Posted by Vashkilu (Infiltrator) in Eli’s Quarters: The Gift that Gives

Posted by Elias “Eli” Trenor (Medic) in Eli’s Quarters: The Gift that Gives

Posted by Vashkilu (Infiltrator) in Eli’s Quarters: The Gift that Gives
Posted by… suppressed (31) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Eli looked at the box sitting on his small desk, she would be by soon, he had thought about giving it to her last year but it had not seem right. Given the events around Sisnil’s capture he had not had much time to think about anything else. He sat and cleaned his weapons while he waited.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

After the new muscle got situated Vash disappeared and made her way towards Eli’s quarters. Probably another lecture about how she needed to stay safe and stop attracting stranger to her. It wasn’t her fault! Even when she actively tried to repel them, they still flocked around her. She stopped by the door and knocked on it firmly.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

“Come” he said loudly, when he saw her he smiled and stood walked over and gave her a big hug. “Have a seat” he asked and moved over to wash his hands before he pickted up the gift from the table. “Have a good time planet side?” he asked. Eli was nervious he was not entirely sure how she would recieve what he was about to do but she was the closest thing to a daughter he was ever going to have.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash hugged him tightly. Her feelings for Eli swung wildly at times. From seeing him as a big brother, to a father, to even a potential life partner. She’d never tell him the last one because he would freak out and run away from the crew. Her heart belonged to Noril (though he didn’t seem to notice), but there were times when she could see that she and Eli could be happy. She could chase the darkness away from him. But that was never more than a fleeting thought. They didn’t feel that way about each other.

She sat down and smirked feeling his nervousness. “Eli, you’re nervous! OH!” she set a hand over her heart and batted her lashes. “Have you finally realized you can’t live without me, and you are ready to profess your undying love for me?” She made a little swooning face. She was teasing him and he knew it, but it would make him laugh and help him relax.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli gave a small snort of a laugh, “You wish, you can’t handle me” grabing the rather large box and sitting next to her. “In all the mess, I forgot your birthday. I’m really sorry” he said.

Hmmmm She was sure they could handle each other just fine, but he was also probably right. She looked at the box. It was huge. Usually it was something small, but expensive. Eli spoiled her. She didn’t need the jewelry, just having Eli in her life was enough. She’d told him that. Maybe he had gone simpler this year. “You don’t need to apologize Eli. We’ve all been distracted and focused on more immediate concerns.

Something was different or wrong, he was happy and sad at the same time. His body language and tone was confused. He silently handed her the box but did not let go of it right away. “After you open it, I have something I need to,” he paused choking back something. “to say something” His eyes looked serious like he was about to tell her he was leaving, or dying or something.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash held the box in her lap and stared at him. “Eli, you’re scaring me. What’s wrong?”

Eli looked at her “It’s a good thing I think, just open it” he asked.

She wasn’t going to get an answer apparently. She looked down at the box and very carefully pulled at the ribbon and set it aside before removing the paper and carefully lifting the lid off the box.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Inside the box was a cream-colored gown, it was like silk but somehow softer and felt cool to the touch. “Ja’kali, they are similar to a silkworm on earth found only on Bajor, the fibers are 100 times softer than silk though, it is very, very rare” he noted.

Vash had heard of it. Anything expensive and rare was known to an Orion, even if they didn’t own any. Her fingers carefully, delicately touched the material. It was perfection to her Deltan sense of touch. Smooth, soft, cool, flawless. It didn’t feel like any other fabric she’d ever encountered.

Sitting on top of the dress was a silver chain encrusted with white diamond-like gems along the entire chain. The center gem of the necklace area was a larger version of the smaller and reflected light in a way that was almost hypnotic.

The necklace though was…something else. It was simple, yet royal. She had to grin at having more jewelry, but somehow the dress wasn’t complete without it. The gems were of the highest quality. She looked up at Eli to protest. She knew he had money and lots of it, but she didn’t need expensive things from him.

Eli sat and watched her take it in as she was about to speak, he looked at her deep in her eyes. “It was my mother’s” he finally spit out. “One of the few things I have left of her.”

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Her mouth dropped open in a delicate gasp of shock. She stared at him for a long moment and then back at the dress. “It’s beautiful,” Vash whispered softly. She was wary of touching it now. Afraid she might accidently damage it. When she looked back at him, golden tears filled her eyes and escaped. “Eli.... I can’t take this. I can’t take something that was your mother’s.” Her voice was tight, clogged with emotion. She couldn’t take his family heirloom.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli raised his hand. “I’m not finished.” he said. “Besides I had the dress altered already.” he said breaking a little tension, but it was half won.

“On my home world, the chain is only worn by the highest nobles, which my parents were before they left for the simple life of the colony they helped build. ” He said staring off wondering how she was going to take it.

“Young ladies are given these chains as a symbol of them becoming woman, and in the case of a noble chain like this one, matriarchs. it would have gone to my sister when she was of age” he noted, and she could see his heart sink at the thought of her.

“I” He kept choking every time he tried to speak from that point forward like his brain broke on him

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash very quickly put the box aside and slid over to and wrapped her arms around Eli. She held him, offering him comfort. She didn’t want to take the grief. That would take his love for them too. She just wanted to ease the paralysis. There was nothing she could say, she knew that now.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

As she took hold of him it comforted him, he pushed her back after a long moment but kept his hands on her shoulder. “I guess what I’m trying to say is, it would have gone to my first born had she lived.” sadness crossed his face for a moment, then cleared. “I have no wife, no blood heirs and never will” he paused and let his arms fall and looked into the distance.

“It’s a good thing that I got another daughter though” he finally said looking at her. “If she’ll have me”.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Her face seemed to glitter with the number of golden tears that shed from her eyes. She threw herself into Eli’s arms, arms wrapped around his neck. When Vash first came to the Albatross she didn’t really know what love and family was. Sisnil, Eli, and Noril had taught her that. Eli understood her better than her father ever would. Better than he was capable of. Vash held onto him for a long time. Curled up like a small child against him. Finally she pulled back, blinking to clear her eyes. “Does this mean I can call you Dad?”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli was taken back by her reaction, somewhere inside he knew she would be ok with the idea, but on the surface he had not been. “If that makes you happy” he said, “But there is more, if you accept the necklace it means you are the matriarch of my clan, last matriarch you will hold the highest place of honor within and upon my passing, be head of the clan” he said there was more but he was not sure she would want to know. She would inherit everything his land, his money, his people upon his passing. They would challenge it given who she was and claimed he had been manipulated. He would have to find a way to certify it if she went forward, prove that she did not use her talents to obtain it. The next family in his clan was far removed from noble lines but they would press if they though Eli had been tricked. His ancestors had adopted a more clan like tribal society when the colonies were first formed.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash looked at the necklace and back at him. “Are… are you sure you don’t have distant family that should do that? I don’t know anything about all if that. I mean,” she looked back at the dress and then Eli. “Yes I want to be your family, but…” she sighed. “Eli, I’m not free. I don’t want the Syndicate to take your family.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli had thought about that, “Remind me why we have not bought your freedom yet?” he asked not wanting to let it go just yet. He could reduce the chain and and remove the heirlooms for now, Eli had wanted to by her freedom but she had not allowed him for some reason.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

“Because my father won’t accept any price. Now… now I fear his house is in danger. Maybe he would let me now.” Vash wished she could really be Eli’s daughter. How different she would be if she had.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

He thought about it for a long moment, his heart trying to find a way.

“maybe, we’ll find a way to free you” he noted. “Until then you can still be a woman instead of a girl, go try the dress on”.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash smiled. “It is just a matter of persuading him the right way. And a high enough price.”

She bit her lower lip and looked at the dress and back. She grinned suddenly and jumped up, grabbing the box and running into the bathroom.

The dress was exquisite. The fabric soft and divine. The pale color did amazing things with her skin color. The chains that passed for sleeves were delicate and light. The fabric.moved like it was made for her. The necklace, well she was a bit afraid to touch it. It was priceless.

She pressed the control for the door and stepped out into the main room. “Eli, it’s divine,” she whispered.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli whistled through his teeth as she stepped out. “Stunning,” was all he managed. He stood up reach in the box and took off the matriarch pennant and his family linage chains off the back, leaving only a few framework chains that would cross her back. Started with the choker wrapping the jewel encrusted silver chain around her neck gently. “I assumed the fabric would be wonderful for your Deltan side.” he noted as he pulled out the earring. “Though I’m afraid I may have ruined you, every fabric you put on after will feel like burlap in comparison.” he chuckled.

Vash laughed. “Everything feels like burlap. This is… I may never take it off.” She teased, she wouldn’t ruin the dress that way, but it was tempting.

Fastening the earring to the chocker, he asked her to run her head all the way to the right. She would feel the earring just start to pull once the neck could turn no more.

The tug was gentle, but Vash would have to remember to not move too fast. She might break the delicate work if she did.

“The tug at your throat, is to remind you that as a woman, listening is just as important as speaking, one without the other is pride, but together they will bring you wisdom.” he said to her more serious now.

A sassy quip was on her tongue, but the seriousness in his voice made her pause. The solemness radiating off of him, erased it from her thoughts. This was serious. The only time Eli was ever close to this serious was when he was gun-slinging. Even then it was never like this. Vashkilu stood absolutely still, watching him as he added the various pieces of jewelry and connected them.

He set the family piece aside in his drawer, inside was the other chain he had made for her all the family linage chains on the back were handmade 15 generations worth, adding her to the family lineage on her back, it would have to wait for now. As much as he loved her, his people had to be protected.

He then linked the arm sleeves. “These link to your voice and your hearing, because without wisdom there is no action that is good, may your actions always serve you, your family and your clan” he said linking each to the lower bracelet. “These bracelets remind you that your family is bound to you as you are too them” he said.

“The chain in the back would contain the unique chains of your family line, I will add those once we free you ” he added not mentioning her father, Eli no longer saw him as such. “I have made a chain that represents you to add as well.”

It was heavy. Not physically, but the weight of each statement, the seriousness of what he was saying to her, felt like a she was carrying a warp core on her back. That was probably the point. To remind the woman of the responsibility she carried.

He pulled out the main necklace, the large stone no longer present. He laide the chain softly above her heart and turned her to look at him.

“Your heart must guide and drive all of these things. Wisdom requires strength,” he said grabbing her arms firmly. “Unity” he said grabbing her wrists. “Family” he said placing his hand on her back. “Ears to hear the needs of them all” he said. “A voice to guide them” he said placing his fingers on her throat.

He placed forehead against hers and took in a deep breath placing his hand on her chest over frame that would hold the jewel on day. His eyes open they were so close he felt like he could see deep into her soul. His hand pressed hard into the frame, and a sharp edge on the underside pierced her skin. “And blood” he said “To save them all” he said.

Vash’s lavender eyes stared up into his. A sense of belonging to something more than herself, of pride in the history the Eli had yet to fully divulge to her. Something strange passed through her as well. The need, the drive, to make Eli proud of her. To do more than simply be a daughter, but someone he was proud of. To earn the honor of being his daughter, of being a part of his family. “Ow,” she breathed out sharply. She hadn’t expected the quick puncture. She wasn’t protesting, but, Eli would know, even small things felt huge for her. Vash also knew Eli wouldn’t have done it if it wasn’t important.

He then kissed her forehead, “Stand firm, daughter of Elias Trenor, Son of Samual and Miriam. Keepers of the Fields and Stone, 9th house of the dawn.”
He stepped back, “You may not have the chains to prove it yet, but you are my daughter, and a noble woman” he finished eyes filled with liquid.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Her eyes fluttered closed at the soft contact of affection. Daughter of Elias Trenor. The words echoed in her mind and seared themselves onto her heart. No longer was she Vashkilu the half breed child of Mezerc. She was Vash the daughter of Elias Trenor. She had grandparents! Samual and Miriam. She had a half sister and an aunt and a step mother. She’d never meet them, but she had them. She had a family… no she had that on board. She had roots now.

Golden tears glistened in Vash’s eyes as she looked up at him. Then, she was quite suddenly in his space. Vash wrapped her arms around his waist (afraid if she reached too high she might damage the chains) and hugged the stuffing out of him. (Which was saying a lot since her half Orion heritage made her significantly stronger than any other woman her size). She pressed her face into his shirt, holding onto him, trying to find words that could express - everything.

There was one, she’d never dared to say it. She’d been afraid it would hurt Eli too much, and she never wanted to do that. Now, now she could even if it came out a bit slowly, testing its use for the first time. “I love you, Papa.”

“Easy” he said “Your gonna break me i’m old” he said jesting she was very strong for her size but Eli could take it. Then she said the the words and his heart melted, he shook at little at the wave of emotion that gripped him. “I love you too, Little bird” he said and scouped her up into a full Eli like bear hug. It was a long time before he set her back down.

Vash eased up, just slightly, but she laughed because he might joke about being old, but he was in better shape than most people younger than her. By this point she was used to Eli picking her up and moving her around. Nothing was like Eli Papa’s bear hugs.

“Ah, the chain is adjutable you should be able to wage war in it if you had too, I don’t recomend it though, even with out the the family pieces is worth a lot of latinum.” he said giving her a softer smile, he did not have much more in him enotionally.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

He was going to make her face splotchy with all the crying. Being Deltan had it’s benefits. Like how she could feel how much this meant to him. So she laughed and raised a wicked brow and turned a circle. “Battle in this? Oh! We have to try that. I’d be dazzling!”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli laughed a booming laugh, “Vash the sparkly warrior, she’ll take out your worst enemys and look good doing it” he “Why can I picture this clearly” he said with a smirk.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

She struck a pose, looking over her shoulder at him and winked. “Because it’s true. I’m deadly gorgeous and deadly lethal.” She turned fully to face him, and then a did little spin again. This time acting very much her age, indulging in the elegant movement of the gown. She paused and looked up at him. “I love it.”

She wanted to go show Sisnil and Noril! Sisnil would make a huge deal of it. He’d tease her. Noril would compliment it, but she knew he wouldn’t notice. He would just be polite. Then her face fell. She couldn’t show Sisnil. He was gone. Her best friend, just disappeared.

She smiled again. “I’ll take very good care of it. I promise.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli reached out and pulled her chin up a little, “You are an amazing woman, ” he said. “And I expect lots of grandkids.” he said with a laugh moving over to sit down on the couch.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash laughed and glided over to sit. The material pooling in soft ripples around her. “Grandkids? Really? I’m not opposed to the idea, but I’m not sure I would make a good mom. Besides, I have no prospects.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli looked at here, a sour smirk on his face. “First of all, you would make an amazing mother, ” he said, she would have to learn to let them feel pain though, sometimes it was the only thing that could heal. “As to the other, there isn’t a man in the universe that would not want to be with you,” he looked at her. “Without your supper powers” he noted. “Weather there is someone good enough for you, is a mystery that still needs solving.” he said looking through his Padd as if looking for something.

Vash snorted skeptically. “They want what they think I am. Whether I never influence them or not. I don’t want something so empty.” It was jaded, but it was reality.

“No prospects at all huh? ” he asked a little skepical.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash sighed. “Well now that you are my father, no one will dare come near me, even if I did find one.” She sat up, eyes dancing. “Hey, do your… our people do arranged marriages? Maybe you can set me up with a couple.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli looked at her and smilled, “Traditional and Nobel parents yes, though the men and woman can make strong recomendations if they think they are already a good match. It’s then up to the parents to determin if it’s a good match. More often than not though the parents have picked a good match when the kinds are still young.” he said. “I’m afraid I don’t know anyone good enough for you, but i’ll keep my ear to the ground” he said with a laugh..

Vash laughed, “Well I can’t argue with you there, but if you want grandkids you better find someone.”

Eli finally found what he was looking for the one picture he had of his parents. “Here is a picture of your grandmother when she was just a little older than you.” he said.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash moved over right next to him and looked down at the picture. “She’s beautiful.” Her voice kind of cracked a little. Something very overwhelming and unfamiliar washed over Vash, seeing the woman in the same gown and jewelry she was wearing. That it tied them together through family. It brought tears to her eyes and a knot to her throat. “Is… Is that your dad next to her?”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli was tearing up a little, but trying desperatly to choke it back. “That is your grandfather, he confirmed,” he said remembering him . “He is, to this day the smartest, kindest, most humble man I have ever known” he said with a hit of pride in his voice. “A fearless man who sacrificed everything for his people.” he noted. He did not have the heart ot tell here that most of his people had been wiped out by the cardasians and the dominion. They were now technically the second house, not the nineth.

He had told her a little about his family. Snippets here and there over the last few years. Never a lot at once. She squeezed his arm, but didn’t try to help in that way she had. Somethings couldn’t be magically taken away.

“Your grandmother was a great leader, wise beyond her years. Like you in that regaurd. Strong and diplimatic she commanded the attention of every room she walked into” he said.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

“She looks strong, elegant. Very proud,” she said as she stared at the picture. “Will you tell me more about them? About your… our people? I know it’s hard, so it’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli looked at her, “I can talk about them, what would you like to know?” it was a broad subject, his people originated from earths celts, and had been some of the first to agree to leave earth and help conlonize unfortunatly most of the historys were lost in the war, entire libraries and data stores wiped out. “I will tell you what I remember” he said

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash took a deep breath. “I want to know all of it.” If she was going to be his family, lead them in some way, she was sure there were years of lessons and traditions she had to know. “Tell me about the people the back chains represent.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli took it back out of the drawer and laid out her chain first at the bottom it would have draped low on her back, it was a silver chain with a slight greenish tint that looked like a reflection. It tricked the eye so that sometimes you could see it and other times it was silver. “This one is the one I made for you” he said looking at her. “See the way the silver is weaves in and out of the stones?” he asked. “It is a bar of latinum suspended in silver, allong with crushed Gra-Tak Crystal a fairly rare jem.” he said as he ran his fingers accross it.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic