Private Shadows That Survived

[Shade]

The cantina sat where most establishments in the Academy district eventually found themselves: somewhere between respectability and necessity. Its walls had once belonged to a warehouse before being converted into a drinking establishment decades ago, with layers of passing ownership leaving behind a patchwork of mismatched plating, repaired flooring, and tables acquired from places that no longer existed. It was neither elegant nor particularly inviting, but it was warm, served strong drinks, and was conveniently located between the Academy and the surrounding city. Outside, the evening winds pushed red dust through the streets in slow currents that hissed softly against the windows, a constant reminder of the harsh world populated by acolytes, merchants, and opportunists building livelihoods in the long shadow of the Sith.

Shade paid little attention to the city beyond, choosing instead to occupy a table near the rear wall where she could observe both the entrance and the majority of the room without appearing to do either. A half-finished glass rested before her alongside another that had already been emptied, though neither had been consumed quickly; she was not here to drink, but to wait. Her crimson eyes drifted briefly toward the bundle resting against the empty chair beside her: a collection of dark, irregular Wraith-Wyrm hides carefully wrapped in durable cloth and secured with leather straps to conceal their true nature from casual observation.

Three hides meant three distinct kills, a memory that surfaced unbidden in the quiet of the room. The first encounter had nearly ended badly when she underestimated how silently the creature could move through the canyons; the second had taught her patience; and the third had never realized it was even being hunted until it was already dying. They had proven exactly what the old stories claimed: intelligent enough to be dangerous, and dangerous enough that intelligence alone was not always sufficient to survive them. Soon, they would become armor rather than trophies or decoration, giving them a purpose that would ensure her own survival.

The thought faded as the door opened once more, allowing another gust of red dust and evening air to cut through the cantina's warmth. Shade did not immediately look up, knowing there was no need; Varin had asked to meet her here, and he would arrive when he arrived. Until then, she remained exactly as she was. One hand resting lightly against her glass, the wrapped hides waiting beside the table, and her posture settled into the patient stillness of a predator who had long ago learned that not every hunt required movement.

Varin Mortifer

 

[Varin Mortifer]

VARIN MORTIFER

Equipment: Durum Mantle | Black Blade of Chandrila | Eye of The Dragon | Heavy Sith Mace | Cross Guard Broadsaber

Varin had stepped into the cantina, his senses reaching out as the area fell quiet with his arrival. His name had grown with reputation on Korriban, his reputation from starting as a student with nothing, to a conqueror with insatiable hunger for combat.

People slowly started going back to their daily routine as Varin's gaze fell on Shade in the very back. The pelts that she had collected very much visible to him. Fitting, she collected those ones.

His steps carried him to her table of choice, an empty glass and one partially filled right by her, he stood before her towering like a mountain before her.

“Shade, it is a pleasure to see you again.”

A small smile curved his lips before he sat down with her. A waitress came by and sat down his usual drink before him, a simple glass of whiskey and ice.

His fingers plucked the chilled glass from the table and pressed to his lips, taking in the taste of the beverage before him. Then he gently set it down with the same care someone would give to that of an heirloom.

He looked at the pelts then back to her.

“Korriban has been treating you well I see.”

Shade​

 

[Shade]

Shade had noticed his arrival long before he reached the table. It wasn't because of the sudden quiet that followed him, though Korriban respected power in a way few worlds did, and Varin had accumulated more than enough to draw every eye in the room. No, she noticed him because she had spent the better part of a year learning the subtle rhythm of his stride, discerning the distinct differences in his footsteps when he was exhausted, injured, irritated, thoughtful, or simply walking without purpose. These steps carried none of the uncertainty they once had, a detail she noted with quiet satisfaction.

Her crimson eyes lifted from the liquid resting in her glass as he approached, tracking his movement without urgency. Beside her, the dark forms of the folded hides occupied the empty chair as though they belonged there by right. "Varin," she murmured, the simple greeting carrying a familiar, quiet warmth beneath its usual composure. She watched him settle into the chair across from her, tracking his deliberate ritual with the whiskey. The careful lift, the measured sip, and the exact placement of the glass afterward all proved that small, grounding habits could survive long after everything else changed.

When his gaze shifted toward the bundled pelts, hers followed, a faint trace of dry humor softening the corner of her mouth. "Three of them," she said, resting her hand lightly against the heavy wrappings. "The first nearly succeeded in making me regret being alone, the second was far smarter than I expected, and the third was not. I intend to have them worked into new armor. It seemed entirely wasteful to leave them rotting in the desert after they invested so much effort trying to kill me."

She took a slow sip of her drink, finally setting it down to study him properly, looking past the fearsome reputation of the conqueror. The rest of the cantina was watching, and seeing only the man she had spent a year helping keep alive. He looked considerably more like himself than he had in a very long time. "And you appear to be walking without threatening to collapse," she observed, leaning back slightly as a rare warmth returned to her eyes. "I am choosing to interpret that as progress, though I suspect Korriban has been treating you well enough, too."

Varin Mortifer

 

[Varin Mortifer]

VARIN MORTIFER

Equipment: Durum Mantle | Black Blade of Chandrila | Eye of The Dragon | Heavy Sith Mace | Cross Guard Broadsaber

“You faced three of these beasts and slew them all?”

He chuckled.

“I am not entirely surprised. When I fought one I lost my eye. I guess you can say I have a deep seeded loathing to these creatures.”

The mention of armor made him arch a brow, his gaze falling to the pelts then back to her. He picked up his glass and took a small sip before he spoke.

“I would make you the armor, but my skills on leather are very limited, as are natural scales. But in your line of work, if the armor is made properly, it would certainly suit you well.”

He gently sat his glass down admiring the pelts a moment longer before responding to her once again on his recovery.

“Korriban's medical facility is rather well made. I still had some complications walking for a while, but the pain eventually subsided. Thankfully I can get some relative sleep now.”

“...thank you. For helping me and trying to keep your promise. I know it all didn't pan out according to plan, but I noticed the efforts you went through and the struggles.”

He paused, his fingers gently tapping on the table, a thought crossing his mind, a question.

“What is your next move after Korriban? Are you returning back to your organization?”

Shade​

 

[Shade]

Shade's gaze lingered on him for a moment as he mentioned losing an eye to one of the creatures. There was no immediate humor in her expression, though the image of Varin wrestling with a Wraith-Wyrm was not particularly difficult to imagine. Stubbornness and dangerous predators seemed to find one another with remarkable consistency. "Not at the same time," she replied. "Three different occasions since I've been here." Her eyes drifted briefly toward the bundled hides resting beside the table. "The first was curious and caught me by surprise. The second was territorial. The third was simply unfortunate enough to cross my path after I had learned the habits of the first two." The corner of her mouth softened faintly. "I can regale you with the stories if you wish, but I suspect that is not the best use of our time."

Reaching for her glass, she finished what remained inside and set it beside the other empty one. A small motion of two fingers toward the bar was all it took to signal for another. Her attention returned to Varin before the bartender had even acknowledged the request. When he thanked her, the room seemed to fade slightly around the edges as she considered the weight of what he was actually saying.

For several seconds, she remained silent. Then she answered with the same honesty she had always offered him. "I did my best to prevent that man from taking you, Varin." There was no defensiveness in the statement, nor any attempt to excuse what had happened. "And when that failed, I did my job in your rescue." Her gaze remained steady. "Nothing about it happened the way I intended. Nothing about it happened the way it should have." A brief pause followed before her expression softened almost imperceptibly. "But I am glad you survived. And I am glad you have recovered as much as you have."

The fresh drink arrived then. Shade inclined her head slightly toward the server. "Thank you." Her fingers wrapped around the glass and lifted it from the table, though she made no move to drink from it yet. Instead, she watched the amber liquid shift within the crystal, her thoughts settling on the final question Varin had asked.

A year ago, the answer would have been immediate. Now it required no thought at all for an entirely different reason. "No," she said quietly. "I have no future there anymore." The statement carried no bitterness. If anything, it sounded settled. Final. "I resigned my position." Her crimson eyes lifted back to his. "They will continue without me. It always could." A small breath escaped her. "Since then, I have been living off the land here. Hunting. Exploring. Learning the terrain." Her gaze flicked briefly toward the bundled hides beside the table. "And performing the duty I failed at before."

There was no self-pity in the admission, only acceptance. "The first time, I was unable to keep you safe." She rested one arm against the table while holding the untouched drink in the other hand. "This time I could." The words settled quietly between them, neither boast nor victory, but a simple truth that mattered to her more than she often admitted aloud. After a moment, she finally raised the glass to her lips and took a slow sip, her gaze never fully leaving his.

Varin Mortifer

 

[Varin Mortifer]

VARIN MORTIFER

Equipment: Durum Mantle | Black Blade of Chandrila | Eye of The Dragon | Heavy Sith Mace | Cross Guard Broadsaber​

“You and I both know that in combat nothing ever goes according to plan, Shade.”

His eyes tracked the glass that was placed by her, a small nod given to the server before he continued.

“What really matters about that situation is how we adapt. Adaptation is arguably more important than plans, but it should not supersede planning.”

He took another sip of his drink, the ice tumbled in the glass as they shifted, the condensation build up dripped slightly on the table, then he softly set it back down. He listened to her as she explained her relationship with her previous organisation and truth be told, he felt something deep about that. Spending time with Tuk’ata he had learned what it meant to be in a pack, and he knew the pain that followed when a member was cast out.

It was painful to watch at times.

But sometimes, the pack member would just leave, finding a new purpose elsewhere.

His fingers gently tapped on the table as he thought, her words reaching his ears pulling him into a deep contemplation. His eyes then picked up after a moment of silent thought.

“What if I were to give you some purpose?”

He spoke quietly.

“It is up to you if you wish, but I could always use another set of eyes to watch my back when things get tough, when plans go awry.”

His gaze fell on her after he finished speaking, a serious tone upon his face. He was not offering her a job, he was offering her something more.

Shade​

 

[Shade]

Shade listened without interruption, her fingers loosely wrapped around the glass as Varin spoke. There was little she disagreed with in what he said. Plans rarely survived first contact with reality. No operation, no battle, no hunt had ever unfolded exactly as she intended. The plan existed to provide direction. Adaptation determined whether one survived long enough to benefit from it. A faint nod followed his observation as she considered the thought. "I would argue adaptation is part of the plan," she replied. The corner of her mouth softened slightly. "Or at least it should be."

She lifted the glass and took a small sip, allowing the silence to settle between them as he continued. When he spoke of purpose, however, her attention sharpened. Not visibly to most. To someone who knew her, perhaps. The sort of subtle shift that happened when something unexpected entered a conversation. For a few moments, she said nothing at all, her crimson eyes remaining on him while she considered the offer carefully. Not dismissing it. Not accepting it. Simply examining it from every angle she could find before deciding how seriously she should take it.

"That depends entirely on what you mean."

The response came quietly. "You are not a man who would struggle to find soldiers. Nor do I imagine you lack for people willing to stand beside you in battle." Her gaze drifted briefly toward the bundled hides resting beside her on the seat before returning to him. "So I suspect you are offering something more specific than employment." There was no suspicion in her tone. Only curiosity. The glass turned slightly in her hand as she leaned back into her chair. "I am open to the suggestion, Varin." The admission came easier than she expected. "But before I agree to anything, I would like to understand exactly what role you believe I would serve."

A brief pause followed as she studied him over the rim of her glass. The offer carried weight, not because of what was being proposed, but because of who was proposing it. Varin was not a man prone to casual promises or empty gestures. If he was extending something beyond employment, then he had already given the matter considerable thought. That alone made it worthy of her attention.

"When you say you could use another set of eyes watching your back, are you asking for a hunter?" Her gaze held his steadily. "An advisor?" The next possibility came with the faintest hint of amusement. "Or are you simply tired of making poor decisions without someone nearby to point them out?" The humor lingered only briefly before her expression settled once more into thoughtful composure. "Clarify it for me." She raised the glass again and took another slow sip. "Then I will give you an honest answer."

Varin Mortifer

 

[Varin Mortifer]

VARIN MORTIFER

Equipment: Durum Mantle | Black Blade of Chandrila | Eye of The Dragon | Heavy Sith Mace | Cross Guard Broadsaber

A small scoff left his lips followed by a slight smirk.

“I have plenty of people to point out my bad decisions.”

He looked down at the pelts.

“And you're right, I can find others but you had shown me something more than just dedication to the job.”

He gaze flicked back to her.

“I need someone I believe I can trust as a form of extra protection and advisory.”

His knuckles gently knocked on the table.

“You have that set of skills I am looking for in someone of such nature, and I am not just asking for some bodyguard, but that is the easiest way to put it.”

He thought for a moment.

“I believe what I am asking for, is a blade in my right hand, but an ear for me to call on if I need it. Someone is targeting me, and they know how to just slip on by my senses. I need you to help me weed them out. And after I retake my home, perhaps there would be more in store for you.”

He gently picked up his glass.

“You have already shown me you will go above and beyond. You have already proven to me that you will try your best to keep a promise. That matters, a lot, to me.”

He took a small sip then set the glass back down.

“That is my proposal.”

Shade​

 

[Shade]

Shade listened without interrupting, her expression remaining neutral as Varin laid out the proposal in full. She had expected clarification. What she had not expected was the level of trust implied by the offer. Not because she doubted his sincerity, but because trust was rarely given so openly by people who had survived as long as he had. Most learned to guard it carefully. The fact that he was willing to extend it at all carried more weight than the specifics of the role itself.

When he finished speaking, she leaned back slightly in her chair and allowed the silence to linger. One hand lifted her glass from the table, and she took a slow sip while considering everything he had said. The offer was not employment in the traditional sense. It was closer to a partnership, albeit an uneven one. A place beside him rather than behind him. Protection. Advice. Investigation. The sort of responsibilities that extended beyond simply standing between danger and a target.

The corner of her mouth twitched upward ever so slightly. "What is the starting wage?" The question arrived with such perfect seriousness that it was difficult to tell whether she was joking.

Her crimson eyes remained fixed on him over the rim of the glass for another moment before she lowered it back to the table.

"The currency of the galaxy remains useful, regardless of philosophy." A faint trace of amusement finally surfaced. "And if I am being entirely honest, I have already been performing the guard portion of this arrangement for some time. I might as well be compensated for it."

The humor faded, though the warmth did not entirely disappear.

"Your proposal has merit, Varin. More than you may realize." Her gaze briefly drifted toward the shadow beast pelts resting nearby before returning to him. "You are asking for someone who can tell you when you are wrong, help identify threats you cannot see, and stand beside you when circumstances deteriorate. Those are not unreasonable requests." She folded her hands loosely around the glass. "What concerns me more is whether you are prepared to listen when you receive answers you do not like."

Varin Mortifer

 

[Varin Mortifer]

VARIN MORTIFER

Equipment: Durum Mantle | Black Blade of Chandrila | Eye of The Dragon | Heavy Sith Mace | Cross Guard Broadsaber

The question about a starting wage drew a smirk from his lips.

“Here I thought you wanted to defend me out of honoring your promise.”

A small chuckle left him before she continued.

“Perhaps I can compensate you. I usually get paid after missions, I figured on the ones you accompany me on we split it sixty to forty percent. I provide transportation and food so I get the sixty.”

He listened to her speak, if he was ready to listen to hard facts or if what he was doing was wrong. Varin was not so prideful that he was foolish. He always made sure his council had a voice and weight behind their voices.

He let out a slow breath.

“I understand the concern, but as a future King, I have to be able to listen to the hard facts of what I am doing. And I need them to be direct. You fit that bill Shade.”

He leaned back, his eyes remaining on her.

“You have also shown me that you are capable of handling yourself if I do happen to lose myself. I have full confidence in you.”

He waved down the bartender droid to offer her another drink and to refill his.

“This is not a decision I came to within moments. It has taken time and real thought.”

Shade​

 

[Shade]

Shade lifted a single eyebrow at the proposed split, genuine surprise crossing her otherwise composed expression. It lasted only a moment before she gave a slow shake of her head. The offer was generous, more generous than she believed the arrangement warranted, especially coming from someone who had only recently begun rebuilding his future.

"Unless I actually provide that much support to a mission, I do not feel it should be that high."

She accepted the fresh drink from the bartender droid with a quiet word of thanks before wrapping her fingers around the glass. She did not drink immediately, instead turning it slightly as she watched the amber liquid catch the light. "Yes, I know it may seem foolish to turn down additional credits." A faint smile touched her lips. "The galaxy rarely complains about being overpaid."

Her eyes lifted back to Varin.

"But you will have a greater need for those credits than I will." Her tone remained practical rather than charitable. "You are rebuilding more than a home. You are preparing to govern one. That requires ships, supplies, people, infrastructure, and a no-shortage-of-unexpected-expenses. I have lived comfortably with far less than forty percent of a mission's reward."

She finally took a measured sip from the drink before setting it gently back upon the table.

"As for the rest..." Her expression softened almost imperceptibly. "I will do my best to keep you from losing yourself, Varin." There was no grand promise behind the words, only quiet conviction. "I cannot promise success every time. No one can. But if there is a path back, I will do everything within my ability to help you find it."

Varin Mortifer

 

[Varin Mortifer]

VARIN MORTIFER

Equipment: Durum Mantle | Black Blade of Chandrila | Eye of The Dragon | Heavy Sith Mace | Cross Guard Broadsaber

His voice was quiet when he spoke.

“Thats all I ask of you.”

He offered her a quick smile before picking his drink up.

“You give me all you can and I will do the same for you. I take care of my allies. It's what I do. And whether you see it or not, you are likely going to be part of that rebuilding. So you will need as much care as I.”

He tapped a finger on his glass.

“This goes beyond credits.”

A small huff left him before he continued.

“This is a high amount of trust I am giving you. I expect you to not always succeed. Perfection is an impossibility. No matter what people say, perfection just simply cannot be.”

He took another sip.

“No, I just want effort.”

A quiet sigh left him as he debated stating the next part.

“Besides, I may need you when I inevitably face Allan again. He holds my home hostage, I cannot allow that.”

Shade​

 

[Shade]

Shade listened quietly, her fingers resting around the glass as Varin spoke. She could hear the conviction behind his words. Trust. Responsibility. Honor. They were not spoken as lofty ideals, but as principles he genuinely intended to live by. She respected that. It was one of the reasons she had not dismissed his proposal outright.

At the mention of care, however, the corner of her mouth twitched into the faintest scoff before she could quite suppress it. It was not mocking. More...disbelieving. The sound carried the weight of old experience rather than disagreement. For just a moment, her eyes drifted to the amber liquid in her glass instead of the man across from her. The idea that someone would concern themselves with her well-being still felt foreign, almost implausible, after everything that had come before.

"I understand the sentiment," she said after a quiet moment. "It is simply...not something I have grown accustomed to accepting." She lifted the glass and took a measured sip before continuing. "Trust and honor are currencies I understand far better than care." There was no bitterness in the admission, only honesty. "The first two are earned through actions. The third has always been more difficult for me to believe."

Her crimson eyes met his once again, steady and thoughtful.

"That does not diminish what you are offering." She inclined her head ever so slightly. "If anything, it makes me appreciate it more." A faint smile appeared. "Just do not expect me to become comfortable with it overnight."

The mention of Allan brought her attention back to the practical realities that lay ahead.

"Then that is another reason to prepare now rather than later." Her voice settled back into its familiar calm. "If he is capable of holding your home, then underestimating him would be a mistake. I will help you prepare as thoroughly as I am able. Beyond that..." She rested the glass gently upon the table. "...the effort you asked of me, you already have."

Varin Mortifer

 

[Varin Mortifer]

VARIN MORTIFER

Equipment: Durum Mantle | Black Blade of Chandrila | Eye of The Dragon | Heavy Sith Mace | Cross Guard Broadsaber​

“In time you may grow used to it. Voices within my court have equal volume regardless of power, but in the end the final say comes from me. That's how it had always been in my home when my Father ruled.”

Varin tipped the rest of his drink back, finishing it off.

After she spoke he gave her a silent nod.

“You and very few other people know how dire this predicament is. You have seen Allan in action and I have felt his punishments. I still feel some of it today…”

He paused for a moment as he reflected on his words.

“But I will not let that cage me. Preparations will begin shortly. There's a few more allies I must build with before we can take my home back. I don’t plan on underestimating him.”

He set his glass down as a deep slow sigh left his chest.

“I remember secret routes into the palace, but I am sure he has already taken care of those. Blocked them off for good. And a frontal assault would not be favorable. Too many casualties. And I don’t want their first glimpse of the future King to be that of someone who cares not for the people.”

He gently tapped his finger on the table as he thought quietly to himself.

Varin Mortifer​

 

[Shade]

Shade listened as Varin spoke of his father, his court, and the kingdom he intended to reclaim. There was conviction in his voice, but also restraint. He was already thinking beyond simply winning. He was thinking about what came afterward, about the people who would have to live with the consequences of whatever choices he made. That, more than anything else he had said tonight, reassured her that he was looking toward a future rather than merely seeking revenge.

When he described the palace and the routes he remembered, her thoughts naturally shifted toward logistics. Secret passages. Defensive positions. Supply routes. Escape plans. She had no doubt Allan had altered much of what Varin remembered, but that did not make the knowledge worthless. Every fortress changed over time. Every ruler left habits behind. It would simply require verification instead of assumption.

She lifted her glass once more, taking a slow sip before setting it back upon the table.

"There is one thing I should clarify before we make this arrangement official."

Her tone remained practical, neither hesitant nor apologetic.

"Am I free to come and go as circumstances require?" She met his gaze evenly. "If I accept your offer, I intend to see it through. But there are occasions when another matter will require my attention. Investigations. Contracts. Personal obligations that predate this agreement."

For the briefest moment, something colder settled behind her crimson eyes.

"There is...unfinished business I intend to resolve one day." The admission was quiet and deliberately vague. "It is not my priority, nor will it interfere with your preparations. But I would rather ask the question now than create misunderstandings later."

She folded her hands loosely together upon the table.

"If I am to stand at your side, I would prefer we begin with clear expectations rather than assumptions." A faint smile returned. "That seems a sturdier foundation than discovering months from now that one of us expected something the other never promised."

Varin Mortifer

 

[Varin Mortifer]

VARIN MORTIFER

Equipment: Durum Mantle | Black Blade of Chandrila | Eye of The Dragon | Heavy Sith Mace | Cross Guard Broadsaber​

Shades question came clearly to him and a small smile reached him in understanding as he gave a slow nod.

“Yes, you have that freedom. You have your own life as well.”

He paused as he leaned back in the chair.

“But, I want you to know. If you need help with any of this “personal” business. Please come find me. I have resources, and I have ways of getting information.”

His eyes remained on her.

“You help me and I help you. This is not a one way street.”

He knew what she was asking, and it was something he did think about. Certain priorities would need to be put into place, but those were bridges that could be crossed as they came.

“Building our foundation is something I agree with. I want that clear understanding with you, especially with this amount of responsibility I am entrusting on you. It can be…a lot. But it is not like I have you chained to a desk or at my side at all times.”

A small chuckle left him.

“No. You retain your freedoms.”

Shade​

 

[Shade]

Shade listened in silence, weighing not only Varin's words but the conviction behind them. He spoke of freedom without conditions, of assistance without expectation of repayment, and of trust without attempting to possess it. Those were not qualities she encountered often. They were not impossible, merely...uncommon. She found herself appreciating them all the more because of that.

A faint smile touched her lips as she inclined her head.

"Then I think we have a deal, Varin Mortifer."

The name felt more appropriate now than before. Not because he was becoming a king, but because he had earned enough of her respect to be addressed by his full name. She lifted her glass, taking a measured sip before setting it gently back upon the table.

"I may take you up on your offer one day." Her crimson eyes settled on the amber liquid for a brief moment, thoughtful rather than distant. "There are matters I have left unresolved. Some of them have waited long enough that they are unlikely to disappear on their own." She allowed the thought to linger before looking back to him. "Whether they require another's help...I have yet to decide."

A quiet breath escaped her.

"Some things are meant to be faced alone." There was no sadness in the statement, only experience. "Others merely convince us they are." The faintest hint of a smile returned. "We will see which kind my business proves to be."

She folded her hands comfortably together once more, the agreement now feeling complete.

"Time will tell."

Varin Mortifer