Private Of Iron & Water

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Aether Verd //:
//: Attire //:

Mandalore.

A planet she despised. Which said much, since Quinn usually enjoyed exploring new worlds. But not this one. Instead, she found herself traveling to the once-barren rock claimed by a warrior culture she considered crude and without morals.

Fortunately, their new leader was different. Aether had been part of her life since childhood — a man she valued for his mind as much as his strength. He was, in her eyes, above the path he'd chosen.

Her nose wrinkled at the thought of Mandalorians gathered in one room, armor left unwashed for weeks, maybe months. She hated even the idea of it. Looking out the shuttle window at the barren landscape only soured her mood further.

She snapped a few holos and sent them to her mother and another person who shared her distaste Srina Talon .

<: Look where I am… I want to come home. :>
<: Why couldn't Aether meet me on Jutrand? :>​

Of course, she knew why — but complaining was her privilege.

The shuttle landed. Quinn gathered her things, irritation giving way to an almost girlish anticipation. Aether had been her first real friend when she moved in with her godmother. Her first playmate. Her first confidant. Even her first crush.

Lucky for him, she had moved on. Most of her lovers met terrible ends. The thought made her chuckle as she waved off the guards who trailed behind. She didn't need them. She'd studied Mandalorians exhaustively, knew how to fight them, and more importantly, knew how Aether fought. They'd both been trained by the same hand.

Her heels clicked a measured rhythm through the halls of the enclave. Larger than she remembered, but she supposed Aether would have invested in his kingdom.

The grand doors opened. She was announced, and she waited for the boy she had once known — now Mandalore — to greet her.

"Hello, Aether," Quinn said, her smile sly. "It's been some time, hasn't it?"

 

[Aether Verd]

Wearing:
Beskar'gam - Darksaber​

COURT OF IRON, MANDALORE

Aether had known the moment the request crossed his desk that the room would turn sharp with quiet tension. He could feel it even now, the way the eyes of his commanders had fixed upon the back of his helmet when he spoke her name and named the world that had shaped her. Princess of a faith that had scarred Mandalore half a century prior, heir to a legacy most of his people did not bother to separate from the present day. Sith were Sith, history was blood, and memory lingered longer than reason ever did. Distrust was not taught among Mandalorians; it was inherited.

Still, they trusted him.

Orders were given, measured and unyielding, and they were obeyed without question. When her vessel touched down upon Sundari’s landing platform, the response was precise rather than hostile. Supercommandos formed a disciplined escort, armor polished, rifles held with ceremonial restraint rather than threat. She was brought through the palace as any dignitary would be, announced with proper formality, afforded courtesy instead of suspicion. Aether had demanded nothing less.

He did not keep her waiting.

The doors to the throne room parted, and Mand’alor the Iron strode forward in charcoal beskar’gam and a crimson cloak that caught the light like a banner pulled from living fire. His steps were unhurried, confident in a way that belonged to a man who had learned how to stand alone beneath a thousand eyes. He came to a halt before her, helm angled just enough to acknowledge familiarity without surrendering command.

“It feels like it's been forever...” Aether said, his voice steady and resonant through the vocoder, threaded with something warmer beneath the steel. “And here I distinctly remember us vowing to stay in touch.”

For a moment longer, he let the room exist as it was, banners hanging high, the faint echo of armored presence along the walls. Then he turned his head, attention shifting to the guards and Supercommandos stationed throughout the chamber. Two words followed, spoken with absolute certainty.

“Leave us.”

There was no hesitation. Armor moved in practiced silence, boots striking stone in unison before the monumental doors closed behind them, sealing the throne room with a deep, solemn thud that carried like a vow.

Only then did Aether reach up and remove his helmet.

The man beneath it was unchanged in the ways that mattered, dark eyes bright with recognition, expression breaking into a wide, unapologetic grin that belonged to memories far older than his crown. He lowered the helm to his side and regarded her openly, amusement and genuine affection woven together without pretense.

“I never thought I would see the day my Quinnie would come all this way to see me.” he said, warmth coloring every word. “But I am so glad you did.”

Quinn Varanin

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Aether Verd //:
//: Attire //:

Despite knowing each other for as long as they had, the sight of the Mandalorian armor was something Quinn would never be used to. Though it seemed Aether remembered this, and the moment he removed his helmet, the tension she held in her shoulders released. His face was a sight for sore eyes. Her first friend was the first person she connected with after the isolation she was put through.

Aether was always there, a constant that she almost yearned for.

She mirrored his wide smile, one that only a few had ever truly seen. He wasn't wrong; they had promised each other to write, to stay in touch, but the galaxy was not kind. Nor was time.

"Mm, we did, but I'm pretty sure I was the last to write." She teased that her last letter would have arrived almost before he had claimed his mantle. It was understandable, while he was clawing his way to the top, she was mourning the death of a lover.

Perhaps it was for the best that he had been busy.

Whatever distance remained between them closed at the moment his lips curled around the phonetics of her nickname, one that he knew that he was the only one allowed to call her such.

She hugged him, tightly feeling his warmth through the beskar. She was quiet for a bit, a part of her knowing that, while she wished this visit were on better terms, it was the state of their political relationship. It was what mattered to the galaxy, not the friendship between a girl and her first friend.

Letting him go, she gently patted his Beskar chest. "How annoying that you've become so attached to this hideous armor." She grinned as she wrinkled her nose, teasing him.

"Suits you, though, don't tell anyone I said that, Eshan might burst into flames," the young Queen huffed at her amusement.

A gentle sigh as she stepped back and began to look around the room. It was decorated as she would expect the King of Mandalore to decorate. Skulls and drapery, but because he probably had a hand in its design, it doesn't mean she had to like it.

Either way, she wasn't here to judge him and his decor. There were other pressing matters.

"How are things? I'd like to catch up with my cousin before we get into business." She mused as her emerald eyes rested back on his kind face.

"Have you found a girlfriend yet?" She smirked.

 

[Aether Verd]

Wearing:
Beskar'gam - Darksaber​

COURT OF IRON, MANDALORE

The ashen-haired woman was not alone.

It was rare that Aether could feel his shoulders relax in the presence of another. Whether it be his peers or his allies, there was always a bundle of nerves - always a readiness for whatever storm the Galaxy decided to hurl his way. That was what it meant to be Iron after all. Yet, in the wake of his warriors leaving the Court...he remembered what it felt like to simply be himself.

No titles. No responsibilities. Simply Aether.

What had caused this phenomena was the smile that wormed its way onto Quinn's face. It reminded him of much simpler times. Of the many days of their youth when they were practically tied at the hip. For just a moment, he spared a thought to wonder what life would be like if they had never fell out of touch. If they just continued to be like they used to.

Quite frankly, the Galaxy would either be on fire. Or they'd have a sand castle the size of Tatooine in their back yard. There was no middle ground.

Quinn's response earned a light chuckle from him. "Oh it's my go? I'll fetch a pen and paper right now. Dear Quinnie, there's a really fetching Queen standing in front of me right now." He laughed aloud at the jest, clearly amused with his own antics. And as the amusement left his lips, she embraced him. His laughter ceased as her arms tightened around him.

His arms raised and ensnared her right back. Aether gave a warm squeeze and lingered there for a moment. And when she let him go, he almost hesitated to lower his own arms. He realized then that it had been ages since he let anyone this close. Ages since he had been given a hug. Such was the demands of Mandalore. And he imagined, such were the demands of Eshan on her end. Nonetheless, he'd enjoy this moment for as long as it was there.

"Oh come now, you know I look better with armor on than with the whites and silks and blues auntie dearest tried to put me in." came his initial response. Aether's tone was alive with amusement as he continued. "I'm glad you see the vision! I'll leave mid-drift exposure to the experts."

When she stepped back and looked about the room, Aether folded his arms and watched her. She was an alabaster contradiction to the Court of Iron. A shining snowflake in a sea of metal and stone. For as much changed in their worlds, at least one thing remained constant: Quinn was Quinn. As for her question, Aether huffed for a moment thoughtfully.

"Gods where do I even start. Things are good. Quiet. Not the 'time to kick back and relax' kind of quiet. More so the 'shit's about to hit the fan at any moment' variety. I have no clue when or where, but something's coming. Something always is."

"Otherwise...no. I haven't found a girlfriend. But...there is this woman I ahh...admire. Her name is Persephone. She..." Aether's confidence flew out the window as he began thinking of the healer. His words ran together and he finally cleared his throat. "She taught me how to properly drink tea and I'm living in a whole new world."

He motioned towards her with his dominant hand. "How about you? Is all well in your world? And have you found a wife yet?"

Quinn Varanin

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Aether Verd //:

There was something meaningful in his words. He acknowledged something that many others seemed to assume was not the case. Quinn had entertained men, given a few a chance to prove themselves capable of handling her. All failed miserably. Some assumed they could force their way into her heart, but all it did was create a wider gap between her and them. Her mind would only linger for a few moments upon the thoughts of these men.

She shut her eyes tightly, exhaling softly and looking away from him for just a moment. It was easy to forget that he was a man; to her, he was just Aether, and with that, her trust. Quinn wasn't the sort to hug a man as tightly as she did, nor feel as comfortable.

To imagine what he would have done to those who assumed they deserved to touch her.

It was why he didn't know.

But he knew enough to know where her desires lay; it was comforting.

"I think I met her," Quinn calmly recalled the brief conversation with the girl during the talks with the Diarchy. A pity, the girl was attractive, and Quinn may have allowed herself to entertain the thought of a date. But she needed to leave some of the pretty women for her cousin.

He needed all the help.

"She's beautiful, soft spoken," Quinn's eyes once more returned to the Beskar-clad warrior. "She suits you, adds a softness you most desperately need."

Another laugh at the poor King's expense.

"I expect a wedding invitation." Again, she smiled widely as her attention drifted. Her own attempts to find romance always ended in tragedy. The horrible word was often the last word spoken before the straw broke and her life fell apart. It was almost comical to watch someone slowly become enamored, obsessed, and finally broken after meeting her.

It wasn't fair, but one couldn't have everything they had hoped for.

"I have not sadly, but you know me." Her smile became forced, tightening at the corners as she did her best.

"I have my affairs until they grow bored of me; it's the constant ebb and flow. While I have my favorites, they tend to be the first to break. I'm not as lucky as others, unfortunately." She waved her hand, not wanting to get into too many details. Perhaps she would mention Reina or even Bastila — Aether would probably be the only one who would accept her having any affections for a Jedi.

But she assumed Aether also knew her Mother's history…

She tilted her head, side to side, as she mulled over his words. He wasn't wrong — the Jedi were already whispering in secret about her. It was unfortunate, but that was the way the galaxy worked. She was from behind the Blackwall, a dark part of the galaxy the Republic had no eyes on.

Quinn was a variable they couldn't control or eradicate.

"How do you feel about the agreements or…" she coughed, clearing her throat slightly, "the accords you've set with the Republic?"

At the mention of the accords, something suddenly became heavy in her coat, a small disk with memories pulled from her mind from that horrid day on Weilu. As much as she wanted to give it to Aether, warn him — she kept it close for now. With that disk, she would have to reveal the images that flashed through her mind at the time…

The face that didn't belong to the Naboo Prince… now King.

"I haven't seen you on Naboo yet… or much? Do you just prefer the company of wrought and iron?"

 

[Aether Verd]

Wearing:
Beskar'gam - Darksaber​

COURT OF IRON, MANDALORE

For Aether, it was simply a matter of knowing Quinn.

The woman before him was akin to the wind on a scorching, summer's day. She was incredible to behold, refreshing to the soul...but hands could never capture her. Though Aether was far removed from her day-to-day, it didn't take him being all-knowing to know that so many had tried to put her in a cage. To try and restrain the very wind from being the wind. Someday, Aether hoped that she would find one who understood that you can't stop the wind from blowing.

Quinn took a moment to breathe before sharing her thoughts on Persephone. And in that moment, Aether was grateful for his complexion, for it masked the heat which engulfed his face. He hadn't put to words the features about the Healer that he enjoyed, but in the span of ten seconds Quinn had rattled off quite a few. She was beautiful...especially during the Gala. Her formal beskar'gam gleaming in the light was a memory that was seared in Aether's memory.

He cleared his throat when she said wedding.

"Hey now, marriage is a long long ways off. I don't even know if she feels anything for me in that regard. She...yeah." His train of thought died as Quinn grinned at his expense, causing him to make an exaggerated huff. Romance was the one area of Aether's life where he had, quite literally, no experience. His gaze drifted up towards the statue of Mand'alor the Reclaimer - his father - for a moment. The irony was not lost on him.

Here he was, the son of a man who single-handedly spawned no less than forty children across the cosmos...and he couldn't even figure out if the woman who held his attention felt for him.

He returned his gaze to Quinn as she spoke about her own 'luck' in the realm of relationships. And, as of now, she was unmarried. She then painted a picture that caused the Mandalorian's gaze to soften ever so slightly. The truth was laced between the words. Until they grow bored of me and they tend to be the first to break said so much. Aether quietly thought about what to say...how to support his dear friend. And what he settled on was what he did best...at least when it came to her.

He began with a genuine smile.

"So, clearly, we're cursed. Infinite cosmic power, shitty luck at relationships. Shall we make the pact from the holovids and tie the knot together when we hit forty?" he chuckled at the absurdity of his suggestion, and he hoped that she would too.

Then, the conversation shifted with a cough. Quinn's question saw Aether raise an eyebrow momentarily. And in that moment, the Iron came into play. He spoke truthfully - as Quinn would know more than anyone if he spoke anything but - and kept it simple as well.

"Hmm...In truth, I'm enjoying the small fortune the Republic is paying us to keep us on retainer. But it's bittersweet. I'm counting down the days until their Jedi inevitably fuck it up spectacularly. They always do."

Aether punctuated his thoughts with a sigh.

"I'm sure Sibylla will do her best to prevent that, but the Jedi need to be the hero, y'know? If the Sith were to vanish tomorrow, Mandalore would be marched on by lunch. As for Naboo, honestly, I try to keep my visits there to an absolute minimum. I've seen how...uncomfortable my presence makes the Republic. And I'd rather not jeopardize the Accords by grabbing ice cream on Theed out of the blue."

He motioned to her once more, a smile returning to his lips.

"Why do you ask? Did you want me to take you out for ice cream?"

Quinn Varanin

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Aether Verd //:

The man was just a boy in these moments. Feeling the fluttering emotions of a crush. Quinn fondly remembered those feelings, a small high she often chased. Did that make her less than? Was she even desirable at this point after so many? Did she make anyone feel the way this girl made Aether feel? Questions that often didn't have answers, but Quinn thought silently as she enjoyed the flustering of the Mandalorian King.

Another soft gaze as she shrugged, "She would be an idiot to pass up a chance with you, Cousin. You're far better than any man I've ever met. She's lucky."

For as much trouble as she often gave Aether in their youth, he was a good man. He lived up to every bit of the men their uncles were. She believed what she had said, even if maybe he didn't think it.

It seemed the warrior wasn't done; he spoke of the comedy of marriage pacts in the holofilms she used to force him to watch. The comment made her laugh, though she saw it as another opportunity to fluster the King. She stepped forward, closing the distance between them, and her hand reached out to caress the sharpness of his jaw.

Her smile curled with mischief.

"Why wait so long? If we're so unlucky, why not make it tomorrow?" She shrugged as the length of her finger curled just under his chin.

"But you'd have to get used to wearing the blues, silvers, and silks Mother always enjoyed putting you in." A gentle pat to his cheek as she laughed again, stepping back.

"I couldn't do that to you; you were always so miserable looking. Like a chubby little cherub who was told no more cake."

She had her little jab and her fun, but things were now business as he answered her question about the Republic. Her eyes widened slightly at the comment of their retainment. It was more business than she had realized. The thought hadn't occurred to her to the full extent of their loyalties.

It saddened her to hear that Mandalore would be next. The thought that the Republic was no better than the Sith in this regard. She knew that if something happened to the Empress, no one would have a second thought about turning on the warrior empire.

"It seems you and I both have that effect on Naboo. I've received some looks and people choosing to not interact with me. Beyond that, I'm certain I might have some stalkers tailing me to see if I decide to steal an ice cream from a child." She huffed.

"All in the name of the Dark Side", her voice lowered comically mimicking a storytale villain, her hand raised, waving it menacingly.

"But yes, I'd love for you to take me for ice cream, with all the riches that the Republic is paying you — the check is, of course, on you. Think of it as practice so you can take this Persephone out on a date."

Her smile faded slightly as she once more felt the weight in her cloak, the disk, the evidence that she was only acting in self-defense made itself aware again. Despite the laughter with one of her closest companions, it was there; it was part of the reason she came.

"Do you know… of anything that happened on Weilu? Why the Republic has a warrant on me?"

 

[Aether Verd]

Wearing:
Beskar'gam - Darksaber​

COURT OF IRON, MANDALORE

Her shrug earned a light chuckle.

Quinn's compliment was the definition of sweet, so much so that Aether couldn't help but smile. It was high praise coming from her. For one, her world was dominated by some of the most powerful individuals in the Galaxy. And yet, despite this exposure, he was far better than any she had met? Quinn knew just what to say to make Aether's day.

"Careful now, flattery will get you whatever you want, gift-wrapped with a bow." came his reply. Amusement colored every word, but there was a small degree of truth to them. Quinn was one of the few people who could call his name and he'd come running, come hell or high water.

The mirth between them lingered for a moment, complete with Quinn's mischievous smile. Aether's eyebrow raised as she posed her question...and a grin of his own slithered onto his face. "You raise a fine point. We might as well meet at the altar." he began, chuckling as she mentioned Srina's affection for draping him in all manner of blues, silvers, and silks.

"I wouldn't mind biting the silk bullet for you. Hell, you could even keep up with those, howdidyouputit, affairs of yours. Just think of me when you're at a restaurant and we'll call it even."

The conversation continued to flow, and now the High Republic had wandered into their words.

"Zealotry and fear have that effect." he began. "I doubt the Jedi will ever see you, they'd only see ancient history and your lineage. It's ironic - father was a very public Sith and brought Naboo nothing but prosperity. Now, his niece can't even buy a cookie without the Jedi thinking you're corrupting the bakery."

He shook his head, smirking ever so slightly at Quinn's antics. The waving of her hand was the cherry on top. "I do need all the practice I can get on that front..." Aether nodded as he spoke, implying that they had an accord. The mental image of the Mand'alor and the Queen walking into an ice cream parlor did earn a bemused huff from the man.

It had been fun to just be themselves for a few moments. To mentally clock out of the mantles which fell upon their shoulders. However, Quinn's words sought the Iron. When she replied, Mandalore answered.

"I only know the high level details about the Black Suns raising a hand against the Republic. Nothing specific. What happened on Weilu?"

Quinn Varanin

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Aether Verd //:

Aether was one of the few places where the young Queen could be herself. To not have the weight of expectation or legacy bearing down on her. Life was still so new for her, still just a girl; she longed for the solace of her mother's embrace. Even now, as she reflects on the events that led up to her current predicament, she wishes Srina were here — just to hold her hand.

Quinn let the silence linger for a moment, understanding Aether's words about the Jedi. As much as she wanted to be seen as something beyond the reputation bestowed upon her, it would never come. Though people like Bastila allowed her to believe to the point of Hope.

"It's funny you mention fear," she chuckled, "The Jedi Code, several iterations of it mention how fear can lead down a path towards what they hope to not be."

She stepped away from the man, her back towards him as she recalled the simple lessons she had learned in the academy. The Sith, they understood their ordained enemies… she wondered if the Jedi were taught in the same way. To understand is to know.

"Fear leads to Anger and Anger leads to Hate… It's a downward spiral for them, to ultimately hit what I feel is a rock bottom for them… to be a Sith is a fall from grace."

She didn't expect Aether to answer or to fully comprehend her ramblings. He was a Mandalorian, but then, as an Echani, she expected them to be animals, savage and uneducated. But Aether proved her wrong… but she also had given his people a chance. Something that she felt would never be allowed in the Jedi rhetoric.

"Weilu, I had only been there to seize a business opportunity. I had been working with the Black Sun — wanting to make something for me. Something that lived outside of the Blackwall and the Sith Empire." She sighed, almost exasperated at the story. Her intentions were never to be a Sith Princess; it was just Quinn, a woman trying to be ambitious for her own cause.

"I've had at the time a rather interesting relationship with one of the Vigo in the Black Sun, a woman named Mauve Du Vain." Quinn huffed in amusement, remembering an interaction during an unfortunate situation and sale.

"The Zeltron I saved you from, her name was Mauve." Quinn never hinted at her intimate relationship with the woman, which didn't matter in this conversation. Even then, during that interaction, Quinn and Mauve had already begun sleeping together… never committing. Still, she could never ask that of the Zeltron.

"Things took a sour turn when Mauve pulled me aside and asked me to follow her. She was telling me what the Black Sun was up to, and I had no intention of involving myself. But alas, everything went south quickly." She brought a hand to her chin as she thought, unable to fully remember the two faces of the delegation that had tried to be secretive.

"We went into a side conference room, where we found one of the delegates being worked over by two Republic delegates. Mauve called them out, and then a bounty hunter decided to interfere."

Quinn frowned. She remembered what had happened, how a lot of her actions were influenced.

"I ended up fighting the whiphid. Mauve's bodyguard fired wildly, and I was shot. Things seemed to settle, or so I thought. Their King, Aurelian, decided to make things worse. I don't remember the conversation much, but I do remember him stabbing me, then I retaliated in the same fashion…"

She shifted, knowing that her reaction was all they saw.

"While it's in the past, it's still something. I don't trust him… but those around him… Sibylla Abrantes, I want to trust her."

Deciding against it, Quinn kept the memory recording in her pocket. The accords were still so fragile, and one hiccup could destroy them. She didn't want to be that reason, so she would play by their rules.

"I have seen that the warrant had been taken down, so I should be thanking you?"

 

[Aether Verd]

Wearing:
Armor - Darksaber - Mask of Mandalore
.​

COURT OF IRON, MANDALORE

The Queen of Eshan mentioned the Jedi Code.

And at the mention of the philosophy, Mand'alor the Iron shook his head ever so slightly. His upbringing had painted a simple, yet absolute, picture of those who clung to the Light's ideals. They were each a ticking time bomb. They were a religious system that believed in repressing what it meant to be human. And in the pursuit of these lofty ideals, their inevitable failure to be inhuman would cost lives and spread chaos. Such was the story the Galaxy had suffered many times before.

Aether watched and listened as Quinn briefly stepped away, recounting her understanding of the Jedi. And how becoming a Sith, how falling, was anathema to them.

"Their path creates what they hate the most, inevitably. History seldom speaks of Sith finding the Light and ushering in a golden age. But it has countless stories of Jedi failing to repress themselves, and thus they plunge everything into madness. So long as they shun what it means to be man, they will continue to create Darkness."

With his thoughts on the matter hanging in the air between them, the Mand'alor continued to listen. Quinn began to share her tale regarding Weilu...and when she had finished sharing her story, his dominant hand rose and covered his face. A hefty sigh fell from his lips. It was the sigh an elder sibling would give when their younger sibling got caught with their hands in the cookie jar. A little bit of concern, a little bit of understanding. After a moment, his hand fell to his side and he spoke anew.

"I suppose we're even...You saved me from the clutches of a hungry Zeltron, I made a bounty go away." He afforded himself a small chuckle of amusement before continuing. "Weilu sounds like a hot mess. And given the parties involved, I'm sure the Jedi will cling to your unfortunate mix up with Veruna and make you out to be a prettier Carnifex, correct?"

Quinn Varanin

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Aether Verd //:

"No one is prettier than Uncle, Cousin." Quinn smiled.

It felt refreshing being near the man again. She longed for their youth where nothing mattered — there was no war, there was no politics, only whose food was going to be burned worse by their shared guardian. Quinn was almost entertained by his reaction to Weilu; it lightened the dreadful encounter, knowing that she possibly caused him more issues than she resolved.

Quinn nudged him slightly, their bodies touching briefly before she created the space again. Aether had always been someone she looked to; he was her first friend, her first crush, and everything else in between. He held a value in her life that others rarely could hold; the only competition was his brother, Acier. As much as it annoyed her, the charm from their father was present in both.

"The Jedi, I fear I'll never understand. One day they speak of freedom and acceptance, and the next they're condemning you because your family member burned a temple." She shrugged.

"You would think, after all this time, they'd figure it out," she scoffed lightly, amused. "How many times have they failed in history because of their silly convictions?"

A hand waved, not wanting to further go down this rabbit hole. She remembered his mention of Mauve and grinned a little.

"You know that Zeltron I saved you from?" Quinn coyishly bit her lower lip.

"I slept with her, but don't tell Mother; she'd have a fit."

Quinn laughed and hooked her arm under Aether's as she dragged him in the direction of the kitchen. It was time to forget the political talk and dive into gossip and banter. She was very curious about this woman that had made her cousin blush by the mention of her.

"So, tell me more about this girl you like."

She rested her head against his shoulder. He was her big brother, her shield from everything that threatened to harm her. He was her comfort, one that she often chided herself for reaching out for.

Aether was hers first, but was she even worth his protection?

"I promise I won't flirt with her if you tell me everything about her." Quinn teased, though the mischievous curl of her smile made the promise difficult to trust.