Welcome Home [Mysa & Coci]

[Thurion Heavenshield]

​

Spoiler

​

​

​

​

Tabaqui, Veydascee System​

Tingel Arm​

So it was that Thurion had stumbled upon yet another of Kära's kin. Whether she was a daughter or a long lost sister of hers didn't really matter to him, so the question was never asked. He felt that the poor girl was not ready to give him any answers had he asked. She was about the same age as Nina, just as he was about the same age as Kära growing up. Wherever she was, he hoped that she's alright. Not a single day goes by without him wondering about her. It was the reason he even chose to take care of Nina to begin with; he felt that if he could keep her family safe, then it would grant her some small amount of peace. Of course, neither had seen the other since her departure from Coruscant almost 20 years ago.

Looking over at the little girl sat in the far too big chair to his left caused a smile upon his face. The way she insisted on keeping her fur cape on at all times was nothing short of endearing, and he figured she'd grown fond of Midvinter from the time spent there. "You know, where we're going there's not a single snowflake in sight. Well, except one. Two, counting you," he half-jested. Ever since Kära walked into his life as a young boy he'd always associate her and her kin with snowflakes on account of their white hair and ice-blue eyes. Maybe it was his valkyri heritage acting up, but by now it was a quirk he'd grown fond of.

Descending through the atmosphere, the emerald planet became evermore lush the closer they got, its sapphire waters glistening in the late afternoon sun. "Go on," he said. "Take a closer look." He nodded towards the main viewport in front of them, remembering how fascinating it was a child to visit strange, new worlds.

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"] | [member="Coci Heavenshield"]​

 

[Lief]

The short journey through hyperspace had left the tiny Umbaran mystified. While travelling to Midvinter she had remained contained within a windowless box for days on end, this time she had been able to watch the entirety of it through the large viewing port. Space was mesmerizing, especially with the way that the light from the stars insisted on twinkling and sparkling whenever in focus. Even the jutted, blurred lines of hyperspace were beautiful in their own way.

As it did not take long for the pair to get from a to b there was very little conversation communicated between them. Instead she had kept her icy gaze locked on the stars, her knees brought up to her chest and her chin rested upon their top. One hand remained tightly clasped around Éar, while the other was wound into the fur cloak. The feel of the animal hide was soothing, it reminded her of the only home she had ever known - and the only people who had made her feel welcome. Aurum had been a sterile land of doctors, scientists and medicinal steel. But Midvinter had been alive, even with the frequent snowstorms that had people huddling inside for warmth.

Lost in her thoughts, Thurion's words brought the girl crashing back into reality with a sudden jump and a shiver which traveled down along her spine. Blinking she peered over to her new Guardian and managed a meek smile. If there was no snow, how could there be snowflakes? "There is another like me there?" she deduced, with a soft yet questioning tone. Mysa had naturally never seen another Umbaran, much less knew of them, yet even on Midvinter - the land of the space vikings - there had been none with hair as pure as hers. No, the only other being with such a visage had been her Creator. The thought of seeing another was strange, and she didn't quite know how to process the thought.

Gently leaning herself up on the chair, Mysa gazed out of the viewing port and down to the planet below. Even from here she could see the crystalline waters - though she could only guess at what they were, being that she had never witnessed such a thing before - as well as the lush green landscape. "Is that an ocean?" she queried in a very curious manner, pointing towards the blue body of water that could be viewed from space. "My Creator told me that even the smallest of the oceans' waves can break away at the might of the land..." It had been an odd statement, and one that had been spoken during a rather philosophical discussion between the pair. Though she did not entirely know what had been meant by it, Mysa felt as though there must have been something more to it, something less literal. Either way, it had been an interesting concept to think upon since.

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"]

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

Her letting her guard down was a joy to witness, as it had been with Nina years ago. Of course, Nina's obvious disadvantage made it less evident that she had done so, but their bond had ultimately grown stronger because of it. "In a manner of speaking," he replied. Damn it, now he really missed Kära. While she had been less talkative in the short time he had with her, the two found themselves more alike than either would've guessed at first glance. Her being Sith did little to influence his young self, as he saw not an enemy but just a friend to be had.

When she left Coruscant it was the hardest goodbye he'd ever had to experience. It wasn't like with Asha, or even his brother; Thyrian's death happened to fast that there was no time for saying goodbye, and Asha... he didn't know at the time it would be their last moments together. With Kära, somehow he knew he'd never see her again. He still hoped that one day, he would.

He looked where she pointed. "Aye, that's an ocean, alright. Tabaqui's got plenty of lakes and oceans, and you'll get to see one of them up close where we're going." It didn't take long for the Oathkeeper to touch ground, parking itself in the wide open grassland only a hundred metres from his home. Taking Mysa by the hand, the two found themselves stood before the ramp in the process of lowering itself. Every second let in more and more sunlight, and knowing how sensitive Umbaran eyesight is he made sure to block it for her until her eyes had adjusted. "Quite the opposite from Midvinter, don't you agree?"

Once assured she would not be harmed by the beaming sun, he guided her down the ramp until their feet touched the green grass swaying in the soft breeze. Then he let go of her tiny hand. "It's okay," he told her. "Take your time."

 

[Lief]

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"]

Curiosity peeked within the child, who stared up at her Guardian for a moment or so. Then she tipped her head ever so sightly to the left, made a little "hmm"-ing noise and then nodded once. She supposed that she would find out soon enough, if nothing else. The man seemed to be just as thoughtful as she at this consideration, a longing stare entering his gaze. Mysa had been raised to remain respectful and avoid being rude, even so she had a natural inclining to be patient and permit him to finish his thoughts without any extra interruptions on her part.

When he concurred with her thoughts, and expressed the fact that there would be yet more bodies of water to explore on the planet, Mysa's eyes widened and the tiny smile upon her lips naturally grew. At least some parts of what her Creator had said was true, but what about the rest? She could not be certain.

Allowing her hand to be consumed by her Guardian's, Mysa stepped alongside Thurion - hurrying to keep up; she found herself grateful when he carefully introduced them to the glaring sun, unlike anything she had ever seen before. Yet despite his best efforts, Mysa's eyes still stung and she clenched them tightly shut and gasped. On Aurum she had been shielded from the world, and on Midvinter it was too cold and hazy at times to be able to fully enjoy the daylight. All but stumbling down, the child leant in closer to Thurion and used her free hand to clutch at his sleeve for support.

When she finally adjusted, and they reached the grass, Mysa found herself staring down at it dumbfounded. What on Aurum was that? Tentatively she reached out with her foot, as though trying to judge whether or not the surface was truly flat or not. Then she peered back up at Thurion, as though seeking permission, only to be met with his approval. Chewing on her bottom lip the child stepped out and tensed up for a moment... Before nothing happened. Colour rose within her icy cheeks, and she looked down ashamed by her own lack of knowledge.

"I'm sorry, Sir" she mumbled, shifting herself back to where he stood so that they might continue on together.

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

Poor girl didn't seem to even know what grass was, much less having actually seen it. Part of him began to wonder what Kära had done to the little one. Did she not let her outside at all? No, not Kära. She wouldn't. For now he brushed the thought away, gnawing as it was, and instead tended to the girl looking so ashamed at her poor knowledge of the outside world. "Hey, now - it's alright, dear," he comforted her by gently putting both arms around her. Part on him never wanted to let her go. She even had the same scent as Kära.

Thurion grabbed hold of and tugged at a tuft of grass until it came loose, then presented the many tiny straws of green to [member="Mysa Snowstrider"]. "These are life, Mysa. Whenever you see this on the ground, you can be sure that there is life. And all these thing you see," he pointed at the jungle scenery surrounding them, "are proof of life. They are just as alive as you and me." He decided that maybe now was not the time for metaphors and instead tried to lighten the mood by tossing the tuft of grass into his own face. After laughing at his own admittedly poor attempt to make the girl laugh, he carefully cupped her cheeks in either palm and spoke softly. "You don't ever have to apologise to me, Mysa. Okay?"

So the two were off, walking along the cobbled pathway of his own making through the short bit of jungle between their "parking lot" and their home. The sun rarely sees the ground, its rays effectively blocked by the canopy of a hundred trees high above their heads, and ever present is the music of a dozen birds not found anywhere else in the galaxy. His grip firm on Mysa's tiny hand as they strode through the jungle, he wanted her to be sure that she was safe and that the sounds she heard were no threat. When the two eventually reached the end, the sun greeted them once more, forcing even Thurion to block it with his hand. Once their eye-sight had adjusted, little Mysa would finally lay eyes on her new home: Himmelskald.

 

[Lief]

For a moment she kept her gaze down, until the man spoke to her and began to reassure her. She remained somewhat stiff for a few seconds before relaxing into his touch and closing her eyes. Some natural instincts overrode those which were nurtured into a being, after all. When he presented the grass to her, the child narrowed her eyes in thoughtful scrutiny before smiling and reaching out to brush it with her fingers.

"Life..." she repeated. Through what small teachings she had been taught in the Force, Mysa was able to feel it pulsating through the blades, albeit slowly it began to fade which only made the girl shiver. "B-But... It's disappearing" she whispered, brows furrowing. She did not like that fact, not one bit. Did things die when you picked them up? If so, did that mean she was dying?

Her eyes widened and the color drained from her cheeks, if that were even possible. Yet when he stated that she was alive a sigh of relief escaped her and she nodded her head contently. "Okay... I'll try not to apologise." Curiosity struck her then, for she had no idea what to call him. Did she name him Thurion? Or Master? He certainly was not her Creator... "What do I call you?" she asked after a moment of contemplation, staring up at him with her icy gaze.

Joining him as they wandered along the path, the small child was in absolute awe when the hut came into sight - the hut which was most definitely not a bungalow as the submission states, given that it has more than one story! - and she gasped. It was beautiful, and like nothing she had ever seen before. It seemed as though this day was full of surprises and wonder. "W... Wow..." she murmured, eyes widening with each passing second.

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"]

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

"Furry," he said after some thought. "You can call me 'Furry'."

The picturesque location of the Heavenshield residence never failed to make even Thurion stare with awe each time he saw it. He could only imagine what it must be like for the little girl. Before either took a step farther, he turned to [member="Mysa Snowstrider"]. "Take off your shoes," he told her with a smile. "You'll see." He even joined her in doing so, pulling off his boots and tying them together by their laces before tossing them over his shoulder. There are few things as precious as walking barefoot through the emerald fields of Himmelskald, the surrounding grassland softer than any bed.

Thurion would let her roam freely from here on out; nothing here that would harm her. Nina knew not to stray beyond the edge of the jungle, so even when left alone he could be sure of her safety. Even then, the local tribe under the leadership of old Oberon had sworn to guard their home whenever he and Coci were both abscent. The natives knew the jungles by heart and would often patrol the area surrounding Himmelskald without even Thurion noting their presence.

Leaving Mysa to explore her surroundings as she saw fit, Thurion stepped onto the porch with naked feet and sat his boots down on a nearby bench. Glancing through the kitchen window, he could see [member="Coci Heavenshield"] preparing dinner for their family. Force knows she was the better chef of the two! Thurion's best work in the kitchen often boiled down to using the thermo-oven, although one could say he was a master at using one, at least. Giving the window a light tapping of his finger just to get her attention, he beamed a smile once their eyes met. Still she was heavily pregnant, weeks or perhaps merely days away from giving birth to their son.

He turned to Mysa. "You ready to meet the rest of the family?"

 

[Lief]

Furry. That was a curious name, but then again so was her own she supposed. Rubbing her little neck tentatively she peered around through the jungle clearing and then back up at her new Guardian. "Furry" she reiterated, with a soft yet sharp nod. She would remember that - Mysa had a very good memory, especially for a child. Without a moments hesitation she shifted out of her dainty shoes and held both within one hand; they were not cumbersome at all, unlike the boots that Furry seemed to be wearing.

Finally she allowed herself to step into the soft fields, and a very quiet sigh left her as contentment filled her up. Closing her eyes she allowed the sensation to engulf her as she wiggled her toes between the blades of grass. Bliss. She liked this... whatever it was called. "What is it?" she asked, curiously, as she pattered on through the grass. Flowers lined the ground, which also caught her attention. Mysa felt like she was at home, so cozy and content was she amongst the nature.

"I'm ready" she finally said, as she made her way back to Furry's side and grasped at his sleeve. She wondered what was waiting on the other side. Who was this other Snowflake he had spoken of?

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"]

 

[Nina Heavenshield]

There, another masterpiece! She put down her crayon as she finished the bright, yellow sun and observed her work. She gave it a sharp nod of approval and smiled as she got up and carried it over to her parents' bedroom. He carefully placed it on their bed as she always would when finishing a drawing. Not for a sense of validation from them, but because most drawings were of them as a family. It was her way of expressing her love for them both. It took some time, but she now thinks of Coci as her mother just as much as Thurion is her father.

It was then, after she put the picture down, that she felt his presence close by. While never received any actual training in the Force, she knew well by now that both her parents were gifted with it and what a Jedi was. They'd speak to her about it often, and even though she didn't necessarily knew how to control it, she could still feel the Force in and around her. Picking up Thurion and Coci's presences had gotten easier with time spent with them, and generally gave her a sense of safety and comfort. Without hesitation she made her way down the stairs towards the front door in quick succession, but once she got there something felt odd. Not a bad feeling, just... odd.

Reaching for the handle, the door gently opened and she peeked through to see if she could find the source of this odd sensation. Her eyes widened at what she saw peeking back at her through the crack. She backed off a bit when the familiar face of her father entered the frame as he opened the door further. "Hello, Nina!" He glanced between the two girls. No doubt this came as a shock to both Vi'dreyas. "This is Mysa. I told her she could stay here, with us. Would that be okay with you?" he asked as he got down on one knee, a hand extended for Nina to hold onto. She did, and with eyes fixed on Mysa she quietly nodded, a cautious frown on her face.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

Long before the arrival of the ship to ground, Coci had felt Thurion's presence. As she put the finishing touches on the meal, sprinkling some fresh herbs from the garden to the salad, she smiled as she looked over to Nina drawing on the floor. It always warmed her heart to see Nina jump up and run to her father whenever he arrived, no matter where they are. But there is something else, along the force bond the two share, she feels an intrigue, and he is happy. Curious, but then life is never dull with Thurion.

His approach to their home, grew stronger and when the tap on the window came, Coci feigned a look of surprise mostly for Nina's sake but her face beamed back at him and she washed her hands before going to greet him. Coci had felt it too, the presence of another with him, raw and wild in the force and young, of similar age to Nina. She turned to see Nina run to the door and she giggled, but took her time as her large belly wound not allow any further progress. She is so close to giving birth to their son, her body ached with the pressure on her low back and she too was becoming impatient for the birth. Her hand pressed into her lower back to help stretch it and rid the ache but it was only a small respite.

As the door opened wide, Thurion before Nina on his knee, she looked with surprise at the small child with him. The surprise came not from her presence but her features, she is akin to Nina in mostly all ways and equally as beautiful. Coci looked to Thurion with a questioning look, it was irrelevant as he would tell her all soon enough. "Welcome home", she said softly to him and to the small girl. "Why are you waiting on the threshold to your home to enter? .. and who is this one?". She knew very well of course, he wanted Nina's approval firstly.

"Come in, I have food prepared if anyone is hungry?". she said standing aside for them to enter.

 

[Lief]

Joining Thurion as they walked up to the door together, Mysa held onto his sleeve pretty tightly. She could sense others inside, and bit her lip; she was no Force Sensory student, but people with her talent had a natural knack for sensing the Force if nothing else. Blinking somewhat, she peered up at her new Guardian, almost for approval, before the door began to open. Standing there, Mysa watched as a pair of icy blue eyes peered out at her, and she gasped. It was like looking into a mirror! Even more strangely, it was like looking upon her Creator again, only in miniature form.

Without much thought, Mysa took a tiny step back. Snowflake. Now it made sense. Behind the child was another, yet so mystified was Mysa that she could barely break away her gaze. Releasing Thurion's sleeve, so that he could see to the girl he had named Nina, she simply stepped back and gave the pair a moment. Remaining silent, Mysa finally looked away from Nina and stared at her surroundings with wide eyes. It was still difficult to take in.

Feeling the woman's gaze upon her, and hearing her words, she wondered if these people had even been warned of her arrival. That made her feel a strange sensation, almost awkward, and she felt herself practically shrinking internally. Perhaps if she started walking, she would make it back to where the ship was before the darkness truly set?

[member="Nina Heavenshield"] [member="Thurion Heavenshield"] [member="Coci Heavenshield"]

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

Well, this turned awkward right away. Rubbing the back of his neck while looking over at Coci in all of her pregnant splendour, he then walked up to her and pulled her aside, into the kitchen. After giving his wife a kiss he spoke with hushed voice. "I know what it looks like. I had no idea what to expect when I went to Midvinter. My father only mentioned a package, not a little girl." He turned his head towards the two girls still out in the living room. "She's one of Kära's, Coci. I can't leave her without a family to take care of her. It's what I did for Nina, and now..." He smiled as he turned back to face his spouse. "Now she's my Snowflake."

A hand was placed on Coci's enormous belly. "Someone's eager to break out, I believe," he spoke before letting his lips meet hers once more, this time longer-lasting than before.

 

[Nina Heavenshield]

Left alone with a girl who looked just like her, Nina was shy as usual. For the longest time she just looked at Mysa, not knowing what to do. She could tell the other her was just as shy, if not terrified. This actually made her feel brave in comparison, and soon she looked around the room to find one of her drawings pinned on the bulletin board right beside the front door. She walked around Mysa and stood under it, then pointed at it with a tiny finger. The picture depicted her and Thurion, holding hands. Their names were crayoned over their heads and both were smiling.

She then moved on to another drawing, this one depicting three people - one child, two adults. The name "Coci" was written atop the third person. She then pointed to the kitchen and managed a faint smile.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

"My love, it looks like nothing but you doing the right thing", she said as their lingering kiss ended and she smiled knowingly. Both her hands raised to rest on Thurion's upper arms and rubbed them with reassurance and support for his decisions. "You know, you could bring ten children home and we would always find room for them all", she smiled wider. Coci understands his wanting to help children, he runs orphanages to help prevent much pain and suffer to those that have lost family and loved ones, she knows of his past and how this informs him as a man and more, as a Jedi.

"Kära's child and Nina's .. neice. She is family for that alone. I do know of Kära Vi'dreya, Thurion. Remember I have worked in intelligence for some time now, with the Republic and now with the Silver Order, and it is a name I have come across many times. But regardless of Kära's past actions, the child should never be judged by the actions of others".

"The most important thing now is that she is to be made as welcome to the family as possible, this will take some time, and we will be patient", she looked down to her large belly.

"But I think you are right, this one is eager to come into the world". She layed a hand on his as their son stirred within.

 

[Lief]

She watched as Thurion dragged the woman to one side and began speaking very quietly to her. Oh dear, had she caused problems? No, Mysa did not want that to happen! Running a hand across her forehead and rubbing it several times she let out a small sigh before watching the other white-haired child as she pottered across the room in search of something.

In response, Mysa simply remained standing where she was; awkwardly, the child peered about the room and kept her feet firmly rooted to the ground - it would be rude, after all, for her to flee from their home. Her Creator had raised her better than that, after all.

Slowly she turned to try and see where the other child was, only to find her still stood behind her - pointing at pictures. Directing her gaze to the crayon artwork, Mysa marveled - for she had never seen such a thing before - and stared at what was presented to her. But the names were just squiggles to the child who had never been taught to read or write... So much so that she didn't even realise what they were words.

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] [member="Nina Heavenshield"] [member="Coci Heavenshield"]

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

Thurion was blissfully unaware of Kära's past actions, and preferred to stay that way. He refused to believe the little Kära he met all those years ago would stoop to what is considered typical Sith behaviour. She was better than that, he'd seen it first hand. Even so, he gave his wife a slight nod. He slumped down on one knee and placed a kiss on her belly through the fabrics of her sweater, arms firmly around her waist. "I love you," he whispered. "Both of you."

Stepping back into the living room, Nina and Mysa remained as before in silence. "Mysa," he spoke softly while moving towards her. "Are you sure you want to keep your fur cloak on? It must be awfully hot, wearing it all this time. You could still carry it with you." He found a seat in one of their armchairs and invited both girls to join him. Nina jumped on the opportunity to be with her father, taking a seat on his left thigh. "Come here, Snowflake," he told Mysa with a hand held out. In the back of his head memories of Kära played out, inviting her over to their secret spot in the gardens on Coruscant.

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"] | [member="Coci Heavenshield"]​

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

Coci took her time with finishing off the preparations for the meal after Thurion had moved back into the sitting area. The young girl had been thrown into a strange place with strange people and would need time and space to adjust. For the moment, Coci will allow her to get use to Thurion and Nina before she would rejoin them, this would give her some time to breath and feel her way around her new surroundings, without yet another pair of eyes looking at her.

"I will join you soon", she said softly as Thurion left the kitchen. She turned to clean up, her face etched in a slight confusion as it seemed Thurion had no knowledge of the actions of the mother. She would not bring it up here, now is not the time nor the place but another day for such a conversation.

Finishing the cleaning, Coci pulled out a chair and sat, she is feeling the weight of the down baring child which will soon be born to them.

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Mysa Snowstrider"]

 

[Lief]

When Thurion returned she seemed to relax a little, but she was still tense and fearful of what might happen now that the big people had spoken privately. Yet he asked why she hadn't removed the cloak yet, which... Did that mean he wanted her to stay? She couldn't be certain, but maybe it was the case. Gently she peeled off the furs which clung to her and kept them within her grasp, although they did weigh her down quite considerably. But it was a burden she was happy to bear.

She watched as Nina hurried over to where Thurion was sat and remained in place, chewing on her little lip without realizing what she was doing; when he encouraged her to come forward, Mysa did so very timidly... In fact she barely moved at all. She looked up at Thurion and then down to Nina and frowned a little. What if the little girl didn't like her? Finally she made it to about a foot from the chair, looking down to the extended hand of her Guardian.

"Yes, Furry?" she whispered.

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] [member="Coci Heavenshield"]

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

As their hands connected, Thurion in one swift move pulled Mysa up to sit on his remaining thigh opposite of Nina who regarded the other white-haired girl in silence without any specific expression on her face. It was her way of attempting to analysing other people, by simply looking at them to pick up on their personality, as well as any quirks they might possess. Thurion took this a good sign as it meant she was adjusting to their newest addition.

"Nina," he spoke softly. "Mysa is your sister. She has nowhere else to go. Now, I need you to look after her like a good sister. Could you do that for me?" There was a moment of silence, eventually broken by her raising her arm up to place a finger on Mysa's cheek. "You look pretty," she told her telepathically as a smile crept up on her. "Did you meet grandpa? He's very nice, and funny." Already she had noted the fur cloak she'd worn and the wooden figurine, both reminding her of Midvinter. Her smile caused Thurion to smile in return.

"Mysa, do you want to stay here? I won't keep you here against your will," he asked her while brushing away a few stray strands of her beautiful white hair from her face.

 

[Lief]

A terrified yelp left the child as she was suddenly hauled from the ground and into the air. Her eyes were wide, even when she felt herself settled back down - against his lap instead of the ground, of course. Blinking a few times, the young girl peered to her side where Nina was sat, and realised that everything was okay... Nothing bad was happening. Letting out the breath she didn't realise she had been holding, the little girl allowed herself to relax once again and craned her head back to look up at Furry.

When he said that the little girl was her sister, which while technically incorrect was a nod in the right direction, Mysa seemed confused. "My Creator made more of us..?" That she had never been told before, and it made the child frown. Of course, she didn't get what Furry meant by sister, she was too new to all of this. All the same, it had piqued her attention and curiosity. When Nina reached out to her, Mysa squirmed back slightly, but there wasn't really anywhere to go being that she was sat on someone's lap. So it was that when the finger touched her cheek, Mysa tensed up and felt the mental presence alongside her own.

Never had she been telepathically communicated with before, the sensation was odd and alien. Chewing her lip, Mysa barely even heard the first statement but the second came through much clearer as she once again calmed down. "Who is your Grandpa?" she asked curiously. Did she mean Thrand? Thrand had been kind to her! Next came a question from Furry, and the pale haired child retracted her gaze back skyward to where her new Guardian was. "Am I allowed to stay?" she asked quietly. She did not wish to be an inconvenience!

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"]