Private A new canvas

[Diarch Rellik]

[Bastion – Capital City of Ravelin | Early Afternoon | Clear Skies]

There was a rhythm to Ravelin that pulsed like the heartbeat of the Diarchy itself. Measured, alive, and warm beneath the noonday sun. Light danced along the polished glass of towering skyscrapers, reflecting streaks of gold and sapphire down into the winding arteries of the city. Below, people moved with the confidence of citizens who trusted their government, their neighbors, and the strength of the peace they lived under. Tourists gave exotic life beside pedestrians. Music filtered from open balconies and shaded cafés. Conversations buzzed between merchants and patrons, punctuated by the hiss of speeder brakes and the aroma of fresh caf.

A quieter district bloomed beneath the Crucible academy, Rellik could see it from his personal chambers within its tower on purpose. For it was here that families thrived, where artists painted murals on alleys that hadn't seen a shadow of crime in years, and where the soul of Ravelin whispered its clearest song. It was here, in this little square of serenity between a florist's stall and a vendor selling handmade toys, that Rellik would walk around today. Its own form of meditation and finding peace.

Rellik paused, his silhouette casting a long shadow that drew no alarm. Cloaked in his usual austere black and deep red cloak, his presence still commanded deference even here, even now. Yet, for once, no soldier snapped to attention, no clerk scrambled to bow. The market continued its motion like a river around a stone.

There sat on a small folding stool with a canvas perched before her was a woman near his age who felt familiar to him but he had never seen. She was working on a white and pure canvas, the beginning strokes of something beautiful. There was something rare about that. Something honest.

He didn't speak immediately. Instead, he watched as her brush dipped and curved again, adding life to life. His golden eyes, usually sharp and calculating, softened - perhaps from memory. Perhaps from something else but for some reason he felt trusting of her.

Taking the risk of bothering her during her work he approached and gently spoke.

"I am sorry to intrude and if you would rather not be bothered during your work I understand. I just had a feeling I have met you before, do I know you?"

Iandre Athlea

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Pausing for a moment, Iandre chewed on the pointed end of her paintbrush. Looking at the view in front of her, she drew an inexperienced curve along the fine pencil she had drawn earlier. So far, the image was turning out better than she had expected, and she looked forward to the finished project.

Laphisto had suggested she learn to slow down and appreciate the world around her. Up on the station above Bastion, it wasn't easy. As her duties were done for a while, she had decided to accept his advice and traveled to the planet below today. It hadn't taken too long to gather up a few supplies and make herself a spot in the sun to start her new hobby.

Getting the colors mixed just right, she added another line of the trees in the distance. Another moment to chew on the tip, and a voice spoke from behind her. It was a voice she had heard once before, and she had not spoken to him then. At that time, they had been on another world together, and the helmet of her uniform had covered her head.

Finishing the brush she had started, when it was done, she lowered the brush and clipped it to the palette she was working with. Her hair was in two braids that hung down the back of her head to her shoulders and fell to the front. She had recovered from her extended meditation and had a healthy glow about her.

Standing up to face the voice, her grey eyes met his gold, and she gave him a small but friendly smile. Setting the palette on the stool, she approached him and closed the distance between them. Holding her hand out like she had his brother when they met, she offered to shake his. Only this time, there was no armor between their hands.

"You have met me before. I am Iandre Athlea. If you'd like to call me Ian, you're welcome to do so. Our introduction was never formal, though. It is truly nice to meet you on friendly ground."

Diarch Rellik

 

[Diarch Rellik]

A slight pulse rang from Relliks heart throughout his body as she turned around. Radiant, glowing skin contrasting her dark braids and Grey eyes.

Without a hiccup or any signs of the moment he replied promptly.

“Iandre…” he repeated quietly. "It is nice to formally meet you." With a soft touch he gripped her hand in a royal princesses handshake. Hand wrapping around her fingers palm down, thumb across the top. Followed suite by a slight bow - similar to the one he did when they first met, his simingly alive cloak following behind with an almost dramatic flair.

A similarly light smile tugged at the edge of his mouth. “I never imaged your voice to be so bright underneath all of that armor."

He couldn't resist a small tease as his fingers gently let go of hers.

Now turning his head slightly to glance back at the canvas she’d left behind. “it seems to be coming along well. I hope this serene area of the city helps. I come down here to relax from time to time. Have you been enjoying our little slice of paradise here?"

As the two stood mere feet from each other his expressions were clear. He was curious, softened with a kind of quiet awe. The kind only someone used to war might feel in the presence of something peaceful.

Iandre Athlea

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Her eyes looked at their clasped hands for a moment before she looked at him again. They were of equal height and approximately the same age. For just a heartbeat, Iandre felt so small and insignificant next to him. Then he gave her a royal handshake, and her eyebrows raised slightly.

"I am no princess, Diarch. It is nice to be thought of as one."

The normally confident woman was slowly regaining that as they spoke. Her brief second of insecurity faded like a cloud covering the sun. Smiling at him now, she resumed the calm look she usually wore.

"What did you imagine it would sound like?"

Their momentary encounter on Borosk had not lasted long enough for her to form an opinion of Rellik. That was changing, and unlike his brother, the man next to her did not give her the heebie-jeebies. It was the opposite. On Borosk, she had made a promise to herself to seek him out at a later time. It seemed that time had arrived, and she wanted to seize it.

"I suppose..."

Once again, her confidence faltered just slightly. Drawing in a breath through her nose, she expelled it from her mouth before speaking again.

"In my past, I didn't take the time to notice nature around me. Everything is so new to me."

Pausing a breath, she glanced at her painting and turned to face Rellik again. This time, she had all of her confidence in her tone and nodded with that behind her.

"Yes, I am."

Diarch Rellik

 

[Diarch Rellik]

Rellik's smile deepened, a slight curl of the lip that tugged at the corner of his cheek, matched by the steady warmth behind his gaze.

"Kindly, forgive me." he said, softly as she said she was not a princess. It was a force of habit by now due to all the meetings with royals and delegates from Naboo. In his mind he thought with her tight braid and natural beauty she would fit right in at such events.

"Most of the order is a blade's edge with no warmth in the steel." The battle on Borosk unfolded quickly, Rellik was deep in grief over the lost of his best friend. Perhaps even if she had spoken at the time it would not have been the same as now. Hearing her under the warmth of the white and orange stars of bastion. The two slowly moving together in the sky akin to them across from each other now.

This section of Bastion teemed with life outside of the courtyard where they stood. It was a mercantile - mom and pop shop filled area. Homely with overhung awnings, families and more about. Nurtured trees and streamers connecting them lining down the streets.

"We ship things from all over the galaxy here. If you have the time now, I could show you around the marketplace. I can promise there would be a few trees and trinkets here you wouldn't have seen. Don't worry, I can have my personal droid oversee your art until we return. Than I will leave you in peace as you finish, hopefully with new inspiration."

He spoke confidently back. Pride and joy in the city he has helped mold. Once Bastion was nothing more than super turret structures and people living in constant fear of attack. Now they truly lived.

Iandre Athlea

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Part of her Jedi training had indeed been about how to fit into high society. She had the knowledge but not the lineage, and she didn't expect that to change. One could be taught how to act royal, but it rarely continued past that. A part of her wanted to be a part of his world—the one beyond the streets and what he showed to the public.

"Such is the way of war, Diarch. It is among the things that remain unchanged. I am sorry for the loss of your friend, and you have my sympathy."

Blinking her eyes, she thought of her losses and held the memory of their past close and cherished her memories of them. Holding her hand above her heart in a fist, she looked at the ground as she prayed for their souls. He might not have asked for this, but it was something Iandre felt she needed to do.

Finishing her small prayer, she opened her hand and lowered it to her side. Returning her gaze to his, she listened to his suggestion and nodded.

"That would be nice. A comfortable walk with a Diarch, guiding me to his favorite places and showing me trinkets I couldn't have known about."

Humor twinkled in her grey eyes, and she gave him an honest smile.

Diarch Rellik

 

[Diarch Rellik]

Rellik inclined his head slowly. He was not fully prepared to meet the idea of Varis Oakertain head on... at least not today. As Iandre bowed her head, so did he. He could tell she was hardened in the same way as himself. He put his fist above his chest and prayed with her. The two near each other in reverence at the moment. Although close, it was not about them. It was about all of those who had fought for them. For what they believed in.

"Thank you," he said quietly. "He would've liked you." His smile shifted, yet was still present, just softened by the memory of loss. A second passed, and then another, before he returned fully, motioning with an open palm and full smile as if extending a path just for her.

"Come," he said, As she lowered her hand after the prayer Rellik grasped it into his own, not as royalty but jovially. In high spirit as someone excited for the world before him. They now stepped beyond the courtyard's stone arch into the heart of the district, where the shade of banner-strewn trees met bursts of sunlight that cut between narrow walkways. Wind chimes made from discarded starship parts sang from above a metalworker's stall. A child ran past holding a string of painted beads, laughter echoing behind him.

"This was once a war zone," He said softly, eyes drifting to a wall nearby where old blast marks had been lovingly painted over with a mural of dual suns rising over mountains. "Turrets stood where those trees are now. Civilians used to run from the sound of boots. Now they dance to music in the streets."

A Nautolan strummed a stringed instrument carved from Wroshyr wood playing an old folk tune reinterpreted with modern rhythms. Rellik slowed only slightly to listen, his golden eyes scanning the fingers of the musician as he played with quiet pride. He paused with a smile across his face. Enthralled with how beautiful their playing was.

He gestured toward a small stand up ahead. - Artisan glasswork. Crystalline spheres, miniature holopendants, and hand-sculpted flora gleamed under the sun. "That vendor there, she takes crystals from Mygeeto and turns them into art. There is more up ahead but she makes beautiful Artesian tree sculptures." He let that linger, then added, with a subtle look toward her:

"Would you like one? I'd be honored to give you something from here… something that's part of my home, this landscape for your art that you can take and hold with you later." He knew this was just one of many shops of the kind. Yet it was that, he had built beauty here and was finally able to show it. In a way, all of it held meaning to him. No matter how trivial.

Iandre Athlea

 

[Iandre Athlea]

The mutual moment of silence and prayer ended with him giving her thanks, and Iandre nodded without saying anything. They both needed time to accept and adjust to their losses. Nothing happened quickly, and she never wanted it to. Not anymore. Once she had been told to slow down and take the time to appreciate things, she began to see the world differently. This was just a small step for her, and it appeared that Rellik wanted to join her on this journey.

His hand was warm around hers, and it felt nice to have the human connection. Iandre had been alone for so long and craved something like this—a person to take her by the hand and spend time with her. Rellik was providing that for her when she needed it the most, even if she didn't know it.

Trailing her other hand along the wall next to her, she allowed Rellik to guide her into the market district. Feeling the sun on her face, she slowed for a few breaths and just felt the warmth on her skin. Tilting her face up to allow more contact to happen, she listened as Rellik told her a little of the history of Bastion.

When the sun went behind a cloud, she opened her eyes to look at what he pointed out. She saw the scars under the carefully crafted mural and tipped her head in understanding. It was nice to see and know the people under his rule were prosperous and joyful. Seeing this made her realize she had made the right choice when she was woken up from her meditation.

Pausing when he did, she wasn't a musician, but she could still appreciate the beauty of the notes.

"Would you like to dance, my Diarch?"

What spurred her to ask that? Even Iandre didn't know, but it felt right, and she went with it. She interjected this before he was given the chance to offer to buy her something.

Diarch Rellik

 

[Diarch Rellik]

Rellik blinked once as the offer left her lips, his posture still mid-gesture toward the artisan stand, he wasn't offended. Not even close. He stepped in front of her, closing the small distance between them. "I'd like that," he said, voice low and warm.

He gently raised and released her hand only for it to be held by his other one now. The hand that once gripped hers came to rest lightly at her back.

The breeze lifted faint streamers between buildings above, and the strings of the Nautolan's instrument shifted softly, its notes now curving gently, almost wistfully, like the slow sway of water. The musician knew he had an audience and reveled in it beautifully.

Raised in it, Rellik began to lead with his hand holding hers. The steps were slow, deliberate. Measured more by feeling as he began to know his dance partner. He let the sway of the melody guide him, guiding her.

At one point, his forehead tilted gently toward hers, not touching, but near. His golden eyes slowly walked up her form as he made his way from the ground up to see her face. His eyes held a gentle spark.

Iandre Athlea

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart felt like it was hovering there as well. A small part of her had been worried he would be offended, but all of her was pleased he wasn't. Bowing slightly as if she were wearing something formal. She brought her hand to his side and allowed her other hand to be carried up by him. She had asked for this and enjoyed everything—every second and sensation.

Even if she had danced before, they hadn't meant anything. This was different. She wanted this to happen and wanted to explore what was in front of her. Instead of trying to deny her unknown need for connection, she embraced it.

Moving with him, it was synchronous and almost perfect. She was human and quite out of practice, as well as maybe a bit nervous. No toes were stepped on, and she kept her eyes closed for a few steps until she found his rhythm. She assessed him as much as he assessed her.

The harmony of the music weaved its way between them and bound them to this moment. Her senses were heightened, and the music augmented them. The tones enriched the situation, and Iandre was enthralled by the melody and the feeling of being held in Rellik's gentle and confident arms.

Everything had to come to an end, and the song faded in the afternoon air. Meeting his eyes, her grey met his gold, and she smiled at his spark.

Diarch Rellik

 

[Diarch Rellik]

As the last notes drifted into silence, Rellik's hand remained in place for just a breath longer than needed. Her smile met his spark, and for a moment, he simply stood there, committing the shape of her to memory. When they stared into each others eyes for a moment it was just as Rellik. No Diarch, no Lord. Open. Unmasked. As he felt the urge to drift in for a kiss, he stopped himself. Not retreating from what just passed between them, only choosing not to trap it under pressure.

The sounds of the market began to return around them, filling the edges of the silence. A child laughed somewhere off to the right. The scent of fruit pastries carried again on the breeze. But Rellik didn't turn away from her.

"I hope that won't be the last time," he added, the words spoken more like a promise than a question.

Then, a half-step back, releasing her hand gently. He turned just slightly. "There's one part of Bastion I don't show to many. I would like to show it to you. As we walk I'd like to keep learning about you and the kind of things you enjoy." He placed his hand out again for Iandre to take. To him, she had become the beautiful piece of art. He was fascinated and warmed simply by looking at her.

Iandre Athlea

 

[Iandre Athlea]

The connection between the two of them lasted a few moments longer than the song, and Iandre did not pull away either. Nor did she lean in for the kiss that was so very tempting. That day on Borosk wasn't wasted, and she was glad she made that promise to herself. When that child laughed, she broke eye contact and looked over his shoulder.

For just a moment longer, she held her breath and then let it out slowly.

"I'll make sure it isn't. I will be happy to dance with you again. If the opportunity comes up."

Her hand was warm within the gentle grasp he had on it, and she almost missed it when he took it away. Standing up straight, she met his side eyes and accepted the hand he held out. Curiosity was a familiar sensation for her, and Iandre also wanted to know about Rellik.

"What would you like to know?"

She walked with serene confidence and took pleasure in being by the Diarch's side. Once again, she did not regret her choice in coming to these lands.

Diarch Rellik