Private Of Hearts & Retribution

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Briana Sal-Soren //:
//: Theed Gardens //:
//: Attire //:

It was a pleasant late afternoon.

Quinn had found herself enjoying Theed more often than Eshan. As much as she disliked admitting it, Naboo held a quiet pull — something about Theed kept drawing her back. She thought of the Chancellor's introduction, the easy diplomacy, the curiosity she'd been allowed to indulge while remaining planetside.

She understood the danger of that comfort. She'd been reminded of it recently, when her own indulgences had nearly cost her. It was easy to daydream. Easy to pretend she was not half of what she was.

Others knew. Others saw.

There was no escaping that truth.

Still, it was a beautiful day, and the gardens called to her.

Naboo was famous for its architecture and gentle landscapes, but the gardens were where its beauty felt alive. Parthi had likely warned her to remain within the small embassy they were establishing. With the Chancellor hinting at stronger ties between Eshan and Naboo, Quinn's presence carried weight.

Thankfully, Parthi was steady. A necessary balance. He could smooth the edges that Quinn sometimes left rough.

She sighed softly, wondering if she deserved someone like him at her side. Their alliance was aligned in purpose — but if the tides shifted, they would be enemies. That truth lingered quietly beneath everything.

Quinn wandered deeper into the garden. Life thrived here. Blooms burst with color, reminding her of the rose garden she'd hidden away on Jutrand like a secret she refused to share.

Could she ever walk away from the Sith?
Would she ever be permitted to?

She hummed under her breath, grateful for the solitude. The millaflowers had always drawn her eye. Tiered boxes held their low-growing blooms, vivid and deliberate. She liked that something so striking could grow so close to the soil.

A rarity. Something you had to look for.

Perhaps that was why she felt kinship with them.

The breeze carried their scent, gentle and calming — a sensation she rarely allowed herself. Even Eshan felt tense these days. Danger was never far.

Her hand hovered over a smaller bud. It had not bloomed yet, dwarfed by the others.

Pity.

Through the Force, she coaxed it open. The petals unfurled slowly, revealing colors brighter than the rest in the box — defiant in their beauty.

Quinn studied it for a long moment.

"I wonder what flower she would like…"

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

She'd been pretending to meander through the gardens for several minutes after she'd finally spotted her, observing her target from a flowering archway, threaded with vibrant red Queen's Hearts, with mild curiosity.

There was something that was both faintly insulting and utterly confounding about the sight of a Sith Princess standing so comfortably among the manicured gardens of her home world, as though Theed were hers to wander. It pressed heavily against her sense of Order, what she'd been taught, and what experience had reinforced of their ilk. Most Sith she encountered were brazen and murderous things, but rarely were they foolish enough to stroll through areas where Jedi openly existed without the intent to cause mayhem or pursue some calculated design. Rarely did they do anything without purpose or grandiosity.

It was part of why Briana stopped to observe the woman before approaching.

The Council had sent her to arrest Quinn the moment word reached them of the Sith Princess’s presence on Naboo and the outstanding warrant that trailed her. How it had not reached their ears sooner, given how long Quinn had apparently been moving through Theed’s social circles, attending galas, and making regular public appearances in close proximity to her sister, was a question to be answered at a later time.

For now, she simply needed to fulfill her responsibility - her duty, as both Jedi, and the older sister who'd grown too accustomed to stepping into the role and obligations meant to be carried by their parents.

A younger, more brash Briana would have undoubtedly rushed the woman, lightsaber already drawn and ready to strike without a moment’s hesitation. Instead, she moved forward with mindfulness, hand close to the unlit lightsaber that swung at her hip with each step of her steady cadence.

Briana doubted the woman would come willingly, but she wasn't about to be the one to turn this place into a battlefield unless given no other choice.

"Rominaria, like our mother, your majesty. Assuming you're speaking of my sister." She was not entirely certain which of the Echani's titles protocol demanded in this instance, and so defaulted to the safest among them. As a Princess of House Ee'everwest, proper decorum was ingrained into her DNA, even in this instance. "I'm Jedi Knight Briana Sal-Soren," she continued on, letting her hand fall to the hilt of her blade now, resting there. "I've come to execute the lawful warrant for your arrest."

OUTFIT: XoXo | TAG: Quinn Varanin EQUIPMENT: Lightsaber

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[Quinn Varanin]

//: Briana Sal-Soren //:
//: Attire //:

Quinn could feel the presence that lingered just on the edge of her senses. Being watched wasn't new, particularly in Theed. Her reputation often preceded her; it drew attention, but Quinn did her best to ignore it. It made life better… easier to stomach at times.

Before speaking, she inhaled the small flower again; its calming aroma kept her steady as the Knight introduced herself.

She mused, almost finding the situation ironic. Another Sal-Soren, Quinn wondered how many there were. Of course, Quinn would have liked to have met on different terms; an arrest warrant wasn't always the best introduction.

Stepping away from the flower, she didn't react, didn't flinch when she saw the woman's hand hovering over the lightsaber from the corner of her eye. This was more serious than she had expected.

"A beautiful flower," she murmured and sighed gently, "A part of me had hoped it would have been an Eshan Silver Moonflower." Quinn shrugged slightly as she breathed a laugh.

Finally giving Briana her full attention, Quinn took in the sight of the Jedi Knight. She was everything one could dream of as a Jedi Knight. The Echani could read the tension in every muscle that moved. There was more behind the warrant, but she wondered to what extent. The Sal-Sorens, the ones that she had met now, were strong, as one with the Force as one could be without being born of it.

It washed over them, welcoming them so easily.

"Mm, so direct and to the point. But there's no need for that," her eyes flickered to the weapon at the woman's side.

"As you can see in the Force, I'm not a threat." She waved her hand. While on the surface, that's what it would seem. Quinn quieted herself in the Force, a presence that wavered and bled weakness. While others screamed, she whispered. It was the only way she could ease the burden on the Core, silencing it and preventing it from harming others.

Quinn stepped back, but showed no sign of attempting to escape. She even turned her back towards the Jedi as she began to wander the gardens again. Remaining close enough to speak, Quinn leaned over another brush of flowers, taking in their aroma.

"She's lucky," Quinn smiled softly, "Your sister, to have such a protective sibling."

Leaning up, she clasped her hands behind her back.

"How about we talk, I answer your questions, and you allow me a bit more freedom?"

Another smile, as she waited for the Jedi to decide. Quinn knew of her position as a Warden of Mandalore, as the Queen of Eshan. There were accords, but did the Jedi themselves fall in line with them? Or was their justice above it?

"I don't get to talk to a Jedi often," she said, again looking towards the flowers.

"Your sister and I don't discuss religion..." Quinn paused, a playful mischief lingered at the corners of her smile. "There are far more interesting topics."