Freeze You Out

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

Mjolnir Space Station
Observation Deck
18:52

​

Skuld Stark was not good at emotional talks or grand announcements. She knew that if she willingly shared quarters with another, that she did not want anything beyond companionship. But just when life was content to settle just a bit, just when things were easy and not quite as hellish, those old trickster Gods threw her another wrench in the proverbial gear. And just this one time, she wasn't certain what to do.

She had children of her own, but they were growing. Tyrren would no doubt follow Tagal into being a smith; she was almost convinced that the man had a softness for the boy, despite one being smart in the mouth and quick in the wit, and the boy was shy and quiet. And Frigga was a small woman of her own mind at ten, mercurial and flighty. Any year now, she would no doubt wish to flee from all things Deucalian and seek her place in the stars, with Skuld's blessing.

But this?

There was an answer to her sudden fatigue, at least.

She knew he was going to be leaving soon; she would follow eventually, but some things just couldn't remain a secret for long. It had been two hours since she knew, so after somr thinking she commed him.

She paced alone. At least her clothes still fit her well enough, but she dreaded any fuss or questions thrown her way later. For now, she just wanted to be Skuld.

The responsibilities of the rest of her life could come later. He would be along any minute, no doubt not happy she wasn't immediately rushing down. She just wasn't ready to rush yet, so she had gone instead to the very place that helped still her mind. The red glow of Mustafar always calmed her for some odd reason, but now she couldn't find that placid mindset.

Just this once, perhaps, he could come to her. She could wait. One thing she had learned being around this Saxon was that secrets were forbidden, since the first visit to Ando Prime. Even though it was refreshing, she could do without the mild edge of dull shock that hovered around her mind still. She felt like she had swallowed a rock, and she wouldn't allow herself to dwell on her emotions just yet. She had no idea how he would react, but... it was too soon, all of it. He had seen her nervous before, but she felt as though she were running on autopilot.

It took all the instincts in her to remain calm, to not rush into action. But she wasn't sure she was ready for his reaction, in either case. But best to treat it like a bandage; rip it off and keep going.

@Nefieslab

 

[Tagal Saxon]

Spending time on the station meant one of two things for Tagal these days; he was either working or he was dealing with Skuld and her family. Once upon a time he would have been annoyed that the second thing was something that actually happened to him and he might have even complained but it had been a few years since they had first met now so, well, they had all grown on him more than he had ever thought possible really. The kids reacted differently to him, of course.

Frigga seemed to treat him as a nuisance but it seemed insincere - like she was only doing it because she thought she had to. He wouldn't put it past her to being that way purely out of some misplaced loyalty to her father who he was 'replacing'. Tagal wasn't going to argue with her over it though - she was likely going to get over it as soon as she grew more of an adult personality. As for Tyrren?

Well the kid hung on his every word and seemed to think the stars shone because Tagal threatened them to.

It was an odd, heady, feeling to have a kid following him around in the forge just so happy for any chance he could take to actually help out or even pretend to help out. Tagal had started the kid out on some of the gopher duties that he had gotten into first as an apprentice smith. If the kid could hang it out a couple more years then he was going to start training the kid properly, turning him into a little Smith in his own right.

One of the station crew had told him Skuld was looking for him so he sent Tyrren off to research steel folding techniques on the extranet before locking up his forge and heading over to the living area. Entering the observation area that connected to the living area of the station, Tagal caught sight of Skuld standing nervously by the viewport.

The fact that she was visibly nervous was different.

"Skuld." he greeted her, "I heard you were looking to talk to me. If it's about my mission... I'll be alright."

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

Tagal was one of the few people that insisted on calling her Skuld still; even Uhtred and Zavra called her by Eva now, which was strange, and not always a welcome part of what she had taken on the mantle as. A leader was not afraid, or if they were they kept going, and she was. But she wasn't above admitting there was a smaller edge of that fear lingering, like a bruise or shallow cut just where joints bent.

She took in a breath, standing tall to give him a smile, then shook her head. "Nei. I know you will be, Tagal. We've been around each other a while; you are remarkably stubborn to kill. Not that I've been trying lately."

Lips twisted into a faint smirk, recalling when she had first thrown her ax at him upon meeting; the difference between then and now was a gulf of time. Dully, she was aware of her heart pounding. Before, she had felt the same, but this time was... different.
"I am sorry; I had commed command, but they said you weren't there. But this can't wait."

She stood tall and proud, lips twitching slightly. It was now or never that she would just say it outright, like a bandage. Rip it off and move on, letting the chips fall where they would. But she hated feeling this young all over again; she had assumed she was past feeling anything truly deep for anyone or anything. Life had a funny way of shocking her sometimes.

"I..."

She seemed, for a moment, genuinely lost for words. But then hands settled on her hips, and she exhaled slowly, her expression calm, some small tension leaking from her shoulders as she faced him head on, close enough to see the blue of his eyes and his open expression.

"I'm pregnant."

Two words that fell with all the grace of a stone. Straight and to the point, either he was going to act well or negatively. In either case, at least she would know what to do. She resisted the urge to tug at her leggings or cover her stomach.

At first, she knew in the way all mothers did, almost the instant it happened. Having it confirmed was both unexpected and not, but it was both wonderful and terrible. She watched his face carefully, her own expression unreadable.

​

@Nefieslab

 

[Tagal Saxon]

The conversation started off entirely normal and Tagal would be the first to admit that he found the formulaic way the conversation unfolded to be rather nice. He didn't much care for surprises he couldn't shoot after all so he was happy when things went according to a plan or a pattern. Still, it seemed that something was in the air that had Skuld feeling more tense than she usually would have been during a regular conversation.

Maybe she was about to tell him off for calling her Skuld still?

He knew that her name was Eva but she had been Skuld to him for so long that it had become the name he used for her by default. Even finding out her real name didn't change the fact that when he thought of her he thought of her as Skuld. If it bothered her then he would make an effort to change that but if she didn't speak up then she would stay as "Skuld" in his mind.

And then she came to what had actually been causing her some... concern.

She was pregnant.

For a moment the ground seemed to wobble and Tagal found that he needed to grip the wall to keep himself from falling over - it hit him almost like a physical attack. She was pregnant and, well, it could only really be his now couldn't it? He swallowed thickly for a moment as his mouth opened and closed a few times as the shock affected his mind and he struggled for words. In the end he managed to stumble out a question even with his mind still reeling.

"... how far along?"

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

Seeing Tagal so shaken surprised her. She hadn't expected quite a sudden reaction, or one that looked like she had just ripped the foundation right under him. She crossed her arms beneath her bust, turning away to face Mustafar. Her face took on a distant cast as she gazed down at the small volcanic planet, skin taking on a slight reddish profile as the cool blue lights glowed over her hair and over tensed shoulders.

She wasn't good with emotional displays or words; she preferred things direct and simple, emotions out on the table and addressed before carrying on. It kept things easy, and clear. But she was mixed up in so many ways; on one hand, she already wanted to protect this child. But... but.

She swallowed, herself, arms tightening almost defensively. Her voice was low, quiet as she turned her face back to him, exhaling slowly.

"...A little over eight weeks." The timeline of it matched up well with a few things they sorted through. Ando Prime, the events afterwards, the homecoming, spooky castles and more. Perhaps she hadn't been as careful as she thought she was being, perhaps she slipped up somehow, perhaps a lot of things. He still looked floored, so she strode past him, resisting the urge to grab him, hold him; she wasn't used to those feelings. She didn't want to feel the urge to touch.

She slowly sat down on one of the couches, one hand patting the spot beside her. "Come sit." She knew the possibility of what she might have to do, but she wasn't willing to think about it. But she wished he'd say something, so she would know how to move forward.

She wished she had one of those witch tricks in that moment; she wished she could read his mind, know what he was thinking so she could know what to do next.

"...I don't know what to do." It was strange, admitting that she was clueless. The last time she was, it was expected, natural even, and even with Frigga it was not such a shock. But this was unfamiliar territory, and it seemed he was just as lost as she was. Her voice was calm, quiet, hoping to break him from his stupor.

"Tagal?"

@Nefieslab

 

[Tagal Saxon]

Well...

Well shite.

Sitting down beside her for a moment, Tagal found his thoughts slowly coming together. In the end what he thought was the same as what his heart had been trying to tell him since he first heard the news. The only issue was the shock had sent his brain into such a frenzy that he couldn't hear what it was his heart was trying to tell him. But when she looked at him, looking so small and so lost for once, he knew there was only one answer.

"Marry me."

He swallowed thickly.

"You marry me and we raise our child." he told her quietly, never taking his eyes off of her, "We raise our child together and we raise your children as well. We become... a family. Even more than we already are."

Tagal smiled and reached out to cup her cheek.

"This is... a shock but I... I think I needed this shock. To finally get myself in motion, to finally accept that I want this family and I've been wanting it for a long time now. Will you start this family with me?"

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

She thought she knew what he wanted, how he felt. He made it clear before that any such... attachments, beyond the simple life they'd lived, was enough for the both of them, and she agreed. It was far easier, far less complicated. If something happened, neither one of them would get too hurt. They both lost someone before; so when she watched his expression, she wondered how long she could stay, without being too visible, before they would have to go their separate ways.

So when he first spoke up, it was her turn to flinch back in shock, breath hissing in surprise.

"Vhat?"

At first, she thought she misheard him, or for some twisted reason, he was playing some sort of cruel joke on her. Some way of getting back at her for something maybe, though he wasn't that vindictive or malicious with her... But one look in those eyes and she knew. He was serious, but it was... something else. A look she hadn't seen before, and she found herself holding her breath, lips parted slightly in shock.

For the first time in a long time, Skuld felt... like a weight had lifted off her shoulders. Those two hours of worry and, for the first time, actual fear, melted away. Her breath came out in a slight huff, a small grin curled on her lips when his hand cupped her cheek. For a moment, her eyes closed, her breath coming out in a rush. A soft chuckle followed, and her eyes opened to meet his again.

"You're crazy," she whispered, leaning forward to lightly bump her forehead to his, her mechanized right hand over his.

"I accept. Yes. Let's have this family... together," she rumbled out a laugh, sliding over to swing one leg over his waist, her grin turning wicked as she straddled him. "You sure you vant this mess of me, though? Even a few months from now?" She smirked, perking a black brow. "Takes a lot of work."

@Nefieslab

 

[Tagal Saxon]

Was he crazy?

To some people he was sure that he was the very definition of crazy. But to her? He doubted it very much. She had seen him do and say crazier things than this; she was probably just not expecting it. To be fair, he hadn't been expecting it either. It was one of those things he knew he was going to do at some stage but he had been waiting for the best time to actually go ahead with it. Despite his ease at the moment, the fact of the matter was that the loss of his first family still weighed heavily on his mind.

This?

This sudden shock?

Having another child would have been something he would have preferred to have talked about before it happened but it was something he had been aching for, for a long time he knew. Tagal chuckled a little bit.

"Yeah I'm crazy but what can you do? You apparently like that kind of thing." he joked back, nudging her forehead with his own, "You're stuck with me Ice-brain."

He hummed.

"At least until I die."

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

She chuckled softly, lightly pressing her lips to his, then taking a slow breath in.

"Is that right?"

The smile still lingered, but there was a gleam in those icy eyes. A seriousness where before there was only lightheartedness. She hummed in return, tilting her head slightly at his last comment. "And you are stuck with me, malmhaus… even after. Because I vill fight your gods and mine if you are taken without my permission," she smirked, then sighed slowly, sliding off of him.

"It may be too soon... but I do not want to wait. How soon is too soon, do you think?" she inquired lightly, leaning against the back of the couch with one hand draped absentmindedly over her stomach. Already, there was a slight curve there; not much to most that didn't know the Deucalian, but enough that she could feel it, and now... feel protective. Of all this, not just the child but the family, the clan. Things were changing already, and if he was crazy so was she.

They both had pasts weighed down heavily; but her mind was now set on the future. A small one beneath her hands, that she was going to have to plan for soon.

@Nefieslab

 

[Tagal Saxon]

Chuckling into the kiss, Tagal nodded as they broke apart from each other. There was no hiding the fact that the two of them liked to live dangerously. There was every chance that the two of them could die rather suddenly and violently. To hide from that reality would be a cowardice so he didn't.

He just gently reminded her it was possible.

Tagal barked a laugh.

"There are no gods." he challenged with a grin, "But feel free to fight to watch over me if you bite it, Skuld... Eva... I'd hate to find out what it feels like to fly my ship without you watching over me, eh?"

Tagal lay himself down beside her and just relaxed beside her. It had taken them a fair few years to get to this stage in their relationship and now that they were here it was nice to just revel in it. He reached out and took one of her hands in his own as they lay there.

"Do we need a ceremony?" he asked her, honestly, "We are simple people. Can we not simply claim it now and have it become truth?"

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

She smirked at his laughing, one black brow raised at his challenge. "Says the man that curses his whenever ve are in a bind," she shot back, giving a faint chuckle when he leaned back, scooting slightly to get more comfortable. Was this what it could be like? Not always fighting, arguing... not that she minded, there were days a good fight made the stress, the pressure more bearable to face. She snorted slightly at his comment of her haunting him. rolling her eyes.

"Ja, if you put holes in it I'm haunting you," she replied, amusement still laced in her voice. "And I believe that's our ship, thank you. I just let you fly it."

She hummed when he grasped her hand, surprised he did. They did not do physical touch too often... not unless it led to other things, it was almost like a sign of weakness to admit needing contact. But it was nice, for the time being. She laced her fingers in his, the smile fading as she thought out her response.

"I do not want a ceremony," she answered contemplatively, looking at their joined hands. "I am done with ceremony, and ritual... ja. I just want it to be truth. I do not need ceremony to be... happy." Icy eyes closed for a moment, then she sighed, then gave him a grin again.

"Besides, ve can always celebrate after this," returned the teasing tone with a wink.

@Nefieslab

 

[Tagal Saxon]

Yeah he cursed the Gods a lot he knew that too but he would be the first to admit that it was more of a verbal tick than it was a statement of belief in said Gods. He cursed them because sometimes he was trying to make a good impression and so could hardly be expected to swear but, during those same conversations, there was sometimes the occasion that politely explaining his annoyance was just not possible.

So he cursed Gods he didn't believe in.

Simple enough but if she was going to believe he believed... well he would much rather their child be raised in line with his peoples than with the Deucalian traditions so maybe there was merit in her thinking he believed? He smirked a little bit.

"You let me fly it because you fly like you're trying to put a prison barge through a pod race." he joked back to her with an amused smirk, "I leave the ship intact and ready to go again, don't you worry."

Tagal smiled.

It was the first time in a long time that it was a true, soft, smile and not a smirk or a grin. Most people likely wouldn't know what importance that held but he was willing to bet that Skuld did. He hummed a little bit as he stroked her fingers idly.

"We will need to discuss what token we shall have though." he argued, "Ring or some other form of metal token? I'm partial to armbands."

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

She snorted in amusement. He wasn't wrong... she just preferred smaller craft, and flying the galleon was much larger. And far more difficult to maneuver. However... she was secretly proud of his piloting skills with it, she would have preferred no other at the helm. "Hmm, you do that," she chuckled, lips quirking at the effort to hide the smile she could feel.

And then she blinked.

And the smile that touched her own lips was just as kind. Gods. She really was getting soft... but then again, so was he. Her fingers lightly tightened on his before releasing the slight pressure. Strange... She never really thought that far. She never wanted another ring again, not as long as she lived, but amusement glinted in her eyes at his tone change. She gave a mock gasp in retaliation.

"Not to rings? But I like them," she teased cheekily, arching a brow. The teasing grin faded then, but remained simply as the faintest curve of a smile. "...Armbands are fine, too, though. But there's no doubting this, Saxon. I'm yours."

@Nefieslab

 

[Tagal Saxon]

Talk of rings and armbands and commitment... my oh my how times had changed him. There had been a time, not too far back, when he had wanted to kill the woman. When he had been convinced what he would do was to end her quickly and hide himself away from the rest of the Galaxy to get his work done.

All he had had was his weapons and his armour and his forge.

All he had cared about was the next fight and the next project for him to work on and then he started working with the stubborn Deucalian woman and things had... spiraled. He no longer wanted to be alone and that was good because he wasn't alone anymore. Between Skuld, her kids and the crew of the ship and the station? And BiT? Tagal Saxon had been ready to fight and die for nothing on some nowhere planet and be entirely forgotten.

He had welcomed the possibility of dying to end his thoughts, his fears and his feelings. To the point where he had almost sought out a way to end the way he dwelled on the past.

"... the bands are totally being made of Beskar."

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

There had been a time that Eva... no, Skuld, considered herself one of the honor-dead. Where life was nothing more than the next fight, the next brush to death, even the next temporary body in her bed before moving on to unexplored territory and distancing herself from any emotional connections. Even her own children, since her banishment from Clan Stark those six years ago, so they wouldn't be ashamed to be hers. She spent three years doing just that, from the moment of her first husband's death on, she had assumed she would live perfectly well the life of a berserkir.

But now?

She was never a broken woman, but she had not truly lived until being dragged back to living, existing, by a particularly sharp-tongued Mandalorian. And he was right; anything could happen to either of them, any day, with the lifestyles they lived and the way they embraced their cultures' fighting spirit. She knew it, and he knew it. Most people would think it time to slow down, settle, begin to change.

But she knew she would be disappointed if he held back, simply because of things changing. She didn't expect anything but what he could bring... and whatever came next, they would just have to face on together. Strange how even two years ago, such a thought would have chilled her to the bone. Commitment, companionship, a new life... it was almost too much to face if she felt like she were alone.

Her lips quirked slightly at his statement, sighing and leaning back to close her eyes briefly, letting the previous numerous exhaustions of before drag at her before duty drove them elsewhere.

"..Ja. I'd expect nothing else; it suits."

/End Thread