From the Edge of Defeat to a New Hope

[Mig Gred]

Mig slowly entered the room, followed by Leddie. He had been told to wait until the doctors said it was time, and they had just given the word. It had been a rough one, but they said both [member="Tamar Gred"] and the babies were ok. He took a breath, smiling when he walked in to see both his Ruudar and the babies, two boys. Leddie stay a little behind her Jagyc'buir, not wanting to do something wrong. She watched as Mig approached her Dalyc'buir, giving her a kiss as he looked at the twins, already seeming to feel the Force in at least one of them. Time would tell though. Right now though, this was something he felt everyone needed. On little moment of joy.

"You did it, Ner Kar'ta. They're so copikla (cute) now." Leddie couldn't help but giggle at hearing that. She never would've thought Mig would say something like that.

 

[Tamar Gred]

Labour for a slave of the House Zambrano, was as natural as birth for livestock. The rut, or penetration an animal’s affair, carrying no excuse. Birth a wash of pain to bring the new life into fullness of of the Dark. The children would serve.

Separate from their parents.

Tamar never so much as saw the tops of her childrens’ heads, in her time. The last as old as Adara, planned specifically for that purpose. Little did Adara know one of the Handmaiden she’d been given was none other but Tamar’s youngest daughter. Yet, there was no way of telling. No method of recognition. Just a silent shadow, who served.

Nothing was farther from Tamar Gred, as she laid in her recovery bed after the doctors and midwife finished their ministrations.

Tamar was far too busy staring at the top of one of her son’s heads. She’d not wanted [member="Mig Gred"] to have to bear the sight of her in pain, yet now at the end of it, she’d wished he were by her side. Exhausted and clinging to their eldest son, Tamar looked up at Mig and burst into the happiest tears of her life. She kissed him, sweet and long, looking over at Leddie as she giggled.

“Cute and strong. They fought their first battle and won, c’yare… our little warriors…” Tamar couldn’t help it, crying in front of her husband and daughter. It might not have been the most Mandalorian of things to cry, but Tamar refused to care.

“My boys… our boys…”

 

[Mig Gred]

Mig smiles at [member="Tamar Gred"] , knowing she was telling the truth. One way or another, they’d be warriors. Leddie peered over the little hospital-like crib they’d been placed in, smiling.

”They’re so little.” Mig just chuckled.

”You we’re at one point to, Ad’ika.” Mig looked at the boys, smiling before looking to Tamar again. He smiled, his mind thinking as he slowly slide his hand towards the twins, letting both grab a finger. “You two are gonna need some names, aren’t ya? I may have one. You’re Ba’buir’s. Ilyushin. If you’re Dalcy’Buir likes it of course.” He looked over to Tamar, smiling slightly.

 

[Tamar Gred]

Resting back in the bed, Tamar watched [member="Mig Gred"] and Leddie’s faces. The two seemed to melt, but also wonder as children did about new sights and sounds.

“They’ll get bigger soon enough, Leddie.” Tamar sighed, feeling Souma’s downy hair before letting her eyes close for a well deserved minute.

“I like that. Ilyushin Gred… and Souma. What do you think of Souma, love? I’m more concerned right now of telling which one is which.” She laughed halfway, nuzzling into her covers.

“Would you like to hold them, love?”

 

[Mig Gred]

Leddie smiled, letting one of the twins grab her finger. She looked surprised with how strong of a grip a little baby could have. Mig just chuckled, then looked when he heard [member="Tamar Gred"]. He smiled, putting a hand on her should.

"Souma? I like it. As for telling them apart. Well... we could dress them differently until we figure their personalities." He the walked over to the twins. "Of course I do, Ner Kar'ta." He slowly picked up Ilyushin, rocking gently to let him keep sleeping. Leddie looked curiously, walking up to he mom.

"They look so cute."

 

[Tamar Gred]

“It works better than the old Panathan ways. I’d hate our half-human sons to have to be ritually scarred to tell them apart. Little cuts don’t heal the same on Epicanthix and Human-hybrid skin.” Tamar held Souma, whispering his name in sing-song tones as she cuddled the little infant to her chest.

She was heady and alive, exhausted, wanting a bath, but alive. Delighted and tired. Any pain and ache was forgotten, in a heady mix of post-labour analgesics and emotional highs. The House Fitz-Kierke midwife smiled down at Leddie, giving her access to a small stool to put her in a better position to get closer to her mother.

“Aren’t they? And soon they’ll look even more serene. You’ll have to treat them gently, darling, until they’re bigger. Babies are fragile creatures. But I know you’ll do just fine. See?” Tamar nestled Souma so Leddie could touch him, even as the neonate nuzzled into his mother’s chest.

“My babies…” A wealth of emotions fluctuated around her, tangible enough to be felt. While no Force User, Tamar’s sheer joy at finally holding the life inside her, of not being removed from them the moment the birthing was done was as tangible as the sheets on her bed. “My baby boys… our babies… How is Illyushin? Is he happy? Calm? He must love you already.”

Tamar leaned back and watched her family bond, reaching to put her fingers through Leddie’s hair to let the girl know her mother was near.

“May they never know the cruelty of the Jedi, and the Sith.”

[member="Mig Gred"]

 

[Mig Gred]

Leddie smiled, quickly sitting on the stool. She then slowly and carefully touched Souma. She giggled, letting him naturally grab at her finger.

"He feels like he's strong." Mig chuckled a little, still rocking Illyushin. He looked to Tamar, nodding.

"I think so. Or he wore himself out racing to be the oldest. Just realized I don't know.... Ah. Doesn't matter. They look happy and health." At the last think Tamar said, Mig seemed to think back to everything that had happened. All they'd gone through. Now they were here. It was then that he heard a knock, and a young Fredick Gred peaked in. A bandage wrapped around his shoulders, covering where a left arm use to be.

"Alor, Tamar. Mind a visitor? Just realized.... Aw...."

 

[Tamar Gred]

“He was. The oldest, Ilyushin was the first born son. We did it, ner runi. Even with everything happening around us, our family is safe. You fought so hard for it.” Tamar’s smile radiated around the room, a physical comfort from the once-slave.

“Fred, come in, yes come.. you poor soul. Oh your arm.” Tamar attempted to sit up, easing higher in the bed as it morphed to support her back after the exhaustion of her ordeal.

Even tired as she was, [member="Mig Gred"]’s wife had more than a few seconds for the beings of their Clan. She waved [member="Fred Gred"] over, and gave him a sad sort of smile.

“Look at what those Force-using brutes did to you… oh, oh but don’t worry, Fred. I happen to know Aditya’s made many prosthetic limbs. She even made one strong enough to bend beskar. I know it’s not the same, but… we’ll see to it, won’t we Mig?” Tamar opened one of her arms, Souma tucked in the other holding Leddie’s finger.

“Such the bravest young man.” She reached to hug dear Frederick, and if she could, would lean up to kiss his forehead.

 

[Mig Gred]

Mig smiled as he rocked little Ilyushin. He looked to [member="Tamar Gred"] , nodding at what she said.

"We both did, cyare. We both did." He then looked at Leddie, smiling as she giggled and spoke a little to Souma. "And Ilik," he added quietly to himself before hearing Fred walk in. Mig quickly noticed something the young man was now lacking, and slowly kept Ilyushin asleep. Tamar was quick to offer helping Fred get a new arm, and Mig gave her a nod before speaking.

"Of course. I'm sure we can find you something, vod." Fred smiled at the two, accepting Tamar's hug and kiss on the forehead, and blushing slightly at the brave comment.

"Oh. All I did was survive."

 

[Tamar Gred]

“Something!? For our Frederick!? Mig.” Tamar groaned and glared at him. “Something implies an old boot sewn over a crude claw with one or two buttons.”

The Alor’s wife hugged [member="Fred Gred"] up with all the strength she had in her exhausted body, before laying back down in the pillows which helped prop her up. Luxury was not getting up too quickly, and although it was hours now since the twins were born, plenty of time for her to attempt walking around on her own strength, this was the first time Tamar could lay back, and enjoy the new life in her arms.

“On the Myrmadinas, we have the plans for all sorts of upper powered prosthetics. Aditya can help tweak them if you let her. She got quite good at it when her first husband and his brother kept losing their limbs. Although I’m certain Clan Gred has many such plans of our own. Otherwise give me ten minutes a data pad and comm link and we’ll have some schematics before fifteen minutes are up.” The awkward former slave began to slough off from Tamar’s spirit the more comfortable she got with being Mig’s wife. Her husband’s love not only comforted but reenforced her own ability to function well.

“You did more than survive against such mythic brutes. I am sure Mig shares my pride in your survival, eh? Eh?” She looked to [member="Mig Gred"], sharing a long silence with her husband as Souma whimpered and cooed for Leddie.

 

[Mig Gred]

Mig chuckled a bit at Tamar, slowly coming closer and letting Ilyushin be a little closer to his mother. Fred just shook his head at how She reacted. He knew where his Alor was coming from. It was then that Tamar's Riduur spoke up, answering her with a calm, happy voice.

"I did mean it like that, Ner Kar'ta." He then listened as she told Fredrick about getting him a new arm. It was nice to hear hear so excited, first about the twins' birth, and now about helping this young Mandalorian become whole again. He smiled listening, but was soon surprised by Fred saying all he'd done was survive. Mig looked at his wife, smiling as she tried to tell the young Mando he did more than survive. He nodded, quickly answering. "She's right, Fredrick. None of use just survived that battle. Surviving a Sith attack isn't something to be called 'just surviving.' And don't worry, we'll get you a new arm." Fred just smiled, rubbing where his arm use to be.

"Thank you. Both of you." Meanwhile, Leddie smiled, excited that Souma seemed to talk to her.

"I think he likes me."

Tamar Gred

 

[Tamar Gred]

“You’re most welcome, Frederick.” Tamar brushed the downy hair on Souma’s head, watching Leddie carefully in the corner of her eye. Little girls sometimes didn’t know their strength, and newborns were deucedly fragile.

“I think he does, Leddie Ledster. And as he grows he’ll like you even more and more and more.” Tamar shifted with a sigh, glancing up to catch her husband’s eye.

“I know… let an old married mother feel a little manic on a day like this, eh?” She winked with a smile, white teeth dazzling between longer Epicanthix canines.

“Here… Fred, you take Souma for a click and I’ll pop up. It’s a beautiful day and we ought to celebrate it. Besides, I’m getting hungry.” Without giving the teenager a second’s time to rebuff, Tamar swept the swaddled infant into his one good arm, elbow cradling the baby’s head. “There you are.”

A bit sore, but more excited for the day, Tamar eased off the bed and stood to her feet with a crisp but contented groan.

“Aaah yes. My feet do still work as they should. Alright my darlings, where do we go first?”

 

[Mig Gred]

Leddie smiled at her mom before looking back at Souma. He was cute to her. A little tiny baby, her little brother along with his twin, Ily... Ilyu... Ilyushin. She'd just call him Ily for now. Either way, she was happy to have her new brothers. Mig meanwhile smiled at Tamar, giving her a quick kiss and flashing his own bright grin.

"Alrighty, Ner Kar'ta." He then chuckled as he watched Tamar hand Souma over to a not so confident Fred. The young Mando resisted at first, shaking his head as the Alor's wife handed him the tiny life.

"Wait. I'm not so sure this is the bes... and you're still handing him to me." Fred looked at the little baby, smiling a little. Mig meanwhile helped Tamar up, smiling when she asked where everyone wanted to go. He was about to speak up when Leddie jumped in.

"Can we go get ice cream, Dalyc'buir?." Mig shook his head, waiting for Tamar's answer.

Tamar Gred

 

[Tamar Gred]

"You won't drop him. Wouldn't dare." Tamar grinned at Fred, her Epicanthix canines elongated and vicious in so docile a person. Less a fighter than a medic and mom, Tamar knew so little of what Mig and Fred went through in battle, Nothing beyond the aftermaths.

Holding Mig in the dark. Reassuring her husband after battles were done.

"We can. Also steak. I'll take a twenty pound one at this point. Did battle of my own today, and dash it I'm hungry." Tamar laughed gingerly, her stomach tender and body feeling odd. Out of sorts. She breathed through getting up, sliding on a floor length sweater and doing up the belt over her still protruding belly. It would take several weeks for the weight to go down, her body still absorbing the changes.

"There we are! Let's get ice cream, eh? I'll take plenty of hot fudge on mine. And nuts. All the nuts." Taking as deep a breath as she dared, Tamar looked over her beautiful little family. Mig Gred , their little Leddie, such a strong girl. And even Fred Gred in his way.

"Here, Fred. You carry him out to the ice cream and then I'll take him back, okay?" Shifting a shawl over Mig's shoulder, Tamar fashioned a cradle so Mig could keep their infant to his chest, warm and hearing his father's heartbeat. An old trick the nannies used to keep an infant pacified and hands-free. She grabbed another length of fabric, and wound the same over Fred's shoulder and waist, tying it in the back so he could 'hold' the baby without using his one arm.

"There. Could go hunting in the jungle of my homeworld with an infant like that." Tamar cradled Fred's cheek for a moment, looking at the brave boy. Someday her babies would grow into such brave youths, and the thought (and post-partum hormones) made Tamar tear up.

She leaned on Mig as they walked out of the room, ginger and slow.

"Leddie needs ice cream. And as she's celebrating Big Sister Day, she needs as much of a treat as the twins!" That was it, in Tamar's mind. Maybe Leddie would love being a big sister more, if she got to celebrate her own rewarding holiday on their birthdays. "Leddie dear, take my hand."

Tamar would never admit she needed the help to keep her grounded enough to walk away from that comfortable bed, and clean, sterile room.

 

[Mig Gred]

Fred looked uneasy as he looked down at Souma. He smiled a bit, trying to position his arm so that the newborn wouldn't fall. "You're way more confident about that than I am," He noted as he smiled down a the baby. Mig meanwhile helped Tamar Gred up, keeping a good grip on Ilyushin. He smiled at his wife, giving her a kiss when she said they could get ice cream, while Leddie jumped happily.

"Yay! Ice cream!" Mig smiled, letting Tamar wrap the shawl around him. He smiled he watched her do Fred's shawl up before speaking up.

"You're going to have to teach me how to tie this sometime." Fred meanwhile stretched his arm a little, before chuckling at Tamar. He'd never heard something like that, but it was fun to watch Leddie get excited for it. Leddie, meanwhile, happily took her mom's hand, smiling as she walked. Mig also walked with Tamar, but looked over at Fred. "You don't have to answer, but what happened to you?" Fred sighed a little, looking where his arm was.

"One of those bugs. Took it out at least." He shook his head a little, and Mig sighed, patting the boys good shoulder.

"Definitely more then surviving,"

 

[Tamar Gred]

“Babies bounce.” Tamar smirked as she eased by, sore and if she admitted it a bit weak at the knees. Her hands tied the knots with the practiced ease of the perpetual nanny, confident they would hold.

“Absolutely, ner runi. It’s wonderfully easy for freeing your hands with the babies getting the contact they need. There. All better.” Tamar leaned down to kiss Mig, just a bit exhausted around the edges. Leaning into Mig’s side as they walked (and with Leddie’s hand firmly held, my goodness the kid could scurry), Tamar and their little family made it out to the sector where the ice cream parlour was only an eye’s sight away.

Fred’s experience at the war made Tamar shiver. Her face grew neutral, not sad or happy or anything but the mask of the lifelong former slave. The boy got lucky. So did Mig. Would they be luckier without her around, potentially a target of the same Sith who rid Frederick of his arm?

The babies were born now…

“Made it out alive from a Sith attack. Takes a real warrior to do that… not even my sister was so lucky.” No. Everything would be alright without maternal sacrifice. “But! That happens in war. Now, Leddie. One scoop or two? And fudge?”

Mig Gred

 

[Mig Gred]

Mig smiled as he kept Tamar close, keeping her stable. She honestly should've been resting, but his wife was a tough one. She may not have been a traditional warrior, but she was one. As he helped her, he could also tell that the talk of what happened may not have been the best. He just gave Fred a quick glance, before smiling as Leddie happily went to ordering her ice cream.

"Hm... Two with fudge and lots of sprinkles!" Mig chuckled, ordering him self a simple scoop. Meanwhile, Fred sundae in a bowl. When they started to sit though, Ilyushin started to cry some. While Mig tried to comfort the baby, his brother Souma followed, and spooked the teen Mando in the process.

"No no no no no! Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry."

Tamar Gred

 

[Tamar Gred]

“Alllll the chocolate for me, love. All of it.” Tamar eased down onto the bench and watched her family (and Fred) order ice cream. Both palms flat behind her on the bench, the former slave took a second just to breathe. She did it. Birthed twins, and saw them. Their little faces and fists, so much like tiny boxers or fisticuff fighters. Still learning their environment.

Such fragile little ones. Almost as fragile as Fred’s nerves.

Letting out a couple tiny chuckles, Tamar tried to cover a wince as she placed her hand over her distorted stomach.

“Fred, he’s a baby not a nexu. Calm. Babies cry. It’s their only way to communicate, and he’s so terribly confused with being away from his tidy little home. Aren’t you, Souma? Sooouuuumaaa. Soouuuuuma. Yes, that is your name. Your name is Soouuma.” Tamar used a sing-song voice, reaching to drape her finger along Souma’s chittering and red face. “Neonates require calm. It’s alright for them to cry. It doesn’t necessarily mean something is bad or wrong. Here.”

Leaning over, Tamar picked up the infant and hissed with the momentary strain. She let her back touch the back part of the bench, and put Souma’s head by her shoulder, little body pressed vertically against her chest. She rocked him, humming his name as the child quivered.

“This is such a confusing galaxy, if you just discovered it, wouldn’t you be upset too?”

Mig Gred

 

[Mig Gred]

Mig smiled as he watched Tamar, slowly rocking Ilyushin as he did. Soon, the little boy began to settle down, and Mig looked over at his wife, smiling before looking at Fred.

"She's right kid. Eventually me and Tamar will figure out different crying and what not." Leddie watched on curiously, and decided to lightly tickle Souma's feet, hoping it would somehow help. Fred meanwhile sighed and chuckled at the same time.

"Guess I have some things to learn about babies."

Tamar Gred

 

[Tamar Gred]

Tamar smiled up at her husband, relaxing in the sun as they all enjoyed this first day with the twins. She mouthed an ‘I love you’, relief at his return to her side.

“You have many years before you have to handle any babies of your own.” Tamar’s eyes crinkled with a bit of harmless mirth. “Our Fred isn’t moving too fast with that Dib girl, is he? What’s her name?”

Souma’s feet twitched as Leddie tickled them, a couple little cooes coming out of his tiny lungs. He settled, smacking tiny lips and nuzzling into his mother as Leddie’s tickles comforted him.

“Want to sit and hold him, Leddie?”

Mig Gred Fred Gred