Home, Wildlands, Onderon, 168ABY
A single small probe droid jettisoned its way across the Wildlands of Onderon, the small dark blimp of dark metal moving like a blur across the blue sky. By the trajectory of the droid's directed movement, there was only one place that it could be headed to out this far. The longtime residence of the Ghost of Onderon. Passing through an endless maze of trees and brush, the small droid reached the clearing that opened up to the ancient structure.
The residence had been converted into a home from a long forgotten Sith temple that had been built so long ago. An ancient and abandoned piece of time that stood still in the Wildlands, yet it had always been a home.
Inside of his home he sat in a chamber, his legs folded in front of him with his hands laid up on his legs and his eyes closed. He sat still and silent, opening his mind to the world around him, trying to reach out and feel beyond just himself. He'd been so focused on trying to feel outwardly that he hadn't heard the hissing of the room's door as it slid open or noticed the presence of the person that had entered.
"Daddy, daddy! There you are!" The young girls shouted. Her words broke his concentration as he opened his eyes. "A probe droid with strange symbols showed up saying it had a message for someone I've never heard of!" She exclaimed in her high pitched voice. She was a small young girl with pale skin and raven colored hair. The girl was kind and sweet, she was selfless and caring. She was a spitting image of her mother. All except for her eyes, those crimson burning eyes of her, there was no question she got those from him. "Do you know what it wants daddy?"
"Bring it here Scarlett, and let's take a look. Maybe we'll find some answers." He said as he smiled at his young daughter. "I'm sure it's some sort of official announcement from the Queen addressing all the citizens of Onderon. Queen Sol and I are old friends, you know."
She giggled at her father's words. The Queen was beautiful and so pretty, unlike her daddy who was old and had white hairs in his beard and hair. "Daddy you're funny. You don't know the Queen. If you did then we wouldn't live here. We'd live in the palace!"
He let out a heartfelt laugh at her words. "Is that so? Well then I suppose I should just go and ask her when we can move in. It's probably the invitation in this droid. Now let's see what we have here."
He extended his hand out as the young girl carefully placed the small spherical droid in his hand. Upon first sight of the small droid his eyes widened. He recognized the markings that adorned the droid. They were markings of the Sith Empire. The droid displayed a message stating a message for delivery to "Lord Voidwalker". A cold sweat formed on his forehead, a look of shock on his face, and his hand felt as if he would drop the small droid.
"What is it daddy, what's wrong?" Scarlett's small voice called out.
"It's nothing sweetie." He lied to her, and he knew it. It was for her own good he reassured himself.
"But who is that Voidwal or whatever it's addressed to?"
"It says Voidwalker, and that's no one you need to worry yourself with. Alright? Besides, he isn't around anymore. He went away a long time ago."
The young girl was just like any young child, full of wonder and curiosity. And just like any child that curiosity could prove to be too powerful in a search for knowledge. "But daddy, then why did the droid come here? This is our home! Did this person live here..."
"Scarlett, I said to drop it!" His emotions getting the better of him as he lashed out and raised his voice unaware.
Tears welled up in her eyes at the response of his raised voice. The look on her face breaking his heart as he saw the hurt he caused his young daughter. He started to reach a hand out towards her as she quickly turned and ran down the hall crying for her mother. "Mommy, mommy!"
He cursed himself, he hated that he'd hurt her. "Great, just great. I'm such an idiot, she was just curious and I lashed out at her. How stupid can I be?" He sighed heavily as he sat down with the droid in his hand. "It's better that she never knows, that's not the life I want for my child. I've already lost one, I can't lose another."
His thoughts drifted off taking him back to that day, of his son. He was the first child that he and his wife had, a baby boy that he'd named after one of his closest fallen friends, Kain. The infant was still so young, only about four months old before he'd gotten sick. He had come down with an illness that he couldn't shake. Even with the use of medicine the small infant just wasn't able to recover and passed one night in his crib. It was his father that found him and it destroyed him. After everything he'd been through while a member of the Sith Order, all the loss he'd experienced, nothing hurt him as bad as that.
After a few years passed, he and his wife welcomed their second child into the world. From the time Scarlett was born, she'd been the greatest part of his life, his pride and joy. The day she was born is when he swore he'd never go back to the person he was. He reassured himself, "This is for her own good. She'll never have to feel that pain."
He sighed as he raised the droid up to activate it so it could display the message kept inside.
“Lord Voidwalker,” The probe droid’s message began to play, and the image of the Queen of Onderon displayed in front of them both. She was an image of regalia and grace, contrasting what she once looked like all those years ago when they met as Sith.
“I received a message for you, but with the current political state of Iziz I am unfortunately unable to make my way to the Wildlands where you reside. I’ve included the message with this droid, which you may keep until we see one another again. Come visit the city sometime soon, my friend,” She smiled as the message cut out, and a button lit up yellow to play the message she had mentioned for them.
“Are you going to play it, or is it forever destined to become a nightlight for Scarlett and whatever future generations we might be blessed with?” A teasing, yet soft voice coming from the doorway, asked.
Isa gently pushed off the door jamb and came to stand behind her husband. She draped her arms over his shoulders and down his chest in a loose, gentle hug. The side of her face resting against the top of his head. She had consoled Scarlett and reassured her daughter that her father didn’t mean his sharp tone and that he wasn’t angry with the child. She had arrived just in time to hear most of the message.
The feeling of her arms draped around him and her teasing words were comforting in a way. He feared what the message might include but with her here it made it less stressful. "I'm going to play it, I just hate to think of what this message could be. But I suppose that I should have been more prepared to eventually hear from the Order." He let out a long breath, "let's get this over with."
Placing his finger on the button, the yellow light illuminated outward from under his callous finger before he applied pressure and finally pushed the button. From the droid's small projector a transparent and ghostly blue figure appeared before them both. A female Zabrak dressed in the traditional Sith robes of the Sith Empire.
"Greetings Lord Voidwalker, allow me to introduce myself. I am Darth Rei'ana, I am a servant of the Empress herself. I have been tasked with sending you this message, there is a gathering that is to take place soon. A feast where all Sith are invited and expected to be. Further details are included in the droid. We look forward to seeing you again, Lord Voidwalker." The holo image cut out as the message ended, the droid prepared to deliver the included instructions.
She felt her breath freeze in her lungs. Her mind began to race with concern. Why now? He’s not ready. They have left him alone all this time, what’s changed?
With effort, she forced herself to breathe calmly. She was well aware of what these “feasts” heralded and she felt the assassin stir once more in the back of her mind. She closed her eyes and forced herself to calm down.
She huffed a chuckle. “Kriffing Sith. Why they insist on calling them feasts is beyond me. It’s not like anyone eats at these things.” She pressed a kiss to her husband’s temple before straightening. At her full height, she gripped her left hand with her right and pressed her right thumb into the palm of her left hand, the only outward sign of her nervousness. Her mind returned to her original question, Why now?
"Why they contacted me is what I want to know. I walked away, we walked away. I'm not going back, that's not who I am. I can't. I'm no Sith, I don't even have a connection to the Force!" He threw the small droid across the room in an emotional outrage. The droid hit the wall before falling to the floor. "I owe them nothing, and that's exactly what they'll get from me. Nothing. Voidwalker is dead and he will remain dead."
“And if he’s not?” She asked, watching her husband carefully, unfazed by his display of anger. ”My joking aside, they don’t invite Sith, either past or present, without cause. They need you. I think you need them, too.” She took a deep breath and continued, maneuvering herself to stand in his line of sight, “I have seen many times that even if we wish it, some parts of ourselves never truly die. We might hide them away for a time, or tell ourselves we’ve changed, but they always pop out again under the right circumstances.” She raised her right hand and used the Force to float the droid into her open hands. She met her husband’s gaze, once more. “Voidwalker is a part of you, whether you accept it or not. Go help the Sith.”
"You don't get it, I can't help them. I can't even use the Force, remember?" His tone was condescending and full of anger. "Don't you remember what happened? The people we lost? Is that what you want, for us to have more losses?" He dropped his head into his hands and sighed. "I walked away so I could be free. If the Force shall free me it has a funny way of doing so. The only thing I'm free of is that damned curse." Raising his head back up, he stared at her intently before continuing, "Besides, the only grasp of power I still had was exercised from me when my body became mine and mine alone." He stood to his feet, staring his wife in the face. "Voidwalker is dead and that's the end of it. You don't need to say anything more, I'm done having this conversation with you."
She broke eye contact with her husband and looked down at a spot on the floor between them. She had felt her husband almost stifling his power. She had hoped that he would break out on his own, but now knew he was buried too deep. She knew what had to be done and it broke her heart. It has to be done.
In her own mind, Isa allowed her assassin persona to slip over like a comfortable, familiar cloak. The darkness that she had once carried as a Sith assassin filled her being and steeled her resolve. When she looked at her husband once more, her gaze was hard and her lips took on a mocking grin. “I’m just mad because I decided to castrate myself years ago and I’m only now figuring out that it wasn’t a good idea! Also, boo hoo, I haven’t figured out, yet, that death is a part of life! I mean, really, did you have to stop using your brain?” Her smile changed from mocking to a flirty smirk. “At least you’re pretty.”
His anger grew hearing his wife's mocking words. She clearly didn't understand his situation, but then how could she? "Do not patronize me. I told you, this conversation is over!" The more he spoke the more his mind raced with questions, all of which continued to make him angry. He needed to get away, remove himself from the situation and let them both calm down before words became more heated than they were already growing to.
He started to walk away, just stepping past her as he angled for the door before he stopped and reignited the conversation. "Why do you care anyway?" He asked as he turned back to look back at her. "If you're so concerned with what they have to say, then you go. But if you do, don't you ever come back here. One of us has to protect our daughter." With the last of his words leaving his mouth, he felt his own tears building in his eyes as he started to walk away.
She followed her husband. “You tell me to leave and not come back like it’s the worst thing in the universe. Unless,” she paused and stared at his retreating back with a look of disbelief, “Do you, actually, still believe that I have loved you? That I loved Scarlett?” She began to laugh, the vitriol in it burning her own throat.
After a moment, her laughter died down, though her poisonous smile remained. “Oh, sweetheart, let me clear this up for you.” She stepped around her husband and stood in front of him, looking him dead in the eye. “You and the brat mean absolutely nothing to me. I have only stayed this long with you because a girl has needs and you...” Her gaze traveled down her husband’s body as she bit her lower lip seductively. Her gaze returned to his. “…were, and still are, incredibly hot. I am surprised, however, that you never knew I was merely using you to kriff.”
She gazed into her husband’s crimson gaze in mock tenderness as she took a step closer. “Remember our first time together? We had been running from our enemies and took refuge in that cave?” Her eyes grew distant with memory. “I slept with you, then intended to leave you and disappear. ‘Someone else could satisfy me just as well I told myself."
"I must admit, however, that I had lost my nerve. You had an almost innocent quality that made me take pity on you…”
She placed a hand on his face. Her voice became thoughtful as she gently caressed his cheek. “I had left, but you came running after me and begged me to stay. I still have trouble believing you were that desperate to keep me.”
Suddenly, her gaze sharpened and she sharply
tapped her husband’s cheek three times, just hard enough to sting, then stepped away. “Ah, well, enough of that. You were right about one thing, it’s beyond time for me to leave. However, I do need to tie up some loose ends before I leave.”
She turned to walk down the hall after her daughter, her right arm lifted away from her body. With a flick of her wrist, her dagger shot out from under her long sleeve and into her palm. She shot a backward glance at her husband to throw one last taunt. “Will you try to save Scarlett from death, I wonder, or will you fail her as you did Kain?”
She watched his expression as her verbal dagger hit home, then resumed her path down the hall “Oh, Scarlett!” She called, her voice light and lilting.
Her words stung, but they were just that, words. Nothing that he hadn't felt many times over in all of his years. But the threat to kill their daughter, his daughter, that was an act worthy of death. A death to be delivered by his hand. Not as a loving husband, but as something more.
Deep within his own core he felt it. Not the raging inferno of power he once had, this was a wild, all consuming almost uncontrollable fire that erupted. Yet like the late Kain had done all them years ago on Korriban, he was able to harness and focus the raging storm. He could feel it rushing over him like fallen ash blanketing an eruption site, leaving everything in a void frozen in time.
"Get back here!" His voice called out at the retreating woman. His arm shot out in front of him, the invisible hand of the Force outstretched and clenching his wife in its beast like claws. With a flick of the wrist she was pulled back into the room sent sailing against a wall. An audible thud escaped from the impact of her body meeting the cold stone wall. The air rushed from her lungs. The Force constricted around her throat like a coiling serpent ready to strike.
With little to no effort he raised her pinned body up, her feet leaving the floor and dangling. Just as her life now dangled in the palm of his hand. He stepped closer to her to look her in the eye for the act that she'd committed.
The attack, she knew, was coming. She offered no resistance to the invisible grasp around her throat. She dropped her dagger as she was suddenly facing her enraged husband. Her smile morphed into one of satisfaction even as an unnoticed tear slipped from her eye.
She felt many things as she stared into his crimson eyes. Self- loathing, deep satisfaction, sorrow, and love, but not fear. Never fear of him. Even now as her lungs reflexively heaved for air. There was, however, a fear that even if he let her live, he wouldn’t ever forgive her. That she had gone too far in reawakening Voidwalker.
She blinked a few times and forced herself to focus. She connected her mind to his and spoke, There you are! She lowered her mental guard completely. Probe my mind to see my reasons, if you wish. If not, her eyes began to close as she felt unconsciousness coming to claim her, I don’t apologize for my actions. They were necessary to help bring you back. I do apologize for the pain I caused you.
"Stay out of my head," was all that he said as he released his hold over his wife as he lowered her back to the ground. "Don't apologize to me and don't think that just because you live I have shown you mercy. Thank Scarlett that you still yet draw breath, one of us needs to raise her." He was beyond angry with her, but something about her words seemed to carry the truth with them. Still it seemed she had mostly gotten what she desired out of her gamble. But not everything. He turned from her to look away and avoid her gaze. "You're wrong, you didn't bring me back."
As soon as the pressure eased from her throat, she gasped in lungful's of air. It took her a moment to register his words. “I did bring you back,” she rasped, bringing her hand up to her tender throat. “The Sith that is still within you-“
His head snapped back as he peered into the golden horizon of her gaze, "I am no Sith!" He lashed out as he cut her off. His chest rising and falling as he tried to center himself and regain some semblance of order. "My connection to the Force might have returned, but I am far from any Sith. I've become something far more, I have been reborn. I am the Cursed Champion of the Stars."
She watched her husband thoughtfully and tilted her head slightly, turning his words over in her mind. She dropped all pretenses of provoking him. “Then what are you?” She rasped. “A god?” she lifted the corner of her lips in a wry smile. “A demon?”
Without waiting for an answer, she called her dropped dagger to her hand and returned it underneath her sleeve. She then clasped her hands in front of her, deliberately keeping them in sight. “Fact of the matter is,” she continued, her voice slowly returning to normal, her tone soothing. “Whether you claim to be a Cursed Champion, a god, a demon, a Sith, or just a man it’s time to come out of the shadows. What was once our highly dysfunctional family might be in trouble. They need you once more. Will you answer them?”
He sighed heavily, it was clear that she wasn't going to drop this. She was right, and it was time to step out of the shadows. But he knew that stepping out didn't mean he had to run blindly. "To answer both of your questions Isa, the answer is no. No, I don't consider myself a God or a demon. And no I will not answer them just because they need me. However I do consider myself a father, and that's why I will answer their call."
He leaned in close towards her to bring his mouth parallel with her ear, as he softly whispered to her. "And as a father, if you ever threaten our daughter again, I will kill you." He softly kissed her cheek. His voice returned to its normal octave as he pulled his head back and acted as if it was business as usual. "I must prepare, I need to leave as soon as possible." He turned away from her and he exited the room to go start making the necessary preparations.
After a short while, he returned to the bedroom that belonged to his wife and himself, to find her and share some last words before he departed. "I understand why you did what you did. I know you were only trying to help me, and I cannot be mad at you for that. I'd like to hope that you and Scarlett are both still here when I return. However if you do truly wish to leave, all I ask is that you take Scarlett to the castle in Iziz. I will make arrangements from there. I will contact you when I know more of what's going on."
“We will be here waiting for you,” Isa said, softly. She reached out and rested her fingertips lightly on his forearm. She felt the full weight of her guilt for threatening their daughter. This was something she wouldn’t allow herself to get over anytime soon. “If I threaten our daughter’s life again, I will kill myself,” she pulled her hand away and briefly met Voidwalker’s gaze. “And I do love you.”
Her words were kind and carried a weight of sincerity with them. He wanted to say so many things to her, his mind racing to find the right words, but there was only one thing he possibly could say to her. "I know." With nothing left to say, he kissed her forehead before turning away and walking out of their room.
Before leaving to make his way back to the homeworld of the Final Sith Order, he'd apologized and made up with his daughter before saying his goodbye. Knowing he'd made up with Scarlett made the trip seem worth it even more so. After saying all of their goodbyes, Voidwalker headed for the smaller one person shuttle that they'd had for many years. It wasn't as comfortable as the larger shuttle but it would serve its purpose. Besides, it was best to leave it Incase Isa and Scarlett had to go anywhere. The small craft roared to life as the humming of the engine grew louder before the small ship lifted off the ground and was off.
In what seemed to be no time at all, the city of Iziz was coming into view. It was a marvelous sight no matter how many times he'd seen it before. The great walled city that he'd walked among many times, each time seemingly changing his life in some way or another. From being a child and meeting the now Queen as a young girl, to meeting a shady business man of sin that turned out to be a Dark Jedi. It was always something about this city that pulled him back here.
After touching down at the spaceport and exiting the small ship, he knew where he had to go, he had to stop and see an old friend before leaving. He at least owed her that much, especially after all this time. Making his way from the spaceport he crossed through the market plaza, cutting across the square to head straight to the castle. As he approached the castle he was stopped by an Onderon Guard. An old man well past his prime. He should have retired years ago, yet the fact that he still stood his post spoke volumes of his dedication to the city. That or he was an old fool. "Halt. State your business for coming."
"I'm here to see the Queen. I would have words with her."
"That's not a good enough reason." His voice was rough and full of spite. "You'll need a better reason than that. And what's with those weird eyes? You the result of some weird mountain people incest or something boy?"
His words were familiar, as if heard before. That's when Voidwalker remembered where he'd heard them before, it was from when he was a child and was arrested by a guard. This guard. He was an old fool.
Voidwalker grinned knowing that he could snap the old man's neck with no effort. He didn't even need the Force for that. "I told you, I'm here to see the Queen, now take me to her. If you delay me any longer, I will keep my promise from all those years ago and kill you."
The old man's face changed to a look of shocking terror. As if he'd suddenly realized who this man was in front of him. He'd been that boy from so many years ago. The one that had caused so many problems that day. "Fine, follow me." He grunt in defeat. "But any sort of trouble out of you and you'll have all of Iziz down on your head."
As the two went to find the Queen, she was not in the city. In the distance, loud screeching could be heard, a familiar sign of the Queen and her family. Some citizens of Iziz looked to the sky, seeing the shadows of Rupings soaring through the sky.
One broke through the clouds, slowly lowering itself in circles as it approached the housing area for the tamed Onderon Beasts. Two followed, both half the size of the first.
As the large one landed, the others followed suit, landing a few feet behind the Queen. She was able to dismount hers first, and she smiled at her husband and half sister, Astrid, as they dismounted their own beasts.
“You’re getting much better, the bond between you and Berra will grow as time goes on,” Avery encouraged Astrid, and she sighed.
“She fights every time we bridle her, and she tries to make me fall off when I first mount her,” She replied, and Sol put a hand on her shoulder.
“She was a wild ruping for most of her life, she has to adjust to you, just like you have to adjust to her,” She said, and Astrid nodded. The Beast Masters approached from behind them, grabbing the reins for the three beasts as Sol and the others walked away.
“Your brother is here,” Sol said, looking at Astrid. But before she could respond, Sol spoke again, “I’m going to go see my children, go intercept him from the guard and meet me on the balcony near the throne room?”
Astrid nodded, separating from the Queen and King Consort and walking towards the palace steps. She saw her brother before he saw her, and kept her face stern as she looked at the guard.
“You can go now,” She commanded, and smiled at Voidwalker once the man left.
“Hello, Brother.”
Voidwalker smiled the moment he heard her voice, even if the old fool had tried to question him, he didn't dare to speak against her. It brought him an odd sense of joy to see the guard reminded of his position. "Go on now, get. You heard your handler."
Once the guard was completely gone, Voidwalker turned his smile towards his sister, opening his arms to embrace her. "Astrid, how are you? It's always a joy to see you. I swear you look more and more like your sister each time I see you. Speaking of which, is your sister around?"
Astrid embraced her brother, and then stepped back, looking up to him.
“I’m well. She wanted to see her children, or she would have greeted you with me. Come, we can go see them,” She said, and walked up the steps to the palace.
The palace, though quite ancient, was beautiful and decadent, with light gray stone and gold accents. When Sol had risen to power, she had most of it renovated, an attempt to help her overcome her personal anxiety and anger at the memories her home brought her. Now, she only held memories of it that had her family.
As they walked down the hall, the echoes of children laughing could be heard. Astrid smiled at the sound of her niece and nephew, and looked at her brother.
“I never would have expected her to be so maternal when I first met her, but I think she loves her children more than anything else in the galaxy,” She said softly and paused, a sad face spreading across her face, “Even the ones that died before they took their first breath.”
The look on her face was hard to miss, yet even for Astrid to be younger than both the Queen and himself, her words carried a heavy weight. A weight that he hoped she would never have to feel the burden of herself. It was a heavy burden for anyone to carry, that he knew all too well. However, how he carried his burden he knew was different from how her sister carried hers. "She certainly has changed a lot from when I first met her, you both have. She's grown to be a strong and beautiful leader loved by her people. I cannot pretend to understand her pain, but I know a similar one. It's a pain that truly changes you. But she has a beautiful family and she has you to lean on. So make sure to be there and stand beside her even when she seems like she doesn't need it. But that's enough of that, you don't need me to preach to you."
They approached the balcony, and as Astrid stepped through the archway, she saw Oron chasing his sister, Sommer. They both stopped, looking at Astrid and Voidwalker. Beyond them, the Queen and King sat on two small stools, watching their children. Sol smiled up at her sister and Lord Voidwalker, and stood to greet them.
“Lord Voidwalker,” She said, nodding her head in respect.
The sight of the children playing, the Queen spending time with her family, and even Astrid being here was all the reassurance he'd needed to know that he was making the right decision. No matter how tough it was, it would be for the best. "Sol, apologies, I mean your majesty. I don't think I'll ever get used to that." He chuckled as he and Astrid came to a stop before the Queen and King. "I must say the castle looks lovely. Vastly different from my last visit." He said as he admired the tapestries and decor of the Onderonian royal home.
"However I must admit I didn't come just to admire the renovations." His cheerful disposition giving away, his face turning to his former and more usual serious and stoic look. "Is there somewhere yourself, Astrid, and I might be able to speak in private?"
“Of course,” She replied, looking over her shoulder at Avery. He nodded, and gave a simple wave as a greeting to Voidwalker. Sol turned back to them, walking past and back inside the palace. She had changed from the brown shirt and pants she had worn while flying her beast, and into a blue and gold dress with a sort of floral design, with a small crown placed on her head. Though she did not try to hide the fact that she was a Sith, she looked quite different in this attire. She made her way to a small room across from the throne room, waving the guards away.
“What did you wish to discuss?”
Voidwalker returned the gesture to Avery before following behind Sol and Astrid. He felt like he'd been rude by not properly addressing the King, but it wasn't out of any sort of disrespect. This was a heavy issue on Voidwalker's mind, and it was unfortunately Sith business. Still he pondered if he should have invited him along to be a part of the conversation. As quickly as the thought came he'd brushed it away. It was bad enough that he was already pulling Sol away from her family time, no need to do the same to them both.
Once the guards were completely out of the room, Voidwalker let out a heavy sigh. He was never one for revealing his personal business, but this was a necessity. "So as you know Sol, I was sent a message from the office of the Empress. They've called me back to the throne world for some gathering. I don't know all the details but given the last time there was a mass gathering of Sith, you surely understand my concerns Sol. As of now my wife and daughter are remaining here at our home, but if she were to be called away as well or something were to happen to us both, I have a favor to ask. If the need were to arise I ask that you take Scarlett in and raise her as your own. She knows nothing of the Sith and I'd like to keep it that way for as long as possible. She never even heard the name Voidwalker until today. So I'm begging you both to take her in and raise her as a Kira with the Kira last name. Our children should want for nothing. We all have lost too much as it is. I wouldn't see it happen to my daughter. I ask this of both of you. Please."
Sol’s hand fell to her stomach, rubbing the small bump gently as she thought on his request. She seemed to pace back and forth slowly, remaining quiet for several minutes.
“This is my sixth,” She said, so quietly it was almost a whisper. “When I married my husband, we privately decided on how we’d raise our children, and what name they would take. I knew that Esta would likely never have children, and if Lucia did they would take her partner's name. That left continuing my family name on my shoulders. We came to the conclusion that our first child would take my name, and any we had after would take Avery’s. To be quite honest with you, I’ve found that the Kira Legacy is more of a curse than a blessing. People that know of my family name, both on Onderon and on other planets, look at me differently. But it’s my duty to ensure that a Kira always sits on the throne, and so my son was born Oron Kira the third. Sommer, however, has my husband's name. If this child makes it, they will as well. The Sunka name predates even my own, history remembers them as fierce warriors and the first of the beast riders. It is a good name, and the only one I could possibly give to your daughter if I were to raise her as my own, if the time came to do so. But I would gladly raise her, if you accept my own terms.”
Voidwalker rubbed his chin and contemplated Sol's counteroffer. On the one hand it wasn't a response he was expecting. On the other, it didn't matter what name she carried as long as she was properly cared for. "I'm familiar with the Sunka name. One doesn't come from Onderon without knowing the names Sunka or Kira. Honestly Sol, it doesn't matter what name you give her. As long as you raise and love her like she was your own child. As you both know my son passed when he was still an infant, Scarlett is all I have left. Sol, you and I might not share blood, but the three of us are family and there's no one else I trust to care for my daughter other than my family."
Sol nodded, smiling at him. “It’s settled then. But I do not think anything will happen to you. I have limited my interactions with the Sith Order generally, but I do still hold a seat on the Dark Council, and see them often. The attack on Korriban changed us all and I believe, save for the few that were not around for it, we’ve changed for the better. You should be fine.”
She sighed for a moment, and then turned to walk out the door. “You may stay longer for a meal, if you’d like. I don’t wish to keep you from your obligations,” She offered, and Astrid smiled at him before following after her sister.
I hope you're right about that, Sol. Voidwalker followed the sisters making their way to the doorway leading back to the throneroom and the rest of the Queen's family. He'd already taken up enough of their time and had asked a lot from them both and Avery, and he didn't even know about it yet. "Thank you for the offer, and I hate to pass up the opportunity to enjoy a royal meal but I must decline. The sooner I can find out why I have been called upon after all this time, the sooner I can get back."
Just as the three of them had reached the door, Voidwalker stepped ahead of the two ladies to get the door for them. He might have lived on his own most of his life, but he was no disrespectful savage and a Queen and sister deserved the respect of having the door held open for them. But just as he grasped the door handle to open the door he stopped, turning to face Sol and Astrid one last time. "There's one other thing. Scarlett hasn't shown any signs of the Force but when that time comes and she's in your care, I ask that you two teach her. I doubt I can completely keep her from the Sith, but the longer she's kept away the better she would be. The galaxy can never know she's my daughter."
Astrid’s hand reached to her sisters, looking at her and squeezing it. What Voidwalker had said earlier was true, they did look quite similar now. A true family, just like one they had both searched for their entire lives. One that would welcome his daughter, if the time came. She looked at her brother and nodded as Sol did the same, smiling at him one last time.
"Thank you both." With no other words to be said, Voidwalker opened the door back to the thronroom. Once the two ladies passed through he followed them out. After saying their goodbyes, Voidwalker left the castle and made his way back to his ship at the spaceport. Once he was a board and settled in, he let one last sigh fall from his lips before refocusing on what was to come. He navigated his course to the throne world of the Final Sith Order and was off. Once he broke the hold of Onderon and was in the infinite darkness of space he was one step closer to being back home. Clutching to the hope of seeing his wife and daughter again soon was the strength he needed to get through whatever came next.
Special Thanks to @Arach, @skira, and @Darth Kain