Endless waiting

[Arthos Vynea]

Emotions were a powerful thing to a Sith, but it was a tool like all things to be controlled. Those who did not control their passions were enslaved by them as easily as the chattel that the Sith lead around by the nose. His passion though had long evaded him, long spiraled out of his presence, much less his control. She had removed herself from him, and he felt cast off, abandoned to the duties she had left him to. Had he not obeyed all to the letter? Had he not stayed true in his loyalties to her, had he not given every ounce of himself in devotion to her?

Yet here he stood waiting once more aboard his civilian ship awaiting her presence on bent knees. After so long he'd nearly given up on her return for the second time she summoned him from the duties given to him to her side. Perhaps she would still fulfill her end, she would train him in the arts of the Sith, in devotion to the Code. His emotions were like a storm around him as he controlled them and held them under his tight grip.

His emotions were the tool with which he focused the Force to obey his will, and if he allowed the storm a moment beyond what he limited it to he'd lose it. So he focused on it, meditated on it, and through it the Force. Slowly a deadly calm formed in him as he asserted himself over it, not the calm of the Light side, there was no peace, only mastery and control. He'd given himself to her, and she'd abandoned him, and he could allow it to happen no longer.

He knelt there in his black robes his eyes closed as he reached out in the Force for her. If she hid in the White Current he knew it would be to no avail, she'd be hidden by the very Force he sought her out with, but she hadn't done that in some time. Like a spider's web he slowly weaved the Force around him as he searched for her, his awareness growing with each moment. He waited patiently for the touch of her presence, there was no plan nor time time limit, but the decision would be made. She would not abandon him again, he would not lose her to the next exodus among the stars, she would give him what was his due.

[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]

 

[Lief]

Space was still mesmerising.

From the first day she had stepped foot on a starship, fleeing Umbara, to the day she journeyed alongside her Father and his students into certain doom, throughout all the years she had spent traversing the Galaxy, this was the only thing which had never changed; landscapes differed, parents disappeared and the very crux of the Galaxy's political state flipped every few years. Yet space? And stars? They stayed the same. Endless, bright, beautiful. Quite the opposite to most of the things she had experienced in life. Perhaps that was the attraction; after all, no one could live with just one aspect of life looming over them. Even the happiest person who ever lived knew some small measure of sadness, surely? This was her muse, her peace and solidarity. Perhaps that was why she had chosen to now live in space, rather than on the ground where the weight of her responsibilities weighed her down like gravity.

For a few years now she had floated in isolation through space; she had found several locations untouched by the rest of the Galaxy for Millennia and found her peace. Peace may be a lie in a political sense, but there will always be some small amount of it found somewhere for each person, whether it is the quiet of a river, the dark of night or the cathartic nature of taking a life. Peace can never be wholly achieved in the Galaxy as it is individual, personal. Yet for a brief moment she had found hers. Yet the Force had its plans for her, she could not remain in solitude and silence. So it was that she was dragged from the endless paths of space into the Galaxy once again. It was by pure coincidence that Kära happened to emerge from Hyperspace where she did, with the Civilian Starship before her.

The Force works in mysterious ways, after all.

And she could feel him. His Force presence. The pull and tug he sent through the Force, through the atmosphere, to grip her and draw her closer. So long had she been without the contact or presence of one she knew, such was the idea behind self-seclusion, that she did not know how she ought to respond, to react, instead she simply followed that instinct which yelled at her to press forwards, until her small unmarked vessel neared the civilian transport and docked alongside it. Nothing. She didn't move, the engines still rumbled underfoot as she stared out at not the vessel itself but past it. Through it. To the stars she had grown to love. Mesmerised. You have to go inside now, Kära... That's what the river wants, your only true companion - remember? It's the only thing that's stayed true to you, the only thing that helped you... You have to listen... A small, child like whimper escaped the lips of the tiny woman, before she made her first few steps towards the blastdoors which separated her vessel from the other.

Feeling somewhat skittish and lost, Kära chewed her lip and felt - for the first time in over a decade - a small amount of worry and even fear rise up in her. Anxious and uncertain she allowed the blastdoor to part and engulf her as she continued onwards. Into the unknown. Into her past. Back into the life she had tried so hard to reject over the past few years. Kära was little more than a child right now, tentatively testing the waters as it were, figuring out the best place to step and the best way to find her way through this strange new world as it were. Darkness set over her when the blastdoor behind her closed again, leaving her in the lurch.

She couldn't find her voice, so nothing was said. Instead she stood there, her eyes adjusting and piecing through the dim lighting until she saw the figure. Even down upon its knees, the being was almost of a height with the small 5'1 woman, if not taller. She continued to chew her lip as she moved closer, head tilting to one side. Arthos... This was Arthos. With a slow nod of her head, more to herself than he who could not see her, she shifted to one side and began to pace around him as she had once done - what felt like so very long ago. Isolating oneself had that effect, time seemed to stretch into an endless nothingness.

"Rise..." she murmured quietly, without looking to him; her voice was tense yet she did her best to cover it up. What was she doing here? Why was she back in the Galaxy?

 

[Arthos Vynea]

He felt her ship arrive as he his head bowed low, the inhabitant the sole focus of his mind, the sole focus of his passions. She was like a tender flower in his mind, the petals now completely abloom, her defenses down stripped by whatever path she'd followed back home. Her strength was there, but the iron will that drove it was faltered, and her she came to him at this moment as his decision was made. Feeling her stall the Force spoke to him through the howling storm that surrounded him, not the soft guiding of the light side, but that of something forced to speak by strength.

The Force had surrendered onto him this moment, and she had come forward at this moment as unguarded as a babe. Arthos was not a tender man, but he didn't watch her weakness with malice or cruel intent. She should have brought him with her, he'd have kept her strong, kept her safe from whatever doubts plagued her to weaken her so. There was no doubt as to his path of actions now, the Sith Code demanded it, and he would fail her if he didn't do what must be done.

Finally he heard the whisper of his former master's voice behind him, but he was no savage dog, he would not leap upon her. He would protect her, and learn from her, but he would protect her from herself, he would no longer be the servant. Slowly he rose as he savored the filtered clean air, stale and near tasteless it spoke in Arthos' lungs like life. His emotions were near overwhelming now, yet he kept them in control and near silent as his head finally turned to stare at her.

He didn't speak but simply stared at her, the soft beauty of the woman revealed behind the defense she'd always kept up. His eyes followed her slow pacing, but his eyes did not submit and simply locked with her own. She had the strength to destroy him, she was a Sith Lord and a Darth, but strength didn't make will. After a moment he made the slowest of movements towards her a single step, his mind reaching out slowly to brush against her own. His calm control brushed out first, an absolute unmovable will to claim her. He surrounded her in it through the Force as he took another step forward closing the distance.

”You've been gone too long for a Queen, your empire needs you. Aurum has been lost in your absence, and we must began again. We will complete your destiny this time, and you will stop this fighting against it.” His words should be enough to get him killed, they demanded nothing less then her immediate reaction. Alone simply by the act of discarding the simple term of master he'd declared himself free of her.

His next actions he knew should end death, but he didn't bother contemplating it, death was preferable if he failed then living in the failure. Moving his hand slowly to her shoulder he pressed down with only the lightest touch. “I will guide you to your destiny, that which you were born for. This doubt this burden, you will hand it to me and I shall carry it for you. You will be guided by hand, you will submit to me, and I will lead you from this fear and darkness you were never meant for. You will never fade away, and the galaxy will remember your name with fear, love and respect. You will not bring peace, but through you they will find it in finding their place.”

[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]

 

[Lief]

She felt him rise though she did not look upon him as he did so. Instead her gaze naturally sought the viewing port, attracted by the stars she longed to touch. The most tender of breaths escaped her as she wistfully searched amongst them for an answer, for a purpose. She was tired of living up to Depravious' sentiments, the prophecy he had once made no longer enticed her; Kära was not the naive child she had once been, believing everything she was told and living up to everyone else's expectations. No, she had to be metaphysically purged: she had to make her own path in life.

When she continued her pacing she tore her gaze away from the sight she had been longing and instead peered up at the man who towered over her. Everyone seemed to tower over her, it was not something to be bothered about. She had proven time and time again that size did not matter, she could force anyone to submit given the right incentives. Kära could sense that something was off with Arthos, and part of her anticipated that they were currently on a ledge; but the question was, who would tip first? Kära was not so sure she had it in her at present, that drive or mental structure, to force him to his knees. Truly, it was ironic. As a child she did not even remotely struggle where this was concerned, yet now? Too much had happened.

He met her gaze, and she found that she could not look away. Instead she kept her gaze upon him and quite forgot to breathe, her eyes widening ever so slightly. Then she felt his presence against her mind and her knees buckled slightly. What was happening? He had never been so bold prior to this. She clenched her jaw to hold back a subtle little gasp, and took one slight step back as he began to advance, her head tilting to the left ever so slightly in intrigue. Honestly, she was not here as a Master, she was not here as a Sith Lord, she was here... Why? Because the Force had spat her out into this very spot? She did not know.

"Aurum will always be my own" she murmured, in the same strange thoughtful tone she had used earlier, "Do not doubt that." Yet she shook her head, and sighed, all the same, finding the urge to glance away from him as he continued to advance; she was coming close to the wall now, with nowhere else to go. "I follow no pre-determined destiny, not any more. I won't fulfil the prophecy of a ghost." Not that Arthos would know what she spoke of, she had told none of Depravious' speculative prophecy made the day he had first met her, the day he had taken her away to become a Sith and left her to fend for herself on Korriban.

Now that she was cornered, she could do little to stop him. The pressure at her shoulder was met with a small little whimper which she fully intended to bite back, and at this moment her gaze dropped. She was tired, she was weary... So weary. Kära did not reply, not verbally, but she did not have to. She had responded in her own way, and slowly the pressure on her shoulder would begin to feel too much as she began to buckle, not quite sinking to her knees yet - however her will was dwindling all the same. Her head remained bowed, gaze averted, thoughts cast to the stars and not of the present. She was tired of running, so tired.

 

[Arthos Vynea]

There was no need to rush, the walls were crumbling and there was nothing in the foundations to keep them held up. Whatever strength had been there had softened, and could not withstand the pressure. The pressure never changed, neither lessening nor growing as he kept his hand on her shoulder. The feel of soft fabric under his fingers and the delicate flesh underneath, the spirit inside was weakened, and he would strengthen it once more, but in his own way.

Weaving the Force like a web around her, a howling storm of his own design he surrounded her mentally and physically. Pulling the web tighter around her, he brought her closer to himself as he stepped in one last time staring down at her. “I care not what words a ghost spoke to you, nor do I care what you perceive as your destiny. I speak not of prophecy, but of what you are. You will no longer go out into the galaxy alone, traveling the stars, I will not allow it. You are made for greater things, and I will forge you into what you truly are, and you shall complete my training. You are mine.”

With an absolute certainty that was simply unshakable he spoke, his words echoing inside of her as he spoke again. “Kneel.”

 

[Lief]

Kära shivered and felt his hand lower as he weaved the Force around. Her eyes closed and her breathing began to tighten as her knees buckled slightly again. She did not know how to react. She did not know what to do. She was shivering beneath him, and his words themselves did nothing to quieten her mind and soothe the young woman. Forced towards him, and unable to stop the motions, she was at this point all but on her knees - yet the smallest amount of resilience remained. She did not know how to kneel. She had never been the subordinate. Ever. Not even as a child.

"T-The stars..." she murmured as he spoke of trying to limit her access to them, "I need the stars..." and the way she said it, the strain and whimper to her tone, made it seem like she meant that in the literal sense. But her fight was gone, and she sank down to her knees before him as he told her to. "Y-Yes..." she whispered, almost inaudibly. It felt good to give over some of the power she held. Her head remained bowed but now her eyes were open. She was breathing steadily again, her hands set upon the top of her thighs. Kära was still trembling, her mind was still askew, yet another small amount of peace settled over her. She had made herself remain alone for so long, without any true company. Perhaps that could end now... Perhaps.

 

[Arthos Vynea]

Reaching his hand towards her face he ran a single one tenderly across her check to her chin. Lifting it he stared into her eyes, "You need nothing, but you will have it all. I will not take the stars from you, but you will never travel them alone again. Where you go, I will be like a shadow watching over you, guiding you. Your strength shall never falter again, I will be your will.”

Looking out the very view port she'd been staring out he beckoned her to follow with a simple wave as he walked deeper into the ship to the helm. It was a well used cockpit, but devoid of any personal touches, and yet maintained to a sheen. Sitting in the pilot's seat he nodded towards the chair next to him as he gazed out over the stars. He wasn't prone to wanderlust, nor did he feel it now, it lacked clarity in his mind. “The past dies now, and the future begins now. You've traveled these stars, and now you will show me where you have been.”

His mind never left her even as he walked, even if she built her walls now he would be inside. Nor would he ever walk far enough away to allow that connection to be severed. She would be a great and terrible Sith Lord again, but she would be his Sith Lord, and none would know. He didn't desire the power or glory, he had no use for either. He desired her, and her teachings, he desired to grow in his own strength.