Drabble: Denna and Ariella Post-Canon for Liz
Denna sat in her chair, watching her daughter carefully. She was working on her first set of leathers, and it was a very delicate process, though, Denna knew that Ariella's fingers were quite up to the task.
Ariella's training had been different than all other Mord'Sith. Denna, as the Chosen of the Mord'Sith, had taken it upon herself to personalize a new method of training, one that did not involve the death of the girl's parents. Ariella and her brother, Michael, would be hand in hand ruling the empire, when their mother and father stepped down from their roles. Ariella would help choose a wife for her brother, and look after him in all things. She was being trained to give her life to protect him, if she had to.
Denna hoped it'd never come to that. They were her children, her life-blood, and Ariella was closer to her than even Richard could be. They were as if they'd found a young version of Denna, and put the pair together. Ariella even carried herself as her mother did. There was no mistaking who Ariella belonged to.
Denna heard the quick hiss of an intake of breath as her daughter pricked her finger on the sharp needle.
“It is good that you bleed onto your leathers. It shows that you are not above pain yourself. You are not invincible, just...as close as any can be. You are a Rahl, part of the Zorander line, part of my line, and the heir to the Chosen. You must be strong.”
Very few people seem to have a last name, but when you do, it really counts.
Ariella nodded at her mother. “Yes, Mother. My sisters think I am too strong.”
Denna gritted her teeth. “Kahlan and her daughters need to...” She sighed. “I will speak to your father about clearing that up.”
“Why do the girls fear me, but my brothers do not?” she asked, quietly, hazel eyes searching her mother's.
“Because...Confessors and Mord'Sith are the opposite of each other. They are not like us; they are our antithesis. It isn't usual, our family arrangement. It is your father that holds our family together...he is the key.”
Her daughter nodded again. “I love our family. Even my sisters.”
Denna smiled and reached to pet her hair a bit. “As you should.”