Private Beneath the Morning Sky

[Everest Vale]

Outfit: Workout Fit
Equipment: Lightsaber, Bracelet, Earrings, Engagement Ring
Tag: Colette

The sun had only just begun its climb over the peaks of Tython, spilling golden warmth through the cool mountain air. A few drifting clouds caught the light like silk banners, soft and slow, while dew still clung to the temple’s grass and stone.

Eve stood outside the door to Colette’s temple dorm, her hair damp from an earlier rinse, her chest rising and falling with the easy rhythm of pre-run stretches. She’d already warmed up — just a few circuits around the outer courtyard — and now bounced lightly on her heels, hands behind her head as she tilted her face toward the ceiling.

It was one of those mornings. The kind where everything felt in place.

The faint glint on her hand caught the morning light. The ring. Her breath hitched just slightly — it always did — and she smiled, small and private. She hadn’t stopped smiling in days.

She knocked on the door again, a little more playfully this time.

"Colette," she called, grinning. "Time to drag those boots out of bed!"

 

[Colette]

Everest Vale

And she could have knocked a third and fourth time but there'd be no response. Was Colette asleep? Did she just not hear, or was she in the shower? The answer dawned upon Everest at about 130 BPM until it came to a quick stop with a skid and a chuckle.

It would seem the white-haired woman hadn't been the only one to think of warm ups.

"You're early." Colette chuckled and gently tugged at Everest to pull her along into a slow jog to set them off on their little alone time together. "I mean, that's good. Started to get crazy in there. Just sitting around"

She let in a deep breath and led them into the woods around the temple. They could have stuck to the 'clean' and even grounds of the temple, sure, but where was the fun in that? There wasn't the small chance of tripping on a tree root, no branches to slap or tug at, not even a rock to jump off of when things got stale.

"How are you? How have things been since last? It was a while ago now."

 

[Everest Vale]

Outfit: Workout Fit
Equipment: Lightsaber, Bracelet, Earrings, Engagement Ring
Tag: Colette

Eve laughed as Colette tugged her into the jog, falling in step beside her with practiced ease. The pulse already in her legs from the warm up blended into a rhythm as natural as breathing. She let the chuckle linger a moment longer—relieved, really. The woods smelled rich and earthy, sunlight filtering through green canopies above. She preferred it this way. Alive. Uneven.

"I should've known you'd be out here already," Eve said with a soft grin.

The tempo of her feet quickened slightly as the incline rose, a few roots requiring a hop or sidestep. She didn't mind. She was glowing still. Lighter in her chest. A flicker of something radiant pulsed faintly in her, and though she didn't look down at her hand, the weight of what it now bore was never far from her awareness.

When Colette asked, Eve took a breath, long and full. Her smile didn't fade, but her voice quieted just a little, warmed by the trust between them.

"Things have been... really good," she said, exhaling slowly. "Like, really, really good." A small chuckle escaped her then, giddy and uninhibited.

A pause. Then her eyes flicked toward Colette as they ducked a low branch.

"There's news. Big news. But you first... What's new with you? Tell me everything. I missed you, Col."

 

[Colette]

Everest Vale

Big news, huh? Colette threw a curious look at Everest and then back to the path ahead. The fresh air made all of this so much easier than the stuffy old gym back on Coruscant.

"I mean, I'm same as always. Out of rehab, back to speed from the injuries." Colette shrugged as they went. "Picked up an apprentice, I guess. But that's not—... Well, that's a whole other beast."

She shot the curious look over at Everest yet again as their feet tap tap tapped away against the forest floor.

"What's up, Eve?"

 

[Everest Vale]

Outfit: Workout Fit
Equipment: Lightsaber, Bracelet, Earrings, Engagement Ring
Tag: Colette

Eve glanced sideways as Colette spoke, catching the mention of a new apprentice with a quiet flicker of surprise—but she didn’t press. That could wait.

What couldn’t wait was the way her heart began beating faster at Colette's second inquiry.

She tried — really tried — to keep jogging, to play it cool. But her grin was already starting to form before she could stop it. And then she slowed. A few more paces, then a slow halt, catching her breath more from nerves than exertion.

"It’s probably best I just..." she began, words catching slightly as emotion bubbled up. Then she lifted her hand, palm turned slightly outward.

The morning sun caught the delicate ring on her finger, onyx and silver glinting bright as if the Force itself had etched its presence in light.

" …show you."

A wide, sheepish grin spread across her face as her cheeks flushed. Her heart thudded hard against her ribs, but she looked utterly alight with joy.

 

[Colette]

They were slowing down. Why were they slowing down?

Oh! Now that actually was a surprise. Colette looked at the shiny little ring and allowed herself a moment to smile. Of course she was happy for Everest, she knew that Tigris meant a lot to the Echani, but an even greater part was amused by the need for something to show that their love was real. Wedding bands were of course a sacred tradition across many stars, but much like with a lot of things — and to perhaps even an insanely stretched out extent even for herself — Colette knew that she herself wouldn’t want such a material thing to tie her down in a comfortable reality.

All of that was to say: she was very happy for Everest. She would show it by giving her a smile and while being ever so stoic put a hand on the other woman’s shoulder to show her support.

“I’m very happy for you, Everest.” She said and let the hand fall back to her side again. “I don’t really know how these things work, or what to say, but I hope you two have a good life together.”

The jog came to a stop for now, it would seem.

“When did this happen? How?”

Everest Vale

 

[Everest Vale]

Outfit: Workout Fit
Equipment: Lightsaber, Bracelet, Earrings, Engagement Ring
Tag: Colette

Eve flushed at the hand on her shoulder, the sincerity behind Colette's words catching her in a way she hadn't expected. She smiled, sheepish and soft, brushing her thumb over the ring as if it still didn't quite feel real.

"Thank you," she murmured, voice quiet but deeply genuine. "That means a lot, Col. You mean a lot."

The warmth lingered in her chest as she gave a small exhale, then bounced slightly on her heels and nodded toward the trail again.

"Come on," she said, gently nudging Colette's arm. She picked the pace back up, not too fast, just enough to feel the rhythm settle in again. The forest closed around them like a quiet cathedral, and only then did Eve speak again, more breathless this time, but her tone light.

"We were visiting my mama on Eshan," she said. "Just needed to get away. Reconnect." A brief smile crossed her face, half-amused, half-dazed at the memory. "And Tigris, she surprised me. We were in the orchard behind the house, and it just… happened. She didn't plan it. Said she just... knew." Her silver eye shimmered, misting briefly.

"I didn't even think, couldn't even think. I just... said yes." A small laugh, half a breath. "How could I not?"

 

[Colette]

Everest Vale

Colette caught most of the little details when they talked, usually. It was a bit different while on foot and at a pace. As much as she wished she had caught the way that Everest's eyes beamed when she smiled and how her lip twitched just a little to the side as she started to grin, Colette was far too busy minding her steps to really see it.

So anyway, how could Everest not say yes?

"I mean…" Colette began with a cheeky smile before she shook her head. "Nah, you're right."

"It's a very big move, but I'm sure you'll do great." She said and nodded yet again before she shrugged. "Just, you know, keep your duty as Jedi in mind too and all that. Maybe talk to Val or someone about how they make it all work."

"I—" Colette stammered for a moment. "I don't doubt you can. I just want you to be mindful, is all."

 

[Everest Vale]

Outfit: Workout Fit
Equipment: Lightsaber, Bracelet, Earrings, Engagement Ring
Tag: Colette

Eve adjusted her stride with ease, keeping pace beside Colette as the forest passed in filtered light and birdsong. She listened to the words — not just the caution, but the care threaded through them — and her smile deepened. It was warm. Grateful.

"Mhm. I’ve spoken to Valery a few times already," Eve said between breaths, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. "She’s shown me it’s possible. Hard, sometimes, sure. But not impossible."

She glanced to the side, and though Colette might not catch all the nuances mid-jog, there was a fire in Eve’s silver eye. Gentle, but steady.

"If anything… having Tigris in my life has made me want to become an even better Jedi. For her. For everyone I care about. Like you too."

Her words were earnest, unhurried, even as her body moved with practiced rhythm. A moment later, she gave a curious little sidelong look.

"And what about you?" she asked with a soft grin. "Anyone special in your life, Col?"

 

[Colette]

Everest Vale

Yeah, and what about Colette? It would seem that everyone around her were finding love in some way or the other, and yet there she was at most gatherings all by herself.

"Not really." She sighed as they went. "Haven't had the opportunity, and…" Another sigh. "I don't know. Just kinda feel unready?"

Now wasn't that the truth? Part of her heart panged over it, but she supposed that was as much of the truth as she'd ever tell herself.

"I— I don't think a lot about the parts I miss when I still had Shan in my life like that, but… I still miss it, you know?"

 

[Everest Vale]

Outfit: Workout Fit
Equipment: Lightsaber, Bracelet, Earrings, Engagement Ring
Tag: Colette

Eve blinked. She almost tripped on a root.

"You and Shan?"

The words came out before she could help them, and she glanced sidelong at Colette with wide eyes — surprised, but not judgmental. Just genuinely... trying to picture it. Not that it was impossible — just that Colette had always felt like a rock, and Shan a stream. She’d never known.

She didn’t press. Just offered a soft breath of understanding.

"I get it," she said gently, falling into step again. "I think I got really lucky. With Tigris. The timing, the way it happened... it was sudden. But it made sense so quickly, it was like I already knew. And once I did, there was no going back."

She smiled faintly, eyes soft with memory, and then assurance.

"Don’t worry. When it’s time, you’ll feel it... and when it’s right, you’ll know."

Her voice was quiet now, almost drowned in the sound of the trail beneath their feet. But she meant every word.

"You deserve that kind of love too."

 

[Colette]

Everest Vale

"Yeah, me and Shan." Colette added and raised her brow at Everest and the brief silence that seemed to follow. Was it really that hard to believe that Colette and Shan had been together?

"I guess." She shrugged at what Everest was saying. "As long as whoever it is understands that I am not going to put them before my oath as a Jedi, you know?"

"Anything else would be selfish."

 

[Everest Vale]

Outfit: Workout Fit
Equipment: Lightsaber, Bracelet, Earrings, Engagement Ring
Tag: Colette

Eve kept pace beside her, the rhythm of their steps a steady backdrop to the conversation. For a moment, she was quiet, thoughtful, but not judging. When she spoke, her voice was soft but clear, carried on the cool morning air.

"I get what you mean," she said. "The Code, the Order... it teaches us to be mindful of attachments. To not let love or fear or longing cloud our judgment. And I do believe in that. But I've started to realise that loving someone doesn't have to mean compromising who you are."

She glanced at Colette, her expression gentle.

"I think when it's the right person — someone who truly understands — you don't have to choose. They walk beside you, not in front of you or behind. They don't take you away from the path. It's like they... help you walk it, y'know."

A pause. She glanced over with a smile.

"Anyway. I don’t think you’re the type to let someone distract you from who you are."