Lost in Translation

[Laira Darkhold]

'Better the devil you know' was the common saying among nobility when wondering who to trust and who to keep at arms reach. Dimeria didn’t understand why you would keep anyone like that around, but she would not argue about something she did not comprehend.

"I'll see to your guads when I can. Though I may weed out the less devoted. On Alderaan there is a trial for the royal guards called the taste of death. All the applicants are brought food or wine and told that one has deadly poison. Any who hesitate are excused immediately." It was a seemingly barbaric practice however there was an antidote on the administers person to save the poisoned knight after he had been dragged away from the rest.

Dimeria traced little circles on Vaena's stomach, leaning over to begin gnawing at the Eldorai's neck with hungry kisses once more.

[member="Vaena Askari"]

 

[Vaena Askari]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]


"I see our traditions are not that dissimilar. I assume the guard is administered an antidote, yes?" Vaena said dryly. She sighed in contement when Dimeria caressed her stomach, before returning the kisses eagerly. "One of our tests is to tell a guardswoman that a dangerous intruder is on the way to assassinate her liege. She is given a gun and told to lie in wait until the attacker shows herself. When they do, she realises it is a loved one or comrade. Sometimes her gun has blanks, at others the attacker is using a holographic disguise. Either way, if they cannot pull the trigger, they are out."


"We also have survival training in inhospitable areas. One group of guards is dropped in the wilderness with few supplies and weapons, must survive long enough to reach a specific location and send a signal, while being harassed by machines and wild animals. If they're captured, they're put through interrogation for several days to see if they break or not."

 

[Laira Darkhold]

"Oh, very nice. I'm sure we would have something similar, but the sisters do not have loved ones. We are orphans. And of course, but not in front of those that fail to keep the illusion that their life was genuinely on the line." Dimeria was more than willing to lay in the gazebo caressing the Eldorai and leaving hickeys on her neck to be covered up by a collar. The raven haired knight had found herself quite content for the first time in many years with her new companion.

Dimeria wrapped her arms around Vaena, rolling atop her once more, nibbling on the noble woman's neck and tickling her ribs between sentences. "Yes, inhospitable conditions. Juran Mountains, the killik hives, the vong reaches. I'll see to them, I'm invested that they do their job perfectly after all." The scarlet robes and cloak weren't the best blankets, and the soft padding nothing compared to a real bed but so far Vaena had not complained.

It was however, only a matter of time before a certain redhead became bored and curious with no Eldorai of her own to keep her occupied.

[member="Vaena Askari"]

 

[Vaena Askari]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]

"I grew up as an orphan. For all I knew at the time, at any rate. The church and my battle sisters were my family," Vaena said, sounding more than a little wistful.

"You will have to learn Eldarai. I can help you with that, though a tutor would be best. While many Eldorai highborn speak Basic, most refuse to use it on principle. And our language is the lingua franca in the Draconian Guard." Vaena snuggled up against the taller, more muscular woman when Dimeria rolled on top of her.

Then suddenly started giggling when the Force Dead Knight tickled her. "Not...fair," she managed to get out. Her Force senses prickled when she sensed an approaching presence. "Laira is coming."

 

[Laira Darkhold]

"It is fair," Dimeria retorted, continuing her playful advances while they laid in the Gazebo entangled within one another. "Oh, she is?" Di questioned with a rather bemused tone, her eyes still bright pink as she turned her head and yelled at the top of her lungs, "GO AWAY!" Which was responded to by a quiet 'humph' of indignation as the Princess stopped where she was.

"There, you think we have enough time to go again, or should we get dressed and put on our covers and hide our secrets?" The Force-Dead knight had her own opinions on which activity they should see to, reluctant to allow her companion and her to be split from one another after having waited so long to find someone, but they would have other chances and time on the ship to talk, chat, and of course make love to one another again. She could also see that Vaena was going to have to keep her collar raised or the little marks Dimeria left on her neck would be plainly visible, which brought forth an elated, pleased with herself smile to the Force Dead Knight.

Though she was waiting for an answer, the Knight was reaching and gathering up Vaena's robes for her to wear, content that it would take her several minutes to don her panoply of war again. She would have to look into armor easier to get in and out of while with the Eldorai. Learning the language would take some time, and for a while she would likely need a translator ear piece until she got the hang of it, however the Knight was already fluent in Yuuzhan Vong, Basic, Huttese, and Old Corellian Dialects so one more language shouldn't be a serious problem to learn, even if it was relatively odd by comparison.

[member="Vaena Askari"]

 

[Vaena Askari]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]


As much as Vaena would have liked otherwise...she could not spend the entire day getting hot and heavy. Even though this one does love to parody asinine rules. You see, dear reader, consensual lovemaking is a heinous thing that must be hidden behind black curtains.


This one can recommend a few good invasions featuring family-friendly stuff such as crucifixions, mutilations, use of nerve gas against civilians and so on and so forth. Perfect for children to watch. Anyhow, on with the plot.


"We should get properly dressed again. There will be time for more...enjoyable activities later," the duchess planted a kiss on Dimeria and got up. The Force Dead Knight had been so considerate to gather up her robes, so Vaena got dressed quickly. It was probably easier for her to slip into that outfit than for the Knight to get all her armour back on. On the bright side, this gave the Eldorai something nice to look at.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Dimeria was hardly shy around Vaena letting the woman watch as she pleased, but did go about gathering her own clothes, trousers, gambeson, and then began donning her armor while her scarlet robe and cloak lay on the wooden floor of the gazebo. It was dusty and sweaty, and needed a good wash if it wasn't stained. A shame if she'd managed to lose two cloaks in two missions. Most of the buckles were loose or undone, her clothing hardly all properly straightened and pressed for it had simply been thrown away until she needed it once again.

"I suppose I'll find attire more fit for quick removal. Maybe a brigandine hauberk with front buckles." The Force-Dead Knight mused, while she pulled on the heavy power armor. The Knight leaned over and pinched Vaena's rear as she was dressing, grinning widely as she teased her new companion. She considered investing in a riding crop and training the duchess's mounts.

"And you, I like being able to rip things." She smirked, "Just something to keep in mind when you go shopping."

[member="Vaena Askari"]

 

[Vaena Askari]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]


A riding crop sounded like an apt choice. Dimeria should probably check out Vaena's toy cabinet. She'd probably find one there. Actually, she'd definitely find one. Along with a few other non-family friendly items that could be used behind closed doors. Or on the floor of a gazebo, but this one digresses.


Anyhow, Vaena got herself dressed. After dusting off her cloak, she bent down to slip on her boots. This not only gave Dimeria a good view of her tight arse, but also a good opening to pinch it. Something between a quiet moan and a yelp escaped her throat.


"Not now," she said with faux sternness. "As for ripping, I have some absurd gowns you can rip to your heart's content if you're a good girl. They're impractical anyway. One would think a matriarchal society would not expect its matriarchs to strut around in something so ridiculous, but apparently not."

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Dimeria grinned, standing up to her full height as she approached the Eldorai, her chin rising up to look down at her slightly. She was still smiling and her hands were struggling not to reach up and tickle the eldorai woman. Instead she made sure her teasing tone and expression were obvious. "Well, I suppose you could appease me with such dresses, but I assure you I won't be anything you could call good."

She dipped her head and kissed the Eldorai's nose, she considered what to say or how to say her affections properly. "I don't take orders all that well to be honest. I'm much more apt at giving them miini txiin." She grinned widely, pulling on her the buckles of her armor to tighten it and make it more comfortable to wear and she was at least fully clothed enough to go see the Princess and say her good byes, leave with Vaena and see about how her new life would go. "We will need to come up with a code word for when we need to break away and spend some time alone."

[member="Vaena Askari"]

 

[Vaena Askari]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]


"Oh, really?" Vaena raised an amused eyebrow. "I do enjoy to switch...occasionally. The image of you being on your knees and this delightful muscles being mine to command does have an appeal to it." Seeing that the Knight was fully dressed, she began to head out of the gazebo. "I do agree that a code word would for the best. How does...delicate negotiations sound?" she chuckled slightly.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

"I said I didn't take orders well," Dimeria smirked, her eyebrows bouncing, "Not that I couldn't or wouldn't." She wasn't a complete control-freak, just she was used to being dominant and outgoing, taking what she wanted when she wanted it. Not that she would be unable to provide for Vaena when the time came.

"Delicate Negotiations. I think I can work that into conversation well enough, though you might have to ignore me from time to time. I can get," she paused for a moment to consider the right words, "Needy? Selfish? One of those. I'm sure I'll be all upset for a little while if you turn me down but I'll come around."

[member="Vaena Askari"]

 

[Vaena Askari]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]


"Furthermore, I reckon we will have to have some 'diplomatic disagreements'. Presumably also a few melodramatic ones. Just to ensure no one gets the impression that you have seduced me to your heathen ways, convinced me to renounce the Goddess and so on and so forth," Vaena said airily.


Yes, the life of an aristocrat was really absurd. She longed for a chance to ignore the absurd social protocol and actually bring about real change. Something that would beneficial to the Eldorai people. But perhaps she would have to play the game to achieve that. Even if she despised it.


"How does your Princess deal with the horde of suitors that must be lining up at the palace's doorstep, begging for her hand?" she suddenly asked. "I reckon the heiress to the throne must find the right match and one day produce a child." Perhaps the question had less to do with Laira and more with issues she was dealing with herself. Then again, Eldorai succession laws were probably more flexible than Alderaanian ones.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

"Laira?" Dimeria mused to herself on the subject. She had spent several months in close proximity with the Princess and had seen her reject one or two proposals from other Rangers but they weren't given seriously. Most of the time she just dealt with the occasional suitor she wasn't interested in.

"I suppose her mother gets a wide variety of offers for an arranged marriage, but she doesn't believe in them. Having married Prince Vereen against the wishes of her own mother, the Queen is willing to allow her daughter to pick for love. And Laira is picky. I think her hidden identity certainly helps with marriage, though not offers for sex. With those she normally just tells them it has to be earned and then walks away with a sway in her hips." Dimeria smiled to herself, as she had for the most part avoided any serious relationship with anyone who had contact with her order or heritage while Laira actively sought out commitment and emotional attachments.

With her vows to Alderaan and to the throne, she could be recalled at a moment's notice or be told her relationship was getting in the way of her loyalties. It was a very real fear for the Knight, but she also knew that the Queen was benevolent and supported her Knights living their own lives and building families if they desired. It was a possibility, and her current oath to the Princess required her to be released from it before she could seek companionship.

[member="Vaena Askari"]

 

[Vaena Askari]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]


"She seems part extreme tease, part romantic to me," Vaena replied neutrally. She was not the wait for Mr/Ms Right for true love type. "It is obviously a necessity for me to provide an heiress, preferrably sooner rather than later."


Especially since otherwise the heir apparent would be one of her relatives. And they would probably try to speed along the process of inheriting in fact as well as in name.


"Eldorai law is rather flexible on this matter though, which suits me just fine. Adopted children rank in the same way as blood children. Traditionalist Eldorai noblewomen simply pay - or in some unpleasant cases compel - servant girls to have a pregnancy in their stead, then claim the daughter as their own. I am the bastard, but one of the few Cadalthors who's actually the biological offspring of her mother," she scoffed slightly at the absurdirty.


"I shall probably not be able to avoid entering a marriage alliance with this or that noble house for political reasons." Hopefully no one would play the Rains of Castamere at the wedding.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Dimeria mused for a second, Vaena was not wrong about Laira, but the redhead did have her wild streak. It just wasn't normally involving physical relationships. "On Alderaan," she said quietly deciding to offer a little information from her own world for the duchess to think about, "The importance of adoptions are dependent on the family. If House Organa adopted someone, they could choose to enter them into the line of succession or not, however blood ties are often considered important by others."

She stood, "Genetics are much harder to disprove than adoption papers." If she were able to have children, which was as of yet unknown, Dimeria would prefer it to be hers rather than an adopted infant she had no relation to, but that was just her. The Knight didn't much care who the father might be or what might come of them later.

She grinned widely, "We could always find us a manling to share."

[member="Vaena Askari"]

 

[Vaena Askari]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]


Vaena's preference for adoptions might have something to do with the fact that, like many Eldorai matriarchs, she simply was not keen on the idea of being pregnant for nine months! It probably did not help that Eldorai society was deeply misandrist. Admittedly she was more liberal than many of her relatives. Ironically, she found it easier to treat non-Eldorai male as equals than Eldorai ones.


Her one true family had been the Angelii, and those were ties forged on the battlefield, not through biological kinship. Dimeria's comment made her chuckle though. "I have some I like to share my bed with sometimes, so that can definitely be arranged."


Her expression turned a bit more serious. "I presume you'd like to see your battle sisters and say farewell to them, yes?" Or at least she figured Dimeria would like to.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Dimeria shrugged, "I've not seen them in months, no reason to have a reunion just to part ways." Their relationship with each other was strange, each of them very independent and competitive with one another. All of the sisters she had grown up with had died, or else she would not have been a Paladin of the Order.

The only person she was truly connected to was the redheaded Princess, and even though Laira had lied to her and decieved her for all the months they had known one another, the redhead was one of her few real friends on Alderaan. Dimeria's life was filled with loneliness and while she couldn't and wouldn't open up to the redhead like she could to the Eldorai noble, she was attached to the flirty redhead. "If possible, I would like to say farewell to Princess Laira, unless we need to leave right away."

[member="Vaena Askari"]

 

[Vaena Askari]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]


"Oh, I understand," Vaena felt a bit embarrassed. "That...simplies matters, admittedly. Still, I am sorry about you being that separated." At Laira's request, she gave the Force Dead Knight. "I am not in a rush, and she is your friend and liege. So please, take what time you require. I shall probably have to spend more time than I would like to deal with the tantrum Karina is inevitably throwing."

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Dimeria grinned and planted a kiss on Vaena's cheek, "Okay, come on." She said, finally tugging the Eldorai along the path they had come. It did not take long before they came upon the impatient princess. Laira didn't appear upset as much as she seemed bored and anxious to see if her game of match maker had worked out.

"Princess." Dimeria spoke in a formal tone, but the desheveled look to her clothes as though they had been laid upon and only partially tugged on gave away what the Eldorai and Force-Dead Knight had been up to.

A sly grin appeared on the Princess's face, "Oh I knew it. You two have had the hots for each other since you met on the ship." She clasped her hands together pleased with herself and that she had managed to arrange such a meeting. It didn't appear that she knew that Dimeria had shared a moment of weakness with the Eldorai and fell into the throes of passion in the moments following it.

"Um, yes Princess. We'll be leaving for the Duchess's home today and I just wanted to bid you farewell and thank you for-" Suddenly Laira was hugging the Force-Dead knight who appeared to feel a little awkward, her expression confused as her hands patted the petite princess on the back. "Um, thank you for allowing me to go with her and pursue her romantically."

Laira held the knight tightly, "I'm going to miss you Di, I'm just so glad you found someone you care about. Call me if you ever need anything." Pulling away slowly, Laira turned her attentions to the Eldorai, "And Thank you for caring about Di, she needs someone. Don't let her sit and brood too often, or she will get sour."

[member="Vaena Askari"]

 

[Vaena Askari]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]


Vaena kept her silence while the touching scene took place, smiling slightly. It would have been improper to interfere. So she waited until Laira pulled away from the Force Dead Knight after giving her a tight embrace, and shifted her focus to the young duchess instead.


"I appreciate your kindness, Princess. I shall remember it," she said sweetly. "I cannot promise that things will be easy for Dimeria...I fear it will be quite the opposite. But I shall do my utmost to ensure that she is never alone. And I am certain I can keep her from brooding to an excessive degree," she chuckled slightly at that.