Shades of Silver

[Vega]

119th Trial of Vhalar during Arc 717

"When will you leave, Pappa?" Vega asked and Jo'qan shrugged slightly. She and her father were sitting in his cabin aboard his ship, the snowstorm outside whirling around. They were sitting on a long bench in his room, covered in a deep cushion and high backed; as comfortable as could be with her legs pulled up underneath her and a blanket over her. He smiled at her and gestured outside. "I'm not sure, Eva. It will depend on the weather. Are you keen for us to go?" His deep voice was teasing and Vega looked at him and smiled, shaking her head. "I wish you wouldn't, you know that." He reached out and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her.

"Why are you going, Pappa?" she asked, nestled against him and Jo'qan looked at her with dark blue eyes. "Because you need to live your life, Eva.I am holding you back by being here." He didn't sound angry or sad, simply resigned and Vega's eyes darkened as she frowned.

"But you're not. You don't. You never 'ave Pappa, an' I don't see why you think you are now." She squirmed around until she was sitting opposite him, looking at him. "For the first time in my life, I feel good about me, about who I am an' everythin'. You bein' here, that's part of it. If you wanna go, you go." She grinned at him. "I understand the biqaj need to be on the open water. I get it. I 'ave it but not for the water. If it's that, Pappa, you go an' I'll be sad to see you go but glad fer you. But don't leave cos you think I need you to. I don't."

Jo'qan looked at his daughter and he smiled at her; so intense his little Eva, she always had been. Yet he knew what her childhood had been and now, he worried. "Your familiar is here, yes?" Vega nodded. "I think so, Pappa, yes. But what does that have to do with anything?"

"That is part of your sev'ryn side, and that has always been at odds with your biqaj nature. You are discovering other aspects of yourself." Vega shook her head and looked at him with an expression Jo'qan would have to admit he hadn't seen before.

"Pappa, my blood is silver and will always be. I'm sev'ryn an' I'm biqaj, I'm my mamma's people an' I'm yours, but I'm more than that. I'm jus' me." Jo'qan raised an eyebrow as she spoke. There was a question there, in that eyebrow, but he did not ask it. He didn't need to. "I'm proud of my biqaj heritage, Pappa, an' I'm proud of my sev'ryn 'alf, too. But they don't define me. I do."

It had to be said, Jo'qan's eyebrow raised, just a little further.

[Vega]

110th Trial of Vhalar during Arc 717

Jo'qan looked at his daughter for a long moment. Rather than seeing who he expected to see, he looked at her again and what he saw made him smile. "You grew up, Eva. When did that happen?" Vega grinned and shrugged. "I dunno, Pappa. It's still a work in progress, I promise you." He chuckled and reached out to ruffle her hair, as he had when she was a child. "I just don't want you to leave cos you think I want it. Or need it. I don't. I'm 'appy, Pappa. Content, more than I've been for a long time."

Having raised her alone, Jo'qan knew his daughter and he knew she was telling the truth. He nodded. "I have to admit to having enjoyed my time here. Seeing you. And I would like to see how this familiar turns out." Vega nodded and smiled, then gave him a sudden, fierce hug. "Tell me, Eva," Jo'qan said and Vega knew what was coming before he said it. "How is Arlo?"

"He's a'right." Vega replied and Jo'qan's eyebrow raised again. "Wot?" Vega laughed, awkwardly, and shook her head. "It's complicated. You don't wanna know. I don't know what to tell you, even if you do wanna." Jo'qan smiled and looked at her intently, reaching forward and lifting her chin so that she looked back at him. "You're blushing," he said and Vega grinned. She didn't reply, though, neither denying it nor confirming his suspicions. She didn't need to say anything, of course, he was her father and he knew her. "You have spoken?" Jo'qen asked and Vega nodded.

If there was ever going to be anything which made his decision, it was that and Jo'qen nodded his head. "We will stay another season or two." Vega gave a grin, delight on her face although it faltered when he added. "And Arlo and I will talk. Alone."

[Vega]

110th Trial of Vhalar during Arc 717

"Yeah, funny story there," Vega said when Jo'qan insisted that he and Arlo would speak. "Since 'is mamma died, he's lost the ability to speak Common. Talks only in..." she lapsed into silence at the look her father gave her and instead she simply nodded. "I mean, yes Pappa. He'd like that I'm sure." Jo'qan's lips lifted in a slight smile, pleased with her response.

"If he ever mistreats you, you will tell me, Eva. Promise me." Jo'qan asked and Vega looked at him and patted his hand. "Pappa, Arlo's my best friend. 'e'd never mistreat me an' if he, or anyone ever, tried, I'd punch 'im into next Cylus. An' believe me, I'm not exaggeratin'. You didn't raise a victim, Pappa, that's all good." Jo'qan laughed, relief on his face as he realised the truth of what his daughter said. "Come then, we will go and speak to your cousins. Tell them that we will be staying a while."

As they moved to above the deck, Vega had to admit that she wasn't entirely sure how the cousins were going to take it. There was an undertone of animosity between her and them which seemed to have grown as they got older. Not that they were hostile, but Reese's constant snide remarks were getting to her when she and Arlo had come here last season. Still, Vega pulled her cloak up over her head and made her way with her father.

Jo'qan called the boys together and the five of them, four biqaj men and Vega sat around together as the snow fell. Jo'qan explained that they would be staying the winter here and the three cousins all had different reactions. Shon did not argue, it was not his way. Jo'qan was the head of the family and he said they stayed. Vega was here and it was something to do with her, but she was family so that meant, as far as Shon was concerned, there were no questions asked, it simply was. Reese was quiet for the moment, because it was Huw who spoke.

"Why, Uncle? Because Vega is here?" Vega rolled her eyes at Huw's words. Straight in there, bombastic and arrogant. That was Huw's way and always had been. Since their father had died, Huw had tried to take on the role of father to his younger brothers, the twins. Reese and Shon wanted none of it, but Huw continued regardless.

"Yes," Jo'qan said with a smile to his eldest nephew. "My daughter, your cousin is here. Your father was my brother, and I would like to mourn him with as many of my family as I can. To celebrate his life and to be with you all. He and I watched you all grow up, after all." It wasn't something that Huw could argue and so, instead, he turned to Vega, glowered and then he shook his head. "Fine. It will give us a chance to do some maintenance to the hull."

He stood and stalked off. Vega sighed and glanced at her father. As she did, Jo'qan squeezed her hand and then stood and moved after his nephew, leaving Vega, Reese and Shon together on the deck.

[Vega]

110th Trial of Vhalar during Arc 717

"You satisfied?" Reese asked, almost as soon as Jo'qan was out of earshot. Vega looked at him and sighed but she didn't bite, didn't ask what he meant. She knew, that would irritate him more than anything. It worked, she knew - as he spoke his cheek flushed a deep red. "We are stranded here, not making progress, not doing business while you waste your time diluting your blood further by whoring with a human."

Vega turned her full attention to Reese, her eyes shifting colour to a deep crimson red with flecks of turquoise in them. "Wot did you say?" Had she just heard him right? Vega found it hard to believe that he had just used that word about her, and the whole notion of diluting her blood was enough to make said liquid boil. "Cos you know, when I spill silver on this deck, the blood gushin' out of your ugly nose won't be no different to mine. Don't you ever use that word about me again, Reese, I'm not jokin'."

He looked at her and snorted. "You are angry because it is true, Vega. If you found a biqaj who was prepared to look past your mongrel blood, you would strengthen the silver in your veins. But no, you add human to the mix. You are being a whore and your father is..." Whatever her father was, or was not doing as far as Reese was concerned would be lost to history as Vega launched herself at him. It had to be said, she had very limited skill in fighting without a sword, but she had the element of surprise on her side as Reese really hadn't thought she'd do it.

"ARGH!" he let out a yell of surprise as Vega simultaneously pushed herself forwards with her legs, flinging herself at him and so, by that action, she and he fell to the deck, her half laying on top of him. Her fist had behind it the momentum of the movement and she swung heavy and hard straight into his face. Vega felt a very satisfying crunch as Reese's nose crumbled beneath her knuckles and her cry of pain joined his as he automatically retaliated, his punch to her face and Vega saw stars. He was strong, but as silver poured over her hands from his face and none of hers joined it, Vega let out a whoop of victory. She was stronger than him, it was obvious and he fell backwards with her pummeling his face.

Vega was aware that he landed a fair few blows, but mostly the adrenaline was pumping and as the pair of them rolled on the deck, punching and kicking each other, she knew that she was winning. Vega had no qualms about grabbing and pulling his hair, using it as leverage to thump his head down on the deck and she was just at the point of kneeling on his arms, about to pound his already blood-covered face when she felt strong arms grab her from behind. "GET OFF ME!" She was furious and not planning on stopping any time soon.

It took Shon and Huw to pull her off him. Jo'qan stood and watched as two of his three nephews pulled his daughter off his third nephew. Was it bad, he wondered, that he felt a surge of pride at the redhaired woman, for woman somehow she had become, who he realised he most certainly did not need to worry about. As Vega stamped on Shon's shin, causing him to yell out in pain as he and his brother pulled her off Reese, Jo'qan wondered whether, in fact, he should be more worried about Arlo. Now, however, was not the time to smile and so he moved to in between the two of them.

"Enough, Eva," he said and Vega looked at him with fury in her gaze. "He called me a whore Pappa. I'm gonna kill 'im." Jo'qan looked at her, hopeful that she would immediately regret those words. "Then I'm gonna learn to resurrect 'im so I can kill 'im again cos once isn't enough. An' will you get OFF me!" She yanked her arm out of Shon's grip, her strength surprising him. She didn't move to Reese, Jo'qan motioned to Huw and Shon. "Tend to your brother. I'll take care of Eva."

"I'll tend to 'im. Right up the...."

"Eva. Enough. Come with me." Jo'qan led her downstairs, his arm around her. She was so angry she was shaking and as she walked past them it took every ounce of self control Vega had not to kick Reese while he was down.

[Zip]

@Vhagar

Overview

Bloooooood! Not eeeeenough blood! I waaaant this curb dashed fully in siiiilver!

Enjoyable action-packed solo - my only criticism is that there wasn't a nice and proper kill. Pa Vega, you a killjoy.

Points

XP: 10/10 (Cannot be used for Magic)

Fame:
Nope

Loot/injuries/overstepping:
Black eye, bruised cheek, split lips, stained soul for attempted kinslaying. The first 3 will take 10 trials to heal. The last one will haunt you for the rest of your days.

Knowledge

Skill Knowledge:
Strength: Putting your strength into a movement
Strength: Tearing free of a grip
Strength: Use your strength to hold another in place
Unarmed Combat: Brawling: Leap attack
Unarmed Combat: Brawling: Use a strength advantage
Unarmed Combat: Brawling: Use knees to pin arms

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