Private Never Alone

[Melina Suarez]

After her arrival in the Confederacy space, Eryneth had lost contact with Raven Ashe, but it seemed this was starting to become something normal for the woman. First Drauchir, now Raven. Giving a mental shrug, she had been a prisoner of the Sith Empire and lived through that. Now she was a walking free woman and yet she was alone and lost. The people around her were all strangers, but she felt they were still allies and help would be found here.

Her time as a prisoner had changed her. She was still a hunter but the track she was following was cold. On the thought of being cold, she wiped some sweat off of her forehead and looked around for a place for shelter. It was the height of the day and the sun beat down on her. Noting there was a cantina nearby, she walked into the shaded interior. Allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkness, she was shoved back out of the door by somebody leaving.

Picking herself up off the ground, she raised a fist and yelled at the stranger. The alien turned around to face her and laughed.

"Pay attention to where you're going, sleemo. Then you don't get kicked to the ground."

It turned away from her again and she didn't like what it had called her. Throwing some sand at its backside, it turned around again and got into a fighting position. Making a motion for her to make the first move, she did just that.

It caught all of her blows by either blocking or actually grabbing onto her arm and throwing her back onto the ground. Oddly enough, it felt like the alien was toying with her and it just made Eryneth more irritated. After about her fifth attack, the altercation had caught the attention of those around them and a circle had formed. If there were any bets being placed, none of them were in her favor.

Landing one more time on her rear end, the alien appeared to be waiting patiently for her to get back up.

"You have good form, girl. You need lessons. Keep practicing and you'll eventually be able to win. Not today though. One last try though? C'mon."

Brushing her hair out of her eyes, she just looked at the alien with anger on her face. Closing her eyes for a moment, she centered herself and brought her hands up once again. This time though, she would use the Force. With each punch, she would say something in another language and eventually pushed the alien to the edge of the circle. In the end, she found herself on her back again and groaning in pain.

"Until the next time we meet."

And with that, the alien was gone. Hands reached down to help her up and a few of them brushed at the sand on her body.

"Let's get you inside and a drink."

The altercation had certainly caught attention. Maybe it would lead to her actually meeting more people that could help her.

Adron Malvern

 

[Adron Malvern]

Why would a King bring himself to a place such as this? The answer was no more complicated than the question.

The Force had summoned him here. It had brought him to a place of low lives and filth, a place he detested so much that he'd considered ignoring the strange feeling within him. In the end he'd decided against turning his back on the call of the ever shifting nether and made the trip to the outer rim world. When his shuttle touched down in the center of the town the King's eyes opened. They split through the darkness, two amethyst orbs gazing out as the rear ramp lowered onto the ground.

He stood up, watching as the Knights of his guard filed out of the shuttle, leading the way for their liege. When Adron stepped forward to approach the door he felt the Force wash over him. This world was nothing, but among it was something of use. Something raw.

So he descended down the ramp to the dust covered world. No sooner than his boot set onto the ground could he hear some commotion from a nearby fight that was ensuing. Adron's eyes glanced over to the gathered crowd and made his way over. They seemed to be dispersing, yet most were speaking about the fight that had just taken place. He watched as most onlookers passed, throwing glances his way in confusion and some in anger. He was well dressed and carried himself well, why would he be here? Their thoughts echoed out into his mind yet all he could do was smirk at them.

He let the crowd disperse and looked to the girl being carried into the cantina. Adron arched a brow before making his way forward. He walked, pulling the hood down from his head as he spoke out to the group stepping inside. "Wait." He said, demanding that they stop. "Girl, what is your name?" He asked, looking to the battered woman.

Melina Suarez

 

[Melina Suarez]

This time as she entered the cantina, nobody was there to knock her down again. With the help of some people, some water was pressed into her hands and they held her up as she drank that. As she finished, a voice called out for them to wait. Handing the glass to one of the people, she turned around slowly as he asked her what her name was.

A hand came up again and brushed the hair that had fallen in front of her eye away again as she looked at him. He was well dressed and carried himself with the greatest dignity Eryneth had ever seen. Compared to him, she must appear to be poor scum. It didn't matter that she really was, but the difference was noted in her mind.

Her clothes were currently dusty and there was sand in areas where it should never be. White hair was a mess and flopping back down in front of her eye and several bruises were forming on her skin. No broken bones or anything, just an ego that had taken a big hit.

"I'm called Eryneth."

Should she return the question? Noticing how some of the people were acting around him, the way he was dressed and acted, there was more to him than a simple man.

"Who are you?"

Being what she was, the question was out of her mouth before giving it another thought. Hopefully, he wasn't going to cut her tongue out for speaking to him like that and without an invitation.

Adron Malvern

 

[Adron Malvern]

The Guards of the King were...testy. Their loyalty was admirable yet sometimes they overstepped. When the woman spoke in such a casual tone one of the men slammed the butt of his vibropike against the ground. The tip of the weapon came to life as he stepped towards the woman menacingly. "Bow." He demanded, yet a hand fell over his shoulder before the man could advance any further. "No. Enough." He said, glancing at the man for the briefest of moments. The Knight bowed his head to his King before stepping back so that Adron could speak with the man's headstrong excursions.

Adron gazed at the girl for a moment before closing the distance between them.

There were some men in the bar who seemed to wish to stand between the girl and Adron, yet in but the next moment their minds were not their own. His eyes became amethyst pearls as he looked to the patrons of the bar. He said nothing, nor did they. Yet, one by one they would begin to mindlessly walk out of the bar, finding other vices to occupy their times. Through a subtle push in the Force, all of them were commanded to leave and so they did.

Adron walked up to the girl and tilted his head at her. "Remarkable." He said simply, resting a gloved hand on the woman's chin. A slow trickle of blood came from her lip, yet as he held her chin she would feel the crimson bead flow back into the busted lip, the flesh mending and her bruises fading away. In but a second her body would feel revitalized, perhaps even better than it felt before her fight.

"Your connection to the Force is interesting. Such a strong connection, yet it is so...muddled." He released her before arching a brow at the woman. "Ah, your question. My name is Adron. High King of Illyria and Viceroy of the Confederacy...well, sort of Viceroy. Looks like I'll be taking my old job back soon."

He seemed to hum for a moment before turning away from her. "With training your power could be considerable. Yet you toil here in the dirt and mud. Detestable."

"Girl. Do you wish to have power?" he asked, turning back to the woman with an arched brow.

Melina Suarez

 

[Melina Suarez]

As the small group approached, the people helping to hold Eryneth upright, let go of her. Luckily, the white-haired woman had regained just enough strength to remain on her feet. When she answered his question and returned it with one of her own, one of his people stepped forward to threaten her. Not exactly threaten, but she felt that is what he meant it to be. Ordering her to bow, her eyebrows lowered for a moment and she choose to stand her ground. Thankfully, the regal man decided to not allow his companion to attack her and in turn ordered him to stand down.

Meeting his gaze, her green eyes were slightly worn down and tired. Something she wasn't was a coward and he would see this about her. The others around her drifted away and left them alone. Alone being relative to the crowd that had been there before. Now it was only the two of them and his guards.

The stranger walked up to her and lifted her chin just slightly. For some odd reason, she did not feel like pulling away from his or his touch. This was probably a very good thing because as his hand held her chin lightly, her wounds started to heal. It took hardly more than a heartbeat or two and the ordeal she had just lived through was wiped from her body. Taking in a deep breath, she stood strongly before him and felt better than she had in years.

At his introduction, she realized why the guard had commanded her to bow. Nodding her head, it was a sign of the respect she felt he deserved. Maybe not as much as his guard might want to be given.

"Your Majesty. Do you speak of my runes?"

Since she had no formal training yet in using the Force, she did not know that is actually what she was using. When he asked if she wanted power, she looked away for a moment and took on a thoughtful look before turning her green eyes back to him. Nodding her head, she was silent for a moment longer.

"Yes, I wish to have the power to find my own missing companion."

That might not entirely be the answer he expected but it was the one she gave.

Adron Malvern

 

[Adron Malvern]

It was seldom that Adron did not have a pleased expression on his face, but the smile that came to him now was considerable even by those standards. When she spoke of the runes that lined her body he simply shook his head as if speaking to a young child, ignorant in the ways of a world that surrounded her. "The runes are nothing more than a mask that your own power lies behind." He said simply, gesturing to one of the runes on her body before he glanced to one of his Knights. "I wondered just why it is the Dark Side called me here. Screaming so loudly in my sleep to wake me. Whispering the sweet nothings of power that attract me so openly." He said, smirking before finally clearing his throat and speaking more plainly.

"The ancient order of the Sith Lords has existed for thousand years for a sole purpose, to bring power to those with enough will to seize it." He said, walking towards the woman with even steps. As he spoke he began to pace around her, his voice a silk thread that slowly wrapped its way around the woman. "The Force is like a pool. A great ocean that swallows the weak. However, if you devote yourself to it's lessons then you can very well control the tide that flows around you." He explained, before finally stopping in front of the woman.

"Power is such a limited concept for beings like us." He said, before waving his hand ever so slightly. In that moment the stools in the bar would slowly hover from the ground, lifting themselves in the air as if suspended by unseen tethers. "Most are terribly uncreative." He practically whispered. In the next moment every one of the stools would catch fire. The amethyst flames surrounded the wooden seats, causing a bright light to flash over the room before suddenly it was done. The stools were incinerated, with only burn marks left on the ground where their debris had fallen.

"I can teach you more than parlor tricks." He told her, now his tone moving from one of curiosity, but the subtle temptations of power. The Sith Lord held a hand out to the girl, a brow arched in interest. "There are conditions. Once you start you will see it to completion...and your power will become a weapon that I will unleash on my enemies. The decision is yours, but the path lies before you."

Melina Suarez

 

[Melina Suarez]

Some of what he said kind said made sense to the woman, but not all of it. During her time in hiding on Vjun and as a captive of the Sith Empire, Eryneth had learned a great deal about the Sith. Then in her escape and subsequent rescue by Raven, she was told that not all Sith are the same. So it seemed this man was of a different caliber than that of the Empire.

"They are what give me power. This Force is unknown to me, but I have heard of it."

Almost feeling like prey as he circled around her, she stood her ground and would not be intimidated by him. It occurred to her that he wasn't attempting to do that or even really put her into a position of weakness. He was far stronger than she was and in truth, she was prey to him.

Something odd happened when he lit the stools on fire. One of the runes she had drawn on her body burned. Not in a painful manner, but one that indicated the flame power had been used around her. One of her hands moved to cover it and rub at it lightly, some dots started connecting within her mind.

"You use them too, but not in the same way."

He was covered by his clothing so she couldn't tell if he had any on his body as well. From what he said though, he didn't need them. Looking at him as if she was trying to see through the fabric he wore, she was still for a moment.

"You don't have the runes, do you? How do you accomplish what you do without them?"

When he held a hand out, she looked at it for a moment as he spoke. The woman that had rescued her and brought her to this area had also said there would be conditions for the favor. Nodding, Eryneth understood and agreed to what he set in front of her. Taking his hand, she met him in the eyes.

"I understand."

A new door had been opened for her long ago, she was just now finally walking through it.

Adron Malvern