Private Rise of the Wolf: Belsavis

[Gerwald Lechner]

WEARING: xxx
WEAPONS: Ferrum Solus | Blodmåne | Strømafbryder
TAG: Lunara Azure

There were three who could claim to know the Dread Wolf more than he knew himself. The first and primary would always be Naedira Darcrath . The merging of their minds during a battle meld made it so that nothing could be hidden from her. She often knew what Gerwald was thinking before he could even process it for himself. It was a marker of something that was not supposed to happen, and yet it had. When Naedira had retreated from his mind a lasting connection had formed, a force bond.

Srina Talon would be the next. Her years of working with Gerwald, mentoring him in many ways, had made her a pronounced expert into how he would tend to behave. Her most recent manifestation of accompanying him in certain diplomatic outings was the most interesting. The three fates had always been shrouded in mystery, carrying the superstitions of the northern parts of Stewjon deep into the mythology of the planet Gerwald had once called home. Adopting their shadow had allowed Srina to be close, to observe, when the Wolf was perceived to be acting alone. It had certainly become a change in how they related to one another. They were becoming partners more and more with every passing occasion.

The third was a good friend, and confidant when needed. Lunara Azure and Gerwald became friends over a common thing, loss. Though for Lunara the only path forward had been to move on. She had supported the wolf in his attempts to bring Naedira back, even when they seemed to be futile and void of any hope for success. In the end, the two had found something which they had both been missing, true friendship. It was the kind of friendship which was pure and honest. Neither hid who they were, and it had allowed the sorceress to know the wolf at a level few could claim.

He had been reflecting on their past as his oceanic gaze looked out the viewport at the streak lines made by the stars as the ship traveled at light speed. They were headed to Belsavis, a world the Sith Order had set their sites on. Gerwald had made it a point to scout the worlds before seeing the Order commit resources to the campaign, and this was the second of three missions he had determined to carry out.

Lunara’s specific talents would be helpful on the cold planet. She had agreed to accompany him in the mission, despite his vague description of what he was truely up to. Gerwald knew her well enough that at some point the Elfin woman would ask what it was he had not shared with her. In order to get ahead of it, Gerwald opted to invite the woman to enjoy a brunch which had been prepared by the ship staff.

He was not the simple man he had once been. In certain ways perhaps he still was. Traveling and learning from the likes of Srina Talon, and having Naedira in his home permanently, had seen Gerwald understand the necessary art form of hospitality. While he was not quite proficient at it, Lunara would be the most forgiving of participants to practice on, while also able to give critique where needed.

“I hope the spread raises to the level of your satisfaction?”

The door had opened and closed, prompting the wolf to turn.

“Perhaps we can make it through at least one meal where you do not find your clothing ruined.”

A chuckle followed. While Gerwald had not actually been responsible for damaging a profound number of the woman’s dresses, he had been the reason that at least three of them had to be replaced. One from a stain because of traditional meal in a Stewjonian longhouse, one from getting into a bar fight while undercover, and the other… Gewald could not remember.

“Thank you for accompanying me. I figured this would be an appropriate setting for the interrogation you have been wanting to give me ever since you agreed to this mission.”

 

[Lunara Azure]

"That'll be the day."

A crystal glass caught the light of the stars streaking by the viewport, the lines of white light that were a constant companion of hyperspace travellers breaking into a rainbow pattern that played across the surface of her wine as the blonde lifted the glass to her lips. It was a small thing, the kind of thing that you'd barely notice, barely think about if you saw it under normal circumstances. Under normal circumstances. Yet, these were hardly those.

When she'd first met him the wolf was…not the most refined individual. His idea of a good meal had been a mug of ale and a haunch of some roasted animal spit roasted over an open fire. It was a small wonder that she'd ruined countless dresses around him. Yet, now he was serving a civilized repast with wine and small finger foods, the meat and alcohol was still there but it had been polished, refined. Something to thank Naedira for, after all despite years of attempts Lunara had been unable to get her friend to change his ways.

Or maybe there was something other behind it.

On the surface of things, when they met, the two of them could hardly have been more different. The one a fighter, a brawler who embraced his animalistic side and enjoyed the simple pleasures in life. The other a real life princess, someone who enjoyed a more metropolitan style of life. A friendship that shouldn't have worked had been built on sharing grief and loss, finding a safety in someone else who understood their feelings without needing to word them.

Overtime though something had changed in her friend, gone were the loincloth and club, the animalistic brute and in his place was someone who served cooked food and wine. Ok, so he hadn't been quite that bad…but there had been a marked change in the man recently. Some of that could be put down to Naedira's influence, but this was more than that. White teeth worried at the soft flesh of her lower lip as Lunara laid her glass back onto the table, fingertips tapping against its surface.

"What exactly are you planning? Why are we actually here? As pretty as a hyperspace meal is, and as important as it is to scout out a planet, that can't be why you wanted to do this. We have scouts who do that kind of thing. You wouldn't want to put some poor spy out of a job now would you?"

Gerwald Lechner

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

WEARING: xxx
WEAPONS: Ferrum Solus | Blodmåne | Strømafbryder
TAG: Lunara Azure

A chuckle.

Lunara's quick response to Gerwald's own joke was typical of how the two interacted. They behaved like siblings quick to jab and land some kind of teasing insult before the other could come back with a decent retort. It was a game Gerwald lost often, nor did he mind. He could not fault the statement as being untrue. The wolf was known for creating circumstances where dresses were not a good choice of attire. Lunara was convinced it was on purpose, or so the accusation often led Gerwald to believe.

He nodded as he settled in.

The question was expected. What was his plan exactly? What was it he hoped to accomplish? Lunara was correct that there were scouts to behave as an advanced party. Gerwald had done plenty of scouting for the Confederacy when he was still a squire among the Knights Obsidian. Her inquiries drove deep into Gerwald's motivation, and she could see through whatever facade the wolf tried to maintain. There was no reason to lie to her anyway. She was there to help.

"There are items of interest that cannot fall into the hands of Carnifex, Strosius, or Malum. Whether it falls to me to maintain Empyrean's interests or, serve my own, I cannot allow them an upper hand."

This was new behavior for the wolf, or at least he'd never displayed any attempt to posture himself among the powers that be within the Sith Order where Lunara was concerned. His time among them had forced the realization that as long those he allied himself with, and those he loved and cared for, were among the order he had to be involved in the politics he often despised. His methods were different however. Subterfuge would work to a degree, but direct involvement and manipulation would be required soon.

He sipped on the wine which had been set out for the meal. His gaze studied the woman to see what her reaction would be to his intentions.

"I asked you here to help."