Private I'm So Proud

[Elizabeth of House Marr]

The Estate was quiet, as it usually was this time of night. In an odd sort of way it was soothing, like a balm had been cast over her heart as she sat in complete silence, marr-red eyes fixed on the lightsaber that rested just a few feet away from her. Her eyes traced across every inch of the handle, memorizing the trigger placement for the hundred thousandth time. Simple motions brought her a sense of peace in a life that always seemed to be just outside of her control. She'd always understood that being a Sith meant taking control of her life. Yet ever since she was a child all of her decisions had been made for her. Even now, there was pressure to again change her course in life. Not that she felt anything about it, not when there were more important things.

Malum.

Her beloved little brother had finally come home. Every day since he'd left she had worried for him. Every day she had wondered what he was doing. Was he eating okay? Was anyone bullying him? That did not change even after she'd heard that he had been chosen by Darth Ophidia to become her apprentice. The prestige that their father had practically bathed in after the announcement was only equal to the secret disgust the man held for his own son for walking away from the family to choose his own path. Now he was here, and despite outward appearances, there was tension in the House of Marr. The mighty Darth Malum was contending with his own father for true control of the family. Evenually he would approach Elise to see where she stood.

She'd give him a good whack if he asked such a stupid question, she commited to herself.

Her expression softened as she reached for the lightsaber and took it into her hand, getting to her feet and turning to face the sole door used to access the family training room. She raised her head and struck a regal pose, her red-orange gaze boring down on the doorway until it opened. That steely expression crumbled in an instant, instead, her arms opened wide and tears began to well up. She broke into an enormous smile, "Malmal," She choked.

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

He found his mouth was dry, an audible gulp breaking out across the darkened training room, to which he had opened the door. It had been months since he had been back home. Too busy with assignments from his Mistress, too busy training and learning all he could, too busy recovering their home, their true home. Then, of course, there was all else that had happened, accidentally becoming a traitor to the Empire you served due to the failed plot of your Mistress, without your knowledge... was certainly a shift.

The Manse would not fall at least, even with everyone knowing that Malum was Darth Ophidia's apprentice. It had been by design that his family had not declared publicly for the Tsis'Kaar, as long as the Emperor had no reason to believe that his family was aiding him, they were far too much of an annoyance, centred upon Jutrand, itself, for him to waste his time upon.

Still, he knew the precautions were there for them to escape if the worst should come.

He threw aside those thoughts for now, for if the day came that the Emperor would dare strike at his family, then he knew he would no longer just be committing incidental treason.

It was in the spirit of that, which made him still pause at the fact he had come here. It was a mistake, no matter how he looked at it. If the Emperor found the graduated apprentice of the greatest assassin that had ever lived, upon Jutrand, right after the series of failed assassinations.

Well, there would truly only be one conclusion a sane man could reach.

He was placing them at risk.

It was selfish, utterly selfish.

But he could not go, he could not potentially die, without seeing them all one last time.

So it was, as the door opened. He could only feel the crack of guilt in his heart, as he saw Elise's tears. He could do nothing, but accept her warm embrace. And though he would not admit it, he could do nothing but collapse into her arms, as the days of stress washed over him instantly, the utter destruction wrought upon his body and soul, as he was promoted to knighthood, his anxiety, anguish, and anger as the Tsis'Kaar seemed to be actively committing suicide, in front of him, and his Mistress told him nothing. He did not cry, for all knew the Heir of Marr could not cry.

But if Elise's shoulder was noticeably moist, that must have meant something else entirely.

"Eliza- Elise..." He muffled into her shoulder, his arms wrapped around her waist.

Elizabeth of House Marr

 

[Elizabeth of House Marr]

He practically collided with her, his arms wrapping around her waist and nearly driving a breath out of her. She chuckled once and her smile eased, the lump in her throat disintegrating, he felt the heave of his chest as relief washed over him and could sense the dampness on her shoulder. She didn't budge, nor did she brush him away, rather she let him find a moment of peace and relief as she wrapped har arm around his shoulder as the other reached up to stroke the back of his head. "Hello little brother, I missed you," She whispered, placing a chaste kiss on the top of his head.

For the two of them, this was normal. Elise was the one who had raised the others in the absence-of-heart of their mother and father. Parents who saw their children as nothing more than tools and weapons to be wielded.

He'd taken such a risk to be here. More than she knew, but still a risk nevertheless. Her fingers ruffled through his hair as she rest her cheek against the side of his head. No one would bother them here, there were guards outside and the training room was a sacred place for House Marr, reinforced externally many times over. It was where the family could go if the estate was ever bombarded from orbit. It was here that they could survive anything. Here he was safe, even for just the little while.

"You're safe," She whispered, "It's okay. I'm so proud of you..."

After a while she let him pull back on his own as she gripped his shoulders, "You've gotten stronger." The Warmistress said, "That makes me happy," She said, brushing his hair here and there to set it right after their hug, a smile teasing on her lips, "Look at you, lady-killer no doubt?"

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

He blushed against her shoulder, so much blood filled his cheeks, no doubt the woman could have felt the heat suddenly creep into her shoulder from his face. Though she did not need even that to know that he was blushing, as his face left her side, staring pointedly at the eyes which he shared. His lips curled in a pout, his own orbs still shimmering, this was not a question a sister should ask of a brother.

"I don't see how that is any of your business, Elise," Malum said, his pout somehow growing in ferocity, as he better saw the teasing smile on her lips.

She really did not need to know about his various... encounters, Rhiannon, Corazona, some others he had not cared to remember, and especially not Adeline. Now while admittedly most were not anything too inappropriate, the last thing he was to do was admit the details of his love life to his elder favourite sister.

No matter how much he loved her, giving her that much material to tease him about was a death sentence simply waiting to happen.

Still, as he absorbed the rest of her words, he found his eyes softening, and again, he was embracing his sister, his eyes closed, as they simply sat in the darkness of their home. Well... her home, Malum had not thought of the Manse as home for quite some time.

He did not really find anywhere home, the Palace of Silver Rain had been so for some time, certainly. Yet travelling the galaxy as he had, he had even considered the cockpit of the Lochris home for quite a while. It had not been until he saw the ruins of the Imperial Palace upon Alvaria that he had finally found a place which he truly saw... thought of... as home.

Idly he wondered how things would work between him and Adeline in that instance... if it worked well, of course. The woman had promised him three dates, she had not promised him marriage. Still, his mind could not help but wonder, the Emperor of Alvaria, and the Queen of Rapture, planets perhaps the furthest way from each other one could imagine.

Of course, distance meant little to him, but it was from ideal. They each held responsibilities, both equal in importance and lustre.

And then there were other questions too, ones he buried in the depths of his mind.

They could not have children.

He banished the thought as quickly as it came. It was too early to think of matters like that.

"I've missed you too, Elise... how have you been? How has everyone been?" He spoke, muffled words making themselves plain across the room.

Elizabeth of House Marr