Private The Nightingale Sings

[Amz]

C L O U D | L A N D I N G
589 Penthouse Apartments, Early Evening
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What now?

The question went through her mind over and over again. It kept her up late at night and into the early mornings, wandering into the unknowns and bringing her back to a place of questioning and fear. Caramel eyes rubbed red and sore, closed one last time, inky-long lashes kissing the tops of her tear-streaked cheeks. Pink-pert lips parted slightly to inhale a deep breath, trying to focus her mind and let the clouds of chaos disappear, unbinding herself, as Ar'ekk and Eline had been teaching her. If she could at least feel him, it would set her soul at ease.

Teyla felt her lungs expand, the Force moving its invisible tendrils, searching for that familiar connection, but the emptiness only swelled. Her thoughts, thinned and frail, could only come to two conclusions: either her love was lost to her, or she wasn't strong enough in the Force to find him. The noise of their little ones in the next room over, prevented Teyla from losing herself to the emotions tearing her heart into a pile of red ribbons. Instead, the palms of her hands dried her eyes and the statuesque woman stretched up to go find what remained of her family.

The setting sun swathed the living area in gold and white beams, Sera in the middle of it all, the blonde heads of Marcus and Karina tucked safely against the nannie's chest as she soothed their disquiet through the eerie lullaby of Set and Veré, the star-crossed lovers of Naboo myth. It was a song Teyla remembered well, hearing it many times while cuddled up with her siblings near the family's hearth through the winter months:

"Fear not, dear Veré, for Set is calling,
Waiting for you at the end of this song.
This Galaxy was too cruel... for lovers like you,
But here in our hearts you'll live on..."
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It often followed with exaggerated tales from Sera, of cruel men and slavers, thieves, and those who consorted with ghouls and monsters. Cautionary tales, to scare children into being good.

"Don't you know anything more cheerful?" Teyla grumped, flopping ungracefully on the long chaise with a hand over her eyes.

"Teyla," Sera looked up, her eyes wide, as if broken from her own trance, the children both finally asleep. Her head tilted, continuing to rock. "Is everything alright?"

Is everything alright?

She steeled her heart. "Why wouldn't everything be alright?"

"Well, you spent so much time in the meditation room today, you haven't said much, and I couldn't help but notice that since Rafiki returned, you haven't been eating, you're starting to look th-"

"Are you my Mother, or the nanny to my children?"

"Quite right... well, since everything is fine, I will just put these two down and get ready for our guest."

"Guest?"

"Yes, and I suggest before she gets here, that you do something with that hair of yours and make yourself presentable in the next twenty minutes. But Shiraya forbid that I tell you what to do."

Livia Maddox