Hello yes... what is the name of Lup's brother...?
Hello, great question!
Lup has a twin brother! Their mother was a tuxedo cat, but their father was a Maine coon, so per my fucking usual experience with half- Maine coons, Lup is positively teeny tiny and her brother is fucking massive.
Seriously. Look at this chunky monkey. He's literally bigger than our dog, Tobi (Tobi included for scale).
He's a really shy lil guy, always has been too. Never really been a fan of new people, and stick close to his sister like glue. When we first brought them home as kittens, Lup, was the first one out of the carrier they shared, and she had already adventured her way across the entire room by the time her brother realized she was gone. His head shot up and he looked all over for her wildly. As soon as he saw her, BAM, he practically materialized on top of her fuckening back and just sat there meowing quietly for a solid five minutes. It's actually how they got their names! We held a vote here on Tumblr and everything!
Anyway, my wife and I had been tossing around a few different names that we liked, mostly different fictional siblings, but their dynamic really sealed the deal for us.
Since he's so shy, he really keeps to himself most of the time, and we've built him his own special lil nest (the kitty fun den*** referenced in previous posts) that he can use whenever he wants to decompress from people, the other animals, etc.
***Editors Note: kitty fun den is the sfw version of what we call the anxiety relief nests we build for the cats, we do in fact call them something else in real life but I will not be saying it here
He really loves it in there, and it's pretty adorable to come by with treats or head scritches and just give him a little love. Mostly tho he's what our local animal shelter used to call a "Spirit Cat", the kind that you may never even know you live with. We can go a few days without seeing him and that's normal, but we worry if he keeps to himself too long, because that usually means he's having a lot of anxiety and needs someone to come comfort and reassure him.
And yes, folks, yall can quit raging from behind your keyboards, his name is, in fact, Taako.
Savage had learned several things about his Brother in the ensuing weeks of working with the Holocron. The first was that while that Holocron of Maul was a hard teacher – and he was, expecting results that seemed nearly unattainable in those first few days –he was also patient. He worked with them again and again to attain those results that had seemed so out of their depth, and often filtered through with enough explanation and demonstration that Savage no longer viewed the feats that Maul expected them to perform with anything but excitement.
Savage would achieve them, they were not insurmountable, he was capable…
And this led to the second thing – Maul was gentle.
It was an odd sort of thing to realize, particularly given the nature of what Maul was teaching, and even the man himself, but there was a gentleness to it.
A gentleness to the teaching of pain.
But it was not a pain that was inflicted.
Savage had started thinking of the Holocron as Teacher, and it was much easier as Maul, his brother, took and helped focus Savage’s pain, helped him understand how to gather it.
And that was the moment when Savage looked at his younger brother, and a further understanding grew – because in those moments Savage could see how much Maul hurt.
Savage could see, could feel what felt like a bottomless well of pain lapping at his soul whenever Maul guided him, as well as something else, a burning deep resolve that was so bright it was almost blinding. Savage wondered idly what his brother would be like. His brother in flesh and in spirit standing before him, the one that was not rescued, who had grown up with this…
Feral had wept.
Savage had held him, and even as he held him he mourned… Savage mourned his brother, mourned what had happened to him, the devastating question of what had happened to him…
Maul would not speak of it.
Savage had tried to ask, tried to understand, had offered his hands and his arms and someone to hold him, but his brother refused.
It hurt in his chest to know that Maul did not want to talk to him… But there was someone who did, and indeed had.
Healer Tiq had been…good.
Savage had not understood precisely what a Mind Healer was for, even with the explanation, until he had sat before him and the Rodian had softly and gently started unspooling the tangled-up weight within Savage’s heart that Savage had not even realized was there. He had lived with it for so long it had merely become a part of his being. And that brought Savage to what Tiq had told him…
All Maul had known was pain.
Savage had not known what that meant until that moment holding Maul’s hands, feeling the gate that opened up in his little brother…
Savage was not a stranger to pain. Savage was not a stranger to training, or to slavery. He had grown up in it, with others under the same bondage, in the same…
Maul did not act like a regular Zabrak.
There were some small…some things that he had difficulty with.
Even as Tiq helped him unspool his hearts, Savage found another tightening within him, staring at a small boy, who…
“Was my brother alone?”
The question was soft, whispered out, staring at Tiq who blinked.
Tiq hesitated for a moment and then, quietly, “there is only so much that I can…tell you,” he said finally.
Savage nodded, it was one of the first things that they had discussed before they had started this, before Feral had asked if he could come and Tiq had told them about the fact that they could do it separate or together. They had eventually decided to go with separate, with the promise that all of the things they talked about with Tiq could be talked about together. It had been driven deep that the two of them could absolutely speak to each other once they felt comfortable, and similarly that if they did not want to discuss something with each other that Tiq would not be the one that told them.
Savage had not wanted his brother to know about the Choosing. Savage had not wanted his brother to know about…
Tiq had listened.
Tiq had listened to his brother.
Tiq had listened to both of his brothers, and the knowledge that all of those conversations, all of those secrets lived in that reptilian head.
Savage was both thankful and hurting.
Savage also remembered the way Tiq had spoken about how his brother had not recognized affection. Maul had confessed to having asked for them to tell something, as sometimes it was too difficult, too much…
Savage closed his eyes.
“I know you cannot tell me much,” Savage said softly. “I know that…I know that if my brother…if he does come back… I would not want you to betray that trust. But I want…I want to know…was my brother always alone?”
“Not…always,” Tiq said.
“…No,” Savage said softly, “he wouldn’t be, would he, he had his Master…but…” Savage rubbed his face. “His Master is dead?”
“We…believe so,” Tiq said.
“You are…uncertain?”
Tiq paused for a moment.
“There is a certain simplicity in the way that he died that I do not, and have never liked,” Tiq said. “There is a fact that Maul was a loose end to a man who…I do not believe ever liked loose ends. Particularly when he was within the hands of the Jedi who…we treated him with kindness, Savage, and he was so parched for it…” Tiq shook his head. “Leaving Maul with the ability to identify him would be beyond risky it would be insanity. The fact that he stripped Maul’s memories of him leaves him a constant unknown, but…” Tiq was quiet for a moment, “I have a feeling…that Maul’s Master takes great risks. He sent Maul out when he was sixteen. Maul is highly skilled and very dangerous, and had killed Masters before, but there is an inherent risk. This…puts some of his other attempts into perspective, including the potential that he was trying to make us bring Maul into the heart of the Temple under the assumption that Maul would remain loyal. I do not believe that when he attacked the Prisons he was looking to harm Maul, which suggests that something else was the goal, and putting Maul in our Temple where he could be a knife in the dark…” Tiq shrugged.
“However…and this is something that I believe needs to be noted – once we shot his ship down, once he died the Force became clearer than it has in years. We have…visions more, the connection is greater. There was one hiccup that also could be connected towards him, but it was one your brother solved, and we never found any evidence that it was caused by something outside of the Temple, and we looked long.” Tiq frowned, “on one hand he is a Sith, and a Sith that is good at hiding, that twisted your brother inside out. On the other hand…” Tiq was quiet for a moment, “in a way we won’t know. Maul was…and this is record, you could find this if you looked, but Maul’s memories were torn from him by his Master before he blew up half the prison block as mentioned. I do not believe Maul got lucky…”
“No,” Savage agreed quietly, “Maul does not seem the sort that has luck to spare.”
Tiq gave a quiet huff of a laugh that did not seem as amused as it was almost rueful. “I wish he had more luck,” Tiq said softly. “But…he is impossibly stubborn, resourceful to a fault, and he is usually more than capable of taking care of himself. Not to mention he comes up with things that I have never seen or heard of. Savage, he is at most six years old right now???” Savage felt the grin spread over his face, taking in the way Tiq leaned forward, the absolute bafflement in the Rodian’s eyes bright. “Think about this, think about this, he finds a Holocron that is not only a product of Sith Alchemy, but Nightsister Magick and he figures out how to use it. He has never touched Nightsister Magicks, he has never stepped foot on Dathomir since he was taken as an infant and he still figures it out…” Savage laughed quietly, smiling as Tiq spread his hands out, “and then! To top it off it not only makes him six years old, but it also frees all of his Brothers. You are here, Savage, and you and your brothers are all safe. Maul is the most inventive individuals I know, and he is stubborn. He does not need luck.”
“No,” Savage agreed with a smile. “He does not.”
“But,” Tiq said leaning close with a grin, “some extra luck from his brothers wouldn’t be amiss either.”
“It would not be,” Savage agreed his smile widening. “Thank you Healer…” he paused. “I am grateful that he found you. I understand that you cannot tell me all that has happened…and I wonder sometimes how hard that must be. You know Maul’s secrets in the same way that you know all the people that have given you their trust and their voices. Thank you for honoring that. I do not know if you find it a burden…but I hope dearly that it is one you carry well.”
Tiq fell silent for a moment, taking that in, before the grin gentled, soft and warm. “Thank you,” Tiq said. “If…if we discover that there is no hope…if there is nothing we can do, and he is beyond saving…beyond coming back… I will tell you more about him, Savage. But I do not believe it is impossible, and I know that they are words Maul would rather gift himself. Thank you for your patience.”
Savage bowed low and was almost immediately treated to Tiq bowing as well, the Rodian grinning at him.
“Did…you have anything else you wished to discuss?” Tiq asked when they had risen, tilting his head in question.
Savage paused for a moment, thinking of all that he knew, all that had been said… Savage thought of secrets kept and a trust that was kept even when all else had shifted… Savage took a breath and laced his fingers together, before looking up to Tiq. “Yes,” he said finally. “I…I would like you to keep from discussing this with Feral, but… I want to speak about the Choosing.”
Tiq took in the request for a moment, his expression very still and then he laced his own fingers and tilted his head in a gesture that… Savage felt his hearts leap in his chest at the recognition of an invitation, of an offer… And he leaned forward, pressing his horns to Tiq’s forehead, and Tiq quietly, gently, “Your secrets are kept always, and I shall not speak of what you want to keep quiet, but remember that you can always speak to your brother. Nothing said here needs to be secret unless you wish it to be. Now please. Talk to me of what you wish.”
Savage did.
_
Feral watched quietly from his place lodged in the rafters as Maul finally came out of the hall that led to the crèche, taking in the way Maul stood, the stiffness to his form. There was something else, too, something about the way his shoulders were held tight to his body, the way his fists clenched…
Maul was angry, and Feral watched as Yaddle - a female Jedi that Feral knew was one of the heads of the crèche – took a step out of the hallway to watch Maul closely for a moment, and then make a comm. She had to stay with the other children, but there was apparently no reason she could not call for backup.
Maul kept walking down the hall, Feral following, wondering who…
And then he spotted Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Jedi was walking down the hall, a casual air about him that, if Feral was not aware of the fact that he had likely been called to help, would make him appear as though he happened to be strolling that way. Obi-Wan looked to Maul, his face blooming into a gentle smile.
“Hello there,” Obi-Wan called out cheerfully, Maul looking up at him sharply. “How are you, then?”
Maul paused for a moment, but his expression hadn’t cleared, his mouth pulling down at the corners. Feral could see the way his shoulders had loosened, though, not much, but they had, and he tilted his chin up a bit more, instinctively minimizing the threat of his horns. Maul was not mad at Obi-Wan, and indeed seemed to like him, but he was still angry.
Obi-Wan took in that softening, too, Feral could see, had relaxed himself as well, and the knowledge that the human knew the tells was…nice. “Hmm,” Obi-Wan hummed, “tooka cat got your tongue?” he asked, ducking down.
“What is all this, then?” another voice, and Feral knew this one as Qui-Gon, coming down the hall. “A youngling out of the crèche?” he asked softly, also crouching down.
Maul’s expression closed, and Feral had to wonder whether or not Qui-Gon knew what had happened, whether he had been aware that Maul was in the crèche. Obi-Wan, though, rolled his eyes, “he doesn’t need to be in the crèche, does he?” he asked, looking to Maul. “You don’t want to go back in there, do you?” he asked. Maul shook his head. “There you go, Master, you see? He doesn’t want to go back, and really he shouldn’t have to. Not when he could spend some time with us. It’s been a while since we’ve talked, hasn’t it, do you want some…lunch?” And as he said it there was a mischievous grin on his face, one that Maul was narrowing his eyes at, something in his face slowly sliding towards recognition.
“I definitely am quite hungry,” Qui-Gon noted softly, nodding.
“Oh, I definitely agree,” Obi-Wan said, smiling, “hungry enough that I could eat just about anything, even…”
Maul’s expression broke for one moment to something like delight and realization, taking a step back, only to be caught by Obi-Wan’s arms, bringing him high in the air, a “YOU!” being called aloud, even as he pulled Maul’s tunic back just enough to blow a massive raspberry on his stomach. Feral was delighted, and immediately amused at Maul’s loud cry of amusement, the shriek of laughter that he could not help. Maul then shook his head, holding his hands out towards Obi-Wan in a way to push him back.
“No, no,” he said, “please put me down, Obi-Wan,” he said, and Obi-Wan immediately did so, gently helping to straighten out Maul’s tunic, hook one of his temple horns gently.
“I’m sorry, little Mauler, I should have asked first, do you forgive me?”
“Yes,” Maul said, nodding, and his expression was closing again, his fists once again forming.
“Hmm,” Qui-Gon said softly, “are you sure you forgive him? That was awfully rude, was it not? Someone should have taught you better manners,” he said blithely, raising his eyebrows at Obi-Wan. This must be some sort of inside joke, Feral thought, because Maul’s face broke into a brief grin, even as Obi-Wan rolled his eyes heavily.
But then Maul shook his head, putting his hands to his chest, “please,” he said, “I know what you’re doing. I know you’re trying to make me feel better but…but I don’t want to feel better right now. I want…I want to be angry. Can I be angry?”
“Of course,” Qui-Gon’s voice was low and soothing and both Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon sat down. “I am sorry, little one, I should have asked whether or not you wished to remain angry. Will you tell me why you are angry? Perhaps I shall be angry with you. It is sometimes better to be angry with someone than alone.”
Maul took that in for a moment, and then looked back…he looked back towards the crèche and his expression did something funny. For a moment it looked like his expression tightened to something like grief, and then firmed, and softly, “I don’t…I don’t want to talk where they might hear.”
“You don’t…want them to know you dislike them?” Obi-Wan offered softly.
Maul shook his head, “I don’t…I don’t want them to think that I’m mad at them. It’s not their fault,” he said, and it was such… It was such a grown-up thing to say. One of those things that made Feral’s hearts twist because there was a maturity and an understanding behind it that hurt. It should not be there yet…not yet…
“I see,” Obi-Wan said gently. “Well, shall we go down the hall, further?”
“There is a room that used to be a banquet hall,” Qui-Gon said, “it is quite old now, and rarely used, but it would be a good place to talk.”
Maul took that in before nodding, following the two of them as they walked. Feral stalked them, keeping his presence masked, his hunter’s reflexes honed… And then he was aware of Savage, Savage who was coming from the other direction.
Feral blinked his presence towards Savage immediately, catching his attention, watching as his brother recognized where he was and what he was doing and also leapt to the rafters. They both followed Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan into the banquet hall, sliding in after Maul, still Masking.
The hall was so big and so beautiful, even in the dust, that Feral almost lost his hold on his presence, but then he shut it down, taking in the carvings that depicted the stars.
It was the first time in a while that he had looked at them, even carved as they were.
“Now,” Qui-Gon said, having picked up his brother around the waist when he held his arms up, placing him on a table so he was closer to eye level and not having to look up as high, and stepped back a pace, Obi-Wan joining him. “What are you angry about?”
Maul was quiet for a moment, seeming to gather everything up and then he looked up at them. “I’m angry…” he paused, trailing off as though suddenly aware of what he was going to say.
“Maul?” Qui-Gon questioned softly. “What is it?”
Maul hesitated and then in the face of their quiet curiosity, the complete lack of judgement, Maul’s entire face crumpled. “I’m angry at me,” he breathed softly and Feral’s heart lurched.
“Well, if that’s the case I don’t know that I’ll be joining you in your anger,” Qui-Gon said softly.
Maul ducked his head and continued, almost doggedly, the words in a breathless rush, “but I know I shouldn’t be, and I don’t want to be. It’s my…it’s my Master’s fault, and I know it is, I know it is! But he’s…” Maul’s voice cracked, frustration and something like despair there, “he’s not here, and I can’t…be angry at him…” he wiped his eyes. “I can’t do anything about the anger towards him, he’s too…even if he wasn’t dead he is too strong for me, and he’d just hurt me… But it’s his fault, I know it is, and he did it to me, and I can’t…” He swallowed, “I don’t understand the younglings,” he said, “I know they’re my age and you all want me to be friends, but they don’t want to be friends with me. They don’t like me. They think I’m…” his voice broke then, and he gave a frustrated sound, rubbing at his face again.
“It’s alright, Maul,” Obi-Wan’s voice was soft, “you can cry, no one is going to hurt you for it. You might even find you feel better.”
“But I don’t want to,” Maul said, voice stubborn. “I don’t want to give him the satisfaction.”
“You can give the satisfaction to yourself,” Qui-Gon countered gently.
Maul blinked, surprise in his expression, and Feral watched as his face finally crumpled, and Maul began to weep.
For a moment Feral felt the urge to swoop in, to pick up his brother, to hold him tight, recognizing the feel in Savage, but Qui-Gon gave a quiet sound, ducking down to be better at eye-level and quietly, “do you want me to hold you?”
Maul took in the question between sobs, before finally holding his arms out. Qui-Gon immediately scooping him up, holding him tight and pressing a hand to his back, rubbing it up and down gently.
“That’s it,” Qui-Gon said softly, “that’s it, just let it out.”
Obi-Wan patted Maul’s back gently, the two of them offering soothing words as Maul finally sobbed everything out, and then finally, his voice a little burst of fury, “It’s not fair!” his voice cracked. “It’s not fair, they think I’m weird and I’m…” he hiccupped, “they’re scar~ed of me! I don’t…I don’t pla~y like they do, and I can’t, and I…I almost hit Juun, I almost hit her, she just wanted to get my attention, and she touch~ed my shoul~der when I didn’t see her and I almost hit her!” Maul wailed, rubbing his eyes, “they told them not to touch me, but they forget, they’re little, they don’t remember. And I…” he collapsed against Qui-Gon, burying his little face in his shoulder, horns sweeping above, “I don’t want to hurt them…I don’t wanna… They’re so loud and I don’t understand them, and I can’t tell what they’re gonna do, and they… It’s not fair…”
“Shh, shh,” Qui-Gon shushed him, rubbing his hand up and down his back. “It’s alright. It’s alright…I will talk to…” he sighed, “I am so sorry, Maul. Did you tell Yaddle you felt this way? Did you tell Mace?”
“No,” Maul managed softly, “I know…I know why they wanted me to go, that I should…that they’re my own age and I should…play with people my own age, but…” he swallowed, and even that made Qui-Gon close his eyes.
“Listen,” Obi-Wan said softly, “now that we know that you feel this way, now that we know that there is something wrong, let’s take some steps to fix it, okay?” Obi-Wan took a breath, looking to his Master briefly, his brows pinched. “Ahsoka is older than you, as is Anakin, but you have fun with them, don’t you? They are ones that do not make you uncomfortable?”
Maul nodded, looking up at Obi-Wan over Qui-Gon’s shoulder.
“Perhaps we can put you with some of the older kids. You are right that we wanted you to spend some time with kids your own age,” Qui-Gon said, “it is good for your development, but this has clearly not been good for you at all.” Qui-Gon sighed. “I do wish…that we had known about the problem earlier.”
“It was not as bad before,” Maul breathed softly, “but…” he paused, “it’s been getting worse, and…and I think they’re just…getting used to me…and I just…”
“Shh,” Qui-Gon said softly, “do you remember what Tiq says?”
“Trauma sticks,” Maul said softly, “and I have a lot of trauma.” The words were serious but there was a slight bit of a smile curling at his mouth, though it was weak.
“You do,” and the smile that was on Obi-Wan’s face was broader. “Listen,” he said, “other people might get used to things faster than you can, but that’s not a bad thing. We’ll just work together on making it so your nerves aren’t getting absolutely pummeled. It’s not right that something that’s supposed to help you just winds up hurting you. We’ll help, Maul, it’ll be alright.”
Maul reached out to Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon laughing and shifting the small boy over to take hold of Obi-Wan’s neck, Obi-Wan pulling him into a tight hug.
“Thank you,” Maul breathed and Obi-Wan’s expression briefly tightened.
“Of course,” he said, “you’re under our care, ours’ and your brothers’, we’re going to do our best. We might not always get it right, but we are going to try.”
Maul nodded against his neck.
“Now, come on,” Obi-Wan said, “maybe we can find Feral, and Savage and we can all go to lunch. Try the refectory this time, yeah?”
“Okay,” Maul breathed softly.
“Do you mind if I stay here for a moment,” Maul asked.
“Not at all,” Obi-Wan said, putting him down. “Do you want to meet us down there? See if you can find Savage and Feral?”
“Yes, please,” Maul said.
“Do you have your map?” Qui-Gon asked, and Maul immediately held out the little device. “Good,” he said, and hooked Maul’s horns gently between his fingers, giving him a brief little shake. “Take some time to compose yourself. There’s no shame in any of it, little Mauler.”
“Thank you,” Maul breathed one last time, and the two of them left. Maul wiped his face, and then finally looked up at Savage and Feral, his focus unwavering. “You’re sneaking,” he said, and there was something like…discomfort on his face, something almost like fear. “Am…did I do something wrong?” he breathed.
Feral was on the ground before he could help himself, Savage on his heels. “No,” Feral said immediately. “Not at all,” he said.
“You are allowed to cry,” Savage said, kneeling down before him. “And you are right, we were sneaking.”
“It was my doing,” Feral said. “I have been watching…I did not enter the actual crèche, Yaddle keeps a very tight ship…” he paused. “It is alright,” he said softly, sitting next to Savage. “Your Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were both right.”
“And so was Tiq,” Savage said, his low voice serious. “It is nothing to be ashamed of…”
“Many…” Feral worked his mouth, thinking of what to say. “Many of our Brothers often struggled with such a thing,” he said finally. “I…have struggled with it.”
“As have I,” Savage said. “There is no shame. You did not hit that girl, even when you were afraid you were able to keep from lashing out. You are alright.”
Maul took that in, his lip stiff, and softly, “it’s alright to cry,” Feral said, gentle, and Maul nodded, the tears slipping. “May I hug you?” he asked, following the example Qui-Gon had given, Maul nodding and holding his arms out. Feral took Maul into his embrace, Savage also holding him, the both of them holding their brother that Feral… Feral sometimes still could not believe it.
He could not believe that he was here. He could not believe that he was safe, that the Sisters had been pushed back, and the reason for that… The reason for that was in his arms.
Feral smiled, locking his horns with Maul’s, feeling the way Maul’s nose pressed to his cheek. He was so small.
“It’s alright,” Feral said. “You are alright, brother. You are alright, Maul. Thank you for not outing us to the Jedi.”
Maul gave a surprised laugh, pulling back and wiping his face. “I wanted to see why you were hiding,” Maul said.
“I wanted to check on you,” Feral smiled. “I knew you were with the other kids and…” he paused, “I like working with younglings,” he said finally. “I was curious to see where the Jedi take care of theirs.”
“Would you want to work with them?” Maul asked, “you could probably ask Yaddle, I think she’d welcome help.”
Feral froze for a moment, thinking of asking… “I do not…”
“Trauma sticks,” Maul said softly, taking his hand in his own, squeezing. “It’s okay.”
“It does,” Feral smiled at him, squeezing back. “Thank you.”
“Do you both want lunch?”
“Yes,” Feral and Savage both agreed and Maul smiled.
“Come on,” he said, and led the way out.
_
Savage was following Maul to the Senate, Feral alongside him.
They were accompanying a small party of Jedi Councilors who were going to be meeting with the Chancellor. Apparently some sort of meeting that they did periodically to keep the Republic updated. Savage did not fully understand what this meant or even what it was for precisely, why the Republic needed to know about Jedi Business, but Maul was excited for it provided the perfect opportunity to introduce Feral and Savage to – as he put it – his best friend.
A female that had once been the Queen of Naboo and now worked as a Senator for the planet…Padmé Amidala.
Savage was uncertain, but the sincerity of Maul’s statement, the way he spoke of her… Savage hoped.
Savage had already met more women than he had in his entire lifetime and every one…every one Savage had felt that spark of fear, that moment of worry…and all had been kind. They kept their distance, spoke to him respectfully, were genuinely interested in what he had to say and nothing like what Savage had experienced.
The grief in his hearts was always strong in those moments…all of the things that they were denied, all of the pain that they had caused to their own people. And Savage still did not understand that.
Savage knew the stories, he knew…he knew the Legends… But why should they still be punished for that? Why should they still be paying the price for so long ago when they could be living alongside their women, when they could be in a partnership?
But there was no point now.
Not now when they were finally out… If they had contract from a Sister, if they too spoke of peace, then it was something that they may discuss, but if they did not… Savage was free. His Brothers were free.
He would take none of them back unless they remained so.
Savage’s thoughts were interrupted by a brief call from a bright clear voice, his attention immediately turning up to see a human woman. As he had often started doing, Savage immediately began taking in her physical appearance – the flush to her skin, the brown of her hair pulled in a high and intricate bun that was caged in some sort of metal, the deep blue of her sweeping garments that seemed to both hide and highlight her form – all things that were different to the Sisters, all things that would never be seen amongst them… And then he was drawn to Maul, who had lowered his center of gravity, shifting to his toes, tapping… The woman that he had to assume was Padmé lowered her own center, her eyes narrowed, the look on her face full of concentration.
And then she beamed, and brought her arms out wide.
Maul bolted.
Padmé braced herself lower, and when Maul leapt she caught him, swinging him back behind her and then bringing him up in the air above her, Maul giggling brightly as she spun down and around, the dress she was wearing apparently less constricting than it looked. She laughed aloud as she held him, finally bringing him up to tap his horns against the caged bun. Maul had yet to stop laughing.
Savage had initially feared that his brother had been some form of consort, now he found that he wasn’t entirely certain that would have been a bad thing.
But Maul had assured him that she had always simply been his best friend.
Savage watched and he thought he might believe it.
“Padmé,” Maul said then, “Padmé come, you have to meet my brothers!”
“Your brothers?” she repeated, and then Savage watched as brown eyes - large and warm in a way that he had never seen – focused right on him and his brother. “Oh!” she called out, and Savage watched as those eyes seemed to not only grow in warmth, but squinted in a wide smile, her expression nothing but the most amazing… She walked towards them then, and Savage held so still, aware of Feral beside him, the way he took a step closer.
To Savage’s shock, Padmé seemed to catch that, her expression gentling, and she stopped a good bit out of their personal space, that smile still there, still warm, still towards them.
“Hello,” she said, “my name is Padmé Amidala.”
“Savage Opress,” Savage introduced.
“Feral,” his brother said.
Padmé’s smile widened, but there was no comment about the names being strange, or even anything about how it seemed to be a theme, she merely bowed low… And Savage did not know how to take that, what to…
“It is very good to meet you,” she said. “Maul has always been a very dear and trusted friend and it is…” she paused. “I am so sorry…that it took us so long to free you. I am a Senator of the Republic and if you have anything that you think will help your brothers, will help you acclimate to being in the wider Galaxy, please talk to me about it. We will be able to hook you up with all sorts of resources, I am certain. And on a more…a great deal more personal note… I would be honored if we, too, could be friends. Would you wish to be friends with me?”
And the question buzzed in Savage’s ears and in his mind.
Would you wish to be friends with me.
Not we shall be friends, not a declaration or a statement or an order…a request.
She had asked.
She had offered help.
The warmth that swelled in Savage’s chest was… “Please,” he said, just as Feral said,
“Yes.”
Padmé beamed.
“Down, please,” Maul said and Padmé immediately put him down, that bright smile turning towards him. Maul took her hand then and dragged her over towards Savage and Feral, Padmé laughing the entire way. Savage thought that he could like her a good deal…
“Hello, Padmé,” Mace’s voice was warm, and Savage turned to look at the other man. The Jedi was smiling along with the other Councilor’s, fondness in their gazes. “Do you think we could leave them with you for a while as we meet with the Chancellor, provided no one has any objections?” Mace looked at Feral and Savage while the question was asked, and with a smile, “if you would like one of us to remain we do not all have to make a report.”
Savage and Feral looked at each other, before turning their attention to Maul and Padmé.
Padmé smiled, her expression warm and open. “I will not be offended either way,” she said.
“We will stay with Padmé,” Savage said after exchanging a look with Feral, catching the relief in his brother’s own eyes. It was all to give them freedom. Savage would have never believed…
“Good this is,” Yoda said, his voice full of warmth, and he tapped Savage’s foot with his stick. “With you we shall stay until the Chancellor has come.”
“Who is the Chancellor?” Feral asked. “We…understand that they are some sort of figurehead?”
“Yes,” Padmé said, nodding, “he is an elected representative of the Senate, our governing body. He helps mediate conversations and has the power to turn new bills into laws.”
“It is not quite like a Mother then,” Savage said with a frown. “They are not elected.”
“How is a Mother chosen?” Padmé asked.
There was a pause, Feral and Savage both falling quiet, and Savage found himself looking to Maul…
“Well,” came a voice, unfamiliar, but somehow…somehow…
Savage looked up, and slowly turned, and found his gaze frozen on the man that stood there, surrounded by what had to be aides, by guards…
But Savage could not tear his eyes away from the man standing there.
A man that he had seen before.
The hitching panicked gasps at his elbow drew his gaze once again down to his brother. To his brother that had been stolen.
To Maul.
Maul stared at the man standing there, his eyes wide and wild, nostrils flared, his ears pinned close to his head as his hands rose in something like a ward. Terror.
Pure and overwhelming terror…
“You said he was dead,” the words were whispered, broken, desperate, and Savage turned.
And stared into the eyes of the man who had stolen his brother.
And watched as the Chancellor stared at Maul with a shock that could not be hidden.
