Dead Memories

[Brandr Jarl]

Theme​

Lothal was something of an odd place.

It was a bit of an Imperial centre but it had been transformed from a backwater to make it this way. Honestly, it seemed that Cregan Drast (or Evandrus if you were being technical) would have a lasting legacy and that, honestly, was the only thing about the man that Brandr could respect.

When a man died, he left behind three things.

Family.

Reputation.

Legacy.

Families died faster than anyone cared to admit to themselves and reputation lasted for as long as the people who knew of you lived. But a legacy? That was what lasted.

Lothal was going to be an important planet within the Sith Empire for generations and because of that, Evandrus' name would be remembered. If nothing else, Brandr could respect that.

But for now?

Now he was out in the fields, waiting for the local 'guide' to arrive and begin showing him the sites that Lothwolves once roamed.

He hoped to see one.

@MatureContentWarningx @Arthemise Xius

 

[Arthemise Xius]

Lothal was her home. The vast mountains that lined its horizons were familiar, but where Arthemise had once seen beauty she now found emptiness. It was hard to escape the idea that she was alone- it was a battle that had waged war inside of her in the weeks following Evandrus' death. He had saved her and provided her a home, but no matter how hard she tried, there was nothing that she could do to bring him back. Lothal was home, but Arthemise was desperate to leave it all behind before this internal war destroyed her as it had so many others.

Arthemise walked the winding path that led her towards the mountains, curious to know who waited for her in the fields below. She had been drunk beyond words when she had agreed to meet the man to show him the dens of Lothwolves- it was a silly adventure, but she was looking forward to the distraction; she had spent far too many days stuck between her apartment and the cantina.

However, her expression fell rather quick once she realized who had requested the tour. Arthemise recognized him before he even had the chance to turn around, his broad shoulders and heavy frame weren't easy to forget. For as much as she disliked the man, his lesson had been one of the few that had kept her focused enough to avoid falling into a complete depression- she didn't have time to mourn.

"I must admit, you're the last person I would have thought to find out here." She kept her distance, content to avoid another lesson. Though, there was no sass in her tone- Brandr had destroyed the last of her attitude and given her a lot to think about. Still, he was the last person she would have thought to hike through the mountains with.

 

[Brandr Jarl]

Lothal was really full of unwelcome surprises wasn't it?

It seemed that his guide for Lothal had finally shown up and it was Xius. It was a little bit surprising but nothing beyond the pale or anything like that. She was bound to live somewhere and it made perfect sense to him that the woman who lived within the shadow of Evandrus in spirit would live within the shadow of his accomplishments as well.

Gods forbid the woman actually push herself and stand on her own two feet right? Well, maybe she would learn that. Or maybe she wouldn't? It really didn't matter to him. All that mattered to him, that came from her? Was if she was actually going to be a decent guide or not.

He wasn't here for fun - he was here for the hunt.

He could kick her around for fun later.

"Why?" he asked with a small shrug, "They say there are mighty beasts here, sterkir úlfar, and I wish to see them. They told me I would need a guide so here you are."

Tilting his head to the side slightly, he looked at her.

"Can you keep a decent pace with your stomach?"

@MatureContentWarningx @Arthemise Xius

 

[Arthemise Xius]

Arthemise should have known better than to expect a decent response from the man- he was filled to the brim with piss and vinegar. It made him a rather hideous creature, the lines on his face having formed a permanent scowl. His heavily armored exterior served only to protect the emptiness he harbored inside- devoid of all natural emotion. To feel nothing at all must have made him a lonely individual and there was a small part of her that pitied the man, but not enough to show him. Even so, Arthemise was not without her own faults, her grief had kept her weighted on Lothal and she hadn't done more than sleep and drink in the weeks following Evandrus' death- in a way, she too had become devoid of the emotions that made her human.

"I am quite sure that I can manage." She let out a heavy and irritated breath, closing the distance she had kept between them. "I do believe you'll be a bit disappointed to hear that it is rare to actually encounter these beasts. I don't believe anyone has seen one in centuries. I've spent quite a bit of time in these mountains and have yet to encounter one."

Arthemise turned her back on the man, leading him towards the base of the mountains. It would be a steep climb to the dens, but she needed to build the strength back within her core. His prior lesson had left her abdomen bruised, a rather painful reminder of the nights events.

 

[Brandr Jarl]

She seemed to be annoyed at him but he could only feel the beginnings of that via the Force. She showed nothing on her fact - which was a marked improvement from how she was the time before. If she thought that she could keep up though he wasn't about to fight her over in because he honestly didn't care if she was ready or not. Either she would be and the hunt would happen or she wouldn't be, the hunt would still happen and she was be educated in how foolish she has been.

"If you fall behind, you get left behind."

He sighed a little bit as he rolled his eyes.

"I know they are rare - but the rumours say that your talking-man of a mentor saw them." he smirked, "Rumours have it that he killed them dead. You wouldn't know anything about that now would you?"

He doubted that she would have been with him back then.

Either way, he followed her along as his guide.

@MatureContentWarningx @Arthemise Xius

 

[Arthemise Xius]

Brander didn't seem entirely convinced she was capable of keeping pace with him and was content on leaving her behind- odd, considering he had requested the escort, but it wasn't worth the effort to argue. He was far too stubborn to listen.

"Leave me behind if you must- I know these forests like the back of my hand. I doubt I'd have much trouble finding my way home, but I am quite sure you won't have much luck finding the dens without me. Rather unfortunate, but I think you're stuck with me for the time being." There was a hint of resolve in her tone, but no sass or sarcasm. The dens were hidden deep in the forests, buried in the cracks of the towering mountains and were not easy to find. It had only been by chance that Arthemise had found them herself.

Her attention moved back to Brandr, giving him a confused sort of look as she walked at his side. "As for the stories, I'm not familiar them. My talking-man of a mentor and I never discussed them. It is my understanding that you can't kill one- they are believed to be more of a-" she paused, thinking of the right word. "a presence. Though, not physical."

 

[Brandr Jarl]

Yay.

He had wanted a guide but had he known that said guide was going to be this mewling quim then he would have asked for a paper map and a compass rather than spend more time with her and her stupidity and her sadness. Even now she reeked of sadness and he was rather sick of it.

Hopefully she would just get over it soon.

"Whatever - just keep up so I don't have to ditch you."

They were walking and she was talking.

She did that a lot.

"I've heard that your talking man killed off some of the beggers." he told her flippantly before grinning, "I thought your mentor proved it?"

His eyes narrowed.

"Anything can die."

@MatureContentWarningx @Arthemise Xius

 

[Arthemise Xius]

Arthemise quelled him with a look, but did not let her anger show in her expressions- wise enough to know that she was no match for Brandr. It had taken than enough time for her to recover from his prior lesson and she hoped not to find herself crawling out of the woods today. He had no interest in lore or legend and knew little about the beasts they hunted, but it wasn't her place to instruct him. He wouldn't listen, even if she did.

"Yes, anything can die." She agreed in a half-hearted tone, folding her arms over her chest. "Evandrus was no exception- you needn't continue to bring it up. I'm more than capable of understanding death." Arthemise took a deep breath before moving past him, leading him further into the forests. There was a part of her that considered how easy it would have been to lead him in the wrong direction- leave him stranded in unfamiliar territory, miles from the city. There was no question that he deserved it, but she lacked the enthusiasm that would be required to toy with him.

"The dens are a few hours hike north," she gestured in the direction but did not look at him. "We will need to pick up our pace if you hope to reach them before dark."

 

[Brandr Jarl]

Was she though? Maybe she could understand death, maybe she was just fooling herself. Maybe she didn't really know anything about it at all and she was just trying to convince herself otherwise in a desperate attempt to not be overrun by her own emotions on the subject?

He didn't care enough to ask.

"Nothing and no one will ever be an exception." he told her. It was blunt but it was, in his own way, almost like something close to comfort. The certainty of it being it's company, "I will die. You will die. The stars in the Galaxy around us will die. Death will come for all and it will not be gentle."

Nodding in agreement, Brandr would continue to hike with Xius, picking up the pace as he was instructed. He didn't much care for the whole activity of hiking but it served a purpose he supposed.

"Let's go."

And off they went.

@MatureContentWarningx @Arthemise Xius