Ask Dathomir Open Wounds

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc let her work out the tensions from his back for a while longer. When her lips brushed against his ear, they twitched slightly out of reflex. His ears were some of the most sensitive parts of him, and Renfry knew this fact longer than perhaps anyone else. There was a barely audible exhale from him, but nothing more than that.

“I thought you closed this chapter,” He muttered quietly, his gaze still up against the skies. He didn’t move away from her, nor did he turn around to face her. Being this close she would smell that familiar cologne and his brand name products on his skin. It was just the same as it had been when they first met and he was eighteen. He stood much taller and broader now, and his hair was short and cropped. But somewhere inside there he was still that same man.

 

[Renfry]

This was all so familiar to her. Every touch, smell, and taste were things she didn't even realize she had missed so much. It called to her in a way she'd almost forgotten.

She didn't move around to the front of him as he spoke. It didn't take her long to answer.

Maybe I just didn't know what I wanted, she said. Always second guessing myself, but maybe it's time to put that behind me, she said. There was no question that it was stoked in part by what he had told her earlier.

So how do you feel about this chapter? she asked, leaning in once again so that the words were almost whispered against his neck.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc was silent for a few moments after she spoke. They had been through this many times before, and it always ended with her getting frustrated with him. The half Sephi exhaled quietly, gazing across the surface of the water and watching the vapors rising. After a few more moments, he turned around to face her. His silver eyes were vibrant even in the low lighting as he looked down at her.

“You know I’ve never been one to have particularly strong opinions,” It was impressive he even bothered to answer the question. Emryc towered over her, the moon light accenting the contours of his muscles, his sandy tan features implacable as stone.

“You haven’t told me if it’s still the old chapter or a new one.”

 

[Renfry]

He turned to face her and she shifted back slightly in the water, making no effort to rise to be even a fraction of his height as he all but towered over her. He had always been taller than her, but it had become much more pronounced over the years they had known each other.

They had both changed so much, but the feeling of being small when she was near him had never really changed. It didn't matter what rank or power she held, there was simply something about him that she had never really figured out.

She found herself looking up into those eyes, seeming to catch the reflection of the moon in such a way that they simply brought out the silvery color all the more.

I don't know. That sounds like a path for me to overthink things, she said after a moment, not breaking from looking up at him. Still she didn't move, waiting and watching ever feature of his face and body, ever-captivating to her in every way.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc didn’t miss how she gazed up at him, her body language still coy in ways that made her appear smaller and more delicate than she was. He held her gaze moments before the silvers began to lower, down towards her chin, along the collarbones and further lower over the bare skin and supple mounds and further down over the toned stomach where the water pooled around her.

His eyes traveled back up that same path, painfully slow till he found her gaze again, “Wouldn’t want to make things too difficult for you, my Queen,” He murmured quietly. For a moment it appeared as if he would lean forth to close the distance. He took steps towards her, but instead moved past her so their bodies just barely brushed.

Emryc stepped out of the hot spring, his entire torso illuminated by the stars as he walked over to pick up a towel.

 

[Renfry]

She watched his eyes trace over her, but she didn't shy away from him. It certainly wasn't anything he hadn't seen before. He knew her well and he knew precisely what she wanted. However, he was insufferable. Infinitely, terribly insufferable.

He stepped forward, their skin brushing against one another before he continued on and climbed out of the pool. As he passed her, her head flopped backwards in exasperation and she let out the breath she'd been holding in something just short of a sigh.

I hate you, she mumbled almost imperceptibly under her breath but still with a partial smile. It was something she'd told him many times over the years when he frustrated her, but never with a hint of truth to it.

What happened to you wanting me to climb in your lap? she asked, turning to the edge of the pool.

Or do your require my "services" first? she asked coyly. She watched him closely, attempting to gauge whether he was simply being torturous or if it was actually because of his question. She never could be sure with him. Her skills at reading his body language had gotten slightly better, but figuring out how precisely he thought had never been a skill she managed to flesh out.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc casually dried himself off, unfazed by Renfry’s clear annoyance. It was the default behavior from most women he encountered. The half Sephi wrapped the towel around his hips, glancing over at the Dathomirian queen when she spoke.

“Does your current throne not satisfy you, your highness?” He asked with that same tone of amusement. Fingers brushed through his strands of hair until they were back in place. Emryc didn’t leave the area, though he did wander over to rummage through his pile of clothing and belongings to reach for a cigarra. The Force channeled between his fingers to ignite the end of it as he inhaled to light it.

Emryc gazed back at Renfry as a thin trail of smoke escaped his lips. He said nothing else, but he simply stood there quietly smoking and watching her with mild curiosity.

 

[Renfry]

Even as infuriating as he was, she couldn't help but suppress the smile that wanted to creep up.

My throne has its uses, but it doesn't fulfill... everything, she said. She watched him as he lit up his cigarette, almost content in a way to just stare at him and that wet, bare chest. Oh wait, she should probably focus more than that.

You're so much more... dynamic, she said. It sure did seem like a shame that he wasn't interested.

Would you like to head back? she asked, quirking an eyebrow at how he had seemingly prepared himself. There was a bit of clear disappointment in her tone.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc said nothing initially, blowing out a few smoke rings lazily in succession. It was clear she was enjoying the view she was offered, though the towel left the rest to imagination. The half Sephi caught the disappointment in her tone about going back and a half grin carved its way across the steadfast stoic.

“I’m quite content here,” He said as he blew out another cloud of smoke. Emryc glanced over towards the forests in the distance, his sharp ears picking up the sounds of distant creatures. He thought of Rancors and other beasts that the woman before him tamed so easily. She had the whole planet at her command and yet..

He looked back at her delicate and bare, tattooed body still half submerged in the water. This was the same monster that viciously killed others in her way. Rumors suggested she had killed cultists at Malicia’s ball with nothing more than a hair ornament. All things that appealed to Raze as the faintest glint of gold shone in his eyes.

Suddenly that towel was feeling a bit snug. Emryc shook his head, grin still on his face as he looked away to keep smoking.

“Have they found you a suitable man to continue your line yet?”

 

[Renfry]

She never stopped watching him, totally unashamed. She was bare in front of him in more ways than one. She was glad to be here with him now.

Excellent, she said, a broad smile crossing her face as he said he was content here. She lay back in the water, floating on her back along the surface and closing her eyes for a moment before he spoke again. She shifted her head to look at him over the short distance.

No. The men here are acceptable for some things, but not that, she said. She had "vented tension" with some of the men here, but in truth there was only one man she had even considered for an heir. She guessed Emryc knew as much.

The list of men I would consider putting a child in me can fit on one hand, she said, and raised her hand that now held up a single finger.

But I'm not sure he's convinced, she said with a wry smile. In truth, she wasn't even sure she was ready to be a mother. She was just acclimating to being a queen, but a child. It was something a part of her wanted and another part of her was terrified of.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc walked over to sit down on a flat surfaced rock. The cool air brushed against his skin, goosebumps lining it again. Having grown up in a space station, he was largely unbothered by a persistent chill. Emryc exhaled clouds of smoke as he worked his way through the cigarra, watching Renfry lazily floating for a moment before she spoke again.

He didn’t react to her admission, knowing fully well who she meant. The half Sephi’s eyes glinted with amusement.

“What exactly would this man get out of it?” Emryc asked after a moment, ashing the cigarra before eyeing her again. His life had nothing but drama from the women in it, precisely why he had grown to prefer the company of men. The entire chapter with Malicia flashed through his mind, memories that brought distaste and reminders of his own failures.

 

[Renfry]

She moved up so she was looking at him more closely as he asked what he would get out of it and it gave her pause. She had very little to offer him, in truth. He knew her magick, he had full access to her kingdom and Dathomir, and he was a step away from deity among her people.

I'm not sure I have much to offer, she said honestly after a moment. A cessation of drama, she said, biting her lip to suppress the smile.

What do you give to a man who has everything? she mused aloud. It may not have been an entirely accurate statement, but there was a hint of truth. She was fairly sure he could have had almost anything he wanted.

Perhaps I could create something for "him," she mused aloud, thinking of the experiments she had been conducting into various arcane secrets. Something special or unique. Powerful She wasn't certain what precisely might interest him.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc was silent as she spoke, agreeing with much of what she said. While he didn’t have everything he desired, he certainly wasn’t left wanting for anything. He hadn’t been a man of a lot of desires to begin with, but his efforts with ISC had certainly spurred on his appetite. Emryc finished up the cigarra and put it out on the rock, his hands now resting on his knees as he looked at Renfry.

“Was this your goal all along?” He asked with a tone of amusement, “Keep chasing me around till I squirt a future king into your belly?” Emryc stood up from where he was sitting, uncaring about his crude words. After all, was that not Malicia’s intentions as well? Had he been treated any differently than the ‘breeders’ on Dathomir? As Dathomirian, Renfry was programmed to think that way - to see men only for their stock in procreation and little more.

Everything else was likely an act.

The thought caused a bitter scoff from him, though he displayed no anger. Instead he exhaled and looked away again, this time taking in sight of the treelines that spanned so far away. His eyesight was still not the best, and he couldn’t quite see the mountains in the back.

 

[Renfry]

She was taken aback by what he said and there was a look of genuine surprise on her face.

What!? No! she said, almost indignantly. There was a clear spike of anger that rose within her but it vanished a moment later, replaced by the realization that that was really what he thought.

She couldn't decide if she should be upset, hurt, or sad.

You've looked into my mind and you know that's not true, she said. It was true that he had seen into her mind many times even when she didn't want him to.

In fact, you're the only one of us who has ever brought this up! she said, a deep frown now creasing her forehead. It occurred to her just how difficult it was for him to trust people and she forced the air from her lungs to calm herself down.

She hoisted herself from the water and wrapped herself in a towel before walking over to him. She just stood there next to him for a long moment, not saying anything as she thought.

I can't make you believe me or trust me. As I've not brought it up before, I will not. Hopefully you'll come to understand that that's not what this is all about, she said. Years they had known one another and this was something she had never pushed him for. In fact, it wasn't even something she had considered until recently. It wasn't why she had followed him off Dathomir all those years ago or why she stood next to him now. Hopefully he would see that. She hoped.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc couldn’t help but grin when she attempted to deflect the topic, accusing him of being the one to bring it up. He rolled his eyes, a gesture that he once again enjoyed since having his sight back.

“Do not chide me simply because one of us plans for sustained governance,” Emryc stared at her, watching her covered in the towel. She was so irritated about this that she hadn’t bothered to dry off properly.

He stepped forth and used the Force to unravel her towel. He closed the distance between them and began to run the towel over her body to dry off the still dripping water, “There are plenty of qualified men. It is not a decision you have to make today or tomorrow, but it is one you need to plan for. Your ascent wasn’t without bloodshed and there will be attempts for your seat of power.”

Emryc drew back to dry her hair next, his gaze on what he was doing instead of on her own, “You and many others forget...I ultimately come from nothing. My name does not have a legacy. I am a man of today. I can be extinguished as easily as a candle’s flame tomorrow.”

 

[Renfry]

She turned, narrow eyed an glaring at him as he said that one of them planned for sustained governance. But there was no comeback because it was actually fairly true and she couldn't really argue with it. Plans for succession weren't something she had given much thought to.

She felt an invisible tug on her towel and it began to slip away before finding its way into his grasp. She turned to look at him, watching as he closed with her and began to run the towel over her. Still quite wet, he would now be able to see the goosebumps that ran all along her pale skin.

Her heart beat a bit faster as he continued to her hair, but she still listened closely to what he said. He spoke of finding a qualified man and she couldn't bite back a single statement. I don't want just any qualified man. The words were almost a whisper, but they were true. She didn't even know that she was ready to have a child, but she knew that she didn't want one with just anyone. She also knew that she didn't want to put that pressure on him, though. She knew what had happened with Malicia, and she didn't know how that had all ended.

With the towel still wrapped up in her hair she turned her head to look at him, her golden eyes earnest and catching the light of the moons.

That doesn't matter to me, she said. She didn't want someone with name or legacy. It wasn't what she was after. None of that was.

I want what you want. She was done pressuring him, trying to change him, or causing him doubt. She wanted him to be happy.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc didn’t answer immediately as she spoke, still not meeting her gaze. He focused on drying her hair, working his way through the locks till he was done. The half Sephi finally glanced down at her after he was done, piercing silvers as vibrant as ever clashing against her wild yellows.

“I don’t know what I want,” He admitted to her quietly. Life had been simple when the space station paved a path for him. He woke up each morning, did his routines, was given missions and came back to report on them when done. That had been his life for years until he began to venture out on his own. Everything he had done since had spiraled out in ways he hadn’t anticipated. While he relished control, it was increasingly more difficult to have control on every aspect of his life and destiny. As a result, he no longer had a grand plan set out before him.

Emryc lowered the towel and wrapped it around her body, sliding it under her arms before tucking it in tightly just above her breasts. The half Sephi lowered his hands to his sides then, his face difficult to read as always.

“People like you and Tiamat have long since outgrown me,” Emryc explained after a moment, “And yet you refuse to accept that.”

 

[Renfry]

She looked up, eyes locked as he wrapped the towel up around her again. She found herself disappointed that she was all dry and wrapped up now. She had been rather enjoying the gesture more than she had admitted out loud.

She placed a hand against his chest in part because it was at times difficult for her to reach his face when they were both standing at full height.

She smiled up at him.

Emryc, I'm not with you because I have to be. I've stayed with you because I want to, she said, And I will remain.

You sell yourself short, she said face taking on a more serious look. He had lifted her up time and again, reminded her she was Queen, and given her confidence. Sometimes it didn't feel like he needed the support of anyone, but she gave it nonetheless.

President of a Consortium, Sith Lord, avatar of the Shadow itself. You're not just a candle's flame. You will find what you want someday, and I will be there to help you get it. And that's that, she said with an aura of decisiveness.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc felt her warm hand against his chest, and he didn’t step back from it. The heat between their bodies lingered there against the cool air around them. As she began to speak and rattled off all his titles, his face set into the familiar stoic. His eyes were pensive, looking into her eyes but almost through her.

“I know what I am, Renfry,” He said with that firm baritone, “I know my worth,” He paused for a moment, “You are Queen because I paved the way to make it so. Do you know your own path independent of me?”

The half Sephi was narcissistic and well aware of it. There was a sense of elitism that was all but trained into him on that space station. He had been raised and molded to be perfection in the eyes of the Sith.

“Should you anchor yourself to me the way you do? Should you only want a bloodline for yourself if it is to be woven with mine? What, then, have you done for yourself?” He challenged her as he took a step back, finally backing away from her touch.

 

[Renfry]

Renfry let out a small sigh as he stepped back, but didn't seem angry with him and what he was saying. Her recent exploits had mellowed her more than she had expected. The truth was, she had what she wanted and had had it for some time. Everything apart from him. Anything else was just a bonus.

I'm not like you, she said after a moment. It probably wasn't something that needed to be said. They were opposites in so many ways: fire and ice, golden and silver.

I make no apology for wanting to help you, she said, and no biting words were going to change her mind. She wasn't making the wrong decision. She knew what she wanted, and come what may she was going to pursue it.

My life will not end if you step out of it, nor would my pursuits, but it would be worse for it, she said.

She was silent for a long moment, thinking about what she had done, what she would do, and all that had led her to this point. She turned to look out at the jungles, the moons high in the sky. Sometimes she wished she were simply First again, running wildly through the jungles with no responsibility. A free spirit. But that part of her life was behind her.

I will see to it that I am not forgotten. Through physical children or other means, she finally said after a long moment. History would remember her and she would not go quietly into the Night when it came.