Private Children of Shiraya: Ruins of Ardor

[Cybelle Elyance]

N A B O O
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
Age: 20
Location: Spritegate Shore to Ee'everwest Estate (Four Years Later)

Spoiler

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There was a small modicum of relief to be found when Cybelle realized she wasn't walking an emotional tight-wire alone. The way he watched her was familiar. It was the way she looked after him—Too long. Too often. He was better at keeping his composure in this instance but everything had suddenly been made crystal clear. Every touch, every moment, even something so small as helping her up from the floor or down the stairs…It was all connected. She hadn't been able to see it, then.

It unnerved her to think that either Brandyn was that good at hiding, or, she was so incredibly thick that she had missed the depth of it. Chocolate eyes pulled up from his chest when she thought she heard something. Not words, exactly. Just a singular thought that somehow branded the meaning against the back of her heart.

<<I love you, Cybelle.>>​

Tawny brown eyes peered at him curiously through thick dark lashes. Had she imagined it? Made it up? Wishful thinking? Rather than make her feel as if she ought to flee in the other direction, she could feel her anxiety lessen. A certain stillness kept her close while Cybelle slowly reached up to brush his hair back from his forehead. Those same fingers drew careful, tender patterns down his temple that were feather-light when they found the top of his cheek. Barely there.

Part of her wanted to ask. Part of her was afraid to break the peace. Part of her thought that she could find the answer on her own, somehow, by memorizing the way he looked right now. In this moment. Not hidden behind familiar insecurities and the harsh reminder of their mutual duties. It weighed on her—Knowing that this was against everything she had ever learned. She knew every cautionary tale. Every proverb that belittled and vilified love between their kind.

Cybelle had a hard time understanding how something so blameless, so unadulterated, could be the end of The Order. The end of goodness. She felt grounded. Not out of control. Brandyn would find himself rewarded with a sweet smile that lingered at the corner of her mouth when he agreed to her inquiry. His small frown made her expression soften further. She was worried. Concerned. But—Her request had nothing to do with any of those things. "Again…", she finally breathed, seeming small, but with a slender edge of boldness that made her fingers against his skin tremble. "Kiss me again."

In that regard, Brandyn would be able to claim her first and her second. Silly, though it might have been to keep track. That made her pulse race. Cheeks still pink, she waited, though Cybelle remained entirely still to let it be his choice. If enough was enough…She would accept that. Even though she had usually been the defacto leader in their adventures it seemed that in this area of their relationship she would defer to him for the time being. He'd known his heart better than she had much, much longer.

Cybelle didn't know the right thing to say. The right thing to do—Without possibly shattering it all.

She wanted him to kiss her because he wanted to. Perhaps, because he needed to. Not, because their past memories and affections had been pulled to the surface. Mind walks were dangerous in that opening themselves so fully to one another made it difficult to withdraw. There was a safety—A beauty in memory. Nothing could change that or take it away.

Her eyes danced down again while a touch of insecurity began to work its way into her head. If she blushed any harder, he might have thought to tease her with how she was slowly turning into an apple. When she glanced back up at him, her eyes were luminous with a gentle, pleading light.

"Please?"

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

​

Wearing: Jedi Robes
Equipment: Standard Lightsaber
Location: Ee'Everwest Estate, Naboo
Tag: Cybelle Elyance


The request brought a smile to Brandyn's face, and warm relief filled his soul. He did not respond with an answer immediately. Instead his eyes just flittered about taking in her face and her radiant innocence. Of course, he would kiss her again. The purity of the request was endearing beyond words. What he would freely allow her to take on a whim, she asked for as if it was some guarded treasure that needed a magic phrase for access.

"You. Marvelous. Beautiful. Radiant, Cybelle."

And yes, he did kiss her. But this time he lifted her into his arms, holding her close and thrilling in her embracing him. There was a pause for a moment of wandering eye searching, only for Cybelle to be granted a possible unspoken wish of another and then yet another, until counting were a fool's endeavour.

The moment passed, with lingering passion hovering like a cloud above, but all moments passed eventually. Brandyn allowed her feet to meet the ground once more, and found himself unsurprisingly out of breath.

"This place has given me my darkest nightmares...and my sweetest dreams, only they made real," he said, hands smoothing away non-existant wrinkles on his face, "but...let's not stay here any more."

The place still gave him chills. And it did not escape his back-of-brain thinking that, yes, he just made out with his long time crush in what essentially amounted to (possibly) his dad's creepy hidden dungeon. There was something slightly ominous about that thought. He shook his head to remove the thought and try and reclaim the sense of pure wonder at their revelatory experience.

Again, he reached for her face, thumb brushing across those soft lips, palm holing her cheek. One thing was left undone, and he would not see it neglected.

"Cybelle Elyance. I have loved you...from the moment we first met. Even when I was too young to understand what it meant. And, I...love...you now."

​

 

[Cybelle Elyance]

N A B O O
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
Age: 20
Location: Spritegate Shore to Ee'everwest Estate (Four Years Later)

Spoiler

_________________________________________________________​

Her brow seemed to knit together for a moment at being referred to in such a way, though, confusion twined neatly with the perfect grace required to remain the color of a freshly picked cherry. To have someone feel that way about her, to openly admit it, felt entirely foreign. She had grown accustomed to familiar affection from her Master and the gratitude of the villagers—but this was something different. Something new, other, that made her heart flutter in her chest like a bird in a cage.

She gasped just slightly at suddenly being effortlessly lifted in the air and a soft peal of laughter would fall down on Brandyn like sweet summer rain. It echoed in the hallway, filling the empty air, a place of gloom, with little rays of sunshine. Her arms wrapped reflexively around his neck and she slid down just slightly until their lips could meet without any effort at all. What had felt so very insurmountable and unfathomable, truly, felt as if she'd been waiting to exhale.

Cybelle had always wondered what it would have been like to be so possessed by one person that it eradicated rational thought. She couldn't say that she was losing her mind, but, her viewpoint had most definitely shifted. There was a line that shouldn't have been crossed. But, here they were.

Walking all over it.

Several times.

When her feet settled, she wobbled, slightly, and her hand curled back in the material of his robes to subconsciously find her balance. Her free hand came to cover her mouth, modestly, hiding just-been-thoroughly-snogged lips for a moment. They were slightly tender, and swollen, but she found that she didn't mind. It was a sweet feeling that just… Lingered. It made her heart inexplicably happy.

At the mention of leaving, Cybelle nodded. She couldn't find her words yet while a certain shyness settled itself around her. This foreboding basement wouldn't have been her first choice for anything let alone, this. She couldn't bring herself to regret it, but she did wish the view was a little less dark. Perhaps beneath a lemon tree or on the beach. A city street, a dirt road, or anything other than a tomb filled with bits and pieces of a deep, dark obsession. Her hand fell away as a wondrous little smile fixed itself to an expression filled with quiet contentment.

Only—To feel his touch instead.

When he had tried before she'd remained still as stone. Trying, in vain, to hold on to what propriety and the rules demanded. They had already broken so many tenants in the span of seconds that Cybelle reasoned that one more wouldn't hurt. The young woman nestled her face against his palm and leaned into it. Chocolate eyes fell shut and her hand came to cover his. Holding it close—Savoring the new memory it left. Healing, shielding, and replacing old pains. Old hurts.

The young Jedi Knight did not expect what came next. Not now—Nor ever.

Her eyes opened and softly searched his features. Rather than to openly admire them as she had done before, now, Cybelle simply looked for truth. Understanding. "I—", she stammered softly, blinking, while her eyes stung unbidden. She wasn't sad or upset. For some confusing reason, she felt the urge to cry and laugh all at the same time. "I never thought that you…"

"Or anyone..."

She frowned, slightly. Though it was more of a pout at the moment. Her words were still all jumbly and she was failing at trying to communicate correctly. Cybelle simply hadn't dared to think about it in the light of day. Often, she'd convinced herself that her memories were changed through time. Absence. That she made what closeness that lay between them more than it was. More than he might ever want it to be. Hearing it…Was like a fairy tale. Things like that didn't happen to a Jedi. It didn't happen to her. But, it did. It was. Happening right now.

"I don't know that I really understand what love is. I've spent so long, pushing it away.", because that was what they were supposed to do. It was the right thing. The Jedi thing, to do.

Cybelle drew away slowly, but, not unkind. Her hand turned his into her own and she held it while abiding his initial request. That they get out of this place. It was starting to fight back and Cybelle wasn't sure how long she could keep the whispers buried when her mind was drawn back toward Brandyn. The sound of his voice, his eyes, the way he felt… Time and time again.

This wasn't the right moment for that. Daydreaming, on the job.

"But—I do know that you're in my heart. You always have been, always will be."

Her words were entirely true; however, she omitted the exact wording that might have made things even more complicated when they got upstairs and out of the tunnel. Cybelle wasn't sure that she knew love in the traditional sense, but, if it was anything, anything close to what she felt when he smiled or held her—That was it. It had stayed with her for nearly a decade.

If that was not love, what was?

Cybelle was just hesitant to say it. Not quite ready, yet.

Yet.

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

​

Wearing: Jedi Robes
Equipment: Standard Lightsaber
Location: Ee'Everwest Estate, Naboo
Tag: Cybelle Elyance


Even as the heat of the moment subsided, Brandyn still felt his heart racing, his mind to clouded to really take in what Cybelle was saying, nor what she was omitting. Instead, he just felt a rush of elation and desire fulfilled that seemed to drown out even his own internal voice as it barked at him.

<She is going to hold you back.>

Brandyn glanced at the nearby elevator and then up to the ceiling above the third floor of the atrium. The voice was there again, calling ever so faintly. Even in his moment of joy, darkness could tinge the light.

<Don't bind yourself to her weakness.>

His eyes turned back to Cybelle, the woman that he sincerely loved. There was nothing evil, nothing binding about that love. It was a warm embrace even in the midst of this darkened locale. "Let's go. There's nothing for us here," he said, hand holding hers and then turning to not lead but walk with her out of the place and back towards the light of the Estate's formerly glorious gardens.

<You give her everything she wants. And she gives a paltry offering in return. You choose the path of weakness, Jedi. You are unworthy of the power to effect real lasting change.>

Even as he walked away, he could feel the dark ghost hammering against his mind, but the voice grew distant and then ceased altogether as they walked back up the stairs towards the ruins of Ee'Everwest Estate. Each step brought them closer to the light of the outdoors, the fresh air of their beloved Naboo, but also gave time for Brandyn to process the moment, and most soberingly her words.

His smile was still full, but its corner now bent with just a portion of doubt. After all they had been through, the honesty and openness they shared, after all he had given of himself and his dreams, she had not reciprocated. Not fully.

The air of Naboo was indeed a sweet relief. And being back among the busy ant-droids that worked to clear the Estate's rubble gave a sense of a return to normality, but Brandyn could never be normal again.

"What are you going to do now?" He said, hands finally parting as he wandered to the top of the stairs that was once the outside of the front entrance.

​

 

[Cybelle Elyance]

N A B O O
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
Age: 20
Location: Spritegate Shore to Ee'everwest Estate (Four Years Later)

Spoiler

_________________________________________________________​

He let her go once they reached the light.

Cybelle could only look down at her hand for a long moment. Noting, the absence of him. The lack of warmth and security that had teasingly begun to make her feel as if everything would be all right. She knew she couldn't hold onto him, always, and forever—But it felt too soon. Like tearing off a bandage. Even if it was time. "I—", she started, still stumbling, with how Brandyn affected her. Every time she looked at him her blush came back. How embarrassing. Certainly, he would think her a child.

"I suppose I should get back to the Shore.", she intoned after a moment. Tawny eyes began to survey the ruins of the Ee'everwest Estate and the leftover destruction had a clarifying effect. It felt wrong to feel so much joy when standing in the remains of what had once been a happy home. Guilt nibbled at the edges of her psyche, but she quietly dashed it away. Her focus returned to the man beside her she gingerly reached up to run her fingers through her hair and clear it from her face. "If you still want me…"

"I need to pack."

Moreover, she needed to speak with her Master. This portal to the under dark of the Estate could not remain unguarded or opened to the public. As they'd just witnessed first-hand, everything inside, was exceedingly dangerous. It wasn't just Force Users that could suffer from the objects that it held. A curious youngling, an enterprising thief, or, even an unaware member of Brandyn's family might come across it. Speaking of…Cybelle also realized that in their momentary bliss—She had momentarily forgotten.

This wasn't just any delve full of secrets.

It was his family.

Cybelle stepped around a small bit of rubble so that she might get closer to the Padawan that was technically in her care. Technically. He would have many hardships to bear, though, he wasn't exactly a stranger to it. His memories had told her as much. "…I have to follow this case though. Master Aegis and some of the elder Jedi will seal the entrance until the objects can be safely relocated. In the interim…We must keep the truth to ourselves. What we've seen. What we know…"

"We can't tell anyone else."

Which meant, for him, that he couldn't tell his family with respect to the integrity of the investigation. Not his mother, nor his sisters. They simply didn't know enough to pinpoint what was going on. Baros Sal-Soren could have had nothing at all to do with what they'd found. Perhaps, the Sal-Soren's and Ee'Everwest's were simply storing lots for a friend or business partner without knowing what it was. She bit her lower lip when she realized she was making excuses in her head. Why? Because, she didn't want to harm Brandyn.

Even though things had changed she still felt the same way about family that she always had. When he'd spoken of his dreams as a Jedi she had cautioned him when they were young. That—His choices may cost him his loved ones. At least, his father. She still didn't want to see him lose that.

Any whisper of what they found could tip the real perpetrator off and they'd be in the wind before Cybelle or Brandyn could blink. The auburn-haired Jedi reached out and took his hand again. A bold move, since, he had just recently let go. She didn't have the right words to comfort him. She knew…That his smile was less than it could have been. That—She hadn't given him exactly what he wanted.

That didn't mean she cared for him any less.

"I don't know your itinerary with Hapes and…", she trailed off, brow furrowing, at the remembrance of the other duties he mentioned needing to attend to on her homeworld. A Queen, among them. Her stomach inexplicably churned. "But…You could come with me. Get cleaned up, before traveling."

Cybelle didn't know where he wanted her.

If he wanted her.

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

​

Wearing: Jedi Robes
Equipment: Standard lightsaber
Location: Ee'Everwest Estate
Tag: Cybelle Elyance


It wasn't just her words that brought him back to a modicum of reality. It was the surroundings of his family home. The somberness of the moment seemed to nip at the heels of his levitated heart. She was right. In everything she said. His mother could not know. Though he trusted her, it was just too much to give someone that had already been through so much. He couldn't tell his sisters. All would have very different reactions, but none would lead to his father being unaware. His father being unaware was paramount. For if he knew, and it was all a misunderstanding, devastation would be the end result. Broken trust. Brandyn didn't want to lose what he had just regained, the closeness of his father.

"You are right," he said, the flipping of emotional states bringing him a headache and a small lump in his throat that caused him to choke out his words.

He felt her hand retake his. The calming assurance of her presence washed of him, and he allowed a small sigh to release the quickly growing tension.

Words that she had softly spoken came rolling back into his mind, as if delivered late by his subconscious. The doubt in her words, as if being out in the open air and sun of Naboo would burn away his longing for her. He turned, taking up her hand to his lips and resting them against one another as he spoke. "I wanted you when you were oblivious to it. You knowing that I did, and do, changes nothing about my heart. Of course, I want you. If I had my way..."

His words were left unsaid as he gave over to listening. He thought through her suggestion, and stood back to his full height, smile tender but weighed down by the reality of their mission ahead. "Queen Kha'la Daaray does expect me back in Hapes soon. But a visit to the Shore is exactly what I need to scrub away what we just saw down there. My schedule is my own to keep until I return to Hapes."

His fingers entwined with hers, crossing into a web that would not easily untangle. With a tug, he started to walk towards the exit from the Estate. He had a speeder waiting, and suspected she did too. As they walked the broken stone path of the Estate, a thought occured to him.

"Hey...aren't...you...from Hapes?" He realized there was a lot he did not truly know about her.

​

 

[Cybelle Elyance]

N A B O O
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
Age: 20
Location: Ee'everwest Estate to Spritegate Shore (Four Years Later)

Spoiler

_________________________________________________________​

Brandyn agreed to her words of warning, though, she suspected with some difficulty. Cybelle didn't blame him. If anyone had accused Master Aegis of anything untoward the Hapani woman would have obviously fought against it tooth and nail. Her friend was taking it…Rather well. Which either meant that he was good at compartmentalizing, better than she might have thought…Or… The idea that his father might have something to do with it wasn't so far-fetched.

Cybelle didn't press. If and when he wanted to talk to her about it, she had faith that he would. Until the case details left no other variable in the moment it was just family tension and potential hardship that was none of her business.

When the much taller Jedi brought her knuckles to his lips, a phantom kiss, she felt her cheeks start to burn evermore. It was easier to control it when she was talking about the case. Even still…In a split second, he could make her lose her footing and fumble through everything she was doing. It still felt too surreal. Would it have been strange to pinch herself in the arm a few times to make sure she wasn't dreaming? Perhaps, she would try later. Out of sight. "I was referring more to my accompanying you to Coruscant…But if you had your way?"

A curious thing, to leave ambiguous.

The reassurance, regardless, was well-timed and absolutely needed. No matter how she tried to be normal, or relaxed, for his sake. Cybelle didn't want him to think she was losing her mind over a kiss…Or a few…Or a lot—But she was. Just, secretly. Hidden deep where she could hold that feeling and savor it for when he inevitably had to leave.

Some of the spirited fulfillment she felt became muted at the resurgence of this mysterious Queen. It was another curious thing to have mentioned. The name alone rang a few bells that she wished didn't. Cybelle was not ignorant of her heritage; She just chose not to pursue it. "Master Aegis would like that…", she added in, a fond smile touching her, while their entwined fingers stilled some of the nervous energy that kept winding about her core. The notion of…Not being enough. Not being good enough for him was a hard one to shake. Royalty would have certainly pleased his father. "She…might have been forced to listen to me talk about you. Sometimes."

The sheepish expression would tell him that "sometimes" was really "a lot" and that "forced" meant that Gianna Aegis really enjoyed hearing what was on her mind. Though, it would be nice to put a face to the mysterious missing Brandyn Sal-Soren.

At the question of where she was from Cybelle released a light laugh. For all that he had watched her and noticed—He didn't know that? "Do you remember when we would play in the garden when it got late? Hide and Seek? I could never find anyone in the evening even if they were right in front of me and always tried to hide close to the house…"

"I just wanted to do what you were doing…But I can't see in the dark. Yes…I'm from Hapes."

She was surprised that he hadn't realized it on the way up and down from the atrium. Though, they were a little distracted. Either that or she had gotten fairly adept at letting the Force guide her. The admission of her heritage and of her bloodline earlier would probably bring a few things into question. What was Hapani nobility doing on Naboo? Why hadn't anyone come to claim her? It was all very complicated—But if he knew politics in Hapes…He would know that it all boiled down to safety. It was better to live a normal life than to always wonder who might be trying to kill you in order to ascend the ladder toward the throne.

Closer to the blood—Closer to being Queen.

When they reached their speeders, she frowned again. Cybelle didn't want to let go. She felt at peace with his hand in her own, fingers entwined, and palms pressed together. Settled.

She drew his hand up for a moment and twisted it so that the back of it would press against her chest. Right over the space where her heart would be. A delicate sigh escaped her before her lips suddenly slid back into a smile. It was good-natured, but, with a little edge of mischief. He could use some levity after so much had happened. After visiting his family home. After—"You still remember the way to the Shore don't you?"

Slowly, Cybelle let go of him and backed toward her speeder. They wouldn't drive themselves so one of them had to make the choice to separate. "I'll race you. The first one to set foot on the property wins."

Brandyn had never been one to turn down a challenge.

"No cheating.", she intoned, pointing a finger at him, before the speeder door opened and she slipped inside. She waited for him to follow suit before heading out first to give him a sense of direction. Then—She hit the accelerator.

Such a lead foot.

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

​

Wearing: Jedi Robes
Equipment: Standard lightsaber
Location: Outside Ee'Everwest Estate
Tag: Cybelle Elyance


He scratched the back of his head, showing her comment about being needed had been severely misconstrued. She wouldn't mean that she actually thought that he didn't need her. Perhaps he was to quick off the mark with the grand gestures. That was something to contemplate later.

He then felt even more foolish, for forgetting her Hapan origin. Granted, as a child he had just thought himself extremely good at hiding. Come to think of it, he never hid that well from Briana or Blaire. A sense of dawning realization washed over him, and a few conceptions of himself were challenged. Again, something to contemplate later.

Being in love was hard on the ego!

There were though some questions he would have for Cybelle when the time was right. She had so long been the object of his affection that he had not done as he ought and asked those questions for fear of asking the wrong one. Not knowing her, but being near her, was better than knowing a little more and offending her to the point that they parted. Now though, his care for her surmounted that childish concern.

She caught him mid-thought.

"Ah...what?" He said, regaining focus, "the Shore? Sure!"

She was already on the way to her speeder by the time he caught up with what was happening.

"Cheating? Me!?" He said, faking offence and doing so poorly as he smiled though the words, "how dare you!"

He ran to his speeder, jumping over the side, and sliding into its seat. Given that it was a rental, he needed to take suitable precautions, well, some precautions. The speeder hummed to life, and rose from the ground. They would be at the shore pretty quickly, but she not as quickly as he. Hopefully.

A half second after she floored the accelerator, Brandyn followed suit. He started with following her path exactly, keeping just behind her, but when they started to cross over some of Naboo's many, many lakes. He sought to pass her. Taking a feint to the right, Brandyn turned back slightly to the left and then dove under her speeder, skimming the water and spraying it up in a fine mist. He lifted the speeder slightly, getting it out of the water and its drag. He could hear the hum of her speeder above him, instinctively, he ducked.

Given the pace they were going, the lack was quickly running out, and he would soon need to go up an embankment. That wasn't going to work, not with how much space he lacked. So he took the power off and came in to sit in her slipstream again. He would sit their, conserving his speeder's energy, and preparing to overtake at just the last second.

​

 

[Cybelle Elyance]

N A B O O
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
Age: 20
Location: Ee'everwest Estate to Spritegate Shore (Four Years Later)

Spoiler

_________________________________________________________​

Cybelle smiled a little when he shuffled and scratched the back of his head. It was sweet. She couldn't quite tell what it was that he might have wanted, but it left her feeling warm. The Jedi Knight wasn't bothered that he didn't remember where she'd come from before landing on his doorstep. It was a different time. When adults pulled the strings; ruled her world—And she had no choice in the matter.

The way his eyes shifted just slightly in shade with his mood was enough for her to try and push for a change in the subject matter. It was too much, otherwise. What she felt for him was all-encompassing. Brandyn had that. Plus, he had the situation with the under dark. Anyone would bend beneath that level of pressure and Cybelle was determined not to be the thing that broke him.

The auburn-haired woman tossed the Padawan a smile that was crossed with saccharinity and a bit of a challenge. When his expression lightened Cybelle knew that the game was on. He was tall enough, strong enough, to sweep her off her feet with ease—But he was still himself. Still the boy that fell face first into a wading pool full of rocks and tried to brave his way through any injury that followed.

"Oh—I dare, Brandyn Sal-Soren."

She raised two fingers, pointer and middle, forming a "V" shape before pointing it at her eyes and then back at him in the universal sign for "I've got my eyes on you" before closing the door. Cybelle had an obvious advantage because she knew the waterways and paths on Naboo like the back of her hand. She knew what areas not to drive across and made sure to keep him in sight when she glanced in the rearview. Even now—She couldn't help but feel crushingly protective. It was an oddity, after all, because she had been the one to suggest a reckless act in the first place.

The Knight pressed down on the accelerator and switched gears with the ease of someone that knew what was coming. With reflexes that were just a little too swift, a little too precise, to be only human. Brandyn slipped from her sight for a moment when he feinted to the right, the left, and finally wound up somewhere beneath her. Cybelle pushed her three turbine engines further to ensure that she escaped whatever he might have been planning, but in the end, he remained in her wake of his own accord.

The lake rippled and stirred—Not enough to bother the deep-sea creatures, but, enough that Cybelle stayed close to the waterfront. The repulsor field pushed water away from the vehicle in a fine spray while she began to hit what felt like cruise control. At least, until they needed to turn. The Hapani didn't know if he recalled the exact path when he'd never taken in with transport and abruptly killed her engines and vents in the back flared. She drifted against the water for a moment, like skating on ice, perpendicular to his speeder before she kicked the accelerator again and headed inland at a right angle.

His speeder would likely miss crashing into her by a third of a meter at most.

Cybelle could hit a top speed of over a hundred kilometers per hour before her reaction time began to suffer and the landspeeder started to strain. It was in surprisingly good condition, bought second-hand, and maintained smooth lines with an adaptive sensor array. She could control it with the holographic feedback or manual steering. The Knight flicked her hand and tossed the image of Brandyn's vehicle on the passenger side of the duraplex windshield. This way, she wouldn't have to adjust her line of sight.

She hit braced and hit the next corner with the same drifting mechanic so that she actually curved around a large boulder in their path and launched back onto the dirt lane. The Shore was too far out to have the nice stone skylanes that Theed had—But they were still clearly marked. Once she began to breeze over the fields of tall standing wheat, she knew they weren't far. The downside to this particular rig was a very, very stiff repulsor generator setting. Cy could outpace Brandyn fairly easily on water because it was a smooth surface. Land?

That was a little different—She'd have to be a little more careful so she didn't bottom out.

When the main archway and gate that led to Spritegate Shore came into sight—It marked the final stretch. It was easily wide enough to fit both vehicles IF the doors were open. They weren't. The bet had been to see who could make it onto the property the fastest, so, Cybelle swung into a tight fishtail just to the side of it and popped her speeder door open. She lost a few precious seconds fumbling with an old clunky harness but it was still anyone's game.

"Come on slowpoke!", the young woman tossed with a light laugh, eyes flaring a warm, tawny shade of topaz in the sunlight. There was already a droid beeping profusely, frustrated, at her parking job. "…Let's see if they teach Padawans how to jump where you've been."

She backed toward the gate again, watching Brandyn, before turning on her heel so she could get a running start. Up and over. Up—And over. It would really, really be unpleasant if one of them miscalculated but Cybelle had faith.

Her knees bent slightly and she paused at breakneck speed to jump and propelled herself up. Her hands wrapped around the top of the metal and her friction grip boots found purchase while she leaned back to look for her friend. Perhaps, a mistake. Especially if he was hot on her tail.

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

​

Wearing: Jedi Robes
Equipment: Standard lightsaber
Location: Outside Ee'Everwest Estate
Tag: Cybelle Elyance


Brandyn trained his mind into anticipate her next actions. If he tried to figure out what way he should be going, he would likely get lost and lose for sure. Instead, he just sought to follow after Cybelle. His heart raced with the thrill of the chase, but probably more so for just the lightness with which they were interacting.

When Cybelle drifted, Brandyn had to jam the right propulsion unit into overdrive with a sharp timely burst. His speeder jerked away slightly from where Cybelle had pointed hers, and then fired the left most unit in a more sustained burst. While, Cybelle managed to nicely glide around, Brandyn took a large arc, barely missing her speeder, and sending him out of her flight path and away from the ease of her speeder's slipstream.

His speeder took a path off of the lake, and onto the shore. By the time that, his surprisingly daring opponent had reached her next turn, Brandyn was able to take a more measured approach, slowing his speed into the corner, taking it a little wider but able to pull out of the corner at almost two-thirds thrust. There he was, back in the slipstream, right where he wanted to be.

If Brandyn's memory was correct, there was room for both speeders to enter the Shore compound at the same time. He pulled out of the slipstream for a moment, and depressed his accelerator to maintain his proximity to the speeder ahead, leaning out from the window he instantly felt the rush of wind blind him, but he just briefly glimpsed the gates being closed.

He tried to run some quick calculations on how far away they were, but math was never his strong suit. Instead, he leaned into his intuition. Reaching out, he touched Cybelle's mind waiting for a flair of action. There it was. Staring to the left, Brandyn pushed his pedal to the floor. The acceleration brought him almost alongside Cybelle before he slammed on the breaks, the engines protested as his speeder went into a shaking deceleration beyond its design limits.

His belt unclipped. Vehicle had slowed to the point that he thought he could stand. The wind was still blowing past him fairly strongly as he jammed the parking brake on, and stood. The speeder shook even more, just for a moment, threatening to knock him off his perch.

"Come on slowpoke! Let's see if they teach Padawans how to jump where you've been."

He only smirked in reply, before jumping ahead of his slowing speeder. Brandyn hit the ground running, only barely half a step behind Cybelle. With a grimace, Brandyn gave a small jump forward, landing flat on both feet before pushing up and over the fence in a clean somersault. His feet touched the ground just a moment after Cybelle's, owing mostly to his over exaggerated leap.

"I win!" He declared, pointing at Cybelle and offering his rendition of a corny victory dance.

​

 

[Cybelle Elyance]

N A B O O
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren John Locke | Gianna Aegis
Age: 20
Location: Ee'everwest Estate to Spritegate Shore (Four Years Later)
_________________________________________________________​

Oh, he was sneaky. And quick.

She could feel his presence dancing around her mind like ghostly fragments and knew what he was doing. Not probing for a way in—But a way to mimic her movements. To know what she was planning to do a split second before she actually made a move to do it. Her tongue made a clicking noise while it snapped back from the roof of her mouth and she shook her head. "I see you."

From the moment that she hung onto the door to the gate and looked back, however, she knew that she'd made one critical error. She worried about him. Too much. What if he slammed into the gate? What if his speeder flipped? Cybelle couldn't imagine that he'd spent much time swoop-racing in back door pods in his youth. He wasn't even allowed to be near her. Let alone, an element with a shady reputation. She turned just in time to see him vault over and land in front of her.

Cybelle vaulted over herself and landed in near silence while her right leg bent to absorb the impact and her left followed up to support it. The way Bran acted and declared victory drew a gentle laugh from her. Internally, she was relieved.

No matter what he had seen in the delve beneath his family home—He was all right. He would be all right.

"Yes, yes…", Cy trailed off teasingly and walked toward him with a light sway of defeat. "You've won…"

When Cybelle reached Brandyn, she placed a hand on his chest and leaned far up on her tiptoes to place a kiss on his cheek. It was innocent of all things, but he would feel her smile as she pulled away. "Mr. Cheat.", she taunted, still smiling, while she pulled away and backed toward the main humble house on the shore. There was smoke coming from the chimney. No doubt, her master was inside making dinner.

It would have been safer to walk the right way versus backward but that would have meant that she'd have to take her eyes away from him. There was something about his boyish celebration, the perfect amount of happiness, that she didn't want to look away from. He had a shining light. It was warm. She wanted to stay there—Bask in that, versus return to reality. "C'mon…From the smell of it, dinner is almost done."

Cybelle had lived at the Shore long enough to know that dinner was served at no specific time but exactly when it needed to be. More precisely, when bellies were hungry and grumbling. Sometimes it was earlier and sometimes it was later. But the smell of something delicious wafting from the well-loved estate was extremely familiar.

Eventually, Cy did turn so she could walk up the stairs. The sun was starting to go down and with it went her depth perception. The last thing she wanted to do was make a fool of herself and fall in front of Brandyn flat on her face. When she reached the double doors, she only opened one but that didn't fault the very lived-in experience one held from this house. It was large, with many bedrooms, but it was geared toward being a place of respite for any wayward Jedi and their Padawans.

Somewhere off the grid where they might train, meditate, and recover.

"Gianna—I'm home! I brought a friend with me…", Cybelle announced loudly before shutting the door behind them. They would be able to hear music in the distance and the soft murmur of people talking. The dark-haired Knight held up her hand to Brandyn and mouthed 'wash your hands' before raising a finger knowingly in the air as a sweet voice suddenly chimed in from afar.

"You're just in time! Go wash up."

Cybelle rolled her eyes heavenward and chuckled. She knew her Master very well and her well-intentioned instructions were like clockwork. She reached down to take Brandyn by the arm so she could guide him to one of the downstairs bathrooms. Ever gracious, she let him go first while she took off her outer robes and hung them on a hook in the hall. They hadn't really gotten dirty, perse, but Cy could still feel something unpleasant.

Like a thin film of grease that didn't want to go away.

The home itself would feel just as Brandyn might have remembered. It was cozy. Welcoming—And seemed to instill a feeling that everything would be all right. It came not only from the occupants but from the Force Nexus behind the lemon groves. When Brandyn finished up Cybelle snuck in behind him. Her clothing beneath her robes was fitted, functional, and seemed to be designed both protectively and for combat scenarios. There was a certain sheen to it that seemed to betray technical origins. Nano-tech, specifically. Very expensive for an orphan Jedi on Naboo in the lakefields.

There was a small emblem on the back of the neck, near the collar, of a lock and key. It would be significant in some circles, a household, everyday reference that was quite popular—but Cybelle only knew that it kept her safe. "Ready?", she questioned Bran when she finished, seemingly refreshed. Her hair had been pulled to the side in a thick braid and her face was clear of any smudges from the days activities. "You can hang your things or leave them here…They'll be safe."

From there Cybelle led him through the home and the scent of food got stronger. They passed a rather expansive dining hall and instead made their way to the kitchen. A wooden door swung open for them and they would be greeted to the side of a red-haired woman and a dark-haired man moving about the kitchen. The man paused by Cybelle, face kind, and she reached out to hug him. "I didn't know you would be back so soon. We missed you around here."

Code for, Gianna missed you. Me too. But, Gianna more.

She pulled back and glanced between her friend and the closest thing she had to a family. It wasn't perfect and they weren't blood—But that had never mattered. Her eyes drifted to the kitchen table and she noted there were already four places set. "This is Padawan Sal-Soren, Brandyn. This is John Locke…And this…", she trailed off kindly, and with a gesture toward the beautiful woman behind the island, "Is Gianna Aegis. My Master."

The flame-haired woman leaned down on the counter with both elbows and watched the pair with a bewitching smile. Her skin was pale with random freckles, but it was her pixyish features that lent toward an edge of childish incorruptibility. It was her eyes that seemed aged. Emerald, green, and knowing of all things.

If Cybelle didn't know any better, she would have assumed that her Master was absolutely tickled with the turn of events. She had been hesitant to take this mission. Now, she had brought it home.

Of course, Gianna loved it.[/spoiler]

 

[John Locke]

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Wearing: Not a full suit!​

_________________________________________________

The Spritegate Shore | Naboo​

Tagging: Gianna Aegis | Brandyn Sal-Soren | Cybelle Elyance
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There was something about the smell of home-cooked food that hung in the air of the kitchen, filling the room with a comforting feeling, like a warm pool you could just sink into. You only had to close your eyes and you could be transported to any kitchen in any house, large or small, the smell of good food stayed the same. It was one of the things that made a house a home instead of just four walls where you rested your head. It filled a house with character, with a sense of well-being that seemed to make everything better, separating it from the world outside. While you were here everything was ok, the troubles of the outside world seemed to be pushed back, held away for a moment. There would be time to worry about it, to deal with it later.

It was the magic of the shore.

John could remember walking into his parent's house, to be greeted with the smell of cooking food. It was the moment of transition, when he knew he was home, would just stop and enjoy the scent for a moment, his lips curling up into a smile. The man rarely made it back to Corellia these days, had found his home elsewhere, in a green gem of a planet, an estate where lemon trees grew and the smell of the sea hung in the air. The smell of food cooking still held that magic, instantly transforming the house in a way his apartment in Theed never was. Meals there were something heated by a droid, impersonal and bland, but the apartment wasn't a home, just a place to rest before going back to work. It wasn't until he arrived here, heard the wind, whistling through the trees and the scent of citrus and salt that he started to feel the weight of the world, of the galaxy, fall away from his shoulders.

Within these four walls he didn't have to be anyone but himself, just John.

To his board, he was a ruthless businessman who had built a galaxy-spanning company from scratch; to the public, a technological visionary. Different masks he wore for different people, a myriad of different armours that hid the truth of who he was, allowed him to be what he needed to be, to do what he needed to do. It was only here that John allowed the masks to fall away, allowed himself to just be the man who had always wanted to own a little machine shop, the man who just wanted to help people.

The man who had commanded thousands, millions of droids as puppets, mere extensions of his will, who had created technologies that would boggle the mind and had shaped the modern galaxy narrowed his eyes at his opponent, wielding his weapon with all the finesse of the finest Jedi blade master.

"Thunk Thunk Thunk"

The slices of carrot slid off the cutting board and into the salad bowl as John straightened, stepping around the red-haired Jedi who commanded the kitchen like an artist, arraying tools with all the precision of a general placing their forces.

The sound of the wind blowing through the trees surrounding the estate drifted through an open window carrying the sound of birds and animals, of the waves crashing against the shore far below. An orchestral melody that belonged to the estate and nowhere else, an accompaniment to the sounds of cooking that filled the kitchen. It was a unique soundtrack as John found himself drifting around the kitchen directed by Gianna in what was almost a dance, both of them shifting around one another in a well-practised step as dish after dish found its way to the dining table. Neither of them had to talk, this was a dance they'd stepped through time after time, till the steps were like second nature to them, the companionable silence only broken by small jokes or observations.

Just in time it seemed, John could hear the sound of familiar footsteps echoing down the hall as he placed the salad bowl on the table, turning towards the door. Dark eyes flicked over to Gianna's jade eyes for a moment as John offered her a wry smile, a silent laugh. She could read him like an open book, knew him like no one else ever had or would. Knew the excitement, the anticipation that built in him at the sound of those footsteps as mere moments later he found his arms enfolding the petite brunette who had become a daughter to him, a smile wreathing his face as he squeezed her for a moment before letting her go.

"Well, that repulsor part you were waiting for ended up being delivered today. I know how eager you've been to get that set up so I thought that I'd bring it down and we could work on it after dinner."

Code for, I wanted to find an excuse, any excuse to come back down and see you all. The little squeeze code for, I missed you too Belle.

Dark eyes seemed to lose some of their warmth as they settled on their 'guest', the dark-haired young man who was introduced as a Sal-Soren. The Sal-Soren.

John knew that the young man wasn't his father, and couldn't be held responsible for his father's crimes, and his presence here meant that Cybelle had forgiven him. His eyes softened for a moment, icy darkness retreating for another day as John let his gaze drift over to hold Brandyn's for a moment before he took a step forward, hand outstretched.

"Nice to meet you Jedi Sal-Soren. Take a seat, we're almost ready."

A table set for four, more evidence that the smirking redhead knew everything, had seen this coming. A convivial whisper slipped from his lips as John stepped past her towards the oven.

"You know, if I didn't know better I'd think you set this up."

​

​

 

[Gianna Aegis]

_______________________________________________________

Brandyn Sal-Soren | Cybelle Elyance | John Locke
_______________________________________________________
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Location: Naboo [Sprite Gate Shore]

"They're on the way." ​

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Her sweetly spoken words interrupted the lilting music that poured from invisible speakers in the kitchen. She held a mixing bowl in one arm and patiently whipped ingredients together in time with the beat. What appeared to be a small feast had been poured into existence through practiced hands that knew the art of timing very, very well. Gianna could always anticipate when her ward was coming home and she was doubly aware of when she hadn't eaten.​

​

Cybelle had a unique ability to care so whole-hearted for others that she often forgot to take care of herself. More often than not the flame-haired woman had seen her sleep no more than a few hours, survive off of caf and peanut, while telling someone all too seriously that they needed to "rest" and "take care of themselves" so they wouldn't burn out. Gianna had given her the eye more than once on the subject. At least Cybelle had the decency to blush when she got caught red-handed.​

​

A familiar voice echoed through the humble house and Gianna smiled before setting the mixing bowl down so she could pull the roast from the oven. It was easy to move around John Locke in the kitchen. Rather, it was easy to move around him anywhere. Their habits were so deeply ingrained that she could probably follow him about blindfolded and be just fine. Emerald eyes watched him dutifully move the heat pads to the table without her ever asking. He was polite and mightily observant.​

​

It was a trait that she wasn't certain belonged to John the man or John the machine—But she appreciated it regardless. "You're just in time! Go wash up.", her voice carried effortlessly. As if the notes were moving through the air on the wings of little birds that intended for the new arrivals to hear every word as if spoken directly beside them. Gianna wore a forest green apron to protect her clothing from the mess that would surely be on them but there was something catching about the otherworldly way she moved. Smooth—Like flowing water. Buoyant—As if lighter than air.​

​

She could feel Cybelle rolling her eyes, but smiled to herself, knowing the woman-child would obey.​

​

Cybelle was a good girl after all.​

​

Gianna completed the finishing touches while watching Cybelle and John greet one another. She never would have expected that a technology mogul that often specialized in applications for warfare would have been so adept at rearing a youngling—But John was more than capable. His less-than-peaceable work never came back to the Shore with him and he utilized restraint that in his early years seemed to have missed him entirely. While they had known one another the sole proprietor of Lock and Key Mechanics had learned the truth:​

​

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Just because something could exist didn't mean that it should. ​

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The pixyish Jedi Master was not ignorant to the secret code that Cybelle and John not so convincingly played out as if she remained unaware, but she let them have it. While they spoke of repulsor parts (something Gianna had very little knowledge of) her eyes turned toward their guest. Brandyn Sal-Soren had been a household whisper. A secret—That lingered ever on the mind of her ward.​

​

Gianna could feel the apprehension with which John regarded the Padawan. Tall, for a Padawan. But a Padawan nonetheless. The cybernetically enhanced man would still fell her presence wrapping around him a silent request that would melt in his cranium like butter on honey bread. <<I can see you—Be nice. You know it wasn't his fault…>>​

​

The telepathic words would no doubt make the coiled tiger wrapped around John's spine back down. He'd never had a child, or a student, let alone a daughter that had him wrapped around his little finger. It was only natural that he feel some sort of way against that which had thoroughly broken her heart. If only—That really was the situation. It was nuanced. Delicate.​

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At the whisper from John, she merely smiled winningly, brilliantly, as if such an expression had all the answers to every question in the universe. "I haven't the foggiest idea what you mean Mr. Locke. Would you get the glasses from the top shelf?" ​

​

Her gaze turned back to Brandyn and she rest her face in her hands again. Smiling, still. Gianna realized that she was staring and lifted up to her full height with a self-deprecating chuckle. "Where are my manners? You look so much like your father when he was younger—It's uncanny. It's a pleasure to meet you…" ​

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"I'd offer you a handshake but—", she raised her hands and they were covered in flour. The cheeky expression she wore seemed to carry a level of infectious camaraderie that was extremely hard to ignore. Everything about Master Aegis seemed designed to draw others in. From the magnetic pull of the force that rolled from her in perfectly timed waves, to the sound of her voice, warm appearance, and even the scent of lemony sugar cookies that always clung to her robes.​

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Cybelle was used to the effects of her Master, but Gianna often caught her ward staring when the fair-skinned woman wasn't looking. "Do you prefer a hot or cold beverage? We have tea, caf, something fizzy, something fruity—Or just water." ​

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Gianna turned toward the sink to wash her hands before drying them thoroughly. She turned around to find Cybelle standing just behind her and an indulgent smile spread over her features. It was soft. Intimate. The flame-haired Jedi opened her arms and Cybelle all but dove into them. Something was either very right or very wrong. "Tea for you then, rabbit." ​

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A soft hand tapped the young woman on the back who returned to the table to take a seat next to Brandyn while Gianna put the kettle on. There was a lot of this she could have done with the force but everything tasted so much better when done by hand. There was a roast, salad, root mash, blue noodles and cheese, and a variety of things on the table that seemed piping hot.​

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"So—How did it go at the Estate?"​

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

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Wearing: Standard Jedi Robes
Equipment: Standard Lightsaber
Location: Sprite Gate Shore
Tag: Cybelle Elyance John Locke Gianna Aegis


Brandyn's face was already a deep shade of red with the exerted energy spent in the race, but somehow it reached a new level with the peck on his cheek. It was more a thrill than the past few moments of speeder racing had been. The tease of it. The insinuation. The slightly inkling that it might only be the start of much more. He was lost so much in his mind that Cybelle's words did not quite register for a moment.

"Oh...dinner?" He said, feeling a wash of disappoint flood his mind. He was then immediately disappointed in himself for being disappointed.

Even as she walked backwards, it felt like she was taunting him with something that was now apparently not on offer. Did she know what she was doing? Or was his heightened sense of emotion just interpreting everything beyond its meaning?

Brandyn shook his head, smiled again, and resigned himself to experiencing the joys of the Shore again. If that was the plan, he would roll with it. When Cybelle turned to go up the stairs, Brandyn considered being playful, flirtatious, but then had a very real feeling of being watched. No eyes on him, but watched nonetheless.

The Shore was just as he remembered it. The smell, the charm and the soothing easy familiarity of the place just invited you and made you feel at home - never a stranger. It was as he walked up the stairs that Brandyn realized that this was place had been missed too. Not as much as he had missed Cybelle, of course, but there had always been a special kinship with the comfort of the Shore. It wasn't his home, and yet he felt accept him as if it was. His mind went back to the vision from Darth Wallgof, and wandered why he feared choosing a path that stayed in such a place. And with her.

He couldn't help but smile at Cybelle's easy flow into the space that was her home. It was a different feeling here, than to what he had known. The spaces were more compact, smaller, less refined and yet there was a space availed to the heart that he had only known at certain points in his childhood. Whatever Cybelle had lost in her past, the Force had granted her a beautiful alternative.

Simply nodding, Brandyn found himself speechless as he took off his cloak, revealing the standard tan of a Padawan's attire. It was his small rebellion against his father to have not chosen anything beyond the average to wear. "I should take my boots off," Brandyn said, momentarily freeing his arm from Cybelle's to remove his shoes. It felt right. Honourable. As if stepping into holy ground.

Brandyn couldn't help but admire the design of Cybelle's clothes, but didn't get long enough to look over them as he was dragged into the kitchen. He was abandoned by Cybelle, to awkwardly stand at the entrance of the room, while she greeted the man and woman who wasted no time in greeting him.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr Locke," Brandyn said, accepting the handshake but in his eagerness to impress just slightly over shooting the target and having to readjust quickly. It was an awkward start.

Frankly, he wasn't expecting to be having to impress her parents on the same day he reunited with her. This was. A lot.

"Master Aegis. Cy has told me so much about you...not today...really...but in the past," Brandyn grimaced internally at her comment about him looking like his father. He was not sure it was a compliment he wanted Cybelle to associate with him. Would he grow into a constant reminder of what his father did? That would be awful.

He had stood in gang leaders homes with blasters pointed at his head and done a better job of acting confident than he was now.

"Just water thanks," he said with a slight wave of his hand, "I don't intend to be a bother."

Brandyn went to take his seat, but as he was pulling the chair out, he paused and instead offered the chair to Cybelle. Internally, he thanked his mother for the lessons on manners she had drummed into as a child.

"The Estate? Oh...shall we say curses and blessings?" Brandyn said, "I am certainly going to have to report the findings...Cybelle has offered to help with further investigations."

​

 

[Cybelle Elyance]

N A B O O
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren John Locke | Gianna Aegis
Age: 20
Location: Ee'everwest Estate to Spritegate Shore (Four Years Later)
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"Ay, dinner. Master Aegis insists on feeding anyone who comes to the Shore."

Nabooian hospitality was something that Brandyn should have been intimately familiar with. In the moment, however, Cybelle felt as if she might have made some sort of misstep. Everything between them felt so new that it reminded her of the fragility of glass. Beautiful. Perfect—Smooth and simple but at the same time it required a delicate touch. "…Don't worry. We may not have classically trained chefs on hand but she's an excellent cook."

She wanted to say something more but the subtle magnificence of the Shore had a way of soothing all ills. An observant person could watch someone sink into the embrace of peace that it offered. There was no reason to resist. It offered clarity without cost. Effortless tranquility. Forgiveness.

The young woman chucked when Brandyn removed his boots. Her Master would approve, though, it wasn't because she was worried or concerned about anyone tracking in mud. Both women often walked around the Shore barefoot. Gianna said it brought them closer to nature, to life, and thusly the Force. Not wanting him to feel like the oddball out she reached down and brushed delicate fingers across the tops of her boots and they faded away. Definitely, nano-tech.

Once in the kitchen, she found herself wrapped up in a hug that was incredibly familiar. John Locke was just about as much man as he was machine but there was nothing at all inhuman about him. The gentle squeeze brought her back down to earth while she stepped aside so that he could greet Brandyn as well. Cybelle read between the lines. She had never seen two people so much in love, so close, so controlled, and so far apart at the same time. "We might have to delay that…", Cybelle responded while her lips pursed together. "At least until our investigation is complete."

Cybelle didn't know how to tell either Gianna or John that she was planning on temporarily leaving the planet. It was a big decision to make—And she wouldn't be able to convince either of them that Brandyn wasn't the primary reason why. If the dark-haired Knight noticed any sort of animosity from Mr. Locke toward their guest she didn't let on. But, that might have been due to her preoccupied mind.

She had so much she wanted to tell Gianna but she couldn't do that in a full room. Cybelle itched to explain. Itched to talk about everything that had happened in the delve but all she could manage was a swift hug. The red-haired woman smelled of cinnamon, something sweet, and the resonating memories made Cybelle relax. They had a plan. Everything would work out as it was supposed to.

Her Master thoughtfully sent her back to the table and put on a spot of tea. Cybelle didn't blink at the childhood moniker of "rabbit" that came from the slightly taller woman. It warmed her to see everyone that was important to her in the same room. Sharing, hopefully, what would be a good meal and polite conversation. These were the little moments that gave the Knight the will to move forward. To keep seeking more—To follow the Force and everything it asked of her.

"I think Brandyn looks more like his mother.", Cybelle chimed in, thoughtfully, while accepting the chair that had been pulled out for her with a slight blush. She was a little miffed at the thought that Brandyn assumed himself to be a bother. This was the Shore. None of them put on fancy airs or thought any which way about one another. Everyone that stepped foot on the property was, pure and simple, held to the same standard. Family. "Don't be silly…You're not a bother."

"He'll have what I have."

The almost cheeky response was coupled with a sweet smile that once again faded into something that was almost painfully shy. It would seem that the hesitance she had displayed before at the Estate wasn't just an initial skittishness but a personality trait. As if she didn't deserve that closeness, shouldn't want it, shouldn't reach for it—And thusly him. Doing so was very, very new to her.

Every movement toward him, every word, every quiet reminder she thoughtfully made to ensure Brandyn knew her feelings were real was calculated. When she reached beneath the table to reassuringly squeeze his hand it was also a measured act. Cybelle wanted him to feel at ease. No one at the Shore would hold him to some impossible standard. He didn't need to impress anyone unless he really, really wanted to.

Cybelle was quiet for a moment when Gianna asked about the Estate. Of course, that would come up. It was the reason she'd been so distracted as of late. The reason she had almost fought with her Master that morning. "My other duties here have all been resolved. I would…"

"Like to see this through. Regardless, where it may lead. It's more dangerous than the initial evaluation suggested."

Her words were tacked on to the wonderfully stated answer Brandyn had given and her cheeks remained a slight shade of pink while she glanced down at her empty plate. Leaving the Shore…That was a hurdle. It made her heart beat a little too fast, a little too anxious, every time. She was more than capable and confident in her skills as a Jedi but there was something comforting about knowing that Master Aegis was never far away. There was no harm in admitting when she was in over her head.

"It's all right to talk about the Estate here. Gianna was part of the team that found it and John will provide security so that no one else accidentally trips over it. We've had a lot of grave robbing. Between the two of them—It'll be sealed up tight."

Cybelle knew it wouldn't be his favorite subject, but, if he DID need to talk about it, she wanted to assure him that it was all right. The Shore was perhaps one of the best places to talk about something privately. John had also seen to that a long, long time ago. Both Gianna and John continued to load up the table while Cybelle kept Brandyn's hand. Turned up—In her lap she drew a small symbol over, and over. An outline of a heart, not, that she was the best artist.

He would probably just think it was a squiggle.

"Would it be all right if Brandyn stays here for a little bit?"

 

[John Locke]

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Wearing: Not a full suit!​

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The Spritegate Shore | Naboo​

Tagging: Gianna Aegis | Brandyn Sal-Soren | Cybelle Elyance
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"Of course you don't, what could I have been thinking? Careful though, grin much wider and someone might mistake you for a Solleu Cat."

The reference to a children's story, a cat well known for it's large grin hung in the air as John let his hip brush against Gianna's, bumping the woman playfully as he reached for the glasses on the top shelf. Fingers closed around the glasses as the man set them down on the counter, crossing the kitchen to fill the kettle.

He could hear the others talking about the missions that Cybelle and Brandyn had returned from, exploring the Sal-Soren estate to ascertain the truth of the unsettling rumours that had settled around the location. Dark whispers had filled the air like Ravens and it was inevitable that the shadows would draw the attention of Jedi. Naboo was still rebuilding, still reeling from the damage that had impacted it's infrastructure, even now so many years later.

Once upon a time he would have been responsible for those missions, for chasing down the rumours and dealing with the perpetrators. He'd had countless forces at his fingertips designed to handle a situation such as this, police, force users and military. A toolbox that few others in the galaxy had ever been able to use. This mystery would have lasted mere hours under that scrutiny, but now…now those days were gone into the mists of time like so many others.

John still had more resources and influence at his disposal than most others in the Galaxy, he could dictate the fate of planets, of entire sectors with a thought or the judicious application of trade and credits. Yet now, when he really wanted it, the man found himself powerless. Cybelle had walked into the centre of her enemies power, Gianna wouldn't have allowed her to go unless it was safe, if there was any danger the Jedi would have taken action herself. But…what use was all the power, all the money in the galaxy if it couldn't keep those you loved safe?

The cyborg stared at the kettle as it started to whistle before reaching over to pour the tea, watching the liquid splashing down into the cups, a task he'd preformed so many times before. He could remember the first time Cybelle had tried one of Gianna's brews, the curiosity on her face, the slow acquisition of the taste for it. He's watched the girl grow up, and while she might not be his daughter, she was the closest to one he had. Was this how his parents had felt when he and Matt had left home? Perhaps he owed them an apology.

The smell of hot tea, earthy floral scents filled the room has he turned back to the others, handing out the drinks before nodding slowly.

"I think it might be for the best if you stayed here. I can lock down the estate well enough, but it's going to raise some suspicion and you're probably safest here. Even if someone knows where you are, they can't hope to get close to us without being found out and dealt with. At least till you're ready to make your next move."

Worried eyes glanced over at Gia before settling on Cybelle, he could recognize the look on her face. She wasn't going to let this go so…

"I guess I better organize you a ship so you can head off world to follow this up to then huh?"

​

​

 

[Gianna Aegis]

_______________________________________________________

Brandyn Sal-Soren | Cybelle Elyance | John Locke
_______________________________________________________
​

Location: Naboo [Sprite Gate Shore]

"You assume too much, Mr. Locke. Clearly, my tail isn't that long."​

​

The tongue-in-cheek tone of which the cyborg had addressed her was not lost on the Jedi Master and she responded in kind. He seemed to have taken her words to heart about the young Sal-Soren and that was enough for the Jedi Master. Her hands kept themselves busy while ensuring everyone had everything they needed. There was something different about Cybelle. As if some invisible weight had been lifted—Her aura was light. Buoyant.​

​

Obviously, it was because of this young man. It certainly wasn't due to visiting a nigh haunted basement.​

​

Such fondness and attachments drew a potential for danger but Gianna was the last person to criticize. Her failings in that arena had seemingly worked out for the best, but it had been a long and difficult road to get to where she was now. John Locke was both her best friend; and something other. He had helped her raise a youngling into womanhood and yet they'd never fully crossed the invisible line that bound her to the old ways. Mentally, perhaps. But in deed?​

​

They had remained timeless. Together…But divided. Mutual respect and understanding were all that kept their respective houses from burning to the ground. That was all she dared hope for in regard to the future of Cybelle. That, if it truly was Brandyn Sal-Soren leaving her feeling lighter than a feather, he would be mindful. Know, what he offered, and whom he offered it to.​

​

Gianna could see that they were currently operating on the same wavelength. It was written on their faces. In the way her foster daughter and student felt comfortable enough holding his hand under the table as if the Nabooian ginger wouldn't pick up on it. She knew everything there was to know about Cybelle. When she was happy, sad, when her stomach hurt, and most certainly, when she was in danger of acting on her love. Of being loved, in return. "I agree.", she murmured after John spoke of locking down the Ee'everwest Estate. "The Council has not yet decided if the artifacts should be moved to Coruscant or if we should house them here on Naboo. In secret. There are horrors in that collection that need never see the light of day."​

​

She could feel that John was worried. Mostly, about Cybelle. He loved the little Hapani more than she would ever know. Gianna held a little more understanding. Eventually, all baby birds left the nest.​

​

That didn't mean that this mission sat entirely well with her. She trusted Cybelle, but it wasn't the Knight that left concerns. Brandyn was the outlier. The unknown. Not because of what he meant to Cybelle but because it was his family home they were getting ready to investigate. His family. Most of their Order would have reassigned the case because of how very close he was to the issue at hand.​

​

Perhaps, too close. It was still too soon to tell. Regardless...His nearness to the subject matter also had the potential to work in their favor.​

​

Parents who loved their children had a much more difficult time acting if would cause the child harm.​

​

"The Shore is certainly open to Jedi Sal-Soren as long as he desires. Would you prefer quarters in the main house or one of the outer buildings?", Gianna responded with a friendly smile. She would feel soft, motherly, but in a way that was neither too much nor oppressive. She merely cared for everyone in the room. If Cybelle hadn't of interjected to ensure that Brandyn knew he wasn't a bother Gianna would have. There was no difficultly. Mere, hospitality. "As Cybelle well knows…Our resources are at your disposal. We are all on the same team and with the Estate being so close by we're also, as they say, in it together. Should you have need of us…We are here. Please don't worry about decorum or the possibility of being a burden. I swear it—You are not."​

​

John understood what their young Knight was saying before Gianna could acknowledge it further. Regardless how she felt about either of them proceeding ahead like this—They would need adequate transport and reliable funding. The Council could be slow to move. Gianna glanced toward the proprietor of Lock and Key Mechanics as she returned to the table to pour drinks for them all. She arranged for hot tea and sweet jogan-berry juice for Cybelle and just the juice for Brandyn. Caf for John and hot tea for herself. "Please…See a package readied for her, for them, by tomorrow afternoon—"​

​

It included not only transport in Cybelle's name, but funds, armor, and replacements of anything they might need. They would have anything a Jedi could require on one ship. Home and a mobile defense platform if the situation demanded. It was a forward operating base once planetfall had been made. Gianna would not let them walk into the unknown unprotected—Even if Brandyn had his own resources available. It was their duty to ensure both were well prepared for any eventuality.​

​

"Not that I'm eager for you both to go. Were it up to me I'd keep you on the Shore forever…", the flame-haired Jedi spoke with a gently knowing smile. It was an age-old wish. But, one that no teacher, no parent, could ever keep. Her pixyish countenance seemed to fall slightly with the realization of the reality that would soon come to pass. "But the situation is subject to change."​

​

Her expression shifted, brightened, and it was as if the sun had decided to wink just a little more joyfully before it set behind the edge of seemingly endless water. Gianna was not a sad person by nature and loathed wasting time on doubts. There was nothing to fear. If Cybelle chose to follow Brandyn off world it would simply be one more experience that made her more well-rounded. What would be, would be. Gianna could only ensure that they were ready. "Now…Enough of that. Tuck in before it gets cold and don't forget to leave room for dessert.", Gia gave the pseudo-order with all the authority of a little general. A kind one, certainly, as she always wore a little half-smile. She went for a dish of blue noodles first and added a little to her plate before passing the bowl to Cybelle, who would in turn pass it to Brandyn, then John.​

​

It would feel akin to a simple, family meal. Likely—Because it was. There were no servants, no droids, just people connecting with one another over a hearty meal.​

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

​

Wearing: Standard Jedi Robes
Equipment: Standard lightsaber
Location: Sprite Gate Shore
Tag: Cybelle Elyance John Locke Gianna Aegis


Brandyn opened his mouth to protest the added effort of getting him more than water, but he let out nothing more than a contented sigh. That was very Cybelle. There was an odd reassurance that she felt comfortable imposing her will in the moment, and Brandyn felt an ease with giving over control - even if it was just a small moment. With his family, he would have insisted that his wishes be followed. He found here though, it mattered less that he got his way.

With both younger Jedi sitting, awaiting what smelled like a feast, Brandyn could not help but beam as Cybelle's hand found his under the table. He felt again that same rush of heat to the back of his neck, and became instantly aware of how obvious he was being. Despite his best efforts to push the smile down into a serious or at least flat expression, the corners of his mouth still twitched with a smile that could not be truly contained. Instinctively, he thumb gently brushed over the back of her hand, his mind filled not with the conversation about them but with the softness of her hand.

The young Corellian-Nabooian nobleman snapped back to the moment when Cybelle requested he be permitted to stay at the Shore. The thought of it was all he wanted and yet there was a lingering darkness to the silver of the ardor clouded in haze in his mind. He winced, fighting back the memory of the vision on Enarc, and the decision between the life he had always wanted and the woman that had stolen his heart. "Oh...I..."

It was too late. Plans were already been made. Discussions about protection, and lock downs, offers to stay as long as he desired. Expressions of the Master's desire that they stay there forever. It was all met with an increasingly agitated posture, and the occasional 'um' or 'ah' that failed to become any meaningful sentence. Anytime he opened his mouth to push forward, he felt Cybelle's hand once again, glanced at her face and was driven towards her. No matter how much his heart ran that way, there was always the subtle nagging doubt. Leaving. Leaving with Cybelle. That was the only way that he could beat the premonition.

"One night," Brandyn finally said, in a little more of a blurt than intended, "I can stay one night. If it's no bother..." He cast a glance at Cybelle knowing what she might be about to say to the thought that he be any degree of burden. "...I do have a ship, one of the Order's ships that is. Cybelle is more than welcome to take her own, but I have had some training in piloting...so..."

She would be in safe hands.

Looking down at the food, upon Master Aegis' insistence, Brandyn decided it was probably best if kept his mouth shut as much as possible. This current state of mind was all to new. Sure, there had been encounters with women in his past. Something he was honestly dreading have come up as a topic of conversation. But he had not felt this way for anyone other than Cybelle. It seemed the Force had granted him his second chance. If Master Aegis and Mr Locke held any sway over her decision making process, then he would be sure to do his best to get and keep them onside. The last thing he wanted was for his presence to be one that caused separation for her and her family.

"The food looks amazing. I must admit. I am rather hungry."

​

 

[Cybelle Elyance]

N A B O O
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren
Age: 20
Location: Spritegate Shore (Morning After)
_________________________________________________________​

The rest of the evening went…Quietly.

Cybelle found it strange.

Everything she had known to be true had turned itself inside out with something so small, so innocuous, as a kiss. A first, kiss. And a second. And a third. She felt like she was walking on air but even that had its limitations. Brandyn had been given a gently used room in the main Shore House on the third floor. It held a spectacular view of the lake with an open terrace and allotted enough solitude that he might be able to breathe. Cybelle deeply suspected it was also because it was a fair distance from her bedroom—Though John and Gianna played innocent very well.

She hadn't been born yesterday, though, she got a snicker watching them think they were smooth.

Cybelle spent a few hours reviewing material and notes from the Ee'everwest Estate and happily chewed the back of a prehistoric pencil into smithereens. She liked being able to hold onto things. Feel the spine of a well-worn book versus reading it on a data-pad. It was just before the witching hour when she heard a tell-tale, mouse-knock, on her bedroom door. Gianna. Her devoted Master had arrived with biscuits and warm honey-milk. It made Cybelle feel…Better, somehow.

She took the time to talk to her mentor. Nothing, specific. But it helped to get some of the emotion off her chest. The flame-haired woman was someone that she trusted most in the world. If anyone would understand Cybelle knew it would be her. Not to mention—She really needed to convince both of her foster parents that they didn't need two ships. She would be okay with Bran.

Eventually, they agreed to meet somewhere in the middle. A Locke & Key "Go Bag" would have to suffice. Now…Cybelle had no idea what that meant, specifically, but if her traditional robes could speak—The auburn-haired Hapani could only guess. It made them feel better, however, and that was a small sacrifice to pay for something that could actually turn out useful later on.

When the sun rose on Naboo there was always a moment of peace before it burst into a flurry of activity. There were droids handling the orchards along with farmhands to aid and direct them from the villages. Master Aegis was already elbow-deep into preparing lunch while John was nowhere to be seen. Presumably, still sleeping. Cybelle took it upon herself to bring Brandyn a little snacky breakfast and snuck off to the third floor with toast, fruit, and a little namana juice.

She knocked, though, at the lack of response she opened the door a crack. "Bran?", she asked hesitantly—Not wanting to startle him. Seeing that it was seemingly safe and that her new favorite Padawan was sawing logs she moved into the room inaudibly. With sunlight streaming through the window, everything in the room took on a shade of yellow-gold. Cybelle set down the breakfast tray on the desk before moving to open the curtain a little more.

Still. No movement.

At least he didn't seem to snore.

The Knight turned around to face her…Brandyn…and her expression faded something into something infinitely soft. He looked years younger when he slept. She couldn't imagine that shutting his eyes had been easy. In a strange place. With so very, very much on his mind. Ever so carefully the young woman sat down on the empty half of the bed and leaned down on top of the blankets. Not too close. But—Near enough that she could reach out and run her finger down the center of his nose.

It wouldn't be much. Enough, that it held the pressure of a fluttering butterfly wing.

"It's hard. I know.", she murmured, talking to him, as if he might somehow absorb what she was saying through osmosis. A light smile touched her features. She should have just kicked him out of bed in the swiftest way possible—But somehow, this was better. "…It'll be all right...You…"

"Are so very loved."

Cybelle would keep letting her finger run down the bridge of his nose, softly, coaxing Brandyn into opening his eyes. It was a breach of personal space, privacy, and everything else that propriety demanded but the young woman couldn't bring herself to care. After a solid night's sleep and a little distance, not much had changed. Not how she felt—Save for the fact that she missed him.

Which was ridiculous. Why should she miss him when he was just across the house?

He stirred a little more.

"Morning sleeping beauty. It's almost nine."

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

​

Wearing: Standard Jedi Robes
Equipment: Standard lightsaber
Location: Sprite Gate Shore, Naboo
Tag: Cybelle Elyance


The rest of the evening had passed...awkwardly.

Brandyn was not surprised, as it seemed he was the one supplying all the awkward.

Even as they sat around the table and made small talk, Brandyn found his mind wandering to the days events. There were surprises aplenty. From Cybelle's distant and harsh persona upon meeting him, to the vault of dark secrets that may or may not belong to his father. He had heard the darkness pulling him towards murder, and he had found himself swept up in fulfillment of his most deeply held desires. It was just a kiss. Not his first. But surely the first that truly meant more than raging hormones.

The room Brandyn was offered was quaint. So far removed from the expansive, luxurious room he had grown up in, but more than the bare walls of his Coruscant quarters with the Jedi. It was not as much of a culture shock now as it had been when he had entered Cybelle's room when they were but children. After the door had closed, Brandyn stood and looked out over the lake. It was sight he had seen many times before, a Nabooian lake. His family had holidayed regularly on the shores of some of the most spectacular views Naboo had to offer. But for reasons obvious to all that had seen him on this day, this view held special significance. It was as if the light itself reflected more prominently off the gentle ripples across the surface.

The view gave him hope, but also a lingering, nagging feeling of despair. The light only reflected of the lake's surface. You didn't have to dive very deep before the light succumbed to the depths, and monsters began their hunt. Brandyn could not avoid this lingering, deep despair forever. No amount of romantic escapism could hide him from the realities forever. There were things lurking beneath the surface of House Sal-Soren. Monsters that were preparing to strike.

He lay on the borrowed bed, dressed in borrowed night clothes for hours upon hours. His eyes open, staring at the ceiling. He feared falling asleep. For tomorrow, he knew he had to leave. He knew he would have Cybelle by his side, which is was no small amount of comfort, but even that was tinged with sadness. He already regretted the desire to pull her from this place. Into his nightmares.

He stopped checking the time after two in the morning. It was not making it easier to sleep. It took him some time after that for his Jedi training to finally break through. His master, Valery Noble , would likely be disappointed to know how long it took for him to seek the Light to calm him. But when he did, he drifted off to sleep in the embrace of the soft, lulling wisps of Force energy rippling out from the life-filled plains beyond the Shore.

The clock in that moment read five.

Brandyn dreamed. A dream he would mostly not remember upon waking. It was filled with light and hope, and he knew that Cybelle was there. He knew his sisters were there, his mother's laugh filled the waking moment of the dream even as the remaining image of his father, faceless and obscured by shadow tainted the feeling of joy in the last seconds of sleep.

Something was tickling him.

He was awake, but not. Somewhere in the realm between conscious and subconscious thought. He heard a voice. But could not discern the words that the voice spoke. He did, though, know the spirit of the words. And through the haze of his waking moment, he came to understand the person behind the words.

"Morning sleeping beauty. It's almost nine."

He smiled. When waking life was better than your dreams, it was easy to wake and start your day. And yet, he did not want this moment to end. A precious moment encapsulating all the feelings of the previous day. He was happy.

Opening his eyes, he saw through sleep hazed vision the eyes of Cybelle staring back at him. He did not speak for a while, just letting the moment rest, even as his eyes did not stay still. For such small parts of the body, there was so much to see within those deep chocolate coloured eyes.

"Hi."

If he could say the same word, to the same person at the start of every day, Brandyn thought in that moment, that he would never frown again.

​