Private White Marble Mornings

[Everest Vale]

Outfit: Personal Armour
Equipment: Lightsaber, Bracelet, Earrings, Seer Stone, Wayfinder's Flare, Engagement Ring
Companion: Isari
Tag: Colette

The late morning light streamed gently through the tall windows of Snowpeak Sanctuary's administrative wing, scattering across the polished white marble of Eve's office. The room was minimalist but warm, the walls lined with shelves of carefully stacked datapads and Echani carvings that brought a touch of home into the enclave's heart. A faint breeze from the mountains carried the scent of pine and snowmelt, softening the sterility of reports and figures.

Eve sat at her desk, shoulders relaxed but with a quiet weariness clinging to her as she scrolled through Steward Orien's most recent reports. Numbers, supply updates and scheduling requests blurred together, and though she read with steady focus, her silver eye occasionally lingered on the same line too long before moving forward.

At her feet, Isari was curled into a small ball of silver fur, ears flicking once in a while as she dozed, wholly untroubled by enclave business. Eve's hand idly shifted now and then to brush along the fox's back without lifting her gaze from the datapad.

It was a lovely day beyond the marble walls, but the long string of busy weeks weighed on her. The moment was quiet — almost too quiet — until the sound of footsteps approached from the corridor outside.

 

[Colette]

Everest Vale

The feeling of being 'home' already felt strange to Colette. The grand and looming hallways reminded her of the temple on Coruscant. Although this place lacked the same verticality there was still something to the echo that made her feel so small.

To some extent it even made Colette worry about the message the Jedi were sending by isolating themselves on one of the most well-known planets in the galaxy. Was this a place for the people, or the Jedi exclusively? And how was it that they could even afford structures like this? Was it necessary?

The symbolism wasn't lost on Colette. It was a bright and shiny white beacon in the dark. A good and safe place to rest, but couldn't that be just as true with an enclave embedded somewhere more accessible?

Perhaps these questions were the true reason she wandered these days. Or perhaps it was just Colette following in her Nomad upbringing. She saw the open road as her mentor whereas others saw nothing. It called to her now just as it had as a child. The difference being that the road in her childhood was a literal road and these days the road was just a good gut feeling.

It was a road that had seen her and Everest separated since the rescue. In part because Everest had accepted more responsibility with the 'Hidden Path', and in part because Colette needed time to sort through her thoughts and emotions.

The thing about time was that it didn't exactly stop even if you asked nicely. It had been a while now since Colette and Everest had sat down together. In spite of her feelings over this place the thought of sitting down with her sister gave Colette a slight bounce to her step as she walked.

Eventually she came upon the office door. She gave it a quiet knock and lumbered inside to let the pack on her back fall to the floor with a loud thud. She ran a hand through her hair and let out a happy sigh when she saw her friend.

"Hello, hello!" Colette grinned and gave a mock salute. "Long time no see, Knight Vale."

 

[Everest Vale]

Outfit: Personal Armour
Equipment: Lightsaber, Bracelet, Earrings, Seer Stone, Wayfinder's Flare, Engagement Ring
Companion: Isari
Tag: Colette

Eve's breath caught as the knock pulled her from her haze of half-concentration. The datapad slipped from her fingers to the desk without care as she looked up.

"Col," she exclaimed, the name leaving her in a rush of surprise and relief.

She was on her feet in an instant, crossing the marble floor without hesitation. All the weariness of the morning evaporated as she wrapped her arms tightly around the woman, pulling her into a squeeze that left no room for distance. For a long moment, she just held her, cheek against her hair, the familiar presence grounding her in a way that nothing else could.

"I'm so glad to see you," she said at last, her voice warm and soft and full of affection. "You doing okay?" she added as she placed her hands against her shoulders.

Isari stirred from her nap, stretching with a soft yawn before padding over to sniff curiously at Colette's boots, tail swishing in quiet recognition.

 

[Colette]

Everest Vale

Hugs had never been Colette's favorite display of affection. They were warm and cozy but also a great disease vector for someone who had been on the road for as long as Colette had been. In spite of her instinct to lean out of it, Colette still allowed Everest this one hug for old time's sake.

Once it became clear that her friend had no intention of letting go however, Colette patted her hand against Everest's back while the rest of Colette's body fell limp within the suffocating embrace.

"I can't breathe, Eve." Colette groaned just as Everest let her go. The wanderer let in a deep breath as they parted and let it all out with a sharp laugh. "I'm good. A bit stiff from the road, but that's how it is. Y'know?"

She watched the curious fox as it sniffed her boot. The boot's owner knelt down to give its soft fur a gentle pat before she stood up again to be face to face with her friend.

"Ah, what the heck." Colette said and pulled Everset into another hug, making very sure to place herself on Everest's left side. A second later she spoke up again, the mischievousness evident in her tone. "You can't even see me right now, can you?"

The eyepatch said no.

 

[Everest Vale]

Outfit: Personal Armour
Equipment: Lightsaber, Bracelet, Earrings, Seer Stone, Wayfinder's Flare, Atrisian Dancer, Engagement Ring
Companion: Isari
Tag: Colette

Eve winked blinked at Colette's jab.

"Nice," she said, deadpan and dry. She stepped back and gestured for her to follow.

"Come on."

The quiet click of their boots carried down the marble corridor until the scent of spiced brews and fresh bread reached them. The common area's attached café was warm and lived-in, a hum of voices low but steady. Eve offered a small smile to the tender behind the counter, pausing long enough to trade a few familiar words, as Isari by her heel raised her nose to sniff the lightly scented air.

"Karla. How's your daughter? Feeling better from the fever?"

"Yes, ma'am. She wanted me to tell you thank you for the fruit basket," the woman replied with a grateful dip of her head.

"It's no trouble, I'm just glad she's feeling better," Eve said softly with a smile, before turning back to Colette, her silver eye bright in the morning light. "Tea?"

She hesitated, realising all at once that she had no idea if Colette even liked tea.

"Wait... Do you even drink tea?"

 

[Colette]

Everest Vale

Even though meeting again had been nice, that strange feeling of apprehension still lingered in her stiff shoulders. Something felt wrong as they walked through the halls together. Colette's lips twisted in worry as she looked around at the people that had gathered here. She didn't know them personally, but she knew of them. Her brow sunk for a moment as they approached the cafeteria counter.

Fruit baskets? Fevers? For a moment her brow pushed against her vision again as she glanced between Everest and this 'Karla' person. But then it eased up. It must have been that Colette just found Everest on one of those days.

She shook her head at Everest's question.

"No, I prefer water." Colette shrugged in response. "But tea works if I have to get something. I mean, it's a shame to ruin perfectly good water."

She leaned into Everest with a whisper as Karla got to work on their order.

"Since when do you send fruit baskets?"

 

[Everest Vale]

Outfit: Personal Armour
Equipment: Lightsaber, Bracelet, Earrings, Seer Stone, Wayfinder's Flare, Atrisian Dancer, Engagement Ring
Companion: Isari
Tag: Colette

Eve balanced the tray carefully as they crossed the café, the steam of the tea curling up between them. She cast Colette a sidelong look, lips tugging into the faintest smirk.

"If you really want one for yourself, you can just ask," she teased, voice low enough to carry only to her. "Only problem is you don't exactly have an address… makes delivery a little tricky."

They reached a quiet table by the window, the mountains bright against the sky beyond. Eve set the tray down, sliding the glass of water toward Colette before settling into her own seat. Isari sat up beside them, looking out to take in the new sights and smells.

Her smile softened, less play now, more earnest. She let her fingers rest on the warm porcelain of the cup before she spoke again.

"The people here... They're becoming a family to me," she said gently. "As overseer, it's my duty to look out for them… to be a beacon of hope, even when things feel dark. So I tend to them, as they tend to me." Her eye drifted for a moment, following the rise of the peaks outside. "It's tiring, I won't lie. But it feels like I'm finally doing what I was always meant to do."