Bestowment

[Kaalia Pavanos]

Valkyrie fortress
Undisclosed location, Mygeeto
[member="Vaylin"]

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When times changed, one had to adapt. It was a simple concept, yet in practice change was often overlooked. The Sith philosophy said to avoid the pitfall of believing that what worked yesterday would hold up today as well, for stagnation was death. So, when Darth Avacyn had come to the realization times had indeed changed for her, quite fundamentally so, the first order of business had become accomodating for this change. Not only had she been given the title of Triumvir of Strength, her personal life had also drastically changed with the arrival of her twin daughters. It meant more responsibilities, but not any more time to tend to them all. That brought her to Mygeeto, a planet she had not been to in some time, to bring change to the Valkyries so they could continue to thrive.

Vaylin, who had now claimed the title of Darth Moirai, had received the request to meet Avacyn in the Valkyrie fortress but was told little else than that there were important matters to be discussed. She would be expected in the Elder sanctum, a place within the fortress only Avacyn, as the lone elder, could freely enter. She was seated on the middle of three thrones, with a banner bearing the symbol of the Valkyries hanging from the wall behind each of them. In a time long past the two empty thrones belonged to Aria Vale and Darth Imperia, but now they remained vacant.

Here, the woman waited for Vaylin's arrival. Two guards who would stand at the gates when she was present were indeed stationed there, and would not stop the zabrak from entering.

 

[Vaylin]

To say Vaylin had been surprised by the message was an understatement. It had been a long while since she had received a message from Darth Avacyn, that wasn't part of something with the Sith Empire. Albeit yes, while this was part of it, it was in fact more personal; involving the Valkyries.

At least that's what the Zabrak gleamed from the brief and cryptic message.

Meet me at Valkyrie Fortress; Elder Sanctum. There are important matters to discuss. - Darth Avacyn

The founder's absence had been noticed, but it was understandable given her rise to the Triumvir. It brought a new set of responsibilities that would take the Kro Varian away from her duties with the Valkyries. That, and the group had admittedly been quiet for a while. Numbers kept small, mostly made up of students and overseers located on Mygeeto.

Vaylin had been back and forth between the planet a lot as of late. Bringing Jedi; both willing and not, to be converted and taught the ways of the Sith.

And now she was back, having arrived via the Crimson Valkyrie and taken a shuttle down to the planet itself. The Zabrak would be lying if she wasn't immensely curious to learn just what exactly Darth Avacyn wanted to discuss, especially if it required stepping into the Elder Sanctum.

She pushed on forwards, past the guards that were stationed all the way until she was stood before the three thrones, with the Triumvir of Strength seated in the middle. And as she waited to be addressed, Vaylin allowed herself a sideways glance towards the flanking thrones.

A pang of sadness - a long time had passed since either had been occupied by their respective Elders.

[member="Kaalia Pavanos"]​

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

The sound of the gates opening filled the sanctum it guarded, not only allowing Vaylin to enter but also bringing Avacyn out of the meditative state she was in. The habit was the only part of her childhood years she had retained, only that which she meditated on had changed. The teachings of the Light had long been discarded and become little more than a footnote of her past, but centering herself was still something she valued highly. It was important to keep one's mind clear when their connection to the Force was rooted in the Dark side. Its corruption was not to take hold and this was the woman's method of remaining the one in control. Darkness flowed all around her, but the core of her being displayed no such thing.

Her eyes opened and the corrupted eyes of red and amber showed that it was indeed not Kaalia, but Darth Avacyn who was here to address Vaylin. "I have not been able to congratulate you in person yet, Darth Moirai," she said with a slight emphasis on hew newly attained title. Avacyn stood up from the throne, slowly beginning to make her way towards the zabrak. "Or would you generally prefer Lady Moirai? Just out of curiosity." It seemed the woman was in a good mood when judging by her intonation. When the two stood face to face she would extend the offer of a handshake. Although Avacyn had rarely, if ever exerted any kind of authority over Vaylin, she wanted to make it clear that as far as she was concerned, they were equals now despite the fact she was the Triumvir of Strength. If there was no reason to prove any kind of superiority, she would always prefer standing on equal footing.

Once any potential responses were made and the ice was broken, Avacyn would continue. "But, I don't intend on wasting your time. You weren't summoned without reason, after all." She turned around to look at the three thrones, her mind flashing back to the day the foundation for the Valkyries was laid. In that moment she shared in the sadness Vaylin felt. It had been too long since all three were taken. "I want to discuss the future of the Valkyries with you."

[member="Vaylin"]

 

[Vaylin]

It had been a long time since Vaylin had spoken to Kaalia, so she wasn't surprised when it was the amber eyes of Darth Avacyn that stared back at her. But then to Vaylin, the two were no different to the other. She had never saw the transition, and her knowledge of the Kro Varian's other life was practically non-existent.

And now the Zabrak had finally obtained her own name; her own rank. Darth Moirai.

"Thank you, Darth Avacyn." A small smile on Vaylin's face as she bowed her head slightly. The girl was proud of her accomplishment, that much was clear.

And the question between Lady or Darth amused the Zabrak quite a bit. It was something that always changed whenever she was somewhere different. Her crew onboard the Crimson Valkyrie often called her Lady, whereas most Sith that worked with her generally used Darth.

"Either is fine with me, Force knows I get referred to as both all the time."

She shook Avacyn's offer hand, before her gaze returned to the empty thrones again. What she would do to have everyone back together again, but it was a dream that was out of reach; and had been for some time now. Vaylin glanced over at the redhead as she spoke, pieces slowly coming together, finally clicking together in the Zabrak's head.

"You want me to become an Elder?"

There was no hiding the surprise in Vaylin's expression, her own amber eyes widened with surprise.

[member="Kaalia Pavanos"]​

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

Once, Vaylin was the apprentice of an elder. Now, Avacyn hoped she would accept that same position. From then to now the zabrak had become a vital figure not just within the Valkyries, but Sith Empire as a whole. Her realized potential was as great as Aria's- there was nobody more fit for the throne her master previously owned.

"Perceptive, as always," Avacyn said in response through a bit of a chuckle. Her body turned towards Vaylin once more. "I don't think I have to explain to you that my presence here has been less and less frequent. My duties as Triumvir demand much of my time and I cannot singlehandedly lead the Valkyries at the same time." She was prideful in the positions she held, but she wouldn't let that blind her from the fact it was too much weight for a single person to carry. "There needs to be someone else alongside me."

A nod was sent Vaylin's way. "And I know that nobody would be more qualified than you. You learned from an Elder, have shown you are a great leader, and the fact you now carry the title of Sith Lady should say enough about your prowess in the Force." Avacyn cast another quick glance at the throne that once belonged to Aria. "So, allow me to formally make my proposal."

"Will you accept the title of elder, and help me lead the Valkyries?"

[member="Vaylin"]

 

[Vaylin]

Even though she had pieced it together before it was spoken, it still managed to surprise Vaylin when the words left Avacyn's lips.

It would be a lie to say she wasn't somewhat emotional about it, even if it was currently being concealed behind shock.

Years ago, Vaylin had nothing. Lost and abandoned to the Dxun Wilds, forced to survive every single day until that fateful night when someone had simply stumbled across her. Aria had quite literally lifted her up from the dirt, managed to tame and train the feral Zabrak into something refined and powerful. And even then Vaylin had never saw herself taking any kind of 'position' within a greater plan; within an Empire.

The time between had been spent enjoying and thriving on the thrill of battle. Vaylin finally had a source of enemies to fight; in particular Jedi, that were enemies both personally and to the Sith Brotherhood.

But then she began to get noticed, despite never deliberately intending to. It had started with [member="Darth Carnifex"], bestowing upon her the Crimson Valkyrie and in turn command of the Warfleet Vermillion Authority. Along with the Zabrak's gradual rise within the Brotherhood's ranks, from an Apprentice to Knight, and now Lord/Lady.

Now here she was, standing before one of the Valkyries' Founders, a group that Vaylin had quickly joined soon after its creation. There was barely any hesitation in her response.

"I would be honoured." She turned and knelt before Avacyn. While the two stood as equals, there was a time and place for ceremony and tradition, and now was definitely the time.

[member="Kaalia Pavanos"]​

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

The galaxy didn't care for the people that lived in it. A simple but harsh truth, and in their own ways both women knew just how far-reaching it was. While Vaylin used to be lost in the wilds of Dxun, Kaalia herself in ways that were different yet of the same nature. She had nobody to rely on, had no home. She often put herself in harm's way and being paid in scraps for it just to eat that night. But Vaylin and Kaalia alike had not let that become their ultimate fate. They both had taken their lives into their own hands and now here they stood- Kaalia had become Avacyn and Vaylin had become Moirai. It were people like her who the redhead respected more than anyone else. They were the ones who truly knew what it meant to fight, to break down the barriers only they had to go through while others never did.

"I have always found it ironic, kneeling before the Lady of Defiance." Many highly valued formalities such as ceremony and tradition, but Avacyn was simply incapable of being genuine in the performance thereof. There had been only one time in which she was truthful, the day Kaalia got married. So, instead of doing what most would do, she instead held out her hand so she could quickly get back on her feet. "I would never ask my sister to do such a thing, especially when we stand as equals," she then said, her expression lightening up slightly afterwards as she let out a modest chuckle. "Besides, I already have to deal with enough formalities as is." It was doubtful she would ever get used to it.

"From now on, I am leaving it to you to represent the Valkyries as our voice. My duties as Triumvir leave me unable to be that voice myself," Avacyn explained as she began to walk over to the throne that once belonged to Aria. "And this seat now belongs to you. Only one remains unclaimed now."

[member="Vaylin"]