Private Children of Shiraya: How Doth Your Ardor Grow?

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Location: Cybelle Elyance's Temporary Quarters
Tag: Cybelle Sal-Soren

It was too much. Too much.

Brandyn fidgeted with his sleeves. Yet another Glitterstim original adorned his nervously twitching self. It was a one of a kind, something he had picked up at his father's store on Corellia. A simple deep green coat, with silver lining and stitching, was over a slightly more intricate shirt of fine stripes, alternating between the deep green of the coat and the silver of the lining and stitches.

It was too much. Too much.

He had asked Cybelle to go out with him that evening, after the celebrations of the Knighting had died down and the night before they left for Exegol. It was their first...date? They had already told one another that they loved each other...and they hadn't gone on a date. But no, they were not moving too fast. Instead, they were catching up on lost time. That was it, completely.

He had a full night of plans. But they all seemed to be escaping his memory. Even though he had already pressed the button beside the door, he glanced down at his hand. The writing on his palm had smudged a little but it was still legible.

"Right...Master Ren'Tak's performance of The Last Tears of Morlingtale...seats fourth row back...near the left wall..."

When the door slid open, Brandyn felt shocked. He hadn't sensed Cy coming to the door. His heart sunk for a moment, but only until he saw her - then his heart stopped, just for a moment.

"Hey..ah...wow..."

He couldn't help but be completely obvious with his eyes quick recon mission to take in her appearance. He had grown up around beautiful people. His father had been in the fashion industry and he had been raised on Naboo. It was natural for him not to even blink an eye when someone was in the upper percentile's of physical attractiveness. But there was something to Cybelle beyond the blessings of Hapan genetics. Even without the Force connecting them, her eyes spoke volumes. And it was her eyes that he came to rest his own gaze upon. He felt his body relax instantly. He was where he was supposed to be. There was no need for nerves.

"Well. Miss Elyance," he said, smirking with his chosen form of address to her, "shall we make us official? And go out together?"

Hand outstretched with the offer, Brandyn found himself smiling slightly, calm and at ease with their decisions.

 

[Cybelle Sal-Soren]

Wearing: X
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
__________

Pinpricks of light flashed and flared into existence.

Again.

Again—And again.

Cybelle stood before a floor length mirror pulling at the clothing that the nanites in her armored robes tried to create based on what she saw in a holo-mag. All of the models were so willowy and perfect that every time she tried a new style, she felt…More and more ridiculous. When she'd agreed to this outing she hadn't really considered what she had at her temporary living quarters to wear. The Jedi Temple was not known, typically, for being fashion forward. They wore unembellished basic necessities in their free time to support their duty and maintain decorum.

She was a Jedi Knight. Able to fight monsters without blinking an eye—But decide what to wear?

For a date?

With Brandyn?

Oh. No, no, no, no. Part of her wanted to call and put in a "rain check" for a later time when she had the opportunity to ask someone for help. To go to a boutique or somewhere they might be able to make her somewhat presentable. Brandyn was used to glowing, glamourous women, that were flawless and exponentially comelier than she was. They had grace. The manners, often, of nobility that Cybelle had simply never learned. He stood with Queens.

Right now…Cybelle couldn't even lift a fork with her mind if she wanted to.

Sometime later found her slumped into a plain chair and playing with a chess piece. Typically straight brown hair had been curled, slightly, to give it a wave and there was an almost imperceptible amount of makeup on youthful features. Just a little color. She felt…So silly. So strange, that this mattered. Brandyn had seen her soaking wet and covered in mud on Naboo. In a hospital bed.

In a hospital gown. Unflattering—And drafty.

Why did she care so much?

Slowly…Very slowly…She came to the conclusion that it was because she cared about the opinion of the person her heart regularly yearned for. She didn't want him to be disappointed in her, moreover, with his decision to be with her. He had chosen a Jedi Knight over a Countess and now…Now she wasn't certain if she would ever be the person Brandyn wanted or expected. It was a creeping feeling of warmth in the back of her mind that slowly eased a weary, worried heart.

Cybelle couldn't place it but whatever it was…But she could breathe.

She could think.

Her head nodded, slowly, and she buried her fears. Just because she was without the Force didn't mean that it was time to fall apart. Several long moments of staring caused her clothing to shift in a flash of light once more while the nanites ate through the material and replaced it with something new. The jade bangle on her wrist seemed to sense her distress and a familiar AI tried to whisper small assurances through the neural-link. In the end, she settled on something that suited summery weather, and reminded her of Naboo. Of her Master—And all the ladies she had seen around the palace.

The nanites finished their work just as Brandyn rang the bell, sweeping a cream wrap around her shoulder and waist that was flecked with gold, spackled, and translucent. Her torso was wrapped in a long-sleeved black top with a heart-shaped neckline and three quarter sleeves. With her midriff bare she momentarily panicked and crossed her arms over her stomach—But it was a little too later to change it now. Nodding, slowly, she glanced down and wide leg black pants that held tight to her hips before flaring out modestly. A quick gulp.

A quick pat of her hair. This would…This would have to do.

When she opened the door Cybelle wasn't sure what to expect. Certainly, he wouldn't laugh at her because he was too kind for that but she hadn't thought he would react so strongly. The tops of her cheeks flared a shade of rose while her eyes darted to the ground and dark lashes fluttered as she bit her lip. Not certain, yet, if Brandyn approved.

At the sound of her name she let out the breath she'd been holding and with a sense of girlish shyness wrapped her fingers around his. "I…", she started off, though paused, as she wasn't prepared for the sight of him either. Not really. He looked terribly handsome in green and it was by far her favorite color if she had to choose. He had always been attractive in her eyes. It was…Different now.

"Hi there...", a little dazed. Starstruck. As if she were seeing him, unfiltered, for the first time.

Cybelle noticed things she hadn't before and his calmness brought her a sense of surety that swiftly soothed her nerves. She stepped into him in a pair of decorated flats and leaned up to press a light kiss to his chin. They had only been separated for a few hours but she found that she missed him like the air she breathed. He was solace to her. Beautiful, sanctuary. Her lips lingering against his skin was her way of expressing quiet appreciation. Thankfulness. For loving her…Even when she didn't love herself. "Is this all right for what you have planned?"

"I can change it…"

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Location: Cybelle Elyance's Temporary Quarters
Tag: Cybelle Sal-Soren

"No. You are perfect," Brandyn said, smile pursed in a brief moment of fluster. His mind had gone back to their past, and the broken path that had lead to their love finally being permitted to flourishing. A small, but noticeable, tear caught the corner of his eye. "Better than perfect."

The journey to their destination was filled with pleasantries, long quiet spells and shared glances that took their eyes from the path ahead far too often. With her arm looped around his, and a closeness that still felt fresh, Brandyn enjoyed the small moments. The small talk avoided the obvious subjects of Exegol, the future and her loss of Force Sensitivity. Conversation revolved around the sights and sounds of Coruscant, the Jedi Temple, and Brandyn showing her things he had learned and become accustomed to in his time of training. He spoke of his master, Valery Noble , and the fellow students had had encountered within the various classes offered. His voice showing clear, raw grief over the loss of Bex'l. He spoke of his regret that his training hadn't been more within the walls of this hallowed institution. He dipped his toes into discussing his undercover time, but quickly, and noticeably, moved on.

The theater was small, and fairly intimate. The small stage was lit with an array of dimly lit yellow lights that all flickered like there were candles. The room had almost filled by the time that they entered from the right side of the narrow room. The theater was only wide enough to have a dozen seats, with an odd arrangement of eight in the centre with two rows separating off two more seats on each side. Brandyn pointed towards their seats. "We are over there..."

Allowing Cybelle to sit first, Brandyn took the aisle seat. The shared armrest was not taken up on instinct, as he scrunched into his seat. He did however lean into her, arm against shoulder. The room was already hushing, the whispers of other attendees making up the quiet excitement in the room. He leaned down towards her with a smile, barely illumed by the flickering lights. "I hear Master Ren'Tak has been practicing for years...but only does a few shows a year," he said, before pausing when his eyes moved from stage to rest upon the soft features of his Cybelle. His smile dimmed from its boyish frivolity, and became more a dampened smile.

He didn't feel worthy of the way she looked at him. For a moment, his heart thumped in his chest. He felt a pressure in his chest, one formed by needing to live up to what she believed him to be. He wasn't...

His eyes darted back to the stage, and he continued to whisper. A story would distract him from his momentary feeling of inadequacy.

"Morlingtale was a ship in the Old Republic era...it had done many tours of duty before being destroyed in the Sith invasion of the Old Republic...the play is from the ships perspective...the lives, losses and loves of its crew...I have heard that there is rarely a dry eye left in the theater..."

 

[Cybelle Sal-Soren]

Wearing: X
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
__________

Cybelle listened.

The young Hapani was content to walk at his side, softly tethered, and selfishly thankful that they were both considered off-duty at the same time. She was technically still on medical leave but it wasn't something she really wanted to discuss. Her heart was buoyant, filled with air, when Brandyn filled in the gaps in her knowledge of his more recent history. She shared his delight and when the conversation shifted toward more serious topics…Cybelle also shared his sorrow.

The loss of Knight Bex'l on Chandrila had taken quite a few days to sink in for her. She hadn't been capable of believing it—Or processing it. The lively Kushiban should have been safe within the protective armored robes that Cybelle had transferred to her. She should have been safe.

Should have been.

There was nothing in the universe that Cybelle could do to shake the feeling that the lagomorph's demise fell squarely on her shoulders. Perhaps, the armor had malfunctioned. John Locke had made it with her body type and shape in mind. It had always kept her alive, whole, and generally speaking without a scratch. Never in her life had she thought that Bex'l would have been in more danger than she was. Cybelle had made the final call. She was one…Who had raised intelligence over their own lives.

Now—She was here. Holding hands with Brandyn. Enjoying…Living.

While Bex'l was not. Cybelle…Missed her. Missed what could have been. Often...She spoke to a ghost that couldn't hear her because the Force was lost to her. It was comforting and left her thankful, humbled, by a friend that she had only just begun to appreciate. It was a puerile thing. But, it helped.

The auburn-haired Knight thanked her lucky stars that Brandyn had the wherewithal to keep the conversation moving. It happened in earnest. Cybelle couldn't feel him through the Force as she normally might have. She could only go off of his expressions, touch, to know what was true and false. To know when to smile, laugh, or hug his arm to her chest just a little tighter when sadness and memory took them down a road that felt like it was full of holes.

She stayed especially close when Bran spoke of his undercover activities.

The winsome Hapani was currently non-force sensitive. Not dumb. When it became appropriate in the conversation Cybelle also began to fill him in on little things. On her adopted family and how they still danced around their obvious affections, even though, they'd been close since she'd been small. Her Master was entrenched in tradition and the Old Ways still held their sway. Even though, the New Jedi Order was far more lenient. She went over the attack on Naboo that had resulted in his former family home looking like a graveyard.

She talked about training, silly things, like collecting herbs—And eating berries that accidentally that made her tongue go numb for a week just to lighten the mood. About how John and Gianna were always there when she fell down. Perhaps, not picking her up, but guiding her so that she could learn to stand on her own. They made her better. Stronger.

Just like he did.​

Cybelle smiled kindly up at Brandyn with a hint of shyness when he pointed out their seats and politely excused herself while passing other guests. "This is completely new to me.", her sweet and gentle words were offered freely and with no small amount of curiosity. The light whisper of the story that they had come to witness had her watching the staging area with inquisitively wide topaz orbs. They settled into their seats and she was was…Blissfully unaware of his quandary. Just the thoughtfully whispered recollection of the cultured drama they were about to witness.

Regardless, as darkness filled the theater, her hand almost petulantly found his and pulled it toward her. It was an instinct she didn't know how to name that had her keep his hand in her lap while she absent-mindedly began to draw small pictures in his palm. They were nonsensical things of no language or known method of communication, but, each trail of her nail against his skin would be important.

A love letter he had never received.

"If this makes me cry Mr. Sal-Soren…You owe me a Nectrose Freeze."

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Location: Jedi Temple Repertory Theatre
Tag: Cybelle Sal-Soren

"But if you are crying...I get to wipe your tears away," Brandyn said in a whisper, before offering a reassuring kiss on the head. He grinned immediately afterwards. There was no clear promise of Nectrose freeze. But he would remember that request from now on as it was filed away in his memory as something she enjoyed, and perhaps even cheered her up.

The music began to play, and Brandyn turned from his Cybelle to face the stage. Within moments, he found himself slouching in his seat, knees pressed against the empty seat in front of him. He was still just a little taller than Cybelle, but at enough of a height that his head could recline on hers. Her hair smelled good. Felt good beneath his scratchy facial hair. She was there. With him. There was a time not long before this that he feared she may never be again. Even though his mind did not connect with hers, her presence was still the warm embrace his heart desired.

The Master, and one person performer, finally came to stage. Brandyn joined in the clapping, and he cast Cybelle a glance to check on her reaction. the light cast just enough across her face to catch in silhouette. Again, his mind questioned how he could live up to such a gift from the Force. A soul as beautiful as Cybelle Elyance. He swallowed hard, but passed it off that he had to clear his throat.

Eyes went back to the play. The performance was very well done. Much of itt was a recitation in dramatic sweeping tones with an off stage orchestral backing. Brandyn wondered at times if it was actual musicians as the timing seemed to adjust to Master Ren'Tak's pauses or the audience's appreciative applause. The vignettes that were told were at times humorous, and at times sad. Some frustrating in retrospect and others still gave feelings of hope. Woven through many of the short stories was the background story of two secondary characters. Their romance played out in the background of the ship's many other more exciting stories. Even their wedding was a footnote to other events that took place. But as the last story was told, the day of the Morlingtale's destruction, the last surviving crew member piloted the vessel into the a collision with the lead Sith frigate of the scene. A brave and heroic act...by the daughter of the two whose whole lives had been woven throughout the tales of the Morlingtale.

The was no small lump that had formed in Brandyn's throat. Again, even as he clapped Master Ren'Tak off the stage, he struggled to open his mouth and cheer him on lest he actually break down and cry. Shiraya forbid that he show any vulnerability.

As the applause died down, Brandyn found himself slumping back into his seat, even as people began to make their way out of the theatre. Master Ren'Tak was greeting people in the foyer, the buzz from the small crowd was electric. But there was only one person that garnered Brandyn's attention. He dared to look over to Cybelle. He had heard...noises...of some kind. Perhaps sniffles. It was hard to tell.

"Well...my love," he said, daring to christen her with a new title, "how are you faring?"

 

[Cybelle Sal-Soren]

Wearing: X
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
__________

She automatically began to tuck her chin down when he spoke of wiping her tears away. The young woman was beautifully embarrassed in the best of ways, melting inside, from the thought of someone caring enough to catch her tears before they fell. His grin was too cute to be real—But it was. Cybelle was saved from a stammering reply by the music starting and she was context to nestle her head against his shoulder. It felt…Safe.

Real.

Was this what it was like to be…Normal? Just a boy and a girl enjoying an evening out. Not feeling some galactic pull on her navel that seemed to want to yank her from planet to planet or from danger to danger. Her mind was quiet, but in that silence, she found little things to fill it. The sound of his voice. The way he laughed. Breathed, or spoke her name. The boy she had known, so long ago, had become a man that she was…Infinitely proud of.

The night-blind Hapani would have felt bad to know his knees were pressed up against the seats in front of them but she couldn't see anything when the lights dimmed. Not a silhouette, the people around them, or even his hand wrapped up in her own. Brandyn would feel her slender form draw nearer in the darkness. For all she could sense and tell…Everyone else had faded away. They might as well have been alone in the theater and in their own world. Not to mention that once the performance started…She was lost to it.

It was the only thing she could see, this one-man show. A burst of light—In a veil of warm darkness.

Cybelle had never been to a theater like this. She didn't know drama, save, for what she read in books and saw in the occasional holo. Her training had absorbed so much of her young life that there were dozens of experiences that she was simply…Lacking. Brandyn had been her first love. Her only, love. Her first kiss. And now? Her first date. She was mesmerized by what was unfolding.

So much so—That when the lights rose and the audience began to clap and applaud, she remained still. Speechless, her eyes glimmered. Master Ren'Tal was skilled indeed and she had yet to take her eyes off the stage. Even as the guests moved to the foyer, she just…Thought. Let it all sink in while she tried to get her heart to move correctly. Jedi Knights didn't cry. But, she wanted to. Not at all because she was terribly sad…But because the story had been so beautiful. It brought life, beauty, and sacrifice back in a full circle that made everything…So connected.

An allegory for the will of the Force if there ever was one.

It was Brandyn's voice that pulled her out of a stupor and doe-like eyes landed on his face at the nonchalant epithet. My love?

Her heart swelled.

Cybelle had thought that she was past the overwhelming emotions that came with openly loving Brandyn Sal-Soren. She had thought, mistakenly, that she had a handle on it. She was very wrong. She was...Exploding with it. Such a simple thing made fireworks go off in her chest and it was hard to contain it.

He loved her.

He really, really loved her.

The auburn-haired woman scooted the armrest up between them and leaned fully into him. She let go of Brandyn's hand for the moment to embrace him as best she could. How was she? She was his love so…Obviously, everything was wonderful. He would likely feel her smile against him, blinking back tears that weren't…Entirely from the play. "I'm okay."

She shifted, slightly, before leaning up to press the most chaste of kisses to his cheek So very, very shy.

"My love."

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Location: Jedi Temple Repertory Theatre
Tag: Cybelle Sal-Soren

Time slipped away in the embrace of his one. Were it moments or hours, he would not have remembered. Her kiss left a sensation upon his cheek that he then pressed gently against the top of her head as he leaned the side of his face upon her's. Despite the request not being made, Brandyn did reach out to gently stroke her cheeks, one after the other, just to check and wipe away any tears that may have found their way down her face. Promises were promises.

"You know. I could just stay here forever," he whispered, ignoring the slowly forming ache in his lower bank from being slightly cramped.

"That may not be possible, or wise, young one," came a voice from outside of their emotional cocoon that shattered Brandyn's daydream.

The new Knight looked up with a start.

"Ah...Knight Sal-Soren. Congratulations on your promotion. Today wasn't it?" Came the soothing baritone voice of the Vurk Jedi Master, "and you must be Knight Elyance."

"Yes, Master Ren'Tak," said Brandyn, turning a deeper shade of red still. He stood, offering Cybelle his hand to help her stand too.

"Did you enjoy the show tonight?" Said a bemused Ren'Tak, "you seem prepared for the next show."

"Ah...no...I mean, yes," Brandyn said with obvious annoyance at himself.

"Which is it, young one?"

"Yes, I did enjoy it greatly and no I was not intending to stay for the next show," Brandyn said, starting to reign in his emotions and a clear calmness now coming across in his tone.

"Right. Well, the droid staff will need to clean soon..."

"We can leave immediately, Master," Brandyn said with a slight bow of his head. Hand wrapping around Cybelle's, Brandyn prepared to leave the room.

Ren'Tak's hand was already lightly on his shoulder. His smile felt warm and soothing when Brandyn caught it. "May I offer some advice, young ones?"

"Certainly...Master," Brandyn said, a hint of nerves returning.

"Love one another deeply, but make your centre the Light," said Ren'Tak, his eyes holding a heavy compassion.

Brandyn felt taken aback by the advice. Ren'Tak patted the young man's shoulder. "You aren't doing it wrong. Just some words from an old one that has seen many a Padawan become a Knight...many promises of love and devotion offered...they are just words, Brandyn."

Ren'Tak's hand had now directed them towards the exit. Brandyn felt himself instinctively obeying the direction, with a subtle bow to honour the elder Master. His thoughts ran deep, and his hand clung tighter to the hand of his love.

 

[Cybelle Sal-Soren]

Wearing: X
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
__________

She settled into him.

The emptiness that she had endured since the murmurs of the Force had been silenced was slowly being filled with a new appreciation for simple things. Cybelle had never considered herself too proud or snobbish when it came to interacting with others, but, there was something to be said for civilian life. It had hardships that most Jedi Knights would never know. She was…Overwhelmed, by it. And she had only been given a taste.

As promised, Brandyn erased her tears.

The act merely made her smile with an expression that was softly adoring. She would have been content to stay here all evening and just…Watch him. Through eyes that were impaired, unenhanced, and unbiased by the call of the Light. "Where have you been—" All of my life?

Her words were cut off by the polite voice of Master Ren'Tak shattering the peace between them like a glass vase to the floor. They both jumped, though, Cybelle's response was more of a hard flinch. She was unused to being snuck up on or surprised so easily. She hid her discomfort with light copper eyes hanging low while trying to disguise innate vulnerability.

She was already weak without the Force. The last thing she needed was for one of the Masters to think she was frail of mind, resolve, as well. Her fingers entwined with Brandyn's and she exhaled slowly while they stood up. Part of her form hid behind him. Reflexively, finding comfort in his shadow. Her cheeks burned from the attention their relationship seemed to draw, but, it was nothing new. She could imagine that most wondered what Brandyn saw in her.

Beside him, she might as well have been a weed.

"Words still have meaning, Master Ren'Tak. Power. The show tonight proves that. Thankfully…We've always had more than that. Were it not for the Light—We wouldn't be here. I…Wouldn't be here."

Her small voice rose from behind Brandyn's arm to softly counter the counsel of their elder. Her tone was respectful, however, there was a lilt to it that seemed offended by the unspoken. The notion that they would forget their duties in favor of a passing interest in one another was unnecessary. The mission came first. It came first, so much so, that she'd been willing to die to see to the safety of their brethren on Chandrila. She had urged Brandyn away. Not, forward.

The Light had guided his steps toward her. The Light—Let him save her. While it took Bex'l home.

A silken curtain of dark hair slipped over part of her face before she reached up to brush it back behind her ear. Cybelle didn't bother to elaborate any further while Brandyn tugged her by the hand. It was possible that the wise Master had been suggesting something else…But Cybelle, wouldn't have it. They were devoted to the will of the Force just as much as they were to each other.

How else would he have waltzed back into her life four years after disappearing?

Anyone could have been sent to his family home. Anyone. His mother, father, or one of his siblings. Yet—He had been the one to meet her. She had been the one to meet him when any member of the Jedi Order could have filled her role. Was that not fate?

Her fingers squeezed his tighter, palms meeting, and she released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. They breezed out of the theater and through the remaining crowd. Once they passed the foyer, she felt a little more relaxed. Tense. Because while she was just figuring out their relationship, someone else had already decided, from the outside, that they required an opinion.

Cybelle just wanted the opportunity to have her own thoughts.

Not—To have it decided for her.

"So…", Cy asked, carefully, tugging her gold-flecked shawl back over her shoulders. So engrossed in the play she hadn't realized it had mostly fallen off. "Where to now?"

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Location: Mystery location
Tag: Cybelle Sal-Soren

Her words broke him free of his contemplations. They were just words after all. Brandyn knew though that there had been many a Jedi over the years that had fallen to the dark side. And he was well aware that many were because of poorly managed attachments. He put the considerations aside for now. They were fine.

"Ah...come with me," he said, setting them off on a fairly quick pace. He was clearly trying to accomplish some time sensitive goal.

He glanced back a couple of times to make sure he wasn't moving too fast. "Come on...we will be late..."

Where he was leading Cybelle, did not seem to be the most glamorous of locales. The Jedi Service Corp repair bay was not really a fine dining establishment. Brandyn offered her a wry smile, and a hand gesture begging for forgiveness and patience.

"Talgrin?"

Brandyn looked about the orderly work space in the cavernous room. Starfighters and speeders of various designs lay about the space in various states of disrepair.

"Tal..."

"Brandyn...over here," came the hushed voice of tiny human looking mechanic. He was half Brandyn's height, and seemingly still proportioned appropriately for his height.

"You got everything?"

"Yeah...yeah...hurry, you will miss it."

He turned to Cybelle with a boyish grin, and then waved towards a speeder that Talgrin was already prepping for departure. With a sweep of his hand, he offered his hand for her to get into the speeder. "M'lady..."

Within moments, they were out of the garage and rising towards the roof of the temple. It was clear that there had been some prior planning for this moment, as there was a deactivated hover cart, and what looked like a blanket? For some reason? And a small cooler box. Brandyn just sat staring off into the distance with the goofiest lopsided grin. It was apparent what now why they had been racing against the clock - the sun was going down.

Talgrin's piloting skills were sensational, and the ride was smooth. The speeder came to rest on roof of the temple. The wind was surprisingly still, but still cold. The blanket made a little more sense now. Brandyn had already exited the speeder, and pushed the activated hover cart into place several metres back from the edge. A hand was offered to Cybelle once more.

"I know its not Naboo. But it has a beauty all of its own."

 

[Cybelle Sal-Soren]

Wearing: X
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
__________

The sense of urgency that Brandyn exhibited caused her to smile while a little giggle slipped through her lips at the prospect of being pulled through the repair bay like a child. The less-than-buoyant words that the Master Jedi had spoken were soon forgotten to the thrill of holding his hand. To the excitement of not knowing where they were going, not having her sight, but trusting her best friend to lead the way. It always surprised her that no matter how much time they'd spent apart...She still felt the little girl in his mother's garden.

The doe-eyed padawan from the Shore.

There was an innocence in loving him, so easily, that it flowed like rain fell from the sky. It was natural. Effortless.

"Where are we going?", she questioned, curiosity alight, and topaz eyes dancing in a heart-shaped face. "What are we late for?"

Her inquiries went unanswered and it only served to make her all the more inquisitive. The playful nature of the way he escorted her into the speeder drew a playful, if clumsy, curtsey from her and she was quickly swept away. Everything moved so fast that her heart didn't have time to mourn or worry about the unsolicited advice they'd been given. She would have been happy to spend the evening curled up next to him while he flipped through shows on the Holo-Net but this was something new entirely. He would have all the patience he required—But that didn't stop her from internally dancing on the tips of her toes. Was she too eager? Shouldn't she play coy in some way? Feign disinterest, only, to smother him the second he moved too far away?

Cybelle shook her head slowly.

There was no playing hard to get with Brandyn. She'd tried, to keep her distance. The words that his father had all but branded into her mind as a child had almost kept her from telling him the truth. But...She couldn't stand the sight of his pain. She couldn't remain emotionless, or impartial when he had so obviously been in pain. Haunted by what lurked in the under dark of his childhood home. Cybelle hadn't thought she would have been shaken so much by the simple sight of him. Breathless, with how handsome he had become. Funny. Kind. "What are we going to miss?"

So many questions!

When they finally made it to the roof she took his hand once more. Dark eyelashes feathered against the tops of slightly rosy cheeks while a sense of shyness swept over her again. Impressed, by the thought that he had placed into this outing. All for them. For her.

Very few people had ever taken the time to do something special like this with her. As a love interest?

Never.

"Oh...B..", she breathed softly as the view from the temple roof came into focus. She leaned into him a little, careful, to take measured footsteps from so high up. As much as she had never feared heights before...There was no Force to catch her if she fell now. But...

Maybe, Brandyn would.

Cybelle moved toward the hover cart and the quiet scent of evening began to close in. It could be hard to see the stars on Coruscant because the planet was so bright, but in exchange, there was an atmospheric phenomenon from the weather net that left a shimmering effect. "It wasn't that I didn't think Coruscant could be beautiful...It's just..."

It wasn't home.

Though, home, was slowly becoming anywhere he was.

"It really is lovely."

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Wearing: Glitterstim original
Equipment: Lightsaber
Location: Atop the Jedi Temple
Tag: Cybelle Sal-Soren

Twilight was deepening and the sky was full of quickly moving lights. Ships came and went from the atmosphere, speeders moved along their skylanes. The effect was that of sky filled with shooting stars. Brandyn sat down on the hover cart, as Talgrin flew the speeder back to the repair bay. Leaning into Cybelle, Brandyn draped the blanket around their shoulders.

The light had dimmed enough to see a couple of the planet's skyhooks, appearing as stars tethered to the ground. "Full of surprises this place. But not really where I want to settle...you know?"

His hand took hers. Soon would be their mission to retrieve something called Project Jareth as a part of the Jedi assault on Exegol. A lot of thoughts about the future were left flitting about his head. All such visions of the future, waking or sleeping, involved Cybelle. He had long struggled with the visions given by Wallgof, of his life as a Jedi being something he would have to sacrifice to have life with Cybelle. But he now knew this to not be true. Their future would be what they made of it, no matter her status as a Jedi herself.

"I heard you...you know?" Brandyn said, after a long relaxed pause, "on Chandrila..."

A smirk formed.

"You love me," he said, tone set to 'tease'.

He turned his head slightly and pressed his lips against her temple. "I kind of guessed it...but it was nice to hear, nonetheless."

The sky was almost absent the light of Coruscant Prime. The horizon was settling into the nighttime skyline, still pretty bright.

"Would you let me try something? To help with your Force connection?"

 

[Cybelle Sal-Soren]

Wearing: X
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
__________

Her head tilted so that her temple could rest against his shoulder. Her whole being seemed to breathe in and relax in his arms, surprised, by how well they fit together. Like a puzzle that had been missing pieces. When a soft silence wrapped around them, she couldn't have been happier to indulge it, plus, the blanket that kept them cozy also made her a little sleepy. Cybelle was just relieved to have a moment of peace. Where…Responsibility faded.

Even if it was just for the day.

"Mm…I know. Coruscant is a little too…Coruscant."

They had both grown up with the verdant hills and azure lakes of Naboo staring back at them. Even though the Hapes Cluster was quite beautiful, no matter, it held no candle to Naboo. There was a difference in atmosphere. A difference in what felt safe—And what didn't. Cybelle had never felt safe for a moment on Hapes. Especially, not after the attack at the gala.

Even Coruscant made her a little uncertain. Though, current company was a mitigating factor…But she couldn't stay in his arms all the time. she could endeavor to try, however.

Cybelle unthinkingly let her fingers wrap around his, threading, as she nestled further into Brandyn. She was worried about the mission to Exegol for a lot of reasons. Primarily, whether she would even be ready in time. If she couldn't feel the Force—If she was still cut off?

She would need to stay behind.

Her thoughts were brought to a screeching halt when Brandyn brought up Chandrila. At first, her brow fixed in faint confusion until memory caused her lips to purse with barely hidden embarrassment. The unexpected reference, so casual, caused her cheeks to flush. The teasing only made her heart flutter while she fumbled over any sort of coherent thought. Her blood rushed in her ears so loudly that she feared he might be able to hear it. "I—"

Her voice caught in her throat when he pressed a kiss to her temple. Melting, beneath affection that she felt undeserving. Brandyn had proclaimed his love for her when they'd first reunited after so many years of silence. Cybelle…Had been slower to say it. Worried that it might have just been admission in the heat of the moment. A side effect of sharing so much of themselves in the presence of curse-imbued artifacts. But…That was just an overactive mind wrapping itself in an inferiority complex.

Their difference in station and class in society had never been more apparent than when Baros had warned her away from his son. Cybelle had internalized the words of the Elder Sal-Soren so deeply that the notion of anyone loving her was…Foreign. Brandyn?

Unthinkable.

"…I meant it.," she pressed out, slowly, while pulling back just a little bit so she could see his face. Her hand snaked out from the warmth of the blanket and chilled fingertips trailed down the side of his cheek. Softly, stroking the line of his jaw. Enjoying the tactile sensation that would eventually let her lean forward to press a butterfly kiss to his chin. It was her go-to. So painfully shy at times that it was as close as she dared get in public. "I didn't know what was going to happen I…"

"I didn't know…I wasn't sure you knew… It just mattered. I needed you to know, more than anything, that I love you. Always have. Even…When I didn't know what it was."

He asked if she might mind if he tried something and a slight bob of her head offered permission. Her mind skipped ahead despite the fact that he'd seemed well and truly pleased to call her out on her affections. Proud, in a way. Perhaps it was her imagination. "…If it doesn't come back…"

Cybelle swallowed hard. Chiseling away at…So many internalized anxieties that she hadn't known existed. It never came up during her trials. It had never come up in her formative years because she hadn't been interested in anyone else. She hadn't wanted, anyone else.

"Will you still love me? Want to...stay...with me?"

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Tag: Cybelle Sal-Soren

His heart had melted midst her stumbling, seemingly shame filled admission that she had to proclaim her love. She was so pure. As fresh fallen snow in Naboo's far northern resorts. The wind wiped between them even as he lay his forehead against hers. "Oh my dear...precious Cybelle...you need never question my heart's devotion to you," he said, wind whipping away all but the faintest remnants of his words from before her. His words became a whisper in her mind, as if a distant voice carried them through the Force.

A gentle hand brushed aside a stray hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. Her skin responded either to touch, or to the increasingly biting wind. Brandyn's free hand pulled the blanket around them more closely.

"I love you, with or without the Force. It is I who am unworthy of someone so truly good. Your love is the greatest honour that can ever be bestowed upon me. Not title. No praise. If all I have is your love, my life is fulfilled," he spoke sweet nothings. Words of devotion. Promises perhaps too big for him to keep. But his heart broke for her fear of his abandonment of her. The very thought of her believing it possible saw him willing to promise her the stars themselves should that calm her soul.

He tucked the corner of the blanket under her leg, freeing up his hand which then rose in unison with the other. Two fingers stretched to rest on her temples as he closed his eyes. This moment was the culmination of more hours that he cared to remember combing through the Jedi Archives. The library was not his favourite locale. But anything for love, right?

"Close your eyes. Match my breathing rhythm...a hand on my chest perhaps to gauge it," he said. His tone had clearly shifted, going from earnest doting to assured, yet soft, commands.

"Focus on my presence. Even if just the physical for the moment. Feel my presence. My heartbeat. The warmth of a living soul. This is the home of the Force. Life. Connection. Even without the Force. We still share a connection. I believe through this. We can spark your third eye once again," he said. Even as he spoke, his mind pushed away the feeling of being on the roof, the metal and duracrete jungle of Coruscant, and reached out to those that lived on the world. Their presence created a network of essence that flowed between all beings.

He went still. Silent. As he focused, he felt the Force itself come alive in his mind and through his being. The energy of the world was in flux, but he found a peace, calm and centering in the embrace of the one he loved. A spark of energy ran to the ends of each arm. Separated only by the mind of a broken Jedi - a broken woman. Brandyn focused on causing the connection to jump from the end of one appendage to the other - a veritable jumpstart for Cybelle's mind's eye.

 

[Cybelle Sal-Soren]

Wearing: X
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
__________

How could she not worry?

Brandyn would never understand that it wasn't him that she doubted. His heart had always been written on his sleeve...She just didn't feel worthy of it. It was her value that she couldn't find any solidity in. What did she bring him, his family, except for mystery and a possible deepening rift with his father? She couldn't understand the way that he loved her because Cybelle had never given much thought to her own personal worth. Such a concept had first been decimated by her path as a Padawan and further eviscerated by Baros Sal-Soren in her teenage years. Brandyn was...Way out of her league. "I don't...", she murmured in response.

Their faces were close enough that she could have closed the distance between them and sealed the words that echoed in her mind with a kiss.

But—Brandyn's touch to her face stilled her, freely brushing her hair back, and a light rose shade further decorated her cheeks. Ever reddening with every moment, he sang her praises. The soft tilt of her head toward his fingers was a subtle hint that despite her inherent bashfulness she was soothed by such a gesture. Her shyness gave way to sweetness and she melted beneath Brandyn's promises. Beneath the pleasant, effervescent weight of it. They hadn't really spoken of their place in one another's hearts since being on Naboo...But it had all felt rather natural. Accepting that, now, he was part of her life.

Part of her.

"…I'm not that good. You deserve everything, Brandyn. You were…Always meant for more."

More than hidden Jedi lessons by the lake. More than stolen glances. More than a pining heart across months and years that was on the brink of her turning her cold and bitter before he appeared. Just like that. Like…The sun. It would have been one thing if she had never known his smile. Never known his laugh—Or what it was like to exist in a world where he loved her. If she had never known any of that…Perhaps she wouldn't have been so taken. Without him…It was cold.

It was having known the warmth of the sun.

Only to have it taken away.

"My heart is all I have to give you. It may be small…But I want it to be enough. I want to be enough."

It was the first time Brandyn might have noted a touch of selfishness seeping into her. The fact that she openly admitted wanting something, rather, than deferring to the needs of someone else was more than a little bit of growth. She closed her eyes when he asked and indeed followed his instructions. A hand to his chest—Her fingers moved until she found his heartbeat. The easy tone he used wasn't quite hypnotizing but it was incredibly soothing. She felt compelled to do as told while trying her best to remember what it was like. To see more in everything.

To see the lines of life, light, and hope twining through the universe.

Focusing on Brandyn was…Truly no hardship. Even if it didn't help—She'd not have minded. Cybelle started with the things that any non-force sensitive could do. Feel his pulse. Hear him breathe. It didn't long before she had a staggering desire to lean into him and hide from the cool night air. It wasn't the usual drive to hold his hand or see his face. It was a combination of perfect happiness and equal terror. Like standing on the edge of a cliff with a beautiful lake at the bottom.

If she let it…If she just let it in—She could get to that lake. That warm, peaceful, beautiful place.

"Brandyn—", her voiced was a little higher than it might have normally been. Her senses felt wrong. Burned. As if she had the wrong connections, the wrong current, her nerve endings felt suddenly overwhelmed and raw. Confused. Cybelle didn't know whether to pull away from him or pull closer. Into that warmth that burned…So well. She kept trying to focus. Following the beat of his heart. Breathing through the flow of energy that cracked through her, easily, until it found what it needed.

A flaw in the poison she'd been injected with.

Her mind would flare to life in the Force with a burst of sprawling color and life. It was the sensation of flowers blooming, springtime, and lemony treats on hot summer days. It was happiness. Hope. The fall to the beautiful lake wasn't so far. Wasn't so scary. It was…Home.

Cybelle let her hand slide up from his chest to wrap around the back of his neck. Signaling…That he could stop. Let her try. One of the first things she had learned was how to bring life back to a barren world. Coruscant was indeed, a concrete jungle. The rooftop that they occupied would soon find itself covered in rolling vines with blooming flowers. The vegetation surge was slow at first but the more she flexed an invisible muscle the easier it got.

She could feel it. Feel—Him. Cybelle leaned into Brandyn and let her mind slowly wrap around his in the gentlest metaphysical embrace. He…He was home. It wasn't perfect yet but the swell of the Force in her was most definitely noticeable. She could see in the dark. Her voice would whisper just a few words in the back of his mind. They were broken at first but swiftly gained strength. Like remembering how to walk or run… Shy and sweet, though, it was a repeat of the last time she's said it.

<<…You…>>

<<..you..I…>

<<I love you. I love you. I love you.>>

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Location: Atop the Jedi Temple, Coruscant
Tag:

Meditation was the one thing that had taken Brandyn the longest to learn about life as a Jedi. It was not his go to, being still and not moving did not come natural to him. But since the incident on Chandrila he had devoted his every waking minute away from her bedside, and even a considerable amount of time while at her bedside, to the practice. He had tapped all his resources to find out what he could do to access dormant or receded Force presence. There was not a lot of information, some of it just anecdotal reports from the Old Republic era. But he had something to cling, some guidance.

Once he had begun, his mind was lost to the Force, her words washing over his conscience like flotsam far above a submersible. The mental embrace of his one love was so complete that he found himself lost in the essence of her. It was humbling to know how pure and good her spirit was, how deeply she loved...him. A genuine sense of unworthiness washed over Brandyn and threatened to pull him out of the spiritual embrace. When he meditated, there were so many shadows to navigate, but within Cybelle he saw none...maybe one?

Within the journey, Brandyn felt a feeling grow beyond the boyish love, or infatuation of which he could perhaps been accused. Instead, what grew was devotion.

Her hand moving brought his mind to attention. And slowly, with reluctance, he withdrew his mind. Even as the Force began to release itself within her mind, he felt again the sweet touch of her mind's voice speaking to him. Sweet words of love. In return, he made his promise.

<Only you. Forever you. I give myself complete...to you.>

Brandyn fell into her embrace, pulling the blanket round about them as the night air threatened to spoil the moment with its bite. How long they remained there, was lost on him. All he knew is that he could feel her presence again, entirely. His hands clung to her, mindlessly playing with the ends of her hair.

"Ahem."

Brandyn was startled, turning in almost a defensive mode about to see Talgrin floating off the edge, on the speeder.

"You know its headed for freezing tonight...don't you?"

"I hadn't noticed," Brandyn said, sheepishly a blush taking over his face.

"Oh. I don't doubt it," Talgrin replied with the biggest, cheesiest grin.

"We should...get going...it's getting late. And..." Brandyn shivered, he felt it now, "...it is actually really cold."

 

[Cybelle Sal-Soren]

Wearing: X
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
__________

<Only you. Forever you. I give myself complete...to you.>​

"And I you…"

Her words were paused by a gentle inclination of her head while sweet timidity swept through her. There was something intensely humbling about hearing such a promise, even moreso, because the words rang clear and true in her mind. It her most secret of places. He was the only one she let twine through her consciousness so deeply and without any wards or barriers. Cybelle experienced a faint sense of déjà vu as his arms twined around her. "—If you'll have me."

As if this weren't the first time, they'd been so close.

The young woman fell into a silent marvel while the world seemed to awaken around them from. It was subtle, similar, to the changing of the seasons. The fog and poison blockers that had kept her from the force seemed to be fading like melting snow. They reconnected, letting her feel, hear, and see in ways that she had begun to forget. Cybelle could feel his affection for her just as easily as she could feel the material of his shirt or the blanket that kept them close.

Pops of light began to spark in her minds eye and it took her a moment to realize she was sensing people in the distance. It was something she had always known…Just like the steady hum of the Force that always kept her on the correct path. It had cured her sadness, her loneliness, because in that wavelength she was never truly alone. She always had a place. A way forward. It was becoming clearer and clearer in her silence that…Not much had changed. The Force was still her guide.

Obviously, it brought her to him. Or him to her. Either way—Brandyn was her path. Her way.

Cybelle stayed where she was. Close. Hidden in the protective circle of his arms while the softer curves of her frame would melt against the harder lines he made. She was healing, for lack of a better term, and coming to grips with an influx of sensory data. What had once been second nature for the moment felt incredibly overwhelming. The little Hapani was happy—But struck by the intensity of it. The Force was a breath of fresh air but it also moved with the speed of a light rail. Difficult to slow down or control.

But Cy could do that. She could control it.

She would.

It was the voice of Talgrin that caused them both to jump and Cybelle reflexively hid her face against Brandyn. It was a private moment in which…She had forgotten anyone else was potentially within earshot. His voice was too loud. Presence too bright. Where Brandyn felt like a loving halo, Talgrin, rubbed up against her psyche like blistering sandpaper. Her head nodded slowly when Brandyn suggested that they get going, oddly enough, feeling warmer than she had in months.

In truth…She didn't want to go. She didn't want to say goodnight, goodbye, or anything that might send Brandyn out of her sight. The Force returning made her strong. Until it settled? Vulnerable.

"Next time we should go camping so we can light a fire—Then we won't freeze.", she offered, teasingly, though all three of them were capable of doing something about it. Tapas was a skill that even a Padawan could implement with relative ease. "And bring marshmallows."

Slowly, she shimmed out of the blanket before reflexively reaching for Brandyn's hand.

"And chocolate."

Her words were a touch cheeky, though, her emotions were still rising from her like a glass that was too full. Overflowing. Predominantly, with a sense of happiness that was warm and bright like a ray of sunlight. Either way…She followed Brandyn back to the speeder and they returned from the newly made green rooftop. She wasn't sure, exactly, what their Masters would have to say about that.

It wasn't long before they were back where they started.

Outside of her modest flat, the light on, with speeders passing by in the skylane not far away. She stood with her back to the door with her hands clasped behind her while the conversation seemed to come to a close. Cybelle tried to brush off a touch of uncertainty when her heart began to ache with the notion that he would soon turn around. Leave. She couldn't…

She didn't want that.

"Don't go."

Light fingers reached out and she grasped his sleeve to keep him while her mouth tried to work its way around the words. It was a simple request. It shouldn't have been so difficult…But it made her heart hammer in her chest. Slowly, she pulled him back toward the door and the portal slid open behind her. If she didn't have him…It was the same as being lost. "Stay?"

Voice so soft, quiet, and with the weight of falling rose petals.

"Will you stay with me tonight?"

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Location: Returning to Cybelle's quarters
Tag: Cybelle Sal-Soren

"As you wish," Brandyn said, repressed smile straining at the corners of his mouth. She was so delightful.

Talgrin chatted too much. But Brandyn was passed ignoring him. He was just watching her now. She was clearly overwhelmed with the sensory overload due to the Force's reawakening within her. It was something Jedi grew accustomed too. The feeling of life buzzing about your own life's energy. Their path back to her quarter's seemed shorter than it should have been. Like time was speeding up to rob them of moments.

He didn't want it to end. Perhaps now was the time to ask. Perhaps now was too presumptuous. They had only just had their first official date after all. But they were not known for their conventional patterns of romance.

It is not the right time to ask.

But it felt like the right time.

But he wasn't ready. There were things to do first. People to talk to first.

His mind was racing to such a degree, that when the door opened to Cybelle's quarters it made Brandyn jump just a little. It was in that moment that he was afraid that he had missed something she had said, or even worse...had been saying. Her words were repeated to ensure that he got it right.

"Don't go? I...I am right here..."

He was taking a moment to catch up.

Eye contact was made, and the full meaning of her words finally registered.

"Oh..."

"OOOH..."

His hand scooped hers to his lips. Eyes locked on hers, and soft kiss placed upon the back of her hand.

"Yeah. Yeah, I will."