Private Conversation Starters

[Kay-Larr]

Iston Voronwe


The Sphaera Tea shoppe had been open for a few hours already, although Kay had been working for more than that. There were freshly baked goods on hand that couldn't bake themselves and she was the only employee of her business.

In the back she had her latest batch of vine coffee beans roasting to help fulfill her enormous order for Grand Shepherd Burtch . Even with more financing and facilities being built nearby, she wasn't certain of how quickly she can get the first batch completed.

There was a lot of things that she wasn't sure of. Her confidence in herself was one of them. So many things had gone wrong in her life. Most especially the latter half. She had lost everything, including her husband, to the Sith. At least her children seemed to be okay, yet she was not yet ready to reach out to them. Especially her daughter.

Isolation seemed the better option for the moment. Especially as she was slowly reconnecting with life again. Her late husband's Force ghost had told her that she shouldn't waste her life and that it was meant for something. But Kay wasn't so sure. She couldn't see it. All that she expected to find was more harm to herself and others.

At least her tea helps to give her some small comfort.

 

[Iston Voronwe]

Downtime Post-Mission l The Sphaera Tea
Kay-Larr​

It was a beautiful day to say the least, nature was in full swing as Iston marveled at the beauty the universe seemed to always hold. The rhythmic thud of his beskad cane would be heard as the approached the entrance to a tea shop he had been told about several times, but never had the chance to stop by. Iston hated space tolerated space flight, but much rather preferred to be on solid, pure, one-hundred percent ground. He reached for the door, and made his way in.

Clad in traditional robes of the Jedi Order, it would be clear as he entered, he was a seasoned Master, one whom had seen many trails and seasons on life. His hair was neatly pulled back in a loose braid, his beard well kept as well, but both had the same powered coating of white and sliver hairs. His amber eyes stood out, almost as much as the sheer size and height of the old man; but his facial features were soft, kind, but unyielding and solid like a mountain. His can thudded heavily, yet ringing throughout the shop as he approached the counter and cleared his throat. "Why hello there young lady...." He cleared his throat again, addressing Kay. " I've been told that you make an excellent cup of Sapir Tea... I would very much like to order one. The order for the name would be Iston please.... Miss, um.... I don't believe I have caught your name yet...."

 

[Kay-Larr]

The chime on the door ringing as Iston Voronwe opened it caught her attention first. Kay was up on a small stepladder stacking up some boxes of tea onto one of the shelves. She glanced at him over her shoulder and nearly lost a couple of the boxes as she caught sight of his robes. A Jedi was the last thing that she expected to see come into her shop and she couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

Kay wiped her hands on her apron before stepping down off the ladder. "Sapir tea?....Coming right up." Maybe she could use some of it herself. She was hardly a young lady. Perhaps she'd be lucky and his sight wasn't very good. Although what a Jedi was doing here, she didn't know. Hopefully there wasn't going to be any trouble.

She brought down two cups from the cupboard and a box of Sapir leaves, setting them down and preparing the tea, doing well to keep her back towards him as she crumpled the leaves into the cups. It wasn't as though she was doing anything sneaky. Kay was just not ready in case he knew of her. "You can call me whatever you like. Most just call me Miss or Ma'am." She poured the hot water from the kettle overtop of the leaves and gave them a little stir with a spoon to help quicken the steeping process. Normally she wouldn't do that, but again she was nervous and trying to keep herself preoccupied. "You're a Jedi, aren't you? Any particular reason that brings you here?"

 

[Iston Voronwe]

Downtime Post-Mission l The Sphaera Tea
Kay-Larr​

She brought down two cups from the cupboard and a box of Sapir leaves, setting them down and preparing the tea, doing well to keep her back towards him as she crumpled the leaves into the cups. It wasn't as though she was doing anything sneaky. Kay was just not ready in case he knew of her. "You can call me whatever you like. Most just call me Miss or Ma'am." She poured the hot water from the kettle overtop of the leaves and gave them a little stir with a spoon to help quicken the steeping process. Normally she wouldn't do that, but again she was nervous and trying to keep herself preoccupied. "You're a Jedi, aren't you? Any particular reason that brings you here?"

Iston watched the woman begin to make his order, his amber eyes narrowing just slightly as he sensed her, well, apprehension at his presence. As she spoke again, almost brushing off normal courtesy of introductions, her tone now deceiving her as he felt a rushed pace, Iston simply cleared his throat and spoke. "Well, when one gets to my age you tend to hate space flight, but since I was in the area I decided now was the perfect time to come by and try this tea that had been spoken to fondly of by many others of my Order." Iston moved, his beskar cane chiming along the tiled floors, a almost hypnotic tone about it as he came to a table and sat down. Iston looked towards her as he sighed, now speaking a bit more frankly. "Is it me being a Jedi that bothers you so, or do you feel as if something is trying to chase you and I just remind you of it? If you wish me to leave, then I shall leave, but if not, maybe.... just maybe, I might be able to help, I've got time, plenty of it my dear, and I'm a great listener." Many years Iston had lived, and one universal truth he knew was this -- Older people got away with much more when it came to being just, well, frank and direct-to-the-point.

Both of his hands rested on the hilt of his cane as he stared directly at the back of Kay, his amber eyes never once wavering, almost if if piercing flesh and sinew and peering into her soul.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Sapir tea was a favourite of many. She was introduced to it by a Jedi, so it came at no surprise that Iston Voronwe was fond of it as well. And where else could one find it but at a tea shoppe such as her own?

"The past chases me..." Kay gathered the two cups and carried them over to his table, setting one down in front of him before cradling the other in her hands. "....Jedi are a part of that and with that comes trouble. One might say that Jedi are harbingers of it like the Sith are harbingers of death. Both have caused me pain and suffering. And most especially loss. I only hope to have the pieces of my life put back together before my past catches up on me again."

She sipped her tea and let the warm liquid sooth her like only it can. "But is that even possible? Every day that passes I begin to fear that escape will always just be short lived."

 

[Iston Voronwe]

Downtime Post-Mission l The Sphaera Tea
Kay-Larr​

"The past chases me..." Kay gathered the two cups and carried them over to his table, setting one down in front of him before cradling the other in her hands. "....Jedi are a part of that and with that comes trouble. One might say that Jedi are harbingers of it like the Sith are harbingers of death. Both have caused me pain and suffering. And most especially loss. I only hope to have the pieces of my life put back together before my past catches up on me again."

She sipped her tea and let the warm liquid sooth her like only it can. "But is that even possible? Every day that passes I begin to fear that escape will always just be short lived."

The old man took a sip of his tea as he listened to the young woman, well, young to him at least. Without knowing her past, it was hard to put a finger on exactly what sort of troubles she had, but knowing how checkered his past was, and how to this day, his own inner demons haunted him, he could only imagine what sort of trails and tribulations this woman might have to had endured over the years. Life, a rudimentary knowledge was kind to some, but, not kind to all. He rested his cane against the table as his hands slicked and fixed the sliver strands of hair in his beard back down as he cleared his throat, his elbows resting on the table, the hands coming up, intertwining together and resting just in front of his mount as he spoke, his amber eyes peering her way. " The past will always chase those who do not confront it by dear girl. In my youth, i sought to escape all that had happened by running through any doorway that I thought would help me to get away... but, one thing i failed to realize. When you run through door ways and never look back, they are still... wide... open, and furthermore, until one confronts it, it will always end up as their destination, no matter how far you may travel away from it."

He sat there, as he delivered his metaphor to her, hoping she would see how it applied to life, and then transitioned into the next part of her statement. "Jedi are a part of you, good and bad. Life is meant to be lived, shared, experienced.... when you recluse and try to withdraw no good ever comes from that my dear, except isolation and loathing. People help people to weather lifes storms.... With that being said, i don't suppose you'd share your name with me now would you?"

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay folded her arms across her chest, all the while holding her tea in her right hand. She wasn't being defiant, she was just hugging herself somewhat. She was her only comfort, besides the tea. And with difficult conversations that were sure to hurt in many ways, every little bit helped.

Iston Voronwe spoke in the same manner as her late husband. Perhaps they were kindred spirits or knew eachother in the Order, she wasn't sure. Or maybe it was just how Jedi in their generation were.

"It's Kay....Kay Arenais. And I'm not entirely isolated here. I do get cudtomers coming through my doors like you. I just don't open up to them. I don't want any confrontations. I've had more than my fair share of them. All that comes from them is death and pain." She didn't even want to reach out to the Force to use it to meditate or to calm her or gain insight. With all the fear that she felt she was afraid she'd only find the ability to access Darkside. It was a selfish thing to do anyways.

 

[Iston Voronwe]

Downtime Post-Mission l The Sphaera Tea
Kay-Larr​

Iston smiled rather warmly as she finally introducedg herself properly. "Kay… I rather like that name, it suits you." She spoke again on isolation, and how people came and left, but Iston simply took another sip of tea and spoke, rather to the point. "Isolation can happen even in a roomful of people. When one stops sharing, stops allowing others to truly 'know' that person, it's morning more than fake game we play with others and call it socializing…. So please, let's not lie to each other and call 'customers' means of interaction."

He cleared his throat as he spoke his rather harsh truth of life to Kay-Larr , but did so with as much love as he could muster. Listening to her finish, she spoke on death and pain… as his eyes glossed over just slightly. So many friends and loved ones he had lost over the years, he understood this well. "I too have had my fair share of death and pain. I once had a great love, but she was taken from me Kay." He sighed as he looked down at his tea. "Those demons still haunt me, but I have chosen to allow Ashla to guide my path, I have committed to understanding her will for me in that pain, so that purpose can take its place." He looked at her. "No one can take away the pain my friend, but, they can help navigate it… hold you up, support you as you process it and come through it."

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay frowned a little as Iston Voronwe spoke of her isolation being such a bad thing. It wasn't. She was protecting herself. And in some way she was protecting others as well. No one would have to suffer for any bad choices or mistakes that she'd make outside of if she burned the caf or baked goods.

She still gave him the respect enough to listen, sipping her tea at times and allowing the Sapir leaves to sooth her. Most especially as he spoke about losing his love. She knew nothing of Ashla, but guessed that was her name.

"I lost my husband of over twenty years. We were Force-Bonded...He died by the hands of a Sith Lord that once held me for months in his torture chamber. Having that Bond severed was....traumatic on it's own. I haven't felt whole ever since. Everything changed. Most I knew have moved on and forgotten about me. I can't pretend that chapter of my life never happened. As you say, the pain will never go away. There's no point in pretending that it doesn't exist. That is even more fake than what you say socializing with customers is."

Customers were all that she had now, or so it seemed. If it weren't for them then she'd have no interaction with anyone at all outside of shopping for food. So they were better than no one.

 

[Iston Voronwe]

Downtime Post-Mission l The Sphaera Tea
Kay-Larr​

Iston once again listened to Kay as she spoke on events that had taken place. She had been put through a traumatic ordeal, one that would on any circumstance leave someone utterly crippled... yet, he sensed a strong defiance in her. A will to persevere... a spark that needed to be fanned to grow once again into a productive fire... but should be fan it too much, and it gain momentum and grow out of control; it would hurt all in its path.

As Kay continued to speak, Iston noted that obviously in her desire and need to withdraw and isolate, not many from the Order at the time, or even those she would have considered comrades reached out for her, to console her, to give stability. Pompous and arrogant fools he thought.... There were those in the Order that felt emotional attachments were dangerous for Jedi, and another group believed the true path to the light was to learn how to accept the emotions and feelings we had been gifted, and to guide those feelings. He sighed as he stroked his beard, his words had to be carefully laid out.

He looked at her as his hands came to his beskar cane and he cleared his throat. "The day he died, you feel as a part of you died with him from this bond..." He paused as he looked down, his cane coming up and then hitting the ground as the metallic thud rang through the shop hypnotically. "Yet, here we are. By all accounts you should be dead, no normal person would have survived such a thing Kay." His cane came up again as the thud would ring again, the sound almost relaxing and soothing as it came up again. "It seems to me, someone.... or something had planned something different for you, perhaps something you wouldn't have necessarily picked out for yourself?" The cane came down once again. Iston on several occasions used his cane and the sound waves that reverberated off of it for several things, but mainly for auditory illusions. Amplifying the sound waves with the force and imbuing them with positive feels, or other things as needed definitely had its uses... but he mainly wanted Kay to feel loved, and comforted. His eyes never left as she spoke once again. 'I find it hard to believe that Ashla would allow you to endure all that pain, to take all that life has thrown at you and not to gleen something from it to pass down, or use for her good benefit Kay...."

 

[Kay-Larr]

She nodded as Iston Voronwe began to speak. Yes, she felt as though part of her had died. And a short time later she did. Although the explosion split her into different pieces that over the span of a few years had become whole again in the Netherworld. And she was brought back here. In death she found no solice from her pain and grief. Instead it was worse. But she took it as punishment that she felt she rightly deserved.

The thump of the cane on the floor caused her to jump, nearly spilling her tea, but she managed to control the hot liquid in the cup.

Her eyes returned to Iston's as he continued. The second time he hit the floor with his cane, she didn't jump. Instead she just closed her eyes and let the echo ring in her ears. It had a pleasant tone, she had to admit.

Iston's remarks were much like that of her late husband's; and that was that she was meant for more. But what that was, she didn't know. She couldn't even imagine what it could be. This tea shoppe was her comfort zone.

"Life isn't fair or kind. People can only hope that others younger than them won't repeat their own mistakes." That was what she gleemed from it all. Kay opened her eyes and took a sip from her tea.

 

[Iston Voronwe]

Downtime Post-Mission l The Sphaera Tea
Kay-Larr​

He noted her initial reaction to the thud of his cane, but then gradually saw that the effect he had hoped for had taken place. Agreeing with him, he listened to her remark as he then smiled just slightly, the wrinkles around his eyes seen as he chuckled. " Yes, life indeed is not fair... but reality is what it is, the only thing we can do is make the most of what we are dealt, and fight fiercely to protect it, to hold on to it, to remember it." He took another sip of his tea, now finishing it as he looked off into the distance, enjoying the view. "How would you help to ensure those younger than you don't make the mistakes you have made when you don't reach for them?"

He paused as he sighed and then looked towards Kay again. "I'll be honest with you Kay... I was not always the best or 'model' example for a Jedi. It has taken many years of fighting my past, present and the future to get to where I am today and I have tried my best to ensure those around me, the young ones that make our future do not end up in the same situations I have... but in the end, they will do as they please, all we can do is gently guide them and nudge them... surely somewhere out there, in this vast Universe, someone needs you."

 

[Kay-Larr]

"I....guess that the only chance that I had to help them is if they walked in tjose doors..." But not many ever did. Outside of the youth of this world, she had no contact with other youth of the Galaxy. Except for maybe her son once or twice. However he didn't follow in her footsteps at all. Neither child did, which was a good thing.

Kay sat down on a chair at a nearby table, sipping her tea before cradling the cup in her hands while Iston Voronwe spoke. She didn't meet his eyes, finding it to be too difficult, not wantimg to see hersepf being judged for her simplistic way of life as others have done.

"You sound like my late husband, wanting more for me than just this...But I don't see what he sees, nor would he give me specifics of what it was in case it messes with the future and he's against that. So I don't know who could possibly need me or why. It's not as though I would be putting out an advertisement." She'd be a laughing stock if she did. Or it'd just go unanswered. But what would she out an advertisement out there for? Someone to teach her business to? A friend? All of that was laughable.

 

[Iston Voronwe]

Downtime Post-Mission l The Sphaera Tea
Kay-Larr​

Iston sighed as he listened to Kay speak. There was a large almost, defeated tone still that lingered within the background of her voice... but, Iston knew it well. "I won't lie to you Kay, that isn't the only chance for you to help people... helping is an 'active' thing... it takes effort to do and rest assured this old man wears himself out daily trying to do so..." Iston sighed once again as his amber eyes lingered off into the distance as he thought about the many Padawans that had simply come and gone within the last few years. His resolve as a teacher, as a Master had wavered during those times, wondering if he even had anything else to give... but he knew he did, and knew he had to push forward towards the goal and prize that lie ahead.

Iston put his hand in the air as it came to his chest. "You must think me a piece of toast to be so heavily buttered by dear, I appreciate the complement and feel honored to be compared to your late husband." He chuckled as he brought his gaze back to her. "Tell me Kay... what do you want? What can I do to help you?"

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay nodded a little, as though she was a youth herself, getting disciplined. Not for doing anything wrong, mind you, but for not doing enough.

A part of her wanted to just throw up her hands and ask just exactly how she was supposed to help people. But that certainly wouldn't do any good.

She wasn't a teacher or a scholar or anything of the sort. Sure she used to be a ruler and a leader of multiple worlds, but that was a lifetime ago, and her reputation was no longer anything positive. These days you had to have something that others wanted in order to gain a good reputation, and all that she had was her tea shoppe.

Kay wasn't trying to butter Iston Voronwe up. But maybe he knew Veiere...Or at least knew of him. More than likely tales of Veiere and all of his accomplishments were told among the Jedi. Now she found herself to be living in a similar lifestyle to his when she had found him and coaxed him to join her.

It was strange to think of it, and it made her miss him all the more. A tear ran down her cheek, yet she didn't make any move to wipe it. "I want the pain and emptiness to go away..."