Private Salt Upon Wounds

[Alana Calloway]

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Salt Upon Wounds​

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Location: Coruscant, Jedi Gardens​

Tag: Everest Vale​

Gear: Some really lame robes​

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Alana watched the ducklings, her expression unreadable for a moment. For a moment, she said nothing, just listening—both to Eve and to the simple, thoughtless hum of the creatures before them.

"Blissfully unaware of how small we are."

She huffed out something that could've been a laugh, or just a sharp exhale.

"Small don't mean safe." Her voice was low, almost thoughtful. "Plenty of small things get swallowed up without ever realizing they were prey."

There was no heat in her words, no challenge—just a bleak acceptance of the way things were. She'd seen enough of the galaxy to know that being unaware didn't stop the boot from coming down, didn't stop the hungry from taking their fill.

Eve's next words, though, made Alana pause.

"Sometimes things just... happen, and it's not always up to us to try and change it."

Her jaw tightened slightly, fingers twitching where they rested against her knee. She knew that line of thinking. Knew how easy it was to let go, to let the universe happen to you rather than fight against the tide.

And yet—

"Maybe," she allowed, finally glancing over at Eve. "Or maybe that's just what people tell themselves when they don't wanna carry the weight of trying."

It wasn't cruel, just blunt. And maybe, in another life, she might've believed it. Might've let it wash over her, let herself sink into the idea that none of it was her burden to bear. But she knew what happened when people stopped trying. When they let things happen and told themselves it wasn't their place to change it.

And she'd spent a lifetime clawing her way out of the wreckage that kind of thinking left behind.

Still, Eve wasn't wrong. The choice was theirs. That was the point, wasn't it?

Alana sighed, tipping her head back just enough to meet the girl's eyes. "Beauty or burden," She muttered, with something almost like a smirk. "Guess that depends on how heavy it feels."

 

[Everest Vale]

Outfit: Padawan Robes
Equipment: Lightsaber, Uneti Flute
Tag: Alana Calloway


Eve could see the trouble in her eyes. Something visibly clawed at the woman, something she couldn't quite comprehend, but nevertheless recognised. Alana seemed jaded by her experiences throughout life. It was something Eve could glimpse herself. After Woostri, she couldn't help but cut herself off from it all, and it took Tigris and Valery to truly pull her back from the brink of losing all of herself. Her own gaze showed a glimmer of solemnity about it as she pondered it all, letting the silence hang between them a moment.

"I suppose it does, yes..." she finally said thoughtfully, her voice as delicate as a petal on water. "Sometimes... Sometimes all that takes, though, is a change of perspective." She dwelled a little longer on Woostri, and everything that followed it. On Jedha, and everything that followed it.

She sat down onto the ground, crossing her legs, not particularly caring that her white robe would become stained by dirt. With her palms turned upright, she looked up to her fellow Echani and smiled.

"Will you meditate with me, Alana? No pressure, just to sit in the space with me, and enjoy the calm."

 

[Alana Calloway]

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Salt Upon Wounds​

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Location: Coruscant, Jedi Gardens​

Tag: Everest Vale​

Gear: Some really lame robes​

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Alana watched Eve carefully, her gaze shifting from the softness in her eyes to the quiet reflection in her words. There was a certain resonance there, a shared understanding between them that didn't need to be voiced. Alana knew the weight of it all too well—the loss, the isolation, the damage done. She felt it settle deep within her chest, and for a brief moment, she almost let herself sink into it.

But she didn't. Not yet.

The invitation to meditate was unexpected, but not unwelcome. It felt like an offer of quiet solidarity, a chance to share in something without words, without expectations. Alana had never been one for stillness, never one to simply sit in the moment and be, but there was something about Eve's presence that made the idea feel almost tempting.

She sighed softly, her posture stiffening for a brief moment before she let the tension slide from her shoulders. It wasn't about forcing anything, she knew.

"You're not wrong," She replied softly, voice almost hushed. "A change of perspective… It's a bit hard to swallow sometimes, but I guess we can all use one." She glanced at Eve as she settled on the ground, her gaze a little less guarded than usual. Alana studied her for a moment, then nodded, the smallest of smiles tugging at her lips.

"Alright. I'll join you. Let's see where the calm takes us."

Alana lowered herself to the ground, crossing her legs in a way that felt awkward at first. She closed her eyes, willing herself to release the tension in her body, as the silence between them became more than just the absence of sound—it was the space in which they both existed, quietly acknowledging one another's struggles without a single word.

"I got no clue on how to do this though."

 

[Everest Vale]

Outfit: Padawan Robes
Equipment: Lightsaber, Uneti Flute
Tag: Alana Calloway


Eve smiled gently. She understood the apprehension. Strangely, meditation was one of those things that came so naturally to her, but she wasn't without anxiety when she was first learning how it was supposed to work.

"It's okay," she said gently. "You don't really need to worry, just..." She took a slow, measured breath in through her nose and out through her mouth. "...follow my lead." She let the silence settle for a moment between them before continuing.

"Close your eyes..." She waited a moment. "Now close your inner eyes... and breathe with me, softly." She took in another breath, calm and gentle. "Now look inward to yourself. There's a lot of thoughts there, trying to get in the way... They're annoying. Trust me, I know. But just... let them happen. Try not to cling to them, that's the key. If you hang on to them, they'll just plague you more. Something I'm starting to learn a lot these days." She grinned slightly, though knew Alana wouldn't see it.

"Somewhere behind those surface thoughts, there's something else. It's like a... light. A spark, sort of. Or maybe it'll seem like something else to you. Whatever it is, don't strive to try and take it, but just... let it slowly come to you, without wishing for it... Remember to keep breathing."

She stayed silent for a while as she found that light within herself, allowing it to engulf her heart. It was a feeling she was becoming more and more accustomed to, being able to simply let herself remain open. A warm smile spread across her face from the feeling.

"And just... let that feeling warm you. Just sit with it... You don't need to do anything. Just..."

She hung on the word for a moment, as the feeling itself took hold of her like a gentle, warm hug, transforming her heart and her mind. The Light spread through every nerve, between every atom, swimming gently around her entire being.

"...be."

 

[Alana Calloway]

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Salt Upon Wounds​

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Location: Coruscant, Jedi Gardens​

Tag: Everest Vale​

Gear: Some really lame robes​

​

Alana sat still, her posture relaxed but her mind anything but. Meditation had never been something she put much stock in—too much silence, too much vulnerability. Even now, with Eve's voice guiding her, she found herself resisting.

Still, she humored her.

Closing her eyes, she let out a slow breath, inhaling through her nose and exhaling through her mouth. She tried to follow the rhythm, tried to let her thoughts drift as instructed. But they didn't just drift—they swirled, loud and restless, crowding every inch of her mind.

Memories clawed their way to the surface, sharp and unyielding. A childhood spent in shadows. The sting of betrayal. The cold steel of a prison cell. The hum of a ship's engines as she ran, again and again.

Losing more and more of herself as she faltered.

She clenched her jaw. Let them happen, Eve had said. Don't cling to them.

Easier said than done.

Her fingers twitched slightly as she pushed deeper, searching past the noise. Past the anger. Somewhere beneath the weight of it all, there was something—small, flickering. She wasn't sure if it was light or just an ember burning in the wreckage of what she used to be. It was distant, elusive, but there.

For a moment, she just breathed.

The warmth Eve described didn't come. Not exactly. But there was... something. A stillness, fragile yet steady. Not peace, but the ghost of it. And for now, that was enough.

 

[Everest Vale]

Outfit: Padawan Robes
Equipment: Lightsaber, Uneti Flute
Tag: Alana Calloway


As a sphere of profound, limitless Light engulfed every sense, Eve breathed deep, turning her senses outward. She could sense some degree of resistance in Alana. It felt as though the sensation didn't come so easy to her, whether out of lack of practice or something else. But she smiled, looking behind closed eyes towards her aura that, despite its struggle and seeming chaos that brewed beneath the surface, was nevertheless beautiful, as all auras were to her. She recognised that feeling, that natural resistance and doubt. It was something she still contended with herself. But slow, ever so slowly, it was get easier.

"It's... okay if it doesn't seem to come naturally. It's usually just a matter of practice..."

There was unease and apprehension in Alana. Without moving, Eve allowed her own Light to extend towards her, wrapping around her in a gentle embrace for as long as she chose to accept it. Something stirred in her, a need to make this troubled soul feel okay. She didn't say any words, but she offered a gentle warmth from herself to the woman. A peaceful offering, not forceful, not overwhelming, but merely a choice. It was up to Alana if she wanted to take some of that Light for her own.

 

[Alana Calloway]

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Salt Upon Wounds​

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Location: Coruscant, Jedi Gardens​

Tag: Everest Vale​

Gear: Some really lame robes​

​

Alana's body tensed as the warmth of Eve's Light enveloped her, and for a brief moment, something inside her stirred—something she had long since buried beneath layers of anger, pain, and distrust. The sensation was overwhelming. Her chest tightened, and she could feel the old scars within her mind and soul flare with a heat that was both unfamiliar and dangerous.

For a fleeting second, she nearly lost herself in it—nearly allowed herself to be drawn in by the softness, the gentleness that Eve was offering. But then, as quickly as the warmth had come, her walls snapped back into place.

Alana took a deep breath, her hands trembling slightly. She hadn't meant to react that way—not with anger, not with force—but the instinct was too strong. The darkness in her, the part of her that had been twisted by loss and pain, recoiled violently at the Light. It always did.

She blinked rapidly, trying to steady herself. Her heart raced, and the strength of her aura trembled as if the darkness within her was pressing against her, trying to push her away from the Light that Eve offered.

"Sorry," Alana muttered under her breath, her voice tight and shaky. She couldn't meet Eve's eyes, instead staring at the ground as if the floor could offer her some solace. "I didn't mean to..." Her words faltered, the weight of the moment pulling at her chest.

She took another step back, this time slower, more hesitant, her hands almost reaching out, then quickly pulling away. Her mind was a whirlwind, confusion and guilt swirling within her. She wanted to explain, wanted to apologize, but the words wouldn't come.

The warmth was still there, lingering around her, and it made her feel exposed—like she was standing on the edge of something she couldn't control. The part of her that rejected this feeling wasn't just fear; it was something deeper, something darker that told her she couldn't afford to trust, to let go.

"I... I don't know what to do with this," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I don't know how to let it in."

Alana's eyes flicked up to Eve, her face a mixture of confusion and sorrow, an expression of someone lost and fighting against a force she couldn't quite understand. "I didn't mean to snap," she said, her voice thick with the weight of something unsaid, something deeply buried. "It's just... not easy."

Her shoulders slumped slightly, the tension in her body draining as the anger faded, replaced with something more raw—vulnerability. She didn't know how to explain it, how to make Eve understand the fear, the reluctance that had surfaced. But she had to try.

"I'm sorry." The words were quiet, genuine, though laced with a heaviness that only she could truly grasp.

 

[Everest Vale]

Outfit: Padawan Robes
Equipment: Lightsaber, Uneti Flute
Tag: Alana Calloway


It felt like a sharp pin prick against soft skin. Eve jumped, her breath hitching, as the feeling of Alana's aura shifted to something darker, more aggressive, before dissipating almost immediately. Her eyes opened fully and she gazed at the woman. There was visible hurt, visible apprehension and confusion all over her face, but deeper than that Eve could feel it all in the Force. She found herself feeling what she was feeling, and the intense level of empathy that washed over her caused her own eyes to well.

She didn't anything, but she scooted along the ground to Alana, and without any warning or word she wrapped her around around her from the side and gave her a gentle squeeze. She remained like that for a while, wanting to give the woman as much comfort as she could. Clearly, she had a lot of unresolved battles inside of her, and Eve could see that without question. It caused her own heart to ache by merely recognising it. Perhaps it was a familiarity in herself. Perhaps she simply wanted others to feel as happy as they had the capacity for.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that."

Perhaps it was a needless apology, but she wanted to do something — anything — to help her pain.

 

[Alana Calloway]

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Salt Upon Wounds​

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Location: Coruscant, Jedi Gardens​

Tag: Everest Vale​

Gear: Some really lame robes​

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Alana didn't flinch when Eve's arm came around her, but there was a stiffness in her posture at first—like an animal unsure if the hand reaching out meant comfort or the start of a trap. Her jaw was tight, her eyes cast downward, focused on some fixed point in the dirt that wasn't really there. But she didn't pull away.

The warmth of that quiet gesture—the softness of it—gnawed at the edges of her defenses, made something ache deep beneath the armor she wore so tightly around her mind. That spike in her aura, that sudden flare of darkness, had been instinct—reflex, not intention. And yet... she hated that Eve had felt it.

"You didn't do anything wrong," Alana said, finally, voice low and rough, barely above a whisper. "That was me."

There was a pause, heavy and haunted.

"I'm just... not used to being touched without expecting pain to follow." Her hand twitched slightly, like she'd almost reached up to return the embrace—but it faltered, fingers curling halfway before resting in her lap again.

The silence that followed wasn't cold—it was just fragile. A wound briefly uncovered, but not ready to be tended.

After a moment, she exhaled slowly and leaned just slightly into Eve's side. Not enough to be vulnerable—but enough to show she hadn't rejected the gesture.

"You're kind," She muttered. "That's rare."

And though she didn't say it, the unspoken words hung heavy in the space between them: I don't know how to handle kindness anymore.

 

[Everest Vale]

Outfit: Padawan Robes
Equipment: Lightsaber, Uneti Flute
Tag: Alana Calloway


Eve pulled back and gazed at the woman. Her heart continued to ache for her, the manner in which she spoke made her wish she could alleviate those pains for her with a click of her fingers. But in her own Eve-like way, she at least hoped she was making a small difference.

"Kindness... is free... you know? At least, it should be, and if it's not, then it's not real kindness."

The trickling of the waters filled the space and silence between them for a moment. Eve wanted to say more, wanted to say she could see her pain for what it was, even if she couldn't ever understand the reasons and origins of it all. But she didn't have the right words for it. Nevertheless, she did try.

"I... don't know your story, Alana. But..." In typical Echani fashion, she placed a hand on the older woman's, allowing that language of contact to speak more than whatever words she would say out loud. "...if you ever need more of that kindness, you can come to me."

Was it youthful naivety? Innocent hope? Whatever it was, the gesture was genuine from her. Her natural, intense empathy had tapped in so quickly to Alana's feelings, and it made her own heart ache so undeniably in response.

But maybe — just maybe — this small act of kindness was enough to plant a seed of healing.

Alana Calloway​