Family Matters [Katrine]

[Josh Dragovalor]

Ryloth​

​

The Ryloth Jedi Temple, even if he despised the Republic Jedi of old from years back, with them he had built the temple. He had helped build it with his bare hands, and it had been something that he had been proud of. But after he left, the Sith had overtaken the planet, and who knows what happened to the Temple then? All of their hard work, all of their pride, all of their passion for the project, all of that love put in... Gone, like that. It was now under Confederacy occupation, and Josh had decided out of personal curiosity to check out the temple's site... Sure, it was still technically a Sith planet, the Confederacy was crawling with them... But at this point, he just wanted to see.

With his ship a little ways away, the speeder bike would be parked at the temple's site, as the 6'4 man with long blonde hair that went down to his shoulders would step off, and approach the site.

"Well, they didn't entirely burn it to the ground..." He noted to himself as he would look it over. "Seems someone may have been working on some rebuilding, too... Wonder why?"

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

There were places on Ryloth Katrine hadn't found yet. There were old settlements that had once served important purposes. The spirits whispered about them, about the stories that were relevant. These past weeks had been so much for her, a ride fills with ups and downs, tears and joy, pain and happiness. Somehow, it a short span she had been through so much. It was close to a year now that she'd broken free from her course and arrived at Ryloth, of all places. Everything seemed to progress from there. The spirits and Mandragora, the Lupines, Pebble, Gerwald. Orcus had been free, the Confederacy and Mandragora were strong, Father held an on and off presence in her life. And then things had gone wrong, incredibly wrong from the moment Kamon had almost killed Pebble...

She let out a sigh as she walked through the sand. The spirits were whispering into her ear, letting her know where she was going but Katrine was only half listening as she walked. She'd noticed the ship left there and continued moving, bare feet leading her further in. She'd been thinking about the Lupines, the way they had been angry with Gerwald and even her. She'd been drunk when she'd been on Stewjon the first time, the scent of other Lupines had been overwhelming and the morning after, they had gone. He had gone with her without any hesitation. Still, she was a Nightmother, a Lupine born among Witches. She couldn't have allowed for another Lupine to be put through Witch Trials.

After some time, she had arrived, halting when she saw the spirits ahead of her halted as well. They were here. Sometimes, more of Mandragora came with for the adventure but this one, it would be just the four of them. Three spirits and their physical representative, their Nightmother. Katrine let out a sigh. Lately, she hadn't felt much like it except when she wore her armor when she was truly their faceless representatives. Others couldn't see the spirits the way she could so it felt only fair she was faceless too in those times.

We're not alone, Jart whispered into her ear as he settled on her shoulder. She glanced up, aware he wasn't really there in the physical realm but still visible to the medium's eyes. She moved still, nothing in the presence they felt made her think there was trouble for her not to. She walked ahead, a figure appearing in her line of sight. Even from the distance, the figure seemed tall but after 6'7'', shorter people didn't quite have the impressive height of the beast. We wonder, Doashim commented as he walked beside her. The spirits were certainly curious about the presence at the old Jedi Temple site, on their planet. "Hi?" The Nightmother called out. Part of mind wasn't fully here, thinking back on the ones that abandoned and the one that stayed. This wasn't the time though, she knew as she was given a task to fulfill today.

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

He wasn't alone. Of course he wasn't alone. A woman's voice called out to him, and it didn't seem all that happy to see him. The blonde's head would move slightly to the side, one eye glimpsing the figure that had called to him, the other side of his face turned toward the temple in case more were coming. His guard was up, the stench of the dark side wafted through the air like a repulsive fog. He knew full well that he was in dangerous, potentially hostile territory, and he was taking no chances. A stark contrast to the way he had been around Katrine's "little sister" on Zeltros where he had played the part of a patron, or been his more casual self in the glorified cemetery where he had met her next. There was no smile, there was no casual stride, no carefree stance with his arms relaxed behind his head. His eyes pierced, brown orbs brimming brown that looked full of life seemed in that moment to portray it's host as someone who could - and would - take it.

His guard was up, his stance was upright, all mental barriers were up, and his lightsaber was nearby in case of attack. The Order's Battlemaster left nothing to chance. And yet, he couldn't help but sense a familiar presence from the one that stood there. It reminded him of someone he knew. Someone he knew very well. The presence was too similar.

It couldn't be, could it? It was too soon to draw a conclusion.

The least he could do was tell the truth of his reason for being here, though. Jedi or Sith, friend or foe... His reasons for being here had no intent that would spell ill for them. He had nothing to hide.

"I helped build this" He explained, motioning toward the Temple. "Was curious of what became of it."

[member="Katrine Van-Derveld"]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

They could tell he was weary. Jart poked his beak at her cheek softly. "I know," she told the spirit before he had a chance to speak. The glance from the man gave Katrine a better look as she moved closer, sapphire gaze watching him in all his seriousness. That usually wasn't a good beginning. Nope, not at all. She still moved closer, hearing an explanation shortly after. He had helped build the temple, curious of what became of it.

"Oh! Well, I don't know. The spirits sent me her to find that out. They said it's mostly been abandoned," Katrine ranted just a bit, sharing what the three spirits of Mandragora had been telling her. There were a lot of structures around the planet left forgotten, waiting for life to be brought into them, all part of the spirits' intent on reviving the planet to its former glory as the order grew. "When was this?" She found herself asking, caught in bits and pieces of history she knew, though lacking still, making her curious.

She had even forgotten her manners for a moment, eyes wandering from the man as she noticed Lylek approach her from the side. The massive spider spirit was normally one more for the shadows but together, the spirits formed a unity. We are better hosts than this, he warned. "You're right," Kat agreed before looking back at the man. "Sorry. I've been a little distracted lately. I'm Katrine Van-Derveld. Ryloth is under the protection of the spirits of Mandragora. On behalf of them, welcome back to Ryloth. We don't mind Jedi. We don't mind any as long as you come in peace." Not exactly what the spirits would have had her say but Katrine didn't always do what the spirits wanted. It was all true though. As long as there was no malicious intent towards Ryloth, its people or any of the animals under the protection of the spirits, anyone was welcome here.

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

She seemed... Amiable enough. But that didn't mean his guard was down. He knew not to trust Sith if he could help it... That was the rule. Give them a chance, Lady Kay had said... But as Jyoti had also warned... Remember, they always tended to have a thing for betrayal and being fake. And that familiar presence gave him ideas on who this woman was. But then again... Making assumptions makes you know what out of me and you...

He listened as she spoke, as she would say it had been abandoned. "Yeah. Abandoned" He responded, scratching his head. That was one way to refer to it. The woman called herself Katrine, and while he recognized the name Mandragora, he wasn't sure where from... He'd remember in a bit, probably. He wasn't drunk this time.

"Josh" He introduced, though didn't bother to get into formalities or titles. "A pleasure" He added with a polite bow of his head. He still needed to figure out what this woman's game was.

"Aye, I come in peace" He promised. "Jedi do the whole peace thing, that's like... Our thing" He half-sassed. It was a joke, of course, and the light-hearteness of his tone indicated that. "I guess part of me's surprised this place isn't either a giant hole in the ground, or a Sith temple that's basically the original temple but with poorly done graffiti on it that says "Darth Tinky Winky Rules" or... Something like that."

[member="Katrine Van-Derveld"]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

There was something in the way he commented her words or maybe just the way he'd scratched the side of his head when he repeated her words that made Katrine look at him with a curiosity. "Abandoned is what they said," Katrine pointed out. "If you have another story, by all means. They don't like being corrected but I like to know the whole story if there is one." There usually was one. Just like there were two sides to one, there was a whole one hiding somewhere. The spirits never meant her any ill will but they had a lot of lessons for her. Katrine just assumed that sometimes, they left the floor open for her to talk to others.

Josh. Who bowed his head in greeting. At least he didn't accidentally call her lady because Katrine never appreciated that. She was the daughter of a Lord and she only became a Lady when the title was passed down to her. Not that that mattered here on Ryloth. Here, she was the Nightmother. "Nice to meet you, Josh," the blonde said in return.

He came in peace, to which Katrine only nodded, before listening to him point out that Jedi did the whole peace thing. Her brows lowered just slightly as she watched. "Weeks ago, I'd agree. And point out Jedi were boring. Most of them." Mother was a Jedi so Katrine's thoughts of them mostly came from her. "I'm not so sure anymore. Not after what he did to my sister." Kamon. He wasn't even just a Jedi. He was her Nona's former Master, the Father of Spencer and Aston. While he wasn't family, he was still regarded with respect. Until the moment he nearly killed her sister. It didn't even matter that he didn't know she was family, he nearly killed a girl for the very reason she was a Sith.

Their guest was surprised the Jedi Temple wasn't a big hole int he ground or a Sith Temple. Her eyes narrowed in confusion almost immediately. "Why would this be a Sith Temple?" She threw out immediately. "We allow everyone to come in peace here but no other force order takes housing here. Nor would the spirits permit desecration of property." They would never allow for it. They protected all which was on their planet.

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

The Jedi would walk over then, gingerly holding out an arm to her as he motioned toward what was left of the Temple. Giving her a look and a few moments to process, to get her to understand that he meant her no harm, he would gently loop her arm through his, noting the company she kept and giving them a gentle, reassuring look. "I mean no harm" He promised softly with a warm smile. "I'm outnumbered anyway. Causing harm isn't the best course of action right now, and I carry no poisons. That's more of a Sith thing" Josh reassured as he began leading her toward the Temple. Once they had reached it, he would motion for her to get a closer look.

"Damage. That's not wear and tear. I'm no Sith Alchemist, a Witch using illusions, nor am I a race that stays youthful for generations. Which considering I'd have had to be a working adult to be much of a factor in the building of this Temple... Means this place was built far less than the hundreds of years it would take for something of it's material to begin to break apart from wear and tear."

He pointed at where portions had collapsed. "And since it clearly hasn't been hundreds of years... The foundations shouldn't be damaged at all. It would take a long time of abandonment for it to be even vaguely like that. When really, it's only been a few years. Four, at the most."

He mused it over a moment. "Which means that odds are, as the planet Ryloth has changed hands a few times, from the Republic Jedi, to the One Sith, to the Silver Jedi, to the One Sith again, to the Confederacy, and so on... Odds are that during Sith occupation, as is their custom, the temple was damaged out of spite. Which I was expecting. I was expecting more damage than this considering multiple occupations, but it's still useable with some elbow grease. Bit of a fixer-upper, but it's definitely been damaged and not from natural causes. It's also why I wouldn't have been surprised if at least one or two were smart enough to try and turn it into a Sith hovel in the time that's passed and the number of darksiders that have held precedence over this planet since, instead of just smashing it. Unfortunately, it appears I overestimated their intelligence."

He ignored her remarks about the CIS and accepting everyone. While they did, he'd been around the bend long enough to know what most of their prominent members were... Even the old Templar ranks were rife with closet One Sith members. The banquet from before only proved that - considering who showed up - nothing had changed. And it likely wouldn't ever change. He knew he was being lied to before she even finished her sentence. Whether it was a result of ignorance or pathological lying on her part, he didn't really care, it was their problem.

He kind of missed Krest though. Fun drinking buddy. Too bad he ate too many dark side cookies. What was he now, again? Darth Feebas? Feerus? Ferus? Eh, didn't matter.

"Jedi? Boring?" He asked, looking at her with a fake gasp and a hand over his mouth, giving a look of mock-offense. "Me? Boring? Why I never!" He joked, though the mischievous twinkle in his eye indicated he was merely playing around. "I don't know, the last person from your group I met didn't think so" He teased, the tone of voice very much indicating that was an innuendo.

He'd heard about a mean 'ol Jedi hurting someone from her group recently... Interesting. Perhaps he'd ask about her sister later, it was a bit early to start asking more personal questions like that. "Extremism can happen even in the Jedi" He would reveal. "It's unfortunate. The Army Of Light, the old Galactic Republic, the Galactic Alliance, I've seen it in all of those and more. And it's unfortunate. They're the equivalent to mindless brutes, who think justice is the only way to peace. They don't like sitting down and talking, or understanding."

"I've jokingly called them Blue Sith" He cracked with a shrug.

[member="Katrine Van-Derveld"]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

Josh's gesture had seemed harmless at enough at first but as her arm felt his, making her stumble back even as he spoke of no harm. "No," Katrine protested, a slight pitch in her voice. Doashim roared at her side, reaction to her reaction. "I'm sorry, I don't like to be touched by strangers." Katrine's personal space was extremely important to her, even if she didn't always notice she was invading someone else's. He talked not causing harm or carrying positions as the blonde inhaled a deep breath to ground her again, realizing after a few moments he said he was outnumbered.

She looked to Jart immediately, still on her shoulder and then to Doashim and Lylek before looking back at Josh. "You can see the spirits?" She was definitely confused. Normally, she was the only one. Shamans could too but they didn't always. Most of what there was were their chosen hearing them, sometimes even before they called. "Are they calling you? Because they have this way of calling those they want to claim." Her voice was still a little off but getting better as she spoke.

There was still an understanding of what he had intended and Katrine followed after the man as he talked about damage rather than wear and tear. He wasn't a Sith Alchemist, Witch using illusions or a race that stayed youthful. Wait, was the illusions thing meant for her? "I'm a Witch, they're not illusions though," Kat quickly pointed out. It had been four years at most. She didn't say anything to that. It hadn't even been a full year since Katrine had been on Ryloth, less even since the spirits had awoken from their slumber. With how the past had changed so much since she had arrived, she didn't really know too much about what had happened four years ago. All she knew was, it wasn't the past she had been told about it. This present was brand new.

He talked about Ryloth changing hands. Republic Jedi, One Sith, Silver Jedi, One Sith, Confederacy and the damage had most likely occurred in times of Sith occupation. Though he'd expected way worse. Bit of a fixer-upper. "Fixer-uppers aren't so bad. The spirits are interested in giving it purpose," she commented as she followed.

The Jedi seemed to talk offense in being called boring. Gasp and all, surprising her before he'd joked. Brows lowered, expression somewhere between about to laugh and still a little suspicious before she chuckled, only to stop as he talked about the last person from her group that didn't think him boring. "Who did you meet?" She asked. Katrine suffered from a severe case of curiosity. It was a thing. Josh would just have to learn that quickly.

Her comment about Kamon resulted in Josh talking about extremism, about it happening even to the Jedi. He listed groups of which she recognized one due to the Confederacy's alliance with. Until it collapsed, that was. He referred to Jedi like that as mindless brutes who thought justice was the only way to peace rather thank sitting, talking and understanding. Blue Sith. Katrine would have found the humor in that if the situation wasn't so close to home. "It's not justice when you're all but kill a teenage girl just because she's a Sith, without her committing any crime at all," she responded with a firmness. "It gets worse when you actually know the Jedi and taught to admire him. And then he does something horrific like this." There was nothing funny about what Kamon did. Him of all people. Not just an average Jedi she didn't know about.

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

She didn't want his arm, that was fine, he took his arm back and just motioned for her to follow instead. He didn't mind. Though when she would bring up the spirits, he looked back at her and shook his head. "I can't see them, no" The blonde would correct. "I can sense them, though. Taking a vague guess at where they are, but I can tell at least that they're protective of you. Would rather not tick them off, myself."

These spirits sounded like beings he didn't want to be able to see, if that meant that they intended to "claim" him. He didn't have full context, but being claimed by a spirit didn't sound like the best thing. He liked his privacy when he had it. He already got little of it from having a child, and being surrounded by droids otherwise. He'd take what matter of privacy he could get, thank you. "Fixer-uppers aren't so bad. The spirits are interested in giving it purpose," she had commented as she followed, and he would nod his head in turn.

"No. No it's not" He agreed as she would go into more detail on what this "Jedi" had done. "They're not Jedi at all. If they know said Sith has committed many atrocities, and needs to die to protect others... That's one thing. But if you don't know... Or if you know they've yet to do anything..." He continued. "You save them. We are people, not rabid animals. People can see reason, and the dark side is a pair of chains that ties them up and bends them to their will... Whether they see it or not. Always try to pull them out of the darkness, give them the freedom to make their own choices without those chains corrupting them more and more until they end up nothing more than the same as the brutes I spoke of" Josh would speak, an opinion and advice. The dark side was dangerous... More than many knew. The problem was not so much what people did with it... It was the seductiveness, and corruption of it... One could not stop it, one could not control it. He knew so many darksiders, had met so many, that thought they could control it.

They did not control it. It controlled them. And anyone who said otherwise was already being controlled, or ignorant of it.

Though when she would ask who of the group he'd met, he pondered for a moment if he should. He didn't know whether giving a name or not would have any bearing on the promise that they had made. And the similar presence, and the similar story... He needed to know, he realized. He supposed a name with little context didn't hurt. On top of that... They had already showed up together in public during a CIS-based event. It was no secret, as far as the CIS was concerned.

"Her name was Schezerade" He answered. "Sweet girl, though a little grumpy."

[member="Katrine Van-Derveld"]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

Nope, couldn't see them, sense them though and taking a wild guess on locations. It was strange that he could even do as much but with the strength of his signature, it made sense, Katrine considered. He could already tell though they were protective, making her nod. "Very," she confirmed. The spirits were with her in a way her Father hadn't been when she grew up and how her Mother wasn't now. It was strange, running from one spirit her entire life and then finding safety and accepted in three others.

The storytelling seemed to have finished with their conversation about Kamon and Josh agreed, the behavior wasn't Jedi at all though their opinions differed after that on what to do with Sith. People and not rabid animals, but people that needed saving, pulling from the darkness. "You can't save what can't be saved," Katrine voiced, thinking back on the will she had lacked before she was reminded of how much love there was in her heart. She'd been all but lost to darkness before she was being forced to kill her own blood. Maybe if it hadn't been Aston and someone she didn't care for, maybe she still would have been lost. "But you're talking about giving them the freedom to make their own choices but you want to save them, you're talking about making the choice for them. I was raised to choose. Be what feels most right. Forcing someone to give up on their alignment because you believe it's wrong isn't very nice either." Katrine wasn't necessarily defending Sith in general but she knew Sith capable of good things. She knew a Sith who was protective because she cared. She knew former Sith who saved themselves and chose for themselves, not because someone convinced them they were doing wrong but because somewhere along the line, they simply didn't feel the darkness anymore. Her Mother and Father were like that. She also knew Sith who despite being Sith always came to her aid when she called, like Daxton Bane or Uncle Isley.

And those were just some of the people that convinced her that Mother was right. Choose and find yourself. That was all Mother ever wanted for her.

Katrine froze when she heard the name. If he hadn't given her a name, she probably would have kept bugging about it. In her head, she'd made space for an answer to her question and she needed it but hearing Pebble's name wasn't what she expected at all. Sweet girl, though a little grumpy. Her face fell. "She is sweet," was the first thing that left her mind. "How is she really? She found herself asking a complete stranger. She couldn't ask her. Pebble had requested to be released and though she had said she did, it wasn't a relationship that involved releasing. She was her sister, she was family. When a Hawk adopted someone, words were enough. And that decision was unbreakable. Even when Hawks fell to the darkside and the clan didn't permit them back, they remained family.

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"I think you misunderstand" Josh would admit, with a casual shrug. "I'm not planning to convert. That may be what other Jedi do, but it's not what I do. If they become Jedi later, that is their choice. But the dark side... It is something that controls you. Chooses for you, and not you for it. When you have gone too far... It is very difficult to control your own actions fully anymore. Perhaps your personality shows some... But it is always being guided by another hand. When one is consumed by the dark, more and more... Their actions become less and less theirs.

That's why I want to give them the ability to make their choices. By save them, I mean I try to help them see the hold the darkness has on them, and free themselves from it. The dark side, I can admit even, can be a tool... But commonly, a Sith is one that relies on it. One that goes in. They get a taste of that power... And they want it. They want more. It's seductive, I know it, I've experienced it... It's nearly claimed me as well. It changes you... And not in a good way."

What he was about to say was something that still haunted him to this day.

"I watched it destroy my brother. I watched him struggle with it, and one day he admitted... He knew what was happening. In a moment of clarity, he knew it. But he couldn't free himself. It spoke to him often, it guided him, it had a hand on his pulse at all times... He was trapped. Chained. For so long, he had embraced it as many Sith had, but he knew it was never himself. Not fully. And when I showed him it could be done, he was able to be free. I didn't force him, didn't make him... I reminded him what it was doing, and that it was never too late to escape it. He was able to set himself free... And I never offered to make him Jedi. I told him that his life was now his.

The dark side... Is not the sole reason why people do good or bad. But the more it corrupts, the more it takes hold... The more it takes away your ability to choose. And it does not like when one can choose... My brother was cut down by people he called his comrades the moment he was free. He did them no harm... He did them no ill. He made a choice. He made a choice to take his life back, and they could not stand that. He did not stand against them, he did not attack them... They killed him without a second thought.

He is the reason why I want to save them. Because I know it can be done... But the dark side's chains are strong."

Moving on for the moment, he would quirk a brow when she indicated she knew her. Schezerade had made it clear she had no friends, nor family that she cherished or liked... And he'd already met her aunt... So this was either a co-worker pretending to care, or...

"She's... Alright" He spoke, deciding that as he didn't know who this was, it was best to keep secrets. He had made her a promise, and he was keeping it.

[member="Katrine Van-Derveld"]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

He was still talking about saving. About the dark side choosing for you. Katrine sighed as she listened. He sounded like such a Jedi when he talked like that. About giving them the ability to make their choices. She still listened, letting him say his piece. Only when he was done did she say "You sound a whole lot like a Jedi." She wasn't sure if he heard himself well enough to know what he was saying or if he fully heard himself and just blindly believed what he was saying. "You seem to be talking about letting them choose but you should hear yourself a little better. You want them to choose but you want them to not choose what you have a strong opinion against." That was a form of choosing, whether he was willing to admit it or not.

Josh had talked about his brother. She understood loving your family member watching something change them. She'd literally watched her own baby brother stare at her, angry at her for abandoning him to find their sister. Things he said hadn't made said. Like the way, he talked about their Father as if he was some sort of Monster when in truth, their Father loved them but he wasn't with them as much as Katrine wanted him to be. He talked about her being the one that protected him but Katrine couldn't remember a single time she had to stand between him and their Father. And the fact he hadn't even blinked to the obvious change in his sister. And all that was a prelude to him being the living proof of the old prophecy of their family. He wasn't the first of the Hawks to fall but to her, he was the most important one. The most innocent of them, her baby brother.

"I know what that's like. Watching your own brother fall, right before your eyes even," Katrine quietly said. She did believe in the choice of picking your own alignment, about being yourself but the sight of Seren literally becoming someone else in front of her was something she couldn't have ever imagined, not after everything Mother had taught them. She had no words though to explain. So much from that meeting had been left unanswered.

His answer about Pebble was brief, hesitant. Katrine narrowed her eyes. "She's not alright. She can't be. Not after what she'd been through. After Kamon, after the darkness, after... Gerwald and me. She still thinks we...," she had snapped at him at first when she had no reason to but her voice vanished as her eyes closed. It was the first time she'd spoken so much about Pebble since that night. Even with Gerwald, the conversations had been brief even if her mind was screaming with so much to say. There was so much she wanted to tell her. Pebble had demanded she be released. From the Mandragora, from her. Katrine had agreed. It didn't change what she was to her, it never would but the spirits had released her at her command because that was what she has asked.

It wasn't any of his business really, he was a stranger who thought her Pebble was alright. Sweet but a little grumpy. "Sorry, it's a long story. One I hope to be able to talk to her about someday. I didn't mean to snap at you." She'd thought it was bad Gerwald hadn't been honest with her. For a time she had felt her heart breaking as she realized what the two of them had been through, sure he would choose Pebble over her but not for a moment she had thought she would lose her sister in this, no matter what would have happened. And that was exactly what had happened.

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

That was why he was so hell bent on saving. Because to him, that was giving them a choice. Nicholas DragonsFlame, Tallia Farn, and others... He had watched them fall, had watched them struggle and see them for only a few moments after being too far in to be able to control themselves fully any longer... Have their humanity come out and either claim they could not escape, or beg for release. He had gone through many sacrifices to pull his brother back out again, before the Sith rendered his efforts useless by killing him. Tallia had begged him in her final moments before she was about to lose herself again to erase her memories, wipe the slate clean in hopes that she would be able to escape the darkness.

He didn't say much else on the matter, simply a reply of "There comes a time where the dark side stops being a choice, to most. It's rare for one to be able to have the choice again on their own."

What he wanted to do was give that opening.

But his attention was kept when she snapped at him, and in the process gave a bit more in the line of details, but when she mentioned that she and someone with a man's name had done something... It all came into place. His gaze fiercened then, as he would stare long and hard at her, looking her up and down. Short, blonde, pretty... She fit the description.

"You're the sister, then" He spoke softly, looking her dead in the eyes. "The oath-breaker."

He wasn't one to mince words.

[member="Katrine Van-Derveld"]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

"It's not impossible though," Katrine pointed out. She had needed the incentive to find herself outside of her own darkness but it wasn't impossible. Even when she said it, she didn't even know the many truths that ran through her own family, especially not the biggest one that still held. All Katrine knew was herself and what she had been told. And still, Curupira's teachings had been strong. Her Mother had been both light and dark before she had broken free before she had shed it. With her, it had been more of losing a connection to the dark, not finding any comfort or joy inside it. Once she had lost that, it was easy to break the chains. It was those very experiences that had her teaching her kids to find themselves and choose for themselves. So why had Seren fallen the way he had? Was it completely her fault? It seemed a thing now. So much is her fault.

Her eyes hadn't been focused on Josh so Katrine hadn't immediately noticed the way he was looking at her. When he spoke though, she looked at him. The sister, he had said and a breath stuck to her throat like glue. He knew. The oath-breaker, he had added. His voice hadn't been too harsh, his eyes were burning right at her though. This time, Katrine noticed as her sapphire irises refocused on him. It wasn't something she would imagine Pebble saying about her. The oath-breaker. In fact, the word oath related to a singular item, one she had found on Lupine. Oathbound. So, the oath-breaker would be protected by the Oathbound. If the situation was different, Katrine would have found humor in that.

There was light in this dark moment though, something that kept her from falling deeper into her thoughts. "She said I'm her sister?" Katrine had asked, involuntarily allowing herself a moment of happiness. Pebble was still her sister but after what she had said that day, Kat didn't think she would be referred to as that any time soon. Oathbreaker returned to her mind soon though. It was an odd way to put since there was no actual oath per say, no promise per say. She'd broken a promise though, she hadn't kept her safe, she had let Pebble go into the galaxy before she was ready and she had run into Kamon, unable to protect herself. Trapped in the darkness for years according to her mind. And then to come back to find out about her and Gerwald when she had a week to adjust to the knowledge. "If I've broken an oath, it was to prepare her to face monsters like Kamon. I broke her heart more than any oath though." She quietly said, looking away as she forced herself to inhale a deep breath.

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"Not impossible, no. But not easy, many Sith who've gone deep in subconsciously find their humanity proper just a little though, know it's slipping, know their control is slipping. Then before long... Poof. It takes them again. I've seen it repeatedly, and it's not fun to watch... Sometimes, they need help. There's no shame in that. Once in awhile, everyone could use a hand. They don't have to be alone" He spoke with a shrug in turn, but the topic had soon moved onto the matter of her sister...

Indeed, he knew.

He didn't yell at her, he didn't raise his voice. At least not yet. He remained calm, though not as serene as before. Brown eyes threatened to pierce her with his gaze. While his tone did not change, it was clear by his expression that he was far from happy with her. Indeed, while she hadn't called her the oath-breaker in exacts, by what she had told Josh, she was one. A promise breaker, a destroyer of bonds out of pure selfishness... That bond and promise between family that she had destroyed. An oath forged that now lie shattered.

So this Gerwald she mentioned was probably the ex lover... And considering she'd just been referring to a Jedi as a monster, he put the pieces together that this Kamon was the Jedi. Probably anyway. Schezerade was the sister and the sister had just been attacked by a monster, and both sisters had told him she'd been attacked by a Jedi...

But his brows furrowed when she would give her last statement. "That's how you justify it?" He asked. "That's how you justify what you two did? By claiming that you did it so she'd be prepared for real monsters? That and your "oh no, all I did was break her heart, not a big deal" He added. Oh no. Hell no. This girl did not just say that.

"This Kamon, who I assume is your Jedi... The worst that he would have done, as much as I disagree with what he did... Was kill her" Josh would remark as he would pace around, doing his best to keep calm. He wouldn't admit it, but he'd grown an emotional attachment to Scherezade. So to be face to face with one of the people that had destroyed her, and hearing that... He needed a bit of a walk to keep himself from just stabbing her. It wouldn't be what Scherezade would want. At worst, she'd want to have done it herself.

"You two did something far worse" He spoke as he would turn to face her again.

"You made her wish for death."

He let the silence hang for a moment, staring her dead in the face. There was no use keeping it all away now. They knew anyway.

"Are you proud of that?" He asked, the silver-tongued Jedi refusing to mince words any longer. "Are you proud of what you two did? And then hiding behind a scapegoat monster, that you claim you were preparing her for? Because I think I'm looking at one of the real ones right now."

He took a deep breath and shook his head. "And I'd be ashamed of myself if I did that to my own sibling. Siblings look out for each other, protect each other... And the fact I couldn't do that for my brother will haunt me forever" He spoke bluntly. "Are you even aware of what you've done to her? Better question... Did you even care about what she'd think when she came out of the darkness? That while she was gone, the one she loved most had abandoned her for someone else? And that you were a willing part in taking her happiness away and just springing it on her right away like it was no big deal?"

Normally Josh would feel horrible about bombarding someone with confrontation and questions like this. But whether he wanted to admit it or not, that care for his friend had taken priority.

"I've had to watch her suffer, I've had to watch all of the agony she's been through... And I can't stand it. I can't stand being around it. I can't stand seeing her like that" He spoke quietly. "How can you?"

[member="Katrine Van-Derveld"]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

Justify. Katrine looked back at him as he began. By claiming that you did it so she'd be prepared for real monsters? That was literally not what she said. And then the whole not a big deal thing. Her lips pursed together. She was literally getting a lesson from a complete stranger. Normally, Katrine would interrupt, she would interrupt so damn loud, she wouldn't even give them a chance to speak anymore. She didn't know. She just listened as someone who knew a third of a story preached to her like she was some sort of heartless person. It brought her right back to what Pebble had said to her as if her own heart didn't matter. Apparently, she was selfish and therefore what she wanted to be counted for nothing what so ever.

Was she proud of that? No, in her mind she had responded. Were both of them proud of what it did, hiding behind a scapegoat monster, claiming they were preparing her for? I just love it when people hear whatever they want to hear, Katrine had thought to herself. Like the way, Pebble had gone to accept the word for word what Gerwald had said and not for once knowing or realizing that Katrine would never claim while her sister slept, even if the man she had chosen was a complete stranger to her. Even then, she couldn't have.

He would be ashamed of him if he had done that. Was she aware of what she'd done? Yes. Did she even care? Yes. The one that loved her the most had abandoned her for someone else... her lips were still pressed together in a tight line, forcing herself to listen to someone she didn't know lecture her on things he only understood third of the way. Not even a full half of it. A willing part in taking her happiness away and springing it on her right away? That wasn't me. Katrine had told Gerwald not to speak now but he'd been so worried about prolonged lying that he just had to. Even if all that she'd been through, in all that she accused, he couldn't have waited.

And Josh... he'd been the one to see her in her pain. He couldn't stand it, couldn't stand seeing her like that.

Her eyes closed as she inhaled a deep breath. Parts of what he had said replayed in her mind, mixing together and looping with other words. "I really appreciate it when someone who doesn't know me goes about accusing me and he doesn't even bother to listen to me," was the first thing Katrine had said. "My promise was to make her strong. Matters of the heart far more important even though she didn't always let me tell her that." Her age didn't matter to Kat nor did she think she had to rush through everything... maybe she should have. It was Pebble who thought she was centuries behind on everything and needed to catch up quickly.

Josh didn't know her, he didn't know just how big her heart was, didn't know it was the sole reason why she could save herself. Love for her family had awoken her when she was at her very weakest. Josh didn't know that, he didn't have to know any of that, really. "What we did and what Kamon, a monster of your religion and beliefs, have nothing to do with one another. I broke my sister's heart."

They made her wish for death, he had said. Her gaze lowered when those words came back to her.

However, he had also mentioned pride. Her head had already lowered when her gaze lifted and drilled forward. Shame. He'd be ashamed if he did the same to his own, wasn't that what he had said? "I'm not proud of the fact that I lost my sister. I'm not happy because Pebble's heart is broken," and her head picked up them, her own words still vivid in her mind. Words with which she had left before she had even allowed Katrine to speak. "Josh, this is none of your business. But I've already heard this. From her. Because you see, as you said it, I'm the real monster. And monsters don't have hearts and have no right to love. I loved Gerwald before I knew about Pebble. I already loved him, I already chose him. The only thing I needed was for him to accept my offer. And then he told me bits and pieces of what happened between them. I was angry with him. Not because he has feelings for someone else. I was angry because he never said anything. But I loved him. I love him. No, I don't feel a single ounce of shame for loving him. I feel horrible because her heart is broken but excuse me, if your Jedi code doesn't allow you to comprehend that monster like me could be capable of falling in love."

That tune seemed to be on a loop. First with Pebble, now with Josh. Being accused of wanting by Pebble, now reminded of what she did to Pebble, willing to take her happiness away. Because her happiness didn't matter in the slightest, obviously, Katrine had to remind herself of how Pebble had finally broken her. In ways, not even Gerwald could have. "And for the record, if I was the only one making that decision, I would have waited for her to remember she wasn't in the darkness for years. It was Gerwald who couldn't keep lying anymore. But," her lip twitched, "it wouldn't have made a difference, right. I'm the monster who isn't allowed to love."

Yep, that was pretty much the repeated constantly. Wasn't that what she was meant for? The Monster of her own Kind, the Wolf undeserving. Wasn't that what she had told herself. Old Kat facing young Kat. That was exactly what she had called herself. Funny how, even when she had saved herself from her own curse, she was still being called a monster. The Undeserving. Because monsters didn't deserve to love at all.

And how could she stand it? "She left me. She didn't want to be my sister, didn't want to be part of the Mandragora. She left me. After she made it very clear I deserve nothing. Gerwald may not have understood what it really means to claim but she should have known that I never would have claimed anyone, not just him, but anyone while she was dying. And she was dying." That had been one of the gut punches Pebble had given her, along with ones done on purpose from someone who knew exactly where to hit her. "And no, I can't. But she won't let me near now."

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"I literally just started talking about her, your definition of not listening is a little flawed" He pointed out but otherwise just let her talk. He'd had his turn to speak, so he was content to just let her go off. But what he heard just caused him to narrow his eyes, exasperated at what he was hearing. But he kept letting her talk, just let her go on. Once she did finish, he took a deep breath, letting a silence hang for a few moments before he began to formulate an answer.

"First up, buddy's beliefs don't match mine if he kills for the sake of it, without good reason" Josh affirmed straight up. "Don't lump me with him. Many witches I've met seem to be sex-crazed, selfish sociopaths with no loyalty but to themselves. Haven't lumped you with them yet. Jury's still out."

He shrugged his shoulders.

"Second... I am hearing a lot of deflecting blame. Like, a lot of it" Josh noted. "Like you seem to be very convinced that you have done little to nothing... And yet somehow also broke her heart. Are you saying that you broke it by association, or...?" He would trail off, quirking a brow. "By what I can tell... Either you're giving me poodoo and can't make up your mind on if you have any fault... Or this Gerwald guy is starting to sound like a massive piece of chit. Like, seriously. Apparently this is all Gerwald's fault."

The Jedi continued to pace about, as he would label his observations aloud.

"So let me see if I got this right. Your hubby played her, he was sticking his lightsaber in your sister while sticking it in you on the sly - apologies for my crudeness - and then decided to choose you... And then decided that instead of waiting for her to calm down after what was clearly a very traumatic experience, before spilling the beans... He decided to just rip off the bandaid while the wound's still bleeding. And then wonders why she hates him, hates you, and doesn't want anything to do with either of you. And why a woman who clearly doesn't have a whole lot of relationship experience and is getting her first taste of heartbreak along with everything else, cut ties after what you guys did on top of that."

He turned back to her. "Do I have this story right so far? And yeah, I get it. Maybe it's not my business. But forgive me for hearing hours upon hours of lamentation, and coming face to face with the very thing that has caused so much pain to someone I care about very, very much... And not being a very happy puppy right now."

Well, there it was. He admitted it.

Taking a deep breath, he shook his head. Tone it down, dial it back. "But... Assuming you're telling the truth and I have the story right here, and this Gerwald is a... Is a... Is a..."

He thought about it a moment, considering what kind of word he could use that wasn't a curse. He'd cursed enough for a bit.

"... A big jerk. We may have to have a different conversation" He revealed. "Because now I'm worried about both of you. So do make sure you correct me if I'm wrong on this at all, before I bring up that can of worms. Cuz by what I'm hearing, my observation seems to be either you're not taking responsibility, or you're totally innocent and you're both being damaged by the local fratboy from Nar Shadda Internment School."

He had been far more gentle than he had imagined he would be when he came face to face with the ones who hurt Scherezade. If it stayed that way would likely depend on the information he gathered. He was aware he'd only gotten one side of the story. He knew that. It was par for the course. And believe it or not, he did want to believe that this was some kind of accident, or a misunderstanding. And also believe it or not... He was honestly hoping there might be a way to help it. He didn't think there would be, but... It was as he said. He didn't want to see her suffer anymore.

[member="Katrine Van-Derveld"]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

Was her definition of him not listening to a little flawed? Katrine didn't think so. Josh took offense to her comparing him to Kamon. Many witches he'd met were sex-crazed, selfish sociopaths with no loyalty. "Sounds like Nightsisters," she threw out. Katrine had learned to be more open towards all alignments when it came to Witches but she had been raised differently, especially when it came to the Spider Clan. The bad blood with them was ancient. "Sorry. I was raised in a clan in a long feud with one of their clans. Sometimes, it can get the best of me," Kat explained after a moment. "Not all Witches are like that. Neutral and light-sided Witches are extremely loyal to their families. Once you're adopted into one, you're forever linked to them, always under the protection of the clan." Witches were definitely freer when it came to physical pleasures. Nothing like what Damien had hinted to her about the Nightsisters but still. And they were certainly not selfish sociopaths.

Deflecting blame. Was that what she was doing? Katrine looked up at him, confused. He heard her saying she had done little to nothing wrong. Even when he said that he did hear that she said broke her heart. She didn't speak now, watching him put all the blame on Gerwald, going so far to insult him. The Lupine inhaled a deep breath before getting confused. Her hubby? Her what? Katrine was genuinely confused by the word, having never heard it before. Yes, Katrine believed her should have waited then. Now though, she really did wonder if it would have made a difference when she had been sure before it would have.

Josh kept analyzing what she said. Katrine had said facts of how it occurred. She had been missing details about Gerwald and Pebble before that day, hearing them all from her sister. So many memories made that she had gone to doubt why he chose her.

He ended up calling Gerwald a big jerk, going on to think he should have been worried for the both of them.

"Facts. I'm telling you facts, Josh. Until the day Gerwald told me about him, I was innocent. I didn't know. I minded his dishonesty. To the both of us. I get the fact that he came from a planet like Stewjon, I get living in a world that doesn't accept you and suddenly be overwhelmed with the freedom of being yourself." He wouldn't understand what she was talking about, he wouldn't comprehend being a Lupine surrounded by people terrified by anything that was different. Kat had been lucky enough to be raised by people who didn't judge her, helping her live through it. "By the way, what is a hubby?" Really confused about that.

Katrine didn't have any experience either. She had stories. Wonderful stories of her parents and how they fell in love. A club on Coruscant, Father killing everyone so he could be alone with her Mother. She had once heard Mother said one relationship, one individual would make her or break her. Father was that person for Mother. And Katrine already knew Gerwald was for her. It was why despite everything she believed even before she met him, she couldn't just consider anyone else without him knowing first. She wanted an honest relationship with him always. Once, he had broken that before she had made that clear. Katrine assumed it was a given when she was incapable of lying herself.

She had her week to accept, Pebble didn't. And she had thought she had spent years in the darkness, thought she had sold her to Avarisa. "Sometimes ripping the band-aid can be good. But I had days to understands, she thought she spent years in the darkness and that I'd sold her to my ancestor." Pebble knew her story with Avarisa just as Kat knew about her grandmother though Pebble's ancestor had been brought up once or twice in all the time spent together. She hadn't pushed because she understood.

"And I don't think he played her, Josh. I think on some level, he loves us both. But different parts of him. Our species don't expect to find someone to complete everything we are, we only hope to find someone to love. It can be enough." It was for her parents for decades. "But finding him when I didn't think anyone but my own family existed, it has changed me forever. Him too, I think. He completes me like nobody ever could if he had chosen Pebble." Her voice was perfectly calm. "And some version of me broke her heart even in the darkness far worse. And then here, parts of the nightmare being true. I don't know what she'd experienced. The darkness I had fallen to was completely different. I could never understand. But I didn't break her heard willingly. I chose Gerwald before that week but despite what Witches practice of not letting men choose, I was raised differently. My parents claimed each other, my Father always had that choice. That is what I always want for Gerwald, to be with me of his own free will."

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"I'm honestly not huge on knowledge of Witch culture" He would admit, seeming content to keep the discussion civil until he had reason to call her out on her chit with a more aggressive stance. "If we don't try to kill each other by the end of this, maybe we could sit down and you could throw me a few lessons? Not literally, physical objects usually hurt when you throw them" He asked. A genuine request but he threw jokes in there because, well... It was Josh. Of course he was going to joke a little, even in situations like this. "I threw a car at someone once, I don't think it tickled. I did yell punch buggy though. I don't think he thought it was funny so I'm guessing the object probably hurt."

At least he was back to being more casual. That was probably a good sign.

He let her go on, since it was her turn, only interjecting to a thing or two here and there.

"Facts. I'm telling you facts, Josh. Until the day Gerwald told me about him, I was innocent. I didn't know. I minded his dishonesty. To the both of us. I get the fact that he came from a planet like Stewjon, I get living in a world that doesn't accept you and suddenly be overwhelmed with the freedom of being yourself."

"By the way, what is a hubby?"

"So are you innocent or are you not?" He asked first. "Cuz this still sounds like deflection" He would add as he went onto answer the next question. "Husband. Casual lingo" He explained quickly. "I may or may not be the uncool dad trying to learn the cool kids lingo for when my kid is old enough. Apologies."

"Sometimes ripping the band-aid can be good. But I had days to understands, she thought she spent years in the darkness and that I'd sold her to my ancestor."

"I don't think whether she feels like she was in there a year, or actually was, matters" Josh would admit. "As far as she's concerned, she was in there for a year, and endured the mental traumas that come with the prolonged strains that would have had to occur to cause that, yes? The facts of the matter, whether it were physically or mentally... Are irrelevant. What we do know is that it astronomically damaged her on a psychological level to the point that I'm not entirely sure she will recover from" Josh would lend to the idea. "On a psychological level, she was still bleeding from that wound. And your husband decided that he couldn't wait until she had caught her breath.

Ripping the band-aid is fine... But there's a certain timing to these things. Combat is my thing so let me try and explain this in a way that I might get this across without losing the words. You wait until you're sure the wound won't be further damaged by ripping it, or being further exposed to the elements before it's time, right? And yeah, it's quite possible that it wouldn't have made a difference, yes, she may have been mad anyway. But he picked her rock bottom to sink her even lower. That's problem numero uno right there. Whether it was guilt, desire to rub it in, something else... Honestly, the why doesn't matter. What matters is that when her psyche was at it's weakest, he attacked it further. Meaning he's most likely an idiot, or just very inconsiderate. Or something else, I'm open to possibilities."

"And I don't think he played her, Josh. I think on some level, he loves us both. But different parts of him. Our species don't expect to find someone to complete everything we are, we only hope to find someone to love. It can be enough."

So he didn't play them. He was playing them. At least that's what it sounded like. He had to keep from letting out an audible groan. This guy had the girls by the panties. He must have a killer beard.

Bravo, indecisive beard man. Bravo.

"But finding him when I didn't think anyone but my own family existed, it has changed me forever. Him too, I think. He completes me like nobody ever could if he had chosen Pebble."

Kark, she sounded just like Scherezade. Hopelessly obsessed with this dude despite the clear signs of what he'd done. He raised a brow. "Are you sure you're not blood related? You're both pretty, and say the same sort of things, it must run in the family" He joked lightly.

"And some version of me broke her heart even in the darkness far worse. And then here, parts of the nightmare being true. I don't know what she'd experienced. The darkness I had fallen to was completely different. I could never understand. But I didn't break her heard willingly. I chose Gerwald before that week but despite what Witches practice of not letting men choose, I was raised differently. My parents claimed each other, my Father always had that choice. That is what I always want for Gerwald, to be with me of his own free will."

Not letting men choose? Damn, they were even more sexist than the Hapans.

"Can I ask you a question?" He inquired. "Were they not monogamous? Because I feel like I'm missing some kind of witch tradition here because you're both apparently upset about him ditching her for you, but also not seeming to find it a massive deal. You also said that he did it because he's not used to how to act, right? And if they weren't monogamous, why is she upset? Because the only reason I can think of, is the promise of a future. Which would imply something related to some measure of exclusivity if he decided that he could no longer be with her when he's with you.

Like, do you have an extra boyfriend or girlfriend lying around? You really don't seem concerned that after what he did to Scherezade... Pebble, you called her, right? You really don't seem concerned that he could easily just turn around and do it to you. He gave her lots of promises, by what she's told me. He considered them nothing enough to just kind of ditch her for the next "oooooh shiny" that came along. Guess it just kind of baffles me that you don't seem worried."

She was either blind, or had no reason to fear, he observed as the most likely conclusions.

[member="Katrine Van-Derveld"]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

It was obvious enough he didn't. Most people who knew so little about them assumed more often than not that they were all evil. There was so much more to Dathomirians than most of them realized. Though Josh did offer that if their meeting didn't end with them trying to kill each other, he would want her to throw him a few lessons. Katrine smirked at the phrase as he began to explain, already pictured it in her head, throwing lessons at them. "I could throw lessons at you. They could either hurt less or more, depending on how hard you fight against them," she pointed out, her tone went light for the moment but she might not have been kidding. She'd never actually thrown lessons at someone but a little magic could probably make something work. Josh was talking about throwing a car at someone, yelling punch buggy. "What's a punch buggy?" Kat found herself asking. New phrases could be fun or they could be stored in the excess words of Galactic Basic in her mind.

Was she innocent or not? Katrine looked at him for a while. "I don't know," she realized suddenly. "I'm guilty of loving, guilty of not waiting for her to wake before talking to Gerwald. I'm guilty of wanting, guilty of the things the darkness had her believe." She just didn't know. It was why she didn't fully understand why Pebble abandoned her. She knew Gerwald's words were the trigger in it, the final straw. Most of it before that was the things the darkness had her convinced she had done to her, they had done to her. It was also why Katrine couldn't have imagined losing her sister in all of this. In Pebble's monologue, she thought for a short time she could lose Gerwald but not once did she think she could lose her sister in this.

Husband. Casual lingo. She blinked, realizing at the moment, half ignoring something about uncool dads. "I didn't claim him. I didn't explain just how the ceremony works and he'd thrown the word out there, and after what Pebble had said, I hadn't... I couldn't correct him anymore. That is what I mean when I said I couldn't claim him or anyone else while my sister was in a coma. I... we still haven't." After what happened, they were dragging out something that was meant to be special. Something that in a completely different situation, Katrine would have wanted no one else but Pebble around to witness. The words, that is. Words were witnessed before a member of one's clan. Even if Pebble hadn't actually spent time with the Singing Mountain Clan, she was family and therefore would be acknowledged as a good witness. After losing her, there seemed only three. They weren't Singing Mountain either, nor were they members of the physical realm at all. Somehow though, it didn't feel as right as it would have been to have a sibling at her side.

Josh kept talking about the damage, physical or mental; he was sure she couldn't recover from it. And her husband decided he couldn't wait. "Not my husband. Even after the claiming, he won't be my husband. He'll be my mate, and I'll be his." It was one of the most romantic things Katrine knew, listening to her parents refer to each other as each other's mate, not husband and wife the way other outsiders did. Father was Dathomiri, he didn't have to accept any of it and he did, never making the mistake. In an odd way, it made them equal to each other, not having different titles for each other. But that didn't really matter right now. Not when the Jedi was convinced her sister wouldn't recover, ripping the band-aid being completely wrong at the moment. She just listened for a while. "You really think she'll never recover? You didn't know her before the darkness. She's eager, strong, capable. Even when she thinks she's a loose cannon, she's only had months in this life. People take years, she refused to let that slow her down." Maybe she was just thinking of Pebble how she was before rather than how she was now but Katrine did believe the fighter, the warrior was still somewhere there. She was just taking her time with her pain.

Was she sure they weren't blood-related? Both pretty, and say the same sort of things. It must have run in the family. It made Katrine smile, weakly though before she sighed. "No, we're not. She does sometimes remind me of me before I freed myself from my curse. I was the loose cannon, quick to do rather than take my time to grow, and all the while growing up too fast. Pebble has always thought she wasn't loved or that she could lead, refused to listen that she was both loved and that all of it could change in time." She refused to accept it, so stubborn in things. Katrine let her be though, she was so young in her experience that there was no way of explaining it to her but instead, she had to live through it.

A question. Were they monogamous? Katrine shrugged before she heard him talking about some witch tradition he was missing. She just listened, trying to comprehend the question in everything he was saying. Did she have an extra boyfriend or girlfriend lying around? She wasn't concerned with what he did to Pebble. Her brows twitched when she heard him call her by the nickname she had come up with. Pebble would be upset if she heard him use it, she had barely let her use it and then she became the only one that could. He gave her lots of promise, by what she's told me. "Monogamous?" She quietly repeated the words before she recalled and shrugged. She knew what it meant, out of curiosity. It wasn't a word used on Dathomir, probably how men were looked at. "Doesn't gamous in monogamous mean marriage?" That was what happened when you threw words read from a dictionary at Kat.

"I'm worried about Pebble. Worried about everything you're telling me. After what she told me what she did and Jart showed me she the darkness still had an incredible effect on her still but it was fueled by what happened, I knew she needed time. She needs someone in her life but right now, it's not me. And it's not Gerwald with the decision he made." If he changed his mind, maybe. But with what happened, she wouldn't let him be near her right now, Katrine was sure of it. "And don't call her Pebble. She's never allowed anyone but me to call her Pebble," she warned him.

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]