Private Lights, Ladies, and Depression

[Aristeia Zambrano]

Location: Sanctuary, Star's Garden Hotel.

Aristeia didn't exactly grow up in the lap of luxury, but she by no means was no stranger to it. She needed to get away, a nice and peaceful break from the struggles of her position in the Empire; after all, being empress to be was so stressful. Lounging atop the VIP section of Star's Garden, she felt confident that the galaxy would bend the knee to her sooner or later. Well, her father really, but the thing that mattered was that sooner or later all would be well. Her new 'companion' wasn't as entertaining as she was hoping they would be, but the day was still young. The disaster of a campaign on Mykrk was just frustrating. Most of her forces had been taken out, and she had nearly been killed fighting with that pig man that thought he had a chance with her. As if. Clad in her swimwear, Aristeia knew she could have any man in the galaxy if she so sought it, including that irritating man she had encountered at the jedi academy; why he haunted her thoughts she would never know. Not that she liked him or anything, she could do so much better, in fact she was going to do much better.

Her servants had just finished delivering a tray of drinks to the pair, before retreating until they were called into service once again. Sitting up, Aristeia took the strawberry smoothie that had been set before her, sipping the drink as she readjusted the sunglasses around her eyes, looking to her companion. "I hope this treatment is to your liking? I suspect your master has been less than forthcoming with the delights one can acquire in this galaxy." Jedi like her had no idea what prosperity was like, they probably lived in poverty and dirt huts. Poor creatures, devoid of the joys of life, confined to a life style of servitude and self discipline. Maybe this one would change her mind once Aristeia opened her mind to how good things could be.


Yenna

 

[Yenna]

Utterly bewildered was likely the best description Yenna could give over her current emotional state. How she ended up in a luxurious hotel on a recliner alongside her Sith captor treating her more like a guest than a prisoner was a bit of a blur... but the fact that she was in this situation to begin with still left her with a bunch of questions. However she wasn't feeling very talkative. Not only did she feel like she hadn't had a drink in ages, but she was still trying to figure out if she could in fact speak freely.

Compared to her captor, she was a strong contrast. Bandages still covered her and her worn Jedi robes still adorned her from head to toe. She was feeling a bit toasty under the blazing sun but she wasn't confident in making herself comfortable or even going for a swim, even if the shores looked welcoming. Plus her hood sheltered her from the sun which would likely leave her fair green skin rather discoloured. Some ice cold smoothies were placed on a table next to her but she didn't reach for one just yet. This had to be some sort of trap or trick. What kind of captor treated their prisoner like this?

Her golden eyes glanced over to Aristeia -or whatever her name really is- as she spoke. She glanced around and then back to her. "Very nice, this is. Just not used to all this, I am. For being a prisoner, rather odd this feels." she admitted with a soft and timid voice as she sat on the recliner. "Sorry but... you real name, what is?" she asked her as she shifted slightly to face her, simply wanting to make sure she was addressing her correctly. "Just in case, your real name, Ari is not." she clarified with a soft chuckle as she rested her hands in her lap.

Aristeia Zambrano

 

[Aristeia Zambrano]

There she went, ruining the mood with her jedi nonsense. Groaning, Ariestia ceased her sipping on the smoothie, more than annoyed with her jedi 'guest'. Couldn't she be a little more grateful? Did she have any idea what this place was costing her for service like this? Obviously not, she hadn't even said so much as a thank you. Jedi. "You might be a prisoner on the records, but for right now you are a guest of Lady Zambrano, so I suggest you start showing a little more appreciation, okay?" She corrected the small green jedi, setting her glass down on the table across from her. She pulled her sunglasses down just enough for her purple eyes to be seen, just a hint of the attitude she was about to unleash upon the padawan. "My real name, is Aristeia, but I go by Ari because some people can't say it properly. Now are you going to drink your smoothie, or not?" She inquired, body slowly reclining back into the sun chair as she had a tan she rather wanted to get going. "OH, and if you need better clothes, you can just ask. It really isn't a big deal or anything, you know, given your my honored guest and all. Can't have you looking like a hoodlum, you know? Like, I'm sure a jedi wouldn't care, but I'm not a jedi so. You know, I care."

The real reason that the padawan was here was....complicated. Truthfully, Ari was alone in the Empire, and the crushing weight of her failings was a tad more than she could bare. Unfortunatly, disclosing information to those within the Empire was more than likely going to get back to her father, something she'd rather like to avoid, so finding a disposable padawan to 'befriend' before disposing of them seemed like a reasonable solution to the problem. Turning her head slowly, Ari raised an eyebrow the Yenna. "So, could you just relax? I'm not going to have you executed if you just open up. Once we're done, you'll be on your way. My men literally can't harm you. I mean, if they do I get to kill them, so there's a good incentive for them to do what I say, you know?" She spoke, her intent was to be assuring the padawan that everything was fine, though surely to a sane person it was anything but that.

Yenna

 

[Yenna]

Yenna blinked in surprise at her correction. She sounded... annoyed? She quickly understood why as she continued to talk. So she really was here as a guest for the woman. It certainly warranted a bit more manners on her own part. When she mentioned the smoothie Yenna sat forward and picked up the glass with both hands. "Yes, thank you... Aristeia." she spoke warmly as she sat back, stretched out and sipped at the tall glass. It wasn't a bottle of Tevraki but it helped with her building urges. Though she did keep quiet over the fact that she thought it was spiked or poisoned. At least it wasn't. It would likely have tasted better if it were.

She looked back to the giant of a woman when she mentioned her clothes. She looked down at her own tattered robes and strongly considered her offer. The only nice thing she had was the dress Adrian bought for her which she only wore for special occasions. At least Ari nailed that part quite accurately. Nobody seemed to care about her attire. She kept her thoughts to herself for the moment, though, as she sipped away at her smoothie more and more thirstily.

She smiled at Ari's last comment, giving a light chuckle. "Fair enough." she muttered as she stretched out once more on the comparatively massive recliner and sipped away some more. "About clothing... something new, I'd appreciate. Sentimental, these are... but, a bit old also." she commented with a chuckle as she looked over her robes. "Perhaps, a costume too? Perhaps, later for a swim? Just not now. Ruin my skin, this sun will." she suggested as she finished her smoothie and set aside the glass, resting back in her seat. She glanced back to Ari and studied her for a few moments. "Very curious, you are." she said gently. "Very beautiful, you are... but very tall, also. Flip, my master will, if he sees. Your boyfriend, I pity also." she joked as she smiled at her.

Aristeia Zambrano

 

[Aristeia Zambrano]

Finally, she was getting somewhere. The smile came back across Ari's face as the padawan was willing to accept her generous offer, so Ari made sure to not let it go to waste. Listening to the words of her small friend, Aristeia motioned for one of her guards to come near, and put in the clothing order for Yenna. Of course, she didn't consider what Yenna actually wanted into the attire, just whatever Ari thought would work best in her mind. "Yes, bring something for my diminutive friend here. Something that will protect her skin, but be suitable for swimming. Oh, and stylish. I won't be seen with her if it looks hideous." If Yenna attempted to add a comment, she would be silenced by the Sith Empresses to be with a very fiery attitude, hitting the padawan with an aura of raw power; the lowest level of threat that Ari could muster without resorting to violence.

As Yenna mentioned the level of beauty that Ari held, and how envious her 'boyfriend' might be, the Sith's mood was slightly soured by the reality of the situation. Ari had no consort, nor had she been willing to take any. In her mind, no man was worthy enough to claim her as a spouse, and she refused to believe any were her equals in strength; save for her father and mother. As such, Ari was left with no one equal to her standards within the bracket to date; a rather unfortunate fact, but one that the royal family had to deal with. "I have no mates, no boyfriends, boy toys, or...slaves? Ah, no, Simps. Yes. I have none of those either, but I have been told that I could acquire some if I'm willing to embarrass myself on the holonet." Ari's tone was condesending, as it was rather clear what she thought about this sort of behavior. "My fate, is to become the new goddess in this galaxy. It might sound hard to believe, but my mother has already found the way forward. In a way, it's my destiny, given I'm to inherit the Empire when all is said and done." Of course, to Yenna this might have sounded like madness, to Ari, it was her destiny to be fulfilled.

Yenna

 

[Yenna]

Yenna blinked in surprise at Ari's order to the servant. A guilty smile spread across her features as she looked at Ari, ready to protest. After all, they could just wait until the sun relaxed a bit. But before she could get a word in, the look on Ari's face stopped her. This was a situation that could be confidently labelled as 'non-negotiable'. So she did the wise thing and simply kept her mouth shut.

As the conversation went on, she could see that she struck a sensitive topic with the Sith. "Embarrass yourself, you don't even need to. Do, a few selfies will." she quipped with a smirk, but it faltered as she thought about Ari's situation. It was wrong and even madness in her eyes to have such goals, especially through the Dark Side. But preaching like a Jedi would only get her in trouble. No, this needed a finer touch and a lot more heart. "Do it, I think you can. But... a lonely journey, that is." she spoke gently as she looked at Ari. "Love... a hard thing, that is. A suitor, you don't need. But friendship... a gift for everyone, that is. Deserve it, even gods do. In a hundred and fifty years, what I learned, is that... without friends, you can't live." she spoke with warmth in her voice as she gave Ari a sad smile.

"Hard and lonely, your destiny sounds. To the mind, poisonous, loneliness can be. Very familiar with that darkness, I am." she continued as she looked at her lap for a moment. A small snicker escaped the little Jedi as she looked up again. "If, a friend you need, here, I am. Be here for another eight-hundred years, I will be." she quipped as she reached over to her empty glass and slurped up the last few drops. She glanced around then at Ari. "A refill, may I please have? Very nice, this is." she asked her as she set the glass aside again.

"Ask, if I may. Planning to be, what kind of goddess are you?" she asked her carefully, her golden eyes glimmering with curiosity. As messed up an idea as it was, being friends with a goddess did sound cool.

Aristeia Zambrano