Bloom
Naboo was beautiful.
Violet had been told as much before coming, of course. Her mother had visited the world, and Solan had told her enough about it over the years that the name had never been entirely unfamiliar despite Violet having spent most of her life on Kesh. Hearing about a place and finally standing beneath its sky were very different things, however, and Violet had quickly discovered that the countryside interested her considerably more than the cities she had initially explored.
That was how she found herself wandering through rolling grasslands well beyond the nearest settlement, following a narrow path between scattered trees with a small datapad in hand. Dark fitted pants and sturdy boots were far better suited to the excursion than anything formal, and she wore a simple shirt beneath her weathered leather jacket. Her lightsaber remained concealed beneath the jacket, while the crystal pendant she rarely went without rested unseen beneath her shirt. Long dark hair had been loosely tied back, though the breeze had already freed several strands around her face.
She had intended only to explore. Then she saw the flower.
It was a small thing growing near the base of a tree, its delicate petals displaying a pattern Violet didn't recognize. She crouched beside it rather than reaching for it, bringing up the datapad to record an image before studying the plant more closely. Solan's garden had given her an appreciation for growing things long before she understood how much work went into nurturing them, and leaving Kesh had introduced her to entire ecosystems she had previously known only through descriptions and holorecordings.
One unfamiliar flower was therefore more than enough to derail whatever plans she'd had for the afternoon.
Violet found another farther along the path, then several more scattered through the grass. Their distribution caught her attention. They seemed to favor the shaded ground beneath the trees, becoming more numerous as the terrain gently descended toward the sound of running water. Curious, Violet followed without noticing precisely when the countryside stopped being public.
There had been no wall or imposing gate, merely a subtle change in the landscape that escaped her notice while her attention remained fixed upon the plants. The flowers became increasingly plentiful until she reached a shallow stream, where clusters grew along the bank beneath broad-limbed trees.
Violet smiled.
She crouched near the water and slipped the datapad from her pocket again, careful not to disturb the nearest cluster as she recorded another image. Her awareness spread naturally through the Force as she studied them, touching the abundance of life surrounding the stream. Plants, insects, small animals hidden among the grasses and trees, each contributed something to the living tapestry around her. Naboo felt different from Kesh, but no less alive.
She remained there for several minutes before finally rising and brushing a little dirt from one knee. Only then did Violet notice the small marker partially concealed among the vegetation several meters behind her.
Her violet eyes settled upon it.
She walked back far enough to read the inscription, and her expression slowly shifted as she realized what the discreet boundary marker represented. Violet glanced over her shoulder toward the stream, then farther through the trees. Now that she was actually paying attention, there were other signs she'd somehow overlooked. Carefully maintained grounds. A distant structure glimpsed between branches. Evidence that the wilderness wasn't quite as wild as she'd assumed.
Private property. Violet looked down at the flowers that had led her here, then back toward the marker. "...Oh." Apparently, she had done considerably more wandering than she'd intended.
Aiden Porte
Violet had been told as much before coming, of course. Her mother had visited the world, and Solan had told her enough about it over the years that the name had never been entirely unfamiliar despite Violet having spent most of her life on Kesh. Hearing about a place and finally standing beneath its sky were very different things, however, and Violet had quickly discovered that the countryside interested her considerably more than the cities she had initially explored.
That was how she found herself wandering through rolling grasslands well beyond the nearest settlement, following a narrow path between scattered trees with a small datapad in hand. Dark fitted pants and sturdy boots were far better suited to the excursion than anything formal, and she wore a simple shirt beneath her weathered leather jacket. Her lightsaber remained concealed beneath the jacket, while the crystal pendant she rarely went without rested unseen beneath her shirt. Long dark hair had been loosely tied back, though the breeze had already freed several strands around her face.
She had intended only to explore. Then she saw the flower.
It was a small thing growing near the base of a tree, its delicate petals displaying a pattern Violet didn't recognize. She crouched beside it rather than reaching for it, bringing up the datapad to record an image before studying the plant more closely. Solan's garden had given her an appreciation for growing things long before she understood how much work went into nurturing them, and leaving Kesh had introduced her to entire ecosystems she had previously known only through descriptions and holorecordings.
One unfamiliar flower was therefore more than enough to derail whatever plans she'd had for the afternoon.
Violet found another farther along the path, then several more scattered through the grass. Their distribution caught her attention. They seemed to favor the shaded ground beneath the trees, becoming more numerous as the terrain gently descended toward the sound of running water. Curious, Violet followed without noticing precisely when the countryside stopped being public.
There had been no wall or imposing gate, merely a subtle change in the landscape that escaped her notice while her attention remained fixed upon the plants. The flowers became increasingly plentiful until she reached a shallow stream, where clusters grew along the bank beneath broad-limbed trees.
Violet smiled.
She crouched near the water and slipped the datapad from her pocket again, careful not to disturb the nearest cluster as she recorded another image. Her awareness spread naturally through the Force as she studied them, touching the abundance of life surrounding the stream. Plants, insects, small animals hidden among the grasses and trees, each contributed something to the living tapestry around her. Naboo felt different from Kesh, but no less alive.
She remained there for several minutes before finally rising and brushing a little dirt from one knee. Only then did Violet notice the small marker partially concealed among the vegetation several meters behind her.
Her violet eyes settled upon it.
She walked back far enough to read the inscription, and her expression slowly shifted as she realized what the discreet boundary marker represented. Violet glanced over her shoulder toward the stream, then farther through the trees. Now that she was actually paying attention, there were other signs she'd somehow overlooked. Carefully maintained grounds. A distant structure glimpsed between branches. Evidence that the wilderness wasn't quite as wild as she'd assumed.
Private property. Violet looked down at the flowers that had led her here, then back toward the marker. "...Oh." Apparently, she had done considerably more wandering than she'd intended.
Aiden Porte
