Second Chances

[Reina A Crowlin]

It had been just over a year since Reina had abandoned her master on the planet Kessel. Much of that time had been spent moving from one place to another, in hopes of evading him for long enough that he might forget she ever existed in the first place. Though, the scars on the palms of each of her hands were a constant reminder of the unwanted bond that the two of them shared - Master and Apprentice. He had forced the words from her lips and the blood from her hands, but her vows were broken the moment that she left him behind. Of course, she never would have thought herself important enough to pursue; he was a Lord of the Sith after all and she had been a nobody. Still, if their paths had crossed again he would have surely ended her for what she had, or hadn't, done. It almost seemed like a sure death sentence to seek him out now, after all of the time she had spent away. No matter how much she argued it, Reina needed him if she wanted to continue to survive.

A heavy sigh left her lips as she looked upon the Sith temple in the distance. It seemed the most likely place to find him, though something in the pit of her stomach begged for her to turn the other way. This entire plan had to have been the most reckless one she had ever pursued, but death was inevitable. Whether it came today or tomorrow, it did not matter and to listen to the fear that tightened her insides would do her no good, save for sparing her a few extra days on her own. Regardless of the fact that she wasn't important enough for him to seek her out again, he must have known that she was still alive. Though Reina had tried to shut it off, she could still feel his overwhelming presence in the force no matter how far she had escaped him.

Picking up her things, she stood to make her way towards the front gates, though they were heavily guarded. This wasn't the kind of place one could just walk into without confrontation, but she hoped that asking for him by name might make even the slightest difference.

'What is your business?' One of the armored men barked upon her approach, blocking the door behind him. A second guard stood at his side, both waiting impatiently for her response.

Reina took a deep breath, straightening her posture before speaking. "I'm here to speak with Tagus. Take me to him."

The two men looked at each other in silence for a moment, their expressions unwavering. Neither had to speak to know what the other was thinking and, before she could react one of them had grabbed her by the arm and the other held open the door. "I'll take you to him, miss." The first guard hissed as she fought against his grasp, pulling her arm away only for him to grab at it again.

 

[Darth Tagus]

What was it about the time that meant that all of his old partners in crime started to crop up? First Taalong had scurried back from the pits he had relegated himself to in order to mindlessly keep fighting and now Reina was back. Back and apparently demanding to speak to him, or so his royal guards told him when he was busy.

He was about to head out to the tomb of Darth Kravos so he was a little bit annoyed by the interruption but a blast from the past was always welcome. Deciding to see how this would play out, Tagus had instructions for Reina to be brought to him not in the throne room but rather in the library where he spent most of his time anyway.

Standing beside a reading table, he idly read a passage about the dangers of the tomb as a duo of guards hauled Reina into the room before bowing briefly and exiting.

They were not going to linger when it was only himself and a single woman. If there was to be combat they trusted him to be victorious otherwise he was not worthy of his position and, thus, unworthy of their protection. Wasn't something he agreed with personally but it didn't much matter.

"Reina."

He turned to look at her, his eyes glowing a permanent yellow due to his extensive research into the Dark Side. Tilting his head to one side slightly, he opened his arms slightly.

"So... you have returned. I await your answer as to why with bated breath I can assure you."

@MatureContentWarningx

 

[Reina A Crowlin]

Something was different about him, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it. It wasn't the deep color of his eyes or his sarcastic demeanor either; this wasn't the same man she had left on Kessel. His presence was overwhelming and for as much as she would have liked to snap back at him for the hostile way in which she was welcomed, something told it now wasn't the appropriate time if she wanted him to agree to help her instead of beheading her. Once more she pulled her arm from the grasp of his guards as they turned to exit the room, leaving the two of them alone. Perhaps seeking him out hadn't been the greatest idea, but he'd never let her turn around and leave now.

Reina pressed her lips together, watching him cautiously from the corner of her eye as he opened his arms and spoke in the same, cold tone she remembered. Her stomach twisted again and she took another deep breath before answering him, choosing her words rather carefully.

"I wasn't ready before, when you forced me to bow in service to the Sith." Her attention fell to his expression, inspecting him as she paused to consider the rest of what she wanted to say. "What if I told you that I was ready now? Would you even believe me?"

She raised her brow, awaiting his response. Her heart beat so heavily in her chest that she could almost hear the blood rushing to her ears. He was dangerous and unpredictable before, but something told her that she needed to be extra cautious of him now.

 

[Darth Tagus]

She was watching him like the prey watches the predator and he knew that she was right to do so. Tagus was the kind of person now who would strike down those who had proven useful to him due to their most recent failures. He was a man so warped by the Dark Side that killing someone he had begun to train, someone who had abandoned him, would damn near give him pleasure even if she had done so little to him in the past as to be barely something worth remembering.

Perhaps she could sense it as well.

The way that he felt barely any animosity towards here simply because he had all but forgotten that she had ever been a part of his life in the first place. In his experience, people liked to think that they had an impact on your life even if they hated you. They wanted to feel like they mattered based on how they had changed you.

He reached up and took his mask in his hand before removing it and setting it down on the table. His face revealed, she would be able to see the dark circles under his eyes and the way his skin looked dry and cracked.

"And why would I want your service now? Hmm?" He waved at the door, "Do you know why the guards bow to me and dragged you here in the way they did?"

@MatureContentWarningx

 

[Reina A Crowlin]

In truth, she wasn't naive enough to believe that she had been worth remembering. In fact, she doubted she had left much of an impression on him at all considering the inadequate amount of time they had actually spent together. Still, there was something to be said about someone like herself, who would so easily betray a spoken vow that she was sure there was at least a sliver of animosity he might have felt towards her. Not enough to have exhausted any resources in looking for her, but surely enough that it would please him to watch her head roll about the library floor. It was a fate she hoped to avoid, but Tagus was unpredictable - that much she remembered about him.

"I hadn't considered your welcoming party or why they bowed to you the way that they did. Still, you were always quite impressionable; it wouldn't be too far fetched to believe that men of their standing would dedicate themselves to a Lord of the Sith. Though I am positive you have absolutely no need of their protection." Her eyes never left him, certain that he could attack at any moment. It was best she stay on her toes, even though she had little to no chance of besting him if he did decide to lash out towards her.

"There was a time when you were eager to teach me. Has that faded completely in my absence? I had hoped that I wouldn't have to start entirely from scratch, though I suppose I haven't been the greatest at holding your trust. If that means anything." Reina took a cautionary step backwards as he removed his mask, keeping distance between them felt like the safest option at that moment.

In silence she awaited his response, eyes tracing the cracks and crevices that stretched across his green cheeks, once fresh and soft and now dryer than the deserts on Korriban. She'd never seen it before, though knew it was always a risk when one dedicated themselves so fiercely to the Dark Side of the Force. It was absolutely disgusting to look at, though she'd never admit it out loud.

No, instead she took in a slow and deep breath to calm her twisted stomach, letting the breath out slowly from her lips.

 

[Darth Tagus]

No, he had no need of their protection from her.

She was a young woman who had some potential, it was true, but she was still nothing before his power at the moment. Potential meant nothing without the time and effort put in to make it something worthwhile after all. While he had spent their time apart turning his potential into actuality, she had spent it stagnant it seemed.

Disappointing honestly.

"Your absence has been lengthy." he told her with a tilt of his head, "Much has changed while you have wandered the stars and somehow remained so very much the same. I have grown and you have stagnated."

He shrugged lightly.

"In your absence the balance of power has shifted and I now stand as the ruler of what little remains of the Sith after a series of unfortunate events and terrible leaders." he told her bluntly, "You stand before the Last Emperor of the Sith Empire and the current Dark Lord of the Sith Order. One of the last Sith Lords to draw breath in the wake of the Mandalorian advance. I spend my days delving into the deeper magics of the Dark Side in an effort to do something, anything, to ensure that the Sith do not die in the gutters of the Galaxy so tell me... why should I waste my time training you?"

@MatureContentWarningx

 

[Reina A Crowlin]

So, he was the Dark Lord of the Sith. It made sense now, why Reina felt as though she could suffocate in his presence; it was overwhelmingly dark and heavy, but still she would not turn to leave. So little remained of the Sith Empire that it would prove difficult, though not impossible, to keep them from dying out completely. Surely, he wouldn't waste an opportunity to exploit her talents, no matter how minimal they might have been. It was true that she had wasted the last year while he had fought and bled for the Empire, but she wasn't completely useless to him.

Reina straightened her posture, raising her full attention to Tagus in a show of respect. "I apologize then, for my blatant interruptions, my Lord. I sensed it the moment I set foot on Korriban, but refused to believe it. Forgive me." She bowed her head apologetically and then took another deep breath. "I cannot argue that I have indeed wasted the time we have spent apart, but the Sith Empire needs as many supporters as we can gather. Your time is precious, far more so than my own. Surely you'd have some use of me?"

It didn't matter where he sent her, she only wanted to aide in saving the Empire. It was her home, no matter how far she had wandered over the last year. It had been her home since the day Tagus had taken her off of Kessel and forced her to take a vow in service to him. True that she had not come willingly, but she had come to realize that her place was here, within the ranks of the Sith.

"I've had a lot of time to think about the rash decisions that I made. I have come to regret leaving you on Kessel. You offered me nearly endless possibilities to become someone and I threw it away out of spite. I don't deserve your teachings, but still I wish to aide you in any way that I am able."