Star Wars: The Last Qymaili | ✔

50 | Did I Know Her?

Song: "Ahsoka Leaves" from Star Wars: The Clone Wars OST

Ronderu was transferred to a small cell, and finally had time to think. How many standard days had passed since he had brought her here? Was she even still on Kalee?

She closed her eyes as he left her. It doesn't matter. I'll soon be dead, and then I'll see Qymaen again.

Spotting a leak on the ceiling, she leaned over and collected a few drops of stale water on her tongue. A small blessing, to be sure, but one she would gladly accept.

Fantasies of his hugs invaded her mind. If he would sing for her once more, cradling her in warm arms, she would never truly rot in this cell.

He's at peace in Abesmi. It's what he deserves after all that happened to him.

A rubbing of stones sounded from the entrance. Grievous, having chosen to leave his cloak behind this time, entered the room.

"Why did you build so many rooms in this place?" she asked before she could stop herself.

"How did you know Qymaen jai Sheelal?"

"Reminds me of the Kaleela lodge," she murmured.

"Answer me, Kummar."

She shrugged. "We were friends, nothing more."

"That is untrue."

"You can go ask the Kaleesh kolkpravis or the Kharankhui's militia," she replied simply. "I don't know why you care."

"There is a reason for all that I do," Grievous replied evenly, although she got the feeling that this was an exaggeration. A bionic claw went to his hip to caress his lightsabers. "What about Shia jai Audrana?"

Ronderu tilted her head. "How do you know her?"

"Everyone knows of Khetsuu's wife."

Fair. "She died in childbirth."

His eyes flashed unreadably, and a tremor jolted his hands before he hid them behind his back. "Very well," he grunted. He stepped towards the door, inputting the combination needed to unlock it on those stone runes.

✺✺✺

Grievous walked into the hallway, bolting Kummar's prison door behind him. He stalked down his hallways. Trying to contain his emotions until he'd reached his stasis pod, he hugged his chest tightly.

Kummar's words echoed in his audio-receptors like a beating drum. Shia jai Audrana....dead, her half-human face lifeless and slumped into eternal dream.

He slammed himself against the wall. Shaking at the wretched image of Kummar's smile, he shut his eyes tightly. Shia.

Gone.

It was suddenly imperative to him that he learn the full truth—had his child survived? He checked his internal clock; a standard day had passed since Kummar's arrival to his house on the third moon of Vassek. It was possible to recover the information about his children, if they were still alive, before he executed her.

He almost went back in to question her about it, but stopped himself. She obviously knew about his identity as Qymaen jai Sheelal and was using it to manipulate him. She would know nothing of his children, nothing, and he would only expose himself as a weak-willed general with secret cares.

He called forth the name of his firstborn. Rón. Rónderu jai Baina. Ronderu the Smaller. What had the little baby's name been? Had Shia even told him?