Private Peace for the Restless

[Darlyn Excron]

For the first time, in a long time, Darlyn felt something. It wasn't the day giving him this feeling, a beautiful day on his adoptive homeworld Commenor. Bright sky, lots of open sky dotted with clouds and the warm sun shining down on the people below. It wasn't the chosen scenery either, the gardens of the presidential palace that had been so carefully restored and tended to by the groundskeepers. These things were nice though, giving Darlyn a warm day to sit down amid beautiful flowers, and a cool breeze to keep him from overheating. But these days had come by before now, and he'd tried to be active then as well, wearing his more comfortable tunic and robes, as opposed to a stiff suit. So as beautiful as it was today, it did nothing to stir him.

Instead, it was his company today... Auburn Sioda . His girlfriend's warm, comforting presence was enough to draw him out of himself, bring a genuine smile to his lips. Today was to be spent with her, something that had been long overdue. They had been together before of course, for formal and official events, but this was something wholly separate. Different. Today was just them, no cameras, no public appearances, nothing. Just the two of them sitting on a blanket in the gardens, and a basket of food to eat as they wished. It stirred something in him, made him smile genuinely, warmly at her.

"Today's such a nice day, don't you think?" He spoke with an unnaturally, for him, soft voice, devoid of any edge to it. There was no tone to dictate sarcasm, or bite into anything. Just a soft and loving voice, inviting her to small, pointless talk. Just to say something to her, and linger in a moment outside his self-deprecation. Because right here and now, with Auburn so close as he lifted up a strawberry for her to bite into...

He felt happy.

 

[Auburn Sioda]

It had been a long time, almost too long, since Auburn had been able to just spend time with Darlyn. For once, Darlyn Excron wasn't taking her to some formal event, or talking trade between their planets, or some other official business. Today was a day of relaxation, and calm. The sun shined down on the two lovebirds, surrounded by the foliage of the Commenori Palace's gardens. They were structured differently from her own palace garden, but it was still beautiful.

Only made better by her company.

"Hm? Oh, yes, very. I'm glad I was able to visit you today."

Auburn smiled warmly, her voice filled with genuine happiness. She leaned closer to Darlyn as he held up the strawberry, and took a bite of most of it, coving her mouth with her hand as she chewed. A small hum of approval came from her as she swallowed it.

"Perfectly sweet! Not too squishy either, just the way I like them."

It was then that Auburn noticed a few butterflies fluttering about, drifting from flower to flower. She watched them for a moment, admiring the gorgeous colors of them, and tilted her head with a smile as one seemed to be wandering closer to her and Darlyn. Calmly holding out her hand, a finger held up for the butterfly, it did not take long for it to come closer and land on the outstretched finger.

"Look, a mhuirnín, isn't it pretty?"

A small laugh came from her, as the butterfly began to walk all over her hand, it's wings opening and closing softly.

 

[Darlyn Excron]

Darlyn chuckled lightly when she laughed, slowly leaning more against her as he observed the butterfly on her hand. His head came to rest on her shoulder, watching quite contently as it walked over her. It made sense to him, the way people and creatures seemed attracted to her, she was a beacon of light after all. Beautiful, kind, and pure. The creature could tell as much, calmly exploring the hand of Darlyn's beloved, even despite his close proximity no doubt screaming danger to everything around him.

"Yes, it's very pretty. Not quite as pretty as the hand it's walking on though, or the lady attached to it, but pretty none the less."

He hummed gently against her, closing his eyes a bit. Auburn was such a comforting presence, he felt whole and at ease around her. His hand reached down to her free one and gently laced fingers with hers, sharing the moment together. The soft sounds of rustling leaves, the insects, the gentle breeze. Even suffused in the darkside, he could feel the Force, even the light, and with Auburn by his side he could feel it around him like a warm blanket. Some quality time together was really doing wonders for him, it seemed.

"You started work on a lightsaber yet, or still insisting on waiting for me to collect my own crystals? I know you found the one for yours already, could already have started you know."

Auburn Sioda

 

[Auburn Sioda]

A soft laugh escaped Auburn's lips as Darlyn Excron flirted with her. He was always making sure to call her pretty, or some other compliment, and it always made her heart flutter with how sweet he did it. As she turned her hand over, and the butterfly wandered over her palm, Auburn leaned her head against Darlyn's. It was funny, really, how Darlyn made her feel so... Secure. Safe. Like no one could get to her.

Despite being her polar opposite in the Force, Auburn felt that he was perfect.

When he asked if she had started working on a lightsaber, she huffed softly, but not out of annoyance.

"You say that like I even know where to begin with it, a mhuirnín. Besides, I think it'd be nice to build ours together!"

Turning her head to Darlyn, Auburn nuzzled her cheek against his hair. She squeezed his hand gently, and watched the butterfly on her hand flap it's wings, before flying off to continue fluttering from flower to flower.

 

[Darlyn Excron]

"I sent you some material to study, at the least so I didn't have to describe every single part of the lightsaber if we made them together. Besides, a good place to start is getting a crystal, which you already have."

The gentle squeeze from Auburn Sioda helped to reassure him more, and the gentle nuzzle of her cheek would've made him melt if he hadn't already. He watched the butterfly through the force, sensing it move off to continue its day in peace. Light and Dark, at peace together. If only others could share in that kind of an experience, or more of them anyways. Maybe things could actually improve if they did, instead of devolving into zealotry over nothing.

"Mmm, Auburn, would you mind creating a bit of fire for me? I want to show you what Mum's managed to teach me, but I'm not able to make fire for some reason yet."

He did find manipulating fire far easier than creating it. His mother had been somewhat impressed if he remembered, though she commented then it was more of a massive head start than a prodigal inclination. He certainly couldn't manipulate it amazingly well, it was more so in comparison to his lack of abilities in other areas.

 

[Auburn Sioda]

"And I read them! I still want to build them together, I think it'd be nice. Plus, if I mess up somewhere, you'd be right there with me to help me fix it. Gods know I can't craft anything to save my life... I can barely embroider a handkerchief without stabbing one of my fingers."

Auburn pouted as she remember the last time she tried to embroider. She had started off well enough, but it was a mistake to use white cloth, truly. Perhaps red would be more suitable? The blood droplets would be less visible, at least...

"Mm? Of course, I don't mind at all! Just a moment."

Raising her free hand up, Auburn focused on the palm of her hand, and let the Light of the Eternal Flame flow through her, as the palm of her hand ignited a small fire. She brought her hand closer to herself and Darlyn Excron , and smiled at him.

"Here, is this big enough?"

 

[Darlyn Excron]

"Barely is still more than I can do."

He chuckled lightly as he watched Auburn lift her free hand, creating a small flame in her hand. She controlled fire so elegantly, sometimes it seemed as easy for her as breathing. That must just be how it was for a full blooded Anam, or at least one with proper teaching. When Auburn Sioda finished, and asked him if the small fire was big enough, he shook his head and put his own a bit above hers, palm downwards.

"No..." He started, before the flame jumped from her palm to his, and as he turned his palm upwards the flame rapidly grew, until he might as well have been holding a bonfire in his hand. Despite that, the flames were contained, never getting too close to anything flammable. "But this should do, don't you think?"

He smirked a bit, before waving his hand slightly and 'tossing' the fire around them, creating a circular ring in the air that surrounded them. It wasn't perfectly contained, with fire leaking out the sides everywhere, but it was stable enough that it wasn't dispersing or going to harm either of them. "Mum said I was a natural at this.."

 

[Auburn Sioda]

Auburn smiled, amused, when Darlyn Excron contested the flame being big enough. Feeling him tugging control of the flame through the Force, Auburn relinquished the flame to him, and watched curiously as he increased the size greatly. Her curiosity as to what he planned to do with such a large flame, was quickly satisfied however.

"With a little more practice I'd say you could try out for the Ean Doltean Troupe!"

She laughed softly, clearly joking about Darlyn joining the fire dancing troupe, but nonetheless relaxed against his side. Humming in thought, Auburn lifted her hand and formed a ball of flame, just above Darlyn's ring. Waving her hand in the air, the little ball of flame morphed into a feline creature, with glowing white eyes, that stood atop Darlyn's ring of fire.

"Soon enough I imagine you could make more complicated shapes. Though, I would suggest learning to start a fire before trying to learn how to shape the flames like I do."

 

[Darlyn Excron]

"Something tells me they wouldn't exactly take to my uh, passionate approach to pyromancy."

That of course, was a rather 'cute' reference to the fundamental difference between him and other Anam. They drew their fire from the warmth and life that sprung forth from fire, as he understood it anyways. His manipulation was more reliant on passion, intense emotions, the dark side really. Theirs were more fit for storytelling than his, considering how emotions could run wild and free. Still, the idea, however untrue, that Auburn Sioda might genuinely believe him on that level? That was enough to smile about.

"I can do shapes. Creating creatures though? Now that's not my forte. More of a big picture guy, wouldn't you agree?"

Trying to be cute, he had the large ring of fire change, forming into a heart around the creature Auburn had made. Doing so caused the fire to shrink, which had a side effect that Darlyn didn't quite notice. The flames, when not being allowed to burn so sizably, became far more stable and controlled, more akin to any other member of their species. He, of course, was far more focused on Auburn's face, hoping to see some kind of admiration or pride in him.

 

[Auburn Sioda]

"Mm... Yes, I suppose that would startle them quite a bit. Best not take you to an audition then!"

A soft laugh fell from Auburn's lips as she leaned her head against Darlyn. Swaying her hand back and forth in the air, the little feline hopped and walked all around atop the ring of fire. She admired the passion Darlyn Excron had, even with it being tuned to the Dark that had threatened their people time and time again.

But Darlyn's Darkness was different from their ancestors.

Auburn didn't think he'd ever have the heart to harm another Anam unless they had fallen prey to the Dark that seemed to haunt them every few millennia. It was strange how that seemed to happen, but the Galaxy was strange as Auburn had learned. Stranger still was how... accustomed to death it's other denizens had become.

"Mm... Yes, I suppose so, though right now you seem to be very focused on someone very not big picture~!"

Laughing softly once more, Auburn kissed Darlyn's temple after he formed the fire in a heart. The little fiery feline weaved in and out of the heart, curling its "tail" around the flames under Darlyn's control.

"I wonder why that could be, a mhuirnín~?"

 

[Darlyn Excron]

"Well maybe not the big picture, but you're certainly quite a bit of a taller picture than me!"

He couldn't wipe his smile off his lips, as he siphoned a bit of fire from the heart and into his hand, where he was able to idly play with it. Getting the acknowledgement from her was far more than enough for him. She might have reasons for it that weren't wholly true or genuine, but hearing praise or happiness in him through her tone of voice... Nothing could be more validating for him. He took the bit of fire he was playing with from the fire heart, and held it up to warm both their faces.

"Of course I have my own ideas on why I'm so focused on them, ideas I'm sure you would like to know... wouldn't you? Mmmm..."

He lifted the fire up higher, and made a small, near pristine halo of fire in the air above her head. After the short temple kiss, he gave her a soft and proper loving kiss before attempting to speak in her own language.

"Is breá liom tú, Auburn Sioda ."

I love you. His simple answer.