The Best of Times

[Jairdain]

Things had been up and down for Jairdain, but now she stable once again and happier with her life than she had been in quite a long time. Back before Commenor had decided to join with the Silvers, she had encountered a girl that was friends with Lori. That girl was now at the Rest and she wondered how she had been doing.

The day they had met, it had also been revealed by Lady Kay that she had a son. She had hoped to keep Marcus a secret but that had failed and in the end, it was probably a good thing. Marcus was here with her now and they stayed with Yuroic. It had taken all of them a little while to get settled. That time had now passed and their day to day lives had settled into some sort of routine they were comfortable with.

Marcus was now eight and curious about everything. One concern Jairdain had initially had was how the change would affect him. He was young though and adjusted quickly. Smiling in his direction, she knew he would never be as strong in the Force as she was, but that was fine. There were other areas where he could be stronger. They had yet to manifest, but she knew they would someday.

She had taken the liberty of inviting Daiya to visit and they now waited for the girl to arrive. Directions had been provided and their place was close to the Temple, so not at all difficult to find.

[member="Daiya"] [member="Yuroic Xeraic"]

 

[WelshGuy]

Yuroic's place was very different from when he first move, his meditation room was gone and now it was a bedroom her Jairdain's son, Marcus. The boy was now eight and growing quickly, Jairdain moved in and placed her belongings around. It was good to see them both settling in well and adjusting to life on Kashyyyk. Yuroic himself was getting to use to the idea of family and living with others, helped that Josh and his friends would offer advise and words on how to be a father figure and be around. His upbringing wasn't exactly a guide in how to be a father or part of a family so all the help he could get was great.

Massaging his neck, Yuroic wandered into the kitchen, he cooked an easy breakfast. Something simple yet tasty, he smiled as he spiced and flavoured the food, tasting as he went about his cooking. Finishing, there was a healthy meal for all three of them. Plating the food on the table as he called to Jairdain and Marcus before finishing the snacks that he made for their guest. Yuroic smiled to Jairdain as he stretched out and grunted, he was wearing a loose grey shirt and jogging bottoms, having not long come back from his morning run.

[member="Jairdain"] [member="Daiya"]

 

[Daiya]

Among the many sights she had seen since the Jaster’s Sparrow had brought her to Kashyyyk, Daiya had not expected one of those to be a familiar face. The Silver Rest had plenty of non-Jedi visitors and even a few residents, so it wasn’t as if the girl was exactly out of place. That didn’t alleviate the surprise that the reunion of [member=Jairdain] and Daiya had elicited, one that was positive overall. She had last seen the woman on Commenor at some kind of ceremony or party that [member="Loreena Arenais"] had dragged her along to, but even without formal attire it had been easy for Daiya to spot her by the green Ashlan wolf that served as Jairdain’s sight.

The domicile was not far from the temple itself, which put Daiya at greater ease. The sheer amount of Jedi in this place was intimidating, if she was being honest. She still didn’t really understand what they were, except that people often attributed them to acts great and terrible both, so she stepped with caution when among ones she didn’t know. Lori was one, but the girl trusted Lori. The girl also trusted Jairdain, the blind woman had never given her any reason not to, so she had happily accepted the invitation for dinner.

She placed a hand on the bag slung over her shoulder to keep it from jostling so much against her multicolored leggings as the girl made her way down the path. Her boots crunched the gravel under her feet as she walked, passing the few others who walked it with her, some wearing the silly tunics and robes of the Jedi. Daiya had to hold back a laugh when she saw them, they all looked like such dorks! What was wrong with regular shirts and pants, anyway? Admittedly, she had eschewed both for a simple, dark top with the Magitek emblem embroidered on the breast and a grey-patterned skirt over her leggings, but the girl had decided to dress out a little for tonight. Maybe the Jedi thought their robes looked formal or something and that’s why they wore them everywhere. She only hoped that Jair hadn’t bought into that fashion trend.

Bouncing up the last few steps to the woman’s residence, Daiya pressed the chime at the entrance, waiting for the door to be answered.

[member="Yuroic Xeraic"]​

 

[Jairdain]

There was no question in her mind that Yuroic was who she was destined to be with. Unless something happened, Jairdain wasn't going to leave again. Prior to her return to the Silver's Jairdain had been one that lived alone or with Marcus. When her duties took her away from Commenor, she would leave him with his grandparents there. That wasn't as much of an option now so she had Marcus with her more.

Yuroic had stepped up and was taking part of being the father Brad never could be. Even if he had never had one of his own to speak of, he had adjusted well and Marcus liked him.

"I still have to show off my new cooking skills. With everything I've been through I had to learn how to cook. Better than starving to death while on Iridonia."

She might not be the best cook around, but she did well enough and knew a variety of dishes. As long as she knew where all the spices were, things turned out great. If they got moved around though, then the food was quite interesting.

"There's a guest coming over today to visit. Not sure if she's more interested in Marcus or Sage though."

At the mention of Sage, he poked his head out of the pocket on her shirt that he had been sleeping in and looked intelligently around. He noticed the food and ran down her arm to also eat. Small bits of conversation happened while they ate and Yuroic learned all Jairdain knew about Daiya, which wasn't much.

With Lori here and Commenor now being under the Silver's influence, she had reached out to the girl to renew the acquaintance and maybe find a sitter for Marcus in the process. His chime rang as they finished cleaning up breakfast and she opened the door for her guest. Giving her a smile, she stepped to the side to allow her to come in.

"How have you been, Daiya?"

@Daiya @Yuroic Xeraic

 

[WelshGuy]

Having finished his food, Yuroic was now washing the dishes and cooking utensils that he had used while Jairdain informed him that they were expecting a guest. Using the Force, he places some sweet snacks that Yuroic had made for Marcus and Jairdain, while he was exploring his baking capabilities. It was a success, at least from the eagerness of Marcus eating the snack since he made them, it was a success. Opening a cupboard, Yuroic placed a savoury snack on the table to cover both bases. Stretching once more, turned on the coffee machine before ruffling Marcus's hair and letting Jairdain take the lead on greeting and welcoming their guest.

It was weird having guests in their apartment, Yuroic usually tried to meet people in the gardens and away from his home, but Jairdain wanted to be more welcoming that Yuroic tended to be so it was an adjustment that he was willing to make. Grabbing a mug of coffee, Yuroic looked over to the guest and gave a warm smile to the stranger, he hadn't had much communication with people outside of the Silver Jedi Order. Though he was always willing to meet new people and get to know them. The young girl was short well, Yuroic considered her short, but there was something else that one could sense in her.

"Greetings Daiya, there are snacks a plenty both sweet and savoury." Yuroic stated as he stopped Marcus from taking another sweet snack.

[member="Jairdain"] [member="Daiya"]

 

[Daiya]

She smiled graciously at the woman who opened the door. The presence of the green-furred head that poked out of the woman's pocket reminded Daiya that words were more effective. "Better now that I'm here, it's good to be with a familiar friend. Isn't it, Sage?" The girl turned her broad grin to the wolf's perceptive eyes, still not quite understanding the connection between [member="Jairdain"] and her sight-wolf. Some kind of magic kept them bonded in a way that seemed almost spooky, but the way anyone around her just accepted it, Daiya felt like it was wise to do the same.

The girl crossed the threshold of the doorway so that the woman could close it, and looked around the house. So much of the architecture of the Silver Rest felt cold and austere, so Daiya was comforted by the fact that Jair's home was cozy and full of warmth. A sharp expression rose on the girl's face for a moment, and she pulled up the flap of her bag as she reached inside. "I hope it's okay, Jair, I brought treats for Sage!" She opened the palm of her hand to reveal a piece of meat jerky formed into a miniature link, holding it back from the lupine's reach until she had approval.

Another presence made itself known from further inside the apartment, drawing the girl's attention. Even in athletic garb, the man seemed to ooze the essence of Jedi from his very pores, looking so out of place in his jogging outfit that Daiya had to keep herself from giggling. At least now she knew why Jedi wore those silly robes, it was the only thing they didn't look strange in! She steadied herself enough to pass another smile towards [member="Yuroic Xeraic"] and the young boy at the table, spying the array of snacks that he had mentioned.

"You have a beautiful home," Daiya offered to the two adults. She glanced from Yuroic to Jair, easily able to picture them at home in this cozy apartment, with Sage and —who could only be Jair's son— Marcus completing the picture. It was an idyllic vision that her mind painted for her, and somehow it tugged at her heart harder than any of the emotions her real visions conjured. Her own family had never been so picturesque, nor her life so idyllic, and yet somehow her heart craved a memory of it that could not possibly exist. The girl covered a sniff with a longer breath, summoning a bright expression to her face as she turned it back to Jair. "And such a beautiful family! Thank you for inviting me here."

It seemed so quaint, offering such forced pleasantries and acting gracious. There might have been nothing more Daiya wanted to do than to curl up in one of the long seats in the Sparrow and try sketching something again. Yet Tawrro had gone off to his family deep in the stretches of the forest planet, and Lori was occupied with her own tasks, and their absence weighed heavier than she had expected it would. Seeking the comfort of familiarity had brought Daiya here, so the least she could do was play her part.

 

[Jairdain]

This was another thing Yuroic wasn't entirely used to. Having visitors. In her job as advisor to Bradshaw, Jairdain had needed to meet with visitors quite often. Most of the time, this was done in meeting rooms and not her own apartment, but there were times when that had happened. Deciding to invite one of the people she had met when they were at a ball together, she opened the door to the girl.

Returning the smile, it would also look like Sage did too. It wasn't magic or even the Force that connected Jairdain and Sage, but a mental bond. When Daiya got older, even she could get one of the wolves if she wanted. Jairdain wasn't going to tell her that just yet though.

"Familiar is nice. Of course, treats for Sage is fine!"

With that, he came out of her pocket and ran over to Daiya with the clear signal that he wanted to be picked up and given the treats.

"Yuroic did all the decorating. I only helped a little and he's made it quite easy for me to get around."

There was one thing the woman was good at and that was picking up on emotions, even those the other person tried to bury and hide. Giving Daiya an almost knowing look, she wasn't going to pry into the girl's mind to get the story.

"Come in and make yourself comfortable, Daiya. We have snacks for you too."

After her young friend came in, she closed to door and joined them at the table.

"Are you enjoying your visit to Kashyyyk so far?"

Holding a hand out, she motioned to Yuroic to come and join them too.

[member="Daiya"] [member="Yuroic Xeraic"]

 

[WelshGuy]

Seemed that Daiya knew Jairdain and Sage quite well, it was nice to have company Yuroic guessed though he wasn't sure how much he liked people coming over to their house. It might just take time, like most of the things he struggled with in the beginning. Looking around the apartment, it had been mostly Yuroic making the decision in terms of decorations due to Jairdain's inability to see, he did ensure the house was safe for her to move around and that anything she needed would be easy to locate. Seemed that Daiya was lacking in some company, but that was why she was here with them he guessed, it would be good for Marcus to make friends and have people closer to his age around.

"There are plenty of sights on Kashyyyk, if you would like, we could take you on a tour." He had spent several dates with Jairdain at some of the locations, describing them to her, talking to her about life and such. It was nice just to spend time between the two of them. Something that was more difficult now that they had a growing family. Taking a seat next to Jairdain, he leaned back and took a savoury snack. The crunch was pleasant and he was pleased with the spices and flavourings. He stayed quiet for a moment to let Jairdain and Daiya catch up.

[member="Jairdain"] [member="Daiya"]

 

[Daiya]

"Well, there's so many Jedi around, it's...weird," Daiya's nose scrunched a little at the idea of it, and she focused instead on the colorful lupine in her arms. The girl watched Sage eagerly gobble up the first treat she presented to him, and then go sniffing for more. She occupied him instead with a hand scritch behind his ears, letting her thoughts ruminate through her mind like her fingers through Sage's fur. "I don't know why it's weird, I guess I expected something else."

Daiya stepped deeper into the house, exhaling softly as she left the threshold that separated her from the outside. Out there was too confusing, and it bugged her that she didn't know why. The girl recalled when she was younger and she watched a holofilm with romance in it. The courtship dance was always entertaining, but anytime a scene occurred where the characters got too physical with kissing and touching, she'd been disgusted by it without much of an understanding why. Only years later did she realize that romance was something just for grown-ups, and the confusion she had as a youngling was just because of that ignorance. Being on this planet, around so many Jedi, all of this felt similar and the association gave her that familiar sense of unease.

It all seemed to leave her as Daiya sat cheerily down at the table, plucking a savory snack off the tray they laid upon. Sage looked up at her as she put in near her mouth, an unspoken protest from the tiny wolf. "Hey, you got a treat already, this one is for me."

The girl giggled as she withdrew another of the jerky snacks for the critter, and let him snarf it down.

At the suggestion from Yuroic, she gave a moment of thought before giving her head a quick shake. "Maybe later, I haven't had the chance to just sit with people for a while. Tawrro's always on the go and the crew feels too tense to relax, you know." Daiya picked up another one of the snacks but held it for a second as she hesitated, an act that Sage took as a tease and bobbed his head for the food. This time, the girl gave him a sharp look, keeping the snack out of reach until she was done talking. "Plus, we're always in space," The girl gave that statement a dour tone, and stamped a booted foot on the floor of their abode, feeling reassured by the satisfied noise it made. More cheerily she noted, "There's really nothing like solid ground to make you feel at home."

With that, she popped the snack in her mouth and made a clever look at the little wolf for her success. "It seems so long since we were together on Commenor. What do you do when you're not there?"

Jairdain WelshGuy

 

[Jairdain]

It was always nice to go walking with Yuroic and their growing family. Soon there would be another addition, but as of yet, only the two of them knew. She was pregnant with their first child. Not yet showing, there shouldn't be any way for Daiya to pick up on it.

For the moment, she was silent as the two of them chatted. When they had met, it had been at a party on Commenor. While at one point, it was a situation she would have been uncomfortable in. However, her days with the Royal Family had brought about many such gatherings. That was one of the last she had attended before everything fell apart.

Remembering this gave Jairdain a touch of sorrow and almost a feeling of being lost. Some things were missing in her life or at least she felt like they were. She had recovered from her depression, but she still lacked balance and control. This was just something she would have to accept or take action to find what she was seeking. Right now wasn't the time though and she came out of her thoughts and into the present to hear what Daiya was saying.

"What were you expecting?"

The life Daiya described certainly didn't sound appealing to Jairdain, but it appeared the girl didn't have much say in the matter. In the end, she changed the topic and asked her what she did when she wasn't on Commenor. Motioning around the apartment, she shrugged slightly and then pointed in the direction of the Temple before speaking.

"I'm a mother first and take care of Marcus. After that, I'm a Master and work for the Jedi. Sometimes that comes in the form of teaching classes, taking jobs or even fighting. The last one rarely happens for me, but I'm not much of a fighter. That's his job."

Giving her love a brief smile, it opened the door for the telling of stories and some of their adventures.

Daiya WelshGuy

 

[Daiya]

"Oh, you know the stories about Jedi and other Force wizards," Daiya offered, trying to sound casual about it. Trying not to feel like the wide-eyed fawn stepping out of the woods for the first time. The Jedi here were so placid and devotional. A little stiff on the welcoming front, but at least earnest in their attempts. Not at all like the rampaging killers of the wild stories or late-night news holos. "I thought the Jedi were supposed to be warriors, you know. Everyone here acts more like a boffin or egghead."

On the bright side, that had meant Tawrro was comfortably at ease leaving Daiya while he visited his family. No tagging along after him, no struggling to keep up with the Wookiee language of growls and barks, no feeling like a small child again with minders and curfew. She wasn't about to take off for parts unknown at the first chance, she just wanted a little freedom from time to time. Some breathing room.

The girl inhaled deeply, listening to Jairdain talk about her life here as she offered a casual scratch behind Sage's ears. It sounded dreary and boring. Daiya's expression fell as she listened to the woman talk, how awful it must be to sit around such a stuffy place just to teach and raise a little kid. Where was the adventure? The excitement? Kark, where was the life?!

She glanced at Yuroic when Jairdain mentioned him, but the man seemed content to let the ladies talk for now. So Daiya took the opening, "I've never really been one for classes or school, I stopped going, well uh, a few years ago. But Tawrro and I took jobs all the time back on Denon, and now with Lori and her crew. We get into fights all the time!" Realizing how that must sound, the girl quickly added, "I can handle a blaster really well, Tawrro says I'm a pretty good shot. Not that I have to use it often, a big Wookiee scares off most anyone who would hurt me, and Tawrro's good at taking care of the rest."

Eager to take the conversation away from anything that would land her in trouble with the big Wookiee, Daiya decided to steer it beyond the small talk that could be so dangerous for her. She let the small wolf in her arms onto the table to free her hands so she could reach into her bag and pull out the holojournal she kept on her at all times. "I drew you once, a while after Commenor," Daiya mentioned as she turned on the device, flipping through its pages to find the right one. Sage sniffed at her, looking downtrodden when he realized that she hadn't brought out a new treat or toy for him to play with. "It's not very good, but..."

The girl turned the device towards Jairdain, showing off an image of the woman in a blue dress, with a pair of green ears peeking out of the scarf. A boy that was clearly Marcus stood tall beside her, and a man who might represent Yuroic took up the other side. Between them, however, stood a smaller child, and Jair held a third in her arms. Daiya felt her cheeks grow red and flush with heat as the crude art reminded her of what she had actually drawn, "It's obviously supposed to be you with a big, happy family," she lied. The vision she'd drawn it from had been really insistent on the different family members present, and it had been a relief to her to meet Yuroic because of it. Her premonitions could be wrong sometimes.

"I know Marcus is your only kid," the girl said, then giggled and grinned at her friend.

Jairdain WelshGuy​

 

[Jairdain]

Listening to the answer Daiya gave, she nodded. Her face was soft and showed her happiness at this opportunity. She remained silent as the girl continued, but before she removed the journal from her bag, Jairdain stopped her. Taking a hold of her hand, she kept a light grip on her wrist and turned her hand to face upward. The hand not holding Daiya's wrist rose to hover just above the girl's open palm.

"This world is our home, Daiya. Here we can be relaxed and not feel threatened. So the Jedi can act like boffins and eggheads all they want. Allow me to show you a few things. Look at your hand and observe."

Provided she did as Jairdain requested, within the palm of her hand, she would glimpse a few of the things Jairdain had been through. Maybe not in exactly the same way a show would play on a holotelevision since the woman had been blind at the time. More what she was trying to do was give Daiya impressions of what it really meant to be a Jedi.

Not wanting to expose her to too much, she let go of her wrist after only a few moments. Those visions and impressions faded and she lowered her hands to her side again.

"What you see here is what we want visitors to see. Off Kashyyyk, there isn't the peace there is here. I cherish what we have and won't lose it without a fight. As I said, I am not a fighter, but I will defend my life and everything in it."

When Daiya brought out the holopad and turned it face Jairdain, she shook her head and pointed at Sage. A small, green Sage bounded to face the image and shared it with his bondmate. He noticed himself right away, but eventually, his gaze moved to encompass the entire picture.

"Marcus is my only child at the moment. You really should learn how to enhance your ability, Daiya. Soon there will be another and if your vision is accurate, then it will be a girl. So you also see there will be another after her? That is still undecided as the future is always in motion. There is so much more that can be accomplished than simple visions. Your drawing skill is very good. Far better than mine will ever be."

Even with everything she had been through, Jairdain was still able to show some sense of humor. Usually at a cost to herself. She knew she would never be an artist, but she had other strengths. Having spent her life focusing on them, she was an artist in other areas.

WelshGuy Daiya

 

[Daiya]

Her palm still tingled from the magic that had passed through from Jairdain's touch. She experienced things she couldn't quite comprehend. It was unlike her own visions or memories, these were something quite different. Daiya could feel more than she saw, and trying to process the scope of it all was a bewildering task.

When the woman was done, Daiya looked down at her hand. It looked the same as it always had, but she didn't feel the same. An uncomfortable pit grew at the bottom of her stomach, and her cheeks flushed with warmth. The girl had never meant to offend Jairdain, or any of the Jedi here, their lives had just seemed so quaint and silly to her. She felt small now. The lingering sensation from her hand and the memory of the transfer was evidence of a massive universe beyond her understanding. Who was she to mingle in the midst of them?

The holojournal was a distraction as much for the woman as for herself. It was easy to toss her conflicted thoughts aside, and focus only on sharing something positive with Jairdain. Maybe it would even help her forgive Daiya for the girl's lack of tact.

Daiya didn't count on making an even bigger faux pas by moving the screen in front of Jairdain's unseeing eyes instead of showing it to Sage.

Her heart ached as the small wolf looked at the screen curiously. Daiya hadn't realized she was being so inconsiderate, as both a guest and a friend to Jairdain. The girl barely heard the words the woman spoke as she took in the image before her seeing-eye wolf. Daiya wouldn't have been surprised if Jairdain was calling her a crappy artist, and wrong in how she perceived the woman's family.

It didn't delight her to hear the opposite spoken instead. Daiya looked up at the woman in surprise as the words finally reached her recollection. She quickly turned her gaze back down to Sage instead, trying to keep Jairdain's needs at the front of her mind this time. Her face arranged in a confused expression, her voice coming out small, "You're not mad at me?"

Not only had the woman praised her artistic ability, but Jairdain seemed actually impressed by her predictive abilities. She saw right through Daiya's ruse, probably with the same magic she'd demonstrated on the girl's hand before. The Force, or whatever they called it. Daiya wasn't in doubt about Jairdain's ability or her assessment, but something felt off about this.

Usually, whenever people found out about her talents, they were scared or tried to hurt her.

Jairdain sat calmly instead, remarking on how much more Daiya could do. The girl had never had anyone encourage this before. Exploit it, fear it, hurt her for it, yes. Even Tawrro had only tried to help her cope with it, unwilling or just unable to do more. Yet here was someone trying to point her in a new direction, something to take her deeper into talents Daiya didn't even wish she had.

Her first instinct was to run. To escape before Jairdain could change her mind. Instead, the girl just sat there, bewildered by the change in the evening's atmosphere.

"I'm all messed up here," the girl admitted. She felt comfortable admitting that, at least. Some part of her seemed to understand that Jairdain was a safe person to be around, someone who could understand or tolerate Daiya revealing her clairvoyant talents. Still, the girl struggled to make that connection in the moment, just as she struggled with the words to say now. "What do you mean, my ability? Is that like the magic, uhh, the Force stuff you do?"

Jairdain WelshGuy​

 

[Jairdain]

Not making any mention of the internal feelings she picked up from Daiya, she looked at the art and made her comments. When she finished, her young friend asked in a confused tone if she was mad at her. Shaking her head, she smiled a little.

"Not at all, Daiya. Why would I be?"

In her own childhood, she had been teased because she was blind. It wasn't something she had decided to be, it was the way she was born. There wasn't anything she or her people could have done for her. Instead, she had naturally cultivated her Vision and used the Force to see. Her vision wasn't like that of somebody with normal sight though and Sage now helped her with that.

At the time, she did not know what she was doing. As she aged, some things changed and she was able to block out the children that were mean to her. The adults accepted Jairdain, but the kids did not. In the end, it didn't matter and she had lost her home as a teen. Both her home and her parents at once. Yet she had recovered and lived on. Time had passed and she joined the Jedi. All of this happened almost twenty years ago but the woman would never forget.

She could empathize with Daiya and attempted to comfort the girl through the Force. Just a stable sense of calm would come off Jairdain and wrap around the teen. Sometimes wishes and dreams could come true and while Daiya did not want to have her skill, Jairdain felt the need to help her. Even if Daiya decided not to pursue actively using the Force, she should at least learn how to control what she did have.

It appeared her calming aura affected the girl like she intended because she didn't run or try to escape. Quite the opposite and she opened up a little. Admitting she was messed and then what Jairdain had said finally sunk into her mind.

Nodding, she motioned with a hand around them.

"Yes, you can do the magic as we can. You just don't know how to control it yet. We can help you with that if you want. The choice is yours."

While the door had cracked open a long time ago for Daiya, it was now wide open and waiting for her to walk through.

Daiya WelshGuy