Private So We Meet Again

[Revna Marr]

Revna stood quietly, eyes of golden fire tracing individuals as they made preparations and set up for the coming feast and memorial after the hard fought and hard won victory against the Imperials. She was taking a moment, finally, to rest and breathe. Brosi had suffered immensely in the wake of the hellish battle waged on the surface and in its skies - and though the planet was reclaiming and erasing evidence of what had happened, the scars could still be seen in places.

But here, near the World Tree, life had returned and was beautiful again - thriving, from the chaos and the destruction and death that had been wrought. Psilofyr, and Brosi at large, was designed to make use of such terrible things however. It was a marvel, truly. Revna felt incredibly privileged to have had a small part to play in all of it.

Besides servants and others helping to set up for the coming festivities, Revna could see others milling about. Sith that she had fought beside, bled beside…and others that she didn’t recognize, hated on principle, or simply didn’t know enough to form an opinion yet.

But one of them kept drawing her eye, and she stared without shame or fear. The tall woman, who had been with Srina before the battle had truly begun. The one that had crossed blades with her Father, Darth Strosius , had tried to kill him. There was no visible anger or hatred in her burning gaze...but the weight of it would be felt. Searching, studying...

She saw that woman - and though she couldn’t feel her in the Force, she was smart enough to know that this one…this one held power that rivaled the Dark Lords Revna had brushed shoulders with. Not literally - all of them were far taller than she was. Except for Srina Talon ; she was petite like Revna, almost the silvery counterpart to Revna’s darkness. At least that was how Revna viewed the Empress of the Sith.

And it was Srina’s involvement with the giant woman that stayed Revna’s wrath. Instead, there was a burning curiosity laced into more dark emotions - enough to mask them for the time being.

And…unlike her Master, Revna was more open to understanding someone, before deciding on whether or not said someone could be an ally, or a worthy foe. ​

Mercy ​

 

[Mercy]

Revna Marr

More often than not Mercy was clueless when it came to the inner goings of the people around her.

She would never admit this or voice it, but sometimes she frankly forgot they existed. Especially if they weren't in the room with her. Out of sight, out of mind, as they said and Mercy suffered from this infliction more than most could guess. And yet, it would take a blind person not to notice the looks and stares that Revna aimed at Mercy throughout the festivities.

At first she was happy enough to ignore it.

No sense in ruining the pretty celebration. Srina Talon would be annoyed with her if she made a mess of it. Which... was a reason to make a mess, Srina was so funny when she was annoyed with her.

But Mercy had to be responsible. Now that she did not just represent herself, but the Core as its Empress and the Covenant as its Warlord. Disgusting, really, Mercy loathed that. But the sense of responsibility was skin-deep and could not be fully ignored. So Mercy drank and smoked and enjoyed the dancing and singing and melodies.

Until eventually the staring could not be ignored.

"Unlike what we are told, my darling, looks can kill if one is not careful." Mercy called out to Revna, good-humored and with a smirk. "I recognize you, Revna of House Marr, come. Sit with me unless you wish to dance."

She slowly rolled her shoulders, the mass of the mountain shifting with every move she made.

"One dance... or the other."

If Revna attacked her first, well, then Srina nor anyone else in attendance could blame her for meeting her in kind. And that would be nice, pleasant even. The invasion had been relatively boring. The fights she had gotten in... not as exciting as she had hoped. But Revna could prove a challenge, that much Mercy believed.

 

[Revna Marr]

Revna was ignored by the giantess, for a while anyway. That was fine by her; she wasn’t quite ready to interact with the woman. She was still taking her measure, studying her, looking for strengths and weaknesses in the other. She was a predator in ambush, watching her prey.

Except her prey was also a dangerous predator in her own right.

Eventually, however, the giant woman decided that she was no longer going to ignore the pricklings of eyes set upon her. She turned her gaze and found Revna from across the distance that separated them, and called out to the little Marr woman, her tone good natured and relaxed.

“Unlike what we are told, my darling, looks can kill if one is not careful."

“Oh, can it? It doesn’t seem to be working.” Revna replied lightly, though her voice carried the distance, and laced into it was a touch of dark humor.

"I recognize you, Revna of House Marr, come. Sit with me unless you wish to dance."

The woman rolled her shoulders, and Revna did not miss how the muscles coiled there. "One dance... or the other." Fearlessly, the black haired Vahla stepped away from the trunk she’d been leaning on, and approached the mountain of living flesh - and the seat that was somewhat beside her.

Revna smirked, a playful and dangerous gleam in her eyes. “You couldn’t handle me.” she said softly as she took her seat, though there was now a smirk tugging at the edges of her lips. “But I do enjoy dancing…of all kinds.”

She waved down a passing servant and plucked a drink from a tray that was being hauled off somewhere else for the feast preparations, uncaring as to what it was. It was a gesture to tell the other woman of violence that she was not here to fight…not yet, anyway.

She took a drink of the liquid, her lips pursing at the acrid, sharp alcoholic bite. The heat of it pierced her chest almost instantly; it must have been some sort of spirit. If he was, she would need to pace herself.

“So...we meet again. You clearly know who I am, yet I do not know who you are. Does not seem very fair to me.” Revna took another deep drink of the amber liquid, sighing deeply as the warmth spread through her cold veins. It was clear that her words were said in jest; she knew better than to believe the Sith to be fair. She wasn't entirely sure if this woman was a Sith or not, but it didn't really matter to Revna.

"I'd like to know the name of the one who tried to kill my Master." There was no anger, no bitterness in her voice. It was carefully neutral, simple conversation, but her eyes were sharp, piercing. She'd get the information one way or another, but she'd rather hear it from the mouth of the one who tried to take her Father away from her. ​

Mercy
​

 

[Mercy]

Revna Marr

In some ways it was a relief that there were still people who didn't know who Mercy was.

What a twist and turn of events.

Once upon a time it would have grated Mercy to find out someone didn't know her. She would have been upset, pissed off maybe even. But now, after weeks of being the 'Empress of the Core', a little bit of mystery was like a balm to the heart. No expectations, no fucking honor guard that was trailing her every move.

Brosi had been boring, but that part had appealed to her.

Revna took another deep drink of the amber liquid, sighing deeply as the warmth spread through her cold veins

"I'd like to know the name of the one who tried to kill my Master."

"Oh, darling..." Mercy reached out, her thumb slowly coasting just under her lip, before bringing it to her own mouth. Sucking it clean from the amber liquid remnant. Smirking there, satisfied, as she gazed down at her. "I don't try to kill people. I just make them dead... when I am not being interfered with. Your Master is alive, because I didn't care for his head."

She shrugged there.

"I was there for Darth Nefaron , a request from the Princess, but I had little personal stake in it."

His slaughter of House Marr didn't really faze her, even though she was sitting next to one of its survivors. Mercy had just gotten done slaughtered a whole cluster of noble houses from the ancient Tapani sector.

She'd have to be a hypocrite to pretend to care.

"But my name is Mercy, darling." She stretched lightly. "Empress of the Core. Warlord of the Covenant." She rolled her eyes there. "Sovereign of the Graspborn." It pained her to say that last one. As if it would summon that infernal honor guard right to her doorstep.

"Do you care for your Master then? He is rather high-strung and emotional, isn't he?" Thinking back to her other encounter with Darth Strosius .

 

[Revna Marr]

Revna hadn’t known what to expect as an answer from the giant woman seated beside her - but an “oh darling” and a thumb attached to massive hand swiping a drop of alcohol that had dripped down her lip was certainly not the answer she thought she’d get. It stunned the young woman enough that she didn’t react, and could only blink in equal parts fascination and ‘what the feth just happened?’ as the other woman cleaned her own finger off of the stray sip of alcohol. Revna barely suppressed a shudder, conflicted by how such a gesture, and that smirk, made her feel in the moment.

"I don't try to kill people. I just make them dead... when I am not being interfered with. Your Master is alive, because I didn't care for his head."

“You know what - I believe that.” Revna said as she finally pulled herself together enough to take another drink of the alcohol in her hand.

The other woman shrugged, then admitted she’d only been there for Darth Nefaron, a ‘request from the Princess’, with a personal stake in the events, apparently. Revna did not bother to hide the look of utter disgust that crossed her face at the mention of the Corpse Lord. "Ugh - I'd say good for you, but I also want that piece of slimy bantha chit to myself."

The giant of a woman stretched, and Revna watched from the corner of her eye the way muscles moved and shifted. It wasn’t that she was hiding the fact that she was admiring the other woman, but she didn’t want to be rude and outright stare. "But my name is Mercy, darling. Empress of the Core. Warlord of the Covenant." An eye roll there, which made one of Revna’s delicate black and silver eyebrows arch upwards slightly in amusement. "Sovereign of the Graspborn."

Revna truly turned her gaze more fully upon the giant woman, Mercy, an expression of mild admiration on her face. “Wow. Warlord, Empress, Sovereign. Quite the list of titles. I imagine they are as useful as they are tiresome.” Revna didn’t grovel or bow or otherwise change her demeanor upon learning who and what Mercy was. Nothing was demanded of her, and thus she simply existed in the moment with the other woman - her curiosity having long overtaken her anger. “I am familiar with the Covenant - my Apprentice counts himself amongst your ranks.” Another sip - another bloom of heat through her chest and through her veins.

"Do you care for your Master then? He is rather high-strung and emotional, isn't he?"

Revna did not respond immediately, inhaling deeply for a moment and pursing her lips in thought instead. That first question was a dangerous one to answer, in the wrong company. She wasn't entirely sure which side Mercy fell on yet, so she proceeded with a measure of caution. “I would say He freely expresses His more passionate nature, for sure. Though the rare and privileged few get to see His not so emotional side." the raven-haired little Sith smiled slightly for a moment. "My Master is…a complicated individual with complicated motivations and ideals." While she hadn't answered Mercy's first question, her tone of voice might have been answer enough: she certainly spoke of the man with respect.

After another brief pause, Revna smirked and finished off what was in her glass. "He can be a real ass sometimes, though. I will say that." ​

Mercy ​

 

[Mercy]

Revna Marr

Mercy was always and ever on her own side.

It was what won her allies - her unyielding nature and forceful approach to things, but it was also what earned her enemies easily. The creature next to Revna was a force of nature in its most literal definition. Where she went, she left change behind. Good, bad, neutral... it didn't matter. Nothing remained the same if Mercy's gaze passed it.

It was the same sort of nature that allowed her the desire to rip Darth Nefaron 's head off. Only to then have a pleasant conversation with Helix months later without any hard feelings.

At least no hard feelings on her side.

"Ugh - I'd say good for you, but I also want that piece of slimy bantha chit to myself."

"You're welcome to it, sweetheart, I am in no rush to collect that head of his anymore." Mercy drawled generously as she drank from her own tankard without hesitation.

It was the same sort of reaction that allowed her to not have hard feelings for Darth Strosius , even if he had fucked it all up for her to begin with.

"I imagine they are as useful as they are tiresome."

Mercy sighed.

To Lina Ovmar she had rejected the implication she hated her title or that it didn't fit her. But Mercy was looser now, a bit more buzzed around the edges after a whole night of partying and a whole lot of drinks and smoking.

"It is fun to pursue the titles, Revna. It is less fun to have them and actually feel their weight on your shoulders." She declared finally, perhaps wishing to give this young Lady a lesson in wisdom.

Inebriated wisdom.

"Do not chase the titles, is my advice. They will make you miserable."

“I am familiar with the Covenant - my Apprentice counts himself amongst your ranks.”

Eyebrows rose up at that however.

"Is that so? And which of our gaggle of Lords-in-Training is yours then? He must be formidable, if you are spending your time on his education."

There were some that impressed her... and some that did not.

But Mercy smirked again at her last comment.

"Oh, just sometimes?" Innocently, innocence ruined however by that shit-eating smirk. "Tell me, is he the only man you waste your time on?" Her eyes meaningful on Revna's.

The implication relatively obvious.

 

[Revna Marr]

Revna felt some relief to hear that Mercy wouldn’t at least get in her way of getting to Nefaron. Though she did ponder the idea of both of them going after him at the same time …just for fun. Nefaron had already figured out just how violent Revna could be when she wanted to be - the memory of her venture to Anoat to poke and prod the bastard lingered sweetly in the back of her mind. Some might ask her why she didn’t just go in for the kill - but that would defeat the point of having a rival, wouldn’t it? It was much too boring to kill someone so quickly, but surely in time it would happen. Maybe not by her hand, but she would at least endeavor to be the biggest pain in the ass for Darth Nefaron as she possibly could be.

The little Vahla watched the giant woman beside her down the contents of her tankard, a slightly amused smile tugging at Revna’s kohl dabbed lips. Her…companion…for the moment anyway, seemed to be enjoying herself. Revna had already decided by this point that Mercy was not someone who deserved her ire.

Not yet, anyway.

On the topic of titles, Mercy had some…wisdom to offer Revna. "It is fun to pursue the titles, Revna. It is less fun to have them and actually feel their weight on your shoulders. Do not chase the titles, is my advice. They will make you miserable."

Revna’s smile widened, and became one of understanding. “They certainly do come with work, that is for sure. Being a ruler, or being prepared to become one, is not as glorious as people think it is. It is a lot of late nights, hard work, and headaches. A lot of council meetings, listening to boring speeches…but it does have its fun moments though. And I have found that it can be very rewarding.” A hint to her giant companion that Revna was more than just the Apprentice to the Lord of Wonosa.

As for her comment about her apprentice being a part of the Covenant, Mercy seemed to perk up - intrigued by this. "Is that so? And which of our gaggle of Lords-in-Training is yours then? He must be formidable, if you are spending your time on his education."

Revna held her silence for a moment, weighing the risks of revealing who her apprentice was, but decided to do so anyway. “Varin Mortifer. But I can’t take all the credit for his education and training, however. He came into my hands already having a solid foundation, and I have done my best to push him to rise beyond his limits. He still has a ways to go but…I believe that a Sith should never stop learning and growing.”

Mercy didn’t have much to say about her comments in regards to her Master - except she did smirk at Revna’s last comment, about Him sometimes being an ass. Revna called for another drink, replacing her empty glass for a full one.

"Oh, just sometimes?"

Revna returned her attention to Mercy, hearing the feigned innocence in her voice that was contradicted by the utter chit eating smirk on the other woman’s face. "Tell me, is he the only man you waste your time on?” Mercy said as she looked more directly into the Vahla’s eyes, in a way that made Revna feel heat bloom through her chest and up her neck and into her cheeks.

Interesting choice of words.

That look she was giving Revna was not lost on the raven-haired woman, either. Before Revna answered, she took a deep drink of the contents of the glass in her hand, draining over half in one go. Internally, a battle was suddenly being waged - between her desire to just let go and enjoy her time after so much fighting…and keeping to her own path, her own circle of individuals that she was close to.

But where was the fun in that, right now? She had always been an adventurous creature, willing to test and play with danger from time to time.

And a part of her found Mercy to be charming, in a way. Charming enough to want to play along.

“I have a handful of men in my life…so no.” Revna said carefully, a rising gleam coming into her eyes as she met Mercy’s gaze with an almost silent dare, and an almost playful smirk flashed across her face.

Mercy ​

 

[Mercy]

Revna Marr

Mercy shuddered at the idea that being a ruler could be rewarding.

So far being the Empress of the Core was one headache after another. The only thing that stopped her from renouncing the Throne entirely (in Mercy fashion, which meant burning everything to the ground so no one else could take it), was her own ego. It... pleased her to be have the title, to have the authority within the Core and that her word could change the direction of the stars (metaphorically).

"Varin Mortifer."

She blinked there and then laughed.

"Young Mortifer is your student? Now that's funny. Proper lad, can take a punch like few others could." Mercy had broken Varin Mortifer 's ribs with his own mace and the lad had simply walked it off. If Arris Windrun hadn't stepped in, he would have launched himself right back at her. "But, yes, he has some ways to go before he can truly call himself Lord."

Something Varin knew himself, which was good, self-awareness was a great quality for a true Lord.

“I have a handful of men in my life…so no.”

"Oh, you poor thing..." Mercy drawled with a hungry smile, pushing herself up to her feet, rounding until they were face-to-face. The mountain looking down at Revna with... heat in her eyes.

"Only men?" Idly there as she-

Before Revna answered, she took a deep drink of the contents of the glass in her hand, draining over half in one go

Casually reached out to take Revna's glass, if allowed, she'd take her own taste of it.

"Do you want a taste for what you are missing?" She finally purred, licking her lips, if she was allowed to take that sip.

 

[Revna Marr]

Upon hearing who Revna’s apprentice was, Mercy blinked, then laughed. Not in a mocking way, but in a manner that indicated that she had connected the young Mortifer to Revna and whatever interactions she had had with Varin, brought forth the reaction from her.

Mercy commented how Revna’s apprentice could take a punch like few others, and to that Revna gave her a knowing smirk. Varin was a hearty young man, that was for sure. Revna idly recalled a lesson she had done with him, before she had gone to Dromund Kaas to face her fate before the Dark Lords. She had helped…guide…young Varin further into how he could embrace pain and suffering and turn it into fuel and power, even going so far as to turn pain into a focus to empower one’s abilities and combat strength and prowess.

It had also been a lesson in control - one he was still learning, though he had made great improvements from the time he had accepted her as his Master.

A vital lesson for any growing young Sith to learn.

Mercy agreed that he still had a ways to go before he could properly call himself a ‘Lord’, and Revna tilted her head at that. That bit of information told her that this woman had been around Varin enough to know his strengths…and his weaknesses.

Was Mercy perhaps one of the individuals Varin might have been going to for further lessons and teachings, beyond her own? If he wasn’t, then he was squandering an important opportunity to further his own growth. Not that she would say such a thing to him.

Her mind was drawn away from the topic of her Apprentice and back to the present moment - a moment that was becoming all too clear that Revna had seemingly caught the…attention…of this fellow woman.

In reaction to Revna’s comment that yes, she did have some men in her life - Mercy gave her a hungry smile and drawled out a response, before rising to her feet to practically tower over the smaller Vahla woman.

"Only men?"

Revna watched her from the edge of her vision, quirking a silvery black eyebrow upwards slightly in an almost playful manner as the other woman took her cup from her hand to drink from it - an action that Revna allowed, though a glint of warning…or was it a challenge? …shined in ember hued eyes.

“...why do you ask, Empress of the Core?” Revna inquired, her voice slipping into a velvety tone.

"Do you want a taste for what you are missing?" Mercy purred at her, the heat in her eyes was not unnoticed by the raven haired Sith sorceress.

Revna’s smile turned dark and toying, before she leaned back in her seat to take a lounged position, one of casual confidence; the warmth of the liquor was spreading further through her veins and making her feel far more bold and perhaps open than she might have otherwise been. Her eyes traced Mercy’s face, her figure, as if eyeing a beautiful weapon or perhaps a fine piece of art before her vision. Had she wondered before, what it might be like? Of course she had. She was a passionate creature with a lust for knowledge and the need to satisfy her curiosities.

It had gotten her into trouble on more than one occasion.

After a moment, Revna smirked at the other woman. “You couldn’t handle me, my dear.”

But the challenge in her eyes almost asked Mercy to try. ​

Mercy ​