Private Gates of Mercuitie

[Ishani Dinn]

Before the meeting...

Rhiannon arrived at the city of Mercuitie around midday. Disguised as a female Shaal, she was accompanied by her Apsara, who were dressed as servants. The group attracted some attention, though not enough to warrant a second glance from the average onlooker. Most seemed to assume that she was a wealthy merchant coming to the city on a business venture—which did draw the eyes of bandits and thieves, though anyone who got too close might swiftly meet their end with the split-second flick of an Apsara's tail blade.

Upon reaching the gates, they were stopped by the guards and ordered to hand over their weapons. While a few of her bodyguards surrendered concealed daggers, spears, bows and arrows, Rhi showed them that she was unarmed.

"By order of the Contra-Usul, any slaves who enter the city are immediately considered free," the chief guard said, squinting at the Apsara.

"They are not slaves," Rhi replied cordially. "They are paid employees."

The guard frowned. As far as he could tell, she was speaking his language, and yet there was an unearthly quality to her words which didn't sound quite right. In fact, she was using the Force to translate her speech so that he could understand it.

"What is your business in Mercuitie?" he asked.

"I've come for the Contra-Usul. Tell him that Rhiannon Dinn wishes to speak to him."

Darien Cordel​

 

[Darien Cordel]

The chief guard looked incredulously between his deputies. This woman was clearly not from the region. She spoke in a high-handed way ... as if she thought herself above them. Some Shaal could be like that he'd found, years as the dominant race on the planet had given them an inbuilt sense of superiority and he was just glad it wasn't his Zaathri counterpart on the gate today. All the big positions in Mercuitie were doubled up. One Zaathri, one Shaal so neither race felt like they were second class. The Zaathri captain had the street patrols today, they each led a mixed unit though.

"Well Ms Dinn a great many people wish to speak to his Holiness, sadly for them, he does not like to speak to many people ... he certainly doesn't like being summoned to the gate," he said unable to hide his incredulity "So you will have to try your luck in the audience chamber with everyone else ... some people wait days to get a word to him ... good luck, you should move along now"

He said gesturing to the gate now opening behind his checkpoint, once she passed them he looked between his team again and chuckled. Who did that lady think she was? If she was some great lady he'd have heard of her. He was certain she would be leaving the city disappointed unless she could afford to stay a long time. Their god had a habit of keeping the entitled ones waiting longer. It was above his pay grade and he called forth the next in line.

The main gate would open onto a vibrant city. Rhianon and her party would almost immediately find themselves in the market. the air loud with the sounds of haggling and trade. the streets were busy with people passing through especially as Rhianon had arrived in the wake of her husband's recent visit. It was not just those here to trade or resolve disputes in Mercurius' new peaceful way, pilgrims came now to see where the great god of the underworld had stood but weeks before. Pay homage at the new shrine he had overseen in the great temple.

When the goddess and her Apsara made it to the Grand Ziggurat at the city's centre they would be greeted by many stairs. Those dead ahead were the grand stairs where dignitaries and of course the gods themselves could tred an efficient (If extensive) climb to the gardens at the structure's top and from there to the throne room or if they were exceptionally lucky the private chambers of Mercurius. Those stairs were guarded by stone-faced soldiers in gold armour decorated with colour.

The right led to the mediation chambers and the left , where most went, to the entrance for those who wished to petition the city's leaders or the god. Harassed Zaathri and Shaal were dividing up the crowd. Citizens wishing to petition the leadership one way. Outsiders wishing to see the leadership the other, Urgent messengers up another guarded staircase and those queuing to see the god ... well they had to join the longest queue.

 

[Ishani Dinn]

It became clear, based on the reactions of the guards, that she was not being taken seriously. They would not send Mercurius a message, nor would they even inform him of her arrival. No, she was being dismissed as just another traveler based on her mundane appearance.

Rhi didn’t seem bothered by this. In fact, she was having fun. “Thank you,” she said with a smile before passing through the gates and into the city.

The marketplace was very beguiling indeed. Rhi spent an hour or two exploring the various vendors and their wares. Coming to the city as an ordinary civilian rather than a goddess allowed her to see it the way it really was, and what she saw was impressive. This was a prosperous settlement, brimming with economic growth and wealth. Both the Shaal and the Zaathri lived side by side in equality… or so it seemed. She found that especially hard to believe, given the long-held societal norms of the people of this region. Had Mercurius truly broken down their traditions and remade them as he saw fit? And in such a short period of time, yes, that was remarkable.

Eventually she made her way to the Ziggurat, observing the long lines of pilgrims waiting for an audience with the city’s patron god. Rhi glanced toward the grand staircase, then to the queues. Well, she couldn’t very well wait here for days just to see Mercurius. She had to get home in time to cook dinner for the family. Yes, it had been fun, but now she had to cease this masquerade.

Walking toward the stairs, she was stopped by the guards, who immediately blocked her path. Raising her right hand as if to reassure them, she removed the Talisman from her finger. Instantly her disguise melted away and the real Rhiannon stood there, dressed in her raiment and fluttering her colorful mothlike wings.

“The Sky Goddess Adamanthea wishes to speak to the god Mercurius about an urgent matter,” she said. Pointing up the stairs, she added, “Is he up there?”

A stunned guard sputtered out an affirmative. She smiled at him. “Thank you. My companions will wait for me here.”

With that, her feet left the ground and she flew up the stairs, her wings carrying her to the top.

Darien Cordel​

 

[Darien Cordel]

It was true that Mercuitie was not effortlessly harmonious. In fact, there were a hundred disputes a day, particularly between the two races. Some squabbles were minor some less so and there remained some lingering racial tension. Old traditions died hard deaths but they were dying. Darien's efforts to unite the two races in one tribe had been helped by the state he had found the two tribes he had made one in. Weak and enslaved, without him, they would either be dead or enslaved still. There had been a third tribe the enslavers but they had mostly been wiped out. Those that lived had folded into the two enslaved slave tribes as the uprising that had led to Mercuitie had gained momentum.

The way Darien governed helped too, he gave a simple choice obey his rules and prosper; refuse and leave empty-handed or die. Alleged crimes were tested in as fair a tribunal as was possible but when the conviction occurred punishment was swift and violent. Darien preferred the sacrifice of money or goods at his altar but the sacrificial pools of the temple never ran dry as the blood of those who offended Darien or his city poured in from executions and maimings. Darien had grown up learning the benefits of a justice system that was hard but fair and the Natives had often resorted to such punishments in the days before the city. The threat of death kept the races largely at peace and peace brought with it prosperity which sold them on the idea.

Darien was not naive to the fact that the city was on a knife edge but that was the way of life. He could only do his best to keep the situation balanced and to continue to adapt. Perhaps having a wider number of the native pantheon represented in human form would simplify matters and make things safer but perhaps it was not. Arc had promised him stability and he could only hope it materialised after all the implication was that the other option would be warfare and death.

Rhianon's arrival was a shock to all who saw her and as she flew up into the air there was a clamour below her as the crowds erupted in adoration and worship. Basking in the honour of a visit by both of the Dyad at the head of the Pantheon. That certainly cemented the perceived superiority of Darien's way of doing things. Only the holy city itself could boast more godly visitors and it had stood for as long as most on the planet could remember Mercuitie was not even a decade old.

The only one not basking in adoration was the poor Zaathri guard tasked with rushing up the great steps to alert the Audience chamber of the god's arrival. Though he need not have gone to such pressure as the chamber emptied out into the garden atop the Grand Ziggurat to witness Rhiannon descend, though none but the leaders of the city, the temple priest and Darien himself dared look upon her.

"My Lady of the skies" Darien greeted over the jubilation "Had I known you were coming I would have laid on a celebration" He continued, though they had scarcely recovered from the last one but a few weeks before. The occupants of the garden covered their ears lest they fall to the greed and covetousness they were warned would come from overexposure to the true voice of their god, None dared look upon him, that too was to be done only sparingly.

"My city and people are at your disposal how may we be of service?" He asked, "Or is the motive of your visit best discussed in privacy?"

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Rhi alighted soundlessly upon the smooth stone floor before Darien. Her feet were bare, though delicate jewelry made from songsteel and electrum decorated her ankles.

"My Lady of the skies. Had I known you were coming I would have laid on a celebration."

"Oh, there's no need for that," she spoke in Basic, raising a hand in a gentle dismissal. "In fact, I've come to personally invite you to my domain."

Though she spoke in a friendly way, her tone was more businesslike than casual. It was clear that she wasn't just asking him to come to and visit. No, there was a purpose to it all, one that would prove vital to the Pantheon's future.

"I do need to talk to you in private," she said, lowering her voice, "about a matter of great importance."

She allowed Mercurius to lead them into a more private place before she spoke again. "You've already met my husband, so I trust no formal introductions are needed. I waited to reveal myself, because I wanted to experience your city the way it truly is, not the way you would present it to a goddess. I gotta say, I'm impressed with what you've managed to create here. You seem to be doing pretty well for yourself."

Rhi had no desire to meddle with Mercuitie or Mercurius' affairs. The city was not in her domain, and arrangements had already been made between Mercurius and Arcturus with regards to trade and other relations. Peace was being maintained, which was what she wanted at the time.

"Which is why I would hate for anything to disrupt what you've built—or what any of us in the Pantheon have made," she continued. "But unfortunately there is a small problem which has come up, one with the potential to do just that.

"A man has arrived on Zaathru," she explained. "He calls himself Theryn Hearthfire , Crown Prince of Aurum. Supposedly he was lured here by the Force. His ship was shot down and crashed in Arboria. After witnessing him causing plants to grow in mere moments and other similar Force tricks, the natives have come to the conclusion he must be another god. They've already begun to call him Lysius, the Autumn God of the Harvest."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "If I'm being entirely honest, I would prefer to just get rid of this guy. The natives will accept it if we decree that he was a false god." Especially if she and Arc made their own Autumn God to replace him. "But if I have him killed, others may come looking for him, and they might not appreciate learning that we killed their prince. On the other hand, if we let him go, he might bring others back here, which we don't want for obvious reasons. I don't think he has any real desire to be a god, but I also have no reason to trust him. It strikes me as rather stupid to simply deify him when we know so little about him or his motives."

Not wanting to drag her explanation out any further, she hurried along to a conclusion. "Anyway, I would like for you to come to a meeting along with the other members of the Pantheon to discuss what to do with Theryn. It would give you an opportunity to meet the others as well."

Darien Cordel​

 

[Darien Cordel]

Rhiannon descended to touch almost soundlessly against the marbled stone path. She did indeed cut a very god-like image, floating down flapping her wings with her light robe flowing around her and light shining in the reflection of her shining jewellery.

His obligatory polite claim that he would have laid something on to celebrate her arrival was met with an obligatory dismissal. Polite niceties dispensed with they got to the crux of the matter. It seemed that Rhiannon was here to invite him to join the rest of the pantheon in her domain. It was plain from the way she spoke that this would not be a social visit. At least not primarily. There was a business-like quality to the tone of her invitation and that was confirmed but a moment later when she asked to see him in private and lowered her voice further to express the issue to be one of utmost importance.

He was curious about what it was that she planned to say, the set-up was intriguing all on its own of course. Who would not be interested in a matter of great importance? His curiosity was enhanced beyond just that however because it was Rhiannon who was asking. Arcturus had explained that she had been the driving force behind the pantheon, all the real work of it being done by her, but that there was some paranoia creeping in. He had seen that with his father and it had probably caused his decline. It remained to be seen whether the same fate would befall Rhiannon. Darien supposed it also remained to be seen whether she was truly paranoid or whether Arcturus was just naive.

Leaving the rest of the assembled court of Mercuitie behind in the garden he led her to his private rooms. The Ziggurat was a maze of corridors and levels designed with several purposes. The first of course was to keep each of its functions separate but it was also built with defence in mind. It was an easy space to navigate if one knew it well but if one did not it was easy to get lost and end up moving in circles. Darien feared the return of assassins coming for his life even all these years after the attack and so very far away from it.

His private meeting room was orderly and muted. It did not go so far as to be clinical or spartan. Indeed it was quite ornate and cushy one might say but there was a rigid consistency to it. the colour palate kept to a few shades. The splashes of colour in the furniture were mostly sourced in paled-out purples embroidered in fine thread. The room also benefitted from a spectrum of light created by the sun passing through stained glass which made up the surround of the main clear window which looked out over the city and the desert beyond. Tilted so as to allow light in but limit the ingress of heat. He invited her to sit on a cushioned armchair which was bathed in the carefully managed sun of the slanted main window. Darien was thankful every day that the Natives had managed to learn the intricacies of glass blowing.

As she gave further explanation Darien busied himself preparing tea. He had not asked if she wanted any, it had just become a habit of his by now. It had taken him some time to prepare blends that he could find palatable, the leaves on Zaathru being so different to the rest of the galaxy with more than a few unique flavours but he had managed and the blend he served for them seemed to fit well. It was a lighter tea served without milk or sweetening agents and carried with it slight notes of spiced fruit. It seemed fitting for her. He was careful to listen to all she had to say as he prepared the essentials of course.

"No Lady Dinn, We shouldn't need introductions," he said "I thank you on behalf of the city for your compliments, though I would like to think it would present to you in the same way whether you were god or Shaal" He understood her point though. Gods made people act strangely.

There was little further time for compliments and in their wake came troubling news. A problem.

He placed the tea tray on the table between the seat he had offered Rhiannon and the chair he would occupy himself if she had agreed to sit. The pot poured untouched by his hand and he considered all she had to say. A crown Prince had come to them apparently led astray by the call of the force or the rumours of divines. It was troubling that rumour had gotten out. He tapped his lip as she laid out her plan. She wanted rid of the crown prince which was understandable. If he did not wish to be a god and could not be persuaded into subscribing to their narrative then he could not remain. At least not at Liberty and yet it troubled him how quickly she jumped to simply killing him. Perhaps her reported paranoia coloured Darien's view of that stance and yet he could not escape one question. Would that have been Darien's fate if she and not Arcturus had found him?

"Troubling ... " he hummed to himself "Please have some tea" Tea was always a great assistance in times of trouble and it was hardly like the prince was going anywhere right that moment ... Darien assumed. If she was as paranoid as her husband claimed no doubt the prince was locked up tight.

"We must find out about him and what he intends I agree ..." Though she had not actually said as much and Darien wondered if she would seek to know more of her captive or simply make a judgement "I will come of course, I am one of you now tied up in your story and I will do my part to help maintain it ... it seems ill-judged to kill him though, as you say people may come looking and ... the precedent is poor" Then there were the moral qualms he had with killing a man for simply knowing the force on a planet where that was a marker of divinity.

"Would you permit me to speak privately to him before we decide his fate?" Darien asked. Already his mind turned to alternatives if the prince could not be made an ally. His mind wandered back to his father as he reached to the table to pick up his tea and drink. Father had known how to meld and change the minds and memories of others like putty. Perhaps this prince could simply be made to forget all he had seen and found and sent on his way.

Ishani Dinn

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Taking a seat, Rhi watched as Darien began preparing the tea, debating whether she should stop him. As a rule she hated tea and most hot drinks, but she also didn’t want to offend her host by refusing his hospitality. Besides, this particular tea had a pleasant scent, fragrant with the native spices and fruits, which Rhi did enjoy. Perhaps the taste wouldn’t be so bad.

"I thank you on behalf of the city for your compliments, though I would like to think it would present to you in the same way whether you were god or Shaal."

Rhi smiled at that, but shook her head. “People act differently depending on who they’re with, especially if it’s a person they revere… or fear. It’s a simple fact of life. At any rate, I enjoyed passing by unnoticed.”

"I will come of course, I am one of you now tied up in your story and I will do my part to help maintain it... it seems ill-judged to kill him though, as you say people may come looking and... the precedent is poor."

“Well, such a precedent wouldn’t exactly affect you, now would it?” Rhi leaned forward to take the offered cup of tea, letting it warm her hands for a moment before she took a tentative sip. Not bad at all. “You’re already well-established here, so it isn’t your head that would be at risk. Speaking of which, how long have you been on Zaathru?”

He certainly seemed to have been there for longer than she had. She took notice of the manner in which he conducted himself and interacted with the natives. He seemed to keep his distance from them, content to let them rule themselves and utilizing a speaker or messenger rather than addressing the people directly. It had the effect of making him seem more lofty and mysterious, yes, but she suspected that was not his intention. Was he simply shy? She could relate to that, though she admittedly felt a strong connection to the people of this planet. Becoming Adamanthea had felt like coming home.

"Would you permit me to speak privately to him before we decide his fate?"

Rhi shrugged. “Be my guest. Though I would ask that you share your findings with the rest of the Pantheon.” Just in case Theryn told Darien anything he wouldn’t share with the others. Taking another sip of tea, Rhi glanced down at her wedding ring. “Have you been here alone all this time, with no other companions who spoke Basic?” she asked. Perhaps he had brought others with him who had died—or perhaps they had become gods as well.

Darien Cordel​

 

[Darien Cordel]

Perhaps Darien ought to have asked before barrelling into making his guest tea, He did not consider that she may not even like the beverage. He had been too long with the natives who would never dare turn down a beverage from him or even express reluctance. Anything that came from him was a divinely blessed thing and it was to be cherished and enjoyed. No doubt a native would find it impossible not to like something he poured for them Rhiannon was not a Native however and had he not been so long away from others of his kind and culture he might have remembered to ask her preference.

His hope that the city did not change depending on its viewer was brushed aside, with a voice shaped by a smile. She was right of course the city did put on a front when a god was about. It was a fact of life, simple and predictable. Still he had to try and pretend all were treated equally. He knew they weren't of course.

Just as he knew that the precedent that gods could be killed affected him perhaps more than any other he knew in the pantheon. Rhiannon claimed he ought to be above such a worry but he shook his head "Seven years ... give or take" he answered her question first "But I doubt taht will help me much if the natives decide that since gods can be killed they should be and I have also got the rest of the pantheon to worry about, do remember my lady I am the lone outsider amongst a pantheon made up of your husband and children ... you could denounce me as a false god and order my death tomorrow and few natives would refuse the call of their gods as a collective ... I doubt any would speak for me at the moment"

Darien had seen for himself that a leader could go from seemingly all-powerful to a state of nothingness in a very short time and if that happened to him here he would have limited options to flee, particularly if it was the Dinn's and not the natives hunting him. The way the Pantheon dealt with this Theryn would set the tone going forward and may well set the tone for how they would deal with Darien himself if the time came.

At least he would have the chance to speak with the individual first. He hoped that they were the reasonable sort. Someone who would not force the pantheon to have to kill them. Rhiannon appeared content to move the focus more onto Darien than the mystery man who had fallen into their lives. Perhaps she was scoping him out but she was allowed that privilege as the head of the Pantheon he supposed.

She looked to her ring and then up at him again and went right in with a probing question "I have and most of the two years prior to coming here too, I had droids but they were destroyed in the crash" He admitted "Before your husband came along the only person I spoke basic to was myself" Thinking about it, his was a lonely existence.

"I never much-liked conversation ... especially not to large numbers but I will admit years of solitude made me miss the presence of others who speak my language"

Ishani Dinn

 

[Ishani Dinn]

“Seven years is a long time,” Rhi remarked. She listened to the rest of Darien’s reasoning. Despite his being well-established, with a history on Zaathru that was quite a bit longer than theirs, he believed that the natives would easily turn on him if the Dinns said the word. “Even after all the time you’ve spent building up this city? Are your worshipers that ungrateful?”

Perhaps the distance he placed between himself and them was to blame? He didn’t have anything remotely resembling a personal relationship with the people of Mercuitie. On the other hand, Rhi would be lying if she tried to claim her own position was any less precarious than his. All it would take would be someone coming forward with undeniable proof of the truth: that none of them were gods, that their ships were not fallen stars, and that outer space was not some heavenly domain…

Oh, she was most definitely scoping him out. They knew basically nothing about this guy, after all, except what they could see from looking at him and at the city he had built. Arc had mentioned a few details to her—something about being on the run from people who held a grudge against his father. Unpaid debts falling on the son, or some such bullchit.

So he’d been alone for even longer than he’d been on Zaathru. “Do you like being alone?” she asked. “Or would you prefer to be on your own?”

Darien Cordel​

 

[Darien Cordel]

Seven years was a long time. It saddened him to think that it was coming up to 9 years since his father died and his world turned upside down. Exhaustion seemed to catch up with him all at once. The grief he thought he'd set aside reared its head briefly as Riannon cast doubt on whether he would truly be abandoned so easily. He leant on his hand "Not ungrateful exactly ... just zealous, they think you and Arcturus are the principal gods of their pantheon if you told them to turn on me I can't say what they would do especially if you said a whole pantheon agreed"

It was true that their own positions were probably no more secure than his and Darien did not think all the natives of the city would turn on him. It might be true that the majority would not but it was not a gamble he was keen to make and there was still the rest of the planet. They were better off together and they were all vested in the continued protection of the native's views. Assuming of course that Rhiannon was as committed to the safety of her children as her husband.

It took him a moment to answer whether he liked being alone. The instinctive answer was yes but it was not entirely true. He liked having a space of his own but he did not enjoy the isolation he had felt the past 7 years. He shook his head eventually "I do not manage well with groups or speaking in public and I often feel the need to find a place where I can be alone and quiet but I do not enjoy isolation for long periods ... I have found myself missing the ability to talk with someone in my own native tongue"

Darien missed Mysa and Luke. He even missed his father though their relationship had begun to grow distant as Father lost his power. Sometimes the voices in Darien's head told him he was the reason father had fallen. People always spoke of his father as a man who had an unnatural ability to grip power and yet prior to his death he had seemed to be doing so with only one hand, the other trying and failing to reach out to Darien.

"What brought you and your family here?" he asked since they were getting to know each other.

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Well, she couldn't argue with that.

"They say it's not good for man to be alone," Rhi said. "Even if you do prefer solitude, or are afraid of crowds. We all still need a friend, at least."

Perhaps they could be friends, although something told her she shouldn't expect more than cordiality from Darien. Or perhaps she was projecting her own reluctance onto him.

"What brought you and your family here?"

"The scenery," she replied wryly. "Arcturus and I are Sith, but we became... disillusioned with the mainstream Sith Order. Too many old masters clinging to power. We stumbled upon Zaathru by accident. Though we left after that first visit, I kept thinking about this planet. Eventually I came back, and found that I liked it here. It feels more like home than any other planet I've ever been on." She took another sip of tea. "My love for this world makes me want to give back. I want to help improve the lives of the natives. I want to be their Goddess."

Darien Cordel​

 

[Darien Cordel]

Whoever they were seemed wise.

"They are probably right ... I can't say life has been bad of late ... " He had been given much comfort and privilege "But it has not been good either, I had friends before I had to run away ..." Two friends to be exact or maybe just one. Darien hoped Luke qualified as a friend but he was not certain. Luke was paid to be in his life after all. "I do miss them a lot but I have no way to reach them now" He hoped they didn't think he had forgotten them.

Whether he could be friends with Rhiannon he did not know. He was wary of her after all he had been told by Arcturus who was surely sugarcoating things. He was not resistant to the idea but perhaps slightly reluctant to rush in. He did not want to jeopardise himself.

The god issue only complicated the fear he already nursed around putting himself out there in social settings.

Darien blushed slightly in embarrassment as he was responded to in a slightly mocking tone. He had not thought it a foolish question and perhaps Rhiannon had not thought it one either but her response was slightly cutting. At least to him. It continued on to reveal more information though. They were Sith. Disillusioned Sith but Sith all the same. Darien nodded "People say my father was a Sith once, but he had left the order before I was born," Darien said "I'm not sure what made him leave ... " Darien knew so little of his father's past or indeed the Sith.

"I am not going to do anything to harm your home" He promised, it felt important to do so "We want the same thing here, safety for ourselves and prosperity for the Natives"

Ishani Dinn

 

[Ishani Dinn]

"Perhaps Arcturus and I could help you," Rhi said. "We have the means to teleport you anywhere in the galaxy... even into the Netherworld of the Force. You could visit whoever you wished, living or dead."

It was not a lie or an exaggeration. But perhaps Darien wouldn't be willing to travel. If he left, even if only for a short time, would the society he had built collapse? Or was he afraid Mercuitie would fall into the hands of his rivals? Did he think it was all a ploy to get him out of the way?

Well, is it? she asked herself, briefly toying with the idea of taking over the city while Darien was gone. But she quickly dismissed the notion. No, she had no desire to rule over another city, let alone one united only by commerce. Economics wasn't her field of expertise. Conquering Mercuitie might be fun, but governing it would be more trouble than it was worth.

"People say my father was a Sith once, but he had left the Order before I was born. I'm not sure what made him leave... "

Rhi refocused on the conversation at hand. "Well, there are plenty of reasons to leave," she said, still with that dry sense of humor about the Order she had left behind. "Maybe he did it for your sake." That was probably too sentimental an explanation, but most people, Rhi had found, were sentimental. The cogs and motors that drove even the most extraordinary people were usually a lot simpler than one would expect. And they always had weaknesses and vulnerabilities which could be exploited...

"I am not going to do anything to harm your home. We want the same thing here, safety for ourselves and prosperity for the Natives."

Darien's promise was sudden and full of significance. Rhi's eyebrows rose, but she nodded. "I will take you at your word," she said.

Glancing down, she found that she had drained her cup of tea. The sun had moved across the sky, and it was now edging toward early evening. "I can't stay much longer. Have to go home and make dinner. I came to see you out of curiosity and as a show of good faith, but while I'm here, is there anything in particular you'd like to discuss or show me? Apart from the exotic dancers, that is." Har har. She remembered that part of Arcturus' account of his meeting with Darien, and found it very amusing.

Darien Cordel

 

[Darien Cordel]

She gave him much to think about ... He could see people again. Well, there were only really two ... no ... no if father was in the nether place maybe mummy was too. Would it hurt people to see him though? He worried about putting Mysa in danger and would it make mummy and Father sad to see him? It was a lot to think about. Too much to decide right away.

"I don't know, I'd probably only bring them trouble ... or bring trouble here" He would need to think and plan. If he did it he would need to take precautions. It had been 7 years but he might still be hunted if he appeared in civilised space again.

Though in the coming days and weeks, he would come to lose all trust in Rhiannon at that moment he had not really thought that she might betray him or try to take his city. It seemed a genuine offer and perhaps in that moment, it had been. Darien was not a good judge of people. Certainly not strangers with power. Perhaps if he had been better socialised it might have been different but he was not. Perhaps a little of him had also become so cemented in the city that he thought he could not be removed easily.

Perhaps that hubris was inherited from his father. He always acted as if he thought himself immovable.

Time would tell.

He smiled at her quip "I'm sure" he hummed, the Sith order seemed so rife with suspicion and death. He imagined it was not a comforting place to live and it is true that father may well have left in anticipation of his birth. Darien imagined the strife of the empire was not conducive to the raising of children. "Father never spoke much of it, Perhaps it was for me he left ... " Darien was uncertain. He did think that might be too sentimental an explanation. Father probably left to secure power, He was always an enigma though.

His word of honour was accepted then. The tea cups drained and the sun hung low in the sky dying all about them a fiery orange. Their time together was growing to a close. He chuckled as she recalled his quip to Arcturus "Hmm the exotic dancers will have to be saved for your next visit My lady" he grinned "As for the rest I can think of nothing that you must see with any urgency ... " The markets ran permanently, and there were sights to see too but Darien was not sure what would appeal to her or how much more talking he could manage. He hadn't had the time to prepare after all "I should allow you to return to your family and I do need to pack for my trip to our first conclave"