The Way of the Tao
General Mei
Quon, Revaed S'Aehallh'Nveni and Tao
It was like her whole insides were aching and someone had torn her apart.
Odd, Mei thought, that the simple act of her love leaving could
induce such a strong emotion from her. But then it was necessary. Her
position had changed but they needed someone with her expertise to go
on assignment. It was somewhere that her husband and child couldn't
go, and so he had agreed to take their baby Tao with his family on
their new assignment to a family ship. Tao would be safe with her
father. But Mei would miss them both so much.
Laying a hand on his chest, she looked up into his face and gave him a
small, delicate smile. "Will you write?" she asked softly, the tops of
her cheeks gaining a light dusting of emerald.
If they only
knew, he thought sadly. If they only knew on ch'Rihan how the great
man could be so conquered by so ethereal a thing as love. For a woman
and a little girl--a baby. Duty was duty. He understood that but it
didn't mean he had to like it.
"Of course,
e'lev," he murmured, as he brushed her cheek with one finger. "At
least there is ample room for you to join us when you are through. We
need you, Mei. We need you safe and sound."
"I'll come," she whispered. "I don't know how long this mission will
last but they are hardly likely to send me on so dangerous an
assignment when there are younger, more battle-experienced people to
choose from. Do not fret for me, my love." ~~Take care of her, keep
her safe and never out of your sight~~
"Mei, she is my
second jewel and you are the first. She will be under my eye
constantly. I promise," he said soothingly. He understood that it
wasn't a matter of her not trusting him. It was more a matter of her
fear for the child. Of course he understood. ~~I'jol'au, Mei.~~
~~I love you also~~ Wrapping her arms around him, she leaned against
his chest and let out a slow sigh. "I will miss you both so very much."
"You are rii
rhaetelh nnea thlohlm caevra," he said simply as he stroked her hair.
~~You know she will be unhappy, don't you? I do not wish to make it
more difficult but Ri'nanov is still ri'nanov~~
~~I know~~ It pulled at her heart to know her own child was already
unhappy, sensing her mother's sorrow at having to leave. ~~But she has
you and that will be enough until I am back~~ "Do not take another, my
love. Please."
"Absolutely
not!" He looked at her as if she'd suddenly grown another head. "I am
no faithless man, Mei, I could never do that. Never." ~~Everyone
pales to you and you know it.~~
"We have never been apart, love," she reminded him gently. "I trust
you but I would not blame you for wishing to have someone with you."
"Never," he said
fiercely. "You forget how patient I am, e'lev. If I waited to seek
revenge for seventy-eight years, then I can wait for you to return to
us. You are so much more worth it than that Element damned old man."
Lifting her chin up, she placed her lips on his. ~~This hurts already~~
~~Shhh....~~ He
would not afford himself the luxury of allowing his knees to bend in
fear of losing her. He couldn't, not when he had to believe she would
return to him and their precious one. He returned her kiss,
remembering a first, much less gentle one.
"Write every day," she whispered in a near choke. "I will write to
you. The comms won't work, not where I'm going. But can write. I
swear I'll write." ~~I am a grown woman but I just want to cry~~
"I promise,
e'lev. In fact, you will have to make do with two letters a day until
I can master your Mandarin well enough. Then," he said with a small
smile, "it will be three: Standard, Rihannsu, and Mandarin."
He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly. ~~Cry then,
e'lev. There is no shame~~
Forcing her face tightly into the crook of his neck, she let out a
small choke. "It's not as hard as you make it seem," she chuckled
weakly, feeling the tears come despite her best efforts to stop them.
~~It is for me~~
he admitted, burying his face in her hair.
A third brush touched their minds and a small choking sob started from
the bedroom. Mei let out a keening cry as she dashed off. "Oh Tao!"
Long strides
carried him after her. What was it his nephew always said? Yes, he
was indeed wrapped around that beloved child's little finger. And now
he knew she was crying because they were both upset. "Shhh, my little
io," he whispered softly. "Don't be afraid."
The baby stared up at her parents, dark wide eyes filled with tears.
She snuffled when her ri'nanov picked her up but her crying ceased.
"Hush now," Mei whispered, rubbing her daughter's back. "Daddy's here
and so am I. You're fine." She stared at Revaed, crying softly still.
He wrapped one arm around Mei, drawing them both close to his
chest. With a gentle touch most people didn't think he was capable of,
he brushed the baby's cheek. "See, my little io? We love you and you
are safe. No need to be sad, my Tao." He bent his head to kiss hers,
smiling ever so slightly at her scent. The old ones were right.
Babies do smell good, he thought.
Those dark eyes still stared and frowned at her father but she stopped
crying for a moment. Ri'nanov was still sad and Tao could feel the
hurt between her parents.
"She is wise, Mei. Look how she looks at me," he said ruefully.
"She knows you're telling her only a half truth," Mei chuckled,
tickling her daughter beneath her chin. "Eh, pretty one, is Daddy
being deceitful?" When Tao turned her frowning eyes on her mother, Mei
actually laughed, feeling better for it. "We love you, sweet thing."
"And you and I will be with your uncles and your rian," he told
the child warmly. "And do they not both love their pretty little
niece? Hmm? Such a good baby."
Tao stared back at her father and reached out her hands to him.
Carefully, he picked his daughter from Mei's arms but still kept
Mei close to him. He offered Tao a warm smile. "Oh yes, we will miss
Ri'nanov something fierce but you will have me and them to love you.
Not enough but we will take care of you, my paehne."
She held onto her father tightly, relaxing again when her mother
wrapped her arms around the pair of them. Tao let out a huge yawn
before blinking several times.
"Tired, little one. Too much emotion being batted about for small
people to have to deal with," Mei said softly.
"I think we will need to record your Chinese lullabies for her,"
Revaed mused. "It would keep something close to her."
"I have done so already and I have created a holodeck program for her
of this house and all of the smells that go with it," she said,
stroking her little girl's black hair.
"Wise woman I married," he said gently. ~~You don't think it will
confuse her?~~
~~She is an intelligent child, she will understand~~ "Pretty girl,"
she whispered as she kissed her daughter's crown.
Revaed looked down at what he thought were the two most beautiful
creatures in the universe and kissed his daughter after Mei did. "You
are going to have to catch up on the Mandarin lessons then but she will
do well. She is like her ri'nanov: beautiful and smart."
"Piào liang," Tao said softly but slowly.
Mei beamed. "Yes you are, little one, very beautiful."
"Aie, what a wonderful child you are," Revaed said warmly, holding
her a bit closer. It tickled him greatly when ever the little one
spoke.
"Such complicated words, you'll be teaching Daddy to speak Mandarin
soon." Mei winked at Revaed, lifting her hand to brush his soft
cheeks. ~~She needs a brother, don't you think?~~
~~Mmm, now that would be nice. Are you sure you want that
though?~~
~~Perhaps I have no choice in the matter anymore~~ A sweet smile on
her face, she shrugged. "I wanted to tell you before but meetings and
reviews for this mission put it out of my mind." ~~Alek is coming with
me, I will be in no danger~~
He drew in a sharp breath of surprise and hugged her to him.
~~Another one~~ He didn't trust himself to speak aloud. This woman
had made life in the Federation perfect and now it was going to be
better. Again. ~~He had better forgive me when I threaten him any
way.~~
~~He always does. Do you think she will like a little brother?~~
Revaed chuckled. It was a good thing the man was so good natured
and tolerant. Revaed had no sense of humor at all when it came to his
family's safety. ~~I don't know. She seems to get along well enough
with Netha. Perhaps she won't mind more company. Then again, I was,
for intents, an only child.~~
"You will get on with your little brother, won't you, Tao?" Mei asked
softly, smiling when her baby smiled.
Revaed watched the baby's face, smiling again at her smile. "She
understands us--I know she does. Will you be like Uncle Seren and Aunt
T'Aris with your brother, my paehne? Stand by him in the face of
everything?"
Mei giggled at the little girl's confused face, Tao's dark eyes moving
from Revaed's face to Mei's. "I think she understands some."
"Forgive me, my little io," Revaed said warmly. ~~But I do think
she would be that way.~~
~~Of course, fierce to the end~~ Mei rubbed her cheek to Tao's crown,
trying to stop from crying.
"Mei...." He tilted her chin up so that he could see her face.
"I'jol'au and I will miss you more than I ever thought possible but we
will be strong for you when you return to us. Do you know why?"
"Why?" she asked softly.
"ch'Thane would say it is because you make us Whole. I will say
it is because you complete each part of the Elements that we are
missing. You are part of us as we are part of you," he said soberly.
"Then I have to come home to make sure my precious ones are whole
again." Cupping his chin, she kissed him deeply.
"Mmm..." Such a passionate beautiful woman and she was his. Too
bad what other people thought of them. ~~Don't make me have to hurt
Alek. Please.~~
~~He will take care of me, he always does, my sweet~~ "You fret too
much, I will be fine," she said softly.
~~You should know by now that I do not like when I cannot be
involved in certain things~~ He tried for a hint of humor but he
doubted he was successful. "And may I tell ch'Thane and Seren of Tao's
sibling to be?"
"Of course you may, I'm sure they'll be very pleased. Netha will have
a brother too," she smiled as she ran her fingers through his long,
soft hair. ~~Please, you're making this hard to leave~~
~~My apologies, e'lev~~ His dark eyes finally looked away from
her, settling on their baby instead. "Perhaps..." He found he could
not speak aloud. ~~Maybe now would be a good time. Tao and I will
write you our first letters.~~
She nodded, taking her child from her husband and giving her a huge hug
and a kiss on her crown. "Going to miss you, little one. Take care of
your Daddy."
Tao could sense the great sadness in her mother but she also felt that
crying would only make it worse. Instead, she held onto her and kissed
her back, wet and soft. "Ri... ri'nanov."
His jaw was set in steel, as rock hard as Earth itself. "Come,
little io. Di'nanov needs a little company."
Handing her daughter back, Mei nodded, turned and left. Her bag was by
the door and she barely stopped to sweep it up before marching out.
~~Goodbye, love, I'll be home soon~~
~~I'jol'au~~ He could never say it enough. He kept his eyes from
the door and, instead, turned a smile on his daughter. "Hnah, let' you
and I bring some things and go see your rian,."