Private Cousin Chaos : A Dashiell Adventure

[House of Dashiell]

NPC List : | Phoebe Dashiell |

ORRON III , DASHIELL ESTATE, ON THE EDGE OF ARKUHN FARM

​

Sitting in the library, the Huttese lesson was winding down. Despite the fact Phoebe was now enrolled in a small, local private school, her tutoring at home had not stopped. Trade languages, as her Mimi said, were critical for a young lady to learn. Especially if she was to be involved in the family business in some form or fashion. With the last word written in her notebook, she closed the cover and looked at her nanny expectantly.

"Well done Miss Phoebe. Your pronunciation of compound words has increased over the past few months. I will have to speak to your mother about adding Sy Bisti to our lessons."

Beside her, Kellan groaned. Ever since her cousin came to live with them he had the same stringent requirements for education as she did, albeit a slightly different path. Her cousin went off world for his education most days, jaunting to Lythos IX to study under a old Jedi in the fields. Agri-something program it was called.

"Lia, when is Mama coming home?" A small pause. "Is Mimi home?"

"Your mother is not expected back any time soon, I believe she has travelled to the upper part of the Unknown Regions. Your grandmother is busy working on a banking project I'm afraid."

A small frown. Not an acceptable answer.

"Who is home?"

Lia, placing the workbooks back on a shelf, paused. A nannybiot in disguise, she had the benefit of connecting not only to the HoloNet but also the DarkNet, along with proprietary information on the family. Her status as an inorganic was well hidden. As far as anyone know, she was a orphan girl from the Hapan Cluster, making her way in the universe as a nanny for the wealthy family.

"Your father is currently in his office. Emergency holocall. Your other grandmother is currently on Ceto. Miss Persephone and Miss Rue are at the Desert Mirage music festival. Your grandfather is travelling from Serenno, your Uncle Balun is currently unknown. Last status was marked as travelling."

Phoebe slumped, instantly bored.

"Lia, may we go outside?"

"Of course Miss Phoebe. Come along, I will watch over the both of you."

 

[Kellan Dashiell]

COUSIN CHAOS: A DASHIELL ADVENTURE
LOCATION: Orron III (Residence of Makai & Myra Arceneau Dashiell)
PRESENT COMPANY: Pheobe Dashiell ( House of Dashiell )
NPC: Vesha Daruun

​

Life today looked a little different for the young boy than it did a few months ago, when he called Jhaessa Prime his home. No longer living with his father was naturally the biggest change, and one that Kellan was still adjusting to. Uncle Mak and Aunt Myra were family, the closest he had besides his father and grandfather, and it was easy to draw comfort from their presence. Then there was Pheobe, his cousin and best friend in the Galaxy, his partner in crime, so to speak.

Kell's day-to-day had also changed dramatically. No longer did he travel alongside Balun Dashiell to and from the Jedi Temple of Naboo; instead, those places had changed to Orron III and Lythos IX, and he studied under Jedi Master Jido Myyse . At first, the elderly Master seemed like he'd be annoying to learn from, yet Kellan quickly realised they had something in common. Master Myyse was the first person the young boy had met who looked like no one else he had ever seen. Entirely unique, with features that Kell couldn't put to any other species or race, something that Kellan often felt self-conscious about.

Today, however, he and Phoebe were finishing up a private lesson in linguistics, learning the languages of other races in the Galaxy. It was less exciting than being outside, sensing the life flourishing around him in the natural world. Able to connect with the land in a way few could do so naturally, as if it came to those who were sensitive to the Force. He didn't often admit it to his extended family, but his abilities helped to make him feel closer to his father despite the distance between them. Balun, who had taught him about the Force up to this point in his life.

While Kellan wasn't short of brain cells by any means, these lessons were far less appealing to him than physical activity. He got his hands dirty (often literally) and felt like the soil beneath his feet would thank him for it. Pheobe was better at this sort of thing, and while Kellan had often been taught by Vesha Daruun in the confines of his own home, she had also witnessed his lack of enthusiasm towards academia.

"Lia, may we go outside?"

Kellan's attention perked up, pointed ears twitching and no longer absent from his thoughts, but glancing quickly at his cousin, who he suddenly realised had marked the end of the learning session. The corner of his mouth curled into a hint of a grin, relief painted across his face at the prospect of no longer having to sit through more reading and lectures for the day. They could finally be free to play and explore, without worrying about stuff the grownups wanted them to learn.

"I'm done too!" he added, seeking to be excused. The quality of his work may be found wanting, but he had done as he'd been instructed and was finally seeing the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.

 

[House of Dashiell]

| Phoebe Dashiell |
​

"Work will need to be done on your verb usage. We will focus longer next weekend to improve."

Acceptable was not the standard, according to Mister and Mistress Dashiell. Lia had explicit instructions on advancing the children in their linguistic studies. Phoebe was kilometers ahead, yet Lia had been working with the young girl since the age of two. The same could not be said for her new charge.

"Come on Kel. Let's go. You're slower than molasses."

Phoebe called down to the study, halfway down the hall. Being currently the only child often in the care of one of her three surviving grandparents, the little girl had picked up a variety of phrases from them. Some curse words too. Nana had been wise enough to tell her not to say 'kriff' every other sentence in the presence of her parents or nanny.

Curly hair pulled into a high ponytail, the girl stopped to put her shoes on at the door then was off. She could hear Lia not far behind, urging not to enter the stream of water outside the house.

Carefully she made her way down the steps, intent on taking the packed gravel path to her Mimi's house. Lia had mentioned she wasn't home - no one was - but that wasn't going to stop her from making the trip.

"Kel? Hey Kel? When is Papa going to buy you that fish tank? I wanna help feed 'em."

​

 

[Kellan Dashiell]

COUSIN CHAOS: A DASHIELL ADVENTURE
LOCATION: Orron III (Residence of Makai & Myra Arceneau Dashiell)
PRESENT COMPANY: Pheobe Dashiell | House of Dashiell
NPC: Vesha Daruun

​

In response to the notion of yet another weekend spent "learning", Kellan pursed his lips and cocked his head to the right, glancing across to Pheobe dryly. Whatever happened to having time off, where they could spend their weekends playing and having fun after a long week of study and work?

Kell loved his Uncle and Aunt, but they had high expectations compared to his father, whereas Balun Dashiell seemed to enjoy spending their downtime together, having fun just as much as Kellan did himself.

"Come on Kel. Let's go. You're slower than molasses."

Suddenly distracted and forgetting the future lessons, Kellan's attention perked as Pheobe started off into the corridor, quickly moving to catch up. "What the heck is molasses?" he asked as he quickened his pace for several metres, giving a little jog to find her side; "Sounds like Mole ass's", he immediately giggled as he blurted out the thought, quickly covering his mouth as though the gesture would take back his use of a curse.

He'd be in trouble if Uncle Makai Dashiell or Aunt Myra Arceneau Dashiell heard him swearing, and casting a quick, desperate glance about the place, he had to be reminded that neither of them seemed to be in earshot of the pair. Lia, however, scowled and reprimanded him quickly from down the hall. Kellan looked once more to his cousin, shrugged his shoulders and grinned sheepishly.

Soon enough, he was dropping to the floor and pulling his shoes on in the hall. He looked out the front door, already excited about getting out of the house and putting more distance between himself and those datapads, the dull affair of schoolwork now behind them. Forgetting everything else for the love of the outdoors and the prospect of being surrounded by nature once more.

"Where're we going?" he asked happily, not caring all that much and just happy they were doing something fun again. The priorities of a youngling easily met by simple pleasures, not like the adults who seemed to worry and bother with boring adult things. "Is she coming too?" he asked a little more quietly this time as he thumbed over his shoulder, speaking about Lia with a less enthusiastic and mock-glare.

Pheobe asked about the fish tank that Uncle Mak had promised to buy for him, the two males having their aquatic nature in common, and Makai, having learned of Kellan's care of living things, had the exciting idea of providing the boy with some pets to care for. Fish were simple to provide for, yet it would also encourage Kellan to care for something, to be responsible for something other than himself, important lessons and values.

"I dunno, but I hope it's soon. We can feed them together if you like!".

 

[House of Dashiell]

| Phoebe Dashiell |
​

"Um, its like a black syrup. Mimi makes cookies with them."

As if the Queen of Trade wasn't talented enough, she could also make a batch of cookies for her granddaughter. An unusual flavor, Phoebe grew up eating them and had grown accustomed rather than a more child-friendly recipe. There was a giggle as Kellan Dashiell cursed, finding it a good thing her father was busy. Not that Lia wouldn't report back.

"Walking to Mimi's house. Maybe she has some of those cookies."

Never mind the fact the woman hadn't been home in ages. Never mind the fact Lia had just laid out no one was on the Farm except them and Papa. There was a determination that she was going to walk the speeder path all the way down to investigate for cookies. All with the logic of a child who had no understanding of logistics and adult life.

"Who? Lia? She has to come." Phoebe looked at her cousin as if he was slow. "Lia protects us from getting kidnapped."

"This is correct. My duty is to protect, educate, and nurture."

Giving her cousin a look of see?! , Phoebe started off on the path. She didn't understand why Kel didn't like Lia. Her nanny was there for as long as she could remember. The blonde nannybiot even stayed in her room at night in a chair, watching over her as she slept once Mama and Papa read stories to her.

"We will remind Papa when we get back."

 

[Kellan Dashiell]

COUSIN CHAOS: A DASHIELL ADVENTURE
LOCATION: Orron III (Residence of Makai & Myra Arceneau Dashiell)
PRESENT COMPANY: Pheobe Dashiell | House of Dashiell

​

"Who? Lia? She has to come." Phoebe looked at her cousin as if he was slow. "Lia protects us from getting kidnapped."

"This is correct. My duty is to protect, educate, and nurture."

Kellan looked between Pheobe and Lia, his brows raised as he imagined what getting kidnapped might be like. Such precautions had been his father's and uncle's business; Kellan himself didn't recall ever being in any kind of serious trouble like that, nor did he know about his biological mother, whom Balun Dashiell had actively tried to protect him from. As far as the boy was concerned, all he had to worry about was his education and having fun.

"Does stuff like that really happen around here?" Kellan asked as though the possibility sounded unbelievable to him. His Dad was a Jedi, and he helped people in really bad times, but that was on other planets, other places in the Galaxy. Never close to home. If anything, Kellan's life was quite sheltered.

Following his cousin, Kellan turned his attention to the surrounding property as they started down the path towards 'Mimi's' house. That was what Pheobe called Danger Arceneau, and while it was sort of Pheobe's thing, Kellan had caught on and already started to refer to her by the same. Danger was like his Grandmother, only she and Judah weren't living together. In fact, Kellan wasn't sure if they were friends at all, sometimes.

"Black syrup sounds funny. Do they taste nice? I wouldn't mind a cookie" Kellan grinned to himself, though it wasn't as though he hadn't eaten. Uncle Mak and Aunt Myra made sure they didn't want for anything, especially when it came to food and stuff like that. Regardless of whether Mimi was home or not, he was quite happy to be walking out in the open, enjoying the fresh air and the scenery. Kellan had grown to love the farm, surrounded by green grass and open blue skies, animals and the idea of life growing in abundance.

"I hope Uncle Mak doesn't mind. It was nice of him, but don't they cost a lot of credits?" Kellan didn't actually know how much aquariums cost, and for that matter didn't have much clue at all when it came to finances. It wasn't something his father had spoken about around him, wanting to let Kellan just be a kid and not worry about adult stuff. Thinking of his uncle, however, Kellan hoped that he wasn't making too much trouble for Makai. He felt lucky enough to be able to live with them.

 

[House of Dashiell]

| Phoebe Dashiell |

"I dunno. I was just told it could happen."

Her parents had not made kidnapping into a large boogeyman, just something that could happen. The focus was on drilling into her that Lia had to accompany her everywhere except once she was inside school now. Phoebe couldn't be the weird kid that had a bodyguard looming in the back of the classroom.

Reaching out she grabbed one of the white flowers as they walked, twirling it in her hand.

"The syrup tastes gross but the cookie tastes great. I can't explain it."

Phoebe frowned slightly at the mention of credits. A difficult concept for her to grasp fully in the moment. Mama and Papa had told her their job was to make credits to keep other family employed, but the entire ecosystem made little sense. Sometimes she had been told things cost too many credits but Phoebe suspected her parents didn't want toys scattered up and down their hallways. She had certainly heard muttered curses as her Papa stepped on her building blocks.

"I don't think so. They tell me stuff costs too many credits all the time. They would have told you too." Phoebe grabbed another flower, blue this time. "Think you're going to live here awhile?"

Kellan Dashiell​

 

[Kellan Dashiell]

COUSIN CHAOS: A DASHIELL ADVENTURE
LOCATION: Orron III (Residence of Makai & Myra Arceneau Dashiell)
PRESENT COMPANY: Pheobe Dashiell | House of Dashiell

​

Easily distracted as they walked, Kellan thought about Pheobe's asking how long Kell planned to live with her and her family. It seemed a strange question to ask, as Kellan hadn't exactly thought he had much of a choice in the matter. He liked farming; he liked planting new flora and tending to them as they grew, creating and caring for something alive, even if it couldn't talk back or play with him as a family pet might have. When it came to the length of his stay, however, he had simply told his father that he liked the sound of this new life he would live alongside his Uncle Mak and Aunt Myra.

"I dunno. I guess until I've learned everything about farming?" he replied, sounding equally curious about the question as his cousin had asked. "Dad said that doing things this way means I can be a Jedi and still live with you guys. Hopefully I can keep doing it for ages!" he elaborated, speaking out of hope for the future that, had he his way, would come slowly so that he could enjoy every moment of it.

Travelling to Lythos IX via Starship was another perk of the new lifestyle, not that he and his Dad didn't do so between Jhaessa Prime and Naboo, but Uncle Mak's Starship was different, and Kellan liked exploring new ships and seeing how fast they could move from system to system. He didn't understand what made them work, but they were big and fast and sounded loud, so naturally it was exciting to him.

Wandering alongside Pheobe, Kellan reached out with his right hand to brush his fingers through the purple, white and blue flowers that they passed. The track was easy to walk, a simple dirt and gravel road surrounded by fields of grass and pretty flowers. The sky overhead was open and blue, only a few clouds but no sign of rain at all. The day made him grin to himself, a gentle breeze brushing against his skin as he closed his eyes and listened to all the sounds. Sometimes when he listened hard enough, he could almost hear the wind whispering to him.

"I really like Orron", he said softly as he opened his eyes to glance at his cousin with a satisfied smile, "And I like living with you. I didn't have friends on Naboo, not like us", he admitted. Kellan didn't have the insight to realise his lack of friends was a consequence of his self-consciousness and tendency to keep to himself when around others, but he and Pheobe had it easy considering they were cousins and had grown up together.