Beyond - Legends Mom´s little Warlock (Mother´s Day Special, Ilona Malek)

Title: Mom´s little Warlock
Author: Anedon
Characters: Ilona Malek, Ion Malek
Timeframe: 61 ABY

Notes: This story is a little OS for Mother´s Day and related to mine and @Adalia-Durron other works, mainly From Slavery to Aristocracy and Powers vs Passions, but can be read independently as well.
Also includes a mention of @Warrior_Goddess character Marie Firestone.



"Mom?"

Ilona looked up from the work in front of her, and a smile appeared on her face as she saw her son walking into her study room. Gods he has really grown up, she mused, not for the first time. Ion had his mothers sharp features but his blonde hair was that of his father. "What is it?" she asked him. "Did we get a reply from the Redan?"

Since his youngest days Ion had been helping his parents with the political duties, and he had proven very adept at them, now at 17 years old his mother had him run certain errands for her now and then, including communication with several other noble families.

Ion nodded slowly, "yeah it's all well and they will continue delivering ore for the old price." His mother smiled, proud she had made the right choice to have her son lead the talks on that front.

"That´s good news, will keep the factory going for the near future at least," she told him.

"Yeah, but that´s not what I´m here for," Ion continued, in a serious tone.

Ilona looked up to him, this was probably a more personal matter. "Sure what is it to have on your mind?"

Her son managed half a smile, "you´ve been working long enough for today. It's been hours."

A sad smile appeared at Ilona´s face, she knew he was probably right but couldn´t really allow herself a break as there still much to do. "Ion, I appreciate your concern, but as the head of our family..."

"...you still should take a break and not overwork yourself." Ion interrupted her, with determination in his voice. "I´ve been rarely seeing you lately outside of meals."

His mother noticed that there was worry in his words, and so she began seeking for words to reassure him, words so he would understand why she had to do this. "I have a duty, not just to you and our family, but also to the workers we employ and I´ve..."

"..been doing an excellent job at that. Mom, please you are already doing enough. More than that, business is running well and the other noble families are respecting us more than ever." Ion once again interrupted her.

Ilona smiled at the praise her son gave her, she knew it was true, but... I can do more, just as dad did. Her father had risen their family from the utter poverty into the ranks of Eriaduan nobility, he had done so much. And as his daughter it was her duty to keep his legacy alive, to ensure the Malek family would have a prosperous future.

Ion stepped forward and took his mother's datapad and deactivated it.

"Ion!" Ilona said, and for a second anger flashed through her mind, while Ion put the pad into his pocket. "Give it back!" She knew why he was doing this, and a part of her wanted to hug him for it, the other wrestle him to the ground to get the pad back.

"Enough of that today, I will give it back to you, tomorrow. When we will get at this together, I´m your heir, and one day I will sit where you are sitting now. Then it´s only fair if I´m now helping you with your work." Ion said, taking a step back, just in case his mother did something rash, he knew she could take the pad from him effortlessly if she really wanted to, but he also knew that she wouldn´t do it.

Ilona took a deep breath and felt how her anger began to fade away. Her son was right she knew, and a grin appeared on her face. "Okay, as you wish. Tomorrow then, you will get out of the bed at 0600, if you don´t I will throw you out of it. Then we will do this together, for as long as it takes and I don´t want to hear any complaints."

Ion shivered a bit at this prospect, being a bit of a dreamer he lacked his mothers sense of strict discipline in regards like this. But he was determined to do whatever it took to help his mother, to repay her for the endless kindness and patience she had for him.

"I accept your deal," he said with a twinkle.

"And you better keep it," Ilona growled but with a smile on her face as she stood up and followed Ion through their mansion. With Tobin being on duty at borders of Eriadu again it was only her and her son who currently resided at their place.

Her son lead her to the balcony and for a moment the two of them enjoyed the view over the mountains and down to the sea where the sun was now sinking closer and closer to the dark ocean. Then Ilona´s gaze fell onto something else. "Ion have you prepared this?"

Ion had cleaned their grill, set the table with two chairs and was now donning a grill apron. "Yes, and don´t even think about lending a hand to me. Tonight, your duty is to relax."

Ilona smiled as she sat down, she wouldn´t have risked doing the cooking anyway, it really wasn´t her strength and she blushed for a moment when she remembered how her brother sometimes made fun of her for that.

Soon the odor of grilling flesh filled her nose and she recognized something. "Dathomirian style?"

Ion smiled, "yeah, Marie taught me how to do it last time I was there."

Her son loved Dathomir and adored his aunt and uncle, spending several weeks with them and their kids there each year. He had even gotten himself some clan tattoos over the years and proudly considered himself a member of the Misty Falls clan. Ilona, who had felt the fascination of Dathomir herself was glad her and Adrian´s family was still so closely related and in contact even if they lived on opposite ends of the galaxy.

When the food was finished Ilona took a moment to appreciate the work her son had put into this. Not only was the flesh made perfectly in the Dathomirian style but he also offered fresh, warm bread and a handmade salad.

"We really should do this more often," she told as they had finished the meal and where now sitting next to each other, gazing over the nightly world, and down the mountains towards the lights of Phelar who where the reflected in the ocean behind it.

"I´m glad you liked it," Ion said with a proud smile.

Ilona laid a hand on his shoulder, "thanks for this, all of this. I sometimes forget how important it is to take a break. Maybe I should do it more often from now on."

Ion´s smile grew and for a moment mother and son sat next to each other in silence. Then Ion turned towards her again and his face was serious. "I... I just wanted to say thanks. I... I know I´m not the son you and dad had expected. I know some other nobles think me a coward and a weakling, and maybe that´s what I am. But you and dad, you´ve never criticized me for what I am, and each time I made a mistake you where gentle and understanding. I just want to thank you for that."

Ilona looked her son straight into the eye, "Ion, you aren´t weak, and even if you where I would still love you. One does not have to join the military to be a strong person. Yes your grandparents, me and dad have served but that doesn´t mean we expect you to do it. You have a good hearth and that is what´s important, you are smart, you are capable and come up with creative ideas. I´m proud of you Ion and I always will be my little warlock." It had been ages since she had called him that the last time, Marie had given him the name in jest after seeing how fascinated her son was at the Dathomirian culture and it had stuck with him for a long time.

Ion smiled and stood up to hug his mom. "I love you, mom."

Returning the hug Ilona held her son close to her for a moment. "I know, little warlock. I always know."

 

I adore how you're expanding the Malek family into later generations.

Ion with his Mom is wonderfully touching, their reciprocal affection. I love how affirming she is of his true nature of being gentle and a dreamer.

Glad that she and Adrian's family still keep in close contact. And I noticed that little mention that Marie and Adrian have more than one youngling by now

 

This was really fun -- it's neat to see that Adrian isn't the only Malek who doesn't quite fit the Eriaduan mold. And Ion's kindness and determination to make sure that his mom gets a well-deserved vacation are really sweet.

 

Thanks, yeah the family has defenetly grown quite a bit since I created Ethan almost three years ago now.

Yeah Ion is quite a bit different from the Malek characters we had so far, who where all military veterans. Its why Ion sometimes feels like a weakling, like he isn´t doing enough to live up to his family line. But of course his parents don´t think like that at all, they understand that having a good heart is the most important thing.

They sure do, infact I think this relation will continue several generations down the line, maybe even until Evan´s days. And yeah there is a little bit of foreshadowing on what Adalia and I still have planned for the diary.

Yes, Ion certianly breaks the Eriaduan mold even more than Adrian, but as you said he defenetly has quite a bit of determination to him, especially when it comes to his mother. Thanks for commenting!