Private Glass Half Something

[Varin Mortifer]

VARIN MORTIFER

Equipment: Durum Mantle | Black Blade of Chandrila | Eye of The Dragon | Heavy Sith Mace | Cross Guard Broadsaber​

The summons had come without warning, as many tend to happen. Varin had just finished some of his combative training, an excuse he used to let off the proverbial steam. To ease whatever tension had been brewing within him. A storm that had been building and darkening, mad clouds of black smoke and red lightning plaguing his dreams.

Ignati was wanting more blood. He was getting impatient, and he was growing hungry.

Humbarine wasn’t enough for him, Coruscant was not enough, even Tapani did not satiate. The curse of being bound to a being of war and conquest. That also built upon the very foundation that he stood upon, the foundation that was the centerpiece of his power.

Anger and fury.

Much had happened to Varin to have led him further down this path and many had been noticing. Students would avoid him when he came in for training, often times clearing out of the building so that it was just him and his shadow.

A nervous messenger waited for him just outside the doorway to tell him that Mercy had summoned him and his Master, Lady Revna. He would have to fetch her. A frustrated sigh left his chest as he gathered his things, leaving the building to locate his master.

All he had to do was feel her presence and follow.

As he wandered the streets more people tended to part away from him as he walked through them, giving him a wide berth and enough space to let him through. Eyes would usually avoid his gaze and eventually his trail led him to the Sith Temple. It seemed as though she had sensed him approaching the way she waited expectantly in front of the temple, her posture though disciplined was still relaxed.

He made his way up the steps toward her and gently dipped his head in respect.

“Empress Mercy has requested both of our presences within the Throne Room.”

His gaze flicked towards her as he waited for her response before he led her towards the Sky Hook, stepping in with her before it took them up to the massive structure above them. Deep down the embers of rage still burned within his very being, it was something his body had slowly grown accustomed to, it was what he used for fuel.

When the Sky Hook halted and the doors opened, Varin waited for but a split moment, staring out of the doors before he stepped forward, leading his Master towards the doors to the Throne Room.

He had no clue if Lady Revna had met The Empress in person, he also did not know what kind of mood she was in. The whole thing to him felt….off.

Finally, he opened the doors.

Revna Marr | Mercy​

 

[Revna Marr]

Tags: Mercy // Varin Mortifer ​

After meeting and discussing some matters with her Apprentice, Revna had been invited to stay on Coruscant for a little while - an invitation she didn’t refuse. She elected to remain within the Temple, content to meditate and spend her time soaking in the dark energies that saturated the place. And to peruse its items, feed her bottomless hunger for more and more knowledge. She also spent time people watching - observing, listening, gathering whatever information she could about the Sith Covenant from those that lived and worked under its banner.

It was during one of these moments of sitting and watching and listening, that she felt the unmistakable approach of Varin to the Temple. He was not hard to miss in the Force: his very presence roiled like a storm ready to unleash its fury. Quietly and calmly, Revna rose from her place and made her way through the Temple and towards its massive entrance, and waited at the steps for Varin to make his appearance. He was not hard to miss - standing head and shoulders over almost everyone else around him - as he made his way towards her through the crowds.

Crowds that parted or averted their gazes away from him, when he passed by.

That brought a small half smile to her lips; he had developed enough of a reputation and presence here that others around him reacted to that. The weak minded and willed submitted to his presence, and those that felt they were strong enough to face him no doubt rose to the challenge.

But something else was burning underneath his skin - Revna could sense it, though she made no comment about it or suggested she felt it, when he stepped up towards her and gave her his customary greeting: a small bow of his head. For a moment, the little Sith woman wondered for the reason behind his visit, then Varin passed the message along:

“Empress Mercy has requested both of our presences within the Throne Room.”

A knowing smirk flitted across her pale face, breaking through the usually calm and stoic mask she wore. Some sort of inner mirth and fire dance in her eyes.

“The Empress you say?” Took her long enough… Revna thought lightly to herself as she stepped down and alongside Varin, though she didn’t seem overly concerned with the news he had delivered. “Well then, let us not keep her waiting. Lead the way.”

She followed Varin’s lead as he guided her to the Sky Hook, stepping in with him and maintaining her calm demeanor as they rode the elevator towards what she assumed to be Mercy’s Throne Room. Being in such a confined space with her Apprentice allowed her to truly feel the dark rage that boiled just underneath the surface. It was far more pronounced than what she normally felt from him, and it captured her attention immediately.

Something was going on, to make him like this. She suspected it had something to do with Ignati, and it further solidified the decisions she had come to, in regards to her Apprentice and his future. The time was fast approaching for Varin to step up, and take control of that which currently controlled him.

Otherwise, he was going to destroy himself.

The Sky Hook eventually came to a stop and, after a brief moment of hesitation - Varin stepped out and Revna followed suit, both of them walking down a long, grand hallway and towards great doors that certainly seemed like they led somewhere important.

It was these doors that Varin opened, admitting them both into the Throne Room of the Empress of the Core, and Revna’s ember eyes sharpened as they drifted over the grand chamber, seeking out the giant woman who had left such a lasting impression upon Revna’s mind. ​

 

[Mercy]

MERCY

EMPRESS | WARLORD | STAR-ARM

Location: THRONEWORLD | Tags: Varin Mortifer | Revna Marr​

.

Looking at Varin was like staring into a mirror image of herself at his age.

Furious at everything all the time. Exploding at the least provocation. Destroying anything around him he considered an obstacle to his immediate desires.

In the essence Mercy did not think this was an issue. A Sith had to be linked closely to their passions and desires. But it had to be their passions and desires. What the boy had told her, however, being infected by some ancient decrepit spirit that was infecting his wants? That was the exact opposite of what Mercy desired.

Destruction was good and well, as long it was your desire to do so.

But the boy wasn't her apprentice and Mercy actually liked his Master.

So when Mercy found out that both Revna and Varin were currently on Coruscant, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to have a chat. She would not be surprised if Revna already knew of Varin's affliction. From the handful of times they had... interacted, she did not seem to be the sort to leave her apprentice hanging by the wind.

Yet, Mercy wondered just how much Revna could know, when Varin was primarily active within the Covenant while his Master was busy building her power within the Order and the Holy Worlds.

They'd find the Empress at the Throne. The thing was massive, perfectly made to contain her and would make everyone else look like a child sitting in it. Forged from the spoils they had conquered from previous campaigns. Tapani gold, Coruscanti marble, but since the last time that Mercy had invited Varin here there was an addition to the Throne.

Humbarine obsidian-ore and Stormglass lined the Throne.

Mercy stood by it and turned to meet their approach.

"Darling Revna and mighty Varin," The Empress murmured with half a smile, inclining her head in greeting. "I hope the summons didn't catch you unhappy, but I thought it prudent to get us all in the room together when the opportunity arose. We so often find ourselves in different locales, fighting different battles, don't we?"

Her eyes slowly flicked over to Revna.

"How fares Korriban and your dear husband, Revna?"

.

ERASE THE PAST

 

[Varin Mortifer]

VARIN MORTIFER

Equipment: Durum Mantle | Black Blade of Chandrila | Eye of The Dragon | Heavy Sith Mace | Cross Guard Broadsaber

Varin stepped into the room alongside Lady Revna, watching as the Empress turned to face them. At first Varin said nothing, choosing his words rather carefully.

“It would be foolish to ignore such a summons, regardless of how someone felt.”

Varin's gaze followed the changes of the Throne Room, the spoils of conquest that lined its very structure, the significance of each material from each battle won and hardship fought.

“Separate battles, yet they all support our common goal, whether it be the Covenant or the Order.”

Varin's arms crossed over his chest as his stance remained straight, unmoving and stoic as a statue. Though his eyes reflected something else rather different.

Exhaustion from lack of sleep and the frustration that ever burned like coals deep within.

He had taken his opportunity to speak. Only when spoken too when it came to interacting with leadership, but that rule was never out of fear, it was the smarter move in these circumstances.

Varin had been curious how King Caedes had been faring, it had been some time since he had seen or heard from him. Though normally Sith Lords worked in their own mysterious ways.

Revna Marr | Mercy​

 

[Revna Marr]

Tags: Mercy // Varin Mortifer ​

The Throneworld, and the Throne Room, of Mercy was…opulent, to say the least. Revna had been inside the Imperial Palace on Jutrand many times and seen the wealth and power on display there, and she lived inside the Royal Palace of Korriban where everything she could ever want or need was at her fingertips…and yet this made all of that pale in comparison.

It both awed and disgusted her.

She did not reveal that disgust however, as she stepped further into the Throne Room with Varin. Mercy was standing beside an absolutely massive throne that seemed perfectly designed to fit her. When they entered, she turned around to face them both.

Mercy greeted Revna and Varin with a half smile, and an incline of the head. "I hope the summons didn't catch you unhappy, but I thought it prudent to get us all in the room together when the opportunity arose. We so often find ourselves in different locales, fighting different battles, don't we?"

Varin responded first after a moment, his words sounding…neutral, almost diplomatic - said in such a way as if he was treading on dangerous ground while in the presence of the Empress. “It would be foolish to ignore such a summons, regardless of how someone felt.” His eyes drifted over the layout of the Throne room, before he added to his prior statement: “Separate battles, yet they all support our common goal, whether it be the Covenant or the Order.”

Revna, though she noted the caution in her Apprentice, did not seem to display the same thing. She was unapologetically herself, and spoke to Mercy as if she was a compatriot - for that was what she was in Revna’s eyes at least.

“I was expecting a summons, if I may be honest. Call it a hunch.” Revna replied, a half smile tugging on her lips. “And I would agree - it is quite unusual for all of us to be in the same location. I was more than happy to accommodate such a meeting with you and Varin.”

Mercy’s eyes shifted to Revna then, who now stood at the base of the throne dais and looked up at the taller, muscle bound woman. "How fares Korriban and your dear husband, Revna?”

The little Vahla inhaled a breath and released it slowly. “Korriban fares well, all things considered. The work is tiring and endless, or so it seems at times. In regards to King Caedes - he is very busy with the Dark Council. Unfortunately our duties keep us apart more than either of us would like for the time being but he is doing well, last I spoke with him.”

That had been some time ago - weeks now, if memory served Revna right. She missed Caedes deeply; it had been far too long since they had spent any amount of good quality time in each other’s physical presence. It was a wound that Revna silently bore, though she certainly tried to find things to fill that gap, and lessen its aching pain, lest it drive her mad.

“This is quite the Throneworld you have, Mercy.” Revna said after a moment of looking over the Throne room itself one more time, before she returned her gaze back to the Empress of the Core and cut straight to the heart of the matter. “But something tells me that you did not summon myself nor my Apprentice to your Throne chamber for idle chatter. So, what can we do for you, Empress?” ​

 

[Mercy]

Varin Mortifer Revna Marr

Those golden eyes seemed to see everything and now they were observing Varin curiously.

She picked up her pipe without looking at it, listening to him instead, but listening to his flesh beyond it even more. The exhaustion that ran through every movement. The slow drag of cells that were struggling to keep up with the lack of sleep. The fury barely contained. Something told Mercy that even now Varin was holding himself back from trashing these halls, just to sate the external need for destruction. This creature would gladly snap things apart with his teeth if his hands were too busy elsewhere.

So familiar.

"Indeed..." Mercy murmured before drawing from her pipe and blowing out the smoke. He'd note this time around it was not the force-killing herbs that she had been using so much lately. Humbarine was long past and her body had finally caught up with her eagerness to be restored. But other experiments were running now, best not to interfere with them.

"The Order and the Covenant... beautiful, isn't it? What all of us are building together."

Eyes flicked to Revna and was that a smirk, when Mercy noticed slow inhale and exhale? Perhaps, but the Titan did not remark on it. That was a private matter between them.

"I am glad to hear we are all doing so well." Now the smirk certainly appeared. "Oh, well, if you like it, feel free to frequent it more often. My friends and allies are always welcome among these halls." Yet, Mercy had not missed the subtle shifts in her face when the Vahla witnessed her throne room.

Awe and disgusting in equal measure.

Little would Revna know these were the exact two emotions that Mercy wanted to inspire in anyone joining her here.

One to covet, one to inspire.

“But something tells me that you did not summon myself nor my Apprentice to your Throne chamber for idle chatter. So, what can we do for you, Empress?”

Mercy inclined her head and finally sat down on the Throne. Almost instantaneously the Stormglass activated. It flooded the hall with Mercy's passions: her desire, her hunger, but more important than all of that... her endless fury.

Varin was holding it together before this, but would he be able to keep his control when the Empress' wrath infected his psyche?

"I wished to speak of Varin..." Mercy continued as if nothing was happening, but she watched them both, wondering how each would be touched by the outpouring of the storm inside of her. "And the little guest that is inside of him, plaguing him. I do not think it can go on the way it has been, don't you think, Revna?"

A head tilt there.

"Is everything quite alright?" Her tone innocent.

 

[Varin Mortifer]

VARIN MORTIFER

Equipment: Durum Mantle | Black Blade of Chandrila | Eye of The Dragon | Heavy Sith Mace | Cross Guard Broadsaber

He watched as Mercy took her seat upon her throne, then a shift. It pressed onto his mind like a vice. It beckoned and called for him. It smothered him.

The first sign that he would show from this influence was his back straightened. A dull aching pain pulsed within his temples causing his eye to twitch ever so slightly. Just barely noticeable.

A buzzing feeling would haunt his mind as the beckoning calls for him to let go seemed to grow louder. A physical discomfort was felt within his skull.

She wished to speak with Varin.

His fists tightened, the fabric of his gloves straining to hold together by their stitching.

But she also wished to speak with….

A quiet snarl left his gritted teeth before he could stuff it down.

Is everything quite alright?

The question echoed in his mind for a moment as he breathed deep, a shaking exhale leaving his chest.

No…nothing was alright…

He thought to himself.

My home…is still out of my reach…Allan still lives…and I am no closer to controlling Ignati…and the constant nightmares…

These were the things he wanted to say…but that would be admitting defeat to pressure. And that was weakness.

Varin's gaze looked Mercy in the eyes before he spoke.

“...peachy…”

A lie. A terrible…desperate lie.

Mercy | Revna Marr​

 

[Revna Marr]

Tags: Mercy // Varin Mortifer ​

Revna observed the interaction between Varin and Mercy in the way she observed people within Sith courts; it was clear that Mercy was just as aware of the barely contained wrath within the young man as Revna was.

The giant woman procured a pipe from somewhere, and lit up whatever herbs were inside. Revna’s fiery gaze watched the smoke curl for a few seconds, rising upward into the air above their heads, before they slid towards the tall young Sith at her side.

Revna hummed in agreement to Mercy’s statement in regards to the Order and the Covenant building something beautiful. Truthfully, the little raven haired woman wondered just how long that budding alliance would last…Sith being Sith.

They would inevitably turn on one another. It was just the nature of the beast. But yes, for now, they could build something together that made the Galaxy tremble.

Mercy remarked that she was glad to hear that everyone was doing well, a smirk appearing upon her face. "Oh, well, if you like it, feel free to frequent it more often. My friends and allies are always welcome among these halls."

Revna made a mental note of that; she may have disliked overt displays of wealth and opulence but she didn’t visit palaces for what they looked like, but for the people that inhabited them.

Srina and Caedes and Gerwald in Jutrand, her allies on Korriban…Mercy here within her Throneworld. Bonds formed and alliances forged didn’t maintain themselves through long distance, afterall. That, and Revna suspected that Mercy wouldn’t mind the fiery little Vahla dropping in to visit from time to time.

But now, it was down to business. Revna cut straight to the chase, not because she didn’t want to chatter with Varin and Mercy but because she recognized that there was a purpose and reason for this summons and she wanted to know what it was. Mercy inclined her head, then turned and sat down on her gargantuan throne.

In the blink of an eye, it was like someone opened the floodgates to a sea of emotions - Mercy’s emotions - and the space around them all was inundated with the rawness of it all. Desire, hunger, and a near endless wrath that burned like a roaring fire.

Revna let it all wash over her, feeling it and savoring it as one would a fine wine. Her eyes partially closed, their fiery depths burning brighter for a moment, and inky shadows seemed to rise up and swirl within the whites of her eyes. Hunger recognized hunger, and Mercy’s own called to the Void that lived within the little Sith woman.

It took the exercise of her iron will, to keep her Hunger under control - even as it coiled within and tore at her, and she felt the pain of it ripple along her nerves and remind her of her constant aching hollowness. She was always just one step away from total surrender, to feeding that ravenous Void, and bringing relief from that agony.

Her struggle lasted only a heartbeat, but her Apprentice certainly struggled with his own inner turmoil. Revna saw how his back straightened, and felt the pulse of his near unending frustration and wrath churn within.

"I wished to speak of Varin...And the little guest that is inside of him, plaguing him. I do not think it can go on the way it has been, don't you think, Revna?" Mercy went on to say, as if nothing was happening at all - but Revna knew better. "Is everything quite alright?" Mercy damn well knew what was going on, and this had been done on purpose. It made a knowing smirk tug on Revna’s kohl dabbed lips.

“Oh, I am just fine, my dear.” Revna almost purred, though now she turned her focus upon Varin - who was barely holding himself together.

His jaw was clenched, and a snarl was expressed on his face. He was one good push away from unleashing that put up rage that lived within him. Of surrendering his control again to that beast, Ignati.

“...peachy…” Varin growled, his gaze locked upon Mercy. Revna couldn’t help the soft, almost musical, chuckle that rolled from her chest.

“Control yourself, Apprentice.” Revna said in the tone she knew Varin would recognize and understand. “Rising to the bait will only feed into the strength of your enemies.”

Mercy was not their enemy, but the wisdom was there nonetheless. No matter how frustrated or flustered or wrathful he was or became, control was something he needed to master. Without control, he was little more than a beast - like that creature that lived within him.

Revna turned her focus back to Mercy, and finally responded. “I agree…this cannot go on like this. Varin will destroy himself if he continues on this path….or rather, his ‘little guest’ will see him destroyed. And that would be a waste of a good Sith Lord in the making, wouldn’t you agree, Mercy?”

There was another short pause, as her fiery eyes slid back to Varin. “I think it is time that something is to be done about this.”​

 

[Mercy]

Varin Mortifer Revna Marr

Both their struggle filled Mercy with joy, because what was being Sith if not eternal struggle?

Without it they were weak. With it, they could not be defeated, not in the long run.

Revna turned her focus back to Mercy, and finally responded. “I agree…this cannot go on like this. Varin will destroy himself if he continues on this path….or rather, his ‘little guest’ will see him destroyed. And that would be a waste of a good Sith Lord in the making, wouldn’t you agree, Mercy?”

"Oh, indeed. Varin here has impressed me on more than one occasion." Their eyes would meet and a memory would be shared between them.

The gurgle continued and grew louder in volume. Cracks and crunches as the figure named Mercy twitched in her throne. Few in that room would realize it, besides perhaps Arris, what that gurgle was.

Laughter.

Booming, harsh, cracked laughter.

And that laughter would still ring in Varin's ears as that memory passed them.

There was another short pause, as her fiery eyes slid back to Varin. “I think it is time that something is to be done about this.”

"I believe he needs his Master near, darling." Mercy finally said, leaning back again, drawing from her pipe. "I know you have important business, Korriban, the Sith Order... but direct guidance cannot be replaced by holocall, or chance encounters." She raised her hand. "This is not criticism." Hells knew she could have been there more for Vestra Tane , maybe she would be alive now if she had been.

"Merely an observation that I think we need to heed... lest he be destroyed, as you say."

Her eyes shifted to Varin again.

"But we are talking over your head, dear boy. What do you think yourself?"

 

[Varin Mortifer]

VARIN MORTIFER

Equipment: Durum Mantle | Black Blade of Chandrila | Eye of The Dragon | Heavy Sith Mace | Cross Guard Broadsaber

Varin watched the memory unfold before him as they spoke. The sound of her drowned laughter and the way it still carried, echoed within his head.

Laughter that only grew louder and stronger instead of the other way around. The day that Varin grasped just how strong in the force this woman could be.

He remembered the cracking of his ribs moments prior. How the pain pulsed like ripples throughout his body.

But he also remembered how he still got back up. Nothing to this point was able to keep him down. And it was his rage that gave that to him. It was his drive to meet his goals that kept him from laying down and just dying on numerous occasions.

His Master had seen it the day he crashlanded on Korriban. Broken arm, severe concussion and a barely usable leg. Yet he still tried to hold his ground when all he could see past the blood and dirt in his eyes was but a silhouette.

The beginning of his journey started with rage and pain. Something he now embraced.

Mercy's question snapped Varin back to the present. The suggestion of his Master staying close by.

At first he said nothing, his gaze flicked towards his Master then back to the Empress.

“Who would watch after Korriban if she were here?”

His voice was quiet at first. Though he had left that academy ages ago, he still cared for his first home away from home.

“I would not mind my Master being more of a constant, but a ruler cannot ignore their duties to their people.”

He looked between them once again.

“A lesson from my mother.”

Revna Marr | Mercy​

 

[Revna Marr]

Tags: Varin Mortifer // Mercy ​

Mercy agreed that Varin had impressed her on more than one occasion, and as if to back up that claim - she shared a memory with Revna, one that the little Marr allowed to seep past the barriers erected around her mind. What she saw made her both internally grin and grimace at the same time.

Varin - the young man she’d brought under her wing - had thought it would be a good idea to toss his mace straight into Mercy’s face. The blow had landed and in the memory, Revna could see and hear the giant woman’s skull caving in. That should have been a fatal wound to anyone.

But it only made Mercy laugh - as she regenerated her crushed face and skull.

Revna didn’t have to see what happened next, to know that Varin had not walked away from that bold action of his unpunished.

The little Marr slid her ember eyes towards her Apprentice. Her look said it all: You are lucky to still be breathing right now.

Had he done that to anyone else, and not killed them - well, she would have had to find another apprentice.

Once the memory of Varin’s attack against Mercy had faded away, the Empress on her throne gave her thought to a solution that she felt would help Varin.

“I believe he needs his Master near, darling." She said, leaning back in her throne. “I know you have important business, Korriban, the Sith Order... but direct guidance cannot be replaced by holocall, or chance encounters." There was a small pause as she lifted her hand, as if to stop Revna from biting back, if she did. "This is not criticism. Merely an observation that I think we need to heed... lest he be destroyed, as you say."

Revna pursed her lips in thought and considered what Mercy stated; she was not wrong, but Revna’s position was a tough one. She could not just leave Korriban, or her duties to the Throne, the Sith Order as a whole. She would not abandon her Family in the Wonosans. But it was also clear that Mercy was perhaps not fully aware of the situation surrounding Varin's arrival and integration within Sith Covenant space to begin with - or the fact that Varin had chosen to stay of his own accord, knowing full well that it would put distance between him and his Master, and thus interfere with the lessons and involvement that Revna could have in his life, his education.

Mercy shifted her gaze to Varin, and asked him what he thought about what she had stated. Revna turned her face slightly to gaze up at the young man - why was everyone so fething tall?! - and waited to hear his thoughts - as that would really be the deciding factor for her.

What did he need from her? Not want…he was not in a position to push his wants on his own Master and expect her to cater to him. But his needs? That was a different matter.

Varin voiced aloud the thoughts that had swum through Revna’s mind: who would watch after Korriban if Revna was here, on Coruscant? Within Sith Covenant space?

“I would not mind my Master being more of a constant, but a ruler cannot ignore their duties to their people.” He said in a low voice as he looked between the two of them. “A lesson from my mother.”

There was a moment of silence as Revna gathered her thoughts, before she finally spoke her mind, her voice a touch firm, making something known and clear. “I know your words are not criticism, and I accept that for what it is. However, I do wish it to be known that I never gave Varin the order to outright leave Korriban, or the Academy in which I had him enrolled into, to keep him close by so I could train him while he was receiving further education. I did send him into the Covenant when it was first gaining ground, to be my eyes and ears, to gain knowledge of who and what the Sith Covenant was, what you all were doing, and if it was something that could be leveraged for the Sith Order - and pass that on to me since I was unable to leave my station to do it myself. He chose to stay within Covenant territory without informing me of such, and that choice was his own.”

Revna turned her face towards Varin, her expression a touch stern and direct. “If you desire that I be more of a constant in your life, in your training, then I can certainly give the order for you to return to Korriban to complete your training, to be within my shadow at all times - it will be obeyed, regardless of what is happening here, or what duties hold you in Covenant Space…or even what the Empress says. That is my right as your Sith Master.” That last bit was a bold statement to make, but Revna understood enough of Sith hierarchy to know that an Apprentice belonged to their Master, for the duration of the contract that bound them together. And no one, not even a King or an Emperor or Empress, could impede on that. Well, they certainly could, but it would be a fight.

Right now, Revna was the sole authority in Varin's life - until he was Knighted and was given his Darth status. But just like her own Master had done with her, Revna chose not to exercise that absolute authority - not unless she felt it was necessary or needed. But a reminder here certainly wouldn't hurt - and she had a feeling that Mercy would understand that herself, at least to some degree.

There was a short pause, before the stern expression on her face shifted to something…softer. Not gentleness or kindness, but understanding that came with the wisdom and insight of seeing the bigger picture. “But that would do more harm to you and what you have built here, what you are building here, than anything. I recognize that, which is why I have not chosen to recall you back home. But I hear what you have said, and I hear what Mercy has stated.”

At this point, Revna returned her focus back to the Empress sitting on her throne. She stood a little straighter, and tucked her arms into the sleeves of her Sith robe.

“What does being near look like to you...that I take up some sort of residence within Sith Covenant territory itself? I am open to it, if that is something that is open to discussion. I will not permanently leave my station nor the duties I currently hold to the Order, to Korriban. But...I am always open to expanding my reach and influence."​

 

[Mercy]

Revna Marr Varin Mortifer

“Who would watch after Korriban if she were here?”

His voice was quiet at first. Though he had left that academy ages ago, he still cared for his first home away from home.

“I would not mind my Master being more of a constant, but a ruler cannot ignore their duties to their people.”

Mercy knew that Varin wasn't calling her out specifically, but especially in the wake of her conversation with Arris Windrun she felt called out anyway. Both the Sith present would feel it. The surge of white-hot fury that suddenly splattered across the room like blood from a freshly-carved wound. Then it disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, Mercy managing to clamp down on that unreasonable wroth.

"Who indeed..." Mercy's voice was clean, no trace of the fury that had just permeated the room. In a way it was a direct example of what Revna and her were talking about.

Varin had to be able to do the same thing.

Experience sudden all-encompassing wrath and then be able to seize control of it, breaking it into submission. So that it served him rather than the other way around.

It was a revelation to Mercy that Varin was initially a little spy. That reveal made Mercy's head swivel slowly. First meeting Varin's eyes, eyebrow raised and then returning back to the Vahla Marr.

"Oh, was he now? That's good to know." Someone was going to have one hell of a work-out punishment after all this was said and done. Starting with a few hundred push-ups and then see how Mercy felt after that. The only thing that mollified Mercy was the fact that Varin had decided to remain within the Covenant from his own accord.

She supposed that was loyalty or at least enough ambition it could pass for loyalty.

"It will be obeyed, regardless of what is happening here, or what duties hold you in Covenant Space…or even what the Empress says. That is my right as your Sith Master.”

Lips curled into amusement.

"You have spend too long around Strosius, dear Revna." Mercy purred softly, her elbow settling on her knees, as the Titan leaned in to watch the void-manifested Lord closer. "What purpose is obedience in an Apprentice? We are forging them into Lords. Masters of their own Fate. What is the point of pressing obedience into their flesh, when all we wish is to see them succeed and rule in their own right?"

This is what Mercy had done with Alcariel , with Vestra Tane , with Lysander von Ascania and what she was attempting with Efret Farr . Each one of them was given ultimate freedom to do whatever they pleased. To learn and grasp for power, to carve their path forward. And when they needed Mercy's guidance, they could always come and seek her out. In fact, when they needed anything, Mercy was there for them.

If she desired slavish obedience, she had actual slaves for that.

“What does being near look like to you...that I take up some sort of residence within Sith Covenant territory itself? I am open to it, if that is something that is open to discussion. I will not permanently leave my station nor the duties I currently hold to the Order, to Korriban. But...I am always open to expanding my reach and influence."

"Your involvement can be as open or as closed as you so desire. I am not attempting to take you away from the Order or Korriban, as I said, I know how important these things are to you."

Then a smirk.

"But I sense the hunger inside of you. That void that wishes to devour. It is hunger that I possess myself. So I suspect... if I tell you, that Covenant space is open to expansion for any Lord of the Sith who pays homage to me... you'd be extremely interested. No?"

 

[Varin Mortifer]

VARIN MORTIFER

Equipment: Durum Mantle | Black Blade of Chandrila | Eye of The Dragon | Heavy Sith Mace | Cross Guard Broadsaber | Wyrmfang​

He had struck a nerve, and everyone felt it. The singe of anger and fury that overwhelmed the room for merely a second before vanishing. The feeling caused Varin’s gaze to sharpen. He did not blame her. It was a frustrating matter of priority, doing what you want versus doing what needed to be done. Though the mantle of Empress was far more weight to bear. His posture straightened though his arms crossed over his chest.

Then his master revealed his original intent when joining the Covenant, to keep tabs and report what their specialties were. His fingers gripped over his sleeves. For a split moment, Varin thought he had been betrayed, but that feeling was quick to pass as he listened to his matter speak more clearly on the matter.

“Not for sabotage or for undermining, simply an extension of knowledge. I had decided to stay not because of orders, but because of necessity and want.”

To Varin, it was easier to move up in ranks and to claim his goals in a group that had a more fresh slate than something established. More than that, he could help lay the bricks and the foundation. Yes he would obey his Master, but when it came to his goals, his plans and his people, he would not sacrifice his freewill for that.

“I would say all the battles I had committed to our cause would be evidence enough that I am no spy. At least no longer within that title.”

When Mercy spoke of the hunger to his master, something had become quite clear that he saw within the three of them. They all starved for something. As most people did, but their hunger and starvation drove them to more heights, unlike those who settled to lounge in their hunger.

Mercy | Revna Marr​

 

[Revna Marr]

Tags: Varin Mortifer // Mercy ​

Mercy’s fury was something to behold; it flashed, hot and undeniable, when Varin’s words reached her ears. And then, that rage was gone, pulled back in with little effort. It awed Revna, for she knew how difficult one’s vast anger could be to bring back under control. She hoped Varin noticed, and was paying attention.

It was a lesson not in words, but in simply being in the moment and experiencing it first hand.

Upon Revna’s little…confession…Mercy gave Varin an arched eyebrow, before turning her gaze slowly to Revna. The little Marr knew such an admittance was risky, especially with someone as fickle as Mercy, but she was not going to hide the truth from someone she intended to make an ally, perhaps even a friend.

"Oh, was he now? That's good to know."

“Not for sabotage or for undermining, simply an extension of knowledge. I had decided to stay not because of orders, but because of necessity and want.” Varin replied, speaking for himself about that particular matter.

“I did not send Varin to spy on you all for nefarious reasons. Only to see if the Covenant could become a place not only for him…but for myself as well, and to form bonds of an alliance between the Covenant, and Korriban.” Revna replied quietly, not in an act to placate or excuse, but simply to make her reasoning clear to the giant woman on the throne. She could care less if Mercy accepted her words for what they were or not. She would not be made to feel sorry for the decision she had made in sending Varin in. If anything, her calculated risk had paid off - and would continue to do so, if she played her cards right.

As for the rest of what Revna had to say, Mercy seemed…amused. Her lip curled, and her comment about how Revna had spent too much time around Strosius, was the silent warning to the little Marr that perhaps Mercy did not see eye to eye with her statements, nor agree with them entirely. That was fine, Revna didn’t really care if Mercy did or not. She wasn’t here to appease her or make her happy.

But she was aware enough of the fact that she needed to tread carefully now, especially as Mercy posed a question to her: "What purpose is obedience in an Apprentice? We are forging them into Lords. Masters of their own Fate. What is the point of pressing obedience into their flesh, when all we wish is to see them succeed and rule in their own right?"

“Oh I think He would say that I haven’t spent enough time around Him. But I digress;” Revna quipped back, before she exhaled a soft breath and closed her eyes for a moment, almost as if pulling her thoughts together and settling a sudden spike of indignation. When she opened them again, she did so with a slight dip of her chin towards Mercy.

“I need to apologize. I recognize that what I said and how I said it was not…reflective of what I was trying to say, or what I believe or how I even am as a Master. I do not expect blind, total, slavish obedience nor do I demand it. I was a slave once, I know rather intimately what that is like - and I refuse to treat those who are under my guidance in the same manner. I do not even treat other’s slaves as slaves, when I am around them. And I am aware that what I said was disrespectful towards you in your own throneroom, Mercy. That was not my intention.”

She let those words settle for a moment, before pursing her lips in thought. “I would like to believe that I have given Varin as much freedom as I possibly can, to go and do as he wishes. Yes, we do have a contract that remains in effect until he is Knighted, he dies, or he leaves it. Yes, there are certain…expectations for both of us that are within that contract. I provide teaching moments, push him in areas of weakness so he can strengthen and grow himself, and challenge him in various ways that I believe will benefit him."

"In return, I ask for loyalty from him, and obedience if or when I give him a directive. He is welcome to challenge or question me at any point in time, and that is something I do expect him to do. He also has the option to leave his apprenticeship with me, if he feels that another would better suit his needs as a master. One of my former apprentices has already done that, actually.”

She cast a glance towards Varin for a moment, before returning her gaze back to Mercy. “I believe that obedience should be the result of respect, not fear. Because one should want to obey, not because they feel that they have to. That is how my Master was with me, and that is how I endeavor to be with Varin. Or any future apprentice I may acquire down the line. That…is what I was trying to say earlier, but it came out…wrong.”

Revna sighed and broke eye contact for a moment, her gaze flickering downwards, before she gave a somewhat rueful smile. “Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve said something that came out in a different way than I intended. Anyway…back to the matter at hand.”

To Revna’s inquiry about being within Sith Covenant space, Mercy told her that her involvement was as open or closed as she wanted it to be. The Core Empress was not trying to take Revna away from Korriban or the Order really for she did understand how important those matters were. But Mercy touched upon something else that made Revna’s eyes narrow slightly.

"But I sense the hunger inside of you. That void that wishes to devour. It is hunger that I possess myself. So I suspect... if I tell you, that Covenant space is open to expansion for any Lord of the Sith who pays homage to me... you'd be extremely interested. No?"

Her eyes narrowed a little further as the term paying homage was mentioned - not quite a full glare, but certainly…opinionated about that.

Not to mention, Mercy was more than aware of the Void that resided within Revna. That much was now plainly obvious. But of course the Core Empress would zone in on that - if she too did indeed deal with a hunger in her own right, then she certainly understood at least a small part of what was going on within Revna.

“I…would be interested, yes.” Revna said cautiously. “Obviously, I would render due respect to you, being the Empress. Especially if I took up territory or space within your domain and realm of power." Revna inhaled another breath and released it, before speaking again. Except this time, there was certainly an edge to her voice now as her eyes flared with an influx of emotion. "But I will not bend the knee to you. I would rather shove my own lightsaber down my own throat, than kneel to anyone...ever again.” ​

 

[Mercy]

Varin Mortifer Revna Marr

She waved the spying issue away.

They had been infiltrated as well as well grated cheese from where Mercy was sitting. From Acier Moonbound to now apparently Varin, it reminded her of the conversation that Mercy had with Arris Windrun when all of this had started. The latter had come to her with concerns. That their plans were leaking in advance, that people were waiting for them, Coruscant had been a gigantic cluster fuck because of it.

It hadn't overly concerned Mercy back then, but she had tasked Windrun to handle it.

Mercy now wondered if Arris had ever truly handled it.

Maybe she needed to get back in touch with Anet Raine . She was a sick little puppy, but she had a mind that was crooked towards the inquisitive arts, as far as Mercy was concerned.

That kind of mouth-frothing dogma was part and parcel for them.

"If I didn't trust Varin, he would be a smear on the wall right now." Her attention shifted towards Revna. She didn't say it. Mercy didn't have to say it. When their eyes met, the implication was conveyed from Lord to Lord. That if Mercy didn't trust Revna, she would have been added to the wall right next to Varin's smear, in that moment of intense fury.

"So let's put that behind us, shall we?" Cheerful all of a sudden, especially with the explanation forthcoming from Revna on the other matter. "I am glad you don't see your apprentice as your slave, darling, that would have been an immense disappointment to me. I will let anything else stay between you then, as a Lord and Apprentice relationship ought to be."

She reached out into the air.

A moment later Revna would feel Mercy's touch along her jaw, as if she was right next to her, rather than with a room's distance between them.

It seemed the Empress didn't need proximity to make her presence known. No wonder she was so confident.

"But I will not bend the knee to you. I would rather shove my own lightsaber down my own throat, than kneel to anyone...ever again.”

Mercy's laugh was boisterous and loud. Free. The sound of someone who didn't care about pleasing others or keeping up appearances.

"Oh, if I wished for you to bend your knee, you would." The laugh was gone and her eyes, golden, met hers again. "But I don't. When I said pay homage, I meant that literally, darling. If you take up shop in my territory, you pay me my due, you come when I need you and if I ever want your assistance in matters, you will hear me out. Just as I would hear you out."

A shrug there.

"No bend knees, no fealty. I don't want your slavish loyalty, Revna. I want your allegiance, dare I say, I want us to be friends. All I need are the same things you'd expect from me, if I ever went to your neck of the woods and decided to take a planet in the Holy Worlds."

 

[Varin Mortifer]

VARIN MORTIFER

Equipment: Durum Mantle | Black Blade of Chandrila | Eye of The Dragon | Heavy Sith Mace | Cross Guard Broadsaber | Wyrmfang​

He did not doubt that he would have been but a smear on the wall. Varin was no fool. Though it would not stop him from leaving something lasting upon her so she would never forget that he made her work for it. Maybe that was egotistical, but he would not just lay down and let it happen.

He listened to them speak to each other for a bit before he spoke.

“An allegiance regarding my Master into the Sith Covenant could also open more possibilities with the Sith Order.”

It was a step closer to the main goal he wanted for the Sith. A true unity.

He hated the infighting, hated the back stabbing and the plotting behind fellow Siths backs. If he had it his way, those who did not comply to his command upon the Sith would not only be executed. But made examples. Stripped of their power, their authority. Driven to the ground and stomped into the dirt where they belong as nothing more than fertilizer. They would beg, they would cry. But he would bring their end when He saw fit.

The emotion from within him spiked only for a brief moment before he recalled it. Having lost himself to his own thoughts for but a moment of time.

“The Sith Covenant could also bring opportunities to the Sith Order as well.”

His gaze then pointed towards his Master, then to Mercy.

Mercy | Revna Marr​

 

[Revna Marr]

Tags: Mercy // Varin Mortifer ​

Mercy’s implication of what would happen to both Revna and Varin was not missed on the little raven haired Sith woman. She met Mercy’s eyes unflinchingly, with crystal clear understanding passing between them. The matter of Varin being sent in originally as a spy on Revna’s behalf, was settled and put aside for now.

The Titan also seemed to accept the explanation Revna had given in regards to the other topic, bringing that portion to a close for now as well. "So let's put that behind us, shall we? I am glad you don't see your apprentice as your slave, darling, that would have been an immense disappointment to me. I will let anything else stay between you then, as a Lord and Apprentice relationship ought to be."

“I appreciate that.” Revna replied, her voice respectful but decidedly neutral. A part of her was a bit ruffled hearing that such news would have been a disappointment to Mercy. Revna…frankly didn’t give a chit if her actions or thoughts or decisions were disappointing to anyone. She wasn’t here to please anyone; she existed to learn what it meant to be a Sith, and embrace what that meant to the fullest capacity that suited her personal ambitions.

Her thoughts were ripped out of focus when she felt the invisible touch along her chin. Across from her, Mercy’s hand was elevated, and the message was clear: Mercy didn’t have to be physically there for her presence to be felt.

The ghostly contact caused Revna to inhale a quiet, small breath as her eyes brightened a touch. Goosebumps raised across the entirety of her pale skin, the sensation sending little sparks of electricity dancing across her flesh. She maintained eye contact, and lifted one of her silvery brows slightly, as if to silently say, ‘Really…?’

Mercy allowed her to speak her mind about the topic of paying homage, and it took Revna half a second to rein in the sudden flare of black rage that boiled within her veins at the mere thought of having to kneel before someone else. The Titan’s laugh boomed across the throne chamber when Revna had finished, then the laughter died away and Mercy so nonchalantly declared that if she wanted Revna to kneel, then she would make it happen. This time, Revna’s gaze hardened as they met the other’s golden orbs. There was fire there, but she held her tongue once more, displaying self control despite just how fiercely she felt about that topic. She listened as the Empress of the Core made it clear that she didn't want Revna's 'slavish loyalty'. All she really wanted was for Revna to pay the due expected of her - come when she was needed for something, listen when Mercy needed to discuss a matter or topic. Nothing drastic, nothing over the top. No bending the knee, no swearing fealty.

She did want the little Marr's allegiance - which Revna could argue was the same thing as loyalty, even fealty, if one looked at it a certain way. That made her gaze narrow once more, but she continued to listen to the giant woman. Revna was certainly open to developing a friendship, if it was possible. Mercy was not someone that Revna really wanted as an enemy, if she was being honest with herself. Someone like the Titan was far more valuable as an ally, a friend, a confidant. So it only made sense to Revna that she would do what she could on her side to foster such a relationship.

At the mention that Revna would likely do the same in reverse to Mercy, should the Empress come to 'her neck of the woods' to take a planet within the Holy Worlds, the little Sith woman could only chuckle softly with amusement. “Oh Mercy…if it was within my sphere of power and control to allow you to take a planet within the Holy Sith Worlds, I would do so without a second thought. However, that privilege does not belong to me, but to Darth Carnifex.”

Revna’s tone made it clear that it was something she wasn’t exactly happy about, but there really was nothing she could do about that…not at the moment, anyway. Maybe...that was something that could change, should she develop a closer connection with Mercy. That was a topic of discussion for another day, however.

“I respect you, so I will agree to your terms, should I decide to…carve a place for myself within the sphere of your domain.” Revna replied after a moment, consenting to what Mercy had laid out before her.

Varin decided it was time to speak up, voicing aloud his thoughts on the matter at hand, and Revna went quiet to give him the space and room to speak his mind. “An allegiance regarding my Master into the Sith Covenant could also open more possibilities with the Sith Order.”

There was a very brief flare up of emotion within her Apprentice - she felt it, albeit briefly - before it was reined in by the young man. She noted the degree of control he had exercised in that moment, and it pleased her. Though he was still struggling in the area of regulation and control, he had made improvements in that area.

“The Sith Covenant could also bring opportunities to the Sith Order as well.” Varin finished, his eyes setting upon Revna first, then shifting towards Mercy.

“Either direction is possible, if the cards are dealt and played correctly. I do have connections to members within the Dark Council, and I would like to believe that I am on good terms with the Sith Empress, our dear Dread Mother.” There was a faint smile there, one that held a measure of adoration for the wintry woman that sat the throne of the Eleventh Sith Empire. “However, I am not so naive to think or believe such interactions would be without some hostility. We are Sith, after all. Someone is likely to dislike the idea of our respective powers working together, and try to start conflict. I know of at least one Sith Lord and his...minions...who would do such a thing." ​