Valthiris [Edited]
—————————
3703 ATC (50 BBY)
Tund - Czerka Corporation Titanium Mining Facility - Slave Quarters
—————————
(Omniscient POV)
"Aghhh!"
A loud groan of pain echoed off the cold, metal walls of the slave quarters as a red-skinned woman lay on a cot, her body drenched in sweat, limbs trembling as she gripped the blood-stained fabric beneath her. The woman's facial tendrils quaked in agony, as the dim light illuminated her crimson visage, which grew more pale by the second. She struggled with every breath, as the shock collar around her neck constricted her throat making it hard to breathe.
The woman, a Sith Pureblood, was surrounded by three slave midwives, all of whom were Sith hybrids. Two of them were on either side of her, holding her down, and the third was between her legs, assisting with the birth. Around the room, many other slave women, most of whom were also Sith hybrids, watched with trepidation.
"One more push, La'ara, you're almost there..." the third slave said, her voice trembling with anxiety.
Another guttural scream tore through the room as the Pureblood arched her back and gave one final push, her body convulsing with the effort. The woman between her legs worked frantically to guide the child free, the blood and fluid covering her hands making the process somewhat easier.
Finally, after hours of labor, the birth was complete, and a loud cry rang throughout the room as the baby took its first breaths.
Several sighs of relief could be heard from the many onlookers who spent the last few hours on the edges of their seats. La'ara, completely exhausted from the ordeal, fell back on her cot, her breath trembling as she struggled to stay conscious long enough to see her baby.
Despite the successful birthing and the general feeling of relief around the room, the three slave midwives looked at the crying infant, who had since been cut free from his umbilical cord, wiped down, and wrapped in a blanket, with looks of complete shock.
"W-what's wrong? I-is my baby okay?" La'ara whispered, her voice hoarse from the constant screaming.
The third midwife gulped as she held the child in her arms, unsure of what to say.
"My lady...it's a boy but..." One of the other midwives added before trailing off, her voice barely above a whisper.
"What's wrong?" La'ara asked once more, her worry giving her enough strength to speak up.
"What's wrong with my baby?"
Silence befell the room as the three women exchanged glances with each other before the woman holding the child slowly approached La'ara and handed him to her.
La'ara weakly reached towards her infant son and took him into her arms.
As her eyes fell upon him, the worry etched on her face shifted to confusion. She struggled to comprehend what she was seeing. The child, who by all accounts should have pinkish-red skin in line with his lineage as a Sith Pureblood, instead bore skin that was dark grey, like charcoal. A look of disbelief clouded her expression.
For a moment, La'ara thought her thirst for vengeance was destined to go unquenched.
'Why?' She thought to herself, on the brink of despair. 'What was the point of all my suffering if all I have to show for it is this...this...'
"…Valthiris." She had unconsciously muttered that last part aloud.
The three midwives, who had served her loyally for years and understood her pain better than anyone, exchanged stunned glances at her uttering of that word.
They all shared the same thought...
'Had she really called the child that was supposed to be her final chance for retribution, an abomination?'
If that was truly the case, then all hope was lost.
Undestanding that she had lost too much blood during the birth and that death was near, La'ara laid back, her arms still cluthing her crying infant. She began to think back on her life, particulary the early years, where most of her happy memories had originated.
She rememebered the countless lectures from her mother that she had endured.
She remembered all the Unity training she underwent from the Kissai instructors her father had picked out for her.
She remebered the sparring sessions she had with her brother, and the laughter and feasting that often came after.
She remebered the Sith legends that her father would—
Realization struck her like a lightning bolt.
Everything had suddenly clicked together in her mind and she finally understood the true meaning behind her son's unusual appearance.
As death reached out its cold hand, a sound began to bubble up from deep within her—a small, broken chuckle. A look of delerium appeared on her face as La'ara began to laugh.
The three midwives looked at her with sad expressions, believing that she was succumbing to madness shortly before the end.
La'ara's laughter slowly faded out into pained exhales, until finally only a small smile was left on her face.
As she began to feel death's cold embrace, a final thought settled on her mind.
'Sith'ari.'
Silence befell the room as the Pureblood drew her final breath; soon after, the other slaves began to mourn.
La'ara lay dead, and for a while, the wails of her infant son and the weeping of her fellow slaves were the only sounds that could be heard in the cold, dimly lit quarter.
After several minutes passed, and the tears of slaves and orphans alike had subsided, one of the maidens gently removed the now silent child from its dead mother's embrace.
Startled slightly by the sudden movement, the child opened its eyes for the first time to take in its surroundings and look at the red-skinned woman who was holding him in her embrace.
As the midwife's piercing yellow gaze met his own, a feeling of disgust arose from deep within her towards the charcoal-skinned monstrosity that had claimed the life and sanity of her beloved mistress.
In her eyes, he truly was an abomination.
"Valthiris..." She sneered, repeating La'ara's final word, and hardening her heart towards the innocent boy.
"Valthiris!" Another slave replied.
Soon, all of the Sith hybrids amongst the slaves began to cry out...
"Valthiris!"
"Valthiris!"
"Valthiris!"
—————————
Note: Pictures of important characters will be added to the auxiliary chapter as the story progresses (not including characters everyone knows like Obi-Wan or Yoda).
—————————