Ask Dathomir Open Wounds

[Emryc Thorne]

Theme​

Emryc had no real words for her. It was a thought process he didn’t quite understand, but it was one he could respect. In the end, she stuck to her principles and promises to herself. It was no different than his previous devotion to his religion - only he understood it and that was enough. The half Sephi’s expression softened slightly, though he had no words for a moment.

Emryc simply stood there staring at her. She had come a long way since they had first met. She was no longer volatile and illogical. There was a calm resolve and dedication to her methods and beliefs. Had this happened while he had been blind? Or was he seeing her in new ways since regaining his sight? There was no lashing out from her, no angry outburst, no blaming. For once she was perfectly content in existing in his space while allowing him to be himself for all that he was. For all the ways he was flawed, for all the ways he had treated her before, for all the ways he had gone wrong or right.

Silver eyes gazed into yellows for a very long time, but they were not the icy daggers that normally manifested. After a moment, he stepped forth and leaned down to easily scoop her up, his arm sweeping below her knees for a bridal style carry. He held her so her arm would be slung around his bare shoulder.

“A Queen shouldn’t have to walk back,” Emryc said simply as finally removed his gaze from hers to look ahead before he began to walk.

 

[Renfry]

Theme​

She turned back to look at him and once more found herself lost in those eyes. Silvery swirls that were so often made of pure ice. For years she had known them to be devoid of emotion, cool and calculating. But now she sensed an almost warmth to them, something she absolutely didn't dare to speculate about or read into. Not anymore.

He stepped toward her and what he did next had never even crossed her mind. She felt him scoop up under her legs, lifting her as if she weighed nothing. Her arms wrapped up around his neck as he carried her, burying her face into the crook of his neck. He would be able to feel her heart pounding against his chest.

Why do you do this to me? she asked in her mind. The question never made it to her lips, and she forced herself not to think of when he would leave her next. It was just as when he had danced with her aboard her ship, holding her close. A fleeting moment and then he would be gone again.

So instead, she clung to this moment. His scent filled her nose with every breath, sweet and familiar.

I want you, she whispered against his skin so quietly he may not even be able to make out what she had said. It was a confession of the soul that she meant in every way it could be interpreted.

She didn't speak another word as he carried her, as if the weight of a single word might shatter the moment in which she had now so lost herself. A moment that would flee come the morning.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc walked in silence, giving no indication whether he heard her words or not. However, Renfry knew he was half Sephi and knew exactly how sharp his hearing was. Emryc walked the entire way back towards her fortress. No one questioned it - this was the man closest to their deity carrying their Queen. Handmaidens stepped aside and doors were opened.

He felt her warm embrace, her lips against his skin as she nuzzled against him. The Sith Lord never wavered or paused, taking the steps and stairs back towards her chambers. The room was large and ornate, silent save for a crackling fireplace in the corner. A massive bed was poised at the center of the room with her magic and studies in another workspace in the corner.

The half Sephi gently set Renfry down on the bed, gazing down at her. The orange hues of the flames cast shadows along the contours of his face, his vibrant silver gaze pronounced. For a moment, he remained hunched over her in the bed, gazing into her eyes. His hand lifted ever so slightly towards the side of her face, but it paused mid air, fingers curling.

Emryc drew back then to stand to his full height, gazing down at her partially clothed form on the bed.

“Good night, my Queen,” He said barely above a whisper before he turned and strode from the room, closing the large doors behind him.

 

[Renfry]

The trip back wasn't long enough and the silent looks of the other Nightsisters meant nothing to her. She was as close to happy as she could be, and that was enough for now. Peace.

Before she knew it, he had set her down on the bed, looking down at her and nearly touching her with the outstretched hand. Her heart was pounding, never really knowing what he would do next. Rather than stay, he stood back to his full height and began to leave with a whisper.

Her hand reached out and took hold of his hand before it had fully withdrawn from her and held him a moment to keep him from leaving.

Stay with me? she asked quietly. Her grip was not hard nor her words demanding. He could have pulled away or said no with ease. She didn't truly expect him to remain but she hoped, and she knew that without saying anything the chance was even worse.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc paused when she grasped his hand, but he didn’t look at her immediately. The half Sephi stared at the doorway, poised in silence as he stood there. He could hear the pleading in her tone even if she didn’t intend it to come across that way. She wasn’t demanding or firm, and that made this that much more complicated.

The half Sephi finally turned to regard her, silver eyes burning against the backdrop of the orange hue. He didn’t pull his hand away, but he also didn’t move closer to her. Emryc stared at her eyes, not even drinking in sight of how radiant she was in this lighting and how the towel began to fall away from her just enough to be teasing.

“We’ve been down this road many times before,” Emryc stated after a while, “And have you ever found yourself happier at the end of it?”

 

[Renfry]

He didn't move toward her and she didn't force him down. For a moment, they were just frozen. Their eyes were almost a bridge between souls, and yet there was always that little barrier. The small chasm between them that seemed uncrossable.

He didn't reply right away as if taking time to think about what she had asked. She didn't care if it wasn't fitting to ask him to stay, she knew what she wanted and it was this.

She slipped off of the bed, coming to stand just in front of him but not saying anything. She looked up into his eyes still, flicking her hand so that the door closed.

She placed a hand against his chest, her eyes falling down to look at where he she touched him. It wasn't a sensual touch nor did she take any steps to put them in such a position.

Am I the same woman anymore? she asked. It was only a few hundred yards from here that the pair had first met each other. It felt like an eternity ago. She had pursued him across the galaxy time and again. She wondered why. What was it that had drawn her all these years? Was it that he was the one thing she couldn't have? No, she had pursued him even before that. Was he right? Did she just want something from him? She didn't want to believe that. She wanted... she wanted him to be happy, and she didn't know why. It was a draw she couldn't explain, not even the toxic draw that it had once been anymore.

I've chased you across the galaxy, she said. Like a fleeting shadow she had grasped him only for him to slip free once again. And yet, he... wanted to spare her. She had seen it time and again, had she not? He warned her and kept her at a distance, not wanting to hurt her. The thought caused her heart to beat a little faster.

What do you want? she asked him after a moment, looking up into his eyes again.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc didn’t look as the door was casually shut, his gaze trained ahead as Renfry moved into his line of sight. The half Sephi stared in silence, letting her words sink in. Was she the same woman? He took in sight of those same eyes that always had a sliver of defiance and untamed, primal resolve. But there was wisdom in them as well, a calm and weary haze that had been cultivated over time. She had countless pitfalls and obstacles before getting to where she was today.

He stood firm as she touched against his chest, once again neither closing the distance nor backing away. She had certainly followed him since that first time they had met and he had been intruding into the ancient ruins not far from here. Her question lingered on his mind, making it so he looked past her even as he gazed at her.

In the end, he stepped towards the bed and plopped backwards on the on the mattress with an exhale. Emryc gazed up at the ceiling, staring at nothing in particular.

“Everything,” He declared, “I want everything, Renfry. I want to make everything bend to my will. I want everything to go my way. I don’t care about the cost. You, of all people, know this better than anyone.”

 

[Renfry]

She watched and waited, seeing how his eyes stared through her. She was used to that piercing gaze, but this time it wasn't a matter of looking into her but beyond her. He was deep in thought and she didn't rush him.

After a moment more, he stepped past her and flopped onto the bed in a move that almost reminded her of herself. He looked up at her ceiling before speaking.

She listened.

She moved over to the other side of the bed, laying down next to him and looking up at the same ceiling. She didn't touch him or move closer, just lay there beside him. She knew that what he said was true. She had seen it from their early days together. From the early days she had sworn to help him see his dream come to fruition.

But his dream was no small thing. It was everything, and that was not something she could wrap up in paper and hand to him.

I stand by you.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc felt her lie down next to him and he didn’t move. The bed was exceedingly comfortable and he found himself at ease. He knew he would leave the room soon - he never slept around others. Renfry’s words were met with a long stretch of silence, silver eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. He looked at the old remnants of paint or cracks that betrayed how old this place was.

Her words were a promise and it spoke of unwavering loyalty. He thought of all the visions they had shared both the first day they met and also when they opened the Kravos holocron. Through it all she had stood by his side. Emryc stopped questioning what she had to gain from it and had learned to accept he would never understand.

The half Sephi blinked up at the ceiling, exhaling softly.

“I can...love you, Renfry," He said quietly, letting a few seconds pass before he continued, "But I don't know if I can fall in love with you the way you have with me."

 

[Renfry]

She lay there beside him for a long moment as silence stretched on, simply existing in the same space as him. She had looked at this ceiling many times since moving in and so her mind was completely absorbed with him instead.

Neither of them moved when he spoke, but she felt her eyes water ever so slightly at what he said, and for the first time, they weren't tears of sorrow. They were words she had wanted to hear for so long or at least very close. Even if they came with a disclaimer, it didn't really matter to her.

I know, she said quietly. It was only now, that she rolled over toward him. One of her arms came to rest gently on his chest and a leg up slightly across his leg. Her head rested on his shoulder.

But I love you anyway.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc was surprised by his own confession. Normally with how pushy Renfry had been in the past, he often retreated into the corners of his own psyche. When she opted instead to create a safe space that allowed him to simply exist, he automatically reached out of his own accord. He learned several things about himself in that moment as he laid there on the bed next to the Queen of Dathomir.

He heard her words and blinked up at the ceiling. He couldn’t understand her when she said that. Did it bring her anything but pain? What had he done to invoke such feelings in her? The half Sephi’s thoughts were interrupted when she rolled into him, placing her arm and leg across his body. Emryc didn’t move initially, but he didn’t recoil at the touch.

"As long as it doesn't destroy you."

After a moment, Emryc’s arm slipped beneath her to wrap around her torso, pulling her close. He would lay there silently for as long as she wanted, not uttering a single word.

It wasn’t until she had long since fallen asleep that he gently eased himself out of bed, taking care to move her and place her blanket on her. The half Sephi eyed her for a few moments before finally leaving the room, quietly closing the door behind him.

 

[Renfry]

She heard what he said, and hoped that it wouldn't. But she had signed on for this long ago. It had nearly killed her twice, but even with that, she was here. She couldn't deny that Raze scared her in many ways, but she hoped he wouldn't one day destroy her. Or that she wouldn't destroy herself.

But she wasn't running. She stood by him. A promise.

She didn't actually respond aloud to him, but simply pushed herself further into him and into the arm that now wrapped around her. She could feel his heart beating, the slow pace of an athlete and the sound of every breath as she fell asleep.

As her eyelids became heavier and the darkness finally took her, all she could think was that she was that for the first time in a long time, she was truly content.

---​

The next morning, she awoke early her eyes darted around. That had been a dream again, right? She'd definitely had a dream like that before once or twice... or, you know... more times.

She rolled over in bed and Emryc was obviously gone, but the smell of his cologne still remained. It wasn't a dream, was it!?

She sat bolt upright in her bed with a wide smile on her face. Okay, okay, get control of yourself, she thought to herself, taking a deep breath.

A check of the chrono revealed that it was still early - before dawn - and she put some clothes on before heading out. She finished her morning exercise routine and washed up just as the sun was coming up before setting off to find Emryc. She didn't know exactly what she would find him doing, but she was almost certain she would find him already up.

She tried to keep her demeanor calm and her face straight, but there was no question to anyone who knew her that she was practically glowing.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

“Again,” He commanded as he walked around a teenage nightsister that glared at him with vibrant golden eyes. The two of them were standing inside a drawn circle on the ground.

“You are using the For-”

“I am not,” Emryc stated briskly, “Focus. Less talking. More striking. Again.”

The woman gritted her teeth and rushed him again, leading with a jab cross. He blocked it, but she abruptly dropped and swept at his leg. It was a perfectly executed feint, making him hunch down on one knee. Emryc did not smile, but his normally frosty gaze softened to show he was pleased. Gasps erupted around them, a gathering of Nightsisters forming as they saw one of their own striking out at the man they saw as a step below their gods themselves.

Emryc rose to stand again, “Learning how to fall is also essential,” He had her redo the same move. This time, when he dropped, he twisted and whirled in with his own strike at her leg. As a result, she landed on the ground with a thud.

The half Sephi got to his feet again, extending a hand to yank the teen up.

 

[Renfry]

Renfry arrived to find Emryc was in training with one of her Nightsisters. The Queen came to a stop just inside the doorway, leaning back against the wall and folding her arms in front of her, smiling slightly as she watched the pair.

Emryc would no doubt have already picked up on the style of technique the young Nightsister used. It was blocky and not as smooth as those used by most of the Sith, but the woman he faced was still athletic and determined.

Arla, she thought to herself, recalling the young woman's name. She was a new addition to the palace, but quite promising. Sent here because she had shown incredible skill as a hunter and warrior for her Clan.

There were others who were gathering around, upset by what they were seeing, but Renfry knew enough to know that Emryc wouldn't have been doing this unless he wanted to. Plus there was no better practice than against another flesh and blood human.

Defense over offense, Arla. You're no good in a fight if you're dead, she said, stepping forward toward the edge of their battle circle and crouching, but not entering. She respected the sanctity of their sparring session, but she also wanted to help the young woman improve.

She motioned for her to try again. She did so, repositioning herself. The fire in her eyes would undoubtedly remind Emryc of Renfry, and in many ways Arla did remind her of herself.

The Nightsister moved forward again, executing the same series of maneuvers. Jab and sweep. As he launched into his counter-strike, she leapt up and backwards, using her crouched legs to launch her up in an attempt to both leap over his strike and land a flying kick of her own to his chest. It was a gutsy move, though one Renfry wasn't sure would work.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Truth be told, Emryc certainly hadn’t banked on the girl being as swift and aerial as she was. The kick to his chest had her full body weight behind it. Emryc had been in the middle of pivoting, and that meant he was off balance. The half Sephi was sent back and landed with a heavy thud flat on his back.

There was a collective gasp from those around the circle, all staring at Arla. There was pindrop silence as everyone feared for the retaliation that would follow. The larger man rolled and got to his feet, dusting himself off as he looked back at the girl. Fear was clear on her face.

“Why have shame for a job well done?” Emryc broke the silence. The girl exhaled a breath she had been holding, everyone else visibly relaxing.

“Dismissed,” He said curtly, the group quickly dispersing.

Emryc made his way towards Renfry, wiping sweat off his brow, “Think she gave me a bruise,” He remarked, his tone betraying he was clearly impressed.

 

[Renfry]

Renfry watched the remainder of the fight unfold and watched as things became totally silent. The tension in the room was absolutely palpable. Renfry knew Emryc well enough to know that he wasn't likely to be angry with her, but she suppressed her smile so as not to steal his thunder.

She could see the fear on Arla's face as well, and everything froze until Emryc spoke. The tension let out came in the form of some audible gasps as people released held breaths.

As everyone began to disperse, Renfry stood and now allowed herself to smile. She could tell he was impressed, and Renfry was proud of Arla's performance.

She's quite a talent, she agreed.

She's a new addition here, but one of my more promising new hunters. She'll probably be going off-world soon unless I add her to my personal guard. If you ever need assistance, I can make her at your disposal, she said. The girl was going to be given a prestigious position either way, though Renfry had never really extended an offer for a personal hunter or assassin for Emryc before.

Some time ago, Jedi came to Dathomir and opened up an old temple, she said, changing the topic after he made his decision. One was killed and the other forced to flee. The temple was re-sealed, but I was intending to search it today. Would you like to join me? she asked. She didn't really know what to expect inside, but his interest in history might lure him to join her. Maybe. She hoped.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc walked alongside Renfry, running his fingers through his sweat laden hair. He remained silent as she explained about the female hunter. Emryc shrugged vaguely at her suggestion of offering her as a personal assassin for him.

“You know I don’t like people,” Emryc said simply. Despite his many appearances as president and his popularity as a Sith Lord, those that knew him best knew he was very much a loner. He maintained appearances but always preferred to escape to his own ship or corner of the galaxy away from everyone. Having someone at his personal disposal sounded like more face time with someone than he would ever want.

The half Sephi drew out a cigarra and put it between his lips, igniting it with the Force as they walked. Emryc nodded as Renfry spoke, exhaling a puff of smoke, “You do appear to have an absurd amount of visitors here..” He gazed ahead as she went on to explain about the temple. The half Sephi quirked an eyebrow and glanced at her.

“You’re that eager to have me let you get possessed in a shady, old temple again?” The half Sephi had a rare grin on his face, as if from holding back a laugh. Instead he turned away and took another drag from the cigarra.

“Sure whatever,” He stated flatly, “Let’s go.”

 

[Renfry]

Renfry shrugged and gave a fair enough as he declined her offer. She couldn't say she was terribly surprised, but she also didn't regret putting it forward either. Perhaps she'd speak to Sheehan about her thoughts on adding Arla to the guard.

It is. Unreal, she said, shaking her head as her eyes went wide in a hint of disbelief as he mentioned how many people came to Dathomir. It was not an uncommon saying that there was nothing here but "fog and witches" and there was an element of truth to that. Even the most "kind" tribes were not particularly fond of outsiders. Yet these dingi continued to come.

She headed in the direction of their rooms so that they could both gather their things before heading out.

The wide grin on his face as he mentioned her being possessed brought about a flood of emotion between annoyance and humor. Still, she managed to give him a very serious glare and point a finger up at his face, a comical picture given the height difference.

Emryc Thorne, you are not allowed to get me possessed again! she declared. It was not a memory that she was fond of and though time had dulled the memory and changed their relationship enough that she could almost find it less horrifying, it was still not something she ever wanted to repeat.

She shook her head in mock exasperation as she headed into her room to gather her pack and the small variety of items she liked to keep for temple and tomb diving. The fact that she had a tomb raiding kit was actually absurd, but here she was.

When they were both ready, she headed in the direction of the ship, ready to make the short trip to the tombs.

The tomb is old. Not one of ours. Some say that it predates even the arrival of the Nightsisters on Dathomir, she told him as they began to take off. Last time I was there, there were robotic guardians just inside the entrance, but they were destroyed in the previous conflict. It's hard to say what else we'll find inside. The Zeffo seemed to have been quite technologically advanced for the time, she said, thinking he might find the history interesting.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Renfry was not, in fact, the only one that possessed a tomb raiding kit. In fact, on the walk over, Emryc criticized her lack of archaeological tools like brushes, sieves and trowels. He gazed ahead at her ship, regarding it in silence for a moment.

“Last time I was aboard, I was blind,” He remarked before he walked up the ramp and stepped in. Emryc glanced around, eyeing everything for a moment. There were a lot of similarities to his own ship that he spotted right away. He almost mentioned something about it, but instead stared blankly all around him. His distraction cost him as he bumped his head on his way to the cockpit. Well, the ship was certainly not custom fitted for larger frames like his ship.

The half Sephi plopped down in the seat next to the pilot’s chair.

“What’re you hoping to find inside?” He asked after a moment, “If it predates the Nightsisters, we'll have to hope the Fromprath haven't already looted everything from another entrance."

 

[Renfry]

Renfry looked back at him as he mentioned that he was blind last time, and as he walked up the entry ramp, she just smiled warmly. She was glad for his recovery and glad to have him back, but there wasn't much for her to say about it. Instead, she simply gave off an aura of warmth and welcome.

She had turned back to the cockpit by the time he started looking around the ship in confusion, so she entirely missed his bafflement.

She gave a throaty growl as he mentioned the Frompath looting the tomb from another entrance. That would be just her luck, and the very idea angered her more than it should have. She had never actually seen or met a Frompath, but she knew the history well, and they were not welcome on this world anymore.

She forced a breath out and decided that grouching about it wouldn't help, and instead focused on making good time to the temple. It didn't take more than a few minutes before they were setting down in the same location the Jedi had landed.

She fully expected Emryc to criticize her piloting. She was not nearly the pilot he was, but they managed to make it in one piece. In short order, she had headed out of the ship once again and started across the bridge. A chasm stood between the pair and the entrance to the temple. The bridge that crossed the chasm looked less than steady, but it had been crossed recently, so it should hold.

Even so, a glance down revealed a sheer and nasty drop into the chasm below. She was once again flooded with the angry emotion of the Jedi who had come here, wondering if the Nightsisters had cleaned up the smear of the cat-man or if they had simply closed up the temple. She wouldn't have been surprised to find the dead man's "remains" just inside along with the shattered bodies of the droids. Beyond the very entrance, she hadn't done much exploring of the temple. Some paths led up to ships while others led down and deeper.