Private Through Fire

[Aiden Porte]

Naboo
Alina Grayson

Aiden to be completely honest did not think he was going to find another companion as so steadfast in duty and friendship, much like his friend Lorn Reingard commander of the Vanguard was. Alina Grayson had proved to be that many times over, they had gone on various assignments together every since they dealt with the Rakghoul incident that plagued Karlinus.

She had demonstrated much poise and precision in her abilities to use the force and in combat nonetheless. While his trainings and such with the Royal army, Vanguard and even as a Jedi were proven very useful. There was much more that he could learn and grow from that would further instill more confidence in him, as he would rise at some point to become a Jedi Knight. The Padawan had asked upon Alina in regards to her abilities, if she was willing and able to teach and instruct him in what she knew. The young man was never above more learning, it was pivotal to a Jedi and more importantly as a person of this galaxy.

Ignorance was a terrible thing, so he did his best to combat that.

His father had told him many times that a Jedi never stopped learning. There was always something to be learned and to grow from.

He was happy Alina had agreed to this, and he eagerly awaited her arrival on the Naboo Plains. Not too far from the city of theed, the open air and cool wind would prove to be a good day.

 

[Alina Grayson]

Aiden Porte

The midday sun bathed the Naboo countryside in soft, golden light, the gentle flow of the river winding its way through emerald fields and groves of swaying trees. The air was warm, touched by the faint scent of blooming flowers carried on the breeze. It was a place of peace so far removed from the darkness they had met in not long ago.

Alina moved with quiet purpose along the worn path, her white robes flowing softly with each step. Unlike the gold-trimmed armor she so often wore, today her attire was simple, elegant a reflection of the calm she felt here on Naboo. Her blonde hair, usually loose around her shoulders, was gathered neatly into a high ponytail, strands catching the sunlight as she walked.

Ahead, by the river’s edge, she spotted Aiden waiting. He had arrived before her, just as she had asked. This place, serene and untouched, was the perfect space for what they were about to begin. Here, away from conflict, she could guide him not as a soldier, but as a teacher. She approached with a warm smile, she stepped past him moving to the waters edge before sure turned back to Aiden.

"Good afternoon, I trust you rested well. I hope you paid attention to your Jedi masters because we'll be skipping what you already know and throw you straight into the deep end. If you have questions at any time feel free, there is no strict structure here." a wry smile touched her lips she spoke. Part playful and part serious, leaving it up to his imagination as to what she had in store.

"For Jedi, you know there is the cosmic force and the living force. What I am going to be teaching you is the nuance of cosmic and living force. We were taught, my sister and I. With the force it manifests as currents, much like the Jedi teach that the force flows like a river yes? If there is a singular flow of the force it stands to reason there is are currents."

She paused for a moment letting him digest her words, her blue eyes never leaving him for a moment. "In fact according to our philosophies there are eight currents within the force. Within the cosmic current, radiance.." she lifted a hand an gathered the force into it, drawing in the natural force around them, however beyond that she began to shape the force into a small ball of light it was not created but borrowed from the world around them, brilliant and bright. "There is also Umbral, where there is light there is darkness too." she stopped focusing on the ball of light and it simply faded away into nothing.

"But for today's lesson, we'll start simple. One of the other currents of the force is physical currents." she pointed to the water. "The current of tide. What is tide? fluidity, adaptation. A tide flows and shifts but it also endures. We work with what is around us. We have radiance, we have umbral, from the shadows we cast ourselves, and we have tide we also have the ground beneath our feet. We also have the air around us. When you see the world in the elemental you can interact with it."

Again she paused allowing him to absorb the information, concerned she might be moving a little too quickly, but at the same time she didn't wish to offend him by simplifying things too much. "With me so far?" she smiled again at him a genuine concern this time. She knew she was hitting him with a lot.

 

[Aiden Porte]

Aiden straightened up once he saw Alina Grayson arrive. He listened attentively to what she spoke, taking in every word. Luckily he was trained for moments like this. The lectures, readiness, the ability to have an open mind to something new and to know that he had to work hard in order to attempt to become a seasoned practitioner in what she was going to teach him.

First it was with the different branches of basic training he had to undergo to serve as a member of the Royal guard to protect Kalantha . It was followed by the rigorous training put forth by his friend and Commander of the Vanguard Lorn Reingard . He wasted not time in instructing him and teaching him, in fact being the hardest on him than he was anyone else. He had conversations for such things before. In order to grow and be great, not in power, but in the light and to be able to cast hope and inspire those to not give up.

Just as his father had done.

That was just the start, he still felt that it hadn't even begun. And he was here, albeit through all the trials and darkness he went through. He was here, standing still....alive.

That had to count for something.

"I am with you, Alina. Master." Aiden nodded with a smile and strong look of determination. While they had been in several engagements together, she was indeed superior to him in all aspects. "Is, Master okay? Or would you prefer Alina?" The padawan inquired with a small chuckle. While that probably wasn't even something to be concerned with that this time, he still wanted to be respectful to her.

Alina Grayson

 

[Alina Grayson]

Aiden Porte

Alina let out a soft laugh, a genuine warmth behind it as the breeze stirred the hem of her robes. The title caught her off guard but not in a way that unsettled her. She tilted her head slightly, considering him with a curious gleam in her blue eyes.

“Master?” she echoed, amusement threading her tone. “I suppose I’ll allow it… for today.” Her smile softened then, and she stepped closer, the sunlight dancing off the river as it moved beside them.

“In truth, I’ve never been much for titles. I wasn’t raised in the Jedi Order, and the Church where I trained didn’t stand on ceremony in the way they do.” Her gaze lingered on the water for a moment, thoughtful, before returning to him. “But I appreciate the respect, Aiden. So, call me what feels right. If ‘Master’ helps you focus, then by all means.”

She turned back toward the river, gesturing for him to step closer. The water glimmered beneath the sun, its gentle current weaving intricate patterns along the bank. She made a gentle motion for him to join her. She waited until he joined her then spoke more. "You see, the most abundant element we have here is radiance, in the sky around us and tide, in the form of the water. It will be infinitely simpler to see subtle changes in the river so that will be our test for today. "Watch closely, don't just look but study what I do feel the force around you." she lifted a hand gently toward the water, purposeful and slowly let him analyze everything. At first the stream was disturbed, splitting slowly into two separate flows as she used the force to split the river in two without stopping the flow. "One of the key elements of our eight currents, trying to halt the flow of the water requires for more effort than simply diverting it, this is the essence of tide. Not to control, but to change, to reshape what already exists." she released the force bubble that had formed in the river and the water quickly rushed in filling the void.

She glanced over at him for a moment, blue eyes resting on him as he processed. "You most likely think, but this is nothing new to a Jedi. Perhaps, but this next part is." she lifted her hand once more and a portion of the river began to freeze, not all the way through but enough. Carefully she stepped onto the ice and walked across it. As she stepped off onto the shoreline opposite him she released it, the icebreaking apart and flowing downstream. "How did I do this? To be honest I cheated a little bit. First you have to restrain the water, but only the surface of it. Second you draw the latent energy out of the water, the radiance. Without this, the water loses its warmth is reduced to a temperature cold enough to freeze. back to what I said though, it takes more effort to restrain water, so I did not freeze it all the way through, the flow of water never stopped. Feel like giving it a try?" she raised an eyebrow and took a step back from the waters edge.

 

[Aiden Porte]

“I suppose I’ll allow it… for today.”

"Good, I wasn't planning on calling you anything else regardless." Aiden chuckled lightly as he noted her teasing tone as well and he answered back in his own amused and teasing tone as well.

The Padawan simply nodded his head and smiled as she spoke of the decorum of titles and such. And of course he was sure for a bit he would call her Master, but he would slowly ease into calling her Alina during these training sessions.

He listened to her words, carefully and calculated.

Radiance and reshaping what was, and what wasn't. The Jedi Padawan watched closely at the waters edge as she the flow of the water began to separate and he then closed his eyes. He reached out with the force, to feel what was going on before him. He could feel the nature of the water beginning to split into two streams. He could hear the sound of the water rushing back as the bubble broke by her command as the flow of the water became unencumbered once more.

The more she spoke, it seemed incredibly familiar. But when she formed a icy bridge over the top of the stream and she walked across. That was something unfamiliar to him, especially in how she explained it. It's a good thing he wasn't concerned with getting wet, because if this failed that is exactly what would happen.

The Jedi Padawan took a deep breath as he raised his hand calling upon the collective energies of the force, following her words and her instructions as carefully as possible. He focused on the energy, the radiance and the surface of the water began to lightly freeze at first. He took a deep breath as he opened his eyes and he could see the path form made of ice from topmost layer of the water. He began to step, as the ice beneach him shifted slightly, taking another deep breath. Focusing more, eyes on task, it wasn't nearly as strong as her's was. But it was enough to keep him from falling through.

However you could see the bottom of his boots were indeed wet, so there was much more to be worked on.

"Was that okay?" Aiden inquired, looking over to Alina.

Alina Grayson

 

[Alina Grayson]

Aiden Porte

Alina had turned halfway back across the river by the time Aiden called out, the hem of her robes stirring lightly in the breeze. She paused, watching him with a quiet, measuring gaze one hand resting easily at her side, the other loosely folded behind her back.

The ice beneath his boots shimmered in the sunlight, delicate and thin in places, but it held. More importantly, he held his focus steady, his will anchored.

A small, proud smile curved her lips.

"It was more than okay," she said warmly, her voice carrying across the soft rush of the river. "You listened. You adapted. And you didn't force it you let it happen."

She moved back toward him with graceful ease, each step measured but natural atop the ice. When she reached him, she stopped a pace away, her blue eyes bright with quiet approval.

"The strength of the current you call upon will grow with time. The water will flow stronger for you the more you learn to trust it and yourself."

Her gaze flicked down briefly to the damp edges of his boots, and a soft chuckle escaped her. "Besides," she added playfully, "a little water never hurt anyone. It's a good reminder that mastery doesn't mean perfection. It means resilience."

Straightening, she gestured gently toward the far bank with an encouraging nod. "Come. Let's see if you can make it across the whole river without taking a swim. I have a feeling you’ll surprise yourself."

The teasing glint in her eye made it clear this wasn’t a test meant to punish, but a challenge to lift him higher.

 

[Aiden Porte]

"Thank you, Alina. Your guidance and wisdom have truly been remarkable." The Jedi Padawan voiced with a deep genuine touch. This wasn't their first engagement together, as they had a few rounds around the galaxy. She was becoming a fast friend and a great teacher.

She noted his boots and he chuckled lightly, and her words once more would remain with him. Mastery doesn't mean perfection, but resilience. It was something that stood out to Aiden, not her words exactly. Just what had just happened. How strong and deep one's connection with the force would allow them to do. The more he would learn about this, it just proved that there was so much more to learn and to do in his life. What else awaited today, and he couldn't help but wonder what tomorrow would bring in terms of learning.

"Come. Let's see if you can make it across the whole river without taking a swim. I have a feeling you’ll surprise yourself."

"Very well, however If I succeed. Does that mean I get to toss you in the water?" The Padawan spoke in a teasing manner.

Alina Grayson

 

[Alina Grayson]

Aiden Porte

Alina arched a brow, a flicker of amusement tugging at the corner of her mouth. The sunlight caught her golden hair where it swept back in its ponytail, and for a moment, there was something almost mischievous in the usually composed woman’s expression.

"Dangerous terms, Aiden. You might just tempt me to raise the difficulty." she replied, folding her arms lightly across her chest, her tone playful but smooth as ever. "You're certainly welcome to try, but be prepared for the consequences."

She stepped back off the ice to give him room, motioning toward the river with a graceful hand. Her robes swayed gently as the breeze picked up, and the ripple of water below mirrored the smile that lingered on her face warm, but with the hint of a challenge behind it.

“But if you do manage it,” she added, her voice lowering just a little, playful turning to something more reflective, “then you’ll have earned that moment. Not because you tossed your teacher into a river…” She leaned in slightly, eyes narrowing with good humor, “…but because you moved one step closer to understanding what the Force can be when you stop trying to control it and start flowing with it.”

Then she drew back, expression calm once more, but her smirk remained. “Still want to try your luck?”

 

[Aiden Porte]

"You're certainly welcome to try, but be prepared for the consequences."

"Always." Aiden chuckled as he knew what was at stake should he take a wager and lose. All bets aside, it was a good push for him to show just how much he had grown, if he succeeded this wouldn't be mastery but another step into a much larger world. One that he was more than ready to keep making the trek.

“…but because you moved one step closer to understanding what the Force can be when you stop trying to control it and start flowing with it.”

“Still want to try your luck?”

"Yes, Alina, I will do my absolute best." He gave her a confident wink as the neared river once more. The wind had picked up lightly, he took a deep breath allowing the full scent of Naboo fill his nostrils before he exhaled. As the air followed a path, just like everything else did. The force could diverge into different paths. The Padawan closed his eyes, focusing on the collective energies of the force. He could heard Alina's words over and over in his mind. Not as a lecture, but as a commanding presence, a force hope and inspiration.

It wasn't control, but flowing with the force, as if you floated on a river. Just letting it carry you across unhindered. There could be obstacles, there would be conflict. They brushed up against Aiden, however they bounced off of him rather easily. The Jedi Padawan's eyes opened slowly as he was walking across the river, the ice crunching just slightly beneath his feet. It wasn't completely solid, however just enough for him to get across.

Aiden took another deep breath, he wasn't going to lie that was much more difficult than he expected. It would be clear and apparent at the small beads of sweat on his brow.

He took a deep breath once more to center himself, before turning back towards Alina. "Was that alright?"

Alina Grayson

 

[Alina Grayson]

Aiden Porte

Alina stood at the river's edge, her arms loosely folded as she watched him cross. The wind played lightly with the edges of her robes, her expression unreadable calm, but focused.


She didn't speak as Aiden stepped across the water, didn't interfere. She simply watched. Not with judgment, but with intention. Measuring not the ice beneath his boots, but the stillness he carried in his movements. The way he listened—to the Force, to the world, to himself.


When he reached the far side and turned to her, the question hung in the air like the mist rising from the surface.


A faint smile touched her lips.


"It was more than alright," she said, her tone quiet but resolute. "You didn't force it, you let it meet you halfway. That's the beginning of real understanding."


"The Force isn't something you command," she said, not as a correction, but as a reminder. "It's something you join. It's not about the power to shape it's about the willingness to listen before you act."

Her gaze shifted to him again. "You listened today. You'll learn to do it faster. More naturally. But don't underestimate what you just did."


Then her hand fell away, and that faint smile returned—this time, with a glint of challenge.


"And no," she added dryly, "you haven't earned the right to toss me in the river just yet."

 

[Aiden Porte]

"You didn't force it, you let it meet you halfway. That's the beginning of real understanding."

"Thank you Alina, your guidance has been incredible."

It meant a great deal coming from her, her words and such had guided him. Providing him with much insight and it was something he would be able to continue to follow the path and learn even more from it. A cool wind blew by as he wiped the sweat from his brow before settling more into a comfortable stance as he turned to her again.

"You listened today. You'll learn to do it faster. More naturally. But don't underestimate what you just did."

"I won't, I promise." The Jedi Padawan said with a small smile. There was much more to go on, it was so much bigger than what just happened. The force, around them, moving through them naturally with a steady path. Unobstructed and almost perfect seam that he would never hope to interrupt.

He knew there was so much more to learn and to take from this.

"And no,"

"you haven't earned the right to toss me in the river just yet."

"In time, perhaps." The Jedi Padawan chuckled lightly as he neared the waters edge again. He knelt down, his eyes studying the water as it moved.

"Will you stick around here for a while?" Aiden asked as he looked up towards Alina Grayson

 

[Alina Grayson]

Aiden Porte

Alina watched him quietly as he knelt, the soft sound of the river threading between his words. The breeze had picked up again, tugging gently at her robes and sending ripples across the water’s surface. There was something honest about the moment—unforced, unguarded. She let it breathe before answering.

“I might,” she said, her voice low but clear. “There’s something about Naboo that settles the noise.”

She stepped closer to the edge, her gaze drifting across the current as it curled around stones and roots, unbothered by either.

“I’ve spent more time in motion than anywhere else. Never really settling in one place for long” Her tone didn’t carry regret, only honesty. “But lately, I’m starting to wonder if staying is just as important as going.”

She looked to him then no longer the student knee-deep in doubt, but a young man beginning to listen to the world around him in ways that mattered.

“If I can be useful… yes. I’ll stay a little longer.”

A small smile touched her lips faint, but real.

“But don’t take that as a free pass. If you ever do earn the right to toss me in the river, it won’t be because I stayed. It’ll be because you’ve grown enough to carry that kind of victory properly.”

 

[Aiden Porte]

“There’s something about Naboo that settles the noise.”

"That is very true enough. There's a peace here that can seem slightly unsettling." Aiden chuckled lightly, given the fact that Naboo itself had been under fire several times over the course of his time here. But it was the times in between and the days that the sun shined brightly, the laughter filled the air and smiles could be seen on the faces of everyone. It was those days that seemed like they last forever.

Those were the very best of days.

“If I can be useful… yes. I’ll stay a little longer.”

"There are plenty of things that could use your skills here Alina. I promise you there are." The Jedi Padawan said with a small smile. She mentioned about moving from place to place and such things. If staying was just as good as going. Of course they each had their own merits, however it one could find a small measure of peace at one location.

Why not stay for a bit?

“But don’t take that as a free pass. If you ever do earn the right to toss me in the river, it won’t be because I stayed. It’ll be because you’ve grown enough to carry that kind of victory properly.”

He noted her smile and he nodded his head and gave her a small bow of his head.

"I will definitely work hard, to make sure I earn that right." He smirked and chuckled. "You have to admit, it would be a funny sight to see."

Alina Grayson

 

[Alina Grayson]

Aiden Porte

Alina laughed genuinely this time, the sound light and brief, catching on the breeze like a drifting leaf. It wasn’t often she let that part of herself show, but the image Aiden painted was just absurd enough to draw it out.

“It would be,” she admitted, shaking her head, though her smile lingered. “But only if you don’t miss and fall in yourself. I’d hate to have to fish you out after such a triumphant declaration.”

She glanced toward the horizon, where the river narrowed and the trees swayed in the afternoon light. There was a serenity here that felt earned rather than assumed, and Aiden’s words echoed the truth of that. Even on a world that had seen its share of conflict, peace could still be found. Naboo didn’t pretend the darkness hadn’t come it simply chose not to let it stay.

“Then i'll stay for now” she said after a pause, voice quiet again, but thoughtful. “If there’s work here, real work then I won’t turn away from it.”

Her eyes settled on him again, not as a student, not even as a peer but as someone she trusted to keep growing into something stronger.

“And if you keep rising the way you have, you just might get that chance. River and all.”

She stepped past him, boots crunching softly on the damp grass, the scent of water and earth all around them. Then, over her shoulder, almost playfully:

“So let's see if you can catch up.”

 

[Aiden Porte]

“But only if you don’t miss and fall in yourself. I’d hate to have to fish you out after such a triumphant declaration.”

"I would surely hope not." The Padawan laughed, however if something like that were to happen.....it would definitely happen to Aiden. That would be his luck after all. Well given that he had been able to persuade Alina to stay for a time, perhaps his luck was indeed changing. The Shiraya Order could always use more help, and her skills would indeed be valuable to them. Plus, she was an incredible teacher, there was much she could teach to the Padawans, and even more to the higher ranking Jedi should they choose to learn more about her skills.

“So let's see if you can catch up.”

"Trust me, I don't plan on letting up any time soon." Aiden chuckled as he caught up with her, side by side. "I know everyone will be thrilled to meet you, Alina. I truly believe you are going to do well here, for as long as you wish to stay I mean." While he tried not to sell it as much as he was, it was just....home for him. Naboo was his home, and he couldn't get enough of it.

"I say we get back? Are you hungry? I would cook a welcome to Naboo lunch at my family home. But that's been scorched, so lunch in Theed it will have to do." Aiden asked as he looked over to her. "And um, no....I didn't burn the place down because of my cooking." He laughed, however given how things actually turned out and the fact that he was able to laugh about it. Perhaps it proved that he was indeed letting it go and move on from what happened.

That or he was being his usual self and just covering it up with his more than usual good and hopeful disposition.

Alina Grayson

 

[Alina Grayson]

Alina gave him a sidelong look, equal parts amused and skeptical.

"Mhm," she murmured, arms folding loosely as she walked. "Not because of your cooking. I'll keep that in mind the next time someone offers to let you near a burner."

But there was no edge to her voice. Just the dry note of someone not entirely convinced—but willing to be entertained.

She let the silence settle for a few steps before continuing, more gently this time.

"Naboo does feel different. It's not just the beauty though that doesn't hurt," she added, casting a glance toward the sunlit stretch of trees ahead. "It's how rooted it feels. Like the land itself remembers what peace is supposed to look like. Places like that don't last unless people are willing to protect them."

Her gaze flicked back to him, thoughtful now. "You're part of that, Aiden. More than you realize. And if the Order here is anything like you've shown me… then yes. I think I'll do well here. I think we all might."

Then, with a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips, she nudged his arm with her elbow. "Lunch in Theed it is. But you're still going to have to prove at some point that you can cook something without turning it into an active threat. Call it… a side lesson."

She looked ahead again, expression softening. "And Aiden? Thank you for asking me to stay. I hadn't intended to stop traveling, but perhaps its time.."

 

[Aiden Porte]

"I swear it wasn't me." Aiden said with a chuckle at her comment, it was quite strange how Aiden seemed undisturbed after what had happened. Truth be told some days were better than others. He would get into his low moods when those feelings would get brought up again. And sometimes they would overcome him and he wasn't sure what to do. He would then think about those that mean the most to him in this galaxy, and he would start to feel better.

She talked about Naboo, and what peace was supposed to look like. He was a part of this too, that brought him incredible joy. He usually tended to be overcritical of himself at times, and the fact that she was able to see him beyond what he saw. That in itself was an incredibly good feeling.

She agreed to Lunch and Aiden was pretty overjoyed. He was incredibly hungry, at able to sit down relax and enjoy some food. Either dining inside or enjoying one of the tables on the outside. There was cool breeze today, and it was incredibly sweet to see how others went about their day. The laughter, smiles, holding, hugging and all of that little stuff in between. It's the reason they fought has hard as the did.

"And Aiden? Thank you for asking me to stay. I hadn't intended to stop traveling, but perhaps its time.."

"You don't have to thank me Alina. I'm incredibly happy you are here. And so will everyone else, once they learn you are staying. I don't mean to interrupt your traveling, but the force works in mysterious ways."

Aiden flashed her a smile as they headed back towards Theed.

"Is there anything you are hungry for in particular?" The Padawan inquired, since she was traveling prior to this, she must've had a great deal of interesting stories and even food that she experienced.

Alina Grayson

 

[Alina Grayson]

Alina returned his smile, though hers was quieter more subdued in the way the horizon glows before the sun truly rises. The breeze that drifted through the trees carried the scent of grass and stone, and in the distance, the soft hum of Theed stirred like a memory waiting to unfold.

"You're not interrupting anything," she said, her tone calm but certain. "I've been moving for so long that I stopped asking whether I wanted to keep going. I just did. That's not the same thing as purpose."

She glanced over at him, expression thoughtful. "And maybe the Force does work in strange ways. But I've learned not to question too hard when the galaxy finally places you somewhere that feels right. You don't look for meaning in it you just listen."

The laughter and voices in the distance grew clearer as they neared the city, weaving through streets where people smiled with ease and held one another without fear. Alina took it in without speaking for a moment, letting it settle in her chest like something she wasn't quite used to carrying peace, not as a mission, but as a moment.

At his question, she tilted her head, the edges of a smirk touching her lips.

"Anything that wasn't pulled from a ration crate, burned over a field stove, or shared with a creature trying to steal it while I wasn't looking."

She cast him a sidelong glance, the humor in her eyes soft and sharp all at once.

"Something local. Surprise me."

Then, after a beat, more gently, "And maybe after lunch… you'll tell me more about this place. Not what's on the records. What it's really like. From someone who calls it home."

She wasn't just passing through anymore.

And for once, she didn't want to.

TAG: Aiden Porte

 

[Aiden Porte]

"That makes a lot of sense Alina." Aide said with a smile, as he took to heart and even mind on what she said. If this was truly the place for her to be, that is what Aiden believed. You don't look for meaning, you just listen. Those were words, but they carried so much weight and depth with them. It was something he wouldn't forget any time soon.

Probably ever....

"Anything that wasn't pulled from a ration crate, burned over a field stove, or shared with a creature trying to steal it while I wasn't looking."

"Something local. Surprise me."

"Then you will definitely be surprised, because everything you just said sounds slightly terrible." The Jedi Padawan said with a small smile and laugh. "The place we are going to isn't the most exquisite that Naboo has to offer, but it is rather good. The people that run it are very nice a friendly as well. It's a popular location here."

Then, after a beat, more gently, "And maybe after lunch… you'll tell me more about this place. Not what's on the records. What it's really like. From someone who calls it home."

"Oh of course!" Aiden exclaimed, his more child like behavior coming out. Almost like a child who was excited about showing their toys off. Aiden caught himself mid way and laughed a bit. "My apologies, there's just quite a bit to see. To actually see and feel, its a great feeling to have once you do."

They were nearing Theed and would soon be amongst the people and its streets. Bustling activity, laughter, smiles and the whole works.

It was, pure and true.


Alina Grayson

 

[Alina Grayson]

Alina's steps slowed just slightly as Theed came into view the domed rooftops rising above the treeline, golden in the afternoon sun. Her gaze lingered on the city for a moment, watching the gentle movement of people in the distance. There was no urgency in their stride, no fear pressing behind their eyes.

It was the kind of peace she'd always protected, but rarely been invited to experience.

She looked back to Aiden, the smile playing at his lips, the lightness in his voice. That brief flicker of joy when she'd asked about his home it had been genuine. Unfiltered. And rare.

"Don't apologize," she said, her voice softening. "It's good to see someone so sure of where they belong. There's strength in that… even if it comes with a little too much enthusiasm."

There was the faintest smirk at the edge of her mouth as she said it, but the warmth behind her words was real.

"And for the record," she added, glancing sidelong at him, "I'll take friendly people and decent food over fine dining any day. Especially if the meal doesn't try to escape halfway through."

Her eyes flicked back toward the path ahead, her pace resuming. The quiet between them now wasn't strained or uncertain—it was easy, settled.

"I'm looking forward to hearing what isn't written down," she said, more seriously now. "The history of a place is one thing. But it's the people who give it meaning. The way they live. The stories they don't tell strangers."

A breath passed.

"And you're not a stranger anymore."