First Reply Of Breath & Silence

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Naboo, Varykino Lakes //:
//: Attire //:

The walls of the hallway blurred in her vision. She didn’t know why, but running — it seemed to make sense. Every stride, every time her foot hit the ground, all of it made her feel like she could escape. So many people wanted her attention or wanted to have just a piece of her. Everyone wanted everything and she wondered if there was even enough of her to give.

The sudden burst of air brushed against her face. She could feel it burning against her skin. Everything hurt, not even the sunshine brought comfort. Each breath brought a dry heave in her chest, but she kept running, continuing forward to just try and feel a semblance of freedom. There was no guidance to where her feet would take her, just distance and anything that felt good.

Patches along the now dirt road didn’t seem familiar. Her path had diverged onto a route that no longer belonged to the estate she had retreated to. Knowing her uncle, her mother was already notified of her escape into the world that desired to spit her back out into the galaxy.

She wasn’t wanted, but that was a feeling she was used to. Life had already tried to escape her, twice now even. But the Echani persisted, and the people around her forced her to endure this life. It wasn't all bad, she often told herself. There were those that cared, truly cared — but it seemed like they too were slipping from her hands.

The road turned sharply, and her feet struggled to keep going. Muscles ached as she gasped feeling her balance suddenly off. Quickly, she found herself sliding down the hill towards one of the beaches that scattered along the large lake. It didn’t take long for her to slide to the bottom where she laid there, her eyes staring up at the large canopy of trees.

Water moved towards the shore, then quietly receded. The rhythm was calming as she could feel the coolness of the lake touching at her calves as she laid there.

Her chest rose and fell in deep breaths as she tried to catch her breath. How far had she run? Was it enough to escape who and what she is?

Quinn groaned as she raised an arm to lay across her forehead. At least here, she didn’t expect anyone to find her. No one to demand anything of her. Sighing softly, she allowed herself to just breathe. After a few moments, she let her arm fall and she looked up again as the sunlight peered through the rustling trees above her.

Why couldn’t life ever be this simple? ​

 

[Tigris Aphra]

Outfit: Outfit
Tag: Quinn Varanin

It had taken some time for Tigris to step foot on Naboo. She had been affiliated with the High Republic, but only through the new Jedi Underground, anything more had been too difficult. Her fiance, Everest, had wanted to go to Naboo, perhaps for a honeymoon. They had fled together after the fall of the GA. After Tigris' return, alone, thoughts of Naboo had been painful.

But Tigris was one not to live with fear, or allow pain to cripple her for too long. So she visited the home of the High Republic. And to confront her memory of Eve, she found her way to one of the locales her former Echani fiance had spoken so much about, the Varykino Lakes.

They truly were beautiful, just as Eve had described. Naboo was beautiful in so many ways. Tigris could see why Everest wanted them to visit, maybe even live on the world. For Tigris, the place provided a much needed tranquility, a peacefulness for the trouble jedi's soul.

She had found a remote beach, where the Atrisian settled. The lapping water, unfamiliar birdsongs and gentle breeze through the trees helped Tigris to focus, to reach for the Light that had been slipping away, as Darkness once again licked at her heals.

That serenity was disturbed by a rustle in the trees that ran up the slope leading away from the lakeside. Her eyes slid open and her head turned to see a woman tumble to the water's edge, landing unceremoniously on her back. Dark brows furrowed over darker eyes. It was an unwelcomed interruption, but a curious one as well. Tigris rose and strolled quietly to the woman's side.

She was about Tigris' age, but opposite in appearance. Where Tigris was bronze skinned and dark-haired, this woman had porcelain skin and bright, almost white hair. She, in fact, looked very Echani.

Tigris leaned over into the view of the woman who stared skyward. "Are you alright?" She asked, her millennia-old lilt still clinging to her tone.

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Tigris Aphra //:

Being an Echani, she was more in tune with her surroundings than she sometimes wanted to be. Empathy was often hard to feel, given how much she kept to herself. Still, it had offered a great exchange, allowing her to feel the shift in the currents of the Force and the space around her. Quinn exhaled softly, letting her own mind stop spinning. The last thing any stranger wanted was someone to unload years of trauma onto them.

The woman hovered over Quinn as she let her emerald gaze catch and take in her face. If Quinn were to guess, she would say the woman was Atrisian. Instantly, Quinn wondered if she had been forced to take refuge on Naboo.

It wouldn't have surprised her; Quinn had recently signed some of Eshan's exports as aid to join whatever the Mandalorian Empire had donated.

She didn't say anything right away, mostly out of habit, as she tried to assess the situation. Only weeks prior had she been bombarded by a Jedi claiming to be related to her. That didn't turn out as well as either of them had hoped, but it was in the past. Thankfully, whatever was said wouldn't be used against her.

Quinn sat up and kept her eyes on the woman, still wary of her presence. She didn't seem like a Jedi, but one couldn't know properly. But she sighed, her back slightly damp from the swelling lake.

"I'm alright." She let her eyes fall for a moment to look at how much of the water had splashed on her and to check if she actually hurt herself. Skinned knees never looked cute with some of the outfits she wore to Embassy meetings. With everything seeming to be in order, she glanced back at the woman and reached out with an air of elegance befitting a royal.

"Help me up?" She asked, as she stood with or without the woman's help. Dusting herself off, Quinn smiled for the first time since the Atrisian woman had wandered over.

"I hope I wasn't disturbing anything you were doing." Her voice trailed for a moment as she looked towards where she came. It didn't look like the Echani could go back the way she came, so instead she was now left with having to figure out how to get back towards her Uncle's estate.

"I'm Quinn, by the way, and you are?"

She'd look back at the woman and offer her hand to shake.