Ask Dathomir Open Wounds

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc was silent again as Renfry stumbled over her words. He crossed his arms over his chest, his face blank and still devoid of anger. He let her finish, quietly studying her face. She was calm and somehow flustered at the same time in some fascinating way.

“Then you have everything you could want from me, yes?” He asked simply. Emryc still didn’t quite understand this topic. Why was simply saying a few words so dramatically important? Did they not engage in activities like any lovers would? Emryc didn’t voice his confusion, simply staring at her.

“So I fail to see the source of all your suffering as a result of my mere existence,” He stated quite bluntly. It had been the case for years now and this was the first time he was openly addressing it. Emryc normally didn’t care whatsoever and never bothered to broach the topic. However, her actions in seeking him out in the village and assisting him had fundamentally shifted some things around.

 

[Renfry]

Renfry was on the verge of just saying forget it and trying to move on, but this was probably the best time to just get this out. She was silent for a long moment, thinking about what he said. In fact, the way he said it almost made her wonder if she'd been wrong this whole time. If he did love her in his own way. Surely that wasn't the case, right?

The problem was that he didn't get it. It wasn't a matter of her wanting things from him. It wasn't about things, it wasn't even about words, it was about what he felt for her and what she felt for him.

Your existence isn't a source of suffering for me, she said, rolling her eyes. Was there a way she could explain this that he would get? Was there some way to make it clear? Was it that she was jealous of Morgan? Was it that she was scared of being left alone?

Would you leave me for him? If he asked you to, she finally asked. Even she wasn't sure if that was at the root of it all, but it was a component. How deep exactly this went was still up for debate. Maybe at the end of the day it was that she wanted him all to herself, which she knew she would never have.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc looked slightly surprised by the question, and then more bemused before he settled back into his stoic. The half Sephi blinked a few times in silence before he answered quite decidedly, “He would never ask something so absurd and silly,” Asking things like that sounded like stupid drama from Holomovies. He couldn’t picture Morgan being like that in a million years, or he would have certainly selected a poor choice of partner.

“My choices are my own, Renfry, as they have always been,” He explained calmly, still looking at her. What was she so afraid of? What was she seeking? At this point it felt like she was the one confused and not him.

“I don’t believe you quite understand what it is you desire from me,” Emryc stated flatly, “And you punish yourself for it for no real reason.”

 

[Renfry]

Renfry frowned and gave him a face that said she was not convinced. He had seemed less than happy about finding out about Renfry and Emryc, but Emryc knew him better than she did, so she didn't argue.

She thought about what he said. He may have been right. Perhaps she was hung up on things that she shouldn't have been. So why was she so concerned? It wasn't as simple as a single reason. She was afraid he would leave her for Morgan. She was afraid that he would turn on her as was often the way of the Sith. She was afraid to let herself be hurt again.

All these years later, the words he had told her still stuck in her mind. She had finally come to accept them, and now he seemed unhappy about it.

I want to know what I am. If I'm a partner you care for or a weapon you value for now and will throw away someday. If I'm just a weapon, then I should be without emotion, warmth, or hesitation, she said, though there was still uncertainty in her voice. It was at the heart of this change within her. She had finally accepted being a tool and a weapon, but with that identity came a harsher handling of everything in her life: the cold soul he'd seen in her when he arrived. And she feared that one day, he would grow tired of her or she would outlive her usefulness, and she would be left alone. Emotionally invested but left for someone else.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc stared at her for a few moments, considering her words. While normally such lines of dialogue would get nothing but silence from him, he would make an effort now. The half Sephi didn’t look away from her, taking in the details of her face and her body language. All of it was tense even if she fought against it.

“What you are to me should have no bearing on who you are as a person,” Emryc stated after a while, “I do not craft and shape you. You do that yourself. You have always had that freedom,” The half Sephi paused there for a moment, eyeing her.

“I value you,” He said curtly, “I would not be here otherwise. I would not part with that holocron otherwise,” Emryc looked away from her then, weaving through his own thoughts, “I can find tools for my purposes anywhere. I am resourceful enough on my own to serve my needs.”

 

[Renfry]

She listened to what he said, making no movement. She almost felt like the slightest motion might spook him and he'd scamper off from giving her any kind of real answer. Not that he was really ever the type to scamper, but she couldn't shake the feeling.

It took her several moments to process what exactly he had just said, and she was sure she would spend several hours overthinking it eventually. It wasn't quite an "I love you" but it was closer than she had expected.

The hardest part of it all was figuring out what to say. She should definitely say something, but this was not the moment to put her foot in her mouth. And, oh, was she good at putting her foot in her mouth.

Yes, I suppose you can, she agreed after a moment that he could have done this on his own.

I... value it when you come here, she said. His invitation to come to this world was a standing one for a reason. Despite all the conflict and drama they often had, she liked being with him.

That was probably a dumb thing to say, she stated bluntly after a moment. It seemed a little... cheesy? Something like that, but the sentiment behind it was real. Even if it's true, she added so that there was no miscommunication about her words.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc stared at her as she said her words and quickly agonized over saying them. His eyes narrowed slightly in response before his head tilted just slightly.

“Why do you doubt yourself so much?” He asked in that same flat and piercing tone. His eyes bore into her, undressing and unraveling her with the cutting gaze. It was the same severe gaze that fell upon her almost a decade prior when he had sauntered up to the ancient ruins. Always calculating, always processing, always collecting. They were not the blind, vacant eyes that wandered off and never found focus.

“You are a Queen,” He reminded her, turning to face her fully. He reached his hands out to grasp her shoulders to push them so she stood a little taller and straight. He next brought his hand under her chin to tilt it up so her entire poise changed. Emryc stepped back after that, nodding in approval, “Hmm.”

 

[Renfry]

His words caught her by surprise, and then they lingered in her mind. Perhaps he was right. She spent so much time second-guessing herself, particularly when it came to him. She had changed significantly since those first days they had met. In most ways she was now entirely different from the young girl flirting with danger for the thrill, and yet a part of that young, uncertain girl still remained in her.

You're right, she agreed, and before she knew it, he was pushing her back into a position of better posture, raising her head, and then taking a step back to look at her. Somehow she felt silly, but at the same time, the way he looked at her when she stood like this. She liked it. She wasn't even sure he fully realized it was there, but it was a type of gaze she could have grown accustomed to.

A reality struck her in that moment as well. He had always elevated her. Lifted her up and made her better and stronger. Not that she hadn't worked at it herself, but he always gave her that extra nudge to push her just past her comfort zone. It was... significant.

They stood there just for a moment, both of them looking at each other. She looked up into his eyes, not breaking away from their piercing gaze before stepping toward him and standing on her tiptoes to kiss him. She let it linger for a long moment, savoring it. It was the first time she had kissed him since the night she had confessed her love to him, and she no longer cared. She forced aside any second guessing and let it just be.

She stepped back a moment later, her hand still resting against his cheek and then withdrawing entirely.

Dinner is still waiting, she said.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc was still eyeing her new stance when she closed the distance between them. He hadn’t expected her to do that. While he didn’t pull away, he didn’t exactly return the kiss, feeling her lips against his own. It was a familiar feeling, and yet one he hadn’t experienced in quite some time. The surprise lingered in him, and he stood as a perfect statue as she kissed him and drew into her own thoughts. His hands almost moved towards her hips, but they paused and returned back to his sides.

Before he could react further, she had already pulled away and she was treated to the rare sight of his face looking perplexed. Emryc shifted back to his norm soon enough, nodding as he walked over to take a seat at the table. He gazed up at her in silence for a moment, considering countless memories and moments shared. Most of them seemed like centuries ago and they were both very different people.

Emryc was largely silent as he ate, finding the taste surprisingly pleasing. Most of the time there had been too much spice, but it was clear Renfry had her girls take special care to tone it down for his tastes. He took a sip of water and gazed back at her again.

“So where will I be staying?” He asked after a moment, curious, “And do I get a few uh…” He rubbed his chin in thought, “Attendants?”

 

[Renfry]

She caught the look of surprise on his face as she took a step back. She couldn't miss the fact that he hadn't really returned her kiss, but at the same time she wasn't particularly shocked. The threat to turn to second guessing herself in her own mind tugged at her, but she shut it down. She was committed to trying what he said. He really hadn't led her astray before.

Within only a few moments, the smell of the food hit her and she took a seat across from him. There was a long silence as they both ate and most of it involved her suppressing all the inner thoughts she was wanting to have. Instead, she focused on the dinner. Particularly good, she thought. Of course, hers was not quite so bland as what had been prepared for him, but she was glad to see he seemed to be enjoying it.

She took only a moment to consider the answer to his question.

I can have a room prepared for you, she said, pausing for a moment to consider the status of the guest rooms in the palace-temple. There were several that she used, but she decided there was enough for what she said next.

If you'd like, you can have one permanently to arrange however you'd like, she said. She stopped short of offering for him to stay in her room, deciding that was perhaps at this moment a bit too much.

As for attendants, that can be arranged. How many do you need and for what purpose? she asked. He knew her well enough to know that it was likely one part snoopiness and one part genuine so that she could assign individuals who would be the most helpful to assist him.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc almost smiled at her nosy questions. It was one of those character quirks that had been with her since the day they met. Even becoming a queen didn’t take that away from her. The half Sephi finished his meal in swift military fashion as always. He took his time before answering, just because he knew it would antagonize her just a bit more.

“Two attendants,” He stated flatly, staring at her for a moment to let her mind wander and explore all kinds of scenarios involving him and two women. After a few seconds, he leaned back in his seat and shrugged.

“I want one of them to read some of the ancient tomes to me while the other gives me a massage,” Emryc stated flatly. Both of those things sounded like a perfect, relaxing evening, “Maybe bring me some celery sticks.”

His interests in Dathomirian Magick still hadn’t faded. It was all still knowledge he wanted to devour. Emryc neatly stacked the plates and looked at her.

“Unless you have any interesting ideas for spending the evening.”

 

[Renfry]

He drew out his answer and for a moment she thought she wasn't going to get an answer. Then the answer came and there was another long pause before the "what" he wanted them for. Her mind went to all kinds of things, and at least one of them wasn't what she was excited about.

Ultimately, what he described was more benign and put her slightly at ease. It also brought another idea to her mind.

Those sound like things I could do. At the same time, even she said with a nonchalant shrug before pondering what he said about other ideas for spending the evening.

Alternatively, I could read to you at the hot springs, she suggested. It's not far, and quite relaxing at night, she said, finishing up the last of her food and draining the remainder of her wine.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc quirked an eyebrow as Renfry declared she would be able to meet all of those requests. He figured she would parade around her Queenly duties to keep her too busy to tend to his needs. The half Sephi shrugged and allowed her to lead the way to the hot springs. He had just had a bath, but hot springs were not something he came across very often.

Once they arrived after a while, he had no qualms with stripping himself of his clothing, dipping a toe in to check temperature. While it was slightly hotter than he liked, he slowly worked his way in, relaxing against a boulder as he looked up at the open sky. The stars, as usual, were far more vibrant than on any city planets.

“Imbuing physical weapons with magick,” He stated as he looked at Renfry, “That’s what I want to hear about. And I have a lot of tension around my shoulders.”

 

[Renfry]

She headed out toward the hot springs with him close behind, grabbing her grimoire on the way out. They made it quickly back to the springs and she stripped down to nothing as well, sliding into the springs and letting out a deep sigh. The evening was still warm out, but the temperature would be dropping quickly as the red sun went down.

She let her head flop back against the side of the spring for a moment before lifting her head up to look at him again.

Ah yes, the shoulders, she said with a smirk as she half-slid, half-floated over next to him and slid in behind him.

Enchanted weapons, she said absentmindedly, setting one hand on his shoulder while the other motioned through the air toward her grimoire. It levitated just off to the side of the pool as she looked over her notes, careful not to let it too close to the water.

Her other hand came to rest on his shoulder as well as she began to slowly work over his muscles. Oh, well, this wasn't quite so bad, was it?

Not so different from using the Shadow to temporarily buff a weapon in combat, she said. I think I read once that the Sith used to make swords infused with the Dark Side, she said, working her way down the upper part of his arms as she spoke. The page flipped.

But if you want something more permanent, the incantation is 'niwe nimu, eth velen esparta,' she said, letting her eyes scan over the rest of the formula. Followed by the specific goals of the enchantment. Also a series of runes sometimes along the ground and sometimes along the weapon itself. And the blood of a virgin. Oh, wait, no, not that last part, she said, knowing how often he brought up things like "goat sacrifices" and other absurdities regarding the rituals.

You'd like a specific weapon enchanted? she asked curiously. Perhaps a gift for him? Likely not, but... perhaps.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc had to submerge himself further so he wasn’t towering over her. This allowed her to reach him appropriately to work the muscles. As usual, his back had old marks from the lashings but very few new ones. There were other marks here and there as well, notably bites or claw marks. Otherwise, his hair was neatly cropped as before, though that little tattoo from the Cadre was visible at the nape of his neck if Renfry inspected closely.

The half Sephi’s eyes were closed as Renfry worked on him, "Mm you've kept your hands soft," He remarked in appreciation. She was one of the few he would ever allow to put him in such a vulnerable position. And yet she was still convinced she was nothing to him. Emryc had long since given up on attempting to work out the unnecessarily complicated inner workings of the women in his life.

Emryc listened to every word, hearing the turn of the page with his sensitive ears. Every now and then there was a satisfied “hmmmm” that escaped him from the massage.

“Myself,” He said simply, “I want to enhance my limbs and imbue them with magic to strike others,” Emryc thought back to the brutal fight against Talak Rand, “Is that possible?”

 

[Renfry]

She continued working over his shoulders and back, not having any hesitation to lay hands on him or let her eyes wander over him. She initially tried to not look too closely at the marks on him, but her mind eventually wandered for a moment to that mental image before snapping back. If one could mentally clear their throat, that was what she did.

Well, I'm glad you appreciate it, she said softly, her hands continuing to work down his back and toward his hips.

She was quite interested in his answer, imagining making a tool or weapon for his use, suddenly thinking of it saving his life on the battlefield someday. She could fantasize... and she did.

However, what he said gave her pause. He would be able to feel her stop massaging him for a moment before continuing.

It is possible, she said, but he would be able to clearly sense her hesitation. We sometimes subject the Nightbrothers to the process, but I wouldn't advise it for you, she said frankly.

I'm sure you're familiar with reinforcing one's body with the Shadow temporarily. To do it on a more permanent basis the individual is infused with the ichors of Dathomir directly. The individual grows significantly in size, strength, and speed but at the cost of the mind, she explained. She could only imagine how massive he would have been were he subjected to the process. With how large he was already, the results would have been extreme.

The process typically 'intensifies aggression, in some cases tipping the scales from brains to brawn,' she said, directly reading the notes she had on the issue. She had seen the process herself before on several occasions: turning a Nightbrother into a brute force weapon. The men weren't valued for their minds, after all. Sacrificing that to create a more potent weapon was a sacrifice she was willing to make, but he wasn't just any man.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc was silent as he listened, though he quite enjoyed the massage. He imagined what she described but for himself. He was already big by nature, and this would empower him even more. He thought back to his fight against that traitor Talak Rand and how easily he could have destroyed him. How he would have kept his sight. How he would have kept his hold on Korriban intact.

His muscles tensed and Renfry would feel it under her touch. Sinewy cords rippled and roiled, and it betrayed far more than his mind or face ever would. However, it stopped a moment after it began, Emryc displaying that strict discipline yet again. The half Sephi focused on her touch, exhaling softly.

“You do this often?” He asked after a moment of silence. He asked nothing more of weaponizing with magic, though the answer rested at the back of his mind.

Emryc tilted his head back slightly, gazing up at the stars, “For a long time I believed I would never see this again,” He said quietly as he spotted a meteor streaking across the sky. The skies weren’t as brilliant as they were here on other planets. Emryc grinned as he looked.

"Ancient folklores across many planets speak of meteors granting wishes," There was a shower of a few above them. The notion was no sillier than even some Sith teachings and myths.

 

[Renfry]

Renfry could feel him tense under her hands and she was once again reminded just how... athletic he was. Sooo athletic. That was something her mind could wander down for a while, but she reeled herself back in after a moment. Primarily because while she certainly liked to feel all his muscles tense it belied something else that concerned her: he was upset.

His mind was a fortress and his face was unbreaking, but his body betrayed him. She was worried for a moment that something she said had upset him or annoyed him, but the sensation of tension subsided only a moment later. She felt herself relax muscles she didn't even realize she had been tensing.

For once she actually managed not to pry and moments later when he spoke again it made a bit more sense.

It's the best thing to do when you have a lot of tension to work out, she said in response to his question. Yes, I come here all the time, she finally admitted after a moment with a chuckle.

Just feel all the knots I'm getting out of your back, she said.

Her eyes followed his up toward the sky and the stars that now streaked across the upper atmosphere. It was beautiful. Before she knew what she was doing her lips had bent over slightly and brushed against the back of his shoulder. The action even surprised her slightly, but she wasn't overthinking anymore.

And what are you wishing for? she asked after another moment. She expected something either thoroughly practical or either a dismissal of how absurd such a notion was, but she didn't care. She couldn't help but smile slightly behind him.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc grinned to himself, “So you give out massages to plenty of other men, eh?” He queried with his usual deadpan tone.

He was still looking up at the sky, a sight he once thought he would never see again, when he felt her lean in. The gentle brush of her lips against his skin was something he hadn’t felt in a very long time. Emryc didn’t move away from it, though his shoulders did ripple the slightest bit at the gesture. His body was not quite as emotionless as his face.

He pondered the question for a few seconds, gazing up at the stream of meteors. Emryc exhaled slowly, “If you share it aloud, it does not come true,” He said quietly. After a moment, his eyes closed while his face remained tilted up as if he were silently making a wish. Renfry wouldn’t see this, of course.

Silver eyes opened again after a moment, still fixated on the sky. He was still very aware of Renfry’s touch and the steam rising from the warm water. It all contrasted against the breeze of cool air against his body. Goosebumps began to line his skin, easily felt under Renfry’s fingers.

 

[Renfry]

Oh no, she corrected, her lips still close enough to his skin that he would be able to feel her breath. The royal hands are reserved just for you, she said. In fact, she seldom brought others here at all. It was one of the few places she could go to simply get away from everyone.

She was aware of the changes in him as she touched him. The goosebumps across his skin and the way his muscles flexed and shifted. Her own eyes shifted up to the skies as well. There was so much out there sometimes it was easy to simply forget about the here and now. It was no less applicable than whenever she was with him. She spent so much time worrying about the future and the "what-ifs" that she wasted the moments she had.

Her hands continued to run along his skin, no longer quite massaging as she leaned forward. Her lips brushed against his ear, momentarily biting ever-so-lightly against the top of his pointed ear. She hadn't really touched him in a very long time, and she could feel the her breath wanting to catch in her throat.