Private Starcrossed

[Marek Silvanus]

TAG: Anja Doreva

Although the fact that Danika was not involved in the presences he felt in front of him should have been a relief to him, the fact was quite the opposite. If she was indeed the cause for it, at least he would know that unequivocally now. Yet, she claimed that she was not the source, and although she didn't really give him a fuzzy feeling by any means; he sensed no deception within her. In fact, as she stepped forth with the confidence only a woman of her esteem and power could, an odd sense of security washed over him. He couldn't explain exactly why or even how such an inexplicable thing could be true - she was no friend or special confidant of his; he had only known her personally for a few hours. He still worried about exposing his sister to Danika, and a part of him was preparing himself for potentially having to lay down his own life to protect her. But the feeling was there nonetheless, combined with the conflicted feeling that he was walking into a trap. He could hear the words of his master ringing crystal clear in his mind as if he were right next to him; 'Search your feelings - you are conflicted. Center yourself before you do something you regret.'

He could feel himself teetering on the edge - his emotions threatening to gain the mastery over him at this time of times. He did his best to contain the uncertainty and doubt bubbling forth in his mind, focusing on the one emotion he knew would at least partially drag him closer to center. He was here for her. She needed to be safe.

Mustering his resolve, Marek entered into the estate via the front entrance. A servant opened the door and bowed as he allowed the pair entry. The manor carried a certain allure, being both understated yet stately all the same. The interior of the estate was ornately adorned with ash-wood paneling intermingling with each other at regular, alternating angles, and baroque lattice-work within the trim near the floor and ceiling. The estate stood nearly three stories tall, with a massive staircase easily wide enough to allow for three people to stand abreast whilst ascending its sepia carpet steps. Tapestries, portraits, all manner of artwork and antiques which had been within the Silvanus family for generations lined the halls flanking Marek and Danika's approach to the meeting room his sister waited within. The servant remained silent as he lead them up the staircase, down the corridor they now walked through, and paused before the closed double doors at the end of the east wing.

The servant wrapped lightly upon the door, when a faint voice beckoned he enter. The servant entered first, introducing the two guests. But as he did so, it became clear that no introduction was needed as her eyes met his. Despite the years which separated their last meeting, it was as if the connection between brother and sister was never broken as any attempt to contain a perceived flood of emotions became all but futile. Asha Silvanus was a vision of elegant, dignified beauty. She had the same sable black hair as Marek did, albeit far longer and wavy by comparison, done up in an ornate braided ponytail. Her eyes, unlike Marek's, possessed a deep aqua-hue as opposed to the pale blue of her brother. She appeared to be every bit the vision of a noblewoman of Serenno, possessed with an air of authority unquestioned upon sight. Yet, that persona quickly melted away as her eyes met with Marek's.

The two siblings paused, merely staring at each other for what appeared to be far too long. Then, as if both being pulled together by an invisible force, ran into each other's arms into a tight embrace. She stood nearly a head shorter than he did, which reminded him slightly of their childhood together. The tightness in which she wrapped her arms around him, and he her, pulled a tear from the Jedi's eye. For a moment, Marek had forgotten all of the uncertainty; all of the fear he had felt a moment prior. Instead, for this brief window in time, it was as if only he and his sister existed. The two long-separated siblings separated, with Marek pulling back to appraise his 'baby' sister. She was no girl anymore, that much was certain. Instead, she was very much a woman grown, and apparently entrusted with much responsibility on Serenno given her chain of office in the form of a necklace. It was only in this moment that Marek became very aware of two things: the first being the presence of a guard in the corner of the room, his hand resting upon his holster and sliding off after the apparent display of familiarity between the two siblings. The second, the presence of a man he least expected to be here.

The familiar visage of his master stood before Marek off to the side; the hands of his Cerean master entwined within his sleeves, a disapproving scowl upon his face. Instantly, Marek felt a mixture of both confusion and embarrassment. For years, his master had tried to help him control his emotional attachment with his family, particularly the sister he felt he had abandoned. Although he didn't regret coming here, and embracing his sister as he did, to fail so utterly in the eyes of his old master was something he never truly came to terms with. In fact, he loathed the feeling even though he was a proper Jedi Knight on his own right. This feeling brought back the same uncertainty which he had attempted to contain a short while ago, screaming back into his mind with but a single word.

'Danika.'

 

[Anja Doreva]

TAG: Marek Silvanus

O~~>JUDGEMENT DAY<~~O​

She could almost see the confused emotions.

She was used to the distrust from Light Siders. It was nothing new to her. It was quite interesting, however, that he seemed more at ease in her company than he was at ease with the Presence that preceded them.

Danika allowed the heir to the manor take the lead, even as the Nether set off warning bells in her head about what lay ahead. It took all her self control to not unclip her sabers just to be ready.

A servant led them toward some doors and proceeded to introduce them. The Lady of Bone payed little attention the siblings' heartfelt reunion. Instead, her eldritch eyes fell instantly on the Jedi Master. The surreal breeze that always surrounded her intensified into a whirlwind around her as the Abyss responded to her call.
"Master Serak-Tal." she sneered, her voice echoing eerily with the voices of the dead. "Why grace this particular household with your presence?" she asked, her teal eyes burning like turquoise fires as they regarded the Cerean.

She knew about this Jedi and his outdated, traditional ways. What ever his motivations, his presence was a taint to the area. Yet she did not advance on the Master, despite wanting to. She remained in the doorway, semi in the center between the siblings and the Jedi Master.

Yet, she could sense the confusion and distress in Marek. He wasn't exactly subtle with it. The Lady of Conquest itched to act upon the Master's presence. Yet, she waited for his answer upon her question. For he would incriminate himself on either side of the spectrum.

If years on the run had taught her one thing, it was patience.

 

[Marek Silvanus]

TAG: Anja Doreva

If looks could kill, both Marek and Danika both would be corpses by the entryway. Needless to say, Jedi Master Serak-Tal was not amused by the display of emotion by his former apprentice, nor the presence of a well known fugitive within the civilized galaxy at large. His look was not emotionally charged, nor seething with hatred. It was stern, as stern as stone, with a forbidding air that was reminiscent of a Jedi ready to fight everyone in the room. To a woman such as Danika, it would probably appear rather ironic for a man of such old fashioned principles. But that wouldn't be the only thing she would sense that was... amiss.

Marek wouldn't be quite centered enough to sense this, but Danika's exceeding powers would catch the slight touch of... duplicity; as if the Jedi Master was bolstering his presence here to cover up the very fact he was here. But the Jedi Master was also very strong in the force, enough so for Danika to be unable to sense more than that. "I would ask you the same question, Lady of Bone. I would also question why my former apprentice is in your company." Although his words were couched in the form of a statement, there was a questioning; nay, a demanding air about him as he glanced over to Marek again. Marek appeared struck, as if he were thirteen again, under the judgement of his master for some perceived failure to rise to his expectations. But that wasn't who he was anymore - he was also a Jedi. The Silver Jedi Order did not forbid familial attachments. Such a denial was merely the archaic teachings of his former master. Marek carried himself with a surprising amount of confidence as he looked into his master's eyes.

"I am here to reunite with my Sister, master. As to why Danika is here... I cannot say for certain. But I am curious as to why you are here..." When questioned, the Jedi Master's expression appeared to grow harder still, obviously unaccustomed to being questioned. Marek's sister took a step back from her brother's embrace, and nodded over to the Jedi Master.

"Oddly enough, he came to meet with me."

A look of puzzlement flashed across Marek's features when his sister said what she did. His gaze returned briefly to his former master, as if to ascertain the truth of the matter, but Serak-Tal's face was as stoic as it had been moments prior. "Indeed..." Serak-Tal began: "I came to discuss you, Marek. And the apparent connection with the force Asha seems to have..."

Marek's face possessed the same level of confusion it had a moment prior, but that confusion soon turned into a grim realization. "...You couldn't be thinking of training her... right? You... thought I was too old to begin training when we began. Unless..." Marek's eyes flitted back to Danika, then to his master: "Unless you knew Danika would be here to find Asha, and you wanted to be here first."

Within moments, a series of actions erupted from the stillness of inaction, that Marek was all but stunned in place. Serak-Tal's cloak flew through the air, cascading over Marek's form while Serak-Tal's lightsaber sprung into his hands. The bright cyan beam then plunged itself deep into Asha's chest - impaling her heart and killing her near instantly. Marek hardly had any time to react - he could not react in time to save her. He could only witness the inevitable after removing the cloak from his face and throwing it to the side.

Serak-Tal removed his blade from Asha's chest and readied himself in a defensive position, expecting near-immediate reprisal from Danika. Marek immediately fell to his sister's side, placing a hand to her throat to sense a pulse. But there was none to be felt. In an instant... his sister was dead. The voice of his master reached his ears - muffled to be sure, due to the intense trauma he had just witnessed, but his master's words could be heard nonetheless. "She was a practitioner of the Dark Arts, Marek. Your escort was here to take her under her tutelage. I could not allow for that to happen. Please understand, Marek. We can speak of this later - I need your aid once more."

Whatever Danika did in those passing moments, or whatever Serak-Tal did would go unnoticed by Marek for the next few moments, as he stared blankly at his sister's still body. Even as her body guard removed his pistol and shot at the Jedi Master, who in turn redirected the blaster bolt back into the guard's chest, Marek remained still. But eventually, he rose to his feet; clutching his curved lightsaber hilt in his hand. But as he did so, something was... different about him. He met Danika's eyes but once - eyes devoid of the same fear and reticence that had been there moments prior.

They were cold and still; as if the frozen waters of a normally torrential sea underneath. Then, quite suddenly, Marek's blade activated and he sprung into action. But not against Danika - against his former master. Their blades locked together, with the Cerean almost taken aback (being the first of emotional responses he had thus far exhibited) by the sudden 'betrayal' on the part of his former apprentice. But all would know the truth of it - for Marek's emotions yielded forth for all to see, all restraint shed from him like a soiled coat.

He wanted revenge.

​

 

[Anja Doreva]

TAG: Marek Silvanus

O~~>WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD<~~O​

"I would ask you the same question, Lady of Bone. I would also question why my former apprentice is in your company." A

The Warlord narrowed her eyes at the Jedi Master.
"Cut the subterfuge, Serak-Tal." she spoke with the Legion of the Dead's voices. Her hands went to her blades, but she did not draw them yet. "We both know why you are here." She guessed his reason, rather. But she knew she wasn't far off. She had killed and conquered enough to have an idea.

The Lady of Conquest's face was carved from stone as she watched the exchange within the room as she removed the hilts from her belt ever so slowly and subtly. She had a bad feeling about the Presences within the room and she did not wish to be caught unawares.

And there it was.

When the Jedi Master moved, so did Darth Halōsis. Blades ignited as she moved into the room in a blur. But she was too late. The Cerean's blade had already found its mark. Danika froze and glared at the Jedi Master that now faced her. Her teal eyes only momentarily found Marek's. And in that moment, the scales of the Force tipped once more.

A triumphant gaze found the Cerean.

The Herald of Death remained still as Marek crossed blades with his once-master. Vengeance rolled off him in waves. Danika looked down at the sister's body momentarily, It was a shame. Two would have been worth so much more.

Her haunting gaze lifted once more, and a cold fire burned within them. Casually, she disengaged the crimson blade and clipped the hilt back on her belt. But when she lifted the empty hand again, the Force answered with vehemence. She grabbed hold of Sarek-Tal with the Force and flung him towards a wall, out of Marek's reach.
"Vengeance will grant you nothing, Marek." she said, her voice still echoing with the Dead. She gilded over to the Cerean where he had crashed to the floor - the shock of betrayal, his downfall. She angled her amethyst blade toward him, yet it was still at the ready. "Walk away, old man. You have one chance. Go, and tell the Galaxy what transpired here. Tell them the Lady of Conquest walks once more." she sneered at him.

She knew better than to expect a mere surrender from him.

And she was ready for it.

 

[Marek Silvanus]

TAG: Anja Doreva

Marek's lightsaber was entwined with that of his former master, yet prior to being able to join in combat properly, the form of his master was flung bodily to the other side of the room like a ragdoll. A moment of surprise flashed across Marek's features, but i was short lived as he made to attack his former master yet again. Again to his surprise, he would find it less easy to do so than one might expect. An invisible hand kept him from moving forward, and the more he pushed against it the more he felt his body held in place. A moment's pause led him to the thought it was none other than Danika herself who was behind the restraint. But why?

All his life (well, during all of his life as a Jedi), Marek had been taught that the Sith were naught but barbaric slaves to their baser instincts and desires, which underscored the need to keep one's emotions in check. But here was Danika, a woman unabashedly known as a servant of the Dark Side, restraining him - a knight of the Silver Jedi Concord - from attacking his former master out of pure, blind rage. The paradoxical nature of this entire affair was almost enough to pull Marek from the grips of his rage and cause him to laugh audibly. But one look back at his sister's corpse reinforced the inferno welling up with him.

While Marek was struggling with his own inner demons, so too was Serak-Tal taken aback by what had just happened. The Cerean had been a Jedi Master of some renown within the Silver Jedi, and could not recall for the life of him a time wherein he was bodily thrown so casually. Seeing that the danger had temporarily been averted, he slowly rose to his feet, the deactivated hilt of his lightsaber still clutched within his hand. His expression was somewhat... awestruck, his gaze shifting from Danika to Marek, back and forth for several moments. He mulled over Danika's words, and paused for what seemed to be an eternity.

Yet, soon after, he stored his lightsaber at his belt, pulled his robe to himself, and turned to leave. Marek's eyes narrowed, with every fiber of muscle in his body urging his body to move forward. Yet, he would not feel the halting hand of Danika's presence lift until his master was well out of sight and likely on his way out from the grounds. A tear streaked down Marek's face, with the Jedi turning to face Danika - pain racking his features. But he said nothing, instead turning to the still form of his sister once again. He knelt down to her side, placing a gentle hand upon her pale white cheek. His fingers brushed against it, and he brought his forehead down to hers in a moment of pure, unfiltered grief. It was as if all of the guilt he had carried with him over the years had arisen anew; the guilt he bore of abandoning her all those years prior, of being unable to come to her up until now. Belief that if he had only come a week, or even a few days prior - all of this could have been avoided.

Without turning to face her, Marek's voice broke the silence as he addressed Danika. "Why...?" It was all he could manage to say without completely breaking his composure, but the meaning would hopefully be clear. Why deny him the vengeance he so desperately wanted? Although that question could potentially be answered well enough, at his heart he also was asking by sheer shock. Why did his sister have to die? Why did things have to be this way?

Why?

​

 

[Anja Doreva]

TAG: Marek Silvanus

O~~>CAROLYN<~~O​

She was almost tempted to let Marek go.

To be able to see what his unbridled destruction was capable of. But she needed a Hand with his wits about him, not a blind slave bound to Bogan. She had learned long ago that real power did not lie in the restraints the Sith or the Jedi put in the Force.

Serak-Tal met her otherworldly gaze with something almost akin to shock written on his face. She waited calmly for him to decide his actions while Marek struggled against her ethereal grip.
<You better hope he never finds you. I won't stand in his way again, old man. You did this, not me. Run. And never look back.> she told the Jedi Master telepathically.

And he seemed to have made up his mind.

Her eldritch gaze followed the Cerean out of the room, yet she kept a grip on Marek while she lifted her arm to her mouth.
"Samron, let the Jedi go." she said over the comms, yet the end of the sentence was said in such a way that the Falleen would be able to hear the unspoken for now in her voice.
"Yes, Mistress." he replied.
Danika dropped her arm and waited.

When Marek finally stopped struggling against her, she let him go. The heartache was written all over his face as he turned to face her momentarily. How long has it been since she was equally distraught? Was it almost 20 years now? Death was not final where she was concerned. She still saw people after they had passed. Her own dead master still walked with her from time to time if she wasn't causing trouble in the Netherworld.

Her gaze followed Marek as he moved towards his dead sister. It was such a shame that not everyone had the gift. That not everyone could commune with the dead. She so often had to be the bridge between the two planes in order for people to mostly just say goodbye. It would probably take his sister some time to find her way back to the parallel time on the other side of the Veil.

For now, she would let him grieve.

As she disengaged the amethyst blade, his voice broke they silence.

"Why...?"

Danika looked back at him from where she clipped the hilt to her belt.
"Because blind vengeance only breeds slaves. Do you wish to be a slave to the Dark Side or do you prefer to transcend beyond the limited knowledge both alignments give you and accomplish true peace and acceptance in the Force?" she asked him as she glided over to the window to look out across the Estate gardens.
"Death isn't final. By just demolishing the corporeal body, you grant your old master an even greater hold on you. There are other ways to get justice if you are so hellbent on exacting it." she then continued after a while without looking at him.

Calculated steps.

Even with her own enslavement by the Keepers of the Nether, she still had free enough rein to exact her own will and, by extension theirs, upon the Galaxy. Her Sith title was not given in vain - she was the one that took by force. Yes, she desired freedom from the chains that still held her. For she knew that even when she held up her end of the blood vow, they Keepers would not. So she would bide her time, turn and teach the distraught man kneeling not far from her, and then she would take her and her men's freedom as well as the Galaxy with force.

But she would take it one step at a time.

 

[Marek Silvanus]

TAG: Anja Doreva

Marek considered Danika’s words for a while whilst on his knees, his gaze still affixed to the now lifeless form of his sister. A mixture of emotions raced through him; anger over his master’s betrayal, a deep loss over the reunion he had so long dreamt of with his sister, coupled with a deep sorrow over… everything. He felt as though he had been lied to this whole time, that his master had long planned to do this unspeakable act all along. For his part, Marek couldn’t escape the feeling of being blind for years only to regain his sight too late to be of use; now for the first time.


That feeling could partially be attributed to the content of Danika’s words, which seeped into his mind like water trickling through the labyrinthine crevices of his mind. At first, he wanted to recoil at the very sound of her voice - for he had been taught to reject the influences of people like her for years; to reject their words for poison meant to spoil the minds of those who gave heed to them.


But he did not reject them. In fact, he yearned for them in ways he didn’t fully understand.


He truly listened to what she had to say. He had not expected her to react the way that she did, specifically to prevent him from acting upon his overwhelming momentary impulse for vengeance. In fact, she even sounded… reasonable. A part of him still wanted to find some basis upon which to reject her words, but the other part desperately latched onto them. At the mention of ‘what he wanted’, he honestly wasn’t sure how to address that.


What did he want? He wanted to avenge his sister, but at what cost? The death of his master at his own hand? What if… this was not the end? What if he could reunite with his sister beyond the veil of death? So many questions swirled about his mind, amidst a whirlwind of emotions that simmered below the surface. Only two things were for certain now - he was no longer a Jedi, so he couldn’t return to Commenor or really any Concord world. And he couldn’t stay here - for all he knew, he would be implicated (however falsly) in the death of his sister. Even as he took a moment’s repose to consider this, he could sense the rising of emotions throughout the estate over the welfare of his lady sister.


He didn’t sense that they knew about her death yet, but that wouldn’t be the case for much longer, evidenced by the sounds of footsteps echoing down the hallway. Slowly, Marek rose to his feet and met Danika’s waiting eyes. ”Teach me. There is… nothing more for me here.” For the first time in many years - the last time he was on Serenno in fact - Marek didn’t know what the future held for himself. For all he knew, this would be a terrible mistake. But he also knew that he could not - would not - let this be the end.


His opportunity to defy this end was standing right in front of him. For the first time in his left, he would take his fate into his own hands.

 

[Anja Doreva]

TAG: Marek Silvanus

O~~>BLINDSIDE<~~O​

The confusion and emotion was written all over his face.

While he made his decision, Danika returned her attention to the window. The household's confusion and budding distress at the departure of the Jedi Master assaulted her senses.

One thing she was certain of - she had her work cut out for her with this man and the vengeance burning in his heart right at that moment should he decide to leave his world behind. Divided attentions would not serve greater purposes right.

As the emotion was growing within the manor and as it ebbed ever closer, Marek seemed to make his decision.

"Teach me. There is… nothing more for me here."

Eldritch eyes turned on him once more.
"Very well." she said as she turned to face him fully. "Step this way." she added as she wove a hand through the empyrean. A portal appeared at her behest once more.

She stepped to the side and motioned for him.
"It might be out of the ordinary for you. but it's the quickest way to avoid unnecessary conflict. Now, if you please, darling. Before the whole household arrives." she told him as she cocked her head towards the portal.

She knew it might seem strange to a man that had just met her and who was trained to hate people like her. But she figured that the drive for survival would force him into the portal instead of sticking around to get apprehended by the New Imperial forces.

Should he step through, the Lady of Bone would follow through the portal to emerge once more just behind her men outside the gate to the estate.
Gliding out of the Nether, Danika hailed Samron.
"Darling, it's time to go. Let's not get bogged down here." she said.
"Yes, Mistress." the Falleen said as he circled his men around to the portal behind her.

It did not take long for her men to file through the portal to emerge in the hangar of the Fortuna. Danika stepped into the hangar as well along with Marek. Teal-coloured gaze fell upon the now-aimless man.
"There's no turning back again. If we leave here, it's gone. You prepared for that?" she asked him.

She had sensed the initial decision in him. But she was not unreasonable......

Much.