No More Secrets .. [Théo]

[Coci Heavenshield]

The fire in hearth was lit. Coci entered the Temple and was greeted by the warmth of it which surprised her somewhat, although welcomed. There are people in the Temple, a few clear presences she did not recognise but she could say the same for the new members of the Silver Order. Time would reveal to her who they were, but today she is here for her son, Théo.

Thurion and herself, had vowed not to train their children, at least not completely but rather thought to have them find their own way within the galaxy and training of their own to find their paths. But sometimes, a mother is required and the only one to provide a course of action to help her children. With Théo off on Rhen Var mostly, there is limited time for her to see the man he had grown into so for that alone she was very happy to be here. She is always her most happiest on Midvinter.

Coci summon him, through a bond only mother and child will know, he would sense her presences and come shortly. In the mean time she waited by the fire, warming her body from the biting cold of winter, and her mind filled with the images of her husband, she knew where he was and he would know she is here. A tie for life binding them together and tenfold strong from the day they first met.

It was also time to tell Théo about herself. She knew he was curious about her life before the Silver Jedi, on Corellian. After all, he is Corellian too and that part of him needed to be recognised. He also needs to know .. she is Shadow. No more secrets ..

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

He could be late to rise from his bed, he could be late to attend a lesson or even when meeting his father, but mother? No, Théo did not have courage enough to arrive late after a summon. He pushed the draw shut quickly securing the contents with a lock before turning to leave the small workshop he had here in the Temple. Hrothwûrm scales, most powerful and hard won. And he would work on them later, to create his armour.

He entered the main gathering room, a small limp in his gait that he would try and hide from his mother, from the battle in the snow with the Hrothwûrm and he hope Ryn was fairing better these days too. He saw his mother by the fire, her hands outstretched toward the flame in order to warm them, her body lined with a fur of álk, one she always wore .. a gift from him, his father. It had seen better days, a little patchy in places but Théo knew she would never part with it, in fact he suspected that when the day came, they would burn her body in it. The love between his parents something he could only aspire to, to have himself one day although for now that alluded him. He and Nina were the lucky ones, to have such parents as figure heads in their lives to guide them not only on the path of Jedi, in life .. in general. And that is more powerful and important then anything, and he would be eternally grateful to them both.

As he reached his mother, his arm wrapped around her, engulfing her in for a warm embrace. He stands well above her height, akin to his father's and he smiled that now he was able to overpower her as once she had done him, as a baby. "I have missed you mother", he said finally.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

Gone was her child but the man had been born and stood towering over her. She is so proud of him, the way in which he transports himself as an adult but sadness filled her heart that her baby boy had gone. "I have missed you too, I am so proud of you.. so is your father", she said pulling back from the embrace to look up into his handsome face. Her hand raised and cupped his cheek, "What is it with you Heavenshield men that you feel the need to sport a beard". Although she was not really complaining, well a little maybe, as both father and son wear the beard very well.

"You grow more and more like him every time I see you". And it was not just in looks, but within her son is a strong likeness to Thurion. His nature as gentle and noble as he, and one day Théo will be a leader of men and women but that time will come, Coci did not wish to have that burden rest on Théo's shoulders so early in life.

She took his hand and pulled him over to one of the benches by the fire so they could remove their fur and sit for a while. "Now .. tell me why you are limping". Nothing every escapes the eyes of a mother, and they are now filled with concern.

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

"Oh it is nothing mother I will be fine", he did not relish telling her the reason, she knew well enough the might and power of the Hrothwûrm. So he tried to change the subject and get to the reason he had wanted to see her as well. "Mother I have a request of you. You are aware that I am training myself in Alkahest but there is part of my training missing and that is the skill of the Art of Small. My training has come a long way since you first took Nina and I to the lessons but there is so much that I need to learn in order to be more proficient".

Out of the corner of his eye he could see her looking over him, a mother's glance taking in her son's features and wondering where time had gone. To her eyes he would always be the child she nurtured and allowed flourish under the watchful presence of herself and Thurion .. and his sisters too. How they dotted on him and now he returns that love to them.

"It is good to see you, but I know you did not come to Midvinter without cause, you summon me here for a reason .. what is it?". In this moment Théo realised that he had not spent enough time with his mother, his father gave him as much time as he could spare between his family and duties as Grand Master, and mother was the same. But there was a look in her eyes, as black and unfathomable as they are, that he saw, one that informed of importance and a clouding over her mind that needed to be lifted. Whether it was for his benefit or hers, he could not tell.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

"You have grown up so much", she said by way of answer to his question, which she knew would never satisfy him. It was spoken in a way that spoken her thoughts and wished time could be reversed for so many reasons not just the loss of her baby boy. "I will train you in the Art of Small, all you have to do is ask and I will help you in any way I can, your father would do the same if you ask him too".

Coci pulled in a deep breath and stood to gain strength to find the words needed to tell Theo her mind. "You know of my position within the Silver Jedi, that my duties are of Master of the Order but .. there is more to my work then that". If that position was not enough, Coci had considerable weight on her plate and it played on her mind mostly because she did not know how Theo would react to the news. A child, regardless of age, will always view their parents in certain ways, hold onto them as if a pinnacle of what one should live up too if given the right up bringing. She knew Theo worshiped his father, held him is office well beyond his title whether it be Jedi or Thane, and that would never change in the boy. But she had to wonder in what light he held his mother.

"Have you heard of .. Jedi Shadows. An elite and secretive group of Jedi with the purpose of eradication of the darkside. Whose purpose is the protect the Order at all costs and .. fulfill their duty to the death". Death, of others or themselves. Naturally, there was much more involved then she outlined here to him but it would be enough, if he knew of them.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

His eyebrows knitted and his sapphire blue eyes did not leave the face of his mother as she spoke. "Aye, I have heard of such Jedi", he stated in a matter-of-fact manner. Before him was his mother, the only real title he had bestowed upon her over the years as a child and young adult. He knew she was more than that, Master of the Silver Jedi Order and with that came much responsibility and he had wondered about her. Coci could see this on his face as he looked up at her with concern and before he could voice his protest, she raised her hand to stop him.

This was equally hard for her to speak of, spending many years with only the like of Connor and her beloved Thurion the only ones to know of her actually duty. Theo did not want the illusion to be destroyed, mother is mother and that was the end of it and she understood this, she had felt the same of her own parents when their soul is laid to bare and what was once a fairy tale shattered. She could only hope he would understand.

"I am a Shadow". Simply stated, "Within the Silver Jedi there is group of us that work to protect the Order and those within it's walls. We are singular in purpose, hard and in some cases, unforgiving .. ruthless". She remember a Jedi Knight from the Republic years ago calling her this, ruthless. And he was right, there was no forgiving nature to her back then. Much had changed in her the day she met Thurion. And every day, she thanks the force and the gods for him. Without him, she would have been destroyed.

Theo sat in silence, and so Coci continued on.

"Years ago back on Corellia, after I graduated from the Military Academy I join a small group, an underground resistance that did everything possible to fight the Sith. One day however, we were betrayed and many of my friends were killed. I joined the Army of Light to continue of the hunt but they were not so dedicated to the cause and they disbanded. From there to the Republic in which I found myself involved in the Intelligence Department and carried out many missions in which I killed enemies of the State. I was assassin. But the Republic grew arrogant, hungered for power and control over worlds that did not require it. That did not need any form of protection they were not in any danger but the Republic push forward regardless and became corrupt and drunk on power. They had become or rather becoming the very thing I hated the most .. evil. I left and moved to Voss".

Once the words began they seemed to flow from her like water and with each drop from her mouth, Coci felt a strong sense of peace. There would be questions, she knew that and Theo has every right to ask them and so he will be answered.

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

Mother's account of her story and history in a way did not surprise Théo, but still it was a lot to take in. He had always believed there was more to her work, not that Master of the Order was not a large responsibility in itself, but Jedi Shadow? He knew of their philosophy on the darkside, and the need for total secrecy so this revelation was dangerous on many levels. He would never reveal her true purpose to anyone, not even Nina if that is what mother wanted and he understood the need for it.

"Tell me, more about Corellia", he suddenly said without any form of emotion in his voice or aura. Théo stood up and moved to be at his mother's side, he could sense her turmoil internally, her doubts about telling him at all as the dangers to him have just grown if he was to be captured or worse. But it was a danger that even if reveal under torture would not change anything as the Heavenshield name is a target. "You never told us before this because of the threat to our lives, did you? you or father".

His hand moved to rest on his mother's shoulder before he drew her in for an embrace, folding her once more in his large frame. Théo felt the relief wash over her and she held her son for security, her hands clinging to his fur. So strange it was to have the situation reversed, for so many years Théo had clung to his mother or father as a child for the same reason, the sense of security and safety in their arms and now it was her turn. It felt good if he was honest with himself, knowing now he had the ability and skills required to protect both of them, his father and mother if needed. And in a hidden compliment by the virtue she had deemed him ready to know, meant both his parents had believed him to be ready and strong enough to prevail.

"I love you mother, no matter what". The child returned for a brief moment as he allowed himself to bury his face into her shoulder just as he had done as a young boy.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

"That is correct Théo. Already those that wish to destroy us are working against us and some are people we once considered friends. As it is your father and I are seen to be targets simply because we are Jedi, but we are leaders of an Order so that is part of it. Silver Shadows work under the cover of darkness, within the fringes were Jedi will not thread and we strive to bring justice and protection for the Order and those we serve to protect. However, sometimes even those that work in these shadows will fall, regardless of their mandate and training to protect themselves against it. They are the dangerous ones, they are the weak that allow the fight to take them over and forget what it truly means to be a Jedi. Maybe they never really knew the meaning of Jedi to start with". But enough of the weak and misguided.

"Corellia", she began as she walked to the seat on which Théo sat and took position next to him. "Is .. was a very beautiful place before it's destruction", she smiled weakly, even after all these years the pain of the loss of her home planet still burned deep and it always would to all Corellians. "It's culture and people second to none but of course like most cultures and people there is good and bad. But no one in the entire galaxy could ever fault them for loyalty", she smiled wider now and with genuine delight.

"Before I met your father, I was destined to become the head of the House even though the old Corellian Empire is no longer, House Sinopi, remained as one of the last Houses to be of that era. The great lengths of land the estate once held had been reduced, mostly by design of the family, but also because of war. And all that had remained was the main house in which I grew up in and my father before me. My father was a good man, my mother equally so, but their duties had them busy and they could not spend as much time with me as they would like, but I knew they loved me. They died years ago".

She remembered fondly the visit in which Thurion and Nina had come to see her ancestral home, she remembered them feeling most uncomfortable and out of place so they did not stay long. Coci would have loved to have had Théo see it, she suspected he would have different feelings of the matter and have enjoyed the luxury of the place. He possess those traits of his mother, there is some of her in him after all.

"The House is gone now, the era of the old house destroyed the day Corellia was ripped in two. But that does not really matter, what had me mourning the loss was the people that died as a result, my old friends I had grown up with perished". Houses are only stone and can be rebuilt, lives cannot.

"I could take you to Corellia if you wish, but it simply is not the same for me now regardless of the reconstruction".

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

"Maybe one day mother, but I will spare you the pain of it and go myself", he said pulling back from their embrace. Although his mother was about to protest, he stay her words with a soft raised hand and a nod, it was something he wanted to do himself as it was. There was nothing for her there anymore.

"We are in the thick of winter. Midvinter .. and I have never felt as lost on this planet as I do now. This place that once meant so much to me, has been removed. It has never been the same for me since grandpapa died. He took with him more then he realised, not just himself but the spirit of the place, and it's heart .. gone". In a way Theo knew of his mother's loss, although Midvinter is not destroyed .. the essence of it is.

"Our family seems to be in a constant state of displacement, we set down the foundations of home only for it to be taken from us. We might be Jedi and should not want for this, but we are also people with needs to set down roots and family because a day will come when we can no longer fight the fight .. either by death or design".

"Father has known no home, not really, not with his history and he may have grown used to it. Your home was taken from you, as has mine", differently of course but the fact remained the same. "When will we have a place on which we can live and fight for if needed, but remain", he was more like his mother then he knew, as she longs for a place to call home. Voss is not it, although most of their time is spent there but there is no connection to it. There is no family home.

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

What he would come to say next, he knew would be hard for her to listen to considering what he had spoke of. The time had come for Théo to leave once more, no exile this time but a moving on from the very thing he loved more then anything in this world. His family, and the Order. But the force was guiding him to take another path at least, for now. And he needed to see his father, [member="Thurion Heavenshield"].

"Is father here, mother?", he suddenly asked not sure if he had come along on this trip with her. This Temple of Light created in the memory of his grandpapa had to be filled with people in order for it to be of any use, to be a place in which Jedi can come and grow to be more then they already are. A place strong with power of the light, a gift given to those that walk among the walls high in the mountains. "There is something I need to tell you both, together if possible".

There would be no mistaking the look of concern on his mother's face, there is simply no hiding from her or father when it comes to his soul, they have a talent for knowing his mind, no matter how hard he tries to conceal his thoughts. Maybe it is because they have lived it, they have gone a journey that took them both on many paths and in the end had led them to each other. That was tale of that he would take with him, to have hope that one day his path would lead him to something as great as the story of his parents. Not many in life, are lucky to find such love as they ..

He could only hope ..

Mother did not say a word, her black eyes delving deep into his and she could see him there, Thurion and Théo alike .. and like any mother, she hated the idea of her child leaving to go alone into this uncertain galaxy full of danger and death, to face horrors that no one should, but this is their path, all of them. And she knows this too.