Private Has it really been a year?

[Isla Draellix-Kobitana]

Location: Draellix Castle
Objective: Dinner with her love
Tags: Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix

Spoiler: Isla's Personal Gear

Admiral's Sabre
Ashlan Rosary
Personal guard of Ashlan Praetorian droids
Overseer Biochip OPBC-01a

Wearing: This

​

Isla sat at the fine table in her favourite dining room of her castle, the staff busied themselves serving the food and pouring wine. The table was laid with game meats and vegetable, a very enjoyable spread. Across the table was the most beautiful woman in the galaxy, Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix . Isla had been away for the past week on military matters on the other side of the galaxy and this was their firsr chance to dine together since she had returned. She hated leaving Tiresh here alone for extended periods since she had come to stay on Lur, it had been almost a year to the day since Tiresh had been released from her imprisonment, a date which both of them were very aware was approaching, but they both danced around mentioning.

The staff left them and the pair were able to eat, Isla reached across and gently stroked her hand. "It's good to be home, I've missed you this week Tillie" she smiled sweetly as she used the pet name she had come to enjoy, a name that had ironically come from conversations over whether she was Tiresh or Kalie, but now it meant more to Isla than that. She wouldn't say what she had been up to. Besides the classified nature, Tiresh seemed to want to avoid talking about politics these days anyway, she couldnt blame her at all.

"I've had leave authorised, i'm going to be staying on Lur for the next couple of weeks, it will be nice to not have any interruptions won't it?" It would be impossible for Tiresh not to know why the Prime Minister wished to take leave of her duties at this specific time, but Isla wouldn't come out and say it. She took her other hand and picked up her fork to begin eating. "I was thinking we could head up north and see the aurora? Just the two of us. Nothing but us, the lights, and a a roaring fire?" she smirked, remembering their last excursion to that area and how much time they had spent wrapped in each other's bodies.
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[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

Tiresh caught herself staring at the food in front of her, a rather blank expression settled deeply across her dolled-up face. Having her lover home was a sort of relief for the woman. She wished it was purely because of her deep affection for Isla Draellix-Kobitana , but there was also an underlying fear of being alone. When she was alone, she was left to the mercy of her own dark and weighted thoughts. The strange thing is, sometimes she craved solitude, unable to stand the idea of being around anyone at all. Often, anxiety and paranoia would drive her out into the cold nights of Lur as she would walk solemnly among the gardens and frozen rivers. Her eyes would then inevitably drift upward to stare at the unhindered stars and lights of the night, standing still among the shivering beauty that surrounded her, the crisp wind howling woefully across the deserted landscape.

It was in these moments that she pulled her fur close to her cheeks and let the undercurrent of grief wash over her fully. Her mind would almost always center around memories of her father, Marovik Kobitana. She would never forgive herself for his death, knowing that she had been its catalyst. And then the grief, regret, and guilt would slowly mix itself with a deep-rooted anger for the replicant that had replaced her during her captivity. As much as it was her own fault that her father was killed, it was just as much so the replicants. She would never forgive it for what had happened. She sometimes dreamed of crushing it slowly with her own bare hands, watching the circuits malfunction until just scrap metal was all that remained. Of coarse, this was pure fantasy, as the replicant was much stronger than she would ever be. But it was a fantasy that she allowed for herself to indulge in from time to time.

She had missed so much during her year of captivity… she had put everyone she was closest to in incredible danger to a NIO replicant that looked and acted just like her, deceiving everyone at a devastating level. She had missed Valery Noble 's baby... missed the death of her husband…

She had missed so much.

She had put her dearest love, Isla, in unbelievable danger. The replicant at any time could have reached out and killed her. It had even slept with her… developed a deep and meaningful relationship with her… Conversations that she could never replicate. She struggled with feeling like a stranger, even to Isla. This last year together had helped to bridge the gap, but she could never forgive herself for what she had put Isla through.

And today… Today was the anniversary of her freedom. She felt deep gratitude for those who had put their lives in danger to free her, and she felt deep gratitude for Isla, who had nursed her back to health from the brink of death. But even after a year, she still found herself looking up at Isla with a sense of uncertainty and insecurity. Tiresh… and Kalie… had lost themselves during her brutal imprisonment, the shared mind collapsing in on itself as all of the separate personas collided together in a muddled mess of lost identity. Her mind was growing more stable as time went past, but she still had a ways to go until she felt comfortable in her own skin again.

She was slowly rediscovering who she truly was.

Tiresh jolted her eyes upward at Isla as she began to speak, pulling her mind from its contemplations. At first the look seemed rather intense, due to the nature of her thoughts, but it quickly softened. The woman smiled gently, receiving the touch on the hand without motion,

"I missed you to." She said warmly. As Isla spoke of an extended leave of absence, Tiresh registered immediately that it was due to this being the anniversary of her freedom. Maybe Isla was worried for her mental state during this time and felt that it was prudent to not leave Tiresh alone. Or perhaps it was purely so that they could be together and enjoy each others company. Tiresh was grateful regardless.

"That sounds nice." Her tone was even, almost calculated. Emotions and expressions seemed like they had to be either forced or carefully thought through for some reason. Tiresh was able to perceive that she was doing it, but had not quite understood why that was the case. She forced a smile and then projected a calculated response that seemed appropriate and would likely be received well by Isla,

"You make the best fires…"

The line seemed to fall flat, not really making much sense at all after the fact. She furrowed her brow in slight frustration as she picked up the wine and began to drink it slowly, her gaze falling downward toward the table in awkward silence.

 

[Isla Draellix-Kobitana]

Location: Draellix Castle
Objective: Dinner with her love
Tags: Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix

Spoiler: Isla's Personal Gear

Admiral's Sabre
Ashlan Rosary
Personal guard of Ashlan Praetorian droids
Overseer Biochip OPBC-01a

Wearing: This

​

Isla felt sad for everything Tiresh had gone through, and she was used to these awkward silences, the woman had spent a a year being beaten and tortured, forced to close herself off from world in order to survive, there was bound to be scars. But Isla could tell when she was over thinking her responses in order to only let out the smallest hint of what was inside.

"If you want to talk about things, I'm here, you don't have to keep things bottle up my love. Or you don't have to say anything." she smiled with utmost affection, treading carefully on what was always going to be a tough day for her. She could try changing the subject. "Have you thought any more about my parent's offer? It might be refreshing for you to get off of Lur for a little while? The Lurrite nights are wonderfully cleansing, but the forests around my parent's little place on Atrisia are very beautiful. It would be just us of course, as much as my mother trys to force herself on you." she gave a little laugh. Isla's mother was so eager to become part of Tiresh's life. She had not had chance to get to know the woman her daughter talked of marrying before she was taken from her. But Isabella Draellix, you need to be patient. It was all that was needed, when Isla first named her mother, there was no arguing.

Isla watched the body language of her girlfriend closely, she was was the same person she was before, or the same people, as it were, but she didn't seem to be able to reconcile it somehow. It mostly seemed to be a problem when there was strong emotions involved. Isla felt lucky that all of the stuff about Kalie and Tiresh had come out before all this happened, it gave her an insight that she would not have been able to cope without. She also believed it was the only reason that the woman was brought to Lur after her rescue, rather than being handed to the SIA. Those people, Isla had begun to despise the SIA constantly wanting details and debriefs, Kalie had friends who cared for her in the SIA but it mostly seemed to be people with asset recovery on the brain that stopped by in Lur once word had gotten back to them that their agent was still alive.

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[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

As Isla encouraged her with the opportunity to open up or to remain silent, she shook her head with eyes closed, as if she was trying to escape from her own mental prison.

“No no… Theres nothing to talk about… I mean… I’m sure there is… but I just want to be distracted from it all right now and simply enjoy your company.” She downed the rest of her wine quickly and motioned for one of the staff to replenish her cup. She was exhausted with wrestling with her own mental stability. She just wanted to be as normal as possible for the next few weeks. To pretend like there was nothing wrong in the whole galaxy. Nothing at all.

She then turned her full attention to Isla, flashing a warm smile and a subtle nod intended to ensure her dear friend that she was truly fine. As Isla reintroduced the idea of traveling to visit her family on Atrisia, Tiresh fought back the anxiety that began to arise at the idea of having conversations with Isla’s mother. It had nothing to do with a dislike for the woman, much the opposite. She wanted more than anything to make a positive impression, and she feared that she might fail to do so in her current condition. She cleared her throat and did her best to hide the anxiety she felt, however her fear got the best of her and she ended up blurting out a response in full transparency,

“Maybe we could wait until I’m…” She let the rest of the sentence drift off unsaid, knowing Isla would understand what she was trying to communicate. She quickly picked up a fork and started dabbing at the delicious food on her plate, desiring to bring a more positive turn to the conversation as she began talking almost excitedly as if nothing had happened,

“We should take full advantage of your leave!” She exclaimed in a higher pitched tone as she studied the variety of foods, “Did you know that there are some buds beginning to show in your garden? I think they will begin to blossom soon. When they do, I want for us to take a holograph together in the garden. I think that would be nice.” She found a bit she especially liked and took a bite, slowly chewing as she looked back up as Isla with a warm smile. “And I would love to see the aurora again. It was stunning.”

She then tilted her head a bit as she paused for a moment and took in the incredible woman seated across from her. She was a true masterpiece… gorgeous from head to toe and with a compassionate heart to match. Tiresh wanted more than anything to not have to be the center of their focus anymore. She had been so needy and dependent on Isla this past year, but somehow she wanted for everything to just go back to normal… For the two of them to simply be who they use to be… before she was a broken soul in need of mending.

A flash of sadness swept across her face briefly as she pulled her eyes away from Isla and took another drink of wine, desiring for it’s effects to somehow perform a magic spell upon her and let her loose from the restrictions of her fractured mind.

 

[Isla Draellix-Kobitana]

Location: Draellix Castle
Objective: Dinner with her love
Tags: Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix

Spoiler: Isla's Personal Gear

Admiral's Sabre
Ashlan Rosary
Personal guard of Ashlan Praetorian droids
Overseer Biochip OPBC-01a

Wearing: This

​

"Then enjoy my company you shall" Isla laughed. She didn't want to dwell on things that made Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix sad. "And there is all the time in the world to go visiting places together.". Isla listened to her discussing the budding flowers as they ate, the gardens were truly marvelous here, despite the bitterly cold climate, but Isla couldnt help but here Tiresh refer to it as hers, not theirs. Of course Isla knew it was her name on the castle, but she wanted Tiresh to treat this like her home too, it was a small thing though that Isla knew would come in time, or she hoped.

"Holopics of the two of us would be lovely" Isla beamed as she thought of it, "You'll have to show me which flowers are already budding." Isla wanted to talk to her girlfriend more about some upcoming events that were really bothering her, but she didn't know how to bring it up. There was more tension at the top of her nation than she had ever experienced and the wasn't sure what the future held for any of them. But it was a difficult situation to bring up, politics was one of the topics that could slide Tiresh into a darker place. Isla tried to hide it but it would be clear something was on her mind.

Her train of thought was broken by an alert that came through in her implant, initially she assumed it was Crusade information and was ready to get annoyed, but it was an alert from her groundman, one she had waited days to hear. Her eyes widened and she spoke again "The reindeer have arrived!" The large lake at the bottom of the cliff was almost permanently frozen, but for a few months in spring to summer it thawed. During this time, thousands of reindeer descended from the mountains onto her land, often followed by white bears. It was an amazing sight and something Tiresh was to unwell to see last year. There was a noticeable quickening of Isla's eating as she wished to walk on the balconies and get her first look at them. Now that was a perfect distraction for her love.

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[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

Tillie let an authentic and wide smile cover her face as Isla Draellix-Kobitana laughed. She had missed her terribly. It was so good to be eating a meal together again. As she continued to eat, she couldn't help but notice that Isla's mind seemed to be weighed down with something unspoken. She concluded that it must be something related to her travels. Tillie paused and was about to ask her about her trip right when Isla excitedly revealed the arrival of the reindeer. She had mentioned it numerous times throughout the past year, building anticipation for the event, and so Tiresh's eyes widened with shared excitement.

"Thats wonderful! Lets go!" She arose quickly, wiping her lips with the provided napkin and placing it on the table. "I've been getting better at taking holographs… I have my equipment in my room. I'll be right back!" She let the table and walked briskly up the stairs to her room, genuine excitement racing through her as she began to assemble her equipment. She didn't want to miss a moment as she was sure these holographs would be stunning. There was a tremendous void that she wrestled with in the wake of no longer being an SIA agent or a political activist, and she had quickly found some hobbies to fill her free time with. In typical Tillie fashion she had poured herself into these hobbies, desiring to excel at them on every level. And so, intermingled with the excitement was a sense of determination. She would make sure she captured the best possible holographs ever.

Everything was set and ready. Tillie carefully hung the camera around her neck and walked down the stairs, giving Isla an excited smile as they saw each other. "Ok! Lets go!" She said in a raised whisper, as if she might accidentally scare off the reindeer even though they were still inside the mansion.

 

[Isla Draellix-Kobitana]

Location: Draellix Castle
Objective: Dinner with her love
Tags: Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix

Spoiler: Isla's Personal Gear

Admiral's Sabre
Ashlan Rosary
Personal guard of Ashlan Praetorian droids
Overseer Biochip OPBC-01a

Wearing: This

​

Isla made a small prayer to Ashla as her beloved's face lit up and she skipped off to get her gear. Things like this showed that beneath all that bruised shell was still the soft and playful woman from the Alderaanian market. Isla also excused herself and went to re-dress into something warm. With a thought, the weather appeared floating in front of her eyes, 4°C, fairly mild, but still cold. She pulled on guarderma suit and threw on a leather and fur coat, gently running her fingers through the fur as she waited, she discretely placed a blaster pistol into her coat. The reindeer were beautiful and mostly peaceful, but they tended to attract predators.

Isla's eyes were the next to light up as Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix strode down the hall to meet Isla standing in the cold open doorway, out of habit she stood to near attention while she waited, and turning to see Tiresh walk down the corridor, clutching her camera in front of her like a bouquet made her heart skip a beat. One day, she thought to herself with a smile.

"You look so beautiful, I hope you realise that." she said, leaning in to brush Tiresh's hair back and kiss her gently on the lips. She stood looking at her for a few more more seconds before they crossed the threshold and walked across the gardens. It was a little walk, nearly half a mile across the garden, down the cliff edge staircase and then to the are where the animals were congregating. Isla would stop them first at the very top of the stairs, leaning against the railing above the fifty metre drop. From here they could both see the herd hundred and hundreds of snow white deer, still sporting their thick wintery coats. The males could easily be identified by their large horns and where they met near the females they would sometimes fight. It would be wise to be wary of those magnificent creatures.

"Which is my best side?" she playfully asked as she turned her back to the herd and reached her arms out to either side on the railings inviting Tiresh to take some shots.

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[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

Tiresh smiled as Isla brushed her hair aside and kissed her. It was these moments that she cherished most. The moments when everything felt normal. When she felt like herself again. As Isla pulled away, it was evident to see that Tillie was beaming. She bit her lip and looked thoughtful at Isla, as if reliving a past moment they had shared together, then tilted her head slightly to the side, looking deeply into Isla's eyes,

"Your fur…" She said softly, "…Brings back memories." Her mind drifted back to the time when their love had first started to bloom on Alderaan. Those were some of her most beloved memories, the ones that often helped to pull her back out when her mind would start to close in on itself.

She walked beside Isla as her beloved led her to the spectacle, holding onto her camera with one hand while wiggling the gloved fingers of the other into Isla's own. The cold produced a soft fog as it escaped their lips, a constant reminder of the cold. Once they arrived, Tiresh looked on in wonder at the truly majestic sight before her. "Praise Ashla…" She whispered, completely captivated by the massive herd in the midst of its migration.

Suddenly she remembered... Her camera! She quickly pulled it up to her eye, closing the other as she zoomed in the lens and focused on her first shot… making sure the right amount of light was coming though… adjusting the aperture… then.

Click… click... click…

"This is amazing!" She exclaimed softly, already anticipating hanging the best shots on the walls of the mansion.

Isla Draellix-Kobitana said:

"Which is my best side?"

She pulled her eye off the camera to see Isla posing beautifully for her. She giggled softly as she zoomed back out and brought her love into focus, the massive herd behind her, slightly out of focus but still distinguishable enough to know what they where.

"Thats perfect!" She said, "Now turn a little to the left…"

After some shots, she took the tripod from her back and quickly yet carefully set it up. She placed the camera, changed a few settings, and then ran quickly over to Isla, grabbing onto her playfully with a giggle and then squishing her body up against hers, turning her head to face the camera with a bright smile.

"Smile!" She told Isla as the camera started to take pictures of the two of them. After a few shots, Tillie turned back towards Isla, reaching her hand up to Isla's cheek and turning Isla's head towards her so that they were looking right at each other. Tillie stared lovingly at her for a brief moment, then sighed, almost like she was releasing something that she had been holding in for a long time,

"Isla…" She said with an air of seriousness, the camera continuing to make clicking sounds as it kept taking pictures, "You are the most beautiful… most compassionate… most loving and caring person I have ever met." Tears started to well up in her eyes as she spoke, obviously moved by deep emotions within her, "… Thank you for never giving up on me, my love." With that, she pressed her lips against Isla's as her arms reached and wrapping around her lover's neck, pulling Isla as close to herself as she possibly could. It was almost like she couldn't get close enough. As they kissed intimately, the camera continued to click… click… click…

 

[Isla Draellix-Kobitana]

Location: Draellix Castle
Objective: Dinner with her love
Tags: Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix

Spoiler: Isla's Personal Gear

Admiral's Sabre
Ashlan Rosary
Personal guard of Ashlan Praetorian droids
Overseer Biochip OPBC-01a

Wearing: This

​

There was a wide smile on Isla's face as she watched Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix doing something she loved and seeing her cares melt into the background. The reindeer were a sight to behold and it was nice that someone would capture the spectacle. She reached out with her fingers and framed shots that Tiresh might take, offering little suggestions if she thought of them.

When Tiresh took her in her arms and spoke, tears welled up in her own eyes. Isla was a military warlord but tried to be those things, and having the woman she loved reinforce it, gave her a sense if elation. "I will never give up on you, no matter what" Isla had also suffered during this time, not nearly as much as Tiresh, but it had been hard, every day not knowing if she would ever see her again. And when she came back, there was points where Isla feared the tortures had broken Tiresh's desire to be loved and held. Isla thoroughly understood, what she had been through was hellish and the woman needed time, but the reassurance that Isla was still hers was very much appreciated from time to time.

The pair kissed with a romantic intensity that took Isla's breath away and her hands slid inside partner's coat around her spine for better purchase, everything about the woman was perfect, from the smell, the feel and the taste of her soft lips. The clicking of the camera, taking beautiful pictures of their embrace went by unnoticed until their kissing came to an end and Isla turned her head towards the camera and had a playful idea. "Get behind the camera again."

As Tiresh obeyed, Isla slipped her arms inside her fur coat and undid her skin suit, it was a little awkward, but eventually Isla turned her back to the camera and slid the fur down to her waist. She looked over her left shoulder at her lover and smiled. "Oh, Ashla this is even colder than I imagined" she laughed as she moved her long hair in front of her over her opposite shoulder to give Tiresh the best possible shot. Her skin bristled with the cold air, but the excitement of doing something like this was just enough to warm her inside. She would pose like this for as long as a Tiresh enjoyed it but would follow instruction too if her beautiful girlfriend had better ideas. Isla blushed as she had an idea of her own, but it certainly too cold to use the camera for that out here.

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[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

Tiresh burst out laughing as Isla bore her upper body to the chilling elements, quickly covering her mouth with a hand to mute the sound. "You look gorgeous tho! Try to stay just like that…" She snapped some pictures of her beautiful love with the incredible scene still on display in the background. After a little bit, she couldn't help but laugh again, "Isla! You must be freezing! I am NOT joining you!" She said playfully but insistently as well, knowing she would be a shivering mess and that any pictures they took of herself would be marred by the frigid expression she would most undoubtedly wear on her face. For a moment she tried to convince herself to do it anyways, starting to pull at the top of her jacket, but even the tiny bit of exposed skin cause a shiver to travel down her entire body. She let out a light squeal and quickly covered back up. "I can't do it!" She confessed with a giggle.

She took the camera off the tripod and started walking briskly over to Isla, "Ok, cover up quick! Before you catch a cold!" She teased as she stood beside her and rubbed her back to provide warmth, turning in for a quick kiss on the woman's bare shoulder. As Isla pulled her garments back into place, Tiresh would continue to take pictures of the herd. "Now if we had a fire, THAT would be much different." She said suggestively. Finally Tiresh had gotten all the shots she wanted, letting the camera hang from her neck and just letting the beautiful scene sink in. She leaned her head against Isla's shoulder, wrapping her arm into hers as they both watched on.

After a few moments of silence, Tiresh remembered the impression that she had felt earlier, as if Isla had something heavy weighing on her. She cleared her throat softly and stroked Isla's arm slowly with her hand, "I can't believe I haven't asked you yet about your trip." She probed. She knew that Isla was likely hesitant to share with her about certain topics, specifically things related to Alliance politics. Such topics often seemed to cause a sense of anxiety to rise up within her, but she wanted to be there for her love, no matter what.

 

[Isla Draellix-Kobitana]

Location: Draellix Castle
Objective: Dinner with her love
Tags: Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix

Spoiler: Isla's Personal Gear

Admiral's Sabre
Ashlan Rosary
Personal guard of Ashlan Praetorian droids
Overseer Biochip OPBC-01a

Wearing: This

​

When Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix kissed her bare skin ever so gently, it caused goosebumps to run across her body and it took every fibre to not just turn and be with her right here, but it was cold, so Isla maintained her composure and reset her outfit. She smiled and tipped her head onto the top of Tiresh as the woman cuddled next to her.

"I can't believe I haven't asked you yet about your trip."

Isla sighed and looked into the distance as she enjoyed the touch. The two of them were far beyond any doubt in trust now, so Isla could tell her anything, although she tried to avoid too much classified intelligence. "It's just Ashlan stuff, politics and all that. We thought everything was so settled, almost easy but...

I've told you before that Emperor Greyson was essentially just a figurehead? Well he's back and wanting to flex his power, as is his right, I guess." in her mind the Crusade was on the path to moving past being an empire, and towards a true democracy, and Tiresh would know how she felt on that.

"It feels like a step back, and now we have this son he told noone about expecting us to drop a crown on his head just because of his father." she shook her head.

"And the worst part is these vanguardists, they beleive the crusade wastes too much time ensuring prosperity of worlds we have liberated? What are we supposed to do? Let them STARVE?" Her body tensed as she realised she was getting angry, and also venting in front of the recovering Tiresh.

"I'm sorry, Tillie, this is why I try not to bother you with these things." she turned and kissed the top of her head, taking in her scent deeply, finding herself instantly transported to another galaxy where she was just Isla and not laden with all her title and responsibility.

She looked down the walkway that led further down. "Should we continue, i think we can get fairly close to them if we are quiet."

the rest of walkway mostly consisted of stairs and then levelled out next to a small log hut that was used when Isla hosted large gatherings here. The next being the Hallows eve gathering for the local villahe where everyone would dress up as spooks and scare each other. Isla would be a vampiress this year.

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[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

She listened intently to Isla Draellix-Kobitana as she started to share what was on her mind. It felt almost foreign for her to hear now about the larger galactic troubles, feeling so separate from it all for so long. It almost seemed like an entirely different galaxy at times, a place she vaguely remembered.

She nodded gently regarding Emperor Greyson and her remembrance of him from various conversations. As she spoke of his heir, she turned a bit towards Isla, observing the strong emotions that Isla was feeling regarding the matter. Her heart sunk a bit as she continued, knowing how hard both she and Isla had been fighting for humanitarian advancement within the Crusade. She shook her head sadly, eyebrows furrowing a bit with shared frustration at what Isla was saying.

This had always been her fear for the Ashlan Crusade; that the instability of transitioning emperors and leaders could, in a single moment, undo all the hard work they had been so diligent and careful to build. She felt a knot forming in the pit of her stomach the more she thought about it and the more that Isla shared. As Isla went to back off from her voiced frustrations, Tiresh chose to continue with her own;

"I can't believe it. Is that really Ashla's will? To liberate planets from the darkness only to leave them void of light? Sounds like the will of bloodlust to me." She ticked her teeth with annoyance, shaking her head once again. "I'm so sorry, Isla. I can't imagine what you must be feeling. Do you have enough sway? Is this line of thinking the majority? Or does it even matter… will the Emperor do whatever he wishes without regard?"

She suddenly noticed out of the corner of her eye that her hand had started to shake involuntarily. The knot in her stomach had started to swell up through her entire body with a rising sense of anxiety beginning to overtake her slowly. She immediately hid her hand from Isla's sight, deciding that she had probably dwelled on the issue long enough and did not want to suffer another panic attack. She bowed her head for a moment, doing her best to calm her mind as she breathed slowly, in... then out... She hated this. She felt handicapped by an invisible force within her.

Isla Draellix-Kobitana said:

"Should we continue, i think we can get fairly close to them if we are quiet."

She looked up and let out a sigh, smiling with warmth and affection.

"Yes."

 

[Isla Draellix-Kobitana]

Location: Draellix Castle
Objective: Dinner with her love
Tags: Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix

Spoiler: Isla's Personal Gear

Admiral's Sabre
Ashlan Rosary
Personal guard of Ashlan Praetorian droids
Overseer Biochip OPBC-01a

Wearing: This

​

It was a shame that Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix found all of this so difficult, Isla was sad for her not to feel like she had the strength she absoutely must have had to cope with being incarcerated. As Tiresh tries to cover up her discomfort and shaking, she slid the back of her hand down her arm and interlaced their fingers, squeezing tightly. It was a reminder that Isla was here for her, but also an anchor to pull her girlfriend away from the precipice of another panic attack.

Isla pulled her arm and quickly led her down the remaining stairs and out across the fresh snow at the base of the cliff. The reindeer were not far now and Isla was acting like an excited teenager, she hoped it would be contagious. "Want to get some from here?" she asked as they stopped by a small copse of trees which was the last point at which they could remain out of sight of the graceful animals. They were now less than a hundred metres distant and the sounds and smells of the herd were in the air.

"Does your camera do infrared? I am curious how they look? My information says they should be almost invisible thermally." They truly were fascinating creatures, perfectly evolved to thrive on Lur. "The rest of my journey was actually ok, visited the golden forest of the Nexus and saw a couple of old friends. Remember that admiral I had to dismiss for sheer incompetence, well, he's married now, to a very beautiful young woman no less." she laughed, being able to bring the niceties of life back home was joyful. She probably wouldn't mention that she had spent nearly two hours taking wedding planning advice from the woman, that was something Isla and Tiresh would talk about when Tiresh felt stronger, unless her beautiful Tillie brought it up first.

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[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

Tiresh squeezed Isla’s hand tightly, ever grateful for her dearest friend and lovers support. She squealed briefly in surprise at Isla’s sudden movement down the stairs as she brought Tiresh with her, giggling softly as they drew closer to the reindeer. She grasped the camera tightly in her free hand, the excitement at getting some closer shots evident on her face. She nodded at Isla’s suggestion of taking some more pictures, leaning up against one of the trees for stability as she adjusted some settings and began snapping some more shots.

“They really are incredible creatures, aren’t they?” She said from behind her camera. At Isla’s inquiry regarding infrared, she tilted her head, thinking for a moment, then double checking her settings…

“Mmmm… it doesn’t. That's a feature on the higher end models unfortunately.” She resolved internally to invest in one soon. Can’t be the best without the best, after all.

As Isla shared more about the positive aspects of her trip, Tillie lowered the camera, her eyes still locked on the scene before them. “Poor thing.” She said regarding the beautiful young woman. Nothing would drive Tillie crazy faster than being married to incompetence. Well, praise Ashla that she wouldn’t have to worry about that. The sudden thoughts of marriage caused her to look affectionately over at Isla for a moment or two, a whimsical smile drifting across her features as she imagined the two of them being married in a beautiful ceremony. Then her fantasy flowed further, imagining having children around them, watching the reindeer with wide-eyed wonder. With all that had happened to her, she still considered herself to be one of the luckiest girls alive. Isla was worth it all… the highs… the lows… it had all led her to Isla.

She wouldn’t change that for anything.

“You know…” She began with an edge of playful teasing as she looked back out at the reindeer, “I don’t think I’ll have to worry about suffering such a dreadful fate… being married off to an incompetent admiral, that is.” She smiled, wondering if Isla already had any plans on how she might propose to her.

But then her eyes widened a bit as she had a sudden revelation… perhaps Isla was waiting for her to propose! Were they both waiting in anticipation for each other to make the move?

Oh dear…

 

[Isla Draellix-Kobitana]

Location: Draellix Castle
Objective: Dinner with her love
Tags: Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix

Spoiler: Isla's Personal Gear

Admiral's Sabre
Ashlan Rosary
Personal guard of Ashlan Praetorian droids
Overseer Biochip OPBC-01a

Wearing: This

"Well maybe we might have to see what the life day fairy brings won't we" she teased her girlfriend and rested her herself against a branch watching her work her magic with the camera, she suspected she was getting some amazing shots right now, the reindeer were very photogenic creatures when they wanted to be. Jokes of marriage made her smile lovingly, what was she waiting for, she loved the woman more than anything, but she was scared to ask in case Tiresh was not ready and rejected her, she had been through so much and was the same woman, but things were bound to be different, weren't they? "I'd be heartbroken if you ended up marrying some incompetent admiral, you should look for someone who knows what they are doing, or maybe find some sexy politician like I did." she blushed and then held her hand out to walk closer to the reindeer.

They were moving slowly around the edge of the mostly frozen lake, eating the short hardy grasses as they went. Isla had become familiar with their behaviours from talking to the hunters that brought her furs. "Look at this one, I think she might be pregnant!" She couldn't help feel her broody sensations come back to her, even though thoughts of a wild animal going through it was enough. She looked at Tiresh and wondered how beautiful she might look carrying their child, it was something they had discussed before she was taken and it was something she felt Tiresh still wanted.

"Don't get too close to her, you know how girls can get." she laughed nervously and sat on a large rock near the water's edge watching back into the herd as the continued. "Tillie, I think I need to talk to you about something"

She gestured for the woman to sit next to her and smiled with love, but there was nerves in her eyes.

"So, I have been thinking about this for quite a long time, every single day in fact and I don't think I can wait any more Tiresh. I would have done this so long ago if I wasn't frightened that too much has changed. But coming here, in the snow surrounded by, er.. furs" she let out a slightly nervous laugh and one of the reindeer looked up as if it understood. "I mean like that first perfect night. It just brings everything back and reminds me how strong we are and how the Ashla has brought us together regardless of the stuff we have had to face."

Oh Ashla, she was so nervous and she was rambling, speaking to thousands of crusaders easy, bearing her heart to her soulmate, apparently not so easy.

"I love you Tiresh, being without you showed me just how much I don't want to ever live without you again." she gently slid a ring off of her hand, it was her mother and Atrisian grandmother's engagement ring and Isla had been carrying around on her own finger for months, knowing she would one day be doing this. She turned to her love and presented it to her.

"Will you marry me Tiresh?"

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[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

As Isla teased about finding a sexy politician to marry, an authentic and rather loud laugh blurted out of Tiresh's mouth. The woman quickly covered it with her hand, fearful of scaring the reindeer away, then shook her head as if fearful by such a proposition, "Politicians are terrible! You got lucky my dear, trust me!" Some faces of various politicians that had been in her circle crossed her mind briefly, causing her to shake her head with apparent distaste.

As Isla led led the two of them even closer to the scene, she also observed the pregnant mother. Tiresh's hand instinctively cradled her own belly, longing for the day when she would be able to give birth to their own children. So much had changed in her life… she was not the tenacious firebrand of the senate anymore, nor the nonprofit champion of the oppressed. She was simply a woman… a woman who was deeply in love… who wanted to build a life together with her partner. It was so simple, yet pure. And everything within her was yearning for their future together. All of her hopes and dreams were entirely wrapped up in this simple yet worthy pursuit.

As Isla playfully warned caution at getting too close to the pregnant mother, She chuckled knowingly; Kalie having experienced it first hand with her cousins and aunts on many occasions. She tilted her head slightly with curiosity as Isla beckoned her to sit beside her on the rock, slowly pulling herself up to rest beside the woman. "Of coarse." She said softly, hoping she wasn't in some sort of trouble. Perhaps Isla had received a complaint from one of her servants about her. She surely tried to put her socks in the proper drawer, but there were times where they ended up with the underwear. Her mind wandered as she looked up with a rather innocent expression at Isla, trying to make herself look as cute as possible.

"So, I have been thinking about this for quite a long time, every single day in fact and I don't think I can wait any more Tiresh…"

Her expression suddenly shifted, her eyes widening a bit as the realization of what might be happening hit her. A smile slowly made its way across her lips, one that she couldn't hold back as she continued to listen to every word intently…

"I would have done this so long ago if I wasn't frightened that too much has changed. But coming here, in the snow surrounded by, er.. furs"

Tiresh burst out laughing right with Isla, the joyful memory of their time together on Alderaan flashing through her mind. A tear started to slip down her cheek, which she quickly caught with a finger and wiped away as her laughter trailed off. There was such a unique mix of emotions… they had been through so much together, and so their love was not a simple thing… not at all. It had been tested through the fires of adversity, shaken by shocking revelations and truths… and yet it remained, stronger than ever… burning brighter than ever. Tiresh could not believe that this moment had finally arrived, and her eyes began to fill with tears as she held her breath expectantly, listening and feeling everything she could in this wonderful moment…

"I mean like that first perfect night. It just brings everything back and reminds me how strong we are and how the Ashla has brought us together regardless of the stuff we have had to face."

She nodded knowingly, tears starting to streak down her cheeks more freely. It was true. They had made it through some of the toughest challenges… many of which would have likely cause other loves to shatter, but not theirs.

"I love you Tiresh, being without you showed me just how much I don't want to ever live without you again."

Her hand reached over and squeezed tightly onto Isla's own. "Me to." She whispered softly. It was then that Isla removed the ring from her finger, Tiresh finally exhaling the breath she had been holding in the form of a sigh as the ring was offered to her. It was not an unexpected proposal, they had both talked about marriage many times. But Kalie had dreamed of this moment her entire life. She had surely carried idealized and romantic notions of love, never having considered the pain… the trials… the hardships that such a relationship would need to endure. But as she looked at the ring in front if her, then back up into Isla's eyes, she knew one thing was for certain…

This is what love looks like.

"Will you marry me Tiresh?"

"Yes." She stated with a slight sniff, wiping more tears from her eyes as she offered up her hand, allowing for Isla to slip it onto her finger. She turned the ringed hand silently in front of her for a moment, wanting to remember this euphoric feeling forever, before looking back into Isla's eyes.

"I can't believe it took us so long." She whispered as she wrapped her arms around Isla's neck and kissed her tenderly on the lips, over and over, showering her with her affections.

Tiresh eventually paused, opening her eyes and looking fondly at Isla, "You know, If we had our wine, I would propose a toast to our future together…" She turned and looked out once again at the epic sight of the herd before them, then sighed, resting her head gently against Isla,

"But I suppose this will do nicely."

 

[Isla Draellix-Kobitana]

Location: Draellix Castle
Objective: Dinner with her love
Tags: Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix

Spoiler: Isla's Personal Gear

Admiral's Sabre
Ashlan Rosary
Personal guard of Ashlan Praetorian droids
Overseer Biochip OPBC-01a

Wearing: This

Isla said nothing for a few moments, just savouring the kisses and the scent of her fiancee, she could not be happier right now, she could scream into her furs with excitement but just wanted to stay in this beautiful moment as long as possible. All these reindeer who had know idea what they were witness to just plodded about their daily business.

After a few more moments she spoke. "Thank you for accepting." she grinned, not really sure what the protocol was to accept and acceptance. "Should we ask if any of these lovely animals have a bottle tied too their antlers? Wouldn't that be the best forward planning on my part?" she giggled "...They don't, in case you get your hopes up."

Isla kissed Tiresh deeply again one more time before standing up and grabbing her hand. "I should probably warn you, I have never seen myself as the sort to stay engaged for years... but, if it ever seems like I am pushing things on a bit too much, please tell me, OK?" There was a lot to plan and it could be a big high pressure event with more people than her beloved Tillie was ready to confront right now. The trust they shared was absolute, so she knew the woman would tell her if things were straining her.

There was also location, who would officiate, would galactic leaders be in attendance? Would there end up being hundreds.... she should stop, she was getting ahead of herself.

"I feel so light right now, like something has been lifted off me, it's wonderful knowing I get to keep you?" she couldn't help but pull her in to kiss again, her eyes sparkled in a way that they hadn't for a very long time. The deer continued on their path and nearby two large white birds skimmed to a halt on the lake. Their necks, a metre long and ending in long dark beaks plunged beneath the water in search of food.

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