Paragons

Issue 9- Starlight

 "Some babies are cute," she replied with a soft smile.

 "Sure, we say that, but we don't mean it."

 "So, you believe her? That you're her dad?"

 He lifted his head until his eyes met hers and she could see the answer in his eyes before he spoke the words. "Why wouldn't I?" He took a deep breath. "She's as beautiful as her mother."

 Megan bit her lip. "It could be a trick. A clone or magic or something. It wouldn't be unusual." She didn't quite believe it herself but felt somebody had to suggest it.

 "Yeah, if somebody was planning on messing with me this wouldn't be the way. I mean, it's effective. Just can't think of anybody who would think of this."

 "She's as cute as her father," Megan said and they shared a smile.

 "We need to talk," Xavier said as he appeared from the Council.

 Darktruth exhaled as he started to stand. Pixie ignored the thundering of her heart as she suddenly leaped in front of Xavier.

 "I'd like to speak to her first. Alone. Please."

 She felt her anxiety spike as she stepped into the Quiet Council, now that everyone else had left to give her privacy. Xavier had promised her ten minutes, though she found herself completely unsure of how to use that time.

 She felt her stomach drop as the woman came into sight, upon her knees and restrained by vines. The woman smiled as she saw her approach.

 "Helo mam, sut wyt ti?"

 Pixie found herself suddenly disarmed by the use of Welsh. She wasn't sure what she'd expected, yet it wasn't that.

 "I'm-I'm fine," she replied as her throat suddenly turned dry. "This is kinda awkward, but... who are you?"

 The woman studied her with a sly smirk for a moment or two, as her grey eyes took in every detail of Megan's face. Pixie couldn't tell what thoughts sat behind those curious eyes, what emotions. It seemed to her that there was a playfulness thrown up to distract people away from whatever lay deeper inside.

 "You named me Seren."

 Megan hesitated as she fought down the lump in her throat. "Star," she finally forced out in a breathless whisper.

 The woman, Seren, nodded with a soft laugh. "You always were a bit of a soft one. You used to tell me you named me that because you knew I'd shine in the dark." She tilted her head down. "I've missed you."

 Pixie took a slow breath, unsure if the woman was about to cry or laugh. "So Darktruth's-"

 "He's just a job," Seren replied without looking up. "He stopped really being my father a long time ago."

 A tense silence followed that remark, as Megan attempted to search for more words to say, and found the problem was there were too many. There were a billion things she wanted to say to the daughter she was yet to have, half a billion in questions. So she settled on the one that felt most important.

 "Why? Why did he stop being your father?"

 Seren swallowed as her eyes dropped from her mother, and began to trace the vines that bound her in place. "We... fought. A lot. It doesn't matter."

 "Sounds like it does." Pixie took a small breath. "Look, I know he can be absolutely infuriating at times. He's still got one of the best hearts I've ever met. It's why I love him, no matter what. Even at his darkest he's trying to do good, as best he can." She knelt down before Seren. "People tend to think he's an idiot who doesn't think things through, just does whatever stupid idea he has. His actual problem is overthinking, he second-guesses every thought he has. Thinks that making a mistake is the same as being a bad person."