Ask Serenno Breathe in the Flames

[Darth Caelestis]

It had been a month since the Ascendancy, as some had called it. The day when Artorigas Wessex had returned a member of the Sith Eternal and removed his Father and Brother from the line of power within the House of Wessex. Some damage had come to the castle from but it was superficial at best and most had been patched up within a few weeks. The Sith looked up to see some of the scaring from the blaster fire still evident on the beautifully carved ceiling, he had hoped that it would have been done by now but it was too late.

Hostile activities are best accepted by lavishness, so Artorigas had chosen to use what assets he had brought back with him from his travels through Sith space to host a small party within the great hall at Castle Wessex. It was a small gathering around eighty people, most nobility big and small from across Serenno. All three of his sisters were here with him, Pena and Dreanna with their husbands and growing broods sat upon their respective tables. His youngest sister Corneila, still unwed was sat at the head table with him. His mother had been invited but she chose to stay within her own private suite, less view upon her usurping son.

Artorigas knew it would take some time for his mother to at least accept what had happened the month before, though he doubted she would ever forgive him. His sisters seemed less bothered but he wasn't sure if that was just because they had their own lives to now deal with. The great hall was a bustle of noise as some of the last remaining guests arrived, all dressed in finery as expected at such a gathering. He smiled over at his little sister "Perhaps we will find you a husband today." She stuck her tongue out at him in response, a cheeky grin on her face.

@lizziie

 

[Malou D'Amaris]

It had been a month since the upheaval and replacement of the House Wessex head and a fortnight since Malou had sent her letter to Sir Artorigas Wessex with permission of her father. Since then she had not heard word from him, and for the two weeks after, she feared that perhaps his lack of response was a no. She was then surprised when her father informed her of their invitation to the party. He told her nothing else but when to be ready, what she should wear, and a reminder of how she might conduct herself. Malou did as she was told.

She arrived at the Wessex Castle along with her father, Lord Jacques, and her half-brother, Jerôme. Her aunt Solange and her three cousins, Annette, Vincent and Manon, arrived shortly thereafter. The young D'Amaris was relieved to see her favorite cousin, Manon, would also be attending. While three years older than Malou, Manon was the closest to her age out of any of her family members. Malou immediately took to Manon's side and greeted her warmly, before being led into the Castle Wessex by her father, Jerôme, and Solange.

While she could not see clearly much more than two meters ahead of her, when she closed her eyes and looked through the Force she received a wonderful view of the room. Though she could not see the colors on the paintings on the wall, she could make out the brush strokes and images which gave their scenes life. She could see the arches and ornaments which decorated the walls of the room, even the blaster marks which scored the ceiling high above her head. The blurry shapes of folks around her became clear images. But her attention was soon drawn to the man whom she had wrote only two weeks ago. Malou could see him shaped through the Force in a very similar way in which her mother used to appear. His aura in the Force was incredibly intense compared to everyone else, and though physically she could not see him, she was staring right at him. If he was not distracted, her presence in the room might be immediately known.

"It's unfortunate you can't see it, Malou. This room is magnificent." At Manon's comment, Malou reopened her eyes and looked at her cousin. She was dressed similarly to Malou, in a modest, burgundy silk dress, but her eyes could see the colors of the paintings and the walls that Malou could not. "I'm sure it is," she responded. "Though I--"

"Malou." She turned her face toward the sound of her father's voice, and within moments his face appeared from the sea of blurred figures around her. "Your brother and I are going to great the new Wessex head. Come with us." As he turned away, Malou waved to Manon before quickly falling behind her father. With his and her brother's backs turned to her, Malou closed her eyes as they made their way toward the Wessex family. It was much easier for her to navigate this way than by her own sight.

When the three approached Artorgias, Malou reopened her eyes; it was her father's wishes that she rely on her eyes around him. She could not discern the Wessex man apart from the others around her from where she stood, so as her father introduced himself and Jerôme and engaged in small talk, she focused on his presence through the Force. Again, she had not felt the same sort of thing since her mother passed on.

"...and this is my youngest child, Malou." Malou snapped back to reality as her father pulled her name into the conversation. She was pushed forward gently by him, and Artorgias' face came into view. Malou studied him for a moment, taking in his appearance and comparing it to how he viewed through the Force. When she realized she was staring, she dropped into a curtsey. Did he remember her name from the letter? Did he received it? Could he sense her presence as she could so greatly see his? She figured it would be soon that she found out. Malou stood back up.

"Pleasure to meet you, Sir Artorgias." She was soft-spoken, but not difficult to hear. Her face remained neutral, but inside she was itching to ask if he'd received her letter.

@Braden Drake

 

[Darth Caelestis]

It was interesting to see the amount of doting and positive words that were thrown upon the feet of the House of Wessex now that he sat at the head of the table. The family had been middle of the road at best, but now even some of the great houses were now speaking to him in kind and courtly terms. The power his rank within the Sith gave him was truly upon show in this great hall. He could not withhold a smile as another of the great houses D'Amaris approached him, in politeness to one of the Great Houses Artorigas stood and gave the head Lord Jacques a small bow in return.

"Lord Jacques, it is a pleasure to meet you." He gazed over the small party which he brought with him, first to the young man and then the young girl he brought with him. Artorigas had felt the pull of The Force earlier but had not realised that it had come from the young girl stood before him until now. He gave the young women a look up and down, looking with both his eyes and The Force. The small silence was broken by his sister who tiptoed up to whisper into his ear. "Brother, Malou is the one who route to you about apprenticeship."

The past month had been chaotic and much of the news and letters which had come through the doors of Castle Wessex had passed completely through the mind of Artorigas. But as his sister spoke it slowly came back to him, yes this girl was a Force Sensitive and she had asked to train under hip to become his apprentice. "Apologies Malou, please come sit, we must talk about your letter. You can speak to your family later." The last part was more a command than a request, he could see Lord Jacques would normally protest but the lightsaber still hanging at Artorigas' side put the man down.

He pointed the girl towards the empty seat to his left which was reserved for his absent mother. After she sat he would ask her "Why did you wish to come to me young Malou?"

@lizziie

 

[Malou D'Amaris]

Malou could feel her father's mixed emotions surface as she moved from his side to join Artorgias, but to her relief, he said nothing. He left alongside Jerôme to rejoin the rest of her family, Malou assumed. Once she felt his presence disappear from the immediate area, Malou took the seat she was pointed toward.

The girl listened to Artorgias' question and pondered her response for a few seconds. There were many reasons she had contacted the man. For once, she was almost eternally bored and lonely on her own. Her days were spent either studying or reading. She enjoyed both, but anyone would tire of nothing but it. Secondly, she felt she was being denied purpose by her father. Malou had come to the conclusion that he had forbidden her from using the Force for so long because it reminded him too much of her late mother. Whether that was the case or not, she despised the rule and largely ignored it (though she followed it when he or his eyes were around). It was the only part of her that could give her purpose in her family, and she'd be damned if her life was destined for anything else.

"Sir, my father...dislikes when I use the Force," Malou began in a steady voice. "but I believe that because I can use it, I should be able to." The girl searched for Artorgias' face among the figures around her. When she found it, she faced him. "Sir, you are the only one I know who possesses a connection strong enough to the Force to wield it. I've come to you because there is no one else with the possibility of teaching me." Malou had been surprised enough that her father had approved of her request. She suspected it was a combination of him being Sith, and his place within a noble house. Anyone else might have been dismissed by him.

Malou realized that to Artorgias, she might just seem to be a nearly-blind naïve girl. But she had to try, because she was none of that. She had read accounts and heard stories of the Sith; she knew they could be brutal. She knew things would be hard. But to Malou, it was worth the risk. Anything would be better than a life of do-nothing. And she wasn't blind--she could see just fine without her eyes.

@Braden Drake

 

[Darth Caelestis]

Artorigas wrinkled his nose at her first comment about Malou's fathers view upon The Force, that power is the only thing that had got him to where he was in the world, the galaxy. "Your father is a fool, The Force is a tool, one even he could use through you if he chose to. To have one with this ability..." As he spoke he levitated one of the knives next to his plate, spinning slowly end over end to emphasise his point. "... this power, can only be a benefit to his house. Though I guess if he wishes to avoid it, then better for me."

He laid the knife back down on table next to his plate, a few of the closer tables were looking over at the display of Force power, though it was little in comparison to what could be shown. When you were used to nothing, even something as small as a spinning knife was over the top. "So what can you do so far? You must have some natural talent, otherwise you wouldn't be so bold." Artorigas asked.

@lizziie

 

[Malou D'Amaris]

(mobile)

“Your father is a fool…” While initially it took her back to hear her father described as such, Malou wasn’t in disagreement. Where could she have been in her training if he didn’t fear her using it? What would things have been like if her mother had not passed on? Malou watched as Artorgias levitated and spun the knife with ease. If her father was not so overcome with grief when he saw her use the Force, could she too have had a purpose in his family? She felt… cheated.

“My mother was Miralukian, sir,” Malou began again in a quiet but steady voice. Her eyes avoided looking directly at him. “I can see everything around me through the Force." It was less natural talent and more and innate ability. "I can also…do what you did. Move things I mean, sir. Small things, at least. I've not tried much more."

She would demonstrate, but she felt that it might be disrespectful to do so without his prompting. That, and when she closed her eyes to look, she could see her father watching her.

@Braden Drake

 

[Darth Caelestis]

It made sense, the Miralukian blood in her, no other members of her family had shown ability within The Force as far as Artorigas himself had looked into. Well as far as Corneila had looked into. So the mixture of a Force imbued bloodline made a lot of sense, he slightly off gaze also hinted that there was something more to the young women. "If it is more natural to see through The Force, do not attempt to do a half measured job with your eyes." He replied stoically, she had a gift and had been repressing it for to long, she would not do so anymore under his eyes.

"Show me what you can do." He continued pushing the knife over to her side. "Show your father what you can do."

@lizziie

 

[Malou D'Amaris]

"Show me what you can do. Show your father what you can do."

Malou did not reopen her eyes, but if she would've, they might have narrowed. Artorgias' encouragement gave her the confidence to act in spite of her father's wishes. Why would he have approved of her reaching out to Artorigas and simultaneously forbid her from using the Force? What did he want from her? Obedience? Humility? To always heed his word?

Malou's hands were rested on her lap. She lifted her left arm, the palm of her hand facing upward, and with the movement rose the knife. A twitch of a finger spun the knife in one direction, and the twitch of another spun it the other way. In her years of practicing only in secrecy, she had been forced to learn to manipulate things with only the slightest of movements. But when she saw the eyes of her father settle on her, she quickly dropped the knife. It made the softest thud as it hit the tablecloth a few inches away.

She felt immediately ashamed, but the seed of rebellion against her father had already been planted in her head. It felt good to showcase what she could do. Malou lifted the knife back up, but stood this time. The knife continued to spin as she opened her eyes and looked directly where she knew her father was standing.

"This is what I know, so far, sir," began Malou as she set the knife down and turned toward Artorgias. "I would like to learn more."

@Braden Drake

 

[Darth Caelestis]

Artorigas watched her for the corner of his eye as she spun the knife, her actual technique and power was not important only that she have the will to do what she had been forbidden to do for so long. That strength of will is what he was after, as it spun he took a bite from a small plate of food which had been sat before them all, a light fish dish an excellent starter.

When the knife dropped he looked up at both the women and over at her father who seemed to be staring at the young girl. Anger rose inside the Sith, for this was his household and if one would like to intimidate someone under his roof upon his table he would have to deal with the Sith himself. But before he could act the young women done what he was not expecting. She continued in defiance of her fathers stare. "Good." He mumbled, before she turned to face him. "If you can move something as simple as a knife, I am sure you can do more. Try a pair. By the end of dinner I expect you to move an entire cutlery set. Including the desert spoon." He said before taking another bite of his food. The request may have been too much for the young girl but that was the point, it was supposed to be tough, to push her, that is the only way he could get a true reading on her abilities.

@lizziie

 

[Malou D'Amaris]

Lift two knives? Malou lifted her left arm and lifted the knife as she had done previously, then copied that motion with her right arm. She focused on the Force around the object, pushing it upwards until both knives were suspended in the air before her. But how would she lift an entire cutlery set when she had only two hands? The girl sat quiet for several minutes as she manipulated the knives, contemplating.

Malou saw objects as they were defined by the Force. She could not see color through the Sight, but she could see the way the Force wrapped around them. After contemplating for a minute, Malou slowly lowered her right arm. Both knives stayed suspended however, as the girl had found a way to "grasp" both of them through the use of one hand. Now that her right arm was free, Malou lifted a fork into the air to join the two knives. A tiny smile formed on her face. She'd figured it out.

As she was concentrating solely on raising every piece of silverware placed around her plate, Malou paid little attention to her food. Her appetite was replaced with the determination to move the entire cutlery set before the end of dinner. She would extend the Force around each new piece of silverware, then after she was sure she had it she would begin to raise another. The more she raised, the more difficult it was to maintain individual control over each piece. Malou wasn't sure how to hold them as a group. She would have to create... a bubble around them.

Oh.

Servants had already begun to collect the dinner plates from the guests by the time Malou lifted the desert spoon into the air. It had taken her a little longer than she might want to admit, but the girl had finally figured out how to hold them as a group rather than hold each individual piece. Malou held them there for a moment, proud of what she had achieved, then one by one separated them from the group to return each to its rightful spot.

She hoped that it was what Artorgias had wished to happen. Perhaps it was basic, perhaps it was something hardly to be proud of, but Malou was proud regardless. She had learned something new already.

@Braden Drake

 

[Darth Caelestis]

The fish was expertly cooked, flash fired to have a little crunch to the soft flesh beneath, a soup followed sweet yet still savoury his favourite. The main course was Wagna Bantha Steak from the Mid Rim, some of the best cuts of meat you could find and specifically flown in for this event. The marbling was perfect allowing the maximum flavour without to much fat, it was served with vegetables and a wine jos.

They were in the short rest between mains and desert, a small pallet cleanser of a sorbet was on their plates when Malou finished levitating all of the cutlery before her. As they all landed and she turned back to him he smiled. "Good, see you have already advanced your skills in an hour." She was talented that was for sure, something Artorigas was thankful of, considering what currently sat in the vault below them he needed backing of people with power to keep himself alive lone enough to make this all fall into line.

"Your father missed half his food staring at you." He continued between mouthfuls of sorbet. "I have your food kept warm out back for when you are hungry later but for now enjoy desert." Artorigas finished. The desert was a chocolate dome, covering a fresh berry compote and sponge centre, a small jug of hot caramel chocolate was poured over the dome melting it away to show what lay beneath.

@lizziie

 

[Malou D'Amaris]

"Your father missed half his food staring at you."

Malou wasn't sure how to feel about that--frankly it made her sort of nervous--but she was easily distracted by the desert which was set in front of her. After giving Artorgias a nod of understanding, the teenager began to dig into the desert. It was a nice surprise for sure as she thoroughly enjoyed caramel.

As she ate, the bitter realization of how much farther she might be along in her training if her father had only let her do so. She'd learned more in the past hour than she had in the past five years. It was... embarrassing. The sweetness of the desert quelled the blossoming anger in her chest, however. It's awfully hard to be too negative when eating such a delicious desert.

After finishing, Malou took a look again around the room. Her father was chatting with Solange and her cousins, and her brother was speaking with some of the other guests. Uninterested, she viewed the table around her while she waited for Artorgias to say something else to her. Were his instructions also an agreement to teach her? She was scared to ask, but she hoped the answer would be yes.

@Braden Drake

 

[Darth Caelestis]

The desert was sweet as designed, though a small bit of the caramel got stuck in his back molar and he spent half the time eating trying to remove it. Finally giving in he summoned The Force to peel the melted sugar away giving him a free mouth to enjoy the rest of his sweet. He took a large mouthful of his wine before turning to the young women who had quickly finished her own food. "Malou, are you old enough to drink?" It was a random question to be sure, but considering the amount of time Artorigas' life was revolved around the stuff, be it drinking, collecting or making it would be prudent to know.

He awaited the answer before moving onwards "I assume you are ready packed. If you are to be my apprentice I expect you to live here within the Castle. Corneila will share her rooms with you." The young girl on the other side of him jumped forward a big smile on her face. "I can't wait, I haven't had a younger sister before. Can you plait my hair? The house servants are always too rough." Corneila was perhaps a year or two older than Malou and she had been the one to make the suggestion she share her rooms.

@lizziie

 

[Malou D'Amaris]

"Almost," Malou would answer. She occasionally had a glass of wine at family dinners, though she admittedly wasn't a fan of it. She usually drank hers watered down.

"Yes, I-" Malou was interrupted by the excited words of Corneila. She opened her eyes and gave the girl a smile. Malou didn't have any sisters--Manon was the closest she had to one, and they operated mostly as friends. "Oh, uh, sure. I can plait hair."

Malou was more excited, however, to get out of her father's house. She had packed in case, though her father would have to be informed. With how he had acted around Artorgias, she doubted he would disallow her to stay here. After all, he had said she could train under him.

@Braden Drake

 

[Darth Caelestis]

Artorigas could see his new apprentice was taken aback by his sister's zealous nature, but he couldn't help it. Corneila was who she was at the end of the day. "Good, I will speak to your father shortly and make the arrangements." He replied between another mouthful of the dark red wine. He raised his hand slightly and a servant appeared over his shoulder, Artorigas leaned to one side whispering into his ear so that Malou nor Corneila could hear what he was saying.

After a short moment the servant nodded and headed away from the table, skirting the outside of the room before moving towards the D'Amaris tables. Ignoring the servant he turned back to Malou "Also Corneila will be training with you as well." He said with a smile. "She also has ability within The Force, so I am training her as well."

The final plates were being removed and guests were being offered their drinks of choice before the night began to wind down. "Go speak to your father by now he would have agreed." He said with a sly smile. "I will see you bright and early tomorrow for your first session. The both of you." The last part more for his sister than Malou, before pushing his seat back and making his way to the door to wish the leaving guests a good evening.

@lizziie

 

[Malou D'Amaris]

Corneila? Malou looked back over at the older girl. She thought for a moment, then decided that she would be happy to be able to train with someone else near her age. Plus, Corneila seemed friendly. She could use from friendliness if her life.

"Understood." Malou stood up and gave Artorigas a small bow of her head before heading off to find her father. She gave Corneila a small bow of the head, as well.

"Father." Malou opened her eyes as she approached her father, searching for any amount of emotion on his face as his face came into her sight. He had a neutral look on his face, but the kind she knew to be intentional. He gave her a curt nod.

"We will be leaving soon to collect your things. I expect that you will..." Her father paused for a moment before continuing. "...behave yourself while you are under Sir Artorgias' mentorship. Come along."

And with that, her father led her and her brother out of the room. Malou took one last look before following. She was...excited? Yeah. She was excited.

/exit thread

(sorry for my delayed responses recently, was dealing with some irl stuff. thanks for your patience!)

@Braden Drake