[Story] A Widow Born in Flames

[Lord Iezkon]

It all started with a call. Jonas Talim had summoned all available Horuset members to board the Nemesis for an urgent mission. Hearing the name Nemesis brought pride to the heart of Lord Iezkon, knowing full well that it was her husband's ship. The briefing had begun, and Lord Iezkon listened intently to the objectives but drifted off when the questions from the curious Horuset members started, as she had a telepathic conversation with Sith A'tul Kelsa, her husband, her world.

Soon Lord Iezkon and the others boarded a shuttle and was sent down to a world known as Artorias. The team was expecting heavy fire from a Republic base of operations, so much so that the large team had to be split into two. But something was wrong...it was quiet...too quiet, and the base was empty. That is when she felt it...she sensed the presence of her first Master who was close. Lord Iezkon and her team waited behind the first group that was led by Lord Saltaeon. The Sith-blooded Human and her chosen were readying in place to spring a trap while the Pureblooded Lord of the Sith and her people would enter the base with brute force.

But something was wrong...it was quiet...too quiet, and the base was empty. The realisation started to grow in everyone' minds that they all just entered a trap, and a call from Sith Kelsa confirmed it.

"One moment Lord Saltaeon, I have something on my scopes..."

That is when the lone BSX-5 Dreadnaught, was surrounded by Republic ships, making their grand entrance one by one as they soon laid all attack on the Nemesis. It was in that moment that Lord Iezkon felt true panic as she heard the commotion as well as a disturbance in the Force when she started to sense the presence of her first Master...Jadie Priaa. Her eyes darted up to the sky, letting her masked gaze be fixed on the Nemesis, realising that her love was on that ship...and she was on the ground, both separated from each other and unable to help against this foe who became their greatest enemy.

"A'tul..."

In that moment, Kaer started to grow lost and worried but still had that fighting passion within her; all the while Lord Saltaeon spoke with a Republic Admiral, speaking something of surrender. A member of Lord Saltaeon's group came to recall Kaer and her group and to join the others inside the abandoned base.

Soon the two groups became one once again. Kaer remained conflicted, wondering how this trap was so easy to be laid out and how they missed it; worried for her husband and curious of where Jadie was and what her plan was. Kaer believed that this would be the day where Master and Apprentice would meet on the battle field and fight until only one survived. At least, that is what Kaer hoped for...

Everything grew confusing around Kaer, a battle in space, Lord Saltaeon stated something of surrender, Kaer getting telepathic messages to reach out to Jadie and so on. In that desparate moment, Kaer tried to speak to Joslae, stating that she had a way to solve this matter with less bloodshed, but Joslae ignored her. Kaer's plan was to call Jadie out, to offer herself up as bait, knowing full well that Jadie could not resist such a reunion. Kaer was so devoted in trying to find an urgent plan to end all this that she missed something entirely...to check in with her love, and before she could, that is when she heard his voice through the comms.

"Lord Iezkon. Kaer... My love. I promised I would... Do anything to protect our family."

"Take this window... Get out of here. Run..."

"For House Kelsa..."

Kaer stood frozen in that moment when she heard A'tul's last words that she could not even speak, for she realised that it was too late. There was a grand explosion as the Nemesis collided with the Valor Class Cruiser, and then followed by a beautiful rain of death and destruction as the debris from both ships hit a mountain range that was close to the base that protected the Horuset members.

Kaer could do nothing but witness this sacrifice and destruction, seeing her true love and her dream crash into a snowy mountain now engulfed in flames. She took her helmet and pushed through the crowd, not caring who was there or what they thought or said. She moved to the entrance of the base, her orange gaze fixed on the inferno on the mountain before her and she froze. Seconds that felt like nothing to Kaer had passed, and soon she dropped to her knees, tears flowing freely from her eyes as she let out a powerful and heart-breaking scream...one that could be heard from the mountain and as loud as the debris rain. Here was a woman who started her day as a wife but now turned widow. She felt his pain through their Bond, the pain so great that she thought she was experiencing it herself. A few moments passed, and her scream ended by a sentence she muttered through the tears and pure rage...

"I will be the one...who will kill that woman..."

Sadly, due to the impending danger, there was no time to grieve, no time to plot a rescue mission, no time to find his body, as the Republic Fleet grew in power from the victory of the destruction of the Nemesis. The Horuset members had minutes to escape or they would face death. Kaer wanted to stay, she refused to leave but she was reminded of something...a promise that was made and she replayed that memory in her mind, a memory of where she and her husband stood on the balcony outside their bedroom, while in a warm embrace, a promise was made that they would do anything to protect their family, that they would do anything to see the return of their daughter. With a reluctant and guilty deep breath, Kaer ran towards the shuttle that was about to take off, and managed to board it. Safe on the shuttle, she turned around and gazed on that mountain that gave her a new title.

Time had passed as the shuttle returned to the Horuset Estate. A debriefing was to take place and as Kaer walked towards the Estate, Nivalis stated that he had a gift for her, a cape that once belonged to her late husband. She took the cape and cradled it close to her chest, like a mother does to her new-born baby as she continued towards the Throne Room.

In the Throne room, standing before Darth Horuset and Lord Kalkoran, Lord Iezkon cared very little for decorum and responsibilities as she kept looking down at the cape. What snapped her back to reality was when the Dark Lord called her name, telling Kaer of her new mission to hunt down Jadie Priaa, a task that was given to A'tul, has become hers. The Dark Lord continued stating that her Sith-Blooded Lord of the Sith should take her new found rage and accomplish the impossible as well as teach future generations of what occurred this day and how to execute such rage. Then the Dark Lord went to her throne and pressed a few buttons which led to a beep on Kaer's holocommunicator. It was a message indicating that she has the authority to send someone to the Spire to retrieve her daughter. In such shock, Kaer looked in disbelief towards the Dark Lord, who confirmed that this dream was real by a simple nod, and led Kaer to drop her device to the ground.

Some time had passed as the debriefing continued; Kaer getting a necklace from Sith Vipion that held A'tul's crystal; and sending new orders out. Once dismissed, Kaer left in a great hurry as she contacted her assistant, Miss Brett, to head over at once to the Spire and that once the 'package' was obtained, she was ordered to bring it home.

A day later...

The new widow could not sleep that night, knowing that her husband would never return and share the bed with her. She was in the middle of her gardens, though now destroyed as she let out her pure anger, rage and heartbreak on the area around her. A beautiful, flourished and colourful garden had become a graveyard of broken trees, rooted out plants, boulders split into many pieces and burnt blackened ground that still held a few small embers of fire.

The sun started to rise and yet Kaer sit sat on the blackened ground, unmoving since her destruction, until she heard a voice coming from behind her. It was one of her Imperial guards.

"My Lord...the shuttle you are expecting. It has entered the surface."

Kaer looked at this loyal Imperial with red and swollen eyes, her face covered in smudged makeup, dirt and soot, and her hair in a complete mess. In this one sentence, Kaer found enough strength to stand up and follow this Imperial to the shuttle bay area.

A few minutes later, and a quick clean up on the way, Kaer was at the shuttle bay area, watching the shuttle lowering down to land. Her heart raced frantically, as she felt herself slowly starting to hyperventilate. And soon a few thoughts occurred to her.

It has been nearly fourteen months since I last saw my new born...

He is not here to experience this moment where our dream is coming true...

The shuttle doors opened and at the entrance stood a human woman in the middle of her thirties and brown hair, and in her arms was a small toddler, a girl with white hair and beautiful blue eyes. These blue eyes looked around with such a curious nature and soon landed on a woman, who was also in the middle of her thirties, with black hair and orange eyes. The toddler girl was scared at first at the sight of this woman but then the woman spoke in a gentle and warm tone.

"Haiyca...it's Mommy..."

From hearing that familiar tone of voice, the toddler's fear melted away and a beautiful pure smile took its place on her petite fair skinned face. The browned hair woman walked down the ramp towards Kaer and offered her the toddler. Once the toddler was taken, the woman moved away and ordered everyone to leave their leader in peace with her daughter.

Kaer carefully embraced the toddler into her arms, letting her eyes meet her daughter's eyes, and soon the proud yet broken Lord of the Sith broke down in tears as she said:

"Welcome home, my little moonshine..."

The toddler smiled once more and rested her head on her mother's chest. Kaer hugged her baby girl and lifted her eyes to the sky as more tears filled her eyes.

"You did it, my love...she is home..."