Private Path of Damnation

[Darth Nefaron]

The girl's curiosity did not go unnoticed.​

While not the unearned pride that the Master's other Apprentices often wore, it was clear that young Eurydice was just as curious about her future rivals' training as much as her own. DD-421 made a careful note of that point for his Master before answering the girl's question.

“To understand that, you must understand how the boy came into the Master's service.”

The droid returned to the shutters and had them opened once again, returning what little natural light Anoat had to offer to the Apprentices' new chambers.

“Veradun was but a student of the Academy on Jutrand. It is there that the vast majority of potential Sith begin initial training and learn the necessary skills to succeed. Darth Nefaron abhors the idea of standardized training, and so the moment he saw a frightened boy watching two titans of Sith politics engage in a verbal duel, he swept in with an offer.”

The droid set about lighting the candles in the room, a task that would become simple to the girl once she learned to master her abilities. He did not mind the task; he often found comfort in repeating simple operations, and this was no different.

“Veradun may tell you many tales of your Master; he may even lie to gain your favor, but he willingly became Darth Nefaron’s student. Unfortunately, he failed to cast aside past loyalties before his arrival on Anoat.”

In the coming days, Eurydice would familiarize herself with the history of the Order and its current powerbrokers, so there was no need to elaborate on the Order of the Wonosa or its High Prophet for the time being. It would be interesting to see if she could unravel Veradun’s past without input from her Droid tutor.

“Our Master thrives on cruelty. He saw an opportunity to press the boy, and Veradun fell into the trap. He went so far as to command our Master, and you might imagine how that went.”

Once finished with the final candle, the Droid made his way to the door, but he paused before leaving the girl to explore her accommodations and await a full meal.

“The boy who went into the slave pits no longer exists. The Dark Side offers an opportunity to reinvent oneself, think on that, Lady Eurydice.”

TAG: Eurydice ​

 

[Eurydice]

Eurydice did not move as DD-421 opened the shutters. She did not move when the droid began to light the various candles placed around the room – only then did she notice they they were even there. Arranged in a manner that would complement the furniture and color scheme, too.

Was this the droid's doing? Perhaps someone had slipped an interior design protocol into his socket, or maybe it was a quirk that developed on its own. Either way, her eyes followed the sequence with which he lit the candles, lingering on the flicker of each little flame.

In the ambient lighting, she listened to DD-421's explanation of how Veradun came to be: a boy, plucked from the academy, who'd failed to give up all that Nefaron had demanded.

Eurydice did not come with those loyalties. Despite being taken forcefully from her home, she held no great love for Ukatis. There, she was a servant, forbidden from pursuing the typical paths of a young woman. Here, she was...a servant. A tortured one, too.

But, even someone as green as Eurydice could see that this was a game. While not devious by nature, perhaps she could carve out a space for herself if she learned the rules.

If.

DD-421 continued, referencing the event which lead Veradun into the slave pits. She could not imagine trying to command Darth Nefaron, at least for herself. It was laughable.

Yet, the droid's story largely matched that which Veradun had relayed to her himself – albeit, each explanation was subtly colored to lean a certain way. DD-421 framed the young Nagai as a foolish troublemaker, while Veradun had expressed his initial belief that he and Darth Nefaron would share a more honorable bond.

Again, laughable. Only, Eurydice wasn't laughing.

Like a Ukatian fairy tale, the story ended with a lesson. This time, there were no morals urging her to be good and kind and fair.

Just selfish.

Eurydice clasped her hands together, letting the long neck of her sleeves hang down. "I see," she said softly. "Thank you, DD-421, for taking the time to explain. It seems I do have much to think on."

Her words ended with a pause rather than finality. The girl swept her gaze over her chambers, still struck by how warm and inviting they were in harsh contrast to the cell where she'd been kept. Before the droid would leave, she'd reach for the nearest candle. Cupped in her hand, she stepped forward and presented it to DD-421.

"So you may light it whenever you wish."

Darth Nefaron