Private Beneath The Red Moon

[Kaila Irons]

"I uhm..." she anxiously rubbed the back of her hand, unsure whether to take this as a joke or not.

"I believe it would better if... If he was allowed to believe I learned only from darker studies. When I say our love is strange... What I mean is... I keep a few too many secrets"

Kaila was unsure whether to laugh or sink into herself.

"I am a traitor, Dreidi. I have been a traitor long before meeting you, but coming here is treason. He must never be allowed to know the many things I have done behind our master's back. He must never come here, he must never know"

She looked up, a look of shame and urgency in her eyes.

"He has to believe that I am still loyal, That Carnifex will never have reason to come between us, so that he doesn't come between us. And it is because I love him that I must allow him to live this lie until I or my lord expire."



Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Location: Dathomir
Outfit: Witch Attire
Companion: Grisial
Equipment: Lightsaber, Nightsister Energy Bow, Ichor Sword
Tag: Kaila Irons

Dreidi noticed right away that her joke had unnerved Kaila and she waved her hand. "It was merely a joke, I did not mean to cause concern for you. However, if you ever did wish to spend time with him here, merely inform me beforehand and it would be fine. That is an option I leave to you."

She understood the issue of keeping secrets and balancing loving someone deeply but not revealing every side of yourself to them. Her father had hid his illness for a number of years from her and her siblings to ensure they grew up to have a normal life.

"Sometimes we find things from those we love because we wish to keep them safe and make sure they live in blissful ignorance of harsher truths. However, be careful to not juggle too many secrets from him. Lies and secrets have a nasty happy of revealing themselves. And not always in a good or healthy manner." Dreidi cautioned, while she was far from an expert in relationships, she had seen the pros and cons of them enough to know where slippery slopes were.

Finishing the meal, she stretched her limbs and let out a satisfied sigh. "Hopefully you found the meal satisfactory and sating your appetite." Dreidi mentioned.

 

[Kaila Irons]

"Right... forgive me, I'm still getting used to-" Kaila couldn't beleive she was about to say the word

"This peace." she chuckled.

Many had noted the way this young darth carried herself with such seriousness, with very few getting to see the other side of her. The side that liked to banter with her sisters in arms, or enjoy Saryn's baking nor the tender moments she shared with a lover in the evenings. In truth she was often afraid to show that part of herself to the world, living in a place where it was so eagerly taken advantage of. It made her guarded, perhaps unnecessarily so, to the point which she was having trouble even joking with this Jedi.

And she was well aware of that difficulty, despite her best efforts.

Thus she finished the meal quietly, taking polite, small bites despite quickly coming back for more.

"Hopefully you found the meal satisfactory and sating your appetite."

"Of course," she nodded, finishing the last bite. "I may have to experiment with these spices more often"

"Admittedly, I could get used to this, and might look into Dathomiri foods as well while I'm here. Although I'm told there's many poisonous or acidic plants and creatures, so you may have to teach me more about them before I can prepare my own food here. I may also need to learn about those strange bows the nightbrothers use, wouldn't want to disturb the peace with loud gunfire"


Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Location: Dathomir
Outfit: Witch Attire
Companion: Grisial
Equipment: Lightsaber, Nightsister Energy Bow, Ichor Sword
Tag: Kaila Irons

"I understand needing an adjustment period to a new environment. I have needed one whenever I move to a new home, whether it was from the Silver Jedi Order to the Confederacy, or the Confederacy to the Galactic Alliance. Big adjustment and a lot of changing my mindset." She chuckled, it had been a tough transition every time but she was feeling more comfortable with where she was now. Not heavily tied to the New Jedi Order currently, and able to do a lot of the things she wanted to do and needed to do.

Nodding her head, "I can send you the recipe if you wish for it. It is quite nice though most of the ingredients I have to get off world." She chuckled.

"Well, a lot of Dathomiri food from what I have encountered is more practical, roasted or jerked meats, simple in preparations and campfire style. Life is dangerous on this world, many keep on the move and fine dining is not our way. However, doesn't make the food bad, just uncomplicated which can be nice." Dreidi mentioned, she enjoyed the simplicity of it, especially when one feels overworked or pushed to the edge.

She chuckled at the mention of the energy bows, "energy bows are common here, both the nightbrothers and the nightsisters use them. Even other witch clans use them. I have my own bow, so I can show you some things. I am far from the expert archer that my father was, but I am a lot better than I used to be." Dreidi smirked at her own joke, she was pleased to hear that Kaila was interested in the ways of life here. "A blaster isn't forbidden here, but for hunting it might not be ideal."

 

[Kaila Irons]

"Uncomplicated is more my skill level" Kaila chuckled nervously.

"Most would never know, given our imperial inclination toward fine dining, but I am equally used to field rations and find my own food. I became a Seeker within the Pillar of Insight to spend as much time away from my master as possible. We're something like... wandering scholar monks, I suppose. We're tasked with uncovering Jedi and Sith lore to fill the archives, it's what first brought me to Dathomir, actually, searching for the tomb of a sith lord who fell sometime during the 400 year darkness"

She explained in the hopes of showing Dreidi what her life before Echnos was like, though also to excuse her own terrible cooking...

"Though on the subject of sith lore," she quirked a brow

"You mentioned the Confederacy of Independent Systems, is that correct? But I thought they were sith, and you a jedi? Forgive me if this assumption is ignorant, The CIS disbanded whilst I was stuck here, entombed on Dathomir. I'm afraid so much has happened without my knowledge whilst I was underground. I'm so much better with ancient history than current events."


Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Location: Dathomir
Outfit: Witch Attire
Companion: Grisial
Equipment: Lightsaber, Nightsister Energy Bow, Ichor Sword
Tag: Kaila Irons

Hearing about the way things were for food from Kaila's perspective. As well as the job that Kaila pursued as a Sith, it was clear that things were a lot more cold and calculated. "Well, things are a little more casual here and my cooking is rarely fine dining." She chuckled.

When asked about her time with the CIS, she smirked and shook her head. "It was mostly Sith but there were Jedi and grey Force Users within the Confederacy." Dreidi clarified. "It was different how Jedi were expected to be and I was not the stereotypical Jedi that is wanted from the New Jedi Order. But that has it's own benefits."

Dreidi stretched her limbs, "they attempted to reform but I have not heard much from them since I moved to Coruscant." It was a little concerning since her sister had been quiet since then. However, she knew that they would reconnect when they could, Asaraa was the closest family she had.

 

[Kaila Irons]

"So we're both the blacksheep of our respective orders then?" she wondered aloud.

It was interesting to think however that there had once been an alliance of sith and jedi under one banner during her own lifetime, not just the convenient coalitions she'd read about during times of strife, such as the alliance that thwarted the Eternal Empire of Zakuul's invasion thousands of years ago, or the Lost Tribe's alliance with the last Skywalker against Abeloth. Perhaps then her own friendship with Dreidi wasn't so strange after all.

Even if it may be temporary.

"Unfortunately, I worry that my master will try to reform me upon his return. I'm told we might leave the holy worlds for Jutrand soon, with the majority of the Kainite forces. It's no invasion but I worry what it could mean, or that he'll keep a closer eye on me if he's coming to the area of my newest assignment, given I am still the temporary governor of Echnos"



Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Location: Dathomir
Outfit: Witch Attire
Companion: Grisial
Equipment: Lightsaber, Nightsister Energy Bow, Ichor Sword
Tag: Kaila Irons

"That may be so." Dreidi nodded her head, she wasn't sure if she was still viewed as a black sheep now or if she had adapted to being a Jedi to a more acceptable level. Though she was still a witch and how others viewed that was impossible for her to know. Many of the Jedi she had met and encountered were more than open to that part of her life, which was always appreciated.

Nodding her head, "well, I hope that his plans do not succeed if he attempts to corrupt your mind once again." Clearly Dreidi choosing to view what Carnifex did as a corruption of Kaila and not the reform that she claimed it would be. Who Kaila was now was more than acceptable. Any changes to that would be a corruption. "Luckily any visits to Dathomir would not draw suspicion, since this world is currently under Mandalorian control, so if anything you could use the deceit that you wish to help establish an uprising here to squash the Mandalorian growing empire."

It was leaning into the hatred for Mandalorian that Carnifex was infamous for having, however, it could work out for Kaila as a way to continue to visit or live here without too much of the Sith Lord's eye on her. Especially since attempting an up rise would not be possible with one of the most infamous Sith Lords of their time constantly watching that person.

"That is an option, if you wanted to take it."

 

[Kaila Irons]

"Hm." she sat back to think on it for a moment.

"You might be onto something. Although, I'd need something to show for it. The trouble with hiding things from my master is that he's one perceptive bastard, with eyes and ears everywhere, and so one must strike a careful balance between following orders when he's looking but not so much you begin to believe the lie yourself."

"He's no god, but the threat of his perdition inspires loyalty all the same. It's... an endless struggle."

And as if fate had decreed it so, the commlink chimed within her vambrace, prompting the young darth to immediately bring up a holographic display.

The messaged was written entirely in ur-kittat, and it was evident by the way her jaw clenched that she was not amused by it.

"It's begun," she sighed dismissing the message, averting her eyes.

"I've orders to meet him upon Jutrand... no doubt I'll be some manner of set piece for a meeting or a parade, although I find it strange he's chosen now of all times. I'm not technically a mere apprentice now, but a full fledged Sith Knight. I suppose it must be important."

She stood, rubbing her temples.

"I'm sorry... I have to go. Thank you for the meal, Dreidi"


Dreidi Xeraic