Private An Intertwining Melody

[Revna]

Tag: Darth Caedes
​

For perhaps the first time in a very long time, Revna slept restfully. Peacefully, even. No nightmares plagued her dreams, no memories of her past tried to come back to haunt her. The last thing she had seen before sleep had claimed her had been him, and the beautiful sunrise they had watched together while in each other’s embrace.

She’d been so warm, even while the chill of Korriban’s night had settled over the grand chamber, and she had felt safe. The only other time she had ever felt that way, were the nights she had fallen asleep in the Cathedral upon Formos. A place that was nothing but ash and dust and memories now.

But she would not sleep forever; a few hours was just enough to recharge Revna, though this time she was a bit reluctant to let go of that warm slumber and return to the waking world. Her mind began to awaken before her eyes ever opened, and soon memories of the dance the night prior and what had followed afterwards, returned to in full clarity. Once again, there was a part of her mind that almost refused to believe it had all been real. That those memories, and the emotions that had been a part of them - the joy and the happiness and the elation and excitement - had been figments of her imagination.

A deep and hidden desire of her heart that had taken her on a flight of fantasy.

But as sleep released its hold on her and she opened up her eyes…she recognized that she was not in her bed. She blinked a few times, gathering her wits about her a bit more, and realized that she was a bit…chilled. She looked around herself, looked beside her where she had last seen Caedes…and found his place empty. Revna sat upright in the grand bed, uncaring that the icy air of Korriban was biting at her exposed skin. Sharp, ember hued eyes swept the room, seeking…searching.

Pain, akin to that which came with a sudden rush of panic, squeezed her heart as thoughts began to race through her mind:

...Had she done something wrong?...

...Did he regret this?...

...Was he ashamed of her?...

“...Caedes?” she called out softly, and a tremor of anxiousness was clear in her voice. After a brief moment, she sent a message along their mental tether, concern intertwined with her inquiry:

Where are you??​

 

[Darth Caedes]

Ch. 2
I N T E R T W I N E D

"In joy I discovered an untapped power. Not in opposition to the Dark Side, but complementing it—a force of boundless creativity."
—Darth Caedes, ruminations​

"... Caedes?" Revna called out.​

Her voice projected and echoed, ricocheting across the red stone walls of Caedes' bedchamber, to be ultimately cast out from the castle's high windows and panoramic views. Beyond, the Valley of the Dark Lords seemed to dominate the horizon, it's gaping entrance stealing breath and drawing one's gaze in—dwarfing the red dune swells of Korriban's Golg desert. Breezes meandered through the room, playing at hung musical chimes and dancing in the drapes beside windows.

Caedes answered in the Force. Warmth, which could be felt in the winds, herbal like the King's breath. Excitement, in the tinny singing of the chimes. Affection, in the way breezes stirred serpents of air to life beneath the bed's crimson sheets, sliding up towards her, in the way licks of air played at the nape of her neck. I am near. I am safe. You are safe.

"Lady Revna?" A small voice called back, sounding young and with mumbled diction—almost a slurred speech.​

There were the brief sounds of movement from just out of sight, the slapping of bare feet atop cold stone floors. A sleight woman with a sith's red skin rounded the corner of the room's open archway and stepped into view. Her posture was bent over, eyes averted in a low bow. She wore fine silken livery with long drooping sleeves and embroidered with the gold stitching so iconically representative of her King, Darth Caedes.

"I am Ffion. I serve in the King's will," explained the servant, placing one fist into the other palm.​

"His grace awaits your Lady's presence at her earliest convenience. He has ordered garments and refreshments be prepared for his Lady. Whenever you are ready, I can take you to him." ​

​

Revna ​

 

[Revna]

Tag: Darth Caedes
​

Revna’s voice, tight with concern, echoed through the grand bedchamber, as her eyes continued to drift over her surroundings, allowing herself a more proper look into the private quarters of the Sith King. She pulled the blood-hued sheets up over her bare shoulders and around her as the day’s light filtered into the chamber through large open windows some distance away. They provided a stunning view of the Valley of the Dark Lords beyond the walls of the Palace, and a breeze drifted through to rustle hanging drapes and delicate chimes that offered an appeasing musical note that filled the chamber with an almost ethereal quality.

The young woman took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the cool air that still carried the scents of the incense that had been burning throughout the night, and allowed herself to momentarily get lost in the myriad of sights, sensations, and scents that greeted her. It helped to further solidify the fact that she was indeed inside the King’s bedchamber; that her eyes and memories did not deceive her. She was really here, and the events of the previous evening had really occurred. A smile, genuine and heartfelt, tugged at her lips as she let those memories return to her as silence filled the chamber, occasionally broken by the gentle song of the various chimes. The silence and solitude she had awoken herself into turned from panic and uncertainty, to stillness and momentary peace.

After several heartbeats, Revna became aware of a presence there with her, one that brought a thrill of elation through her, and brightened her eyes. Though she couldn’t see Caedes, she could sense his presence there in the currents of the Force, and she let her eyes drift shut so she could bask in the gentle sensations and assurances he gave to her. She could feel his warmth, and it chased away the momentarily chill of fear and doubt that had spiked through her. She felt the tremor of excitement, heard in the music that played gently and playfully throughout his chamber, and it tore asunder her fear that he might be regretting what had transpired between them. A breeze snaked its way from the windows to wrap itself around her to caress her skin, and within it she felt his affection. It shattered the last remnants of her uncertainty, and she relaxed to simply breathe and rest in the affirmations he had provided to her.

Revna was still and quiet, happy to exist in that moment, and would have continued to do so if it hadn’t been interrupted by a female voice that responded back to Revna’s call for Caedes. Ember eyes snapped open and her attention turned in the direction the voice had come from, and a moment later she heard the sound of approaching footsteps as a red-skinned sith woman appeared, her posture bent low and her eyes averted. The sight brought a small frown to Revna’s face; she knew the posture of a servant when she saw one.

The servant woman announced herself as Ffion, and explained further to Revna that she had been sent to serve the King’s will, and that Caedes had ordered that fresh garments be provided for his Lady, and whenever she was ready, she would be taken directly to him.

“Thank you, Ffion.” Revna replied softly to the servant, before she slipped from under the sheets and off the bed. The stone floor was cold underneath her feet, and she shivered briefly in the cooled air of the chamber, before she allowed Ffion to guide her to where she might be able to refresh herself. Revna desired to bathe and be as presentable as possible for the King, and so she took care to ensure she was clean before she was presented with a plethora of clothing options for her to choose from, all of them exquisite and made in the finest materials one could find in the galaxy. Revna was tempted to choose something more basic and akin to what she normally wore - simple Sith robes, for example, but this time she chose to wear something that she knew would please the eyes of her new Lord.

She chose a dark and elegantly flowy dress made of some kind of finer material that felt so soft against her skin, that dipped into a modest V in the front and down the back between her shoulder blades and that left her arms bare; the bodice and waist area glittered with golden stitching and patterns that caught the light when she moved, and complimented her build and accentuated her curves. It was something she chose to compliment the color palette that Darth Caedes often adorned himself with, a simple gesture to show him that she noticed such things and wanted to appeal to that. Revna chose to leave her silvery black hair long and free flowing, and went without any form of makeup or enhancements and she did nothing to hide her scars; she wanted her King to receive her as she was for who she was.

After she had finished preparing herself she made sure to find the blackened gloves that fit neatly and elegantly over her hands - she still hadn’t quite learned how to manage her new found ability, and she didn’t wish to accidentally turn someone into a corpse from a stray touch.

When she felt she was ready and presentable, Revna turned to the servant and spoke in the same soft voice she had used earlier, though there was no hiding the eagerness in her voice. “I believe I am ready, Ffion. Let us not keep the King waiting any longer.”

And truthfully, Revna did not wish to be away from Caedes any longer than she had been already.

 

[Darth Caedes]

Ch. 2
I N T E R T W I N E D

"The Force is not meant to preserve—it reinvents, reshapes, and redefines. It creates."
—Darth Caedes, ruminations​

Ffion moved with a clipped efficiency, guiding Revna to a private bathing chamber carved directly into the red stone, where warm, mineral-rich water had been drawn into a mosaic inlaid basin. Steam curled into the air as Ffion worked with practiced hands, lathering fragrant oils through Revna's hair, into her skin and scalp, massaging her hands, her feet, and washing away the remnants of the previous night. There was a reverence in her care, downcast eyes and gentle fingers seeming to locate every detail and every scar on Revna's body. Afterwards, each stroke of the comb through Revna's silvery-black hair was methodical, ensuring that it was smooth and untangled before drying them with delicate cloths.

Cleaning completed, Ffion ordered in a bustle of ladies-in-waiting, each presented a selection of lavish garments, their fine materials shimmering under the dim red glow of Horuset through open windows, and the flickering torches ensconced along castle walls. She seemed to study Revna as she made her choices, nodding approvingly at the elegant, dark gown which bore golden embellishments in the style of Caedes' usual garments. Dress chosen, Ffion herded the curious ladies back out and into the halls, their gossip already beginning to churn whispers, speculating into the identity of this Lady Revna. Finally finished, she stepped back to make one final appraisal and, seemingly satisfied, offered to Revna a fine set of black gloves before beckoning her from the King's private chambers.

Their journey through the Castle of Vardin was near silent. The air within the halls was cool, carrying with it all the smells from lingering incenses and herbal gardens. The castle, carved once from a massive stalagmite, bore the raw, natural beauty of the planet's red stone. As they descended the spiraling staircases, the pair passed by vast, open chambers—gardens filled with flora, both native and foreign to Korriban which thrived beneath carefully curated and expertly maintained environments; grand banquet halls lined with darkwood furniture, and meditation rooms where rows of barefoot Sith acolytes sat in silent contemplation.

The deeper they ventured, the more the air changed. A distant, rhythmic clatter began to intrude upon the silence—the sound of hammers against stone, of voices murmuring. As they neared the ground level, the grand architecture of the castle gave way to something more industrious. Emerging into a courtyard, Ffion stepped aside and motioned that Revna take in the sights before her.

The courtyard, one of many on the castle's ground-level, was in the midst of an active transformation. Scribes hunched over flimsiplast parchment, sketching intricate designs, while Jen'ari servants—wrapped in pristine linens—hauled mortar and raw materials with tireless efficacy, depositing them against a far wall. The scent of dust and stone mixed with the castle's other scents here, and in the center of it all stood the King himself.

His presence was unmistakable—a stately figure clad in black silks, his garments simple yet made undeniably regal in the way he wore them. His sleeves hung long, though his chest remained bare to the cool air, unbuttoned from the top, revealing the slick, radiation-scarred skin and slender musculature of his natural clawdite form. He leaned over the shoulders of his scholars, piercing golden eyes scanning their work. The rough sketches depicted a grand garden with a familiar fountain at its center, a space of cultivated and serene beauty amidst the otherwise stark architecture of Vardin.

Sensing their arrival, Caedes lifted his head abruptly, as if someone had called his name, his gaze quickly thereafter landing upon Revna. A slow, genuine smile touched his lips, seeming to lose track of the conversation he'd been so previously entrenched in, belatedly and distractedly dismissing the drafters with a casual wave. His attentions diverted, he surged forward, the chaotic construction around him momentarily forgotten.

"Revna," he greeted, voice a rich whisper-tone, uncharacteristically warm.​

His golden eyes traced her figure, lingering appreciatively on her choice of attire. He grinned, the expression almost mischievous.

"You... look exquisite."​

He reached out, the brush of his fingers just shy of contact.

"How did you sleep?"​

​

​

Revna ​

 

[Revna]

Tag: Darth Caedes
​

Revna had gone into the chamber where she could refresh herself and wash up with the full intention of doing so on her own power, and was taken by surprise when Ffion began to do the tasks herself. At first, the young woman was reluctant to allow the servant to bathe her - it felt wrong to demand such a thing, and the red-skinned sith woman seemed to realize that such a thing had made Revna a bit uncomfortable. Revna was free to bathe herself if she so desired but the option was there to allow Ffion to carry out such a ritual based in tradition. After a brief moment of introspection, Revna gave her consent to Ffion, understanding the importance of ritual and tradition…especially in a place such as Korriban that was steeped in such practices.

Ffion went to work immediately, starting with Revna’s long black hair, washing and perfuming it with scented oils that made the hair soft and silky. The servant took great care as she reverently cleansed Revna’s body, tracing over the scars that were on full display, and being careful to avoid the strange and sinister looking device embedded into the skin and bone of Revna’s lower back. Ffion did not speak, other than to inquire if she was permitted to do a particular action or not. When the ritual of washing had been completed, Revna stepped out of the steamed bath pool and wrapped a soft and lush towel around herself before she was guided to a seat where the red skinned sith woman went to work running a comb through the silken strands, removing any tangles and massaging the scalp ensuring that perfumes and oils had worked themselves through the hair and skin. Being pampered with such gentle and reverent care made Revna feel like she was being anointed, made perfect and without blemish before she was brought before the Sith King.

With the combing completed, Ffion summoned a group of ladies into the chamber, and they provided a vast offering of garments for Revna to pick and choose from. Though talk was kept professional and at a minimum, Revna could sense the growing curiosity of the women around her, and she didn’t have to see their shared looks to know it was happening. She’d been a servant herself once upon a time; she knew that once the ladies were sent away, gossip would no doubt begin to spread like wildfire amongst the servants in the castle as they tried to figure out just who Revna was, and what importance she had to their King.

It did make the young woman wonder though…was she perhaps the first woman to find herself in the King’s private chambers? Was her presence here a surprise to them all? They certainly acted surprised and curious - more so than perhaps servants normally would be with such a situation.

With her outfit chosen, Ffion sent the women away and once Revna was dressed and ready, the servant guided her from the King’s personal quarters and through the castle itself. As they walked, Revna marveled at the raw beauty it presented, carved directly from the red rock that made up most of Korriban’s surface. Clearly the architects of the castle of Vardin had taken care to build the place to accentuate the natural beauty of the harsh and unforgiving planet.

Upon the cool breeze, Revna could smell different scents mingling together - from incense that came from various other chambers, to the smell of flowers that filled other courtyards she and Ffion passed by as they descended down a massive spiral staircase that took them lower and lower. Revna spied large and grand banquet halls, ready to be used by any high ranked visitor or dignitary that came to Korriban, as well as dark and low lit meditation chambers were she saw Sith acolytes knelt in perfect rows, deep in contemplation as they tried to connect with the Force and hear its whispered secrets.

The near serenity of the upper portions of the castle shifted the lower the two women descended, and soon Revna’s sharp hearing picked up the telltale sounds of construction being carried out somewhere beyond them. From the direction of the noise came the growing presence of Caedes himself - a dark swell of power that rippled forth through the currents of the Force around her, a presence that would have put most on edge, maybe even driven some to their knees - but to her it was like a dark and brooding song, beckoning her forward to become lost in its embrace.

Her heart began to thrum faster in her chest with each step she took, and the knowledge that she would soon see him again. It would be the first time they laid eyes upon one another after the events that had taken place the evening prior. That dance, and their stolen night together, had been a point of no return for both of them, a bridge crossed and into a new reality they would soon face side by side.

Ffion guided Revna into the entrance of another grand courtyard, but this one was clearly under active reconstruction. Revna’s gaze shifted over everything she saw before her - from the scribes bent over flimsiplast to the linen-wrapped Jen’ari servants who hauled mortar and other materials around and worked tirelessly to shape the courtyard to the desired arrangement.

And there, in the center of the workspace and overseeing the scribes and the workflow, was King Caedes himself.

Revna’s eyes were drawn to him, as they always were whenever she found herself occupying the same space as Caedes. He was majestic and stately in his dark and gold accented silks, and a smile curled on Revna’s lips as she watched him in silence for a few heartbeats. Only a moment later, the King lifted his head as if someone had called out to him, and his attention immediately shifted to her and they locked gazes. A genuine smile formed on his face as he seemed to focus solely on her and nothing else. The scribes with him tried to carry on whatever conversation they had been having with him, but fell silent when they realized their King’s attention was divided. She felt their gazes upon her, curious and probing just like the servant women had been, and she watched with some mild amusement as they were distractedly waved off and they departed from Caedes’ presence.

Caedes moved towards her with purposeful strides and she stepped towards him as well, his eyes never leaving hers until they were within arm’s length of one another and he greeted her with a warmth that seemed out of place for a Dark Lord. A shine of coyness gleamed in her eyes as his golden gaze dipped to look her over, an expression of appreciation dancing across his face.

"You... look exquisite." he said, and a flush of warmth danced across her skin as her smile broadened briefly, her own eyes dipping almost shyly before they traveled over his slender yet no less regal form, taking in the sight of him without the fear that he would notice her doing so. Her facial expression mirrored his own mischievous grin as her fiery eyes lifted back to look him in the face. Much was said in that simple but knowing look they gave one another.

“Thank you, my Lord. I had hoped you would find my choice of attire pleasing.” came her own soft voice, a low murmur that carried with it the same tone of warmth that matched his own. He lifted a hand towards her, his touch just short of true contact, a distance she closed with a subtle shift towards him - a simple gesture to show and tell him that she wanted that contact, no matter how light or brief it was.

"How did you sleep?"

Once again, her smile was coy and a touch playful - flirtatious, even. “I slept very well. I daresay it was the best sleep I’ve ever had. And you..?” She paused for a moment, her gaze searching his face, his eyes, as she dared to lift a small and satin gloved hand to lightly graze her fingers across the scarred and exposed skin of his chest, not giving a care in the world that others would see her do such a thing. “...Did you rest well?” Her inquiry was genuine, laced with the hope that his sleep had been good as well, however short or long it had been.

After a few moments of their interaction, Revna’s burning eyes slipped away from him and became far more curious as she once again looked over the courtyard. “Seems you have been busy, Lord Caedes. What are the plans for this courtyard? Is there anything I can aid you with in this endeavor? That is, if you don’t mind me asking such questions…” She paused briefly as she glanced back at him before adding: “I do have some experience with drafting building plans and overseeing construction - I did quite a bit of that while I was stationed on Formos; I helped build houses to help accommodate my High Priest’s ever growing settlement.”