassed the Elder turned away. “I’m a danger to our family. I get angrier each day. I just have to stand around and do nothing when others in the galaxy wish to destroy my children and their children.”

Gar’ith turned back to look at Bella. “I can’t do that anymore. I have to go to war. I can’t do that with this face and this name. Maybe I need to stop being what other perceive me to be and be the person I am.”

 

[BX-22222]

*lands in wrong thread*

 

[Jia Darkhold]

Events were speeding in this new world of freedom and choices. Her father said freedom was an illusion but choices were a wellspring of opportunity. She wasn't sure if he was being philosophical or making a joke. Though her grasp on humor was still new, she felt that his humor wasn't quite right. Her mother would laugh though. And it was with her mother that she had travelled to Dathomir with.

Arabella had went to meet with her father and Jia had mentioned she would be there momentarily. The family dynamic was new and difficult for all three of them, but for Jia it seemed to balance on a blade's edge. On one side it was something she had hoped for, a real existence. On the other, the lack of rigid expectation and rules gave her a freedom she knew not what to do with.

Today she was wearing a black hakama with red pin striping. It was something she was comfortable with and also was useful. Her short swords were hidden within the folds of her garments. Looking at the beauty of Dathomir she winced lightly as she felt a hunger inside begin it's slow gnawing. Soon she would need to feed it, but for now she was fine.

Moving in the direction her mother had gone it wasn't long before she had created a rift and dropped into a depression that ran for kilometers. There she saw Arabella with a man who had just ripped a portion of a tree apart with the force. Unbidden her hands stayed near the hidden handles of her short swords as she stopped next to [member="Arabella Darkhold"] with a slight nod, though her eyes never left [member="Darkhold"] .

"Mother."

 

[Arabella Darkhold]

Normally such an action would have made her cringe inside but she had grown stronger since those days. Or perhaps wiser who knew. She felt the tremors in the force and looked back to see [member="Jia Darkhold"] standing there beside her.

Then she looked back at her father, "We should never be less than who we are." He had taught her that be herself. "There's been an attack on Alderaan, on our family. There are people responsible for it. Someone should make them aware of how we view those who threaten our family, sometimes war is necessary." She wanted Jia to hear these words to know what she thought and what they as family believed in.

"Father, this is Jia Darkhold, your grand daughter. Jia, this Ba'buir Garith Darkhold." She wouldn't try to explain all the other things that there were to know about him. Surely all of this was overwhelming already.

[member="Darkhold"]

 

[Garith Darkhold]

The Elder adjusted when the new person made their presence known. It was years of instinct and intuition that first responded. Feral eyes looked upon [member="Jia Darkhold"] trying to decide if this was a friend or a foe.

Jia, [member="Arabella Darkhold"] motioned. His granddaughter!

A single brow perked up in curiosity.

“My Granddaughter”, he said, now a bit more relaxed. “I and your mother were just discussing those who would wish our kin harm. Do you feel as other do? Do you think I should show mercy to those who would harm our family? Or do you think I should crush them without mercy?"

 

[Jia Darkhold]

Listening to her mother speak she held her tongue and listened. [member="Arabella Darkhold"] spoke of threats against family, a family she had yet to meet but was learning of. A royal lineage on Alderaan that her blood, their blood, ruled. A diplomatic monarchy that cared for their subjects. A planet and government that had come under attack.

At the introduction she looked back to the man, noticing the eyes. The eyes of a killer. Eyes that sought out a weakness in his opponents and went for the kill. Her hands went unbidden to the hilts of her short swords within her garments, a hint of fear and challenge equally rising inside of her.

But as the man, Garith [member="Darkhold"] , looked upon her his eyes softened some what. His rhetoric echoed out along with her impression of the situation. Mercy or pitiless crushing? Her hands moved from the hilts, but not too far from them.

"Mercy is a weak showing. It either gives the offenders a reprieve to attack again, or it shows that we are weak. A decisive and powerful reckoning ensures that the lesson is learned."

Her mother closed tightly. She was well aware of the lesson of punishment that corrected your actions. The Sorcerer King Quasi made sure of that.

 

[Arabella Darkhold]

[member="Darkhold"] | [member="Jia Darkhold"]

It would seem the three of them were in agreement. Would this common cause give them reason to bond she wondered.

"It would seem she agrees." Muadie had slowly come around to believing in family. She thought of what his words would be and knew that if her father backed this he would too. Seemed he shared views. But Muadie's position within the framework of the galactic front and Derek's position might make them pause.

"Perhaps something we should do is...investigate and plan to...make our displeasure known." She looked from one to the other, "What do you think?"

 

[Garith Darkhold]

The Elder’s question was answered. It was a question with no right or wrong answer. The Elder wished to know the lost Kashi named [member="Jia Darkhold"].

“What, I think”, the Elder looked over to [member="Arabella Darkhold"], then back over to Jia.

“I think, I just got to know my granddaughter a little better”, the Elder smiled showing he was not displeased. “It is good to know that she knows there are two different types of people in this world. There is predators and prey. Even the hunter can become the hunted.”

The Elder still did not answer Bell’s question of what path to take.

“There is more to life than just survival”, The Elder mentioned getting a little more philosophical.

“There is more to life then the physical body we inhabit. I’m curious if she knows the blood that flows through her, or the power within her soul”, The Elder did not know for sure what or how Jia would answer. You could only fight so many battles at one time. Taking time to empower Jia certainly feel like a victory to the Elder.



[member="Arabella Darkhold"] [member="Jia Darkhold"]

 

[Jia Darkhold]

She listened. It was a skill she had honed in the depths of the Sorcerer stronghold. Silence and observation. What one would not freely divulge under questioning they could offer if they felt they were in a position power and authority. And it was a skill she employed even in her freedom. Her mother spoke of watching their enemy for eventual reprisal, a strike at the opportune moment. It was wise council and she was loathe to dispute the sense within her words. It was trade craft of an assassin.

Yet her grandfather, the elder [member="Darkhold"], spoke now. His words of understanding her a bit more revealed that even she was susceptible to revealing too much at times. But this was different. Her parents spoke of their bond that united them, and she had went along with it. Wisdom was to know who her enemies were. Garith and [member="Arabella Darkhold"] were not her enemies, but family.

"Survival is necessary, but victory is the goal."

Her grandfather's words of hidden power within her soul intrigued her. She had learned nothing of hidden power within her blood and responded as such.

"I was taught the history of my lineage, but certain truths were withheld from me. I have no knowledge of that you speak of."

Admitting weakness was a flaw when in the midst of your enemy. But this wasn't the case ... Was it? She didn't believe so.

 

[Arabella Darkhold]

[member="Darkhold"] | [member="Jia Darkhold"]

This was something she knew her father would enjoy, to tell his grandchild of what her lineage was a history lesson. Her father had always enjoyed telling it to her and Garith. It was more than knowing about abilities, it was knowing who you were.

How can you know who you are unless you know where you came from?

She understood it all very well. She smiled and let her father do what he did best.

 

[Garith Darkhold]

[member="Jia Darkhold"] [member="Arabella Darkhold"]


“Your lineage”, the Elder Kashi asked. He did not know what she was told already. He could guess but it would only be a guess. “A truth that ran from my blood to your mother and to you”, the Elder began to explain.

“We are Kashi, an elder race that almost fell to extinction close to thirty thousand years ago. I was one of the few to have survived. How the extinction happened is not as important as what it means to be a Kashi. What is special about a Kashi? We’re tied to the Force in a unique way. Our souls are alchemically tied to the Force in such a special way. The ancient spell was a like an amplification device that help us to hear. We hear the whispers of what some people call nature or other call the Force. There is a down side as this connection; it is sometimes hard to tell where the connection begins and where it ends. This connection would help you sense, alter, and control the Force around you. You could choice to ignore it like your Aunt Faith. It is there though and it is your chose to listen.”

Garith did not feel he was doing anything good. He was unsure he explained that well enough to cover the point. Time was growing short. That time is coming. Bella and maybe other would not like it but it was growing harder to exist the way the Elder has been. A person could only run from their truth for so long. A balance had to be found.