Private Children of Shiraya: Then Buds the Ardor

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Age: 16 - Event: Family Vacation - Planet: Naboo
​

The only thing even remotely interesting about the family holiday to Lake Country was that Brandyn had heard rumour that Cybelle Elyance was going to be in the area as well. The grapevine of the 'help' at Evenfall proved to be extremely efficient in its information gathering. It had been some time since they had seen each other, having played a considerable amount as children and caught a few passing glimpses and waves to one another. Since she had taken up residence with the Jedi on Naboo, Cybelle had been like a ghost. It was unfortunate. She had been one of Brandyn's and Briana's closest friends up to just a few years earlier. Brandyn still had a sneaking suspicion that his father had something to do with her visits ceasing.

Pushing that all aside, Brandyn clambered up the near spongey knoll after having balanced across a few precarious rocks in the water. The moss and grass underfoot conformed perfectly to his feet, leaving an imprint that outlined his feet in all their bare glory. The roar of the waterfalls around him were almost deafening, and would surely leave a ringing in his ears later. The scent was of pure clean air, and just a hint of...fungus? Or was that mint?

He reached the top of the knoll, only to find another adventure ahead of him. There was a series of smaller hills down the other side of the one he had just climbed, dotting in a partial crescent shape. They lead to a mossy outcropping that emerged from the waterfall. If he could make it there, maybe he could pass through the waterfall and see what was behind it. His eyes lit up with the potential danger of it all. He only hoped that Hisashi wasn't watching from some hidden locale, though Brandyn had to admit that slipping away from the bodyguard had proven oddly easy this time around. Perhaps he had been distracted by Aunt Mina again?

Lowering himself into a squat, Brandyn slid down the side of the hill until he came to its edge. The rocks now seemed a little further away than he had anticipated. And they were likely quiet slippery. He glanced down. The water was clear, showing a decent depth, but rocks of varying sizes and at random depths below the gently flowing water's surface. With a scratch of his head, and a shrug of his shoulders, Brandyn dismissed the concerns that nipped at his mind, and trusted the hubris of youth without question.

"Right...so...maybe something with the Force?"

He had no training. He barely had an idea of what the Force was. There were times he had done things by accident, and had been able to make small objects float from time to time. But could the Force help him jump further like the Jedi in the Holo-films? He was about to find out.

He crouched, focusing his mind on his legs. Nothing seemed to happen. No feeling. No sensation. But maybe it was a matter of trust. Just trust that the Force would do its thing? Sure. Sounded right.

Brandyn jumped, and quickly realized that he was not going to make it, at least, not feet first. The impact on his chest took his breath away, and his hands failed to make any substantial grip on the small, slippery moss covered rock. He slipped back, head spinning from the impact, but knew well enough that he was sliding towards a short fall into the water below.

| Cybelle Sal-Soren |​

 

[Cybelle Sal-Soren]

N A B O O
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
Age: 16
Location: On the Edges of Spritegate Shore
_________________________________________________________
​

A light song slid from rose-pink lips while she sat by the edge of calm waters, waiting, for her guardian to return from a mission to a small village that was just down the way. Gianna had offered to take her along but Cybelle had felt the urge to stay behind. The land that the Jedi Knight had acquired long ago for Spritegate Shore led all the way to the water's edge on this side of the property. She didn’t know who owned the parcels at the border and had never ventured a guess. Life was…Quiet. Peaceful.

Sometimes a little too quiet and a little too peaceful. Cybelle thought that she might go crazy if she had to spend any longer sitting on her hands watching fluffy white clouds pass by. Her song paused for a moment while her thoughts trailed down a path of frequent frustration. Why couldn’t she go out into the world on her own? Why couldn’t she use the abilities she had learned—Gifts that Gianna Aegis herself often praised. Why was it acceptable for others to place themselves in harm's way, other padawans, and not her? How was that fair? How was that right?

<Patience, Belle.>

The voice of her mentor swept through her like a cooling breeze. The nigh rebellious irritation that had been swelling beneath her breast deflated almost immediately. Honeyed chestnut orbs swept the area with pale curiosity, before she paused, and looked within. Gianna wasn’t here. Not physically. A rueful little smile marred the soft beauty in her expression as she leaned down to pick up a flat stone. She held it a moment, before taking aim, before releasing so it could skip across the water.

“Yes, Gianna.”, Cybelle mumbled, barely audible, though with a little bit of lip. Her Master…Whom she rarely called Master would have laughed. Probably, would have given her a small chore and a snack and sent her on her way. To meditate and think about why patience was so important.

The only thing that greeted her was the soft scent of vanilla and sandalwood. Again, her head poked up. Was the Jedi really not here? It reminded her of the perfume her guardian swore she didn’t wear when a certain gentleman came for tea in the evenings. To her knowledge, they were utterly boring. Boring, and platonic. Speaking of herbal remedies, cookies, and the latest news from Theed and the galaxy as a whole. Cybelle made herself scarce. She wished for the flame-haired woman to find happiness wherever that may be—In whatever form it took. This man seemed to make her happy.

That was good enough.

Her stomach grumbled from hunger, rather loudly, and Cybelle winced. She hadn’t been back to the estate all day. There was something about the scent of fresh water and dew lilies that made her feel a lot calmer than the white-wood meditation temple. There was a long path that led back toward the main road. On either side of it sat grove after grove of lemon trees. Farmers could be seen harvesting the acidic fruit often enough, plus, some of the younglings liked to squeeze them and mix it with sugar cane. It made a sweet, refreshing drink on a hot day. Gianna encouraged them to take as much as they wanted. They would never in a million years use all the produce the orchards yielded.

Slowly she stretched and stood up, wiping her hands on a pair of tan slacks, with a pale blue tunic that went down to her knees. It wasn’t traditional attire for a padawan either—But again, Gianna made concessions. Her feet were protected by a pair of well-worn flats and long auburn hair had been sensibly braided back. Mostly. Pieces of it kept coming loose. Just when she was about to turn away, she noticed a form climbing on the rocks near the waterfall. Cybelle raised her hand to her eyes to stop the glare—Only to feel her stomach drop when someone tried to JUMP the distance! Were they bonkers?

Yep. Definitely bonkers. She saw the collision and effectively saw the person bounce off the rock and fall in with a splash.

“Hey—Hey are you okay?!”

The words flew out of her mouth with fairly impressive volume and without thinking she’d kicked off her shoes and was already diving carefully into the shallow water. Shallow, water. Her knees scraped the rough bottom but she was more than capable of righting herself to pull forward with strong, even strokes. The water rushing up against the rocks made a little bit of a splash but there wasn’t really any current to speak of. The water was just dark, here. Hard to see through.

“Hello?”

Were they hiding behind the rocks somewhere? What if they’d gone under? Panic started to rise while she trod water in the deeper pool. No one answered her call. It wasn’t that far of a fall…But what if they’d broken something? Hit their head? “Hello?”

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

The water was only a couple of feet deep where he landed, but thankfully his body was spread creating as good a sized surface for impact as he could have managed. The rocks still connected however. First, a large boulder clipping his right thigh, and then a small smooth stone impacting the left side of his abdomen and finally a small knock to the back of his head. It was enough to stun him, but not render him unconsciousness.

He floated naturally to the top of the shallow pool, but his right arm caught the large boulder, that had surely left a nasty bruise on his leg, and he stopped floating any further. A loud groan was permitted to exit freely. He was already wet. He was already cold. He was already sore. Why should he move? Maybe he should to make sure he could?

Water lapped over his face, up his nostrils, causing Brandyn to choke and splutter. The fear response created a literal knee jerk reaction as he flailed about for a moment, completely unseemly in appearance, looking for a way to stand up. It was finally rolling over that allowed his hands to grip and steady himself against a time worn boulder. With this he was able to dig his feet into the peebles and stones at the bottom of the pool, and push himself up into a stooped but upright position.

"Hello?"

It had taken until now for Brandyn to actually hear anything. In the shock of the moment, all his senses had taken leave but for the sense of urgency. The voice was familiar, though he had not registered this fact as significant yet. Nearly waist deep in water, favouring one leg over the other, Brandyn leaned on the support of his arms. Looking up towards the voice, Brandyn peered through the sodden clumps of chin length hair that covered his face.

The fact that someone had seen his fall, watched him flail in the water like a fish and now saw him in this pitiful state, well, that fact was enough to embarrass him thoroughly; that it was her face that looked back at him only accentuated his rising self-disdain even further.

"Cybelle," he said, trying to sound in control but failing miserably.

Pushing himself upright and correcting his posture, Brandyn winced in pain. It was an odd thing to occur to him, but he realized he had been shorter than her last time they had seen one another. He was now above average in height and eager to show it off, for some reason. Even this attempt at parading himself fell flat, when he stepped back to steady himself but slipped on a slick algae covered rock and fell to land squarely on his rear.

In her eyes, his fall was surely complete, and entire.

| Cybelle Sal-Soren |​

 

[Cybelle Sal-Soren]

N A B O O
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
Age: 16
Location: On the Edges of Spritegate Shore
_________________________________________________________
​

Cybelle swam a little further and found that she was able to stand in the shallower end. The thought made her cringe. If the water so low, here, the kid could have fallen and thwacked their head on the lake floor. It was softer than permacrete but still pretty unforgiving. She could hear someone splashing and choking after a moment and so she pressed onward until she walked around the side of a large boulder. How had he gotten all the way over here?

The poor thing looked a touch like a drowned swamp rat.

“Hey are you—”

The auburn-haired girl paused at the sound of her name and her brow creased for a hot nano-second before her eyebrows started to crawl up her forehead. “Brandyn?”, she questioned, incredulous, while he tried to stand. Only to slam back down on his backside rather firmly. Part of her felt a tender sense of concern while another part of her wanted to laugh. Another part, wanted to cry. His presence brought back so many memories that she hadn’t dredged up in what felt like an eternity.

Another felt as if she ought to run. His father would not be pleased to see them together.

Abruptly, she shook her head. As if she’d snapped out of a haze. Bare feet slid along the pebbles and stones while her clothing helped to weigh her down. Soggy, and uncomfortable. Dark hair fell like silken ringlets along the edges of a heart-shaped face but she made no effort to brush it away. “Hey..Hey just stay down for a second, would you?”

“You could have a concussion or broken bones. You’re an idiot…What were you thinking?”

When she got close enough, she knelt down in the shallow pool so that she could take his face in her hands. She watched his eyes in the light, checking his pupils, as Gianna had taught her. There didn’t seem to be any blood in the water. That was good. “Do you hurt anywhere?”

“Sharp pains? Blurry vision?”

Living at Sprite Gate Shore for so many years had taught her the very homely ways of a Healing House. She was still the fairly entitled, Hapan Royal, with a sharp tongue and a bright wit, but her naturally superior tendencies had been severely softened. Especially, toward men. She had come to think of others before herself no matter their gender. Men were not quite the second-class citizens that she had been brought up to think them to be. At least, not all of them.

Cybelle slowly started to relax when it seemed like an old friend wouldn’t die. She sank back on her haunches and slowly let him go, though, not before realizing how intently she’d been examining his face the whole time. A light blush stole across tanned cheeks and her head ducked down a moment so she could breathe to hide it. A silly thing, to be embarrassed about. “You…Don’t seem like I’ll need to call the coroner but you are a little banged up. If you can walk, I can help you get home. Or we could stop by the Shore.”

“It is probably closer.”

The shore also wouldn’t have his family. She wouldn’t have to stop where she couldn’t be seen. It was a quietly selfish thing to want him to come back to the Shore. Even for a little bit. There were rules and she didn’t want to cause Gianna any trouble by breaking them.

She chewed on her bottom lip for a moment, before letting it go.

“We could patch you up, feed you, and you on your way, good as new.”

Bad, idea.

Very, very, bad idea.

And yet—She didn’t change her mind.

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

What was he doing? Trying to find her. Was he going to say as much? No. Probably never. “Just exploring...trying to make my way up to the waterfalls,” he said, telling only the partial truth.

There was no protestation of his being labelled an idiot. It was not that he had not heard, no he was simply too dumbstruck by Cybelle’s presence. If it had been a sister he would have bit back, argued or cast aspersions upon them in some manner, but in his mind Cybelle Elyance was worthy of a much higher level of respect. Either that or he was just nervous and unsure of himself. Brandyn went with the former, it made him feel more in control.

”Do you hurt anywhere?”

He had flinched when she laid her hands on his face, not from pain, but definitely from discomfort. Yes, he hurt but somehow he was already feeling better, but also worse. Her hands were soft and caring, but somehow also created an ache within him that did not seem to be a result of the fall.

As he was examined he tried to speak, but found his words caught in his throat as he followed her motions closely. The last time he had seen her, she was just a child. He had been more so, and to his char grin his current state wasn’t exactly showing that he had grown much. Cybelle on the other had, she had become a young woman.

”I feel OK, just a bit achy...but nothing I can’t recover from,” he said with her diagnosis being finalised. He would still have to explain things to his family, and that would no doubt be the biggest pain of all.

The moment seemed to be about to end, and Brandyn had visions of her walking back into his wistful memoris once again. A new pain began to develop with the thought.

“Or we could stop by the Shore.”

”Yes!” He said, as he stood too quickly, splashing water about, “I mean...if you think its closer...I don’t want to put you to any inconvenience.”

He stood, straitening his wet attire and brushing aside his wet hair, trying to make himself look a little more dignified than was possible give the circumstances. A chance to visit a Jedi locale was something that he would never hesitate to accept, but that was of secondary importance in this moment.

”The Shore it is,” he said with a smile before offering a hand to help her up, but a thought flashed through his mind as he did so.

It is OK if you don’t want to let go.

| Cybelle Sal-Soren |​

 

[Cybelle Sal-Soren]

N A B O O
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
Age: 16
Location: On the Edges of Spritegate Shore
_________________________________________________________​

"You're going the wrong direction for that, silly fish."

The waterfalls had a path that was safe as houses. Belle scrunched her nose just slightly but seemed accepting of the truth he offered. Brandyn had been many things when she knew him best as a youngling. A keen aspiring adventurer, a would-be hero. She had every faith that he would one day slay the proverbial dragons…But—A top navigator? That wasn't one of them. The reaction he had to her hands resting on either side of his face, however, had caused her to release him quite quickly.

He had never flinched away from her before. Yes…She had been staring, but it was possible that he had a concussion. There was a pang in her heart when she realized it was probably because of his father.

Who knew what bile that detestable man had filled his children with over the years.

Cybelle swallowed hard and bit back the bit of self-consciousness that had erupted from nowhere and everywhere all at once. She blinked a few times to wash it away and pressed a reassuring smile onto her features. She was an aspirant Jedi Knight and Hapani. If anyone was more suited to handling a situation like this, aside from her Master, she couldn't think of them, and they weren't here. Gianna had always preached openness, kindness, and hospitality above all else.

He stood up quickly and she laughed. "—No so fast!"

"All the blood will rush to your head and you'll fall back down again."

He was impulsive.

Cybelle missed that. Everything she had done since her guardian had been killed—Since she'd essentially been exiled from all she knew—Had all been calculated. It wasn't safe for her in Hapes without someone who knew the political realm to watch over her. Gianna had been good to her. Kind, loving, and the mother that Belle had never known. "It's no trouble. The Shore is meant for weary Jedi…So today it'll just have to be fit for lost boys too."

It was meant for more than that, but the history lesson could wait. Cybelle gestured toward where the pools grew shallow enough to climb out and kept a close eye on him. Partially, out of her duty to those around her. Partially, because she was curious. Lonely. She was one of the only children that stayed long term at the shore from the occasional Padawan. He had grown. Obviously, he was not the boy she knew…But the memory was strong. It hurt to think of how much of his life she had missed.

"You'll like the Shore. I wish Master Aegis was home—I think you'd like her. She's the most beautiful Jedi I've ever seen and she makes amazing lemon bars. She's been teaching me to make them between my studies.", the chattering rambling about her Master was an easy go-to when Cybelle didn't know what else to say. Gianna Aegis was a prodigious healer, but nothing Force related could compare to her penchant for diplomacy. It would be clear in an instant that the young woman held great affection and respect for her. "She even faced off against the Chieftain of the Bryn'adûl in the old days. The war notes say that he cut through units of the Silver Jedi like they were nothing—With his bare hands. Master Aegis, well, she doesn't like to talk about it but some of the other Knights told me the real story."

"It used to give me nightmares—"

The admission caused her jaw to snap shut and her arms locked behind her back as she came to stand on dry land. The path to their right would lead them through a small farming village, then, finally the Shore. It was easy to see because of all the lemon trees. "—I mean, it could give the other Padawans nightmares. It was pretty crazy."

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Taking the offered route out of the water, Brandyn found himself stumbling occasionally, not from his head knock (at least he thought so), but purely from paying too much attention to Cybelle. The way she walked, talked, composed herself. If he remembered rightly, she was Hapan. His mother was part Hapan, I guess I am then as well.

She would look back on him to check, and Brandyn found his cheeks over heat and his eyes dart nervously towards the water again. She had begun speaking about the Shore as they step across wet rocks, and through large pools of water.

"You'll like the Shore. I wish Master Aegis was home—I think you'd like her."

If you do, I am sure I will.

"She's the most beautiful Jedi I've ever seen and she makes amazing lemon bars."

"But I thought you were a Jedi too?"

Lemon bars, sounds good.

Brandyn slipped on nothing really, mostly his words. He searched his memory. Had he really said that out loud, or only thought it? Picking himself up quickly, he just found a way to comment on what she said next in order to avoid looping back to an answer to his thought made verbal.

"She's been teaching me to make them between my studies."

"Well, I am sure that you do a great job."

"She even faced off against the Chieftain of the Bryn'adûl in the old days."

"She did?" Brandyn said, temporarily snapping out of his hormone induced stupor.

"The war notes say that he cut through units of the Silver Jedi like they were nothing—With his bare hands. Master Aegis, well, she doesn't like to talk about it but some of the other Knights told me the real story."

"Wow. The Bryn'adûl...they are no...no joke," he said as his mind began running scenarios as to how his known catalogue of Jedi abilities could have been used to defeat, or even temporarily hold at bay, one as powerful as the Chieftain of the Bryn.

"It used to give me nightmares—"

Hug her.

He didn't.

He simply went about tugging on some tugging on some tufts of grass to insure they would hold as they climbed out, and then offered his hand to help her up, giving deference to Cybelle.

"—I mean, it could give the other Padawans nightmares. It was pretty crazy."

Brandyn climbed up second. "The Bryn are a formidable force. I certainly wouldn't want to fight one...not...yet anyway. One day maybe. I don't know," he said while standing, and trying to find a posture that was at once relaxed but also assured, as normal he failed and just stood there awkwardly. It was not something that people really noticed, but Brandyn thought the planet itself was laughing at his awkwardness.

"It's...this way isn't it?" He said, with a quick step down the path.

"I'm going to be a Jedi some day," he said, trying to break the half second of quietness, "even though my dad is against it. I'm going to be a Guardian. I think I want to join the New Jedi Order. I love their history...and that they really trace their lineage through to the Old Jedi Order. There is so much history. There was this one holo-vid I was watching about the Jedi of the third century post empire and how they were reaching again the heights of the High Republic." He needed to stop talking, it was all so foolish. "We need a Jedi Order like that again. I just hope that I get to be a part of building it."

The path was worn for a single file path, but Brandyn walked to the side of Cybelle, his feet pushing through the longer grass on the paths side. "Even if I never get father's permission...I am going to go...one day." He startled himself with the admission. It was something he had contemplated but kept completely to himself. None of his friends knew, none of his siblings knew and definitely not his parents. Why did he tell Cybelle?

| Cybelle Sal-Soren |​

 

[Cybelle Sal-Soren]

N A B O O
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
Age: 16
Location: On the Edges of Spritegate Shore
_________________________________________________________​

Cybelle worried about Brandyn.

His hand-eye coordination seemed to be failing him a little too much. Was he just putting on a brave face sliding around like that, or, was he really that uncoordinated? Each time she glanced over her shoulder to make sure his head was above water he looked a little flush. Every medical lesson that she had ever had with Master Aegis told her to be wary of such combined symptoms.

For the moment, she let it be. If he didn’t want to admit something was wrong—Bel couldn’t force it out of him.

“I am a Jedi, but—”

Cybelle paused for a moment while visual confusion worked itself across her features. But the conversation continued on in earnest and she attributed the odd wording to the bump he had now, no doubt, taken to the head on the rocks. “I’m passable, I think. I never had to cook for myself before coming to the Shore so it’s been pretty interesting. I almost set the house on fire, once. I thought for sure that Master Aegis would be furious but she just kinda—”, the auburn-haired girl shrugged, briefly, seeming entirely befuddled by the leniency, “Laughed it off. She was just happy that I tried…”

Mentioning the Bryn'adûl seemed to wake Brandyn up a little bit and her eyes rolled heavenward a touch. Of course, monsters got his attention. “Tell me about it. We have the Bryn in training ‘crons… Not too many people choose to fight them. Not even in a holo…I can’t blame them.”

She took the hand he offered to escape the pools with hesitance, but left him with a warm smile. Everyone was really nice at the Shore but it wasn’t always that way in surrounding villages. Cybelle hadn’t been exposed to chivalry very often. “…It was during the battle of Nar Kreeta if I remember right. My Master found the Chieftain among the wreckage of a ship. His men turned on him, supposedly, in retribution for their losses. He put them down and went to join the battle proper—”

“But Master Aegis got in the way. She’s a pacifist, you know.”

Which was what made the story one of her favorites about a woman she idolized. Plenty of Jedi—Large and small had gotten their backsides handed to them by the Bryn'adûl during the years of the Phage. Her Master was one of the few that had fought, defensively, without killing, and managed to live to tell the tale. There were some parts that the older Knights were bitter about, though, she couldn’t quite understand why. Something to the effects of “pacifism” being a weakness rather than a strength because for her Master there were no exceptions. She could have killed the Chieftain.

She didn’t.

When Brandyn asked which direction the Shore was Cybelle confirmed it with a nod of her head. At the announcement that he planned to become a Jedi, truly, she stopped walking for a moment. She sucked in a deep breath of air between her teeth and listened carefully. She hadn’t expected that. “I’m not sure, yet. What kind of Jedi I want to be…”

“I think…I want to be the one the galaxy needs me to be.”

Whatever that may mean, in the end. She did love watching holos on the past Jedi Orders. There were so many neat tricks and tips that were more or less lost to the annuls of time. She planned to bring them back one day, or, revamp them for common use. Once again, she worried for him at his heartfelt admission. “Going against your family…”

“Are you sure you want to do that? He’s the only father you’ll ever have.”

Her words were softer, now, while they walked. It was easy for someone to forsake their family when they had one to let go of. Cybelle…Didn’t have that. An orphan would always, always, long for a place in the universe. She was nothing, if not that.

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Passable? Not on your life. You are amazing.

Brandyn listened intently to the tale but the seemed to almost stumble at the revelation of Master Aegis' philosophy.

"A pacifist?" Brandyn said, with a quizzical look forming from a momentary look of contempt, "I don't think I could be a hard and fast pacifist. I'm sorry. I understand the need to not be the aggressor, or seek violence as the first recourse, but surely at some point the best defense is a good offense. Right?"

Brandyn breathed in sharply, wishing he could take the words back. He did not want to argue with Cybelle, or disagree with her. Or was it that he feared finding out that her philosophy was not what he shared? Having something about her that he...did not like?

Pacifism is not that bad. It is better than the opposite.

"I think my mother wants me to be a Jedi, but she never says as much," he said with a shrug of his shoulder, "she has always encouraged me to follow my dreams...what else could that mean seeing as she knows full well that my dream is to be a Jedi Knight?"

For just a moment, the child within Brandyn poked its head out. "So I am only upsetting one person in the family. Briana wouldn't care. She would be happy to see me go. Blaire just wants me to be happy. Breha is too young to know the difference." Brandyn quietly wished that his immaturity would just die. He winced, feeling as though Cybelle would lose all respect for him given his tone of voice.

| Cybelle Sal-Soren |​

 

[Cybelle Sal-Soren]

N A B O O
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
Age: 16
Location: Spritegate Shore
_________________________________________________________​

The expression Brandyn wore drew an airy, good-natured, laugh from Cybelle. At the very breath of pacificism, he looked as if he'd swallowed a frog while it was still alive and wriggling. He seemed to emulate some of the older Knights and Masters that visited the Shore. It was said that only Sith dealt in absolutes—But it had become clear that the varying Jedi Orders in the galaxy did the very same thing. They simply painted it differently. Virtuously. "You can have your own opinion…Why are you apologizing, Bran?"

"Pacifism is the way of my Master. I never said it was mine—So if you don't owe me anything."

The words she offered in return were calm and reserved. If she was irritated by the way her childhood friend brushed aside the philosophy of her Master, truthfully, it wouldn't show. Something about growing up in the countryside of Naboo had tempered the wild, outspoken Hapani child. Given her patience, where before, she had very little. "Different forms of pacifism exist. Not everything is so black and white where we can wholly dedicate ourselves to a life of non-violence, but Gianna is as close to it as I've ever seen. She teaches love in action and compassion to all creatures…"

"Which, is why I think she doesn't like to talk about Nar Kreeta. She didn't kill the Chieftain, but she could have. A lot of people think she should have. In the end, she distracted him long enough to turn the tide. Without their leader, the Bryn are disorganized. A snake without a head.", Cybelle explained, carefully, trying to work out the nuances of things that had taken her years to even partially understand. The war notes in the holo did a much better job. "Obviously, she had to fight the big 'ole lobster in some way to keep him distracted—But she could only defend for so long. The Bryn are strong. Fast. Way more than any near-human. Eventually, he won. He had her, dead to rights, but she said something to him in the last moment…"

"…And he let her go. Let her live."

The Bryn'adûl never let anyone, live.

Cybelle didn't know what was said. Gianna wouldn't say and the war notes seemed to be locked until she reached a higher level of mastery. The auburn-haired woman still burned with obvious pride for the Master of the Shore. It was hard not to respect someone that went against the grain and hadn't compromised their beliefs for the easy, bloody victory. "So…Yeah. She chooses the path of peace. But that doesn't mean she's weak, or helpless. I've never seen anyone move or fight like her. Offense and defense are just words…All that matters is how we use the Force when the time comes. I do learn from her. I'd be stupid not to—"

"—But she encourages me to be my own person. To do what I think is right."

A little like his mother, in that regard. Belle didn't feel like she was far enough in her training to adopt a philosophy hard and fast so she tried to learn as much as she could. She wanted to be a Jedi Knight more than anything…But there was so much more to it than a title. So much more, that she didn't really understand. Even if she huffed and puffed on occasion about being left behind when Master Aegis felt like it was too dangerous.

The response to the question about "going against his family" caused her to shake her head slowly, though, she didn't immediately berate him. This wasn't the same boy she knew, though, bits and pieces of him were poking through the young adult that looked just like him. It still wasn't her place to tell him how to feel. "You've got time to decide…", her words were soft, still. Some part of her still felt a little burned by the way he was so quick to throw any member of his family away. Didn't he know how precious that was? Even if his father was flamingly angry, wasn't that better than not having one?

"I think…You'd make a fine Jedi, Brandyn. As long as you stop face-vaulting into shallow streams full of sharp rocks.", the gentle tease was accompanied by an easy smile that seemed to brighten the already cheerful Shore. They passed a few small homes and Cybelle took the time to wave at some of the villagers that she knew. The anti-Jedi sentiment wasn't so strong out here where people could be found plowing fields together. The classes weren't so divided.

They came to a well-maintained stone gate that Cybelle skipped through without hesitation. There was no placard or sign saying that this was Sprite Gate Shore—But something in the air immediately changed. There was a small, light-sided, force nexus in the middle of the property. The air felt lighter. There was a winding pathway that was lined with flowering fruit trees as far as the eye could see. Lemons, specifically. The flowery citrus scent always made her feel safe.

"The main houses are just up here…"

There were several buildings on the property, a carriage house, barn, library, infirmary, and training facilities—But there was one large estate that stood out from the pink flowering tree in the courtyard. It was different than the others. It was more modest than what the nobility of Naboo lived in but it was incredibly spacious. Homey, even. "C'mon…I'll show you my room and we'll find you something to wear till your clothes dry out."

"And maybe get a snack?"

If he really didn't need any medical treatment. She couldn't see any huge open wounds but there were times when his attention span made her wonder. Cybelle wouldn't be able to forgive herself if she let him leave with a concussion.

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

"She just...spoke...and he left her to live...she spoke...words?" He said with a look of amazement, "actual. Words?"

All of a sudden, his level of respect for Cybelle's master went through the roof. He turned from her for a time as he processed the information that she had just landed him with. The old adage of words being more powerful than a blaster, or some such sentiment, had always seemed a little foolhardy to him, but now...now...he was reconsidering his act-first-always attitude.

"—But she encourages me to be my own person. To do what I think is right."

"She sounds very wise," said Brandyn, but he stopped short with his next words - I wonder if she would be willing to train me?

"You've got time to decide…"

"I'm not going to do it tomorrow...or something like that," he said, hurriedly, "just...you know...I don't want to waste the gift I was given." That last bit was maybe reason number thirteen on his list of reasons for going, but it sounded much better than the top twelve.

"I think…You'd make a fine Jedi, Brandyn. As long as you stop face-vaulting into shallow streams full of sharp rocks."

Brandyn felt his chest swell in pride. I would? Yes. Even Cybelle thinks so. I could do it. He caught the next words and gave her a playful nudge, shoulder to shoulder. He instantly regretted doing so. It wasn't appropriate. And yet, he hoped she was OK with it anyways. Her smile caught his periphery, and he found himself transfixed; Naboo's sun seemingly shining just a bit brighter.

A smile, nervously twitching between relaxed and outright goofy, was now spread across Brandyn's face. Just watching the way she carelessly drifted into her place of residence, and its surrounding lemon scented gardens, made the rest of the universe grow fuzzy, and indistinct. Was it possible that one person could be another's whole universe? Or was this just the follies of youth that he had been scolded about so often?

"This place is amazing," he said, without looking around at his surroundings.

He wasn't even sure what Cybelle was saying anymore. He simply followed her lead. That was until she said something about...her room.

Say something.

Tell her how you feel.

No, idiot, that is the last thing you should do.

Say something confident, like, "Your room? Lead the way."

Ick. No. That's gross.

She's asking about snack's now.

In her room?

No. Moron. Not in her room...I think.

You think?

Say something!

Like what!?

Anything!

I can't just say just anything!

Say something! She is looking at you, waiting for an answer!

Anything?

Anything!

Brandyn's rapid fire internal dialogue came to a screeching halt and the only word he had available was, "Anything..."

You blew it.

"...ah...anything...you say....lead the way." Internally, every part of him cringed, his face let show a subtle wince.

| Cybelle Sal-Soren |​

 

[Cybelle Sal-Soren]

N A B O O
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
Age: 16
Location: Spritegate Shore
_________________________________________________________​

Cybelle nodded her head. His amazement equaled her own, though, she had also been struck with a deep sense of disbelief at the time. The Bryn'adûl did speak basic. But no matter of words, no matter how educated, or eloquent, had ever managed to still the monsters before. She had asked Gianna several times in quiet moments after training, but, the flame-haired woman would always change the subject. She wasn't good at hiding her pain. Not even from a teenager. "Yup. No magic—No Force. Just words."

Brandyn thought her Master wise and Cybelle could only nod her head in agreement. She felt the Nabooian woman to be more kind, than wise, but it was true nonetheless.

"Yeah…She's something, all right."

Belle didn't mean it in any sort of disparaging way. She just didn't know how to put it into words. Her upbringing had been very strict with Hapan ideals and habits pressed into her every action. It wouldn't have occurred to her that there was actually civilized life in the countryside. Outside of the tall buildings and homes of nobility in Theed. The Shore was a quiet place. A good place.

Her head nodded absently when he seemed willing to pump the brakes about diving headfirst into the life. It wasn't what she had expected. She doubted, it was what anyone expected. There were moments of adventure. Of feeling connected to something much larger than she was. But, there were also bouts of loneliness and confusion. It was just… A lot. "That's understandable. I didn't even know I had a knack for the Force before coming here. Master Aegis put it into perspective…"

"Not all applications of the Force are big. Some, are small. Invisible unless you know what to look for. Things like…Are you crying because it rains, or, does it rain because you cry?"

Cybelle had cried a lot when first coming to the Shore. It had rained a lot.

She still didn't know the truth.

Brandyn nudged her and Belle looked up, surprised, but playfully nudged him back. Silly. He wore such a childlike expression that her smile only widened further. It was nice to see him. Even better, to see him happy. He complimented the homey décor of the so-called humble house and she rewarded it with a kind smile. "It is pretty great. Really though…It's just home."

More than anywhere else had ever been.

There were thirteen extra bedrooms in the main estate. Usually, used by wayward Jedi that were passing through and needed somewhere to stay. They often had an allowance from their Order but some Jedi didn't have anything at all. Just the clothes on their backs and a lightsaber. The Shore took them in—As long as they needed. Cybelle turned and eyed Bran for a moment, head tilting, while she tried to guess his clothing sizes. She paused by a tall linen closet in the hall and pulled free a few garments. Most notably, pale green padawan robes with a white undershirt and a light-brown belt.

"You—", she paused, looking up when he suddenly sputtered something out. She paused for a moment and glanced at him more thoroughly. He was doing that thing again. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Maybe, he was sun sick. Right. She could fix that. A little fluid and rest and he'd be right as rain. Cybelle shook her head in light amusement and continued down the hall. Her bedroom was the furthest from the long staircase and overlooked the pink-blossoming tree in the courtyard. The door was already half open and Cy nudged it the rest of the way open with her hip while moving. The sunlight through the window gave everything a burnished glow. Three of the walls had been painted a soft, baby blue, while the fourth was decorated with realistic sunflowers and a sky with puffy clouds.

There was a desk in one corner and a bookshelf nearby with dozens of books. Real, books. Not just holo-dockets. There weren't any other items that might designate the room to be "hers" but there were little things if someone knew what to look for. Hairbrush, honey-hand cream, and a pretty beat-up stuffed porg that she immediately raced over and threw in the closet. Overall, it seemed spotless, but well-worn. There was a definitive path in the hardwood where someone could be seen pacing, or, perhaps practicing the same thing over and over. "This is it—Make yourself at home.", she intoned while setting the clothes on the bed.

"You can get changed in here and I'll go get us something to eat. If you need me just holler…"

She backed toward the door, but not before pilfering a few pieces of clothing from the dresser. Cybelle would get changed down the hall. Not too long later would find her returning with a tray full of things that her Master had prepared before leaving. She worried, often, that Cy wouldn't find her way when she wasn't home—And usually made way too much for the few days she'd be gone.

The auburn-haired girl knocked on the door with the back of her knuckle to ensure he was decent before entering. "I've got lemon-tea, lemon-bars, and some pasties. There's cheese and meat…", Cybelle informed through the solid wood, certain, that the very yummy smell of flaky pastry had already wafted upstairs. These were simple, healthy, and Cybelle's favorite.

"Can I come in?"

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

The Shore certainly was not to the decadence level of Ee'everwest Estate where he had grown up, but it still matched his home for a feeling of history and seemingly instant comfort. Most would not have felt comfortable on the Estate, like he did, but he guess that anyone could feel at home at the Shore. It was just incredibly...yeah, she is right...this is just home. There was a feeling of the place being well lived in, but cared for nonetheless.

"Am I okay?" He said at one point, being pulled out of his distraction, "I think so? I don't know...my head is starting to hurt a little more." He winced with the pain as it began to set in. Even the thrill of being in Cybelle's company could not hold the pain at bay forever.

When she finally brought him to the doorway to her room, Brandyn hesitated. Looking inside the room felt a little like peering into Cybelle's psyche. This was the place where she was the most 'herself'. If her bedroom was anything like this...well it wouldn't be this tidy...but it would also be a place daydreams, high emotions and sleepless nights filled with contemplations. What he saw seemed to endear Cybelle even more to the young Jedi-wannabe.

He was not oblivious to the porg, so unceremoniously deposited into the cupboard, and it elicited an amused smile. With her invitation, he found it necessary to actually cross the hearth of her room. He stepped in, a bundle of nerves, elation and curiosity.

"You can get changed in here and I'll go get us something to eat. If you need me just holler…"

"Ah, yeah, sure," he said, taking the change of clothes into hand. For just a moment, he stared at the door she had just closed, thoughts lingering on the young woman that had just left. The reality of his locale broke him from his haze, and he turned about slowly on the spot just taking in the space. It seemed to be a room fit for one with such light and breeze to their person. It was a well lived space, Brandyn walked the worn path on the floor a few times, but well kept. Actual books? He didn't dare disturb them for fear that she would notice his prying.

"I've got lemon-tea, lemon-bars, and some pasties. There's cheese and meat. Can I come in?"

"Ah...one moment..."

Panic hit his brain. How long had he been just standing here? Like a moron? Just looking at things? Leg one, leg two, and pants were off. Shirt, all wet and nasty, tangled as he tried to pull it over his head.

"...hang on...just..."

He thought quickly about the girl outside the room, and just how undressed he was willing to get in this moment. Undergarments are staying on. He quickly pulled the change of clothes over, and just as he was pulling his head through, he called out, "...ah yeah...you can come in now."

As the door cracked open he quickly crouched, took a deep breath, and tried to pretend that he was just casually picking up his wet clothes.

"The snacks...sound great...thank you...Miss Elyance," he said, breathing deeply in the pauses.

| Cybelle Sal-Soren |​

 

[Cybelle Sal-Soren]

N A B O O
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
Age: 16
Location: Spritegate Shore
_________________________________________________________​

She waited patiently for Brandyn to be ready for her to open the door and chuckled a little at hearing him shuffle around pretty madly. He was such a space case. Cy just couldn't tell if this was just his normal state of being or a result of the accident. Regardless, that would need to be addressed. She wouldn't be in trouble with her Master for bringing him home but she'd never hear the end of it if he passed out cold in the middle of the Shore. "Take your time…", she tried to reassure, though, not sure it was helping.

When he gave her the go-ahead, she balanced the tray on her hip for a moment to get the handle—Freshly changed herself. A light-yellow tank top and a pair of low-slung capri pants that highlighted the fact that she was barefoot. It was better to let her shoes dry out than track water everywhere. Auburn hair had been pulled back once more into a thick braid. Tidy, as ever.

Her nose crinkled cutely at being referred to that way. Miss Elyance. No one called her that here. Perhaps, Padawan Elyance from time to time…But she wasn't used to the formality of nobility anymore. "You've known me longer than anyone here…You can say my name, you know."

The young woman put down the snacks on the spacious wooden desk and set about to pouring them both a drink. A quick glance over her shoulder made her smile just a little. The plain Padawan robes that she had found for him were a familiar sight. She had a little more leeway with what she wore when she wasn't training, but, not much. Nothing like the fancy finery that her former guardian had insisted she wear. In fact—She had next to nothing from her past but a few small trinkets. "See?"

"You do make a good Jedi. Well, a Padawan. I got sick of wearing brown all the time at first… But it grows on you."

Cybelle returned to him and handed him one of the glasses.

"You should hydrate and let me take a look at your head. Unless, you want me to get one of the medic droids from the Infirmary.", she intoned gently, though, Cybelle couldn't help but miss her Master again. She was growing proficient with healing arts but she was nowhere near the level of skill Gianna had. She could just look at someone and know exactly what they needed. Body, mind, and soul. "You're not bleeding, I know, but still…"

The soft concern in her tone remained ever present while she gestured for him to take a seat. There was a chair at the desk, or, he could sit on the bed. If Cybelle thought anything of it, she never let on whatsoever. In the Shore—This was her private space to share with whom she willed. There was no thought toward anything untoward.

Bran was a friend who currently needed help. How could she think of anything else?

Realizing that he still had his wet clothing she smiled again and reached out to take them. They wouldn't dry in a bundle. She turned around and opened both sides of the wardrobe so that she could hang them neatly. It was a warm day. It wouldn't be too long, but, likely longer than his family might have wanted. "Are you sure you don't want to holo your family and let them know you're okay?", she questioned when she finished, as always, circling back toward him. Cybelle inherently had a way of making others feel like they were the most important person in the room.

Nevertheless, she reached for his head, one hand on either side, though stopped just short. Her expression told him everything, but she still asked before making the same mistake as she had at the pools. "…May I?"

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Effortless. She was effortless.

Having grown up in a household of refinery, and females, Brandyn was not unaccustomed to seeing women dressed in the finest clothes Naboo had to offer. His mother alone had a wardrobe that would make a Queen blush for its extravagance. Even Brandyn's own sisters were considered beautiful by Naboo's own high standards, not that he could understand that summation of them. But here was Cybelle, someone not from any degree of high means or high society, and she made bare feet and relatively simple attire look like the last night of his father's old Glitterstim fashion shows.

You are staring.

Brandyn averted his eyes, looking rather to the bundle of wet clothes in his hand, of which Cybelle would soon dutifully relieve him.

"You've known me longer than anyone here…You can say my name, you know."

"Sure...ah...Cybelle," he said.

"You do make a good Jedi. Well, a Padawan. I got sick of wearing brown all the time at first… But it grows on you."

It was only then, really, in all the hustle that Brandyn stopped to consider that he was indeed dressed in Jedi-like robes. He looked down, lifting his hands to rub down the robe. The texture was course, the opposite of anything he had worn before, and utterly fantastic. "I...don't mind brown...at all," he said, smile running wild with his imagination.

"Are you sure you don't want to holo your family and let them know you're okay?

"No!" Brandyn said with too much vigour, "I mean...no...no thanks. They will send security to fetch me straight away...and...I don't feel like..."

...leaving.

He simply sat down on her chair by the desk, and let his thought just trail off.

"…May I?"

Brandyn nodded slightly in consent. "Do you ever think you will leave the Shore?" Brandyn said, before sipping his drink. He had chosen to sit on the chair, comfortable as her bed would have been to sit on that was just a step too far for his teenaged mind to handle. "Take to the stars? Like in the holos? Defend the innocent...that sort of thing?"

It was better for him to ask questions. Preoccupy himself from overthinking how gentle her hands were.

| Cybelle Sal-Soren |​

 

[Cybelle Sal-Soren]

N A B O O
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
Age: 16
Location: Spritegate Shore
_________________________________________________________​

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

That same teasing tone came out when he spoke her name. Certainly, he said it when he was surprised to see her but the moment the excitement settled, he seemed to be reverting to a son of nobility. She rather liked hearing her name from him, though thankfully, she didn’t seem to notice his eyes following her this way and that. The Padawan robes that she had given him were clean, sturdy, and well-kept. There were often spares of all sizes all around the Shore.

They never knew who might drop in or when.

“You can keep it, if you like it.”

She didn’t think about how he might explain it to them when he returned home but perhaps, they could package them in paper and twine. Pretend, that he’d lost track of time in one of the villages and found something he liked. That wasn’t entirely a lie…The Shore was technically the size of a village and it was indeed on the edge of one. Regardless, the thought faded for Cybelle when he rebuked the idea of informing his family of his whereabouts. “Okay—It’s okay.”

“We can worry about that later.”

Cybelle was used to her freedoms. She still had to follow some of the rules that her Master put forward but most of them seemed to be common sense. She didn’t have the same strict parentage that Brandyn did—Nor did she have anyone else to truly worry about pleasing. Master Aegis was always just proud of her for doing her best. Even, if her best was a disaster.

Her guest took a seat at the desk and followed dutifully after him. Cybelle let gentle fingers run over his skull with something that might have seemed like experience. She searched for anything unusual. He had no broken skin, but that didn’t rule out a contusion or bleeding that couldn’t be seen. A headache was normal for a bumped skull—But she wanted to make sure that was all it was. Her stomach felt like it was bottoming out at the thought of him really being injured.

His question caught her off guard.

“It’s not something I’ve really thought about—But I suppose I will. Every bird has to leave the nest at some point.”, Cybelle answered honestly, but even that, left her feeling slightly bereft. A life without her Master felt unfathomable at this point. Who would she tell all her stories to in the evenings? Who would teach her mending and how to talk to animals? “The stars are beautiful. You can see them so clearly from the Shore at night…I always wonder what’s out there.”

“But it’s scary at the same time. Lonely.”

Cybelle paused when she felt a ridge on the occiput of his skull, beneath a wealth of soft hair. It was swelling pretty handily—A mighty goose egg. She winced. No wonder it was starting to hurt now that the adrenaline was wearing off. The tan-skinned girl closed her eyes for a moment and gently lay both hands over it. One atop the other. “Hold still for a moment. This won’t hurt a bit.”, she intoned, before reaching for the Force as she had been taught. It came from nowhere and everywhere. Her mind's eyes saw it as golden sparks, threads, of flowing energy that moved through the air in a pattern that was almost musical. She just needed to direct it. Cybelle imagined his injury to be a swirling mass of darkness. The almost-Knight pulled on the energy required and pressed it delicately into the affected area and watched as it sought to invigorate and repair.

Almost like a million little nanomachines putting something back together.

Slowly, the dark mass faded, and she could feel the swelling receding beneath her hand. Not long later she breathed and pulled back. “There…”, there was a light to her eyes that hadn’t been there before and the young woman was breathless. Almost like she’d just finished running a marathon or the entire obstacle course in the fields. “How does that feel?”

Her blood seemed to rush to her head as if she’d stood up too quickly, and her legs felt like wobbly noodles. She reached for the back of the chair to steady herself and tried to ignore the fact that she looked ten shades paler. She could heal. It was one of the first things Master Aegis had taught her—But even a minor injury, a scrape, took an intense amount of focus and energy.

“You should have a pastie before they get cold, too.”

Deflect and evade. Take care of the patient, her friend, and ignore the rest.

She would be fine momentarily.

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

“You can keep it, if you like it.”

"I can...really?" He said, taken aback by the generosity, but also the thrill of owning actual Jedi robes.

But it did not take long for reality to sink in for the young noble. What would his father say when he found out? He was already in trouble, probably. Why add to the firestorm? Or on the other hand, it's bad already who cares about making it worse?

"I...probably shouldn't...but they are pretty amazing," he said, admiring the sleeves, "thank you, Cybelle."

“But it’s scary at the same time. Lonely.”

He wanted to take her hands and comfort her. The way she said the word 'lonely' sounded as if it carried more weight that just in that sentence. "Space is a big place. But if you find your place in it...find...something or someone to live for...it gets a whole lot smaller. More manageable," he said, repeating the words of his mother, with some embellishment.

“Hold still for a moment. This won’t hurt a bit.”

It was not hard for him to sit still. To describe himself as paralyzed by fear of making a fool of himself was an understatement. There was nothing in the world that would be worse that somehow ruining this moment, but Brandyn truly believed himself capable of finding a way - and so, he obeyed.

Don't try and be clever, Brandyn.

“How does that feel?”

The sensation of his flesh healing itself and such a rapid rate was not something he was new too. His mother had used healing abilities on her children's childhood scratches and bruises over the years. So it did not feel any different for that reason. It did feel different though. This was Cybelle.

Brandyn realized he had taken too long to respond. "Oh...ah...yes...it feels much better," he said, "thank you."

“You should have a pastie before they get cold, too.”

Standing, Brandyn turned to see that his friend was struggling. He remembered that his mother had often mentioned that she felt light headed, and needed to rest - sometimes even lie down for a while after using the Force to heal someone. "Cybelle...you need to..."

All pretense of awkwardness or embarrassment dissipated into a pure concern for her wellbeing. Without a thought, he was by her side, taking her hand and supporting her with one hand on her back.

"...come with me. You need to lie down. Healing takes it out of even the strongest of Jedi."

Directing her to the bed, Brandyn knelt down beside her place of rest, and cupped her hand among his. "I know it will pass...but you have to rest. I will be OK. You make me, OK."

Did I say make or made?

| Cybelle Sal-Soren |​

 

[Cybelle Sal-Soren]

N A B O O
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
Age: 16
Location: Spritegate Shore
_________________________________________________________​

Cybelle nodded her head slowly when he declined the Padawan robes. He'd seemed so happy—But she knew why he eventually, surprisingly responsibly, passed on her offer. "Well…If you change your mind, it's not like you don't know where to find me.", she acquiesced, offering a comforting, easy smile while he remained more than a little enamored with the rough brown cloth. It was nothing like the fine silk-threaded linen that he might have been used to. They were designed to withstand vigorous training in a variety of elements. To keep him cool when the sun burned—To warm, when the sun set.

He wasn't wrong in his thoughts. Cybelle had just thought she'd gotten used to being alone. Often, she told herself that what she had was enough. The small semblance of living that she'd managed to take hold of with Master Aegis was comfortable, but there were very few people her age. Even fewer that might understand her. They preached the old ways, the new, but none of it really seemed to align with the present. None of it really soothed her—Or brought her peace.

She found that in other things.

The smile that she usually wore softened while she looked at Brandyn. His take was surprisingly astute—But it only reminded her of the things she would never have. "The path of a Jedi isn't quite so simple, Bran. We find a cause to live for. A battle to win—People to defend. But we never do it for ourselves. We do it so they can live and find their special someone."

"We don't get that."

Or at least they weren't supposed to according to the history books. "I've watched holo after holo…And I've never seen a more lonely people in all the world. Surrounded, by others…"

But oh, so very, very alone.

The brown-haired woman set about to take care of her friend and felt infinitely relieved when he confirmed that his pain had faded away. She kept her hand on the back of the chair and tried her best to keep him from noticing—But Brandyn was far too observant. Especially, for a teenage boy. Chocolate orbs flickered between sable and hazel, light, and pinpricks of energy moving around in her iris before it cleared and faded. It was like waking up from a dream. "I—"

He was already moving and it seemed no amount of protesting would stop him. It had been so long since she'd had any positive interaction with his parents that she'd almost forgotten. Of course, he would notice. Of course, he would know. Her seemingly delicate frame fell neatly against his while she tried to move and her head bobbed for a moment. He would find himself supporting most of her meager weight for a few seconds until she felt the bed beneath her. "Mm…I'm fine, Bran. Just a little tired is all…"

Her words were a little slurred.

The young woman felt his hand in her own and turned slowly on her side so that she could face him while he spoke. The hand that he took would twist, slowly, to bring the back of his hand to her cheek so she could hold it there. Trapped between rosy skin and the soft pillow. As if it were the obviously treasured porg stuffy that she'd hidden away in the closet. Cybelle wasn't sure that she understood.

Not really. But, her eyes seemed to know as they followed the line of him with what seemed to be infinite care. She'd done a good job at being a proper Padawan, a good Jedi, but Cy couldn't shake the wistfulness that she'd thought had been banished. She was so devoted to her studies that she rarely stopped to think. To remember, or feel, anything that a sixteen-year-old should.

It wasn't proper, nor, would his Father let him have anything to do with her. Still. Even as her heart sank to her stomach at the realization of the very different worlds they lived in—a light promise left primrose lips. Honest, pure, and candid.

"I'm not worried…I'll always make you okay."

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Even as his hand was brought to nestle beneath her face, Brandyn felt an unexpected feeling wash over him. Brandyn felt...sad.

He was saddened by how he had looked at her until this moment. That being as a young boy flustered by the attention of a pretty young woman. He was saddened by what he had known her to be until this moment. That being an object of affection, a daydream for a cool, later summer's evening. He was saddened by his thoughts of what she could be to him, instead of seeing her need. He had missed Cybelle even as he had stared haplessly at her.

"I'm not worried…I'll always make you okay."

And now he was saddened by her promise, as thoughts of family, and duty, and responsibility to his name and legacy flooded over him. For sixteen years Brandyn Sal-Soren had avoided growing up, preferring to live in a universe of make believe and fairy stories. Before him was laid out two clear paths in life. He would need to make decisions that would upset people, even those he loved most, no matter which path he took.

As his eyes darted across the soft features of the girl before him, he knew which path he wanted to take. It was a path that we see him worthy of having his held in this manner by this woman once again. Her words echoed in his mind, 'We don't get that.' She deserved more than that cold resignation to looking at love, warmth and family from the outside.

He watched her fall asleep, and even as she did so he whispered a reply to her promise.

"I will always choose the path that leads to you."

| Cybelle Sal-Soren |​

 

[Cybelle Sal-Soren]

N A B O O
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
Age: 16
Location: Spritegate Shore (Two Months Later)
_________________________________________________________​

"Sit still!"

Cybelle's crystalline laugh could be heard throughout the training area while she attached a rather high-tech looking helmet to Brandyn's head. He wiggled more than a youngling of Life Day. It was another beautiful day on the Shore and she'd gotten permission from Master Aegis to show a friend around in her absence. The auburn-haired girl had kept a spare set of Padawan robes just for the occasion.

Things had felt different, lately. Brighter. Hopeful.

That might have had something to do with the young man that kept sneaking back to her humble home to learn a few Jedi tricks in his spare time. He got so excited about it that she couldn't help but feel excited too. "So—This is a training droid. It's gunna shoot you.", she intoned rather cheerfully for what was about to happen. The bolts wouldn't hurt him much. Just a little sting, if he failed to deflect it.

She handed him the hilt of an inactivated light-saber and through the helmet he now wore that covered his eyes he would see that the gear simulated a real light-saber. The one he held would never light because there was no Kyber Crystal, but the program would simulate the weight and feel of it. It would let Bran SEE himself using the sacred tool even if there wasn't a burst of light or heat. Swinging a saber was like nothing else because of how light it truly was. It left most sword users off-balanced and confused—unwieldy where they used to be masters. "I want you to try and focus, okay?"

"Activate the saber like I showed you and use it to deflect the bolts. You'll have to rely on the Force to anticipate them or you'll be full of holes..."

Cybelle had spent hours with this particular droid trying to beat the highest score. She hadn't managed it yet but she got closer and closer every time. Her own saber, a blue blade, sat neatly in the holster on her hip. It was new. Master Aegis had finally taken her to make her own and Cy still felt over the moon about it. She'd been using one that belonged to her Master for the longest time. It was functional—And beautiful, but it wasn't hers. This one was special.

"—So you better do well because I don't want to spend all day patching you up!"

It was a teasing comment, though, Cy was actually a little surprised at how well Bran seemed to do. Some concepts that had taken her ages to understand came very easily to him. Rather than feel any sort of jealousy, however, she just had a touch of pride. Happiness. For one of the first times in a long time, she had someone new to tell stories of her adventures to. Someone her age to train with and struggle with—Especially when it came to meditation.

Her legs always fell asleep.