A Little Curious

[Arekk]

AURUM​

A Hidden Lake Within The Forest, Near Aurum City​

​

The journey from Nar Shaddaa has taken its toll on Ar'ekk and finally caught up with him, depleting the entirety of his energy as soon as he touched the ground. [member="Jyn Sol"] had brought him back to his senses and much more than that, saved his life from an impending doom. She brought him back to Aurum as he had originally been prior to all the unfaithful events that transpired and was now living with her. Obviously it also meant that Jyn would have to attend the necessities of her people upon arrival alongside the Queen which meant that the young half masked man would be alone for now.

His urge to relax was greater than anything, having only been 24 hours since they've returned to Jed'aii space. With a towel dangling from his shoulder and his lightsaber clipped to a belt, Ar'ekk walked down a rocky path to find himself within a hidden lake in the forest.

Hoping the area was secluded enough for anyone's eye, the young Jedi Knight could finally take a much needed relaxed swim. His upper torso was uncovered yet he kept his undergarments worn in case someone tried to sneak up on him and needed to escape, even if the chances of such occurance were pretty slim. Floating in a backwards motion with his eyes closed, his mind cleared from any thoughts whatsoever.

Peace at last, for a moment.

[member="Sahna Te"]

 

[Valgærd]

Sahna had found a secret place.

There was a forest not too far from Aurum city. She had found it within a few days of landing there with Jyn. She thought about her master now as she made her way to her sanctuary. The woman seemed to be a collector of broken things. She saw the good in people, she was the balancing force in the young togruta's traumatic start to the galaxy. Not only that, but she had begun to teach her how to harness the force, this feeling that had accompanied her throughout her life.

It was the force that had led her to the lake the first time.

She had been out in the forest, thinking about Jyn's first lesson or two. It wasn't that she had been looking for anything specifically, in fact, it had been quite the opposite. She was just wandering, letting her feelings guide her steps. Eventually, they had led her to a beautiful secluded lake.

Ever since then, she had continued to return to it when she needed a little solitude. Aurum city was nice enough, and had certainly been no stranger to crowds. It was just that sometimes the quiet seemed to call to her, and she would go to be alone.

Today, however, as she picked her way through the flora and came upon the clearing, she felt a presence.

The togruta froze in fear. It was... unfamiliar. Someone had found her sanctuary, her secret place. For a moment or two, she felt almost violated, as if rather than stumbling upon a clearing, this intruder had come into her private chambers.

She took a deep breath, closing her eyes and trying to let herself relax. The trick wasn't forcing it, but instead letting her fear leave her naturally. When again she opened her eyes, she spotted the source of the feeling. He was swimming in the lake, laying on his back. She contemplated simply turning and leaving, there was a good chance he hadn't spotted her yet.

She bit her lip, her hands moving to stroke her montrals as she often did when she was nervous or thinking. Eventually, she decided to stay. She couldn't have had this place all to herself forever. She might has well accept that now.

"H-hello?" She called out somewhat uncertainly.

@Ar'ekk

 

[Arekk]

The forest was full of life and he could channel that through the Force, birds chirping atop of the trees and the wildlife of Aurum following their daily lives. His eyes remained closed as he allowed his body to freely move around the lake, crystaline cold water cooling his entire body as he swam without much effort. But then... a feeling. Someone was hidden but their intentions were clearly of anxiousness and curiosity, harmless too. Whoever was there, it meant no harm to Ar'ekk.

His towel and personal belongings, including the lightsaber, freely rested on the green grass next to the lake. They were open for anyone to take although it'd be pointless to wield the weapon of a Jedi like himself because it was attuned through the Force to only activate when he's the one holding such weapon. Then suddenly a voice ushered from the trees and the young man dragged his gaze towards a young Togruta coming nearby. Lifting his feet in an upwards motion and letting the water drip through his toes, he replied back.

"Hello."

[member="Sahna Te"]

 

[Valgærd]

The young man turned to gaze at Sahna as she called out. Instantly she regretted having done so, the fear returning and overpowering her for a moment. He was much more well-built than she, and the belongings she had spied nearby included a lightsaber, which implied he knew how to wield it. What if he was angry that she had disturbed him? What if he was violent? What if he...

She forced herself to stop, to take a few moments and close her eyes, breathing deep and letting the fear leave her. Fear had its place, as did all emotions. But she had... perhaps an abundance of it, and she was only now learning that it was alright to let it go. She took another step further out of the trees. Wearing just a simple brown tunic that hung off one shoulder, brown pants that were clearly a size or two too large, and with her scrawny figure she would have looked like a child from a distance. The togruta sat by the edge of the water, placing one pastel orange finger along the glassy surface and trailed it in a circle, watching the ripples fade out from her touch. She imagined the rest of her fear doing the same, flowing out from her, and turned her had back up to the man.

"Are you... new to Aurum?" She asked. Sahna paused, biting her lip as her brow furrowed. Was that rude? She grimaced and tried again, "I'm... Sahna, by the way. Sahna Te."

@Ar'ekk

 

[Arekk]

The fear flowing through her body and affecting the peace of mind was latent and he could sense it, a very familiar feeling easy to relate to. She was scared somehow despite how their sorroundings screamed serenity. The Force was so powerful that if one attuned themselves with such power and focused on looking beyond the fear, the pain and despair... you'd find peace. Reaching out towards Sahna could probably tell her that the young man wasn't a foe but more of an ally. Nothing to be scared of.

His appearance made Ar'ekk look menacing, yes, but appearances can be deceiving. The scars upon his face and the entirety of his back plus the cybernetic arm as a replacement for a lost limb, a half mask that covered such sight, a lightsaber resting by the grass could tell you a thousand things but if you never reached out to properly know the story of such person... You would never know what lays beneath.

Enjoying the swim and staying afloat, the young Jedi engaged the scared Togruta in a friendly conversation. His intention was to remain neutral and show her that there was nothing to be afraid of.

"I'm Ar'ekk. I've been in Aurum once, this is my second time. Tell me, Sahna, you're a local?"

[member="Sahna Te"]

 

[Valgærd]

The force.

Perhaps that was it, the reason she was able to let go of some of her fear had begun to ebb with relatively little effort. She was only just beginning to learn the full extent to which she could use the force, but she already had a handle on sensing through it. Ignis had felt strongly of the dark side, and yet, she had managed to look beyond that and even begin to call him a friend. This Ar'ekk? He felt... different. Despite his appearance, there was a sense of peace about him. It occurred to her that she had expected to feel what she felt in Ignis in this heavily scarred man, but books and covers and all that.

"Me? I'm not a local to anywhere." The Togruta answered, still trailing her fingers through the water, "I'm hoping to change that, though. Aurum seems lovely... what little I've seen of it, at least."

She pulled herself to her feet, feeling her shoulders relax as she engaged Ar'ekk in conversation. Talking seemed to help greatly. The girl lifted one slender finger, gesturing to the lightsaber,

"So... do you know how to use that?" She asked.

@Ar'ekk

 

[Arekk]

"I do."

He said before submerging into the water and staying underwater for a few seconds, the sensation of tranquility felt like a newborn inside the womb. Protected. Once he rose back to the surface he wiped off the water that got into his eyes with such strength that it felt like they were piercing through.

The sun touched down with practiced bravado with the temperature rising by the minute. Being in the water seemed like a blessing.

"You can inspect it if you want to. However, it won't ignite. It's attuned with the Force, only its wielder can activate it."

Ar'ekk continued to swim around, enjoying every last bit of the cold water touching his skin and cooling his entire body. A much needed rest after years of grazing death and fighting the evil ways of the Force.

The Force... perhaps the Togruta knew about such gift. He could sense it somehow.

[member="Sahna Te"]

 

[Valgærd]

Sahna's gaze was locked on the lightsaber for a few moments longer. She was force-sensative, and in fact has relied upon it for most of her life, but she'd never heard of a force-activated weapon, and the like intruiged her.

But eventually she shook her head.

"Thank you, but that's alright." She smiled, shrugging one shoulder slightly. The girl pursed her lips for a moment. She had come here with the intention of cooling off in the lake, and this man, this... Ar'ekk... had interrupted her. She contemplated merely leaving him to the sanctuary and making her way back to the city, but the sun was beginning to beat down on her, and the lake glistened with the promise of a refreshing bathe in its depths, and cool relief.

She sighed and pulled herself to her feet, removing her tunic and pants, stripping down to only humble undergarments. Were Ar'ekk watching, he'd see how truly malnourished she was. Jyn had been doing her part to feed the girl, but a lifetime of barely eating was difficult to reverse. Her hips bones jutted out, her ribs visible beneath the fabric of her singlet. She was still almost dangerously scrawny.

However if such a state caused her pain, she was apparently used to it. In truth, Sahna Te had almost forgotten what it was like to not have constant hunger pangs in her belly. She slipped into the cool water, walking until she was waist-deep. This was usually as far as she went, as the Togruta had never learned to swim.

"I... hope you don't mind if I cool off?" She asked after a few moments, blushing as she realised she'd forgotten to do so earlier, "I can leave if you'd prefer, it's cool in the library back in the city."

She bit her lip. Whilst technically true, the library was Jyn's sanctuary, and Sahna preferred the company of trees to holocrons.

@Ar'ekk

 

[Arekk]

He eventually shrugged off the idea of her maneuvering the lightsaber, probably another opportunity will put them together where the occasion would allow the young Togruta to hold the weapon of a Jedi.

Watching Sahna strip down to her humble garments and noticing the state of her body, Ar'ekk had a brief flashback that put him back into Malachor V. The house of a young girl and her mother who held to her tightly under her arms as the both of them starved and seemed to have been living in awful conditions for a while. A thousands yard stare took over his face and by the time he realized, he already had snapped back to reality.

"You will faint due to the heat if you walk away now. I don't mind at all, the lake's not mine."

He replied back with a warm smile as he washed his face with the cold water. The Togruta seemed to have dipped into the lake with extreme care which was pretty obvious for someone not used to such places or perhaps didn't know how to properly swim, that's why the young made couldn't help himself but ask,

"Can you swim, Sahna? If not, then I don't suggest going past that point."

Faithful to his more natural and playful personality, Ar'ekk throwed some water Sahna's way to get her accustomed to the cold right away, chuckling.

[member="Sahna Te"]

 

[Valgærd]

Sahna stripped down, noticing the distant look that seemed to come over Ar'ekk's gaze as she did. He seemed to be elsewhere, momentarily disconnecting from the heat and the lake to somewhere... far away, to something that her gaunt, malnourished form seemed to remind him of. She wrapped her bony arms around herself as he came to, averting her eyes. Whatever memories such a form conjured, they were likely unpleasant.

He offered for her to stay, warning her the dangers of staying out in the heat. He was right, too. She already felt lightheaded from her trek here. Perhaps learning to share this sanctuary was for the best. She let a small smile play onto her lips and nodded at him, taking a few steps into the cool water.

"You're right, I wouldn't want to make Jyn worry by collapsing somewhere." She replied with a shrug.

She stopped, a sigh escaping her lips as the sun's merciless heat was suddenly beginning to ebb. The water lapped at her ankles, cooling her down immensely. Ar'ekk seemed to continue watching her, asking another question. He reminded her of Jyn, caring and almost parental in his treatment of her. She'd come to find that, Aurum seemed to house many such souls.

The Togruta glanced up,

"Well... no, not particularly." She confessed. She couldn't say more as suddenly water was splashed in her direction. The girl chuckled, turning away as the cool droplets landed on her skin.

"Hey!" She cried playfully, turning to splash some back at him. She ran a few steps further into the lake, kicking the sparkling water up around her as she did. Once she was a little closer, she dunked her hands into the water, splashing Ar'ekk again.

"Take that!"

[member="Arekk"]

 

[Arekk]

Laughing out loud, Ar'ekk was splashed with water as part of a retaliation act from the little Togruta. She had decided to join him in the lake and he appreciated that, no one should suffer from the heat that Aurum was 'agonizing' from. This little sanctuary in the middle of the forest was like being on cloud nine where no one could bother you and you'd be able to enjoy some personal time without having to worry about anything else.

"Hey! That's cheating!"

Smiling from his end, the young man splashed some more water the young lady's way. He enjoyed this little moment of playfulness and during their little friendly game, Ar'ekk overheard her beau's name. Jyn. Of course she know Jyn as she had the most beautiful soul out of anyone he had ever met. It was no surprise.

"You know Jyn?"

Swimming forward to come about Sahna's way, Ar'ekk wiped some water out of his face as he made his inquiries. His feet floated freely and his head was tilted backwards, enjoying the coolness and the soothing sensation that provoked such thing.

[member="Sahna Te"]

 

[Valgærd]

Sahna let out a long sigh as she let herself sink into the cool water completely. Aah, that was better. She was instantly glad that she'd decided to stay and take a chance with the young man, as the sun's merciless heat was banished from her pale orange form. He called out to her, smiling. The togruta just shrugged and winked at him,

"Who's going to believe you, though?" She laughed. It felt... easy. Sahna paused as she realised that... yes, it was easy to laugh now. Ever since landing on Aurum, ever since she'd made a home here, she'd in fact begun to laugh quite a bit. She was pulled from her thoughts as Ar'ekk splashed her again, chuckling and turning her head away as her montrals whipped about her face.

He swam towards her now, wiping some of the glistening droplets of water from his brow, asking if she knew Jyn. He was clearly enjoying the cool water, the blissful expression on his face said as much. Sahna herself smiled, craning her head back and closing her eyes as she began to float in the lake, speaking as much to the sky as she did to Ar'ekk,

"Jyn is my teacher," she began, "my... rescuer. She found me in a swamp of all places..." The girl's voice turned sombre, as she recalled the less than pleasant memories of her past. When she spoke again, her words were very soft indeed,

"I'd likely be dead now if it weren't for her."

The girl shook her head of the thoughts. This was meant to be a fine day, a chance to relax, to enjoy the cool lake and the free time she had. No one needed to have their spirits brought down by such an unpleasant story. She bit her lip as she thought, even a true one. She truly owed her life to the woman, and had vowed to spend it finding a way to make it up to her. Still... this was no time to let solemn thoughts cloud such a lovely day. Opening her eyes and turning towards the man, Sahna forced a smile,

"How do you know her?"

[member="Arekk"]

 

[Arekk]

His gaze was focused on the calm forest that sorrounded them, animals of all kind making a blissful noise as they told a thousand stories. The water flowed gently and moved the two of them along with extreme care as the sun gave them warmth from afar although a little too extreme for their own taste. Raising his head from the water and looking up to the Togruta, Ar'ekk's interest peaked when she told her story.

Relatable. The man had been in the same position as this poor thing, saved from the hands of death by the same person whose sole was noble and would give her life for yours. Not by any minute he felt the story would bring him annoyance or lower down his spirits and instead listened with attention and the utmost respect.

"Jyn. She's... the most important person in my life. Everything."

Blushing and leaving that thought in the air, Ar'ekk decided to go underwater and stay there for a while in an attempt to stop expanding on that story. They were in a relationship but out of respect for the people that [member="Jyn Sol"] considered family, he wouldn't advertise himself as his romantic partner just yet. It was up her choice when to make the proper introductions, that's for sure.

A gentleman's way of handling things, one can suppose.

[member="Sahna Te"]

 

[Valgærd]

Sahna Te didn't even try to stifle the sigh that escaped her. What little muscle she had completely relaxed as she gave herself over to the cool waters of the lake. Oh yes, staying was most definitely the best idea. It occurred to her that Ar'ekk seemed easy to talk to, easy to share her story with. There seemed to be a sense of understanding in his eyes, instead of the pity she was used to seeing. It was certainly better than that predatory gaze she'd seen in the past, from those whom sought to make an easy meal of her in one way or another. But Ar'ekk... he looked at her the way Aranias had, as someone whom had been there, who truly understood.

She smiled as he spoke of Jyn. The woman had clearly had a similar affect on his life as she had on Sahna's. The Je'daii was nothing short of a miracle worker. The young togruta expected the man to say more, but instead he simply disappeared below the surface of the lake, leaving behind but a ripple. She watched for a moment, before sighing and leaning her head backwards so she began to float on her back. As the quiet descended, she lost herself in thought. It was clear that Ar'ekk and Jyn had... something. She certainly wasn't one to pry. She was happy for them, perhaps one day the young woman would find someone who would speak about her with the same dreamy tone Ar'ekk took on as he spoke about Jyn.

Maybe, but for now, she was content with just the caresses of the cool lake.

[member="Arekk"]