Private Accept & Embrace

[Lina Ovmar]

Lesser than ourselves?

An interesting choice of words. One that highlighted he saw her as equal, even if he had not until this point treated her as such. The corners of her mouth twitched as she fought off a smile. "Well, you certainly weren't interested in entertaining me until now, so I had to make do." she shrugged, inclining her head at the few that passed them, though after Sarlow's display they were giving a wider berth than normal.

A frown tugged at her forehead. They had never spoken about his curse, not truly, aside from the request to acquire tomes and texts that might help. "I see." she said simply focusing on him as she chewed her next words carefully in her mind. "My focus, thus far, has been on furthering the Zambrano's hold over the Ison corridor, at your bequest, my lord. If you would like me to shift my focus, then I will, but you will need to share all with me, if I am to help you to the best of my ability."

Sarlow Zambrano

 

[Sarlow Zambrano]

"Entertaining is an... interesting, choice of words, Lina," her name fell from his lips with such a grace, it was as if velvet had been rolled out just for her. In a manner of speaking it had, the creases in his face spoke to his discomfort regarding his condition. "Of course, and your work has been splendid," he had mentioned that, hadn't he? "I am quite grateful for your skills and expertise." She wanted to know the full story with regards to his condition and for that. "Will be elaborated on at another time, another place, know that that shall be the next phase of our work."

As they walked, he continued to speak, "my goals beyond the curse are to see Panathans restored to their former glory. My siblings are at work securing a new home that shall be Panatha Prime. We work steadily in the fringes collecting those loyal to the family, for only they can be elevated, others will toil until they see the light." Restoring the feudal ways of his homeworld, building a new world altogether was going to take time. Building was a rather complicated word, but colonization was grotesque as far as he was concerned. "Tell me, Lina," he mentioned purposefully, "what do you know of Panathan history?"

Lina Ovmar​

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Lina's patience evaporated the moment he dismissed her request for further information and shifted them to a new topic. More about Panatha, more about the progression and glory of the fething Zambranos. The brief moment in which he had been genuine was gone.

But they way he kept saying her name.

Something in her snapped.

"Panatha is dead." she said coldly halting their walk. "Its history is irrelevant."

That wasn't true in the slightest, Lina knew plenty of their history, but at this point in time, all she wanted to do was hurt him for dragging her along like he was. Anger pulsed out from her as she stepped in close to him, green eyes glaring up at his face. She kept her voice low. "Why did you throw your brother across the room if just to talk business with me? That's the second time you've acted... irrationally, like you want something more from me, and then the minute that I am right in front of you, that my attention is all on you, I am suddenly nothing. What is it you want? And I swear if you say you want my help to further the fething Zambrano cause I will return to the Malsheem and to your father. At least there I know what games are being played."

Sarlow Zambrano

 

[Sarlow Zambrano]

Sarlow didn't so much as flinch when Lina stepped up toward him, he instead took a step back. "Lady Djo," he began his voice turned cold. "I have been nothing but forthright and honest with you thus far." That much was true, "whatever pain I desire to inflict upon my siblings is my own business." He looked over his shoulder ensuring that none would follow the pair. He called for his personal guards, the Red Maws, as they closed ranks and Sarlow led Lina toward a private alcove. There he pinned her to a wall, "admit to me that you enjoyed that." He towered over her his voice rumbled with a low growl, "enjoyed watching as my brother was flung away from you, that you also take pleasure in knowing that it will be my hand that destroys whoever so much as breathes incorrectly in your presence." There was a dark, perhaps even sadistic tone in his voice and yet it was dropped an octave and bordered on the edge of lust.

Lina Ovmar

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Lina couldn't help the gasp that escaped her. He moved so quickly, so unexpectedly, the stone was cold upon her back but everywhere he touched was on fire. Her breathing hitched as she looked up at him, his growl sent shivers of pleasure through her.

"I admit it." Her voice was a heady her cheeks flushed. "I admit that it was what I wanted all along. To ignite the fire in you. To get you to this point because, my lord...you are under my skin. And I needed to know if you are suffering as much as I am. So for all that is dark and holy, do something about it."

She leaned towards him, her nose brushing his. "Please." She whispered.

Sarlow Zambrano

 

[Sarlow Zambrano]

Sarlow pulled Lina toward him with haste, and in a moment realized where they were, "not here." He whispered, for what he had in mind to do was not appropriate for the current setting. He whisked her away somewhere private, the castle where the ball was held belonged to his family. He knew the place well enough and took her to a room. It was illuminated only by the fire place, which ignited the moment Sarlow threw fire in its direction. The room itself was posh, decorated with an ode to the older, finer things on Panatha. Plush headboards, crimson red canopy along the bed, a wardrobe, a dressing table and two parlor chairs sat against the wall near the windows with a small table between them a lone tea set. The Wolf Prince encouraged by Lina took to her with feral haste.

---

Sometime later, Sarlow with a robe over his shoulders, loosely tied at the waist gazed out the windows. He watched the moon as it hung in the night sky, he nursed the cup of tea in his hand.

Lina Ovmar ​

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Lina lay on her side, head propped up on her hand, dark hair spilling over her shoulders, her green eyes fixed on him. Drinking in every detail. Every line of his muscles, every white scar that told a tale fo a battle won or lost. She was drunk on him.

He is Carnifex's son.

She breathed a sigh out of her nose, slipping out from the sheets and into a robe of her own. Barefeet padding softly across the lush carpet as she moved to small table to pour her own tea.

"Tell me about your curse, Sarlow." Business would distract from the warmth in her chest. Business would quiet the angey buzzing voice in her head that kept reminding her he was the Son of the man she wanted to kill.

It was an infatuation. An itch she needed to scratch. Nothing more.

Liar.

Sarlow Zambrano

 

[Sarlow Zambrano]

Sarlow turned his attention toward her, his gaze lingering across her body. His eyes followed the patterns of her scars, his azure gaze roamed where he desired until they rested on her gaze. He hadn't a clue what her true mission was and for that he'd be forever grateful. She inquired about his curse and he obliged, but his hand reached out for hers. Sarlow set his cup of tea down and took a seat in one of the chairs by the window. "I was a young man, no more than nineteen," he began, his voice deep, the Panathan Wolf's words lingered on, "I had frequented the village numerous times, and was... entranced you might say by an older woman."

"Stop me if you've heard this before," he remarked with jest, and continued, "I fell for her, and told her quite arrogantly that I had, then, plans to be the next God-King of the world. Much like my father, but I had little in regard for her." He sighed, exhaled really through his nostrils and looked at Lina for a moment before tearing his gaze away. "I treated her with such indignity." Sarlow explained how as a young man he was rather ruthless, arrogant and how he had become full of himself. He seemingly loved no other, and thus he was cursed by the witch. He told his father what had happened, but ashamed of what he had become. "I ran."

"I threw away my birth right, and the privileges I had, went to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. Became a drunkard, a gunslinger, and hid away." He drank the cup of tea in one go, and set it down. "My mother explains that my father hunted the witch down and had her put to death for laying hands on me. I would've been helped by servants of our court, but at the time I wanted nothing of my family, or myself for that matter."

Lina Ovmar ​

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Lina slid into his lap as he settled down, she could have taken the chair opposite him, but need to be close was too much. And she fit so perfectly, one arm draped across his shoulders, the other finding his hand and drawing it around her.

She was drawn into him as he told his tale, it was the most honest she had seen him since they met. "Hell hath no fury, like a woman scorned." She said softly "You were young and foolish." She rested her forehead against his, closing her eyes. The tale didn't leave much in the way of clues or trails to follow. If the witch was dead she could not trace the curse back to its source.

Lina drew back slightly. "I will help you find a way to break it." She breathed in his ear, trailing kisses down his neck. "My word as my bond."

Sarlow Zambrano

 

[Sarlow Zambrano]

Sarlow's lips curled upward into a smile as Lina came to sit on his lap. His nostrils flared taking in her scent, her words were true. Hell hath no fury, like a woman scorned. He leaned his head against hers the moment she rested her forehead against his. When she left kisses down his neck, Sarlow decided that perhaps their little break was over. Lifting her up into his arms, he would make use of the time they had in the castle, it most certainly would not be wasted.

---

The next time he woke up, he decided to get dressed, slowly untangling himself from Lina. As much as he would have loved to remain in her embrace there was much work to be done. "Father has plans for Yavin IV and I must see that everything is ready, it won't be for a few months time yet, however, one can never be too certain." His robes laid on the bed as he took the time to lather his body in oil, the very same his father was often known to have. "I certainly hope that this evening has proved that my irrational actions as you called them, are not without reason."

Arms through either side of the robe, he placed them on his shoulders and began to tie it. Then seeking his armor, Sarlow would go about putting that on his person. "I... trust you," explained the Panathan Wolf, "so consider what you hold for I do not give it freely." He leaned over and placed a kiss on her lips. Sarlow drew back and stepped toward the full length mirror beside the wardrobe. "I believe, you are the guest of honor here, so, let us return. I'm certain the party is still there, I've not known a Kainate function to cease in the first day."

Lina Ovmar ​

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Lina didn't want to move, entangled with him, her body aching in all the right ways. She let out a small groan of displeasure as he slid away from her, rolling slowly to her back to stare up at the red canopy of the bed they shared. Then he spoke of his father and the breif happiness she felt shattered, her expression darkening.

She clicked her tongue and sat upright to watch him dress and don his armour doing her best to keep tha hatred for Kaine from her face. Whatever he had planned she would no doubt be roped into. Ever the servant. His words brought a sad smile to her face, that he should trust her...that he had no idea what she had planned.

What are you doing, Lina?

His kiss was soft, and over far too quickly. Reluctantly, she rose from between the sheets padding to the dresser to settle and fix her hair.

"Go, my lord." She said softly. "I will not be far behind you. I need a moment."

Sarlow Zambrano

 

[Sarlow Zambrano]

Without much else to consider, Sarlow departed the room. Down the corridor and then the stairs, where his personal guards, the Red Maw stood watch. He waved them forward and followed they did, closing ranks behind him as they escorted him back to the party. The festivities were still taking place, his brothers had gone but there were still plenty of guests for Lina to entertain. The Wolf Prince would wait for Lina to join him down stairs before leaving the party completely. A servant of his father's rushed toward him to whisper the tasks to be complete.

When Lina had joined him, Sarlow informed her of his imminent departure but assured her that at the upcoming Gala on Naboo, he would explain everything. That was still a good month or so away, with the planned attack on Yavin IV further away than that, all such wishes of his father regarding the latter must be taken care of. Once done, he could focus on finding a way to undo the curse that had been bestowed upon him all those years ago. Yet, part of him wondered if he truly wished to be rid of the beast that had become an integral part of his being. A question for another time perhaps, and so he whispered into her ears. "Everything after Naboo, will change," of that he reassured her and then after made his departure from the ball.

Lina Ovmar ​