Private Tea For Three

[Cotan Sar'andor]

Worries over his corner of the galaxy aside, and even without Asha's having to force him into it, Cotan knew the value of taking time to sit, relax, and breathe. It was more a matter of struggling to find the time to do so than it was getting him to understand he needed to do so. Luckily, despite the meetings and plans he'd have to soon undertake, he did manage to find a bit of time to go and relax in the garden on his station, that doubled as a miniature Je'daii temple, of sorts. Rather than spend it alone, however—and allow his mind easy opportunity to slip right back into thoughts of obligations and duties and coordination and dealing with the leaders of the various sub-states in the Kathol sector—

He breathed in deeply, letting it out slowly.

He'd invited Asha along to have tea with him, of course. At this time, it looked far more likely that he'd be relying on her than the other way around. However, he had another friend to invite along, one that he'd heard from quite recently but hadn't seen nearly as often as he ought.

"Asha and Tiland," he mused to himself, eyes closed within the center of the garden. "I wonder who'll get here first, and how long it'll take before they start arguing over tea blends."

Asha Hex Tiland Kortun

 

[Tiland Kortun]

Asha Hex Cotan Sar'andor

Tiland hummed softly to himself as he ambled through the station’s corridors. It felt good to be back on familiar ground. He had not come to the station, nor this far out in the Rift, in quite some time.

And surprisingly, Cotan, of all people, had invited him to tea. Normally he was inviting people to tea, not the other way around, but apparently there was someone else joining.

Asha Hex.

He had heard the name before, but never had that paths crossed. Which, if Asha was as much a tea expert as he had heard, was probably good for the galactic tea industry.

His staff echoed along the metallic floor as he walked until he stepped through garden into the temple, bowing gently. “It’s been a long time, I think, Cotan.”

 

[Asha Sar'andor]

A guest.

In the gardens no less...

This was an unexpected turn of events. And what's more, Cotan had organized the whole thing. After all that had happened as of late, all the turmoil and the changes in their lives, it was a welcome reprieve indeed to see him taking care of himself, setting aside time for himself. All the same, Asha was unusually late. Not late-late, barely a few minutes behind Tiland, but for someone who was known for being on time - long stretches of absences not withstanding - it was unexpected.

As she stepped into the gardens Asha did as she often did, and slipped off her shoes so that she could feel the grass between her toes. Maybe it wasn't the most proper decision, maybe she didn't come across as the most put together Master in the world when she did that, but she didn't rightly care. This garden was her happy place, Cotan was her happy place, and they did not spend enough time in here together as she would have liked.

Asha lowered herself into a deep and respectful bow toward their guest, and then sat down on her knees, feet tucked beneath her. Still lost within the grass as she preferred. She reached out and gently touched Cotan's shoulder, a sense of adoration washing over her and into him, after all she wasn't one for PDA, not least in the presence of someone she was familiar with, and then with her free hand she set her beloved teapot down.

It had a presence through the Force and everything.

"Tiland?" she inquired, of their guest, "It's wonderful to finally meet you at last. Cotan has said so many lovely things about you."

From within a softly bundled pouch Asha produced three small teacups and then various other accoutrements such as the tea leaves themselves. For once though she refrained from immediately jumping into things, let Cotan have a chance to introduce them and what not first. Even so, it was clear she was itching to do her typical rituals, so to speak. Not real rituals, of course, just... Her way of greeting others was rather sacred to her.

Cotan Sar'andor Tiland Kortun

 

[Cotan Sar'andor]

"It has, hasn't it?" Cotan replied to Tiland, opening his eyes and nodding at the elder (much, much elder) man. "I think we were at that Life Day party at the same time, but I didn't stay long enough to talk with you. Before that it would've been...well, I think the coalition was still going strong." Asha arrived shortly after, patting him on the shoulder and then kneeling down on the grass. He couldn't really figure out how she could stand to rest that way—it always ended up awfully painful for him—but she never seemed to have a problem with it.

Her words, though, gave him pause, if only for comedic effect. "I have?" he replied, with a carefully practiced, very incredulous tone in his voice and a matching look on his face. Asha might end up mortified by it, but hopefully Tiland would just laugh at it. "Well, there you have it, Tiland. I've said a lot of good things to her about you, but I've barely even told you anything about my partner."

He paused, his grin growing wider.

"Must not be husband material, huh?"

Asha might not be one for public displays of affection, especially around people she wasn't familiar with, but Cotan was fairly familiar with Tiland—and knew he'd have to get some of the jokes out of the way himself, before Tiland had the opportunity to make them instead.

Tiland Kortun Asha Hex

 

[Tiland Kortun]

Asha Hex Cotan Sar'andor

"Cotan? Saying lovely things?" Tiland said, eyes raised in mock surprise as he assessed the man. "My, that must be a first." He bowed deeply to Asha. "It is an honor to meet you."

He knelt in the grass, seiza style, and let out a gentle sigh as he settled into the position. "I must say I am surprised, Cotan, to hear that you've settled down." His mustache twitch as he held back a laugh.

There was certainly something different about the feelings of this place, but he was not sure what it counted as. An intrusion perhaps, or surprise. Both were certainly possible.

His eyes settled on the teapot and he leaned over in surprise. "I am most intrigued by that teapot. It seems quite special."

 

[Asha Sar'andor]

Asha's mouth dropped open before she could do much about it, in response to all that Cotan dared to say. Disputing her words, that was enough to put an uncomfortable blush in her cheeks, but the comment about husband material?

Oh... Ohhooo.... Eyes wide she just sort of stared at him for a moment. Force that wasn't even something they'd ever discussed and here he was using it as the butt of a joke? Her eyes then narrowed, just a touch, though mischief was primary among the emotions which washed over her. Just you wait it said... Just you wait indeed...

But present company, present company was far more important than getting back at him.

She found in Tiland a fellow kneeler, something Cotan had never understood about her - he seemed to imagine it would hurt, but for whatever reason it frankly didn't bother her. It was as natural to her as sitting in any other 'more comfortable' position. Beyond that, soon enough, also a fascination in her beloved teapot.

Asha smiled, and gently offered it along to him. "It is special to me, at least," she replied, a different sort of blush settling over her now, the kind which accompanied any amount of kind words, however small, directed her way. She'd had to learn long ago to accept them even when she inherently wished to shoot them down.

"That there is my Vur Tepe trial; Trial of the Forge. Typically it's expected that you'd make an imbued blade, but... I found this to be a much more appropriate use of my time."

A moment as that thought settled within her, before she nodded once.

"Would you care for some tea, Tiland?"

Cotan Sar'andor Tiland Kortun

 

[Cotan Sar'andor]

"Depends on how you define settled down," Cotan continued while Asha stared at him. "I'm certainly still a rabble-rouser all over the place, so in that respect, no; but I've never been the non-exclusive-relationship sort. Once Asha here decided she wanted to keep me that decided that...so I suppose, in that way, I've definitely settled down." Of course, not that he'd mention it, but there hadn't been anybody after he'd first met Asha anyways. None really after he'd left the Jedi entirely, discounting a small bit of lighthearted flirting with a certain Jedi Knight that had followed him out to the Rim or a few other women he'd run into through the years.

But he couldn't let Asha specifically know about how he'd gone expressly single after meeting her. Not after that meeting with Esis on Ceto...he'd never hear the end of it from her if she found out she'd put him off other girls entirely.

It didn't take long for Asha to collect herself, though, switching over to talking about the teapot...and the one private concession Cotan made to her regarding her trials. The forging of the blade went beyond simply making a weapon, as it was about merging crystal with steel, through the essence of the maker...it was more about the connection and demonstration of skill than simply having a blade to use.

But the teapot was a work of art and one of his favourite things in the galaxy, so it was easy to overlook that difference. "Really, Tiland, you're in for a treat," he said after Asha offered the tea, grin still on his face. "You'd be a fool to turn it down, and I don't think even you—no, I don't think even Coren would be willing to go that far for a joke."

Tiland Kortun Asha Hex

 

[Tiland Kortun]

Asha Hex Cotan Sar'andor

"Fascinating," Tiland murmured, studying the small teapot. "Both in its craftsman and its use as a replacement for crafting a weapon. Not that it is inherently useless as a weapon." He quirked half a smile with a chuckle. "Carnifex was very disconcerted by two gourds of tea tied to my walking staff."

He leaned back for a moment. "I would be delighted for tea. And it is good to see you finding your place, Cotan. And no, I do not think Coren would even think such a thing as me turning down a cup of tea."

Tiland settled a little more comfortably in the grass. "Do you require any tea leaves or herbs?" He asked Asha, setting his satchel on the ground in front of him. "Or do you have your own blend?"

 

[Asha Sar'andor]

"Hey, it's not like I'm one to stay in one place either." Imagine that, the two of them ever having a permanent home? Even as she thought it though she been forced to consider just how long she'd spent on Tribunal as of late, and just how much it had come to feel like a home. Funny sort of home to most, no doubt, but Asha had been born in space, she'd grown among the stars, it was oddly fitting.

Either way, talks turned to the teapot and she chuckled. "Oh, yes, I'd hate to be on the receiving end of it" she remarked, sturdy imbued ceramic... Yeah, no, it'd make for quite the flail. "Gourds... I can hardly imagine such a brute being confounded by vegetables."

While they talked of settling and of Coren, Asha set about preparing the tea itself. He questioned whether she had her own blend, to which she smiled. "I have blends on hand, but if you've a specific preference I'm more than happy to accommodate," she expressed. After all, the teapot did its thing regardless of the leaves and other add-ins used.

Whichever was settled on - whether one of Tiland's own, or one of Asha's - the water inside the pot was delicately brought to the correct temperature as Asha lay her hands upon it and pooled the Force over its surface. Different teas required different temperatures, of course, but she knew how to control it. It had been a long time since her Great Journey, after all.

When the tea was brewed, Asha poured first for Tiland, and then for Cotan, and finally for herself, into smaller tea-specific cups that she'd made to go along with the pot. There was a delightful fragrance wafting up on the steam, a very light fruity undertone to an otherwise decidedly strong cup.

Tiland Kortun Cotan Sar'andor

 

[Cotan Sar'andor]

Cotan's eyes narrowed at how Tiland responded to his comment about Coren.

That hadn't exactly been how he'd meant the comment to be taken. He'd thought it was clear, saying that Coren Starchaser simply wouldn't be insane enough to turn down Asha's tea, even for a joke. Let alone Tiland. No, no, Tiland had to have understood it clearly...and was absolutely trying to mess with him.

Unfortunately, it had probably worked. Damn old man has been at this game too long.

Of course, that thought was soon swept aside by the mention of the former Sith Emperor. Cotan snorted, perhaps a bit too derisively considering how powerful the man was. "Kaine got confounded by a winded ex-Jedi Knight half his size and with a quarter of the experience. Confronted with gourds knocking his blade aside, I'm surprised he didn't just immediately retreat into a new body." Sure, Cotan had come out of the fight on Coruscant with his fair share of new scars and some broken ribs, but that was all including falling through the roof of the temple and facing both Carnifex and Prazutis at once before he finally retreated.

All told, the amount of time he'd been able to keep Carnifex distracted meant more time that others had to make good on their escape, doubly so once Prazutis got involved rather than continuing to duel with Coren and Romi. In that respect, even though he'd been the one to be wounded and have to retreat, Cotan counted himself the victor; and in later battles in later years, he'd more than made up for any deficiencies he'd shown in their first meetings on Utapau and Coruscant.

Although, he did miss the shirt he'd worn that day. That was one of the more comfortable ones, but he'd never been good mending them, and he didn't have Asha to help do it for him. Speaking of Asha, he happily sipped the tea she gave, although he remained silent after his comments on Kaine Zambrano. His goal with this meeting was, after all, to give the two of them a moment to talk and get to know each other.

So long as Tiland didn't turn her away from the lightsaber practice that had taken such effort on his part to get her to take back up.

Tiland Kortun Asha Hex

 

[Tiland Kortun]

Asha Hex Cotan Sar'andor

Mischief glinted in Tiland's eyes beneath his eyebrows as he watched Cotan's response, but Tiland only gave him the barest hint of a smile before returning his attention to Asha.

"You would be surprised," Tiland responded smoothly, "When did you last train against flail weapons with a blade? It's quite rare and unusual. And it is quite good you were both able to find each other then. And please, I will trust your judgment on tea today."

As she poured the tea, Tiland cupped his hands around the tea cup and raised it to his face, eyes half closed. He inhalted deeply, letting the rich fragrance waft into his face.

"Hmm..." he mused, "Fruit, I think, yes? To contrast with a strong overall tea? Am I correct?

 

[Asha Sar'andor]

The question was a fair one, and she couldn't help but shrug her shoulders with an easy smile. "I suppose you're right. In a world of sabers and blasters, I doubt there'd be many who could contend with such. Still... Gourds. Something about that makes it all the more amusing."

He allowed Asha to make the choice on which strain of tea she utilized. There were quite a few she could have opted for, mint as once requested by Judah Lesan for example, or something a little more plain and traditional the likes of which Jericho had always preferred. Asha was feeling a little more exotic though, maybe something lightly spiced? or...

She found the blend she was looking for among the small pouches she kept handy, and added it to the built in infuser which hung at the top of the teapot. Then set the water to heat with a touch of her hand against the side of the pot itself. Once steeped, she poured and savoured the scents. Certainly a black tea, but with the aforementioned fruity undertones.

Tiland caught the general palette of it, and she nodded her head eagerly. "Juna berries," she explained, "Just the right amount of natural sweetness, without taking away from the tea itself." A little sweet, a little tart, and juicy in their natural form. Of course they'd been dried in order to be of use in this, but in many ways the removal of their moisture had only intensified the fruitiness.

All in all a well balanced blend, in her eyes at least.

Asha reached out and took Cotan's free hand in her own, giving it a light squeeze.

Cotan Sar'andor Tiland Kortun

 

[Tiland Kortun]

Asha Vynea Cotan Sar'andor

Tiland grinned beneath his mustache, "Indeed it does, and I think that is my favorite part, frankly."

As the tea was handed out, Tiland raised it to his nostrils and inhaled slowly, savoring the varied scents as he let his consciousness. "Juna berries..." He mused softly, taking a slow sip with his eyes closed as the flavors rippled through him. "Fascinating."

Another taste, a bit faster this time before he opened his eyes again and nodded. "This is truly extraordinary."