A Prince of Dathomir (Darth Maul x OC)

Return - Part 2

"Wow... that's amazing!" Savage gaped, he'd rushed over and tried to imitate some of her moves. He had jumped and stamped his little feet making her laugh with excitement.

"You'd be great at it!" She beamed, throwing her hands up in the air excitedly. She hadn't remembered his round yellow face look so proud. She looked back to Maul who was staring still. He'd managed to close his mouth by then. "You could do it too if you wanted?" She suggested, suddenly feeling shy.

"Me?" He seemed a little lost, and she hadn't been sure why.

"Of course! You can do anything!" She had insisted and she was sure his face had somehow become redder. Maybe she had imagined it.

It was moments like that she missed the most. The small ones, the little smiles. So many she had missed out on. So much time she had spent chasing the moments that had slipped away. Zaiya stood from the water and opened her eye. She would not miss those moments again while she could help it. She needed to see the brothers, and hope they still remembered her.

Walking from the water, she took up her old clothes to take them inside. Inside, the fireplace had come to life with warm orange flames. Atop a little table opposite the bed was a bowl of food and goblet of dark liquid. Beside all that was a folded package of clothing.

The first thing she did was throw the white cloth into the flames, making sure it all burned. She re-dressed into a pair of dark leggings and a long dark robe. It shimmered a little, it seemed to be made up of various fabrics of varying shades of black, dark red and purple. She had not seen anything like this here before. Perhaps it was left by Mother Talzin as a gift? She wasn't sure. It slipped over her head and tied at the waist, the hem line dragging on the ground as she walked, a split up the middle that stopped at hip height. It even had a hood. It felt soft and comfortable, and was surprisingly warm. At least that would keep the chill away for a while.

The white-haired Nightsister took a seat, eating and drinking what was left for her gratefully. She didn't realise she was so hungry until after she swallowed the first bite. She tried to keep her pace slow, to savour it but it was difficult to do. She was utterly famished. The drink she recognised as an essence of blackroot, something used for replenishing energy. Her condition improved just from the sustenance.

Once done she stood, while her body was lighter, she still had a heavy weight on her chest. She still had to tell Mother Talzin she had failed. That her son was... gone.

-)O(-

As she moved through the temple, the cloak-like dress billowed behind her, bare feet padded on the cold sandy stone of the floor. She found Mother Talzin in the great hall, sitting with her back to the fire, cards laid out on the table, consulting them. Zaiya knew that this was her way of divining the future. Perhaps then she already knew what Zaiya would tell her.

"Welcome, Sister." Talzin cooed with that rich voice of hers, the one that echoed like many voices speaking as one. One that had previously made the white-haired Nightsister feel safe, and protected. But there was something else to it that she recognised in there now. She was unsure exactly what it was, but it put her on edge. "You seem better than before. But you are still troubled, I sense." The Great Mother was indeed wise and it seemed there was little she did not know... why did it feel familiar? She shook off the thoughts and doubts, bowing her head low. Her mouth moved, but a rasp was all she could manage.

"Ah yes, your voice, little one, allow me." Talzin stood, she towered over the younger woman as she moved to a cabinet at the back of the room. Zaiya righted herself and just watched silently. "The Zygerrians were fools to think they could break you." Talzin remarked softly, almost off-handedly. Zaiya stilled, her eye trained on Mother Talzin's back as she rummaged through jars and containers, she seemed to be preparing something. She knew? She knew where Zaiya was? Why did she not come to save her? The soft sound she made belying her calm.