The End (Friends welcome)

[Feena]

"Good luck, Owain."

Her voice was too weak to carry to his ears, but she'd said it none the less. She was rooting for him, on his side, for once, even if he didn't know it. If he could make Felicity happy, even in some small measure, she would accept it. After being so distant for so long, it was the best she could do now.

Her eyes found Keter again, keeping his silent vigil from across the room. She'd speak to him last. She knew that until she could speak to him, she wouldn't die. She would refuse to. Nothing could keep her from saying what she had to say. She smiled a soft reassuring smile, but there was a question on her face. 'Did I do the right thing?'

A knock on her door took her attention just then though.

"Come in," came the hoarse call from the other side.


[member="Cyril Grayson"]

 

[Placeholder 04]

The question was not whether Cyril was ready to see his mother or not. The truth was simply that he wasn't. He'd never truly fit in well with the family. He was raised to be zealous in his belief, whether they be for good or ill. Feena Mason and the dynasty she had built for herself did not think that way. It was so easy for them to just...accept things. It was something he couldn't understand. Still, he'd tried, and in it found a path to the Jedi Order. That path had arguably brought him to something better, though in the process it destroyed his wife, and forced him to kill the woman he'd fallen in love with.

In hindsight, perhaps he should have listened to his mother, but that was neither here nor there.

He gave [member="Owain"] a short nod as they crossed paths. No doubt the boy had a sour opinion of him. Cyril had never truly approved of his relations with Felicity. She was too young, and he didn't wish for his sister to go through the pain he'd endured with a certain Sith Lord. However, his later days, he'd grown to accept it, and even shown some form of approval during that last trip to Felicity's apartment. The events that occurred after that had shaped Cyril into a different man. He was aware of what he was now. Mephirium was buried only a few inches deep, and it was the little things such as Cyril's family that had kept that being at bay.

What would now?

The door creaked open, and the master errant stepped in. His lips parted in silence as he observed his mother's sickly state. He could sense it from outside, but seeing it with his own eyes changed things. He would need to get to work immediately.

"Mom," He slowly stepped forward, as if even the slightest sound might cause Feena to fall apart. "I'm here."

[member="Feena Mason"]

 

[Feena]

It took nearly a full minute for Feena to recognize the boy... no. The man as her son. When she finally did, her face lit. He was here. He was here and she was happy. She'd been so worried...

"Cyril. You came."

She wanted to reach out, but her hands weren't listening to her head. Did she finally lose use of them as well as feeling? Well, she supposed that would happen.

"I was... worried I wouldn't get to see you. You've been so... busy."

[member="Cyril Grayson"]

 

[Placeholder 04]

"The war's still going on. I couldn't go." He managed. It was an excuse, true at it was. He'd been terribly absent these past few weeks, blissfully unaware of his mother's failing health. If he'd known he might've...done something. Stuck around more? Spent more time at home? It was a list of things he'd failed to do. Such was the way of things with Cyril.

"How are you?" He asked quietly, unaware of the presence of anyone else in the room A part of him might have been, but he paid it no heed. He reached down to take her hands in his, and squeezed his eyes shut.

Partly for the tears, and partly to focus. He was unaware of how bad her condition might be. Even if he had been, it wouldn't have stopped him. He let forth a soothing wave of energy with the force, something to calm his mother. Of course, she was graceful in her twilight - it was he who needed the steady push.

"Just...uh..." His voice cracked. "Hold still. Maybe I can fix this."

[member="Feena Mason"]

 

[Beowoof]

Celeste had slinked out of the room--the death room--without calling too much attention to herself, hand clutching at the pendant of her mother's necklace (Or was it her necklace now?) and somber eyes staring down at the jewelry piece, wondering just what it meant to her mother that she would find it important to hand down to her younger daughter.

A man of no small importance to this motley family slipped in shortly thereafter. The young princess glanced up just in time to notice his facial features before he was behind the door to the queen's room. Her eyes widened with emotion untapped in her before. It was a feeling of excitement and bitterness, knowing who the character was and wanting to know him, yet deeply distraught over what little she knew about him. Mother had told her she was not proud of him. Not at all.

"Uncle Z," she said, walking up to their rather eccentric relative and taking his hand. She could sense the tension in his fingers. They all knew there was not much time, and Feena Mason's own sibling had yet to have his moment of privacy with his parting sister. "That was my brother... wasn't it?"

And he didn't care about me.

[member="Cyril Grayson"], [member="Felicity Mason"], [member="Razor Shot"]

 

[Feena]

He sounded so upset! What ever for? As far as Feena could tell in her slightly delirious state, this was the single most perfect day. All her family and close friends were gathered. Even her dear friend the Baroness had returned from the grave. This was easily the best day of her life. Of course, the exception being her wedding day and when her children were born. That went without saying though.

"Fix what?" she asked with a careful laugh, "I'm not a droid you know. Healing does not work like that."

[member="Cyril Grayson"]

 

[Owain]

He looked up at her words, smiling despite himself. "Yeah...she wanted to make sure I'd take care of you - since you seem set on having me around and all that," the boy explained. "Just...a shame she only acknowledges me now, you know?" he tried to explain, beofre sighing and slumping his shoulders. "Well...I can take of Zelda for the rest of the evening if you...need me to." In case she wanted to stay with her mother and not worry about other things.

[member="Felicity Mason"]

 

[Felicity Mason]

He was right. It was a shame. Mom never had to like him, but it would have been nice for her to at least approve. Felicity figured she would have been far more accepting if they hadn't been together. Well, better late than never.

"No. Can you just stay with me? She's looking sleepy. Might be time to put her down for a nap anyway."

[member="Owain"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

His ears picked up traces of the conversation from behind the door, but he deigned not to pay too much attention, to respect the families privacy.

The Jedi Master let out a sigh. He could feel Feena's life force ebbing away, bit by bit, piece by piece... Part of him didn't want to be here. But he couldn't leave. No... He owed that much to his friend. To be here in her last moments was the least he could do. He pondered for a moment how Felicity, the girl he'd met earlier, must have been feeling... What was it like, to slowly watch your parent die? He didn't have to experience that himself... They were gone when he had woken up from his coma. But it didn't matter what was better, what was worse.... All that mattered to him now was that the poor girl, as well as the rest of her family... Were suffering.

And that fact pained him.

Part of him thought... What if he'd known sooner? What if he had been able to do something? He wasn't much of a healer, but... There must have been some how, some way... But once again... He was useless to stop someone he cared for from dying.

And that fact tore at him.

Instead, he had to sit here, feel her life ebb away... And know that he could do nothing.

And that fact killed him.

 

[Placeholder 04]

Who would he have when his mother passed? Not a soul, save for Shlurk. The thought terrified him. Cyril had been alone in the galaxy before. When the New Order fell, he'd been hunted down by Vulcanus's fanatical followers. It was the Jedi who'd taken him in, given him a sense of belonging. Since then, they'd had his full dedication.Now they were all but gone, and his closest family was fading. The person with whom he was closest in the galaxy was meeting her end, and given the recent few months, that was telling on his own state.

It was selfish to want her to stay. He felt nothing but happiness from his mother. She'd come to peace with this; as if this were some sort of final release. No doubt it was. She'd worked herself to the bone, and then some. Her life was service, often times neglecting her family for the sake of her people.

He hoped that in her final moments Feena understood he'd done nothing more than to do everything in his power to follow her example. Whether that was a mistake or not was still up in the air. He doubted even he would know until he lay in her position.

"I...alright." He muttered, halting his efforts. "The girls don't seem too happy to see me." He laughed, but it was meek. "I think you might just be doubting my healing capabilities though. I was the best in the order before things fell apart." He teased, cracking a weak smile for his mother's sake.

"I-...I love you mom."



[member="Feena Mason"]

 

[Bolt]

Zaiden smiled down at the youngest of the relatives he had, a warmth spread through him and he squeezed her hand, "Yes. That was. But I barely learned that fact just this moment. I have never even heard of his birth; something I intend to bring up with your mother when I enter."

He found himself happy to have his nieces nearby, yet hollow despite it. His sister lay dieing in the other room...

Like a vacuum, Zaiden began to draw power from the Force. He would need it in the next few hours. A leech would have difficulty with the intake he began, but he did not cease. The Darkside reached its tendrils to him, tainting the very air around them. Yet, he did his best to take it all in as swiftly as he could.

There were others of notable power about, and it could seem he was readying for an attack...

[member="Cyril Grayson"] [member="Joshua DragonsFlame"] [member="Feena Mason"] [member="Celeste Mason"] [member="Keter"]

 

[Feena]

"They don't seem pleased? Well, can you honestly blame them? Felicity's been worried sick about you. She just won't admit it to you."

The smiling woman shook her head ever so lightly at her son.

"And I was considered the greatest healer in the known Galaxy, my boy," she reminded him, "But you are free to try. You won't be the first healer to do at least that."

But she knew how this would end. It would end the way it was always going to end. On this strange, dusty world of winds and beautiful dreams. But it was better this time around. She had everyone she loved with her. She would go peacefully, quietly. It was why she smiled, even as her light flickered and faded.

"Sweet heart, I love you too. I should have said it more."

Yes. She should have. It was a shame that she didn't.

[member="Cyril Grayson"]

 

[Placeholder 04]

Cyril was at a loss for words. People always planned for these moments, but when the time came, they could never seem to remember those long meaningful speeches they'd dreamed up. That was the case for him. He just stared down at his mother, lips pursed in silence.

A few moments of this came to pass before he finally found his voice. "You sure you don't want me to try?" He finally managed. There was more he wanted to talk to her about. About Vulcanus, the fate of his father, if she understood what any of this spirit business meant. His mother had far more experience than he, and right now he was drowning in things he did not understand.

But he could not bring himself to drill her on such things. Not now.

He just gazed down at her in silent question.

[member="Feena Mason"]

 

[Feena]

The poor boy. Feena never stopped smiling. Not for an instant. His worry for her, his regret, it was the only thing keeping her from feeling complete bliss in this her dying hours.

"Oh, I would not want you to trouble yourself," she replied, as if he'd simply offered to make her some tea. Oh what she wouldn't do for a fresh cup right now. But there was no point in eating or drinking anything now. What a sad thought.

"You look troubled regardless, my dear. You have a question hanging off your tongue. There is nothing you can't ask me now. I hope you know that."

[member="Cyril Grayson"]

 

[Placeholder 04]

He could not bombard her with questions. He could only allow himself to ask her one, and even that was a trying taks in itself. He stared down at his mother in silence for a time, lips parted as he tried to find the right words.

"Am I like my father?" He blustered.

He'd often wondered how much he resembled the Grand Moff. A man who had stopped at nothing to protect his family, and at the same time had crushed friend and foe alike to secure his ascension. He'd been a tyrant with a heart for his children.

[member="Feena Mason"]

 

[Feena]

His question caught her off guard. His father. She didn't talk about him much. Not out of any ill feelings towards him. He was a good man, at least to her. A good father too. There was a time when he was her everything.
She glanced at @keter. Life flowed, times changed. Now she had keter. But at the same time, she would not deny the fact that before him, someone else had owned her heart.

"Some days it's like he never died. When I look at you, I see him so clearly. But then you open your mouth, and I hear my own words. You are just like me when I was your age."

She coughed again into the handkerchief at her side. It was bloodied than usual when she pulled it away.

"You shouldn't compare yourself to your parents. You are you. Not anything more, and certainly not anything less. You make your own choices now."

[member="Cyril Grayson"]

 

[Placeholder 04]

He was not sure whether to be relieved or not. Whatever Feena had said was the truth, at the very least. He was his own man, but with nothing to restrict him, what would that man be?

"You should really let me help you." He pleaded with the woman as she coughed up blood. He knew she wouldn't, but he had to ask. For a moment, his gaze fell on Keter, and shifted back to his mother. "I'll leave you two be." He added quietly.

[member="Feena Mason"]

 

[Feena]

"Oh, I wouldn't want you to trouble yourself," she said again with a weak smile, "I know how busy you are."

Another cough. Another splatter of blood. With watering eyes, she reached once more, this time succeeding to grab her sons hand.

"Before you leave, can I give you something?"

She'd given gifts to all her children so far, even Owain, who wasn't even a son-in-law yet. It would be a shame to let her son leave without giving him something as well. She motioned to the crumpled piece of parchment on the bedside table. A deed.

"The Greyson family Manor on Naboo. If you want it, it's yours. By all rights, it should have belonged to you from the start. I was raised there and I should have taken you with me and raised you there as well. I..."

she coughed again, feeling her throat constrict slightly. Breathing was getting harder by the minute.

"I'm so sorry. About everything."

[member="Cyril Grayson"] [member="Keter"]

 

[Bolt]

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"] [member="Vorhi Alestrani"] [member="Celeste Mason"] [member="Owain"] [member="Felicity Mason"]

Zaiden continued to hold his nieces hand, and as he sucked the darkside energies up, but still attempted to show he was okay, "How have you been Celeste? And you Felicity? Other than what's going on now I mean. Tell me the stuff I've missed." He offered a mediocre smile to emphasize that he was interested.

Then he glanced to the other masters about, "I believe you and I met once Joshua, is that correct? Or mayhap it was a relative of yours?" He thought back to when he was a Hand to the Empress. He had faced a man who looked a bit like Joshua, but it could just be the years had changed him.

Lastly he glanced to the other Master, "You, I believe I met once when I came to aid Feena. You were a good friend to her, but I did not get to stay there long."

(Lol I'm pretty sure Zaiden fought you once upon a time Josh, but could be wrong. I'm about 80% sure. Mentioned it in case your character would remember it.)

 

[Vorhi Alestrani]

[member="Razor Shot"] [member="Feena Mason"] [member="Felicity Mason"]




He felt the small data-crystal in his pocket calmly, waiting for his moment. His motives for being here were not simply to grieve his dying friend, but to preserve her legacy. That would happen here--after they spoke. But the family could speak first. They needed this more. He was a warrior, he'd seen plenty of deaths. He could tell that Zaiden was meditating and focusing his energy, but who knew why? The man was grieving and hardly known for his stability. He smiled weakly. "Yes, I have worked alongside Feena many times. She always has a knack for risking her life. I'm afraid that her current threat is outside my expertise, however," he said with a slight cough. The old drunken grandmaster nodded.


"Still, there is something that will remain past her. At the risk of sounding like a pompous old fool, her legacy is preserved in our actions. She made changes to this world and others that will be felt," he mused with a smirk. "But then, I always something for a grandiose speech. Maybe another time, then." He smiled at the child. Life went on. Life moved. This moment was still and gray, but it would continue. And then, color and life would once again flood this old palace. He nodded resolutely. He had a portion of the answer. Now, to get the rest from the source.