Private Monster

[Mia Monroe]

Mia smiled through her tears at his jest. Maybe love was too cliché, but it was true. "Perhaps." She agreed softly her chin coming to rest on his head as she rocked gently. Falling quietly into her thoughts and fears.

It would be fates cruel will to take him from her too, to yet again tear a child away from her, it wouod have been the most painful too, for all the others had simply turned away, unable to bear what she had become, but Malum? He didn't care, more than that, he understood why she was the way she was, he didn't question her morality because he knew that whatever she did, whatever sacrifice she made, it was for the greater good.

"Ni kar'taylir gar gai asas ner adiik. Bal asas ner adiik gar ganar subr suum kaysh. Gar ganar tkiriyr be ka'ne at gar norac.

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

Malum could only smile, even as his sobs calmed, even as his tears dried, his grip on her was ever firm, a smile easily upon his face, he knew any other man would be burning green with envy at his position, yet, as he was rocked back and forth gently, comfortingly, he hardly thought of such a thing.

It was not something talked much about in those books he had read so long ago, but this woman, this truly old warrior, though she hardly looked it, had been a mother, and far beyond those she adopted so caringly underneath her wide wings, she was a mother to a child of her blood. And Malum knew, firsthand the deep tragedy she had faced, a ghost once haunting her.

Malum did not know how she took it... if his...

His breath hitched.

The pain in his heart never went away, yet... every day, to his guilt, he thought of that lone tombstone atop that hill, shielded by the sun's rays by a singular great oak, less and less.

All to say... it was hard to imagine, that this woman who despite all appearance, that despite how long it had all been, still held such natural maternal instincts, and in this moment, he could not be more happier, that they were turned his way. So much was wrong, so much was wrong in the galaxy, so much was wrong in his own life, and in this moment, he just needed a comfort that he could not find in the flesh, but in the heart.

Even as he felt utterly guilty for using another's mother, even if he considered her...

His ears flicked up at her words, taking a moment to decipher them, though a proficient enough speaker... he would not call himself a natural, but her words were enough to bring about a wider smile nonetheless, "Ni doubt te spirits be te manda Kelir Haili cetare gaa'taylir a darjetii," It was awkward, it was stunted, he was certain he had gotten something wrong, yet he persevered, even as his cheeks held the faintest pink complexion, "A... vor entye, buir." The more he said, the more warm he felt.

He did not know how this had occurred.

But he could not let it go, even as he had missed the full weight of her words.

Mia Monroe

 

[Mia Monroe]

Mia felt a shiver of anger run through the back of her mind that wasn't hers, that rose the hairs on the back of her neck as her sapphire eyes darkened. But the spirits had no place here, they had no say in who she chose to be her children. She would forever ignore their demands to kill him.

I am Mandalore the Liberator, twice named and repeatedly shunted back into this world to fix the mess our children create. I will name him as my son and you will be silent.

They stilled, retreating from her again as she looked down at Malum's wide smile. She realised he did not understand. That he had no idea what had happened, what she had just declared. She wondered for a moment if she should explain, but decided that he would come to understand in time.

"Gar ru uhyih shi a darjetii, gar cuyir a darjetii meg ganar otira be kaysh miai at gaa'tayl waryida cuun dahymamika asas a adate. Ibac, cuyir e'ne be etie temya'a"

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

He quirked an eyebrow at the reaction to his words, the smile fading from his lips, quickly reviewing what exactly he had said, he could not help the moment of panic that flashed across his rubies, as his heart noticeably beat a second faster. What had he done to have her eyes darken in such a way? He swallowed, the protrusion by his neck bobbing like an apple at a fair, as suddenly, everything felt far too hot.

Yet, even as his instincts demanded it, his body motioned for it, he did not break away from her embrace. They were far beyond the overreactions, the misunderstandings, whatever it was, whatever she had seen, whatever she remembered.

He would trust her.

Whatever it was, it faded quickly enough, as she stared down upon him, speaking words that it took him a few moments to translate, words which understood, he could not help but return his smile, "Ni doubt birov Mando'ade Ru'kel aalar te adla" He countered, none of them would know that it was he who had warned the Protectors of the attack upon Mo- Mandalore.

It was for the best that neither the Mo- Mandalorians nor Sith knew, yet, it still felt... odd in some way.

Mia Monroe

 

[Mia Monroe]

Mia let out a sigh, brushing a strand of hair from his face. “No, but then they are ignorant fools who can't see beyond the ends of their beskads. They see only war and bloodshed. They are blind to the endless cycle we are stuck in, and the few that are? They’ve lost all hope in changing things, turning their backs to focus on their clans and houses individually. We are, and always will be a broken people.”

So what was the point of her being here anymore?

Without thought, her gaze drifted back to the table, to the blaster and its promise of relief…of peace. She became acutely aware of Malum’s arms around her, of the way his fingers had dug into her desperately, needing her. She could not leave. She could not be this disgraceful mess she had allowed her self-pity to haul her into.

Gently she unwrapped her arms from him and peeled his grip from her to sit him upright so she could look at him properly. “You should not have had to find me like this.” She reached to brush tears from his face. “I am sorry I abandoned you. It will not happen again. My people no longer need me, but you do.”

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

He would admit to no one the shiver that went up his skin, the tremor that went down his spine, at the simple touch of her fingers across his raven locks. His hair had always been sensitive in that regard, privately he had joked to himself that he must have been a cat or a dog in some past life, for after all, how else would be so weak to the simple act of someone caressing his hair?

It was unfortunately a trait that all his lovers who learned of it were far too willing to use against him, as he melted into nothingness at their mere touch.

Yet, it seemed that Mia did not know that... yet... and as she was distracted by talking, perhaps he could keep it that way, "...Are you... are you... okay with that?" Malum questioned, as much concerned for her as with a musing question. If his people had been brought to such a state of disunity, broken utterly, he was unsure if he could ever countenance leaving them to roll around in the dirt.

Especially, if he was amongst the few with the reputation, the feats, and the history, to be capable of uniting them. She had been Mand'alor, a controversial Mand'alor certainly, a Mand'alor who had lost her war decades ago, only to be brought back now, yet... still a Mand'alor, still a leader of her people.

To simply watch them go down a path she disagreed with... could he be capable of doing that?

Her gaze left him towards the table, and he followed, as her eyes found the blaster... his grip firmed up. They only grew even more so, as her arms unwrapped from his form, as his eyes swivelled to face hers, with the barest amount of fear and concern painted upon his features. Expressions faded into that of betrayal, as slowly, with only silent protest, his own arms were forced to let go.

She still faced him, but now...

...All felt so cold.

"...Yet, I did..." He replied, a hint of hurt in his tone, even as he found himself leaning into her fingers, as she brushed the remnants of tears from his face, her last words, were enough for him to blink, rubies meeting sapphires, as he tilted his head, "...I could not ask that of you... your people still need you, M-" His nostrils blew hot air, "...Buir."

Outside the context of Mando'a... it felt somehow both wrong, and entirely right.

Mia Monroe

 

[Mia Monroe]

Mia sighed at his question. "No of course not, but I am also powerless to change it. My duty was to give them a foundation from which to build their future. What path they take and how they take it is no longer in my power to control, nor should it be. I am from a bygone age, what I want for them is no longer relevant."

She studied his face for a moment, tear-stained cheeks flushed with pink, ruby eyes both filled with despair and hope. "No, they don't," she repeated softly the ghost of a smile touching her lips at his fumbling over calling her buir.

"If you ask it of me, I will return with you to Sith space."

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

Mia Monroe might be the one exception to the rule of immortal tyrants, it was little wonder that they had been brought together... no. They had found each other, in the worst of circumstances that had made him wish to destroy her utterly, but through their own decisions, beyond the will of some God, they had found each other, one who so hated immortal tyrants, one who held utter capability to be one.

Yet, now, he could hardly imagine any possibility of hating her, and her... despite the capability, despite the potential will, despite the want, she did not use her immortality, her decades of knowledge, her honed skills, to take her place amongst her people, to lead them as her vision pronounced. No... she respected them ever still, respected their ability to decide, protecting them as a lioness protected their cubs, and yet simply watching, as the cubs grew and made their own mistakes.

To learn and learn again, as time moved past them all.

"...You remain ever amongst the best of those leaders who have returned to this plain," Malum offered, a ghost of a smile taking providence upon his features. She was the one exception to all which he believed, perhaps that was evidence he was false... yet, it could just as easily mean that she in the best of all ways, was false herself. All the while, his hands, detesting the notion of leaving her warmth, were brought back, to clean away the wear and tear of his face.

He blinked, then blinked again, and for good measure he blinked once more. Her, come to Sith space?

"...And what would you do in Sith space?" He questioned, even as his heart began to beat faster, even as a warmth filled him, yet still... it was quickly gone.

The Kaggath loomed ever closer.

Mia Monroe

 

[Mia Monroe]

Mia laughed at his compliment, of all the leaders that had been brought back to this plain she was the weakest, the one with the least influence and power. But perhaps that was his point. "You're sweet for saying so." She replied, even if she did not share in that belief.

"I made you a promise," she began in answer to his question, "that I would help you eradicate those in your path. I cannot do that from crusader space, nor can I do it from here. I can only do that from within sith space."

It was stepping into a nest of vipers. They would have to tread carefully, perhaps even conceal her identity and force signature fornthere were those that were acutely familiar with who she was. But these were small setbacks, easily overcome.

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

Malum narrowed his eyes at the reply, "It is true. You are amongst the only of this century who have contented themselves with protecting their people, providing them stable foundation, but otherwise allowing them to rule themselves, who else could you name that would despite their immortality, their decades of experience, wisdom, and knowledge been willing to do that?" He spoke in rebuttal to an argument that she had not even presented, yet, he could not help himself now, "Even the great Valery Noble could not hold herself from the temptation. She who is from another era entirely, she who pushed herself forward as Grandmaster of the New Jedi Order. They see themselves in positions of such greatness, that they cannot imagine a galaxy without them, Kaine, Braxus, Darth Solipsis, and so many others. They are all alike, playing the same games against each other that they have played for decades, believing they are any closer to victory, when for so long they have failed, sacrificing the lives of their mortal subjects when there is no risk for their immortal selves, never believing those same mortal subjects, risen with lessons from the past, burning with ambition, could ever achieve what they could not." He blinked as he concluded, finding his mouth had gone dry, speaking of all which he had kept in his mind, finally able to draw it out towards one of the few that might so keenly understand.

Yet still, as his rant concluded, he had the good graces to blush, gazing away, stammering an apology underneath his breath.

It provided her with the opportunity to speak further about her intentions, words which he certainly liked the sound of, yet... to bring a Mo- Mandalorian to Sith space, that would certainly be beyond the level of treason that he normally toed the line of, it would be ramming straight through it, leaving few survivors. Then on the other hand... he might not live long enough for it to matter.

Then of course too, simply the matter of an uncertainty of if he wanted Mand'alor the Liberator, to be running amok in Sith space... it was different when she targetted those of a military nature, who else was in some way a threat to her people, yet this... it would be most innocent of them all.

Yet, if she were to become part of his Tsis'Kaar... if she were to be on his side in a real sense, even secretly, her strength united with his... it was difficult not to imagine, all which they could do.

"...And what exactly do you intend to do?"

Mia Monroe