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 Elias “Eli” Trenor (Medic) in Eli’s Quarters: The Gift that Gives
Posted by… suppressed (86) 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, along with crushed Gra-Tak Crystal a fairly rare jem.” he said as he ran his fingers across it.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

The chain was… well there wasn’t a word. It was like she was being seen, really seen, for the first time ever. No that wasn’t it. She was seeing herself for the first time as something other than what she was raised to believe. Papa had always seen her that way, she just hadn’t seen herself. She blew out a breath. “Do they mean anything, or are they just pretty?” Her voice was so incredibly soft, filled with awe.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli pulled her in close, “Everything our people do, has meaning, even when it seems not to. ” he said tugging on her a little.

She grinned a little and let her head rest against the top of his shoulder as he held her.

“The silver suspenion is the same for all the chains, ” he paused. ” It the element that represents our house, it not silver, it’s láidir ore, it means strong, power, strength” he said.

“The green gem dust, I chose to represent your Orion side, it’s dusted in a way that makes you have to search for it to see it. It’s aluring, and mystreious” he said shifting the chain into the lowest spot on the desk.

“Then I chose the white gem for your deltan side, its pure and full of light and it represents peace of the soul” he then looked at her more serious.

Vash watched as he pointed out each thing and listening to why he choose each thing. She was hesitant to touch the chain, like she knew she hadn’t earned it yet.

“I chose latnium for the core metal, not because of it’s value, but because of it’s hold on you. ” he said, “It’s the thing that you must overcome to truely live and lead others to freedom” he paused. “Once you are free of it, it will remind you of your bondage, so that you never subject anyone too it” he finished

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash blew out a heavy breath. “A good reminder for a leader.” She knew though, that there was a good chance she would never be free. Sisnil and the Syndicate weren’t the problem. It was her… it was Mezerc. He was stubborn and found her to precious. He would be hard to convince to let her go. She had to try and find a way though. “If your mother was,” what was the word he used, “matriarch. Who runs the family now?”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli placed his hand on hers and lifted it up. He placed her chain in her hands. It was very heavy for it’s size, the metal it self was smooth and cool to the touch, it seemed to draw the heat out of her hand.

It was heavy despite how delicate it looked. If each chain was as heavy, it would be a constant reminder of the weight that was carried. Vash felt vastly uneducated at the moment. Even the base metal had meaning. She had a lot to learn.

“Well technically I am since my sister is no longer with us” he said sadness washing over him. “I have placed a regent in charge of the house until, I get a wife or a daughter that can manage the family” he said looking at her, “You showed great wisdom in not accepting for now” he said. “Your grandmother would be very proud, and i know they would have loved you” he said tears welling up in his eyes.

Vash laid her head against his chest and hugged him tightly. “I want to know all about them.” So his family was matriarchal. Not just a matriarch, but ruled by the women. Not a matriarch and a patriarch. That was good to know.

The Regents name is “Kira Ahern, she’s a wise and dedicated servent to our house” he said. “She is working very hard to track down and reunite our people.”

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

“Do you speak with her often?” She sat up and looked hard at him. “Are they going to accept an outsider as your daughter? Much less to lead your family.” Then she threw out what was really the problem, “I’m Orion and Deltan. They won’t trust me because of that, will they?”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli looked at her his face a little sad, “Well, they don’t really have a choice in the matter,” he said plainly, “But a family in the clan could challenge it, If they thought I was being forced too.” he said watching her reaction. “It’s not so much you being an outsider, it’s uncommon but not forbidden” he paused and took a sip of water. “It’ more your abilities as you point out, there will be an inquiry but the Twins can serve as witness, if we bring in a telepath they can find the truth of it.”

“Would they trust the super twins? They could easily claim I’m manipulating them as well.” She stared at the chain in her hand. “I want to be your daughter.” Being on the Albatross had taught her a lot about what loyalty and family really was. “I don’t know anything about leading people, or much about your culture. Maybe you should appoint someone else. Someone who knows and understands.”

“Never” he interrupted and then continued.

He looked at her for a very long time, “Your heritage once confirmed as genuine will bring great honor and power to the family” he said, “Imagine a diplomat that can calm a room?” he said. “I love who you are, every bit of you, and they will too” he said, “Well maybe work on the sass a bit” he laughed

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

She laughed, “There is that. I’m not really known for my peaceful tactics though.” She glared at him. “Hey, I thought you loved my sass.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli raised his hand and tilted it side to side to indicated so so. “I mean it’s fun, I guess” he said sarcastically then his demeanor changed.

She pointed at him and then in general. Crossing her arms and glaring at the floor like she was hurt. Which she wasn’t. The shake of her shoulders was all laughter.

“Daughter, ” He said very seriously. “Leadership isn’t something you are born with, it is something that is forged under fire and steel” he noted. “There is no doubt in my mind that once you have cleared your debts., that you will make a fine leader” he said “I can teach you our history” he said.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Her gaze turned up to him at that single word - daughter. It filled her with a quiet but burning kind of pride. She nodded once. There was no obstacle she couldn’t overcome. Vash knew that, but she wanted this to be the right thing for his family. People she didn’t know, but would have to care for one day. “Then teach me.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

“In due time” he said taking out his mothers chain it was made from the same silver material, there was a crimson shine to the top of it pearlescent and transparent it’s easily missed at first glance. The sones were the same as hers but cut differently. He laid the chain exactly 4 inches above vashes, it was was longer by about an inch on ether side and looked like it was two chains connected so they draped from the center.

“This was your grandmothers, ” he said she knew there were 4 more on top of this one.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

“What does it mean?” The main metal was for the family. She remembered that from what Papa said about her chain.

“Who made it for? Why did they choose those meanings?”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli smiled, “Her father did, the fathers always make the chains, because there is no one that knows their daughters heart better than their fathers.” he paused a moment. “It’s why we get a little testy when we know they are in love” he said.

“That’s sweet,” Vash couldn’t imagine Mezerc ever knowing her well enough to even pick a necklace she would like, and not to just show off his wealth. She grinned though at Eli, “All the more reason for you to set up some meetings to find me a husband.”

As he answered the second question. “That’s something that is kept between a father and his daughter.” he said smiling at her. “Its tradition” he noted , “It is something that only you and I know the truth of and will share again in the afterlife”

Fingers trailed over the chains, “That’s a little sad. The story is lost then. But it’s also nice.”

“There are two chains joined because my mother had her first born daughter so the second chain is added.” he said, then pulling another smaller chain out he connected it between her and her grandmothers chain in the center. The chain was a blend of the two, the mystery green collided and merged through out the piece, the weight was different as well because it was only half latinum. “This shows your connection to your grandmother as first born” he said

“But what about…” she started to protest. His sister, his daughter.

‘Holding up his hand “It does not insult her memory in anyway, This is how it is done ” he said.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash nodded, trailing her fingers over the connecting piece. “What was she like?”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli swallowed slowly his face growing sad, “She was a lot like you” he said, “When we first met, you reminded me so much of her,” he said placing a hand on hers, “It actually brought me a lot of pain in the begging. “She was smart, spunky and brave, I had not really met anyone like her until you came along” he said,” If I had another sister or a daughter that was born before you, they would have taken her place.”

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Her hand turned up to hold his. “I always knew I made you sad. I never knew why. I’m sorry.” She ran her fingers gently over his mother’s chain. “What about … grandma?” She said the word slowly, testing out how it felt on her tongue.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator
Eli was a little dismissive. “It’s ok, sometime sadness i caused by good memories, sadness is not always a bad thing. ” he noted.

“Your grandmother, ” he said “Was fierce, determined, wise, and unbelievably kind” he said looking at her picture. “She was the very definition of meek, holding extreme power, and the restraint not to flaunt or use it” he looked her in the eyes again. “A very rare trait” he said

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Her eyes flashed with mischief. “Yes, and one I can not claim to have. I can be sneaky, but… meek?” She flaunted everything she had, and hid it too. It just depended on what she needed to do at any given moment. But she was never meek and never humble. “I guess I’ll have to work on that.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

He smiled a smirk formed in the middle of it. “It’s not a requirement, ” he noted. “She would find time for me and my sister no mater what was going on in her life, and on the rare occasion should could not she would send father.” he noted. “My childhood was a fairytale, and till they came” he spat on the floor. “Cardassians, took everything” the rage surfaced quickly as he thought about it, it was not knew to vash but it always came without warning. He looked at her it leaving as quick as it came. “Sorry”

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

“It’s okay.” Vash set a hand against his cheek. “You have a right to feel angry. It helps me understand.” She glanced back at the chains. “So the fathers always make these? What about their sons?”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli smiled, “Ours are a little more permanent, and a lot more painful” he said as he pointed to the sleeve tattoo on his arm, that encompased his wrist to his temple. This is done upon reaching manhood, it’s very cerimonial, Dad mixed the ink, and it was tattooed all in one sitting. about 10 hours give or take.

“It has to be patched ever few years as it stretches and the color fades.”

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash looked it over. She had seen it many times, but had never asked. “Can you tell me what it means?”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

He smiled and took her and pointing her finger so it was under his as he explained. Should could feel the difference in the inked skin. He started at the wrist, everything seemed to work from the bottom up in their culture. “This is me” he said point to the band.

“My dad, My grandpa, my great grandfather, and his father, and his father” he said reaching the elbow,

“Six generations of my family, just like yours.” he noted.

He moved to the patch on the elbow, “Unity,” and continued up the arm, clan, family, responsibility,” he stopped as he got to his shoulder the shield like covering of his deltoid.

“Protection, from her up I chose to get, they get more painful as you go up the shoulder to the neck and face. ” he said as he worked his way up. “Warrior, Strength, Honor, Heart, and Brave” he said as he reached his temple.

“They fit you. Who decides the design? Your dad?” Her finger trailed up his arm, starting at his dad. “These are all the same? Yours being unique to you?”

“My father designed them, they are unique though he took elements from his own, which took elements from his father and so on.” he said

He looked at her smiled and turned his lower lip inside out, near the gumline a small symbol was tattooed there. “Royalty” he said “we hide it so that our enemy’s can’t exploit it.”

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

“How do the women hide they are royalty then? Or ate they incapable of being exploited?” Vash teased.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

“They also receive the family tattoo in the same way,” he said looking at her, “The chains are only worn for formal engagements”

“Some of the woman will take their husbands tattoo design on their back, from their tale to their neck in an expression of Loyalty, everyone will know who she is joined with” he said.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash liked that. “Do the women get any other tattoos? I always wanted one.” She’d held off because Mezerc forbade it and marring her flawless skin. But also Vash was sure the pain would be intense and she had to trust the person doing it to not harm her.

“Do your mothers do anything like this for their children? Or is it always the fathers?”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

“Hmm some get lots of tattoos, depends on the clan, ours not as much.” he said “I don’t know you can ask the regent when you” there was a pause, she could tell he was holding something back. “Meet her” he said finally.

“I don’t know what the special bonds are between a mother and a daughter, im not one and such traditions are passed down.”

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Maybe there was a journal. It would be awful if those traditions were lost. That was for later, she pierced him with a sharp gaze. “What is it Papa? You’re hiding something.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

“Oh its noting, I’ll have the regent send some of the traditions over, but it may be awhile cause I don’t want people to know where I am, or you for that mater.” and he paused

Their life was risky, but this felt like more than that. “Why?”

“When you do assume your role in the family she will likely test you and force you to go through the trials of leadership” he said “Its dangerous” he noted

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash laughed, a purely musical sound. “Oh no. I live such a safe and sheltered life now. Whatever shall I do?”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

His voice was low and full of, was that fear? “This is different” was all he said, he was having a hard time with the position he had put her in, being his daughter would put her in harms way.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

“Uh uh.” Vash stood up, the chains and dress swirling around her. She crossed her arms and glared at him. “How? You’re afraid. If you are afraid, I have a right to know. Especially if it concerns me. Tell me. Please.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

He stood up and pulled her in close and hugged her, “Leadership is about sacrifice, it’s about your birthright, we will prepare you for the trial if you chose to take it , but failure means death.” he said his grip on her tightened as if somehow she was going to leave and not come back.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash took a breath and hugged him back. “So just like any day of the week. Except it means something other than filling the Syndicate’s coffers.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

He squeezed tighter. “It’s different, it’s tests your very soul” he said “It if your not fit to lead you die, there is no escape” he said.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

That sounded mystical and like magic. Things Vash wasn’t sure she believed in. She would have to start she supposed. “If you are that worried about it, don’t give me the chains. Don’t Papa. If that means I can’t be your daughter legally, that’s okay. I still know you love me. I will never let you lose me.” That’s what it was. He couldn’t lose her too. She knew it wasn’t a matter of him believing in her. He was scared of losing her too.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli moved her away so he could look at her, “I have offered what I have offered, i wont withdraw it.” he said. “You are what’s good for me, and my people, You can regect it when the time comes, and still be my daughter if that’s what you think is right” he said moving back to look at her. “For the record I think you will pass”

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

“Then don’t be afraid to tell me. My body can be weak and fragile at times, but my spirit isn’t.” Would she accept when the time came? Vash didn’t know. Family was everything to Papa. It had to be the same for her. It would be. If she thought she wasn’t right to lead, she wouldn’t.

She looked back at the chains. “Your grandmother?”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

“Yes, a very powerful woman, demanded respect the moment she entered a room, she was cruel and was murdered before my time, I never met her.” he said. “Here mother, brought our house back into the noble ranks, she had linage that was taken out of the records by a rival clan.” he noted

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

“Your mother removed your grandmother?” It was a common occurrence on Orion. Usually for money and power. Not to ensure a cruel person was stopped.

“No, well know one knows for sure, she was assassinated.” he said.

“How did your great grandmother’s lineage get erased?”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

He looked down for a moment, “Someone control of the house records removed them, from what I understand, but our ancestors had kepts records that know one knew about and it had the royal seal on them, so back we came”

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

“So keep hidden copies of everything.” She thought about it. “How did she find the records?” Vash was curious and genuinely wanted to know.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli scratched his head, “I’m not really sure, ” he said, looking at her, she was so curious he thought. “I think the location was hidden in a locket that her great grandmother left her. But know one really knows.”

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

“No one wrote it down?” That was disappointing. “Where are the records that she found now? Do we still have them?”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli looked at her and smiled, he pulled out the Matriarch pennant .”Your ancestors will always lead you to what you need to know” he said pointing to it.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash grabbed it arefully; it was delicate after all. The mive wasn’t greedy, he could see the raot curiosity on her face. Vash turned it over, turni f it this way and that. Tilting it side to side, looking for latches or etching. If it held secrets she wanted to find it.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli smiled as he watched her try and figure it out. “Head hurt yet?” he chuckled as she tried to figure it out. After a long while he spoke up.

“No,” she sassed at him. It was fun trying to figure things out. She would… eventually… maybe…

“You need the key” he said, “And only the matriarch gets that, not even the regent has it.” he said plainly. “If you look really really close, those are not just color reflections in the stone, they neurocircuitry.”

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash looked down at the stone, holding it up to the light to c match the reflections. “Really?” Well that was cool! “But who has the key now? You?” There was no Matriarch.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli looked at her apologetically, “They are never in the same place when there is no matriarch” he said, “It’s safe is all I can tell you” he said

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash nodded, that made sense. “Okay, Papa, how… much trouble are we in? I mean are there like rival fueds and what not. Because that kind of safety measures is usually for a reason.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

“It’s normally just status battles trying to gain more power. It’s rarely violent, you avoid marrying out side the clan and if you do you marry up and not down if your a woman and generally not down if you can avoid it as a man.” but it’s normally just politics.

She could feel Eli become sad, and then turn into loneliness.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Her hand found his and a tiny thread of comfort slipped over to him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring them up.” She was so curious about it all, and wanted to know everything right now. “Maybe you can tell me more later? There were 8 strands, right?” She’d like to hear all about them. When he was ready.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

He looked at her, it was pointless to hide from her or Noril, she could feel what he was feeling. “I was thinking about Marra” he said to here. she would know that as one of the wives he lost and the one that took a daughter with her. “I just get lonely sometimes” he noted I’ll be ok. She new this about him too, when things were quiet loneliness often gripped him.

“You know, you can tell me about her if you ever want. You don’t have to keep quiet.” He could if he wanted or not.

“There are 8 chains, the one just above yours should be your mother’s, it’s why my thoughts drifted to Marra, I just put an empty chain for it cause i didn’t know what to put there, then your grandmother, great grandmother.” he said

“Once they have moved on to the next life, they are linked to the middle.”

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

“Is that why they look like a web?” She blew out a breath. “If you want to out a chain for Marra that would be okay with me. I don’t,” she blew out a breath her expression turning sad for a moment, “have a mother. I never have. She didn’t want me.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

“Well see” he said not wanting to drudge up memories, “For now lets leave it a blank slate,” he noted and pulled her back in to his arms giving he a kiss on the head.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash settled in his arms, listening to the strong thumping rythm of his heart. “Whatever you want to do, Papa. I just want to make sure it honors the family.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator