Through the Eyes of a Child

[Anara Valnor]

"And what happened next Miss Jedi?!"

A young boy of only four pleaded while staring up at her with large brown eyes, his classmates echoing his excitment. Laughing, Anara just shook her head, standing up so that she could finish her story. "Then the beast charged and with a cry the three brave warriors did the same, howling their battle cry." As an example, she howled and then beckoned for the children to do the same. A chorus of howls split the air for a moment, before Anara silenced them with a simple wave of her hand. Eagerly awaiting the next part of her tale the children grew quiet immediately, hushed excitment causing them to wiggle a bit in anticipation.

"Their howls were so fierce and brave that the beast paused in its charge, a fatal mistake. The eldest of the three warriors struck the mighty beast first, followed by his twins. With a cry filled with rage, hate, and regret the beast died at the feet of the three brave warriors sister."

The children cheered, but once more she made them fall silent as she sat back down amidst them. "Do you know what the warriors sister did next?" Some of the children shook their heads in answer, while others yelled out outlandish answers. With a soft smile upon her lips, Anara simply shook her head and took one of the smallest children into her lap gently. "Their sister cried."

"Why? It was gonna eat her!"

"Maybe, but in her little heart she knew that the beast had been just as scared as her. The beast had died scared and alone, something no creature should suffer. She cried because it was her fault the beast was dead, it had done no wrong. She had invaded his home and caused all the trouble...So do you understand the lesson in this tale little ones?"

When none could answer, she just smiled sweetly to ease the worried looks upon their faces. "Don't be so quick to assume that some wild beast is evil. They might be just as scared of you, as you are of them. Respect the wild galaxy we live in children, always remember that. Don't be like the warriors little sister."

 

[Sven Talith]

Sven stood, watching and waiting at the edge of the tree-line. He listened to his mother...his...well he didn't really know what to call her. Genetically she was the same, but everything else about her seemed to different. The Dreadlord's son stood, watching her with utter fascination on his face. He couldn't believe it, everything was so different, so changed. When he had arrived in this universe he had not known what to expect, many things had been different, but so many had been the same.

The Sith were still the Sith. Sable was still Sable, war was still war, and most of all his Father was still his Father. Even across universe's Moridin had apparently stayed the same. He still looked at Sven as more of a tool than anything else. When the Dreadlord looked at him he could feel it, though he could also feel a bit of attachment from his father. He wondered if Anara...his Mother would be the same. Would she send him away? Shun him for the genetic freak that he was?

He didn't know, so all he could do was wait. And thats what he did, he waited and listened enthralled by his mother and her tale. He felt like a child, like one of the younglings listening to her story. Finally after she finished and the children left, Sven approached.

His heart skipped every other beat in anxiety, his pulse seemed to slow to a crawl and his eyes moved into the back of his head. Sven was truly afraid, not of Anara but of her response to him. Slowly Sven came up to her, his footsteps making as much noise as possible. He knew she wouldn't be able to sense him in the force, and he did not want to scare her.

“Mo-Miss Valnor?” Sven called out in a gentle voice as he came up behind her.