Ask Serenno Those Who've Fallen

[Veles]

Serenno, Castle Wessex
2134 local time

Night had set a while ago over Castle Wessex, casting the forest around in darkness. Veles could not see a thing through the shadows, only the estate standing tall atop its mountain, illuminated both by torches and more modern lighting. Even from the window of the shuttle as it approached the landing pad, he could feel the hush that had fallen over the building, the thick veil of mourning heavy on the souls of those inside. Castle Wessex seemed to almost cry in the Force, sending waves upon waves of sadness like a blue aura around. This had been the home of one of the most powerful Sith in the Galaxy, and he could certainly feel it.

"Lord Veles, we have arrived at our destination. Please disembark when ready." The voice of the droid piloting the ship buzzed in his ear, and he didn't reply. It was much nicer than having a humanoid at the helm, one with emotions and expectations, one that could open their mouth and sink ships. A droid was a headache spared, with a memory that could be wiped as he saw fit and no capriciousness or arrogance as was common with the skilled pilots of the Imperial navy. Sure, it spoke in binary, but that was only because he'd gotten this one for the time being.

The Sith Lord rose and pulled his black hood over his head as the door slid open and he stepped outside into the chilly night, the bottom of his cloak dancing in the breeze. He stopped for a moment, looking around at the desolate castle, no attendant coming to meet him or security to question him. It was late at night and perhaps they were sleeping, or maybe they did not want to bother a Sith Lord, but regardless, he pressed forward, making his way to the main doors at a brisk pace.

Veles had not been particularly friendly with Caelestis, though the two had met. It was Caelestis that had been the first to help him on a mission, back when he was a Sith Lord and Veles just a Champion. They'd tamed the dark side nexus in the bowels of Fortress Vader, though the man had stormed off without a word shortly after. In the weeks since his death, Veles could not help but sit and think and wonder if maybe that was the beginning of the end for Caelestis. Perhaps it had been his fault for bringing the Sith Lord there, where he was subjected to dark visions that seemed to spur something within him. Later, he had almost attacked Andruil at the Hal'loween ball, which only made him wonder for how long the man had been descending into madness for him to take such drastic measures.

The Sith Lord stopped as he reached the main doors, standing still in one spot, his focus not on the world around him but the world within. He probed around, opening his senses and taking it all in until he zeroed in on her presence. So she is here. Veles had not come all this way to the late Councilor's castle to mourn him or light a candle in his memory. He'd come because it was the only place he could imagine Malou was, save for Exegol which he had no idea how to get to. Her presence on Serenno meant that there was nothing left for him to do but stand there and wait, because she certainly felt his presence.

@lizziie

 

[Malou D'Amaris]

When the news first hit her, Malou couldn't find sleep at all. She would go days without a drop of rest, only succumbing to sleep when her body could go on no longer. The insomnia lasted until she finally left Exegol. Master Tor had been the one to break the news of Artorgias' death to her, and he was also the one to let her know that the Empress was coming to the dark planet. Not wanting to face the chance of running into the woman who had killed her master, Malou had come home to Serenno.

Since then, Malou had done little but sleep. During the daytime, she locked herself away in her old chambers, and it was only once the castle settled down for the night that she woke up and began to roam the castle. Preparations were underway for a funeral, though it was more of a ceremony than a funeral considering his actual body was on Moraband somewhere. She had yet to decide if she wanted to go or not. There was a deep pain she carried around with her now, and she wasn't sure if she could handle herself around nosy nobles. Malou thought it would be best to visit his tomb privately on Moraband.

Veles arrived not long after Malou had risen. The moment he touched a foot on Castle Wessex's ground, she knew exactly where he stood. Why is he here? She didn't want to talk to anyone, but against her wishes, she found herself making her way down the grand halls and toward the door where he waited. The soft tapping of her shoes was the only noise that followed her there, stopping only when she paused in front of the doors. She could feel him on the other side—she could literally see him standing there—and he could surely feel the same. Yet she hesitated to open the door for a few moments. Why was he here? What did he want? She just wanted to be alone.

With a deep breath beforehand, Malou rolled back her shoulders into better posture and pulled open the door. The cold night air rushed in, causing the folds of her clothing to flutter for a quick second. "Come in." Malou stepped back, opened the door wider as she did so, and gestured for the Dathomirian to enter. The castle was dark, something that went unnoticed by the Miralukan at the moment.

Though she had rolled back her shoulders and put up a practiced front of neutrality, it would not be hard for the man to sense the deep cut of grief festering under the surface. It was in the hesitation before the opened the door, the quietness in which she spoke, and the way her body stood with rigid formality.

"What brings you to Castle Wessex?" The tone of formality was probably not needed between the two of them, but it was the only way she knew how to put up a front.

tag: @vamp

 

[Veles]

Veles knew that she probably did not know anyone, because that was how grieving was. It did not require the power of a Sith Lord to sense her depression, although it certainly hit ten times stronger, the aura practically washing over him as she approached. The door swung open and Veles ducked inside, lowering his hood as he stopped next to Malou in the middle of a massive hallway.

"I..." Well, shit. There was no easy way to put this without sounding thoughtful, which sort of ruined the Sith Lord look. Then again, he was much closer to Malou than to anyone else he had ever been besides his parents when he was kid, so he supposed Malou was his first friend? "I came to see how you were doing."

He could see the way she felt just by looking at her, by analyzing all the little movements and mannerisms. There was no relaxed, calm air around her. She did not look as though she had nothing on her mind. Her body standing up taught, her voice formal and her attitude rigid from the interior to the exterior.

Veles saw there was darkness around them, and knew that Malou did not need light to see, so it was understandable. He could orientate himself, just as he had done on Dagobah by using the Force, and thus said nothing to her. There was no need to throw in any extra negativity.

"I won't say I'm sorry, but I could tell from thousands of lightyears away that you feel like shit, and it's never good to spend that time alone." What she needed was a person to talk to, so she would not just close in on herself. He knew that was what she wanted to do, but that only resulted in pent up emotions that bottle up until you blow up.

@lizziie

 

[Malou D'Amaris]

To say Malou was surprised beyond belief was an understatement. No, she was at a loss for words. Her mouth even opened to drone off a practiced thank you phrase she'd repeated time and time again after her mother's death, but nothing came out. No one had reached out to her, minus Senin, who she still hesitated to trust based on former interactions. They would've all heard the news by now. Maybe they were waiting? Or maybe they didn't think she would care, citing the Sith's view on the survival of the strong and death of the weak. Artorgias had challenged Andruil and failed, but she wasn't morning the death of her master. She was morning the death of someone she thought of like family.

"I-" Malou wanted to be alone, but she knew she shouldn't be. He was here, and she trusted him, so... "I'm doing alright." She was far from alright actually, but she was better than she had been, so alright felt like an alright way to describe herself right now. The woman was no longer agonizing over his death, breaking her fists on the dirt and growing cold with grief. She was sure her knuckles were still bruised, but it was more of a haunting edge now. Maybe she was depressed, she thought solemnly to herself.

Maybe they should go somewhere more comfortable than the chilly castle entranceway? "Follow me," instructed her quiet voice. Slowly, she would lead him down the halls to an unassuming door. A wave of her hand slid it open, and she stepped inside. The room was fitted with automatic lights so that when they entered the darkness was lit by warm, electric lamps across the room. The walls were lined with books on shelves made of dark, warm wood, and a desk made of the same material was nestled into one corner. A burgundy sofa was placed front and center before a coffee table, and a small piano was tucked over to the side. Other than her chambers, this was the one other place that was solely hers. Papers and open journals littered the desk, but everything else was immaculate. "This is my study," she explained as they entered.

Malou made her way over to the sofa and took a seat, studying Veles as she did so. He was only a few years older than her. Maybe around Manon's age? Him coming here was not the actions of a Sith Lord, but that of a friend. Are we friends? Slowly, the Serennian relaxed a bit. Now was the hard part.

"When did you hear about it?" There was still the defensive formality to her voice, but it had lost a bit of its edge. She still didn't feel comfortable enough to talk freely about it, though. Even with her late master, she'd found it difficult to express herself. It was a skill she never learned.

tag: @vamp

 

[Veles]

She was not doing alright, but that was not difficult to see. He just nodded, and followed her as they walked down the hallway. He couldn't see much, so it was impossible to admire all the art and whatnot, but he didn't particularly care about it regardless. He understood it was expensive and looked like it had been commissioned by nobles, likely because it had been.

Veles stepped into the study and looked around, noting the shelves lined with books and the sheer amount of journals scattered around. He liked it. "Very nice," he admitted, his hand fiddling on the wall for the light switch. Once he'd flicked the lights on, the room changed, and he could actually see it properly. Nodding, he spoke again. "Very nice."

As she walked to the sofa, he strode along the shelf, looking at the spines of the books, taking in the different titles and seeing which ones he recognized. A good amount, because he did a good amount of reading, but that only meant he knew how impressive the collection was.

"A few days after Dagobah. I felt it when it happened, and then confirmed it." The death of two of the most powerful Force sensitives in the Galaxy would be felt like an earthquake, especially by those more connected to the Force. He did not mention that the Council's death had been confirmed to him by Andruil herself.

"What about you?" Caelestis had died just the day after, and Veles remembered specifically because he had just dropped Malou off. She had been saying something about getting some more training in soon, but it seemed those plans had been cut short.

@lizziie

 

[Malou D'Amaris]

"Master Tor told me." After she said that, Malou realized he probably didn't know who that man was. So, she clarified. "He's a High Lord of Avillion." Specifically the High Lord of Exegol, but Malou had forgotten that she'd let it slip that she knew the planet's whereabouts some years ago. "It was a few days after my master went to the council meeting that he informed me of this." She had known about the meeting, but not of what was fated to occur there. Why did he have to go? Why did he have to challenge the Empress? He was supposed to come to join her on Exegol. They were supposed to work together to remove the "crux" he had told her about. Now? Now he was gone.

"I didn't know he was going to—" Malou stopped abruptly. She could feel the weight rising in her throat. There's no way I can talk about this without getting upset. The champion took another deep breath, then rephrased. "I didn't know that would be the last time I was going to see him."

She wanted to hide away from her emotions, but she also wanted to be angry. That little pinprick of hunger left in her after her training with Asminys wanted to roar to life and devour everything and everyone around her. It was but a quiet hush, but it was there. There was so much she could be feeling right now, but it was all shoved under a rug for the sake of something she wasn't sure of.

"Have you ever lost someone important to you?" Maybe he would understand, or maybe he wouldn't. Did he know what it was like to lose a parent? Did he know what it was like to lose someone you cared about? She'd lost her mother, and now she'd lost her master. How many more people would she lose?

tag: @vamp

 

[Veles]

Veles was not very familiar with Avillion and only really knew that it was a fleet or kingdom or something that Caelestis had ruled over, and truth be told that was enough to understand. So she had learned of his death at the same time Veles.

"I understand," he replied, his voice soft. There was no way for her to have known. The Councilor acted on his own and had made the choices he'd made because he thought it was the right thing. Even if she'd told him not to do it, he probably would not have listened. Some said that it was better he died challenging the Empress because otherwise a civil war would have broken out; Veles thought that didn't really matter at this point. He challenged her and died and that was that. The only thing left is for those close to him to mourn, and the Imperial war machine trudged on, unfaltering and unfazed by the death of its leadership. Already, the Empress had arranged to replace them.

"She didn't want to do it, you know," is what he wanted to say, but he wasn't sure if that was the correct thing to say in a delicate situation like this. He'd seen firsthand the conflict stirring within the Empress, the guilt that overwhelmed her. Even though she was good at putting up a facade, it was not for him to read people. It's what he was best at.

Instead, he turned on his heel away from the bookshelves and toward the couch, taking a seat next to Malou. "A few old friends," he admitted. Though their friendship had been a flurry and their live fast lifestyle got the better of them eventually. Veles knew how it felt for the air to be sucked out of your chest when you hear it, how you'll be in shock for days. There were many negative feelings, but the best thing to do was to work through them.

"You have to do something to keep your mind active and thinking about something else," he suggested.

@lizziie

 

[Malou D'Amaris]

So he understood. Malou let out a soft sigh as he sat down next to her. She had to do something to keep her mind off of it, he told her. But how? Her head knew he was right but her heart still wanted to mourn. She couldn't go back to Exegol for a while, and if she stayed here, she was bound to keep hiding away. She had to go forward somehow.

"Maybe," she muttered after a second. Her head fell back onto the couch and rested against the fabric as her hands folded themselves in her lap. Her thoughts wandered to the last conversation between them, and the last words she'd ever said to him. Whatever you do, wherever you go, I will be there. She hadn't been there. She'd gone on her way to Exegol, blissfully ignorant and excited for the future as the Empress cut him down. Our Empress, he'd said. Why would he challenge a woman he supposed felt loyal to? Back on Dagobah, she'd watched him burn alive out of her reach and then struck him down by her own hand. He had spent his dying breath to give her advice. Malou wondered what his actual last words were. She wondered if the illusion was just a coincidence.

"I mean, you're right." I've wasted enough time. Her attention flipped to the man beside her. Did he think she was weak for this? Pathetic? He always seemed so composed and at ease. That was how she tried to present herself to others. Unbothered by everything, even if she was. Most of the time, she was unbothered. Yet here she sat, using her blindfold as a crutch to put up a brave face because she didn't want someone who'd come all the way here to comfort her to think less of her.

"What did you do? To keep your mind off of it?" She broke the silence. Malou leaned a bit forward and turned her body slightly toward him so he would know she was listening.

tag: @vamp

 

[Veles]

Destroyed a swath of forest, he thought, but decided that was not good advice. Besides, that had helped for the moment, but lashing out was not a permanent solution, which was ironic considering they were Sith and that was what they were always supposed to do.

"I threw myself into my work. Occasionally, I would blow off steam in combat. Otherwise, I made sure to keep my brain overwhelmed with things to do so that I didn't even have the chance to think about what happened." And it had helped. "You have to process it, of course, but it's better that you let some time pass and cool down before you do, so that you don't dwell on it in a negative way."

He was sure the Empress herself was going through a very complex grieving process, but she was certainly doing a good job of hiding, whereas Malou was not. And there was nothing wrong with that. He doubted Andruil kept her walls up around her close ones--whoever they may be. He was pretty sure she'd executed them all and Raze did not seem the type to get all mushy with emotions and the like.

Veles rose from the couch abruptly, looking around the room. "Do you have a balcony around here?" he asked, not wanting to start just prowling around. He hadn't gotten to smoke when he got off the ship, and he'd been to engulfed in thoughts to remember to until then regardless. He had no qualms with lighting up inside the craft, since it had very good ventilation, but sometimes his mind ran around so fast that he forgot to even eat.

@lizziie

 

[Malou D'Amaris]

Work. Her head did not move, but her hands unclasped so that her palms faced up to the ceiling. When she had first become Sith, they had been smooth and unmarred like the hands of a noble. Now, they were strong and calloused from her training and the traveling she did. They had history behind them, of work and combat. I can do work. Before Artorgias' death, she had wanted to expand the South. She had put so much work into Avillion, but she wanted something made from her own doing. Malou had told Asminys she had wanted a challenge there. Was this the challenge she was to face? To grow stronger in spite of the grief that harbored itself inside her?

A balcony. There was not a balcony attached to this room, but the courtyard was nearby. "The courtyard is closer," she stated simply as she stood up. They would go there, and she would lead him quickly.

The breath of winter air came as a huge weight off her shoulders as they stepped out into the night. Before she could think of anything else, Malou was hit with the memory from the vision. She could see exactly where his impaled body might've laid, but she gave her head a sharp shake and forced herself to continue forward. Though there were plenty of benches littered about, she chose to remain standing.

"Here." It was a bit late to announce they were in the courtyard, but it was more her thinking aloud than anything else. She turned her body to face him, wherever he went, and just watched him for a moment. There were a lot of things she suddenly wanted to say to him, but she held back for now. She was thankful he had come, even though she wouldn't have wanted him here in the first place.

tag: @vamp

 

[Veles]

What kind of poorly-designed castle doesn't have balconies? he wondered. Wasn't that the most important part of the building--a place to stand and look down at your holdings, to feel the superiority of being above those around you, both literally and metaphorically?

They trudged on through the dark halls toward the large doors that lead to the courtyard, the trees alive and thriving despite the low temperatures atop the mountain. There was a chill in the air, the breeze floating softly along exposed skin like the caress of an icy hand. Veles noted her shaking her head and could gather it was not the cold that had made her do that. The torment and conflict within her was palpable.

She did not lead them to the benches, which was fine by him because he needed to stretch his legs a bit after the trip anyway. Veles reached into his robes and pulled out a pack of cigarras that had seen better days, a corner of the cardboard box bitten off, leaving behind the mark of sharp teeth as though an evil fairy had tried to tear it apart. Its entire right side was charred by ash, and it was a miracle that the cigarras within were completely intact, but that was the magic of the dark side. The power to maintain that which is most important to you.

He threw one into his mouth in one smooth swipe and ignited it with the tip of his finger, taking a deep drag and blowing it out away from Malou. Veles wasn't sure if she smoked or not, but he knew that it was annoying to be forced to inhale the gas regardless. Hm. This cigarra tastes weird. Ah, it was the one he'd laced with spice. Oh, well.

The smell was faint in the air but to a knowledgeable nose easily distinguishable. Still, there was nothing that Veles doubted more in the Galaxy than the fact that Malou had ever so much as seen a drug anywhere that wasn't a holoflick.

"Have you ever been to a club?" he asked suddenly. She didn't seem the type, but then again, many people did not until they actually tried it.

@lizziie

 

[Malou D'Amaris]

"A club?" There was a bit of surprise in her voice when Veles asked her about that, seemingly out of the blue. "No, no really." The party bus on G'wenee didn't count as a club, right? Malou wouldn't count it, though maybe it was the closest she'd gotten to one. She'd showed up late with alcohol anyways. Man, that could've all been a lot more fun if the police wouldn't have shown up... Malou was certain that if she pulled off her blindfold and looked down at her shin she'd be able to see a bit of discolored skin from where she'd scrapped up her leg real bad after swinging off the ship with Cairo. "No one's ever invited me."

People invite you to clubs, right? As Malou began to focus on this, her posture changed slightly. Grief was no longer the first thing on her mind. Yeah, cause they're exclusive, right? She remembered Manon telling her about a club in Serenno's capital that she got into. It was notorious for being picky.

"Have you?" While the two had grown to know each other more and more recently, Malou still didn't know a ton about what he did in his free time. She knew he could play the electric guitar.

tag: @vamp

 

[Veles]

She was a bit surprised by the sudden question, which he'd expected. It wasn't like she had had time with being used to seeing a Sith Lord acting like this. Then again, Veles found that a rank was just a rank, and had no effect on the person bearing it. He took another drag of the cigarra, already seeing the warped colored lights in the corners of his eyes. So she had never been to a club. Veles chuckled to himself for a moment, memories flicking through his mind.

"Yes," he replied, smiling as he recalled pleasant events. "Many. Before I was an official Sith, I spent some time on Coruscant, in the lower levels. Every night for about a year, I went out to clubs and bars, cantinas and inns. I rubbed shoulders with the worst of the worst, drank the Outer Rim's most villainous scum under the table and saw a surprising number of politicians there." Oh, to be young. Then again, he was only 22. That was about 3 years ago.

"You're--what--18?" he asked, suddenly realizing he had no idea how old anyone he knew was. How old had Caelestis been? 25? 45? It had been something that never occurred to him, or maybe he just had never gotten close enough to someone to know when they were born. He only knew when those he met died.

"We could definitely get you in to any club." He took another, longer drag, and then left his hand hanging in front of his body, cigarra held between his fingers loosely. "If you want to. It's interesting how many people think I spend my spare time killing puppies and bathing in the blood of virgins, but I just like to smoke spice and go to clubs." A simple man. A simple Sith Lord.

He took another drag and then turned his wrist so that the filter pointed toward Malou. For a second, he said nothing, then he realized she probably didn't know cigarra etiquette. So he moved his hand a little, gesticulating for her to take it.

@lizziie

 

[Malou D'Amaris]

Coruscant? Malou had never been that far into the Core. She'd never really had the desire to go there either, but the way Veles smiled as he told the story made her change her mind about that. Though it sounded like something out of her comfort zone, the way he talked about it made her consider otherwise.

"Yeah, almost nineteen," Malou replied. She felt weird for a moment, thinking about the fact she was getting older. She started her training at fifteen. Damn, it's only been three years since- oh. She'd managed to get distracted from her grief for a few minutes, just for the lead-feeling to sink back into her chest the moment any memory of her late master returned.

Veles' comment caught her attention before she could fall back into sulking. Definitely? Definitely, how? Did he mean because she was old enough? Was it an appearance thing? It sounded like a compliment... maybe? She wasn't sure what to make of it, so the Miralukan turned her face away from him. She pretended to stare off toward an arbitrary door until the warmth in her face melted away into the cold, even though that didn't make all that much sense considering her lack of ability to stare. She could still see him standing there though, relaxed in stance, surrounded by wisps of smoke wafting from the cigarra hanging between his fingers. Though she'd made note of it before their escapades on Dagobah, he looked so much different than he did back when she'd first met him as Cinere. His hair was longer, and though she could not see any makeup he might be wearing, color, or imperfections in his skin, she could see the definition of his face. It was a bit older and a bit more gaunt.

She watched as he spoke, giving her what sounded like an offer, then making a statement about what others thought about himself. The blood of virgins? Killing puppies? Still facing away, the corners of her mouth upturned at that. Malou went on to say something humorous about the sentiment—I'm sure lords like Asminys might give that impression to people.—but decided not to.

"I think that could be fun. Going to a club, I mean." Not killing puppies or bathing in the blood of virgins. If he liked them so much, she would like to go to such a place with him. Plus, maybe it would be a good... distraction. She would turn to say this as he turned his cigarra around and gestured for her to take it. Malou turned back around to face him, and without thinking too much about it, accepted it gently from his fingers and brought it up to her mouth to take a small drag from.

It immediately hit the back of her throat, so as she quickly handed it back to him, she desperately tried to fight the urge to cough. It didn't go away though, so the Miralukan turned her head and coughed quietly into her arm.

tag: @vamp

 

[Veles]

Veles was a bit surprised to have been on point with his estimate, and a little more surprised to find that he was closer to her age than he'd thought. He knew most bars in the Galaxy were 18+ for humanoid species so it wouldn't be an issue, though there were some less civilized conservative worlds where it was 21+. Everyone tended to avoid those, because they weren't as fun regardless. Did she know how old he was? Probably not, now that he thought about it. The thought of everyone assuming he's older than he is struck him, and it was a bit funny.

As he noted that getting her into a bar wouldn't be difficult, she turned away briefly and he caught a glimpse of her face right before. Was she blushing? Social cues were always difficult for him, especially with species other than humans. One time he'd mistaken a Twi'lek's offended lekku gesture with flirting and he'd gotten the shit kicked out of him in the back of the building later.

"Killing puppies? Sure, we can t--Oh, okay, so you've got something against that? It is an art, Malou!" He scoffed, hoping the sarcasm wasn't lost on her. "But yes, clubs are fun. There's a few in Sith space, but most of the good ones are either on Nar Shaddaa or Coruscant. Probably something to do with so many lifeforms living compressed with each other."

He grinned as he could already tell there was a cough building up in her chest, and she stifled it casually into her sleeve. It certainly got easier with experience. "First time I hit one of these I coughed so hard I had tears streaming down my face and I got made fun of for 3 days," he offered to make her feel better. He hadn't seen that group in a long time, and last he'd heard most of them had either been arrested or killed. It was a stark reminder that despite the glamor and fancy lights, Coruscant was just as much urban jungle as Nar Shaddaa, only its higher levels were much richer. Then again, he'd never been to the Smuggler's Moon's upper levels.

@lizziie

 

[Malou D'Amaris]

His playful sarcasm was not lost on her. "Killing puppies is so last year," Malou scoffed with upturned lips. "Burning people alive is where it's at." She hoped her joking words weren't lost on him either. Considering she was doing her best not to hack up her lungs while paying attention to what he was telling her, she didn't have a lot of room to worry about it.

With eyes watering under her blindfold, Malou finally got the last of the pain out of her throat. " Y- yeah, I-" She stopped to cough into her arm again. Her face felt warm, and she couldn't figure out if it was from embarrassment or the cough. "I usually just drink," she finally got out. "Last time I tried to go to a party it got broken up by the police." She'd barely even gotten drunk. It was the only party she'd been to where it was expected to get fucked up. Nearly every Serenno party she'd been to had alcohol, but they really weren't partying environments. Apparently, Fate had something against her getting fucked up.

"Maybe we should- maybe we should go to one sometime?" she suggested, trying to intonate it nonchalantly. Veles was one of the few people she felt comfortable with right now, and he apparently loved that sort of environment.

Speaking of environment. Her skin was chilled from the cold, midnight air, so she tapped into the Force ever-so-slightly to warm her skin. Almost immediately, the goosebumps on her skin smoothed away. Too bad there's no snow on the ground. She and Artorgias had trained here in the snow. This was also the same place she'd fought him in the Cave's illusion, and there'd been snow there too. Malou looked at the specific spot she'd impaled him. The familiar pang of guilt returned, but it felt diminished. Now that she thought about it, she felt a bit light-headed now. Not necessarily in a bad way though.

tag: @vamp

 

[Veles]

He rolled his eyes. "Leave it to the 18 year old to keep up with the latest trends," he replied. "What's next? Are you going to tell me boots are out and sneakers are in?"

He took another drag. He could begin to feel it in his chest, a feeling of peace that blossomed out through every part of his body. It was rare that he felt this good, and it was always a welcome respite from the otherwise negative emotions that you felt when you spent your entire life learning how to channel them. "Broken up by the cops? I think I underestimated you." He laughed.

"We should!" he agreed, already thinking of places. Oh no, what was he going to wear? There was no way he was going to dress as a Sith Lord to the club. It would definitely take a few days to decide. His mind raced as he instinctively planned out every single aspect.

He looked around and realized they'd been standing out in the middle of the courtyard for a while now. "Should we go inside?" he asked, already putting out the almost-finished cigarra and threw it with Force-assisted strength, sending it careening off the edge of the mountain. A courtesy, because he hated leaving cigarra butts in places but had to improvise when there were no trashcans in sight.

@lizziie

 

[Malou D'Amaris]

When Veles agreed, Malou felt her face light up underneath her blindfold. The questions followed next. Where would they go? What should she wear? Would something similar to what she wore to the party bus suffice, or would the dress code be different? Should she call Manon again to ask her?

"Oh, yeah. We can go inside." The Serennian turned back around to head back toward the door they had entered the courtyard in. She reached the door and held it open just long enough for him to get inside, then let it close slowly behind him. "Do you want to go back-" Malou stopped before she finished the sentence. She didn't really want to go back to the study and go back to being mopey and depressed.

"Uh, my mouth is kind of dry. Let's swing by the kitchen real quick?" Malou, instead of leading him back to the study, took a left instead of a right and brought them to a set of wide, but unassuming, doors. With a gentle wave of her hand, she opened the door. Inside was a huge kitchen, lined with all sorts of appliances and counters. Malou ignored all of that and headed for a cabinet in the back. She pulled out a bottle of wine, then looked over to Veles and asked, "Do you want any?"

While she waited for an answer, she pulled two glasses from a nearby cabinet and began to pour herself a glass. If Veles answered yes, she would pour him one as well, then set the bottle to the side. Malou would hand the glass over to Veles, then lifted the glass to her lips and took a long drink. Oh, damn. This tastes good. This particular type of wine was her favorite, but it tasted so much better than usual.

"Are there any clubs in Sith space you like?" Malou had never been to Nar Shadda or Courscant, but she was pretty sure the former had been devasted by the AMS virus. "We have some here on Serenno...but I don't think they're the same sort."

tag: @vamp

 

[Veles]

He followed her to the massive doors that lead back into the castle, ducking inside as Malou held the door. They were back into the dark hallway, moonlight the only type being cast through the windows. He was considering whether to go back or not when Malou cut herself short, and he nodded immediately. "Absolutely."

He took note of the fact that already, she was taking charge and being active, which was essentially the reason he'd come in the first place. It was good to see that, and it was good to see that he had a positive effect on someone in the Galaxy. So far, he'd only killed and plundered and made people feel like shit, and seeing what it was like to help someone opened up a whole new world of emotions and experiences.

Veles turned the lights on as they stepped inside yet another dark room, which turned out to be the kitchen. For a moment, he stood still, taking it all in. He was an avid cook, but had never had the opportunity to so much as step into a kitchen like this. He could make do with what he got--like the rancor meat steak he'd made on Dathomir for the Empress--but if he had access to something like this, the things he could do would be spectacular. Slowly, he realized he was a Sith Lord and probably could build something like this for himself, and he began to walk toward Malou who was standing there with a bottle of wine.

"Yes," he replied, as though he wasn't overcome with the sensation of euphoria at the concept of drinking wine now. It was definitely the spice that was getting to him, but he was excited to try out what Caelestis had likely left behind. If anything, he was sure that man was probably an exceptional sommelier.

He accepted the glass and then sloshed the liquid around inside, looking at it and analyzing its color. His Force affinity helped enhance his sense and he could always truly get a taste of what he was consuming, which was one of the best perks of the Force to him. Along with binding their very reality and other stuff, of course.

Veles raised his glass for Malou to clink hers. "To what's to come."

He took a long sip and tasted it as he gulped it down, thoroughly impressed. It was good stuff. Veles raised the bottle by the neck with his free hand, twisting it to view the label on its front.

CABERNET CARANNIA
SERENNIAN WINE
10 BBY

From the personal collection of Moff Adresto​

Veles choked a little at the prospect of the fact that he had just sipped a bottle of wine that was a century and a half old. Caelestis was probably out there somewhere in the spirit realm causing wildfires on uncivilized worlds out of rage. Oh well. He wouldn't be able to drink it now anyway.

"In Sith space?" he added, rekindling the conversation. "Just one. The unpleasant thing is the lack of anonymity in clubs in Sith space. On Coruscant, I don't even have to worry about cloaking the way I look. I would get drunk and forget to anyway, but people just assume it's a costume." He took another sip, resting his body on his free hand, leaning against the counter.

"Do you cook much?" he asked, then realized cooking was a completely different experience for her.

@lizziie

 

[Malou D'Amaris]

Veles coming had definitely brightened up her mood. If he hadn't, she would likely either still be in bed or sitting alone with her thoughts in her study. Not only that, but the plan to go to a club excited her.

She clinked her glass against his, then stood quietly, sipping on the wine while Veles inspected it. He seemed taken aback by the date of its bottling, but Malou knew exactly what bottle she'd pulled out. Her master had been a big conessieur of alcohol, so there were plenty more just like this. Being nobility, she'd probably drank from older bottles.

"I...I didn't think about that." Her thought process before had been that it would be easier to stay in Sith space, but Veles would be recognized by anyone within their borders. With the sheer amount of people who live on Coruscant, there were probably one thousand doppelgängers of Veles, or at the very least a lot more memorable-looking people.

"Do I cook?" The change of topic threw her off her train of thought, so she stumbled with her thoughts for a second before answering. "I mean, I can. I usually don't though." Though Malou had plenty of people who could just make the food that she wanted, the Miralukan usually either ate out or snacked on bread and cheese. Feeling as if this was maybe a setup for him to say he was hungry, she added, "You're welcome to anything in here if you want." She often raided the kitchen herself around this time for snacks or, again, bread and cheese.

"Do you cook much?" He'd never mentioned it before unless she'd simply forgotten. The Serennian couldn't decide if he seemed like the sort that liked to fool around in the kitchen or not. He does alchemy and stuff, right? Maybe cooking fits in with that?

tag: @vamp