Ask But That's None of my Business

[Darth Tiamat]

Tiamat had been chewing on this for a few days now. She thought after a good night's rest she would find herself bouncing back to her regular self, diving back into her work and returning to pretty much how things were prior to her conversation with Morgan. However, it was far from any return of how things were.

Something stuck that would not leave her, the sinking and twisting feeling in her gut remained constant, instinct nipping at any doubts she had. The next step was how to cut herself from the triangle she was pulled into; part of her could understand where Morgan was coming from, telling her, but there were other thoughts and other questions that didn't add up for the redhead. The woman didn't want to go back to Morgan to sort things out, but she also did not want to go to Emryc to tell him anything because he didn't like the drama, and she certainly knew this from the drama she used to cause him. She was out of ideas though, and she knew if she kept to herself until they visited again, it would...not be good.

With much hesitation, Tiamat decided to seek out Emryc. She didn't like she was doing this, but she also didn't like what was happening or the feelings that kept eating at her. It has left her on edge, it interrupted her work, and she had chosen to wear her armor...just in case.

The woman had arrived on Tatooine, red hair hidden under the cowl to hide her features as well as avoiding sunburn from the sweltering suns as she made her way across the port city. It had exploded in commerce and population since the last time she was here; less of the riff-raff that normally loitered, locals had returned to reclaim their cities and it was rather charming. There was no need to announce she was here to Emryc, he would know and he would feel she was far from her typical moodiness, as there was something more serious eating at his former apprentice.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

When she asked around, Tiamat would be directed to a tent past some of the market stalls. It was curiously far from the more metropolis parts of the city, but Emryc wanted a break from that.

Once she entered the tent, she would be greeted by the sight of Emryc sitting on the ground on some brightly colored plush cushions surrounded by drapes and blankets. He was sitting in front of a giant hookah, drawing from one of the pipes. There was a woman sitting on either side of him, and it was clear they were mid conversation when Tiamat poked her head in. The half Sephi took one look at the red head as he blew out a massive cloud of smoke.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to finish telling me the Krayt story another time,” Emryc said calmly as he stared at Tiamat. The twi’lek next to him whined in protest, but she took the cue to leave with her friend. Both of them cast curious glances at Tiamat before leaving. Though the two women were there, they were dressed quite normally and nothing about the vibe suggested it had been anything more than three people simply having a conversation. In fact, they were some of his best informants in keeping tabs on Hutt activity.

The half Sephi quirked a single brow at Tiamat as he took another drag from his hookah pipe, “What’d I do now?” He asked quietly.

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

This was a change of scenery and Tiamat was even surprised in herself as to taking a likable preference to where she was meeting Emryc. As she entered the tent, her eyes were quickly drawn to the two woman who sat with him as their own curious gazes seemed to study her as much as she studied them. It was not that Emryc was in the presence of others that bothered her, it was more she was interrupting whatever it was he was doing for the ISC to bring up this game that she wanted to end. There was a bubble of her own frustration that she was finding herself here and it was something she was unable to solve, but those feelings didn't betray her features.

When the twi'leks left the tent, Tiamat sat down on one of the colorful cushions across from Emryc. Legs crossed, palms rested on her knees, much as she used to sit during her days as his apprentice. He took another drag from the pipe, inquiring what it was she suspected him of doing wrong.

She had replayed the possible conversations she had with Emryc in her head many times over before she came, never finding the right one regardless of how she told him what was happening between her and Morgan. Her fingers betrayed her thoughts as reached up to find a loose lock of hair to wrap around her forefinger before catching herself and resting her hand again.

"You have done nothing." she started, meeting his gaze, "Unless I have gravely miscalculated." Tiamat explained, knowing it was horribly vague, but she made sure she continued before Emryc said any thing more.

"I want to make it clear to you that no one will be treating me as an after-thought. No one is going to tell me how I should feel and should not feel. And no one, if they dare, will remove me because of their insecurities with their relationship." Tiamat stated clearly, firmly, and with a confidence that flowed through her tone that spoke of caution and warning.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc stared at her as she spoke. He was distracted only momentarily as he lit a new coal and placed it after the last one fizzled out. The shisha was mint mixed with some local fruit flavors, resulting in an explosion of tastes. The entire tent smelled incredibly pleasant. There was even an ornate tea set next to him with small cups without handles to sip from.

The half Sephi drew from the pipe once more as Tiamat finished speaking. He eyed her for a moment, blinking a few times. She knew him, and this meant that vagueness and roundabout phrasing worked with him as well asking a tree for directions. Nothing she said sounded unreasonable, so he simply shrugged.

“Okay,” He affirmed flatly, his gaze flicking down and then up again as he looked at Tiamat, “Grab that nozzle if you want to smoke.”

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

No argument or cocky quip from the half-sephi, and Tiamat nodded, satisfaction from his response. He gestured to the pipe and the woman glanced to it and then too the tea next to him. "No, but I would like some tea.”

Regardless if he prepared her a cup or moved it to where she could reach it, Tiamat waited until she had her cup of tea before continuing. With a small sip, she felt her shoulders relax, her blue eyes glanced away from his silver's as she reorganized her thoughts, still feeling uncomfortable in a way for even bringing this up. It wasn’t she did not care of what was transpiring, if it where true, but how she was not allowed to choose and was forced to confront it. "I bring this up because I had this most interesting visit from Morgan." she started, "He told me some things about himself that involved you and whether or not what he said is true, I don’t want to be in the middle of it.”

Tiamat observed Emryc carefully, “He was, I think perturbed that I did not believe you and him having the type of relationship he described, but what I do believe he will do whatever it takes to have what he wants, Emryc.” her tone grew firm, caution and warning for Sephi she was uncertain of what he knew about Morgan.

“I understand much better what he did to Malicia. He knows I am a sensitive person and I believe he was using that knowledge to drive me away from you. However, in knowing that it was unsuccessful for him, I am ready for whatever steps he will take against me, to have what he wants.” Tiamat explained.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc calmly poured her some tea. It was refreshing mint tea, a lighter tea that had an almost cooling aftertaste. He floated the cup over to her to grab as he began to pour himself one. The half Sephi listened quietly as Tiamat spoke, setting the pipe down for a moment as he dealt with the tea. The more she said, she would be able to see the very subtle microexpressions and shifts on his face. His jaw twitched slightly, there was the tiniest flare of the nostrils, and he pointedly looked anywhere but Tiamat.

He had heard these words before. Renfry’s words echoed in his mind. He remembered the very genuine look of concern on her face. He remembered his pregnant wife sitting next to him on a bench telling him about how she had been threatened by Morgan shortly before she was as good as dead from his actions. He remembered his own words to the man about how he sought to burn everything around Emryc to leave behind only what he wanted.

There was a loud crack as the cup of tea shattered in his palm. Emryc’s gaze never left the cushion he was staring at, his fists curling around the shards as blood began to seep out between his fingers. There was a flash of yellow in his eyes, indicating that Raze was hovering beneath the surface. The very air around them began to turn to frost, the warmth of the hookah suddenly suffocated and snuffed out. Tiamat would feel goosebumps begin to line her skin and she would see wisps of her own breath.

There was an invisible pulse that reverberated through the Force, heralding the presence of something dark and something tremendously powerful. It rippled out to wash over Tiamat and past her. Those passing by the tent outside would feel a sense of dread at the pits of their stomach. They would feel the overwhelming urge to drop and vomit from the sheer discomfort they felt in every fiber of their being.

Emryc’s presence in the Force was suddenly almost unbearably overwhelming. Because it was not he or Raze at this moment - they were united as one. It was Emryc and Raze together. Their minds came to a singularity that was beyond dangerous. It was a reality that should never have been allowed. It was a reality Emryc had tried to prevent. That should never be given the chance to ever exist. And yet the two forces of nature aligned and united in their fury.

The ground beneath the two of them superficially cracked, web like cracks streaking out throughout the floor. It would extend out beneath both Emryc and Tiamat, traveling below the hookah and the pillows and rugs.

The half Sephi slowly opened his hand, his other hand moving to pick out the shards that had wedged themselves into his palm. Each little piece fell with a soft clatter until it was nothing but the open cuts left in his hand. Emryc’s gaze slowly panned over to rest on Tiamat’s. They were frigid in their calm, but the yellows faintly lined the irises. It was too subtle to notice without truly looking. It was Emryc as he hadn’t been in several years.

“Nothing will happen to you,” He spoke at last, his tone one of finality and a quiet, simmering rage.

With that, he rose to his feet and quietly strode past her and out of the tent. He walked with purposeful steps. Like he often did before he brought devastation and despair. Like he did when he was Raze. Like he had done on Dathomir. Like he had done on Denon. Like he had done on Ajan Kloss.

Like he would on his next destination.

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Something felt off in the Force as she finished her explanation; she wanted to continue, to ensure he knew of her warning and concern for the man that claimed they were together. He had spoke of love being a liability and weakness to her not too long ago, perhaps it was after all, a warning to her of the turmoil that it caused for himself. Another lesson for her, one that he had learned with difficulty, but Tiamat was uncertain and even as more questions came, they seemed insignificant from what she was observing from Emryc across from her.

It was rare, and generally provoked from her when she instigated emotion from the man, and before she could say anymore there was a crack. It was enough to make Tiamat jump with a startle as her blue eyes fell to his palm, shards sticking out from under his fingers and the deep red blood begun to pool from the spaces of his fingers. She went to pull her cowl from around her neck, but stopped as the tent grew cold, the chill ran down her back and along her arms, rippling with goose bumps as a dark pulse. The ground cracked beneath them and the woman moved slightly to avoid pinching her fingers and she set down her cup.

"Emryc..." she whispered, uncertain if he was even there, or if it were Raze, but when his gaze returned to her own, there was something else, something perhaps more deadly, and then he spoke.

His words echoed what he had said before. He then stood up and left the tent without further explanation or statement. It took a moment for the redhaired woman to chase after, processing what she just seen and experienced. However, when she stumbled into the twin suns of the desert, he was gone.

Dammit...



/END THREAD