Return

Malekith stared at the tapestry in front of him. The piece was gorgeous, a man stood, two vaguely female forms behind him at his left and right, each resting a hand on one of the man's shoulders. The trio stood on a Dias, the glittering background of a night's sky behind them, 14 shallow moons the only light upon them. The man was smiling, but not truly, because the entire background was irrelevant when you looked into his eyes. Boundless sorrow lay within them. Malekith could see his reflection, every fear, every sadness, staring back at him from the eyes in the man from the tapestry. Art, true art, was a powerful thing. Art alone toppled empires and reformed society's, so much more powerful than a single man, perhaps Malekith should fear it. Instead, he chose to give praise.

"It's very good, Marie, I'm proud of you."

The young woman standing next to him positively beamed. She was in a white suit, Kuati in design, very regal. Her ever so slightly blue skin and golden hair popped against the cream colored fabric.

"I knew you'd like this one. You always complain about faces."

"They aren't often done well."

"At your standards, nothing is ever done well.", Marie snarked.

"I disagree, this seams to do a fine job of meeting my standards, little Marie.", he smiled then, craning his neck down to look at her. She stood a full foot below him, retaining her mothers stature.

"Whatever, I love you too, papa.", she smirked at him, then walked away, ever the picture of her mother.

It had been 18 years, now. 18 years since he had lost everything. Everything other than her, he supposed.

The year he had finally broken down and married Oriana had been perhaps the best in his life. They'd had a child, the Academy had its first graduating class, and Starsearcher Enterprises had been formed from all of his companies in a massive merger. Life was going well, and the galaxy was on perfect course.

Arrogance had consumed him. The Mandalorians had always been a discontent bunch, militaristic and unhappy with republic influence, but they had been so weakened in the timeline Malekith knew that it had never resulted in much. Here? Here they rallied. The remnants of the Brotherhood of Darkness had new leaders, the fight was reinvigorated, and the Jedi, this time, stayed out of the war. At the core of their armies, lay machines of war created by himself.

The first target, had been Dromund Kaas. Malekith had underestimated his own threat, been confident that he was untouchable. He had discovered that he wasn't a mind reader, when the fleet exited hyperspace above his planet. Dromund Kaas didn't have a shield.

1 turbo laser blast took out his home, Oriana and his new child in it, the only thing saving them was his lover over exerting herself in erecting the barrier in defense. Her mangled body had been frozen in carbonate, so close to the edge of death, any other option was inconceivable. Malekith had finally discovered rage.

René, his apprentice he loved, had not been able to save Mandalore the day it died a year later. She'd tried, everything she could, to stop her master, but it had proven impossible, she still didn't forgive him. He had ripped the planet asunder. He had taken joy in watching the crust of the world begin to collapse, had reveled in the pain he brought, and had made the Mandalorians watch. It had been a slow thing, he even let them evacuate, because he wanted them to feel the pain of the desolation of their home.

That strike had ended the war. It had also ended Malekith Starsearcher, in a way.

"You're staring wistfully again, Master."

His apprentice sidled up to him, then. Currently they were in the Kaas Museum of Fine Art, looking at his daughters display in the capital city of the reinvigorated planet. René wore a simple white robe with gold accents, signifying her rank as Grand Master of the Atraxium, the new name for their order.

"Can you see it?", he asked his protege, gesturing towards the tapestry.

"The eyes…only a girl with you for a father could make eyes like that.", her smile she perpetually marred her face with turned Sympathetic.

"I'm choosing to be insulted by that.", that brought silence to both of them for a few minutes.

"God art is boring."

That comment sent Malekith doubling over with laughter.

"Seriously? Not once may we have peace?", he turned to her.

"What? It is! It's boring as all hell!"

"If my daughter hears you, there will be weeks of moping."

A third voice entered the fray.

"Too late. Your done for, Auntie.", Marie spoke as she sidled back up to them.

"Aaand with that, I vacate the premise. Good luck, little-Marie."

"I'm 20."

"That means nothing to me.", René said, before sashaying away.

"Let's go to lunch, papa."

Malekith observed her for a time, then nodded. "Let's go."

——-

Malekith and his daughter walked in warm air of the inner city, the artificial climate creating the perfect environment for a casual stroll.

"Hey dad?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think she would have liked the tapestry?"

Malekith immediately knew the 'she' Marie was speaking of.

"No."

Marie didn't seam angry but definitely was taken aback.

"Wh-what?"

"She would have hated to see pain. She loved you, more than you can comprehend, but dear lord did she abhor the sight of pain."

"She loved you.", there wasn't accusation there, Marie's curiosity went beyond the rules of "being a decent person". She found politeness boring.

"I wasn't always…the way I am."

"A moody motherfu-"

"Maybe not on the street, princess.", he said with another small smile.

"You wish I was a princess."

"You have no idea how untrue that is."

—

So. Yeah. It's been years and I….well here's an update. Radical changes coming since you know, not in middleschool anymore.

Quick update- I've moved twice, since I last posted here. I failed a year of highschool, COVID happened, you know, small stuff. I'm actually a passable writer now, and god damn does it feel good to be back.

I've come back and realized that this…will always be the worst thing I've ever written, because it's full of promises I can't keep, but life isn't fun if you don't try, so enjoy my corner of geekiness in the cosmos. Love you all.