Character Persephone Dashiell

[Persephone Dashiell]

PERSEPHONE DASHIELL

Nickname : Persie

Age : 13

Species : Human, distant Hapan lineage

Gender : Female

Weight : Petite

Height : Petite

Force Sensitive : No

Strengths : Street Smart, Fashionista, Resourceful

Weaknesses : Fashionista, Smart Mouth, Lost

Family : Makai Dashiell , Judah Dashiell , Myra Elspeth Arceneau

History :

Orian Guildhouse - Zeltros​

A pillar in the Zeltros community, it wasn’t unusual to have a sentient stop to ask where the Orian Guildhouse was located. Oceanside, It was an imposing but elegant building, reflecting opulence and the finer things in the ‘verse. Common whorehouse it was not.

What was unusual was the person asking for directions. A petite pre-teen with jet black hair and bright blue eyes. Dressed simply in clean but well-worn clothing, the girl stopped every street intersection to ask where the ‘hore house was, and how close it would be on foot.

Reaching her location, small hand knocked on the door to the main entrance, demanding she be let inside to see her Daddy.

Celestia Station - Salacia Consolidated​

“I'm sorry, could you repeat your name for me Miss…?”

Mrs. Datos was in the middle of screening a holocall for Mister Dashiell, eyebrows furrowing at the redheaded woman on the screen. If it wasn't some blue woman lately it was a redhead. The older woman hadn't connected all the navpoints yet but something was there.

“Miss Lille Harcourt, of Orian Guildhouse of Zeltros. I am the Mamsell of this location. I need to speak to Mister Judah Dashiell about an urgent matter.”

Mrs. Datos sighed. What was so ‘urgent’ about the matter, she wondered? Was her boss that hard up for companionship that he was paying for a whore to lie next to him? What of the loofah parties and swinger clubs? Did they not fill the void? Perhaps the women at these clubs didn’t fit that bed-warming itch.

“Mamsell Harcourt, is it? Mister Dashiell is terribly busy with running Salacia Consolidated. Are you sure I cannot take a message?”

If Mamsell Harcourt was frustrated, years of training had schooled her expression into one of neutrality. Internally, she was ready to explode on the older woman in a calm-yet-patronizing manner.

“I would not be disturbing such important business if my matter was not of a sensitive nature.”

“Of course you wouldn’t. Please let me check if Mister Dashiell will take your call.”

Mrs.Datos worked on placing the holocall on hold. She rose, opening one of the double doors, and strode into the expansive office. Judah appeared to be on a holocall, and he held up a hand as if to indicate one moment.

“....no, Makai has a project in Wild Space with asteroid mining. You’ll have to contact him Zej, see what the status is on Pacanth and if they found any salvage…you should be able to get ahold of him…alright, hey I got to go, I’ll speak to you later…”

Call ended, he looked to Mrs. Datos, still leaned back in his chair, waiting.

“There is a call from a Miss Lille Harcourt, Mamsell of Orian Guildhouse of Zeltros. She states it is urgent.”

“I can’t say I know her. Please, go ahead and patch her through.”

Mrs. Datos left, shutting the door, the holocall immediately coming across in his office once the woman had sat back down.

“Mister Dashiell, I hope you are well. I am Mamsell Harcourt of Orian Guildhouse of Zeltros. I am looking for your assistance in a matter.”

Judah raised an eyebrow, unsure if his company had any services available for a guildhouse, but one never knew. Perhaps they were looking to buy a space station.

“How can I assist you Mamsell Harcourt?”

“There is a young lady who has shown up at our door, roughly ten or eleven, claiming you are her father.”

Judah laughed, unable to help it. Given his history with women, well, having a child of such an age was impossible.

“I can assure you Mamsell Harcourt I only have one child. Can you give me any details?”

“A Miss Persephone Dashiell. She is very adamant Mister Dashiell, claims her mother told her it was you. We have her here if you would like to speak to her.”

“Please, Mamsell Harcourt, if you do not mind.”

—

Orian Guildhouse - Zeltros​

Lille gave a courteous incline of her head in gratitude, grateful at least Mistah Dashiell's personality was not anywhere near that of the vitriol showed by his elderly secretary. The Companion Mamsell rose gracefully, then would be seen carefully gesturing in a warm and inviting motion for someone to join her.

A few seconds passed before a short, dark-haired little girl with wide, bright, oceanic eyes came onto the screen. While the hologram's glow couldn't correctly highlight the delicate features, one was immediately drawn to her inky black hair and that signature Dashiell blue hue that shown in her eyes. While her clothing was well-worn and overly large for her tiny frame, it was evident that she did her best to keep her hair and face as tidy as she could. The perfect picture of sweet innocence.

Of course, the illusion was quickly shattered as the girl scrunched up her features and leaned forward as if she were the one who'd been called out of the blue to face someone's absurd claims of kinship. Her eyes narrowed with a keen observation that would put any Toydarian market peddler to shame, pink tongue sweeping over the front of her teeth as she sucked air in. As if satisfied with what she saw, Persephone - “Persie” for short - gave a curt nod and simply said, "Yup. It's yous."

"You's the 'horn' bastard my momma said left her swollen as a tick with me and left us behind." her twang was thick, and her cussin' just as blue as any Blue Star Pirate could say.

And she wasn't done, her hand resting on her hip as her chin jutted out in defiance, as if daring Judah to say she wasn't his own.

"Momma’s been searchin' and searchin' for you, but now she's dead, and it's all your fault."

–

Judah studied the features of the girl, definitely not his, but he could see the Dashiell qualities. The bone structure, that instant feeling of knowing someone was related to you in some shape or form. If this young girl was at a family reunion,her face would seamlessly blend right in the crowd.

“Well, ‘horin’ bastard is a new one for me. I can’t say I’ve had the pleasure of being called that before.”

Amusement colored his tone, eyes drifting to the Mamsell who remained on screen. It was a plain as day Judah was silently pleading with the woman, as if to say is this for real? This showed up at your doorstep?

“Miss Persephone, accept my deepest apologies regarding your mother. That’s hard, especially for a girl your age. However, I can confidently say you aren’t my daughter. I would have never abandoned a child of mine.”

Judah had always wanted a very large family. Hypothetically if he had been in the position the young lady was putting him in, the girl would have been raised by him from birth. Skipping out on a pregnant woman wasn’t his style, however, it was something a number of wayward cousins would do.

While a number of Dashiells settled down as farmers, homesteaders, and small-time merchants or craftspeople, there was another branch of thieves, spacers, and petty criminals. Typically they were mentioned in hushed tones at gatherings with a shake of a shaggy head and a tsk.

“Miss Persephone, if I was your father I would suspect your mother would have found me sooner. I’m a fairly easy man to find in comparison to others in our family line.”

A sigh. It was clear there would need to be some genetic testing to prove how close to the Dashiell line the girl was, or, if she merely shared a last name and a story woven by a mother unsure of her child’s true origins.

“Do you have any siblings Miss Persephone?”

—-

Lille could only offer an expression of deep condolences and apologies. Understandably so, it was a delicate situation, but what else was she to do? Her only other option was to bring it up to Miz Arceneau, and with the recent passing of her husband, it would’ve been an additional issue routed elsewhere. What Lille didn’t realize is that if she had, it would have more than likely have either been routed to Myra…or worse, Makai.

A hearty snort fit for a woman ten years her senior pfft from Persie’s lips as they twisted in a scoff, complete with the rolling of Dashiell blues as if to say, ‘yeah, sure you would’ve’ at Judah’s self-professed testimony of handling his responsibilities.

“Yous can keep yous pretty ‘pologies with your pretty face and simply take ‘ponsibility now.” A small hand gestured towards him as if to wave off whatever he said regarding her momma. Only the keenest of eyes would catch the tell of an eye tick at the corner of her right eye or how her jaw tensed in holding down her true emotions. The girl, by and far, had been through a ringer, and while still a child, there was maturity and practicality in her eye that shouldn’t be there for one so young.

“‘Sides, momma said she tried, but yous was too busy ‘horin’ round with that red-headed tramp in the holos, keepin’ you busy. Saids yous real good at spinnin’ lies as much as bein’ balls deep in thighs.” the matter of fact way she said it made one wonder if she even understood what she was saying or if she was merely echoing a chamber from her late mother’s spoutings.

As for siblings. Persephone’s face contorted as if that was one of the stupidest questions ever asked. Her nose scrunched up, and she squinted at Judah, both hands coming up as she hunched down and up with her shoulders in confounded speculation.

“How am I ‘posed to know how many of me yous got runnin’ around? It ain’t me tossin’ my cock every which way and seein’ what sticks! That’s you!” Now, even that managed to get a reaction from Lille, the redheaded Mamsell’s eyes growing wide at the vulgar language of such a young lady.

“Momma’s said yous play as if’n you ain’t my daddy, but yous are. So now pay up.” The girl even held out her hand to Judah’s holo as if expecting a payout right then.

“I’m ‘specting interest too. I know my numbers; don’t try to swindle me!” Oh, that distinct Dashiell stubbornness known in their womenfolk was so easy to read.

—-

Wide eyes matched Mamsell Harcourts. Judah was more than bit shocked. Makai had never had such a tongue around him, although the boy had picked up colorful curse words and brash talk during his summers salvaging, it was never this. This was an entirely different level of absurd and inappropriate.

It gave him pause, wondering what type of upbringing the girl had to be spouting such words with such ease.

He had a choice to make, until further research could be done. Even if this child wasn’t a Dashiell, which at this point it seemed quite probable, a family would have to be tracked down. Judah wouldn’t be one to leave a child on its own, kin or not.

“Oh no, Miss Persephone. I’m not handing over a considerable sum of money to a mere child. You claim I am your father, and I will be acting accordingly.”

Oceanic blues looked to Mamsell Harcourt once more.

“Until I can arrive, I will ask Mamsell Harcourt to look after you. If she agrees, the first order of business will be to clean up your language, and you can begin refinement education immediately.”

A slight pause, this was just like when he had to drag Makai out from his hiding space and force the boy into therapy and university. It was an authoritative mode, one that wouldn’t allow for negotiation or budging.

“I’ll be leaving shortly to collect you, bring you back home, and begin your care and education. You’ll find theres a bit more to fatherhood Miss Persephone than merely paying your dues.”