Private Follow You Into The Dark

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Follow You Always //:
//: Dromond Kaas Academy //:
//: Ellie Mors //:

​

The cold metal in Quinn’s fingers brought a sense of comfort, she had been given the locket by her loving master. It was their connection, their bond manifested in the physical realm. It had easily become her most prized possession, and everything else seemed so mundane in comparison. She continued to play with it as she ran her brush through her silver hair, waves straightening, and then bouncing back. Her new room was illuminated by the moonlight of Dromond Kaas and the vanity she stared into. She had hoped that she wouldn’t be spending another night alone, but Vesta’s obligations had taken them off-world.​

Quinn stared into the mirror as she finished brushing her hair, the black silk headband found its way carefully into her hair to keep it in place for the evening. The princess valued her perfect even while she slept, but if her lover returned by chance, she wanted to look as heavenly as the night they met. Quinn turned her head from side to side, admiring her own beauty in the vanity. It had taken some time, but she was used to seeing her mother in her own face, Quinn had become thankful because her mother was a beautiful woman.​

Fingers pressed along her jawline up to her cheekbone, her skin soft and gentle - moisturized. With running out of things to do, she figured it was time to head to bed. Disappointment washed over her face as she looked out towards the empty room. Her companions for the evening would be the plethora of teddy bears and stuffed taun taun plushes. None compared to the warmth she received from Vesta, but it would have to suffice in the Shi’ido’s absence. A wave of her hand and the lights shut off on the vanity leaving the room illuminated with the moonlight. Quinn didn’t know if she preferred the moon because of Eshan or because it was the start of her most precious dream.​

Quinn yawned slightly and stood, the silk robe wrapped tightly around her as she moved towards her bed. Throwing the covers aside, she frowned and punted the taun taun from the bed and removed the robe, dropping it to the ground. She climbed in feeling the sheets against her bare legs, nothing feeling quite comfortable. A hand fixed the thing strap on her shoulder, and she crawled into bed, pulling the thin sheet over her and ignoring the comforter. Her hand returned to her locket as she played with the cold metal, hoping that Vesta, where ever they were, was safe. Another yawn and she closed her eyes while her arm wrapped around her hugging herself and pretending that her lover was there.​

 

[Ellie Mors]

JEKYLL & HIDE

A loud crack filled the room where Quinn slept, the sound of someone or something more or less snapping into existence - the manner of which was far less important than the fact of the matter. Several hundred thoughts had been cycling through the Shi'ido's head, thoughts that ranged from concern over acceptance from those around him - around her - to anger over losing a shred of anonymity, now that many knew that Vesta Zambrano was, at the very least, a shapeshifter. It effectively grounded his movements, preventing him from going places under another guise without taking careful precaution not to arouse suspicion or get followed.

It also connected him firmly with Quinn Varanin in a way that he hadn't wanted to until plans that were far too dangerous for her to get involved with just yet were already followed through.

Running one hand through his hair, his left was situated at his hip in a tight grip as he grumbled incoherently through his anxiety. Red eyes swept to and fro, peering through the force for any would-be assailants. It had only been a few hours since Yavin, the pain from being put on his back still lingering even now, but there were too many enemies to his family to write off the possibility of something happening so soon. "Wake up." Vesta barked, the tone of his voice indicating at least some level of stress, but the underlying anger was just as clear. "We have to go, just for a little bit." He explained.

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Shotguns & Roses //:
//: Dromond Kaas Academy //:
//: Ellie Mors //:

​

The comfort she found in the locket helped Quinn find sleep quickly. She fell into a deep sleep where her dreams were filled with one face. Quinn's mind was full of thoughts of the future, of the present, and dreams that would make some of the most devoted Jedi blush. Quinn was a happy girl asleep, waiting for her prince to return home. ​

Return home he did, but not in the mood she had hoped to find him. His voice pierced through her dreams, and amber orbs opened with blurred sight. The panic in his voice worried her, and she did her best to stir awake as quickly as she could. A hand-rubbed her face as she sat up from under the blankets and looked towards his blurry figure. It took a moment, but she found her voice, and her eyes focused on the familiar face of her master. ​

"Vesta?" Quinn spoke with quiet confusion. Something had happened, and she didn't know exactly what. The Academy was in its own world, the news wouldn't spread as quickly. A hand-pulled up the loose tank top's strap as she slipped out of bed and walked towards him. The young empath could feel the stress and panic, and she placed her hands on his arm and chest. "Master? What happened? What's going on?" her voice full of concern, she could sense the pain that lingered, and her mind continued to ask the same questions he asked him. ​

Something wasn't right. There were too many questions for her to ask, but she was still trying to wake up. She felt terrible, not being able to figure things out fast enough for him. Again, Quinn did her best to calm him down enough to let her know what was causing his panic.​

 

[Ellie Mors]

Perhaps it was just paranoia - how likely would it be for someone to make a move on Vesta's apprentice so soon anyway?

Then again, it had barely been a few days following the death of both of their mothers before he had tried to very same thing on Quinn before, and in whatever twisted sense of morality he had Vesta still liked to put himself above most of the self-serving sycophants in the Empire. Or maybe it was just a scapegoat for Vesta to angrily wake up Quinn and drag her off for a while.

"There was a complication today on Yavin while I was delivering the Silver Jedi Grandmaster, which is a long story. I was trying to keep things incognito and had to reveal myself as my father's daughter - and got struck with a wave of force light. Long story short half of the Empire knows I am a Shi'ido, and more specifically that I am the boy you've been hanging around." He explained with a sigh. "Now let's go. We can go the way you're dressed now, it's only going to be for a little while and we aren't going very far."

Maybe as a way to get things moving quickly, or maybe just in an effort to keep himself from losing his temper, Vesta simply leaned forward and swept one arm under her legs while the other held her back as to carry her. "Hold on tight, you don't want me to drop you while I'm doing this." He said as a dark mist rose up from the ground at his feet in a vortex that coalesced into a single mass that slowly turned translucent - only to reveal a window-like view to somewhere that was certainly not in the room they were standing in.

Quinn Varanin 's room on Eshan.

And then he stepped through.

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Safe & Sound //:
//: Eshan //:
//: Ellie Mors //:

​

Something did happen, and Quinn hung on Vesta's every word. She could hear and feel the panic in his voice, but why the alarm. Quinn fully didn't comprehend why part of the Empire, knowing that they were a Shi'ido, was terrible. One did like their secrets, but she couldn't wrap her mind around it. Thoughts of how secretive her parents were when she was born came to mind. She remembered how at times she heard their whispers on how similar she looked to her mother and that it was a dead give away that she was the former monarchs. The war with the Mandalorians and the Thyrsians always had her in danger. ​

Which was why she was always hidden away. Not anymore, Quinn wanted to be heard now, wanted to be out in the open, unlike when she was younger. A part of her sympathized and understood to a point. Either way, now wasn't' the time to question the motivations behind this necessary getaway. Quinn moved to change, being left in her undergarments wasn't something she liked to travel in. "What?" She questioned quickly as Vesta scooped her up into a bridal carry, her face instantly growing red. Arms wrapping around his neck, Quinn did as she was told and held on, with her face buried into Vesta's chest. ​

The feeling of the time and space portal wearing off, Quinn looked out from her lover's protective hold to find that they had arrived in her childhood bedroom. Blinking rapidly, she had expected them to disappear to Vesta's room or some random hotel, not all the way to Eshan. "Eshan?" She questioned as she looked up to his face illuminated by the evening's moonlight. Instantly she was reminded of their first night together and how it came about. Her room at the academy wasn't safe, but her room here was unknown. ​

It was a large room, much bigger than a child really needed. Different awards decorated one of the walls while on the other prized stuffed animals were organized by their size. Several other stuffed animals adorned the princess' room and mixed in with the martial combat uniforms and weapons that were also on display. In the center of the room was a bed full of pillows and comfortable sheets, again far more significant than the bed Quinn had at the academy and too large for a child. It was apparent the childhood the girl had. ​

Off to the side of the bed in front of the broad sweeping window was a baroque harp. Echani were not only masters in physical combat, but they were also artisans in the arts. Quinn remembered the instrument and blushed deeply as she sighed softly. "We're in my childhood bedroom. At least no one is going to see me half naked." Pausing, the Echani princess nestled against the boy that held her and thought quietly about how they got here. "Vesta, we're safe here, I promise." She looked up and cupped his face softly, "No one would ever find us here, it's okay." Quinn bit her lip as she looked at him, the protective nature he had over her made her heart race, she leaned up and pressed her lips against his cheek and then his neck while fingers laced with his dark hair. ​

 

[Ellie Mors]

There were a few memories associated with being in Quinn Varanin 's bedroom again, but he wasn't here to reminisce - though he could understand why his partner, his apprentice, might feel the attraction of doing so. He didn't answer when she had questioned their location, in truth he hadn't even known where they were going - he had searched her for a memory of some place that felt safe and familiar to make their move as quick and comfortable as possible, and her room had been the first recollection that had came to mind. For all of Vesta's privilege, Quinn's room was certainly much more impressive than the spartan place Vesta had been prepared by his parents, but it was again not quite something on the Shi'ido's mind at the time. There was, really, only one thing on his mind that mattered.

He was holding her.

"I would rather someone see you in your underwear and a gown than see someone stick you with a knife." He chided angrily, decidedly unhappy with how little she was focusing on the matter that he perceived as most important - Jedi that had openly tried to kill him in Sith territory, essentially a hit team, now knew at least some trace of identification for who he, or rather she, was, and could connect her to her apprentice. Not to mention the people who were adamantly against any Zambrano remaining in the Empire, desiring some way to get to power and remove those that seemed born into it, or the Sith that had defected with the New Imperial Order and openly called for the death of his family. All of them now knew the easiest way to get to the newest addition to the family, and Vesta hadn't yet garnered any kind of reputation or notoriety to make her appear threatening enough to deter would-be assassins by name alone.

He grumbled at her continued insistence that the room was safe, he could tell that for himself - if this was indeed Eshan than there was absolutely no way anyone would have expected the princess to have traveled from Dromund Kaas to Eshan in less than a day, especially not in the manner that they had - but was now against that line of thought on the principle of the matter. He looked down at her face as she cupped his, his eyes showing concern behind an expression of dissatisfaction. "Maybe they won't, not today, but what about tomorrow? Or three months from now? I shift my appearance in public to look different precisely to keep our connection a secret, and to prevent associating my identity with anything I've done beyond that. Now the face tied to you is associated with the person who delivered the Grandmaster of the Silver Jedi Order to my father, and you don't really seemed too concerned about that." Vesta argued, though his shoulders softened noticeably at her kiss - he still didn't seem to calm down much, otherwise, however.

 

[Quinn Varanin]

​

Quinn's face softened slightly as she understood her lover's concerns. Everything Ellie Mors had done was in an attempt to keep her safe and unattached to him. With the New Imperials' threat, especially their desire to rid the galaxy of the name Zambrano, she was very much in danger. Her concern didn't reside in her own self-preservation, truth be told, she worried for the man that held her so closely. Hazel eyes peered back into his dissatisfied gaze. Quinn saw that her kisses didn't comfort the Zambrano, and she sighed softly, her fingers still caressing his cheek lightly. ​

"Vesta, I'm very aware of the danger that surrounds you that makes me a target to hurt you." Her voice quiet and understanding. All her life, she dealt with the possibility of being kidnaped and killed. Ashin and Spencer Varanin were not very good at making friends. The pair were infamous in the galaxy, both women having substantial power with force and with their political standings as both former monarchs. Quinn's life growing up had been constant preparation, but having Vesta worry about her made the girl feel safer than she ever had. ​

"Trust me, I'm no stranger to having threats on my life." Her hand trailed down the Shi'ido's face to his chest as she continued to speak. "Our parents sinned and made enemies, and we're the price they have to pay. I recall that even at one point, my love - you also desired to take my life." The memory, despite how wonderful it was, the start of it was painful. The looking in Vesta's eyes that night haunted the Echani for some time, never did she want to see that much pain in her lover again. The fear and frustration that warped Vesta's face tonight reminded her of it. ​

Her hand rested against her protector's chest, "While you're here, nothing can hurt me. Also, Eshan is the safest place for both of us. Nothing can even fathom seeing me here. To everyone, I'm still on Dromond Kaas sleeping soundly in my dorm room." Quinn thought about slipping from his hold, but she decided it was better she remained close to him in his grasp. As much as she persisted that she was safe, apart of her wondered how quickly the Jedi would arrive at the estate. Her being Spencer's daughter and Vesta's lover was no secret, and with Eshan being in their territory - it would have been easy. ​

As she thought about the words Vesta spoke, she frowned, "As for my concerns, Vesta, the only one I'm ever concerned about is you. You shouldn't leave me at the academy when you do things. I'm your apprentice." Her own frustrations now showing as she realized that if she had been there, the surprise attack could have been less troublesome. "Just as you want to protect me, I want to protect you." Quinn gripped the fabric of his shirt tightly as she nudged her fist into his chest. "I don't know what I would do if you would have gotten hurt, or if you wouldn't have come back to me. Don't you think I'd be just as devastated as you if something would happen to me?" ​

Frustrated tears welled in her eyes as she huffed under her breath and nudged her fist again into him, hoping to add emphasis to her words and emotions. "I'd be lost without you, I love you more than anything."​

 

[Ellie Mors]

If there was a moment where searing heat transitioned immediately to a frosty chill, the reference to the night when Vesta had nearly sunk a dagger into Quinn Varanin 's back had been it. Maybe it was just a moment of discomfort for Quinn, maybe it was even an unpleasant thought, or a recurring nightmare even, but it wasn't quite so simple for the Shi'ido - whose face, body following, morphed into the same one that had appeared before Quinn that night when she had nearly killed her. To kill the child of Spencer Varanin had been the singular purpose she had laser-focused herself on from the moment she learned how her mother had passed, to have broken from that purpose - to have fallen in love with her instead - was as painful as the idea of having told a loved one they had hated them moments before their death.

A stain on her mother's memory, and her penchant for revenge.

"Don't bring that up, ever again." She said, heat visible in the red glow of her eyes, the white glow of a scar from a flash of force light etched into the side of her face - a scar that was only there of her own volition, as she'd hid the wound away by simply shifting form. "Do you understand what I do? I kill people, I rip them from this world and I either put them in the next or I eat them. I am in love with you, but I am a terrible monster who would swallow you up like the little girl you are if you didn't teach me something I didn't know when I came into this world." She said, her voice eerily calm while her expression became something a little more animated through frustration, leaving the lesson of love unspoken. "This," Vesta said, pointing to the webbing of light that stretched down her cheek, over and across her lips and chin, all over her neck and into the clothes on her torso, "this was from the Jedi Grandmaster, Elise. Do you understand what could have happened to you, there, if you had been with me? I was shot at, I am a shapeshifter, a skin-changer, I look unharmed because I do not want to look weak, and so others do not understand the experience I have."

"If I showed you all of the scars, all of the cuts, the bruises, and the stabbings I've endured, and I showed it on your body, would that convince you? If you want to be with me, then I will take you with me, I will show you the horrors of war and the pain that comes with it - if you want to share the pain, the burdens, then I will let you have your scars."

She started to stand, forcing her apprentice off of her.

"You think you would be lost without me? Then it's time for you to get better, improve. Let's start with something I hear you Echani are so skilled at - raise your fists and get up, I want you to get me on the ground once. Surely your parents, or your retainers, they've shown you how to fight, it's in your blood isn't it, Varanin? Killing?"

"Strike at me, unless you want me to hit you first - and I suggest you don't let that happen."

 

[Quinn Varanin]

​

As an Empath, Quinn felt the frustration that Ellie Mors had been feeling flare with the words the young Echani had spoken. Her attempt at trying to prove to her master that she was capable of surviving danger had backfired. Her assassin spoke to the truth that had happened that evening. By chance, something had happened between them that something and moment she shared with the other daughter had saved her life. It was a chance that the moment the Shi'ido laid her eyes upon Quinn, she felt something change. Nothing Quinn did, saved her that night; if Vesta had been able to fight the change in her emotions - there would be no Quinn Varanin. ​

The thought scared her as she felt pushed away. The empty feeling of not having the master's warmth against her was unnerving, and the words that came from the calming voice sounded foreign. Quinn sat where she had been forced, confusion washed over her face as she looked at her hands then up at the standing figure before her. Her eyes lingering on the wounds dancing across her beloved's skin. She had been so blinded by the Shi'ido's ability to hide all of this from her. Weakness? Quinn felt the pain sink into her heart, Vesta had not trusted her enough to show these so-called weaknesses. ​

Quinn pulled her knees to her chest as she listened to the verbal assault from her master. She felt sorry for herself and for the girl in front of her. For the first time, Quinn realized their differences. Her fairytale mindset was childish, and she realized the reality of their romance. The tone of Vesta's voice made it known that this wasn't a joke, that Vesta wasn't going to scoop the Echani princess from the floor and pamper her. ​

Her mother and tutors had taught her to fight, never did Quinn think she would be fighting someone she truly cared for. Though she remembered the spars between her parents, there were reasons they fought in the open areas around the estate. Quinn shook the memory from her mind, she couldn't continue to compare her relationship to theirs. Vesta was different, but that's why the Echani had found herself so enamored by her. The young princess wanted to follow her master into the battlefield, she was tired of being pampered and treated like a china doll. She had to prove herself, if this was how Vesta was going to accept her help - then so be it. ​

"Of course, they taught me." She stood, part of her wished she didn't have to do this in her sleepwear. "I never loved anyone before you, Vesta. I never wanted to be around someone like I want to be around you." Arms raised, she wanted to give Vesta the first strike, but remembering the warning, Quinn knew it would be in her best interest to attack first. "I'll prove to you that I'm capable of being at your side in this war, Vesta. That you don't have to do this alone. I'm strong enough and I don't care what you are or what you've done. I still want to be with you." Quinn spoke with confidence, she was tired of waiting to see if Vesta returned. She hated waiting and never wanted to be like her mother - pacing the grounds hoping to hear back from her lover. No, Quinn would follow Vesta where ever the Zambrano's life led her.​

A quick read of her opponent, the Echani, decided to strike at the knee first. Quinn planted her leg and used her slender frame's speed and strength to snap a kick towards the Shi'ido's knee. Her arms remained on guard, mostly because she expected the battle-worn Zambrano to avoid the small attack.​

 

[Ellie Mors]

Is that what this was?

She scowled, resisting the urge to roll her eyes at her declaration - she would always be with Quinn, as long as the two were willing to be together, that wasn't what she had meant. They weren't children anymore, not that Vesta had ever known what a childhood was - like the princess had - and the Shi'ido hadn't found the pettiness in her to resent her for having that experience so much so that she wanted to shield her from losing that perspective and gaining Vesta's own. The shapeshifter's stance was sloppy, or at least it seemed that way - she was at ease visibly, certainly, but she was tense, anxious - when Quinn Varanin swept out with an audible kick, her arms held up like she had expected Vesta to go for her upper body in retaliation.

She didn't.

A small hand moved down as she bent slightly at the knees, left foot sliding backwards as she leaned into the one that remained planted, the heel of the other rising while she moved to wrap her arm around the approaching kick with agility that certainly seemed unfair - and it was. There had been no declaration of rules, the Sith had implied a lack of tools for a reason - to deceive. "Why aren't you using the force? Aren't you a Sith? What am I training you for if you don't use the tools you've been given to fight?" She asked, pulling the Echani towards her from her foot with the weight of her own body standing back up. The leg that had been pulled back slid forwards but she shifted her weight to use Quinn's own mass to tip herself off-balance, using that as the momentum to sweep under her to kick her spare leg out from under her as she pushed back on the princess against her leg upon releasing her.

"I said fight me, Quinn."

Lightning, low-grade and incapable of actually causing significant harm beyond pain, erupted the hand that had been holding the princess' leg. "We are Sith, we do not play fair - we do not play at all. This isn't a game, I'm going to hurt you if you do not hurt me first. If I were trying to kill you then you would have already been dead."

What appeared to be fire ignited at the Shi'ido's feet, light from their surroundings - the lights in the room, even the glow of the moon and the stars beyond - sucked into her being and into the flames as they grew, the red glow illuminating the room in the same hue as her fiery eyes. "Get up." She barked, her voice carried from every direction in the room directly into Quinn's ears with anger audible for perhaps the first time. "Do as you say - prove yourself."

"Or I will mold you into what you think you already are."

 

[Quinn Varanin]

​

Panic settled in seeing that the assumed rules weren't rules at all. There was nothing fair in this fight, and Quinn realized this too late. The mention of her Echani heritage was a ruse to draw her into assuming there was no force play being used. Was this what it meant to be Sith? Was this the reason why Ashin had burned the warnings she had given her into her mind? The Sith never played fair, they were forever trying to usurp the one before them. Lessons of the Sith history flashed into her mind as she felt the grip of her Master's basket catch of her kick. ​

Once the destruction of one's Master meant that the apprentice would take their place. Forever continuing the cycle of two Sith. A practice not common in the Empire now, but something rooted deep in the Sith religion. Her weight shifted, and Quinn realized what the next attack would be. Vesta's attack connected, and she lost her balance, but through the Force, she was able to control the push from being released. Staying on her feet, Quinn struggled slightly with her balance and fell to a knee. ​

The Force surrounding them crackled, it was something the girl had faced several times before this. She could recognize the burning smell that manifested when a force lighting practitioner summoned the power to them. Quinn reacted quickly, not expecting Ellie Mors to hold back in any sense, the Force knitting itself against her flesh as she reached out to meet the lightning. Her hand became a focal point as the rest of her body became an accumulator. ​

"Fine!" It was all she said as she watched the images flash before her, the energy she had absorbed began to manifest around her. What entered, must always exit - she hadn't achieved her mother's mastery of Tutaminis just yet - but she had the affinity for the skill. The fire surrounding her Shi'ido Master flickered, her mind betraying her at this moment, but she noticed small nuances as the lights other than the fire disappeared. She wasn't in any danger from burning, but she couldn't banish the illusion - she wasn't strong enough yet. ​

She hated this, she hated fighting Vesta, but that emotion and the energy she had taken from the attack formed into two dark constructs of the Force. Knowing the straight-up attack wouldn't harm her Master and wouldn't win her this conflict, she forced the spears to split - shattering into needles before they were sent off from all angles. Through the Force, she sought to wrap her influence around Vesta's slender frame - draw her closer to break the illusion the only way she knew how. Pulling, Quinn attempted to draw the Shi'ido into the oncoming attack of the dark shear needles and break the fire's illusion that stirred the fear in the back of her mind.​

 

[Ellie Mors]

Results.

Had she finally given up on trying to boast to her? She couldn't tell, nor did she dwell on it as her apprentice managed to actually surprise her - tutaminis taking advantage of the low degree of power she'd put into the lightning she'd conjured to manage channeling it back to her in another form, visible only through the force given its invisible nature. Darkshear, or spears of darkness, the name mattered little in comparison to the rather damaging effects they had on physical matter, flesh in particular. Clever.

The illusion, she could tell, was seen through, but it was of little concern for the Sith; it had been to add weight to her words, to test her resolve, not to put her down. No, she could do what she was showing her without tricking her eyes - but Quinn Varanin was hardly deserving of that kind of hell. A tightening around her midsection, like a large, rudimentary, hand, began to exert pressure on her, telekinetic power urging her forwards through force, to draw her into the equivalent of a spray of broken glass. "Bold." She said, referring to being drawn closer. The illusory work was indeed a forte of hers, but it wasn't worth the effort to continue its conjuring while defending herself from the darkshears.

The illusion fell, flames disappearing as light returned, while a translucent glimmer of dark red shined like the surface of a bubble of oxygen-deprived blood at her front - a bubble of force energy which the many unseen needles collided with, leaving small visible cracks in its surface before the barrier-like construct dissipated. Vesta couldn't help but allow a hint of a smile to creep into the corner of her lips, there was a measure of pride for Quinn's choices, but even that was taken advantage of by the Sith lord, clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth as the physical gesture to the force to rub the molecules on her apprentice's clothing with oxygen in the air - igniting the surface of her tank-top at its front, near her midsection, with alarming heat. With a dismissive wave of her hand she released a significant amount of telekinetic force against her, a nuanced push of sorts, as she began to walk towards her with a horrific shifting in appearance that matched the pyrokinetic display at Quinn's front.

"Are you afraid of fire, princess?"​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

​

The illusion fell from her eyes, and Quinn was pleased with herself for knowing that it had been lies. Through the Force, you had to trust instinct and not the vision that your eyes saw. Something her mother warned her while teaching the girl tapping into the mentalism her mother had been known for. Life lessons that she realized kept her alive, and she probably should have listened more.​

​

Quinn pouted, seeing that her Master had deflected the darkshear, though she shouldn't have been too surprised. Ellie Mors was powerful, she could tell knowing what she knew about her creation. Both of them were created but still were so different. Both genes and powers more than likely handpicked by their influential parents. It always fascinated Quinn, maybe she was more like her brother than she liked to admit. This sudden obsession over legacy, and feeling it heavy on her shoulders. Not only did Quinn all at once feel the weight of her parents, but she felt Vesta's. She was the Zambrano's apprentice and her lover, she was under the same microscope.​

​

Quinn was left open the moment's hesitation, not reacting to the illusion fading, not preparing herself for an attack. Inexperience, showing its nature on the apprentice. Heat, the fire burned at her tank top, the Echani's eyes grew wide as she watched the material burning - the smell of the scorched fabric. Panic filled her mind as she wanted to pat the fire away, but didn't want to feel the flames lick her flesh more than it was. A sudden pressure hit her, it was like a gust of wind that pushed back towards the center of her room, landing on the edge of the bed she looked down noticing the flames had disappeared.​

​

It was then she looked up at the sound that cracked through the air, a figure that burned with intensity stared at her. The voice that dripped like the flames around the features was foreign to her. The fire, yes, she was terrified of it. Quinn suddenly felt like a child again in the middle of a burning room. Men screamed and yelled at each other in their native tongue as they searched the palace for her. They were on a mission to destroy everything that Eshan was - including the monarchy. The fire burned all around her as she suddenly felt locked in the same closet she hid in.​

​

Someone had found her, they opened the door, and his armor was bright gold, reflecting the flames that engulfed her bedroom. Seeing that face again painting itself on Vesta's shifted form forced tears of fear to well in her eyes as she felt her body shaking as she crawled to the headboard of her bed.​

​

Fire terrified her, it reminded her of that terrible night.​

​

Instinctively, she lifted her hand and attempted to gather as much force power as she could, she focused everything she could into the core of the flame demon before her. She didn't scream, but she wanted to.​

 

[Ellie Mors]

For all the arrogance and pride that a master might have for being known as a master of the force, the term was intended, originally, to refer to their control over its mysteries not in the power of its wielder. It was not unheard of for the uninitiated to accidentally cause great amounts of damage following a traumatic event or during an emotional outburst - it was simply beyond them to ever consciously muster that strength in any meaningful and purposeful way. So while the degree of force that was flung from her apprentice surprised her, it was unsurprising that the seeming post-traumatic stress triggered it.

Not that anticipating it would have prevented the incredible pain of telekinetic force colliding with her ribs, winding her and pushing her clear across the room - her appearance shifting during the process only to keep Quinn from lashing out again, understanding this had crossed over from instructive to detrimental the moment her apprentice had lost control. "Fuck." She groaned, her back pressed against the wall, red hair strewn about her face in a mess, while she coughed from the pain to her lungs. She was more or less sitting on the floor where the wall met the ground, very clearly in some measure of pain.

She tilted her head up, looking towards Quinn Varanin with a gaze that seemed a mixture of anger and concern from beneath the hair that now covered her face. With a low groan she pushed herself back up to her feet, wincing at the sharp pains that wracked her ribs and back, and cleared her throat as she started walking towards the princess with a visibly pained frown on her face. "At least I know you have potential." Vesta grumbled in frustration. "But enough is enough, I think we both have proven our points. You aren't prepared for what you're asking me for, and I have been sheltering you too much." She added as she tried to sit down on the bed beside Quinn.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" She asked, referring to her rather desperate blast of telekinetic force.

 

[Quinn Varanin]

​

The illusion fell from her eyes, and Quinn was pleased with herself for knowing that it had been lies. Through the Force, you had to trust instinct and not the vision that your eyes saw. Something her mother warned her while teaching the girl tapping into the mentalism her mother had been known for. Life lessons that she realized kept her alive, and she probably should have listened more.​

​

Quinn kept her eyes closed, she felt the Force manifest, and she had hoped it had worked - had kept her safe. Knees were brought closer to her body as she buried her face into them, trying to calm herself down. It wasn't the first time she had suffered from this memory, it wasn't the first time the Force manifested itself as such either. Her racing heart began to slow as she took in a deep breath, not sensing the fire demon near her anymore. A familiar voice groaned, and Quinn perked up and glanced slightly from her defensive position.​

​

"Vesta?" She questioned as she called for her Master, fear still lingering in her voice. Each footstep, Quinn noticed the pain on the Master's face. Guilt now overriding her fear. Ellie Mors had just been attacked by the Jedi Grandmaster, and now she provoked her apprentice to do the same. Her brow furrowed as she buried her face once more into her knees, this could have been handled another day, not now. Quinn felt her fingers dig into her bare legs as she fought the urge to cry, she was angry and scared and worried for the one that now sat beside her.​

​

Her knuckles whitened as she pressed harder into her skin, the goal of her fight wasn't completed. The apprentice wanted to prove her worth, be allowed to walk beside her Master in combat. The room's emotions calmed down, and Quinn turned her head to look to Vesta, still holding herself close together she shrugged. "It's just something that happened a long time ago." Quinn paused for a moment as she tried to find the words the explain what just happened.​

​

"It was during a raid on Eshan, as long as I can remember, Eshan was always at war. I had gotten caught in my room. All I remember is everything was on fire, and I hid in my closet." Eyes looked away as her head adjusted, resting now on her knees. "A man opened the door, his armor gold. It reflected the flames, and he looked like a demon from chaos." She was uncomfortable, she hated telling this story, but it was only fair after blasting Vesta across the room. "He asked me the same thing you did. If I was scared of the fire." She let it sink in for just a minute, then finished. "Papa came, though, found me and killed the man."​

​

A hand fell from her legs as she inched it towards Vesta. She sought solace in the Master but didn't want to push it too far, especially after what happened. The hand stopped moving and clenched the soft bedding tightly as she restrained herself. "I'm sorry, Master." It was all she said, as she let her eyes fall from the girl beside her. Quinn stared quietly from behind her knees at the edge of the large bed.​

 

[Ellie Mors]

Through the short story Vesta listened, her attention focused entirely on Quinn Varanin . As the story ended, however, her mind wandered to an outburst she'd made earlier - when she'd called herself a monster - and felt an odd sense of disappointment in herself for making what had been intended to be a means to just scare Quinn away from pushing the matter further into a live example. "Oh." She said, quietly, as she stared off towards the wall she had been pressed up against only a short time ago with a thoroughly blank expression.

She turned her gaze back towards her apprentice as she heard the apology, frowning. "Don't ever apologize to me for something I did to you. I - we - may be Sith, and I might be your master, but I am your lover before any of that. I will not be your abuser." She said. Her words had intended to be stern, demanding, but they came out as soft and reassuring. "I hope you understand the difficulties I face just a little bit more in making decisions to bring you with me when you might end up in situations like that. If I were intending to hurt you then it would not have ended with me against the wall." Vesta explained with some measure of frustration.

She sighed, reaching for Quinn's hand as she clutched at the bedding.

"I am a monster, Quinn, but I am not going to try to hurt you. I'm sorry that I had to do that, but you had to understand - and evidently I had to learn."

Pulling at her hand, squeezing it slightly, Vesta shifted back into the face of the man that had carried her to the room in the first place. "You were trying to sleep before I woke you up, perhaps it would be best if we spent the night here. We can go back to your dormitory in the morning." He said as his voice deepened. "We can discuss our living arrangements then, too, if that's what you want. I was thinking of moving to Dromund Kaas, figured maybe I could spoil you with a place to live together."

 

[Quinn Varanin]

​

"Stop that." Quinn felt the warmth of his hand, covering hers as he reached out. She didn't understand why he continued to call himself a monster when she could never see him that way. It hurt; she felt her heart constrict and fall when Vesta's voice repeated the word repeatedly. Some things made him different, the means of his creation, but in a sense, the same could be said for Quinn. Hearing the person she loved more than anything call themselves a monster, she hated it. "You're not a monster. Monsters can't love. They blindly go about terrorizing people. Even if that's what you think you do, you don't. Because like you said - you love me and I love you." ​

​

Platinum hair reflected the moonlight from the window; the young princess looked at her prince and smiled softly. The terror and fear had passed, and she was able to look upon her lover once more. Quinn knew the potential of Vesta, she could feel it in her bones, but she was never scared. Even at the moment that Ellie Mors had her hands wrapped around her throat, Quinn remembered how beautiful her emotions were. ​

​

Her smile widened, "I would like that, I want to wake up beside you every morning." Legs uncoiled as the girl moved closer to her lover and snuggled up beside him. The warmth she had been missing returned, and she felt whole again. "It would have to be near the academy unless I don't have to go anymore." Quinn let her voice be hopeful. As much as she enjoyed the academy, she was ready to leave it and join her Master full time. Though it would be nice to graduate, she felt there was no need for it. Her education on Eshan was handled, she knew everything she needed, but Quinn did enjoy her little posse. The Echani wrinkled her nose as she smirked, "Or you could join me at the academy - we are the same age, you know." ​

​

She teased but had a feeling Vesta wasn't the biggest fan of the establishment. Assuming Vesta's pedigree, he received some of the best tutors as she did. Though through several months of begging - she was allowed to go to school. Such a silly concept, but Quinn wanted to experience it. ​

​

Quinn rested her head against Vesta's arm and ran her free hand down his arm, her mind remembered the scars and damage that the Grandmaster had left him. It angered her; despite the lesson, she still wanted to be at his side. Even if Jedi were throwing a weaponized light side, she wanted to be there. She kissed his arm and then leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Let's stay here longer, no one knows we're here, and no one can ever find us." Quinn nuzzled the nape of his neck as she moved her leg over his and sat on his lap, staring at him. ​

​

"We could practice, you know, before we got our own place. Mmm," Quinn leaned forward, brushing the tip of her nose against his, keeping her face close, "Kind of like playing house." The princess bit her lower lip and giggled softly as she found her happiness again.​

 

[Ellie Mors]

He grumbled at the notion that he was anything beyond what he knew himself to be, but accepted that perhaps what he considered a monster was a little less exclusive than what she did. Their relationship was complicated, and part of him wanted her to see him the way she would have if he had actually managed to carry out his act of revenge in the first place out of guilt - the other wanted to just be with her, like he was now. He separated those lines of thought into two very different personas, the harsh master and the loving boyfriend, so that he could exercise the latter without feeling the angst of the former.

He hid a smile as he felt her move towards him, elated that he hadn’t messed up badly enough for her not to want to be close with him. Despite her words of love, he still felt some measure of concern at how badly he had scared her - but that slowly started to fade from the forefront of his mind as she helped him move on to their living arrangements. Join her at the academy? He couldn’t fathom the notion of attending classes, but he also couldn’t bring himself to consider the idea of pulling her out of schooling. As much as she wanted to be with him, she still needed the social interaction and the experiences she was having at the academy that he was, admittedly, incapable of giving her.

“I’ll live with you, at the Academy, but I’m not going to enroll myself in any of those classes.” He said with a smile, trying to think of a decent compromise. “I’m a shapeshifter, remember? I’ll just.. turn into a pet or something if there’s an issue with me just staying with you, while you’re in class at any rate. I don’t think I’ll get much sleep when you’re with me, napping all afternoon doesn’t sound too bad.” Vesta insisted. The moment became quiet as she leaned into him, her fingers playing at his arm before she moved to kiss him against his cheek. “We can stay here as long as you want, Quinn. Remember, I’m here right now for you.” He answered.

His hands moved with her as she leaned in to press her face against his, his palms open and held against the base of her shoulders to keep her in place. His smile grew a little as she started to laugh, his eyes wandering across her face with a level of happiness that he was sure she was feeling now. “For you, anything.” He said before he pressed his lips against hers. The night wasn’t over yet, for the two of them it was just beginning.

Quinn Varanin