Location: Umgul City, Shopping District
Objective: Spoil Her Rotten
Tag: [member="Valencia Hadley"]
Though they would never admit as much publicly, it had been
far too long.
Eshan had been the hammer which thundered upon the status quo. In the months prior, the Vicelord had chosen for himself an advisor who had proven herself capable. She had started from nothing, just as he, and came to lead an entire world. Upon her shoulders once rested the burden of millions of lives - and she bore that weight with poise and strength. Darth Metus had chosen her to be the whisper of the people. So often it seemed that he was leagues away from the trillions he served, but hearkening to the voice of one much closer was a valuable step in ensuring he was representing them well. Over time, he could truly say he
trusted Valencia Hadley. In fact, one could say that he thoroughly enjoyed her company.
Yet when the flames of war ignited, those quiet evenings when the work was done came to a close. The chatter over glasses of Idlewil, the banter, the extracurriculars - all were put to the wayside. The priority was seeing to the Confederacy's victory. And, when the dust had settled, sorting out the aftermath. For the Vicelord, that entailed a bigger war than the one fought upon the Echani homeworld: appeasing the Viceroyalty. For his advisor...following the Sith to Eshan had changed her priorities altogether. To be of greater use to the Confederacy, she'd say, she wanted to be stronger. To be more than a force in the political realm, but one that can actually take up the sword. One that would not be in peril if another Eshan erupted into being.
And thus, their spare moments came to revolve around cultivating her budding potential. With poise and strength, she tackled the challenge of learning the Sith's ways. But her quest saw the stewardship of Manda passed to a successor. In the present, things had, thankfully, slowed down just a tad. There was yet war on the horizon - but for a brief span of time, the Vicelord felt as though things were returning to "normal." Typical matters, such as being present for the entrance of new worlds into the Confederate fold, began to occur once more for the pair. And there were even a few moments to chat over tea bubbling up on the regular. However, with the entrance of Umgul into the congregation, an opportunity arose that was exceedingly rare.
An afternoon to simply...browse.
It all began with a stellar lunch at a local cafe and, at present, culminated with a warm to-go cup in the Sith's dominant hand. Together they strolled the bustling streets of the world's capital, taking in the sights and sounds. For a few moments, idle chatter bounced between the pair - until Valencia placed her fingers upon the top of his arm. Pausing mid-sip, Darth Metus followed her raised cup as it indicated a hole-in-the-wall bookstore.
Just when you thought you knew someone. He was certain she would have paused for the finer things first, such as the jewelry store three doors down...but, he'd never say no to that smile.
"Well, I suppose we could poke around for a little bit." came his reply, alive with amusement. He then offered her his arm in true, "gentlemanly" fashion.
"Shall we?"
Together, entering the quaint bookstore would result in the chime of a bell upon the door. That in of itself was a testament to how stark a contrast the establishment was to the rest of the city. For where there was technology and modern living just outside its walls, the store was a reflection of a much simpler era. The smell of
paper hung in the air as they entered. And the atmosphere was the definition of calm. While small, the Sith could easily have been convinced to poke around there for more than a few minutes - though he hadn't said as much out loud. Offering a nod to the aproned shopkeep in the rear, Darth Metus followed his advisor's steps down the first aisle. Absently, he spotted a book on Western Galactic Cuisine and took it into his grasp.
Whilst inspecting the cover, he asked in a quiet, library-appropriate tone:
"Have you thought of going back?" he began.
"To Manda." He wasn't referring to her apartment on the world, but rather the mantle she had left behind.
