Private On the Subject of Loyalties and Connections

[Taeli Raaf]

Obscurial Reliquary, Sadow District, Jutrand
Lina Ovmar
​

It would arrive to her as an innocuous invitation; a simple request delivered by a raven familiar to converse over tea. A simple request for Lina to come to Jutrand, to the center of Darth Arcanix's power base within the main territory of the Sith Order, to talk. There would be many underlying messages and hints even within that simple invitation, ranging from the simple, such as what the Lady of Secrets wished to talk about, to the more complex or covert, such as how one of her ravens knew how to find Lina wherever she was within the galaxy at the time. There was also the distinct possibility that Lina could politely or otherwise refuse the invitation, but that would create a whole host of other issues the younger woman might want to avoid.

In the aftermath of Brosi, the Lady of Secrets was taking a more... robust stance on learning about the various relations and alliances among the other Sith within the Order. Lina had caught her attention before, but time and events had conspired to put off any such meeting until that invitation arrived. Now, however, as she turned her attention to the domestic issues within the Empire and to the question of stability, she wanted to begin engaging and studying the others more closely. She seemed to have ingratiated herself with Madrona A’Mia and Darth Strosius from what she had seen previously and on Brosi. She was curious about that, just one of many questions she had.

So, the decision was now left for Lina. She could accept the invitation, and if she did, she would find a welcoming escort to the Sadow District and to the heart of the Sphere of Research and Science, right up to Taeli's office within the Obscurial Reliquary. Or, she could refuse, and Taeli would have answers to several of her questions in that simple act.

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Feathers whispered in the air, followed by the gentle clack of claws against wood. Lina did not look up from the scroll in her hand, a smile curving her lips. She did not need to look up to know who had sent the raven with amethyst eyes. It snapped its beak impatiently. “Yes, I know.” she said without looking up. Fingers carefully rolled the scroll, tying silk around it to secure it before a gentle flick of her wrist sent it upwards to settle in an alcove above the large desk.

Only then, did Lina look at the raven, folding her hands neatly in her lap. It was only ever going to be a matter of time before this would happen. Every move Lina made pulled her further and further out of the shadows at the Order’s edge and the Lady of Secrets was always going to notice.

To refuse would not only be foolish, but also a waste of an opportunity. Taeli Raaf may have been one of Carnifex’s longest standing allies, but that did not mean that Lina had to make an enemy of her. Fortunately she did not share Alisteri’s tendency to mar all with the same brush. Of course, telling Darth Strosius of the meeting was absolutely out of the question, there were some arguments that were simply not worth having.

“I accept.” she said rising from the chair, fingers curling around the staff leaning against it, the raven fluttered once, landing atop it. “Coming for the trip are we? Very well.”

Runes glowed along the staff, the air cracking as the portal opened and Lina stepped through, leaving her work behind, stepping through to the streets of Jutrand. The energy of the nether clung to her as she walked, shadows folding around the staff consuming it for her to reach for if the need arose again. The raven flew ahead and she followed it into the heart of the Sphere of Research and Science, casting glances into rooms she past curious as to what they might be studying before she found herself outside the office door.

She knocked once, more out of politeness than necessity because Taeli already knew she was there, then opened the door stepping through.

“Lady Arcanix,” she greeted with a small bow of her head “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Lina Ovmar
​

Lina would step into a spacious, if spartan, office once the door opened for her. Bookshelves sagged from the weight of physical tomes, each hinting at sorcerous or alchemical secrets that the Lady of Secrets had learned or created, while databanks of holobooks rested along another wall. The eastern side of the office was dominated by a large window that overlooked the lake that fed the Zannah Falls in the district, with a tea set already in place between two comfortable chairs. In the center of the office was a large holoprojector, currently displaying video feeds, economic figures, and news. A few art pieces decorated the office, the most prominent being an extremely life-like statue of a Mandalorian in full armor and helmeted.

The raven that had brought the message to her would fly over to a small stand behind the desk where Taeli sat, settling itself even as its master jotted down a few more notes for the other woman standing in the room. Taeli would hold up a finger to ask for a moment from Lina, giving her the chance to walk around the office if she wanted.

Once she had finished her notes and handed the datapad to her aide, a woman roughly Lina's age with the same amethyst eyes and dark hair as her mother, and Nerralyn had left to deliver her instructions, she would turn her full attention to her guest.

"Thank you for joining me so promptly, and please, just Taeli for this conversation. No need to stand on ceremony, Lina," she would say, getting up from her desk and moving over to the window and its area to receive guests. "My apologies as well. Ever since High Treasurer Elane was killed, I've been having to put out fires and try to right the economic situation within the Empire. Such a mess that was unnecessarily created, but I digress."

A wave of her hand would immediately spark a flame beneath the kettle, heating it rapidly. While they hadn't been there a moment ago, a tray would be filled with several different types of cookies and pastries.

"I hope you enjoy Bastion Black, and if not, there are several other teas on offer that I could make for you. And do feel free to try one of the pastries, baked them myself this morning." She would take her seat, gesturing for Lina to take the other, adding, "I've been wanting to talk with you for some time, but events just kept conspiring against a free moment until now. You've made an impression, and I like to get to know individuals who can make such impressions."

 

[Lina Ovmar]

When Taelie held up a finger Lina inclined her head before stepping into the room properly, her gaze sweeping over tomes that hummed with dark energy, her fingers itched to draw one down and thumb through it, but that would have been presumptuous, let alone rude. Her eyes moved away from them, flicking over the economic figures and news reports with mild interest before moving to the window, seemingly to appreciate the view, though watching Taeli and her daughter, before Taeli’s attention finally shifted fully to her.

No standing on ceremony? Lina smiled, another might be disarmed by the suggestion that this was simply to be a conversation between two sorceresses but Lina was well aware this was to be an interrogation, just a polite one. “Some things cannot be helped.” she said, her only comment regarding Elane’s death. Perhaps Taeli already knew that Lina had been there, that it had been her portal that had moved them to the centre of the station where the high treasurer had hidden herself.

“Bastion Black will do just fine, thank you.” she replied, smoothing her skirt as she settled into the chair opposite her, hands laid carefully in her lap, noting how she did not say whether the impression was good or bad, just that there was one.

“Truth be told Taeli, I have been expecting your call for sometime. Though there is no time like the present. What would you like to know?”

Taeli Raaf

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Lina Ovmar
​

"We'll have to put a pin in that for a moment, this idea that some things can't be helped, but we will certainly circle back to that," she remarked lightly, pouring both of them a measure of tea from the kettle before placing it back upon its stand. Taeli would also help herself to one of the baked goods on display, setting it on a small plate.

The entire time, she never stopped watching Lina and never lost just a hint of a smile as the younger woman remarked that she had been expecting her call and asked about what she might want to know. Oh, there were so many things she could ask the younger woman about. She appeared to be someone who wanted to remain partially on the edge of things, to stay present just enough to keep relevance and information flowing, but in the shadows enough that she could slip away if need be. She could ask her about her vendetta against her oldest and closest ally, or she could ask about how Lina had gone from having her wedding crashed by the Sith she now seemed drawn to. She could ask about her training and experiences, gauge just what she had learned, and whether there was more that could be taught. She could ask about her allies and enemies, see where she actually stood within the twisting system of alliances and backstabbing that were the politics of their Empire.

So many topics to cover... but she certainly didn't want to make this a full interrogation if she didn't need to.

"While normally I would take the opportunity to ask the first question, given my status as host, I don't want you to feel as though I'm interrogating you, my dear. So! I'd like to propose an agreement for the length of our conversation. I have about an hour until my next meeting, so I will answer any and all questions you might have for me as truthfully as I can on any topic that comes to your mind. In exchange, I would expect the same courtesy for any questions I might pose to you, and I will extend a general amnesty for anything that might come up that may be... questionable."

If she had to, she could always force the truth to bubble up to the surface for their answers, but she'd rather not do things the hard way.

"So, to answer your query, I would like to know what you may ask of me first," she continued, her smile widening as she took a sip of her tea. "Ask away, my dear."