Morrigan found it odd that her arrival was treated so differently than she expected. Instead of it being a massive spectacle that required her to publically showboat the difference in power between her and the Eskarii, or having to fight someone to earn the right to be there, she and her group were treated as if they had always been there as she sat in an elegant chair amongst her clan and friends who idly chatted about the extravagance of the castle or gawked over baby Emery as she slept in Skoll’s curled up tentacle.
Torvil nearly lost his mind when the queen passed the responsibility of watching the baby to the Danth?r and hovering S’randin. However, even Jen was willing to talk him down noticing neither wanted anything more than to protect the small hybrid child.
It wasn’t a bad thing to Morrigan as it kept the two from causing trouble, plus she considered the experience adorable as well.
Except, that left the group waiting around for her mother to arrive which made it quite awkward for Morrigan to see the queen stoically waiting as she conversed with a still hyperactive Mo’Emori, filling her mother in on the details of her search for her as Morrigan sat there with Nora snuggled up against her.
It was more awkward for her since, except for revealing her niece’s name, the queen had yet to say anything else to Morrigan despite occasionally glancing at her with intrigue.
However, Helen arrived nearly 20 minutes later with Mo’Emori’s youngest sisters Tali and Jae’ron, to be greeted by a room full of people she mostly recognized, Xol giving her an honorary bending of the knee while Yekku tried to show her the baby she knew was already there with adorable insistence.
Helen had to pause when it came to the giant alien wolf that cradled the baby within one of its tentacles, baring its fangs at the new people that tried to come close to his new responsibility, but a few select harsh words from Morrigan put a stop to that allowing for a proper introduction of Skoll.
All the while Mo’Emori lost herself in excitement to be reunited with her sisters, squealing with them as they hugged and peppered Mo’Emori with a wide variety of questions and shyly glancing at Morrigan.
Mo’Emori made certain her sisters were introduced first before Morrigan’s entire focus became explaining Helen’s immediate concerns about the changes of her appearance.
The queen knew the importance of family and kindly gave Morrigan and Helen the room as she announced food was served for the friends and family of the royal House Cirgala, ushering everyone into the next room except for Yekku and Skoll, who refused to move as they watched over Emery.
As much as she wished to spare her mother, as well as herself, the details of her life; Morrigan decided that if anyone should know the truth of her life, it was her mom.
With hesitation, Morrigan and Helen stepped into the opposite hall away from the dining room into an extravagant hall of tapestries and ornate sculptures that mesmerized Morrigan for a moment before she explained everything that had happened between being capture until the present day, even explaining the truth about Apollyon, to the deity’s obnoxious delight.
Helen remained in stunned silence as she listened to her daughter painstakingly explain the best she could about the changes in her life as well as with herself, including why she and Taylor were no longer together and how Taylor came to join the Inquisition with his team.
Morrigan hated every moment of it as she saw the pain in her mother’s eyes, knowing all she was doing was breaking her mother’s heart as she told her what had happened in Castile V, the fact that she had lost her mind, was raped and then murdered dozens of people in retaliation before escaping with the Inquisition moving towards Sigurd’s death and how it affected her, omitting her misstep with Taylor out of shame as she explained the turmoil she was forced to meet.
She also forced herself to explain that James Clarke was dead, and how Morrigan, in blind fury, destroyed a super Frigate as well as a large portion of Mars killing countless people. That story led to Helen clinging to Morrigan as tears fell between the both of them, something else that was new she had to explain to her mother.
Though Helen knew deep inside that James was already gone, she cried for her daughter who had to endure several lifetimes of suffering in only a matter of a few years. However, instead of letting her mother stay locked in perpetual upset, Morrigan demanded to know how her own life had transpired, learning that her mother had become an advisor to Queen Myshkali, Torvil and Mo’Emori’s mother, all the while helping Jen and Torvil take care of their new daughter rightfully named after Morrigan.
After spending the time to catch up and settle themselves, Helen and Morrigan joined the rest for dinner to be met with an extravagant meal as everyone in the group shared light hearted and censored stories to Tali and Jae’ron, Nora needing to be told several times to soften up the graphic nature of her stories despite not believing censoring the girls would help them develop.
Morrigan took the opportunity to ask about things she could never study when it came to the Eskarii thanks to the Federation’s control on information, the key topic being the Goddesses she had heard Mo’Emori mention several times.
After receiving an explanation that the twin Goddesses the Eskarii believed in were two elven-esque beings responsible for their entire existence; Naestra was the goddess of life and Arahan being the goddess of soul, giving meaning to life, death and war as well as the Eskarii’s extreme emotional temperament. Though Apollyon was quick to debunk the theory having been listening in and explained to Morrigan that the Eskarii were more likely a joint designed species the deity’s sisters had worked on far past the point of necessity, giving reason that a remote religion could be formed based on the machinations of two primordial beings than Goddesses that never existed. Not that Morrigan intended on announcing that knowledge, knowing full well that it wouldn’t do anyone any good to topple an entire religion based on self focus and community but also, religions had come and gone many times in Earth’s history based solely on fiction, and though impactful, didn’t always mean a self destructive faith amongst an entire populace.
Myshkali took great interest in Morrigan's exploits, how she grew up on Earth though she herself refused to answer some of the questions to a respective stranger; Helen and Jen were more than willing to divulge non-sensitive information that only managed to embarrass Morrigan.
By the time everyone finished eating, Myshkali stood at the head of the table and looked at Morrigan expectantly, “We have been graced with a beautiful reunion of families, one of which I am grateful for. However, I believe it is time for our own conversation.”
Morrigan pursed her lips, looking at everyone across the massive table as she nodded before standing.
Queen Myshkali gestured to the door and guided Morrigan out of the room leaving the party of visitors to their own devices before closing the door behind her. Alone, Morrigan paced the floor expecting to be led elsewhere before she watched the queen take a seat, not on the throne but on the luxurious sofa reserved for Jen and the baby.
Myshkali took up one end before gesturing to the other. “Okay, this is weird…” Morrigan thought as she took her seat across from the queen.
You're telling me, this woman makes no sense to me, Apollyon commented in equal confusion.
“How so?” She inquired as she inspected the regal woman out of the corner of her eye nervously.
She's terrified of you, which makes sense with how she carries herself I mean look at her, you would never guess!
Morrigan scrutinized the matriarch trying to see the fear Apollyon spoke of, able to feel the delightful emotion yet unable to pick up a single notion in her body language as the woman gently removed her crown and set it in her lap.
“Leadership is hard, is it not?” Myshkali asked finally breaking the awkward silence. Yet, it was not a question Morrigan had been expecting as her mind went into double time in an attempt to process it.
“Yes, your majesty… it is…” Morrigan responded nervously only to watch the queen tut at her shaking her head.
“Please, call me Myshkali for now. But yes, it is,” she said as she stared at the crown in her hands, “That is why I take every opportunity to be me, rather than Queen. It’s how I’ve kept myself sane for so long…”
Morrigan sighed in relief realizing that formalities were being dropped as she nodded in agreement, “I can respect that. I barely know what I'm doing, if we're being honest, and I feel like I have lost complete control of my life.”
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Morrigan looked to see Myshkali giving her an impressed look with the hint of a smile across her lips, “I must confess, when I heard you were the Lord Inquisitor, I did not expect one such as yourself, but I think I understand what Solomon was thinking when he passed the mantle to you.”
Morrigan quirked an amused eyebrow to the queen. She considered so much wrong with the idea that Solomon made the right choice that it was nearly laughable. “Oh? And why do you think that?”
“The answer to that is two-fold, the first part is simple; you care,” Myshkali smiled as she pointed out the obvious, “But you care about what really matters. You care about people regardless of their species or origin, as long as you find the potential in their hearts, you care about them.”
“Yeah, except the Federation…” Morrigan commented.
“Do not lie to yourself, Morrigan. You care about even those of the Federation,” Myshkali commented with a level of certainty that told of her insight. Morrigan knew better than to argue with such a controversial statement that rang true. For all the Federation had done, Morrigan always tried to keep the thought in the back of her mind that she too was part of the Federation despite despising it as much as she did, knowing full well she wasn't the only one who felt that way.
Queen Myshkali lifted her crown carefully, closely inspecting each curve of the precious metal it was made out of, every gleaming crystal and gem imbedded in it. “The second, seems simple, but is far more complicated than anyone ever realizes,” she stated before casting a glance at Morrigan.
Morrigan watched her intently as she tried to glean the point Myshkali could make only for her to continue, “You don't want it.”
Morrigan's crimson eyes opened to the simple sentence, her mind processing as many meanings she could come up with as the two women looked at one another before Myshkali sighed.
“The burden of leadership is always a hard one, regardless of the pleasantries one can enjoy. For those who do not desire the power and status of a leader always make for the best to rule, and yet, weighs the heaviest on our shoulders, for we do all that we can to make up for the flaws of our predecessors.”
In a tumultuous set of emotions, Morrigan’s eyes widened in recognition as her brow furrowed, chipping away at the mystery of the queen’s insight into her personality after a mere short amount time spent in her presence. She could consider stories her mother could have shared however, her mother, until recently, knew very little about Morrigan’s struggle with high leadership.
Myshkali nodded understandingly as if reading her mind, “I too did not wish to be a ruler. The day I became queen, I thought my life ended. I thank the Goddesses every day for the children I have birthed and the husband I had to help hold me up despite my desire to have this crown melted into slag…”
A queen, one who Morrigan had always believed to be regal and the pinnacle of what it meant to be a ruler turned out to be just an ordinary woman just like Morrigan, surprising her beyond words.
“I didn’t ask to be queen,” she said, looking at Morrigan’s subtle yet obviously shocked expression, “But the queen has always been a Seer, one such as I.”
“What’s a Seer?” Morrigan asked, finding her voice as she attempted to confirm her suspicions surrounding the title.
Myshkali nodded before letting out a soft breath, “A Seer is an Eskarii with an incredibly rare ability, one of Clairvoyance. One the governing houses amongst the Eskarii hold sacred and any time a new Seer is discovered, they are groomed and prepared to take over crown once the current matriarch departs this life.”
“So, you can see the future?” Morrigan asked before following up with, “And you said matriarch, insinuating that all Seers are women.”
The queen nodded though her expression told her it wasn’t necessarily a good thing, “Yes and no. Yes, all Seers, for some reason we have yet to discover, are female. But no, I can not see the future. Clairvoyance is… finicky, I believe the word is, showing the bearer a potential future. However, the Seer cannot pick and choose what it is they see nor when, and though after many generations, we have yet to discover the key to the ability however, we believe it does have a powerful connection to major events in history, or… what could be defined as history.”
Morrigan drew a blank at trying to process the complicated concept and huffed in disappointment, “That seems really unreliable.”
Myshkali nodded her agreement though her face seem to harden by the topic, “That brings me to my reason for asking my darling daughter to bring you here…” she said before standing as she began to pace away from Morrigan.
Growing nervous by the shifting conversation, Morrigan dug her nails into her pants as she leaned back.
“What is my daughter to you?” Myshkali finally asked.
The question threw Morrigan off guard as she expected some life altering statement that the queen foresaw, only to be left confused by the randomness of the question.
“I don’t think I understand…” Morrigan said cautiously.
Morrigan glanced back at her with piercing golden eyes, “I see the way you look at her, how you react to her and even treat her… what is she to you?”
Morrigan blushed deeply at the implication as her heart clenched at the question. It wasn't pain that seized her heart but something she had left unanswered for what seemed to be a life time to Morrigan.
“I uh… she was… she was the first Eskarii I could call a friend. She was there for me when…” Morrigan paused as she sighed, looking up at the queen who stood with her back to her, processing what she wanted to say, “Mo’Emori is the most joyous and heartfelt woman I have ever met… and she means far more to me than I even know how to admit…”
Myshkali released the breath she had been holding in a sigh of relief, “I am glad to hear you feel for her. The reason I ask is because after I sent her for you, a second vision came to me…one that made me worry for her safety.”
Morrigan's nerves spiked from zero to 60 by the notion that Mo’Emori would be in danger, sitting upright as she forcibly suppressed the violent reaction of her power.
“It was a storm of red, and there was so much pain… I couldn’t see my daughter but, I saw you,” Myshkali explained only for Morrigan to deflate and look away, the reality of the vision being what truly stung Morrigan’s heart as she looked away pursing her lips tightly.
Myshkali scrutinized her reaction only to realize her daughter was not the one that had been in danger, “It already happened, didn’t it?”
Morrigan nodded as she felt tears well up in her eyes before she shook her head, “It wasn’t her… but it was someone very dear to me.”
The queen’s ears fell realizing she stirred painful memories up, more so upset because she knew just how hurt Morrigan had been, “I am truly sorry… though I am grateful my daughter returned home healthy, I saw what you went through… and for that, I truly am sorry,” she repeated before stepping towards the couch and taking her seat once more.
Morrigan closed her eyes and took a deep breath before nodding the feelings away, “Its okay… what’s done is done. You said there were two though…”
She looked over to see the crestfallen expression on Myshkali’s face as she nodded solemnly, “Yes. I saw a world consumed in fire. Y Diwedd, the screams of countless souls... I do not know what world, or where but…”
Morrigan looked at the queen inquisitively, as if insulted yet curious at her point, “I don’t understand…”
Myshkali raised her chin in strength as she stared into Morrigan’s crimson eyes, “You were at the forefront, watching as a world burned to ash, only watching, and… I believe it was you who put the world to the torch.”
Morrigan jumped from the sofa in utter disbelief, insulted by the idea that she could ever commit a planetary genocide like Myshkali described, “Woah, hold the fuck on! I would never… maybe what you saw is what the Federation had done to Gelia?”
Myshkali shook her head knowingly, “Though Gelia burned, but it was never consumed by the fire I saw…”
“Then maybe Mars?” Morrigan asked only to realize that it would make it her fault seeing as she threw a starship into the planet.
Myshkali stood up in gentle defense seeing Morrigan take insult , “I do not know what planet, or where nor even when… it is possible it has yet to happen. It may not even be you who committed such an act but one thing I do know is that you, Morrigan, are the key of such an event… You are at the center of a moment on history.” Morrigan backed away as she struggled to overcome the disbelief she felt.
“That leaves but one question I have for you,” Myshkali stated, Morrigan’s trembling form stiffening in preparation to fight of flee.
“What’s that?” Morrigan asked.
Myshkali looked at her with a softened and curious expression, as if calling Morrigan genocidal was no big deal, “What is it you plan to do, now that you are the Lord Inquisitor?”
Morrigan mind grinded to a halt as the absurdity of the question filtered in her mind. She paused as her breathing staggered, processing the question before answering knowing her nerves were far too high for an immediately answer leading Morrigan to question her own motivations and intentions.
“I…I want to get rid of the Federation… I want to make the galaxy safer for everyone and maybe even… maybe, if I can, unite our species to create something… something wonderful and peaceful…” Morrigan answered as she thought hard about her response.
“As you have done with the Marmuro’k?” Myshkali inquired curiously.
Morrigan nodded to that looking towards the door that led into the dining room, “Yes. Though through blood, sweat and tears, the Marmuro’k have aligned with me. I became a chieftain of their own and have my own clan,” she commented as she gestured to the door before looking back at Myshkali, “And I hoped together, the Inquisition, the Marmuro’k and the Eskarii could finally take back our place in the galaxy, either driving the Federation out or by destroying it…”
Myshkali nodded in understanding as she shifted on her feet, gently placing the crown back on her head, “I am aware that most of the Inquisition is trapped, what is it you propose?”
Seeing that the queen was not rejecting the idea, Morrigan steeled her nerves, “I still need to find the remaining Inquisitors, and the Marmuro’k have five massive warships… I also wanted to try finding what remained of the CoU but… and with the Eskarii fleet, we might be able to take the offensive and strike at the Federation, and win…”
Myshkali shook her head at the plan, the plan Morrigan stated to doubt seeing the response of her final major alliance, “I have only 32 ships capable of war, leaving us with less than half the number of the Federation. For your plan to work, we would need many more,” Myshkali noted.
Morrigan took a step back as she began to pace, reconsidering her plan as the queen’s point hit home. She could see the valid reason Myshkali made known however, there were no more major parties outside of hiring mercenaries and even then, to pay and collect enough warships would take forever and unlikely work. No, Morrigan knew she needed something more collective, an armada of ships that could work cohesively and be able to rely on one another rather than place their cards on someone they couldn’t trust.
It was then an idea dawned on her, one that could very well give her the solution of her lack of a proper war fleet. With renewed vigor, Morrigan smiled, “I think I got it, hang on,” she told the queen before striding purposefully to the door, opening it to reveal a lively commotion of laughter and chatter within the dining room.
“Hey baby!” Morrigan called out loud enough to gain everyone’s attention, the room falling silent as they saw the flash of determined hope in Morrigan’s smile. “How do you and Stephanie feel about going home?”
