The twin's design sheet, over many months between commissions. I captioned each picture so I think click on them to see titles? More under the cut since 10 photos limit. OK bye.
See also:
[Aryuni’s Design Sheet]
[Saxan’s Design Sheet]
What the hell is this outfit Sageboi? What were you thinking????
The days turned to months with how busy Vaylin made herself be. There was always something to be done: caring for Chonky, painting projects, exploring the island, hunting and gathering food; among other things. It was hard work and such a big change to her life, but felt worth it every minute. It would be a lie to say that she went through it without failures and rage, but she settled on shooting out lightning to the sky with a roar--preferably out of Chonky’s sight.
But when it neared the third month, her supplies were running low.
She could always power through the problem and live truly like prehistoric people, but why make things harder for herself? Besides, Chonky would benefit from proper pet supplies. But maneuvering society in a disguise was something she’d rather not do again. Add to that, the possibility of stumbling upon her Mother.
After a long thought, she asked her pet gizka; “Ready to travel?”
As the ship departed the planet that witnessed her very first yet embarrassing kiss, Chonky scampered around, trying to find a hiding place. The loud rumbling of the ship freaked him out, but then he heard Vaylin calling for him. She clearly sensed the fear from the little gizka and picked him up. "Scared, aren't you?"
She cradled the gizka and stroked his back gently. The major reason she went against the calculated risks was Chonky. Caring for others had become something so powerful and addictive--it gave her a better sense of fulfillment than what she had done in the past.
Corellia. A bold choice, considering the core worlds would often be visited by Alliance personnel. She sighed in annoyance as she put on whatever disguise she could think of. From researching the holonet, she discovered a seedy spaceport to land on to reduce suspicion and bypass paperwork. The biggest worry was keeping Chonky calm enough inside her backpack with barely any room to fit him. "It won't be long. Just a few minutes please!"
The little gizka seemed to understand her words as he stopped rumbling up the claustrophobic space. Even Vaylin herself was surprised, but she took the moment to jog towards the exit. Most people there were just as shady as she was; concealing their identities with masks or helms, gaze fixated to the floor, and shifty movement. A few eyes followed her hurried pace, signaling the others to make a move. A tall, gruff weequay intercepted Vaylin's tracks, tripping her.
"Watch it!"
More shady figures surrounded her, eager to cause problems for the former Empress. While what she wanted was to get away promptly, she wouldn’t turn down a fight. Tripping on the floor was a big humiliation and it angered her inside.
“You look familiar. Mmm, where have I seen you before?”
That was not the thing she expected to hear. She tried to sidestep the weequay but a hand grabbed her from behind. She jerked her arm away, but instead of breaking free the other thug pulled her closer. A swift punch landed on the thug's face, knocking him down. The weequay and another rodian ruffian drew their weapons and fired at her, but she barely managed to dodge their shots. Quickly she threw a nearby bottle at the weequay, shattering it, while the rodian fired another shot but missed.
The people in the vicinity scurried away in disarray, with some running into the rodian. Fortunately, another scene broke out in the hallway, amplifying the chaos.
She took this chance to start running away. This would all be easier if she could use the Force or even draw her lightsaber out, but alas.
Like a track athlete, she ran as fast as she could while maneuvering around the people there. Chonky was crying and she wanted to check on him but she needed to get out of the spaceport first. A bullet tram connected to the building arrived just in time to take her away. The trip was so fast she didn't even have time to check on her pet gizka.
As she stepped out of the tram, relief washed over her. She took a seat and finally opened her large backpack. Chonky had soiled himself. The smell was pungent enough it made her almost retch. Luckily her outfit avoided being wet, while the feeling of sunlight on Chonky's skin made him calmer.
But she didn't worry too much about it all because there was someone already waiting for her.
"Captain. You're here."
Meanwhile, Corellia was preparing for another war. The joint efforts of the Alliance and the Republic in Mek-Sha was largely successful, but the most memorable moment for Rio was the awkwardness of Tau's first meeting with her padawan, Arn Peralun. The lessons taught, especially Arn's brush with the dark side, made Rio's anxiety resurface for a brief moment--but he avoided saying much about it.
The next week, he was introduced to the current Supreme Chancellor. The briefing of Corellia’s defenses was short and concise, and the combined fleets of the Alliance and the Republic arrived not a moment too soon. The Imperial fleet was equipped with Isotope-5, providing an added challenge separate from their strategy. Watching the Empire firing upon civilians dejected Riornivo, wanting to be there to protect them. He promptly ordered the Eternal Fleet to chase those ships away while General Daeruun prepared him and the strike team to fly to the surface, leaving the space battle in Admiral Aygo’s hands.
Meeting Tau and Arn again alleviated some of his anxiety. The battle on the Meridian Complex complicated their attempts to infiltrate the building, but a team of Green Jedi helped them. The three of them fought their way to the top, closing in on their objective to reactivate the planetary shields. At the control room just before the elevator to the summit, Rio received another surprise reunion. “Tharan?”
“Wait, his name is also Theron?” Arn interjected.
“I’m pretty sure it’s spelled in a stupid way or something,” as Tharan spurned, then immediately held Rio’s arms to make sure he was real. “It’s really you! I’m saved! And somehow you haven’t aged a day?”
Riornivo chuckled, and after a short inquiry, Master Gnost-Dural and General Daeruun arrived at their location. Just beyond that elevator ride, Darth Malgus was already waiting for them. Tau wanted Gnost-Dural to join the fight, but Rio thought it wasn't a great idea considering his condition. Gnost-Dural advised her to have faith, and assured her that Riornivo was more than enough match for Malgus. Upon hearing that, Tharan enthusiastically agreed. The Barsen'thor himself was put in a difficult position, as disagreeing would demoralize his fellow Jedi while not feeling as confident himself. But he was determined to help her.
"I will do my best… you're the one who can take him on more than I am. We believe in you." as Rio encouraged Tau, smiling weakly at her. Arn chimed in to further bolster her spirits.
"Let's go."
The three Jedi opened the blast door to Malgus' terrifying presence. True to his nature, Rio attempted to reason with him to no avail. Malgus seemed determined yet restrained by something, according to Rio's Force Empathy. The battle was fierce--Tau expertly parried Malgus' strikes, then he resorted to big angled slashes to deal with the three at once. What they didn’t know was Malgus’ escape plan as the gravity well generator on the ceiling began to sway a little. The Sith was being realistic about his odds.
Seeing how little Rio utilized his lightsaber and was always on the defensive, Malgus felt slighted.
"Draw your lightsaber or I will!"
He pulled Rio's lightsaber from his belt and dual-wielded it with his own against Tau, who was caught off guard, receiving a slash on the right part of her armor. An exclamation escaped Rio's mouth as Malgus swung at Arn, who struggled against a deadlock. His left arm then struck Rio's saber in a forward thrust, but Rio caught it with his hand just before it could reach Arn. He utilized the Force against Malgus' raw might and managed to wrangle his saber back from Malgus' grasp, but it was broken. The next second had Rio deliver a Force-empowered punch to Malgus' rebreather. That caught him off guard. Tau recovered enough from her flinch to take advantage of a coughing Malgus and slashed upwards to disarm his lightsaber, almost destroying it.
The fight was almost over and Malgus knew it. He focused on a burst of power to push away all three Jedi--with Arn almost falling off the platform.
"I knew if anyone's able to defeat him, it's you."
Rio hurriedly helped Tau to her feet, healing the visible injuries. Before he could shift his attention to helping Arn, the gravity well generator gave way and fell, with it barely missing the two. The circular platform was destroyed, taking them down with it. Both of them threw Arn on top of the planetary shields control room's platform with the Force, then Tau flipped around Rio so her body would shield him from the debris. Arn was horrified, but remembered their objective for coming there and reactivated the planetary shields, preventing further ground casualties from the space battle above.
The bombardments were deafening to Vaylin, but fortunately it didn't reach her apartment. It was close enough that she was able to see all the smithereens from the balcony. She used to order such things around like it was making tea. She used to record the agonizing scream of the victims for fun. She used relish in the bloodbath and destruction as if welcoming them to the afterlife.
Being on the ground as an almost casualty however, made her truly angry.
As she stormed out of the apartment, Captain Serrus barred her. Daringly advised her against joining the battle out of concern over her secrecy and safety. Vaylin protested, needing to unleash her rage. “You’re to stay here and take care of Chonky. That’s an order!” she shouted.
A nearby emergency broadcast revealed to her that some Eternal Empire ships chased off the bombers, and immediately her mind speculated that Rio could be here. She stopped her steps for a moment to watch.
“Please stay away from the Meridian Complex. It has been declared as a hostile warzone, any trespassing will be at your own risk. We repeat, stay away and evacuate from the Meridian Complex and its vicinity.”
And that’s where she would be heading.
After dismounting from a stolen speeder, she navigated around the corpses, stopping midway when she realized something crucial: she wasn't wearing a disguise. At this point, she was getting used to disguises after disguises. She entered the complex as a Green Jedi, relishing on fighting those savage Sith. Her brutal fighting style, however, did not go unnoticed. Another Green Jedi approached her, perplexed by her unusual power. She refrained from turning around to face the Jedi, only saying that she had to hurry and quickly removed herself from the suspicion.
She snuck around and reached the control room, seeing Gnost-Dural and Daeruun hurrying up to the lift with their expressions harried. She gave it a few minutes before following them to the summit to avoid detection. What she saw was a huge wreck. The Master and General navigated the destroyed platform, approaching a woman with red hair and a pure-blooded Sith lifting up the debris by the Force. And there she saw him, severely injured and unconscious, being pinned by a tall Jedi. Her heart dropped seeing him that way, just like months ago in that penthouse. She escaped as Senya and Arcann helped him out, but this time, she wanted to stay.
"Master!" as Arn jumped down to the wreckage, helping them evacuate both Tau and Rio.
Vaylin discreetly followed them, but when they departed in a shuttle, it was where her trail ended. She was disappointed but didn't give up. She knew where Rio would eventually return to. But before she did anything else, she made her way back to her apartment.
"I might be going for a while. I'll keep in contact. You should move away from this planet with Chonky--let me know when you've got a new place." instructed Vaylin to Serrus.
"Where are you going, my lady?"
The former Empress paused. Serrus never got the answer as she cuddled Chonky and gave the gizka a little kiss. "Just do as I say. I won't be long… See you later, Chonky."
Citizens were evacuating the war torn part of Corellia. Vaylin took a cramped shuttle, toughing it out as long as it got her off planet. Hearing how scared the civilians were reminded her of when she was first brought to Nathema. The abandonment. Then the horrors she endured alone, having most of her youth stolen. She sobbed quietly as she shook her head, trying to shake that trauma away, and then buried her head on both knees.
Thank you again to @swtorramblings & @scribblesonthewall for proof-reading! 🚨 Reader discretion advised.🚨
The ship exited hyperspeed only to glide around aimlessly in open space. Vaylin couldn't get what had happened yesterday off of her mind, it still affected her even now. Her heart tightened to the point of pain deep in her chest every time her mind drifted to that incident. Yet again, she hurt the person she was starting to care about. What else could she do to make it up to him? Everything was already done--apologies, promises, hugs, and still she failed to control her emotions.
She dreaded that hollow look from him which she was sure she would get if she dared to be around him. Would she?
Thinking further about how Mother now knew of her status was another vexing matter that was best left for another day. She entered the bedroom of the ship and slept it off, wanting to stop feeling miserable.
Alas, yet another sweet dream.
Her eyes opened to the blinding sunlight on a hammock, beachy wind and waves crashing against the shore. Laughter was heard not far from her. As she turned to the side, she saw a family happily interacting with each other. There was Senya cooing over a baby cradled on her chest. Rio and Arcann were playing with twin girls that looked like miniature versions of herself. A woman she remembered to be Arcann’s partner was holding another baby. Somehow, seeing Mother did not invoke anger or negative emotions. The vacation was the most peaceful she had ever felt.
The twin girls managed to outmaneuver Arcann and tripped him, splashing the shallow water all over the others. Rio noticed an idle and perplexed Vaylin, then made his way towards her with a shining smile. He greeted her with a caress to push back her hair and lent down to plant a tender kiss on her forehead. “Had a good rest?”
Vaylin was shaken by his action and how casual it was. Her hand ran through his wet chest towards his abdomen, as if wanting confirmation of their relationship status. His response to that was a shift to a more flustered expression. Before he could utter a word, she hooked both arms around his waist, pulling it so that their hips meet. “Um… p-probably not here…? Look, our babies need us!”
Our babies?
Rio gently let her arms go to tend to their children. The cascade of revelations was quite a surprise but a welcome one. As she approached her babies, the world dissolved into a dark bedroom, shattering her beautiful dream. Vaylin sat up, keeping her eyes tightly closed so she could cling to the remnants of the dream for as long as she could. It felt so real--she could feel the touch they briefly shared. Was that a vision of her future?
Even though the dream felt like a few minutes, the day was new. It gave her a small boost in clarity to decide on her destination. The unknown planet that started it all. It took quite an effort to find the hyperspace route closest to its system, but it paid off. She landed not far from the area they used to camp around.
This time she was prepared.
Despite her renewed focus, her mood wasn't cooperating with her and she found herself quickly falling back into a dark gloom regularly as her mind repeatedly decided to cast doubt over her. Still, she fought hard against it. Taking her time to set up camp slowly while alternating between resting on the ship and her project at the construction site.
The dream was still fresh in her mind, and so did the idea of having children. With nobody else but him. It introduced a stranger kind of cringe; that she was warming up to the idea, but strongly denied it.
A rustling sound startled her from her news watching session.
Wild predators were an expected intrusion, but not an injured, lone gizka. Vaylin reluctantly turned off her lightsaber and carefully approached the animal. It looked like the gizka had a fractured bone on its left leg, as apparent by it wobbling around helplessly. Vaylin sighed in irritation as she straightened, pushing her hair back from her face as she debated on what to do. It wasn't in her nature to help the weak, but she couldn't just act like she hadn't already done it before. But multiple factors played into her decision to rescue the gizka.
She was reminded of an injured Rio, and how she sort of missed her pet Bergola and friends.
Her mind was shuffling for ways to treat the injury until she settled in browsing the holonet for guidance. There was nothing to feed the gizka with after she rummaged through her supplies, but at least it was safe and warm inside her ship. She hurriedly searched for anything that could feed the gizka in the vicinity. The little animal seemed grateful as it fell asleep after a meal of berries.
Her mind was still doubting this whole pet rescue thing. On the other hand, she wasn’t alone anymore. Eventually, the camp was finished along with the gizka's recovery. She decided to name him "Chonky''. While physically frail and definitely not massive, she was confident the spotted gizka would grow to live up to his name. Chonky eventually gained enough energy to start playing and walking around again. It reminded her of those childhood days--she used to have a small grophet which likely influenced Chonky’s name. She was a particularly feisty one, as Vaylin liked using her to annoy her twin brothers.
Just as her mind was perfectly distracted from the tragedy with the days passed, one of them snapped her back into it. She felt like a chain had been broken, a lighter sense of how the Force flowed around her.
Mother.
She couldn’t feel her anymore. It was so sudden that she dropped the water bowl she was bringing to Chonky. What happened, she wondered. Did Mother die? Even though she failed to sense her through the Force, her gut feeling, or perhaps the maternal bond, told her that Senya was still alive. But something had definitely happened.
She let out a chest-constricting sigh, thinking that they would always be better off without her. Rio resurfaced in her thoughts, hoping that he'd recover and possibly give up on her permanently as it was for the best. She didn't want to hurt him anymore and this distance was the best thing to keep him safe from her. Her heart would still yearn for him despite the improbability around her desire for him to kiss her this time.
But little did she know that he secretly still wanted to.
The Jedi code wasn't helping him cope anymore. Vaylin, however, was. He kept revisiting the tender moments they shared together, how swiftly it made his heart flutter, giving him strength to keep working for the Alliance. He couldn't deny that his heart was no longer his, but was still reserved about anchoring his mental well-being to another person. Behind that yearning however, was worry. About her condition, and how they left in such a bad position.
His lack of rest caused by the traumatic recalling contributed to that. He would revitalize himself using the Force, but mending his mind was another matter.
"Can't sleep?"
A ghostly voice greeted him by the Odessen forest. A small, cold gust of wind approached him, then a hand on his shoulder figuratively chilled his nerves. "Mother… it's been so long."
“You’ve never been like this before. There’s butterflies around you, yet they are flying over stormy clouds. Let me guess… girl problems?”
Riornivo denied it, stuttering and folding his arms as he felt his cheeks aflame with heat. Vianiel, his mother, smiled at her son. Her hand reached out to stroke his back, even though it wasn’t felt physically by him. The spirit of his mother rarely appeared, and he took advantage of it to change the topic to something more in his favor.
“I don’t know. I’m not in control of it. But I know why I’m here,” she soothed gently. “You don’t have to tell me because I can feel it all. I’ll be here with you as long as you need me.”
“Thank you… I just… I can’t stop my duties to wallow and brood by myself endlessly. People are dying out there. I want to prevent… as much as I can…” muttered Rio almost incoherently. “No more deaths… impossible as it may seem.”
“You haven’t truly accepted it. Not even to the stage of letting go. Before you think of fulfilling your purpose… or redemption, you must be at peace with yourself. I’ll give you some advice--one of the common mistakes is trying to rush your healing process.”
“How can I even move past that? I felt their deaths deep within my core, mother. It’s as if a thousand voices howled, then quiet. Every time I thought I could bear it I just became weaker instead. You saw how hard father had to work to keep me from the shadows. I wanted it…I deserved that punishment.”
Vianiel was quiet, looking to the distance. Her son snapped out of it, thinking he had struck a chord with her. “I’m sorry. Looks like I haven’t stopped even after you’ve passed...”
“Trust me, death is not the escape you think it’ll be. I still carry mine, if you must know. But I’m not here to talk about myself. There’s not much I can say to help that hasn’t been said, but if you want me to, I can share what I know.”
He nodded, opening up himself to the long lost comfort and words of his mother.
“You’ve been doing great so far. You’re surrounded with people who love you, showing you how in different ways. Take that as a strength. Allow them to help you. Your way of viewing things is the first one you should change…” as she grasped both of her son's arms.
"Those… deaths have already happened. You've been living with it this long. I'm sorry if it won't ever go away but you've managed to cope. You've helped to the best of your capabilities. You've redeemed tyrants and criminals, why would you not deserve it when it comes to you? If you're trying that with someone now, you should feel the same about yourself."
His gaze fell to the grass, processing his mother's words. To him, it read as selfish, only thinking of what he deserves and not about his victims. However, he understood that he probably was looking at this in a pessimistic light. "I… I'll try. I have to stay strong…"
“You don’t have to all the time, you know.”
“I know.”
Vianiel wasn’t fully convinced, and she could still sense his reluctance. “I understand words alone won’t be enough. I'll appear as much as I can for you.”
“It’s alright, you won’t have to. Thank you for your help... Ria truly missed you. Have you seen her?” attempted Riornivo to divert the topic.“I have. I’m going to see my grandson now, if you don’t mind. Though I hope I’m going to get more!” as she hinted slyly while fading away.
“Mother!”
He shook his head to sweep away the embarrassment, but not the person behind the thought. It had been months since the tragedy, many had visited and aided him until his full recovery. But the one he was hoping to see never came. Whatever happened to the brooding just then? The way it magically ceased to bother him still felt wrong and unnatural.
The taboo around love and affection was not unfounded amongst the Jedi. It almost always lead to actions against a person's conscience, like what a certain wayward Jedi has done. Against her better judgement, she dove deep into her husband's true intent, and to an extent, his thoughts.
The result was heart-wrenching.
There was very little of her in his mind, which was clouded with the incoming retaliation from the Empire for turning on them. To seek comfort, he immediately displayed Rian smiling at him. But then it turned to a heavier anxiety as he helplessly watched Rian being attacked by the Sith in Ossus, only with a darker result. A fear shared by both parents.
And it was only one of the many destructive cycles in his mind that he endured alone, refusing to seek help or let it be known to anyone.
Feeling slighted for not appearing in his heart soon seemed a selfish notion to her. Now she only wanted to help. If only she could bare her heart to him and share his pain. The journey home from her scouting duties felt longer than it should, but she was eager to report to her husband and try again.
"How was your day, husband?"
That line came out more awkward than she anticipated. Rionnic's frown was ever so visible as it turned to a scowl. "Your report."
Cold and aloof as usual. Defeated, she handed him the results of her investigation around Dantooine. The silence that followed brought her fragile spirit down as he examined the datapad. “I’ve encountered some Imperial spies in disguise, sticking around after the pirates were driven off. I overheard them talking about… stragglers from the Alliance.”
That seemed to catch his attention.
"I've dealt with it. Their orders are included in my report. I don't think it's spread yet.” stated Jaesa in a professional tone, devoid of warmth or bond. Rionnic still didn’t take his eyes off the report, seemingly pleased with the results of her mission. He only glanced at her to thank and dismiss her. Not wanting another argument, she complied, knowing that he wouldn't be able to get rid of her that easily. The class story sessions with Rian would be in another few hours, and that was the key to any semblance of family time they could have.
Not far from Rionnic’s office, she bumped into his twin. As usual, her brother-in-law apologized sheepishly, but it immediately planted another idea in her mind. Time for a little chat with this fellow Jedi, she thought. They headed to a hill where the base was still visible but far enough for privacy.
"Rian is such a model student. You certainly did a good job raising him. He's always eager to learn… It seems like he's interested in archeology like my late Mother. It truly doesn't fall far from the tree!"
Nothing but praise and good things coming out of his mouth. If only her husband shared just a fragment of his twin's personality. She thanked him for all the flattery and let him in on a little secret. "He's always idolized you. I could imagine how he’d feel after discovering that you’re his Uncle.”
That statement changed Riornivo’s expression. “You… never told him?”
“I did, he knew he had one but who… well, I… I had my reasons.”
The situation turned awkward with Rio shuffling his foot on the fallen leaves and Jaesa shrinking her pose. However, she broke the silence with an apology. Perhaps the Uncle would be more accepting of her remorse. “I understand…” he affirmed in a low tone, not helping with the awkwardness, but he continued with his own apology. “I admit I wasn’t around your family much in the last decade and I’m sorry about that. I could have been there for Rian, at least.”
Jaesa shook her head; “Nothing to apologize for. It was a different time. You have your duties, we have ours. You know what he was like towards you back then…"
He smirked at that, but sensed some kind of projection from Jaesa's tone. He didn't pick up on the purpose behind that statement at first, but wistfully nodded in agreement. "How have you been doing?" asked Rio, trying to steer the conversation.
"I'm… fine. Though, I've been meaning to ask you something," as she finally spoke about the objective of the evening walk. “It's… about Red. It seems like he's got so much going on. I know it's not my place to observe as if I've been by his side but can I ask--does he get enough time on his own? Breaks from work?”
“Sadly, no. He kept refusing to hand over the majority of the work to me. One time I tried it anyway, and the result was what you’d expect. I can say this though… ever since you and Rian returned there is more of that now."
A slight relief washed over her, then proceeding to pitch the plan to her brother-in-law.
"I'm thinking of a… family day, if you can call it that. Bring Ria, Eni and your Uncle along. Just us somewhere. If it goes well we could make it a monthly thing, perhaps?"
Rio's face brightened with a glowing smile. He agreed in earnest, praising the idea. "That would be a nice way to introduce the rest of the family to Rian. I'll be letting them know!"
After they discussed further about when and where the event would take place, the pair parted ways to resume their duties. While Riornivo left with his spirits uplifted, she was feeling apprehensive instead. How would she go about asking her husband about this? She waited until Rian's class was close to finishing to meet with Rionnic again.
This time, he responded to her exasperatedly. His tone hurt, but she swallowed it and displayed her best face for her tired husband. She nervously explained her plan, while his face was progressively souring, causing her to stutter. There was a slight pause after she finished talking which made it worse. “And what makes you think I’d agree to that?”
His question depleted her defenses. But she remembered to fall back to that state of calmness, utilizing her Jedi training. She was facing a Sith after all--a Sith she married. "I want to introduce Rian to the rest of his family. It's fine if you don't want to attend. I'll be doing it with or without you."
Rionnic turned away, looking out of the window towards the expanding base below, rethinking about her proposition. That kind of break from work was what he needed but did not want. Besides, it was another chance to spend more time with his son, and he wanted as much of that as possible. With a sigh, he stated his retraction.
"My decision will be whatever Rian says."
Which was a relief for her, apparent by a slight smile on her face. As if a certain proverb cooperated with the will of the Force, Rian buzzed the door after being mentioned by his father. The padawan ran towards Rionnic, enthusiastically showing him his newfound treasure. A shiny red crystal encrusted on a rock. “Just like your hair! I picked this up from a cave because I was reminded of you. Would you like to have it?”
Both parents were immediately freed from the tense situation mere seconds before.
“Are you sure? This would be a fine addition to your collection,” asked Rionnic while stroking his son's hair.
“Yes! Please keep it safe.”
"Thank you kindly! I'm very happy that you've thought of me. I'll take care and protect it."
The father and son hugged. The little family then sat around the table for Rian's class stories. It was his first day of being taught by Riornivo, and the topic was forgiveness. Instantly, the word nicked both parents’ hearts.
“The lecture today was short because there’s so much fun stuff we did with the Force! I was struggling to lift multiple boxes for a long time but with Uncle’s help I did it.”
Jaesa clapped her hands, while Rionnic congratulated his son verbally. As Rian talked and talked about his Force training, eventually the conversation led towards the lecture.
“Uncle says, it's always better to forgive no matter how long it takes for us to move past the tragedy. We don't have to say it to them, it's enough to just keep it in our hearts. It will help in blocking that grudge and hate, and help us focus for the future. On accomplishing what we want.”
Rionnic could feel Jaesa’s determined eyes trained on him, hoping those words struck deep into his heart. Rian’s pause and then innocent gaze at him reinforced the weakening of his defenses. The only thing keeping him from that much-needed slice of happiness was the wound in his heart. That even the only person he had ever loved betrayed him. And now he had to act cordial.
“I’m so proud of you. Such a bright and intelligent mind.”
His tone indicated a slight discomfort and Jaesa picked up on that. She decided to shift the conversation.
"Rian, what do you think of a family day? Your aunts, uncles and relatives will be there. We’ll do a lot of fun things and eat some of my cooking.”
Whew... 15 chapters on Love Stranding. If you’ve been reading it I can’t express how much I love you! More to come thank you for putting up with my slow writing brain.
