Beginnings

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, and I am not making any profit from them.

Author's Note: This story will eventually be a heavily TnT story, but this chapter, like the next few, takes place decades before T'Pol ever meets Trip.  Thank you to my beta, WarpGirl!  

            T'Pol stood still as her mother walked around her, examining her appearance for any fault, no matter how minute. 

            "You look presentable."  T'Pol was fourteen-years-old, but though her young body was just beginning to develop the first hint of adolescent curves, she was small for her age and looked at least a couple of years younger. 

            T'Pol almost responded with As do you, Mother, but thought better of it.  Instead she simply nodded. 

            "You must act interested in what his family says to you.  Do not speak to them unless they directly address you.  Think before you speak.  Do not slouch..." T'Pol tuned out as the lecture continued.  She knew what was expected of her.  "This ceremony is a very important event, T'Pol.  Everything must go perfectly."

            "Mother, why are you so worried - "

            "I am not worried, T'Pol.  That would be an emotional response."

            "You and Father seem concerned.  I do not understand why.  Is this not simply a formality?  I have never heard of anyone ending a betrothal at one of these ceremonies."

            T'Les looked down, averting her eyes from T'Pol's gaze, and began picking non-existent fibers from her long yellow dress.  "It is rare, but betrothals have ended if one set of parents finds fault with their child's betrothed or her family.  It would bring shame upon our family if Solon found you unacceptable."  T'Les had checked the database; she had found only five instances of betrothals being ended for cause in the last two hundred years. 

            It took every bit of her father's training for T'Pol to stay neutral.  "Solon is Father's t'hy'la, the brother of his heart.  He will not find me unacceptable."  He won't, even if you do, Mother.  For the past four years, T'Pol had been working extremely hard to control her emotions and restrain her telepathic abilities.  While she knew her emotions were still close to the surface, T'Pol simply refused to let her words, facial expressions, or posture betray her inward state.  But she continued to hear other people's thoughts.  In fact, as she grew older it happened more and more frequently, but she never mentioned it and she tried her best to ignore it.

            At last they were ready to proceed to Solon's family compound.  The next few hours were frustrating for T'Pol.  Though she had seen Solon on a few occasions, she had not seen Koss since their betrothal ceremony seven years earlier.  At the betrothal he had been a small, serious boy who had stared openly at her with wide brown eyes.  Now he was an unusually tall, serious young man who tried to hide his stares.

            Solon and his wife S'Len asked Velek and T'Les a series of very personal questions about T'Pol, which they answered honestly.  T'Pol was made uncomfortable by Koss's covert glances at her as their parents discussed her as if she was not present.  At last Solon asked a question that made T'Pol feel icy inside:

            "Is there any other information about your daughter that we ought to know?"

            "No," T'Les answered firmly.  Velek's eyes momentarily dropped.  You lied! T'Pol thought, and you let her, Father!  T'Pol knew that her parents should have informed Koss's family about her unusually strong telepathic abilities.  Should I tell them?

            The moment passed and now it was Velek and T'Les's turn to question Koss's family.  As neither family shared any unexpected information, both sets of parents agreed that the betrothal was valid.  A priest produced the betrothal contract from seven years ago, and both sets of parents signed it again.  Koss and T'Pol did not sign, and, in fact, were not asked their opinion of the betrothal at all.

            After the priest left, S'Len said that she thought it might be a good idea to let the two young people take a walk in the courtyard to become acquainted.  T'Les was privately horrified; it was not really proper for a betrothed couple of their age to talk alone.  However, though S'Len came from extremely humble origins - her parents were members of an off-world mining colony, of all things - her husband was one of the most prominent men on Vulcan.  T'Les could do nothing but politely acquiesce.

            T'Pol felt awkward as she walked through the gardens with Koss.  He did not speak to her, and he tried not to even look at her.  Koss was nearly a foot and a half taller than she, and he looked like a grown man.  The adults sat at a small table, watching them. 

            At last T'Pol decided that if he would not speak, then she would.  It might be a good idea to learn a little about Koss before their marriage, and opportunities like this one would be rare.  "I suppose we should try to learn a little bit more about one another."

            Koss looked at her curiously.  "I know everything I need to know about you.  I heard your parents' answers to my parents' questions, and my father has acquainted me in great detail with your family history."

            They walked on in silence again for a long moment before Koss finally spoke.  "It would be disobedience if we did not learn something else about each other as instructed by our parents.  Please, tell me something about your family."

            "My second foremother is T'Mir," she answered proudly, certain he would recognize the famous name. 

            "Yes, I know.  She raised your mother after T'Les's parents were killed.  I think that scandal is the reason my father did not want to marry your mother."

            Scandal? His father and her mother?  "What are you talking about?  What scandal?"

            He looked at her as if she was an idiot child and patiently explained, "Your forefather murdered your foremother when T'Les was just an infant."

            "Murdered?" T'Pol asked, bewildered.  "They told me my grandparents died in an accident, that my forefather's transport vessel blew up unexpectedly."

            "That's partially true.  I wonder why they never told you the whole truth?  If they did not, then I suppose I should not tell you, either.  They must have had their reasons."

            "Koss, if you know something about my family, you have to tell me.  We are going to be married one day.  It would not be logical for us to keep secrets from one another, would it?"

            Koss looked troubled for a moment, wrestling with her logic, before he finally answered.  "We are not married yet, and you are still a child.  If your parents have not told you the truth, they must have a reason, and it is not proper for me to question their authority over you."

            T'Pol stifled her annoyance.  She would find out the truth, one way or another. Nevertheless, she realized that it was no use arguing with her betrothed.  She sensed his resolve and decided to pursue another line of questioning.   "What did you mean about your father and my mother?"

            "I do not think it would hurt for you to know.  My father was originally betrothed to your mother, and my mother was betrothed to your father."

            "But - Why - How - "

            "My father was off-world when he went through his first pon farr.  It hit him hard and fast.  There was no time to return to Vulcan, so his father took him to the nearest Vulcan colony.  The only unmarried woman of suitable age was my mother.  Afterward, he claimed that he did not want to give her up.  He said that he had become quite attached to her."

            T'Pol fidgeted with the sleeve of her robe, uncomfortable with his casual mention of pon farr.  T'Les would have said it was bad manners.  One did not discuss reproductive functions so offhandedly.  

            Koss continued his story, heedless of T'Pol's disapproval.  "Both of my sets of grandparents were willing to agree to a marriage. My father was a much better match for her than my mother's parents ever could have hoped for - far higher in status than your father - and my father's family is of such high standing that it did not really matter who he married. 

            "Personally, though, I think he simply did not want to marry your mother due to the lingering scandal about her parents.  He knew he wanted a career in politics, and any hint of unsavory activities could have been damaging to his prospects.  I do not think he would truly let his feelings for a woman cause him to break his betrothal.    

            "Of course, that left both of your parents without mates.  Your father's family was not pleased, but they agreed to find another mate for him.  Your second-foremother T'Mir would not agree to break the contract between my father and your mother, though.  She insisted that it was a matter of honor. 

            "It was my father's idea that your parents should be introduced.  Apparently their meeting went well, because they both assented to a marriage.  T'Mir agreed to the match when my family promised to help your father professionally in every way," Koss finished.

            "Are you sure about all of this?" T'Pol questioned. 

            "Yes.  My father told me the story himself."

            T'Pol was completely discomfited and did not know what else to say to Koss.  In a matter of minutes she had learned that her parents had lied to her twice: once outright, and once by omission.  Troubled and distracted, she did not guard her mind as carefully as she ought to have done.

            They've engaged me to a child.  The words sounded in T'Pol's mind as loudly as if Koss had spoken them aloud to her.  Her face remained neutral and she kept walking.  She's too thin.  She walked on.  Her face would be pretty if her lips weren't so big.  T'Pol's annoyance grew.    She does not look good in yellow.  I don't like yellow.  She walked.  She is as cold as her mother, not warm like mine.  Her heart started beating faster in her chest.  V'Lere is prettier.  She began to mentally chant a calming litany, over and over.  T'Les is a nice-looking woman, though.  Maybe T'Pol will be pretty, too, by the time we marry.  She walked.  Does she have breasts yet?  I can't tell under that awful robe.  She could not remember a time when she felt more disgusted.  I wonder if she'd let me touch fingers with her?

            They passed behind a large bush and were hidden from the adults' eyes.  T'Pol stopped suddenly, put her hands on her hips, and stared up at Koss.  "I am not a child, I don't care if you think I am pretty or not, and it is no business of yours whether I have breasts.  If it is up to me, you will never find out."  She glared at him.

            Koss's jaw dropped in astonishment.  He had never seen a look of such fierceness on anyone's face, ever.  She's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen!  She knows my very thoughts.  She's my - she is my destiny! 

            T'Pol heard it all very clearly.  "Ugh!" she uttered, stifling her urge to shriek at him.  She turned and stalked away, back to her parents.