In the Shadows of Vena (complete)

[Faith Organa]

Even as she heard the words of Gabriella she knew they shouldn't cut as deeply but they did, slowly she lifted her head to look at Draco. She looked into his eyes she saw worry and concern but was it worry and concern for her or worry and concern at being found out? She reached over to touch his cheek for a moment her hand brushed his collar and there just below she thought she saw something she lifted it, the imprint of her lips, not HER lips but the other HER.

Faith pulled back her hand, "have a nice walk?" She couldn't smile she didn't know how to right now. All the things that she learned over the years from teachers, and politicians nothing prepared her for how she felt right now, now did it give any clue as to how she should react. Had he gone through all those changes for her? Oh and then there was the woman he went away with? Did he lie to her about that? Had it been more?

Her mind shouted that Draco would not do such things, he would not lie to her, not cheat on her, not do anything that jeopardized their future and yet that damn disc showed her something she couldn't explain. As much as she couldn't accept it, she didn't know how it could appear as it did.

"My meeting was quite unsettling" she opened her hand showing the disc. She had held it so hard it was imprinted on her palm how she had not broken it she didn't know. "The Duke gave me this. I think you should see it." She looked down again.

"What's wrong you say" she raked her fingers through her hair, "Two things right now, one that disc and two the lipstick on your collar." She wanted to ask him but she couldn't bring herself to do it. For if he said it was true it would kill her, crush her into nothing.

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Draco felt her hand and warmth flooded through him. She lifted his collar and he smiled at Faith, "It wasn't a nice walk, there at the end right before we came back inside, she tried to get a little affectionate, I pushed her away." Faith's hands jerking away from him, her tone. Something was not right. Something a little more was the matter than a little lipstick on his collar. It wasn't more than a smear, the woman had barely touched him before she had been pushed away.

She must be unsettled by all the drama Gabriella was stirring around, the pregnancy, the stress of dealing with the Duke over a troubling matter, and the worry about Rebekah. "Oh, cyar'ika. I knew that me walking off with her would bother you a little. I shouldn't have gone with her." He reached for her again, trying his best to comfort her, and reassure her everything would be alright. He had sworn on the lake that he would be her constant, her rock, and she needed that rock now.

"Come on, lets go back to the room and you can show me the disk and you can rest." He stood up, holding his hand to help her off the stairs and walk with her back to the room. Draco smiled down at her, "And maybe, I can massage your back for you and help you relax." She was bothered by the disk for some reason, it had reduced her to tears. Draco wondered what it was on it. Perhaps information about her family? Perhaps the Duke knew about Bud and Dar? Or maybe it was something else, he wasn't sure, but she seemed very upset by it.

~Outside~

Draz ducked under a bench, holding the slightly dirty, still kind of warm body of Rebekah against him. He was panting slightly watching the guards looking through the gardens for him. He had to flee away from the estate to escape their grid search for whatever had killed their comrade and taken the woman's body. The number of guards looking for him proved to the Barabel he was in the right to take the corpse from them and bring it back to the Alor. He breathed heavily, out through his mouth watching the guards rummaging about through bushes almost a hundred meters away. A low growl erupted from the darkness nearest him, and red eyes opened.

"Where did you find her?"

"Shed. She had her neck broken professionally. Alor needz to see." Draz panted, looking at the shadowy figure merging with a different set of shadows. It wouldn't be easy for the pair to get inside anymore, but they could manage.

"Alor's room is second floor, second window from the right. That is bedroom. First window is hallway. We will enter there. I will cover you. Wait for my signal each time you move." The shadow slipped away, and the Barabel focused on catching his breath and preparing to sprint from cover to cover until they got inside and could show the Alor what had happened to his friend.

[member="Faith Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

She wanted to crawl into the safety of his arms to hear the words of assurance that she needed, 'I wish we had never come here." She looked away and then down her mind still pushing her while her heart felt broken. "She isn't your type" Faith asked and stated at the same time, she knew Gabriella was not his type too much hands on, not enough space and desperate.

She didn't know if she wanted to go inside this place just felt cold now bereft of emotion, but if it meant privacy which she was beginning to really doubt. She felt as though everyone watched them now waiting to see how badly they were broken. Her staff watched concern for their Princess written on their faces.

Faith looked over to Draco, "Ok, let's go watch the disk" she didn't know if she could stand it once more but she would watch it again. Slowly she rose up looking back Captain Lindsey stood there silent and made of stone.

What would he say when he saw it? What could be found?

She walked even though her body refused, it was a long walk. The heaviest of burdens lay on her shoulders.

In the Parlor

"So you kept him busy and you got the remnant of lip color on his collar, good good. She has seen the disk and now all that is left is to wait. It shouldn't take very long for her to toss him out."

Gabriella sat there still unsure of all that she had done, but yes she had kept her part of the deal. "Do you think she will ever figure out it's not really Draco. I mean the droid looked like Draco from behind but nothing else."

The Duke looked over, "The only witness is dead, and my staff won't breathe a word of it to anyone. They know who keeps their families safe." He drew in a deep breath, "No, I think we will be seeing the last of Commander Draco Vereen. By this time next week I can announce my marriage to the Princess and begin getting orders of Phrik here to Vena for resale under the Aris emblem."

Yes the two had accomplished everything, or had they?

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Draco wasn't sure what she was worried about, he only wanted to be there for her, and comfort her, figure out what was troubling her and make the pain go away. It was all he really wanted right now, and so he helped her to her feet, noted the Captain's stony expression, almost glaring at him. Normally the captain was protective of Faith, but had been fairly accepting of their relationship. Even let Draco take her protection over on occasion, depending on the outing.

The walk back the suite was a quiet one, Faith sniffling occasionally, or sobbing gently, footsteps on stone floors. No words were spoken as the trio walked, and Draco was a bit worried about what exactly was on the disk. From her reaction, and the glare the Captain had given him, he could only assume it was a recording of him, and his mind shot to Amar. The massacre on Amar, when he had been Darth Vulkan, and taken the sword to the furry little creatures in the streets, in their homes, in their beds. He had done terrible things that day, very terrible things. She knew he wasn't that man anymore, but seeing it could still be unsettling for her. Could still give her second thoughts. Once they got back to the suite, Draco pulled her into the bedroom and tossed the disc into a datapad to play it so they could see it together. "So, do you want that massage?" He asked, sitting down next to her rubbing her shoulder gently, doing his best to comfort her.

As he tapped buttons to get it to play, he was kind of worried about what he would see. But then he say Vena on the screen, and relaxed, his stiff muscles easing away. He let out a short laugh as Gabriella entered the frame followed by a man who didn't face the holocamera, "Stalking Gabriella now?" He glanced at her, a smile on his face, then upon seeing her anxiety and sorrow, he stiffened, let the light-heartedness fade from his features. Something wasn't right.

He watched the video, and then he heard it, gasped from Gabriella's mouth "Draco," and stopped the video. "Alright, what the hell is this? Its not funny anymore babe, jokes over." She hadn't hardly had time to get her lips on his collar before he shoved her away, much less him kiss her. And now, he was certain something was amiss, "You can point out the camera that shows I'm being punked now, baby." She wasn't into this kind of humor. She wouldn't use something like this against him, to tease him. She thought this was real.

[member="Faith Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

Faith looked at Draco, "Look at me Draco, take a good look at me, do I really look like this is a joke?" Faith pointed the holo, "everything in my being tells me that isn't you, THAT YOU wouldn't do this. She says your name."

Faith goes over to the holo and backs it up "right here she says your name. your name" Faith turned back, "this from here looks like you...but how can it be you? YOU wouldn't do this..." Over and over she had said he wouldn't do this he had no reason to do this, so why? Why?

Faith began to feel the pain and stress of all of this all catching up to her, "All that has to be done is this sent to the family, released to some holo news, and everything we've worked hard for is in jeopardy." Faith began rubbing her stomach she was feeling sick she rubbed her face in frustration.

"This can't be you" she felt small weak, too vulnerable this roller coaster they had been riding for months just when she thought they were at the end. "if this isn't you, who is it, and why does she say your name?" The one place anyone could hurt Faith was her personal life and this hurt.

"Draco....what's happening?" She started to cry again, she was so confused.

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Draco wasn't pleased anymore. He had intended on comforting his soon to be wife, giving her a relaxing massage and then finding food for them rather than dinner with Duke Aris. "Its not me. Plain an simple. We were gone fifteen, twenty minutes, and there is already a recording. Please. That's way too convenient, and you are smarter than to fall for something like this." But she did get him away from Faith, out of sight. She could say just about anything happened in that time span, and out here, everyone was on her side. Well, almost everyone.

Everything was in jeopardy. Arianna would never let him marry Faith if she thought this was real, and their little family would be torn apart and kept apart. Nope, he wasn't about to lose getting to be a father and raising his twins with Faith. He warned Gabriella out in the gardens. Not Sith, not Jedi, not little girls playing at having power, and not men who thought themselves invincible. Draco closed his eyes, breathing in deeply. "I understand what it looks like," His voice was leveling out, not upset or angry, as he literally counted to ten in his head to calm himself. "But that just isn't me."

"I don't know who it is, why she says my name, or what she thinks is going to happen." He sighed. "Get some sleep. Rest as best as you can cyar'ika. In the morning, we will talk about what we are going to do. If you get hungry, we will have one of the guards go get you something, but for tonight, I think it is best we hole up in here." Draco's mind swam as he tried to think. Everything he worked for was at stake, but the answers for how to fix it were in a sensor proofed suitcase in the closet. No, he couldn't go down that road. Down that road was only darkness and suffering.

"In the morning we will come up with a game plan on how to deal with this." He reached for her, to kiss her forehead, to comfort her, to reassure her that everything was going to be okay. There wasn't much he could do, but he had to do something. Night was falling and his clansmen should have found Rebekah by now. Draz at least should have returned with her.

[member="Faith Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

It hurt in more ways than she could count. She felt the warm kiss to her forehead she reached for her Draco wrapping her arms around him to find solace in his embrace.

She tried not to think about the lipstick on his collar but as she breathed deeply she felt her stomach lurch she released him and took a step back. Tear filled eyes looked up at him.

"You smell like her she's rubbed herself all over you." Faith felt like he wasn't hers she didn't know what to do.

She nodded, "yes Rebekah. I need help getting ready for bed. Ana send word that we will not be joining them and that die to unforseen circumstances we will be cutting the visit short" She looked to Draco.

"That is the reaction they want to see." ,Faith just stood silent. "Captain Lindsey, was in the room he's seen this. Also they said you've been here before that this is not the first time"

Faith was beginning to crumble.

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Draco sighed, defeated. Of all the things they could have done, like just assassinating him, they had to attack his relationship. "I told you, she tried to get affectionate right when we came back inside, I pushed her away." She believed it, at least somewhat. Her doubts were filling her mind, and the little piece of her that mistrusted him was gnawing at her now. But what person wouldn't doubt him with what she could see with her own eyes.

"I've never been to Vena before. Certainly not to visit that skank." Draco wasn't pleased that she was believing that pair of schemers over him, but he couldn't blame her. Had he been in her shoes, he didn't know how he would react. She was holding up better than he would have in her situation, but it still hurt that she would believe that he could do something like this.

"Ana. No, stop. Don't tell them anything just yet." He knew what he was going to do about this, but he couldn't exactly tell her what he was planning. "Baby, just get some sleep, I'll be on the couch for the night." He wanted to hug her, and cuddle her, and make all her pains and troubles go away, but she had just pushed him away, even if she didn't mean to. Faith needed a little time to her own, and Draco didn't want to disturb her when he got up to handle this problem.

"Faith. I did not touch her. I did not kiss her. I don't want to, and I will not. You can believe whatever this is if you want, but you know me and you know Duke Aris." His hand touched the ring in his pocket. No, he wasn't asking tonight. "Get some rest, dream about our time on the Lake on Alderaan." Draco grabbed a pillow off the bed and made his way back out into the antechamber where Captain Lindsey and Ana were waiting. He plopped down on the couch without a word and laid out. There was nothing to say to them, they had a duty to take Faith's side in this, and they were supposed to be protective of her. Ana looked at him sympathetically while Captain Lindsey glared at him.

[member="Faith Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

They had spent nights apart but not like this.

Faith watched him take his leave and head to the couch, she had often joked to him about the couch or the floor but this was not a joke. This was tearing at the fabric of their relationship. Their positions in the galaxy at times had them at different ends, had them doing different things that kept them apart, but never had they been in the same place at the same time and slept in different places.

Ana came in sympathetic but uncertain as to what to do. Faith just shook her head and sent her away Ana quietly closed the doors and left their Princess to herself.

Faith did not feel like a Princess she just felt overwhelmed.

She looked at the bed empty only hours earlier it had been a place where he held her and none of her fears existed. But he smelled like Gabriella. She shook her head he was supposed to smell like her lol her perfume her lipstick. Not someone else oh how she wanted to make House Alde pay for this but there were close ties Gabriella was kin to Trevor and he was not part of this.

Faith headed into the shower the hot water would help to relax her to help her figure out what was happening, and why it happened.

Seems the only peace they had ever truly known was at the Lake. Before Alderaan knew about them, before a marriage of alliance was offered before everything, when it was just them.

Just them.

Did she really want to be Queen? Did she really want to live like this? Would marriage to Draco take all of this away? She didn't know. She crawled into the bed here it smelled like Draco, the warm vanilla spicy smell that was all his. Faith buried her face into his pillow that's who she wanted, she wanted her Draco not the one who smelled of the red head. A woman who made no qualms about her intentions.

Faith didn't come back smelling like the Duke. Faith pulled Draco's pillow closer, rolling over to hug it tightly. She hated knowing he was in the next room away from her, she hated feeling like she did, and she really wanted to go home.

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Draco lay on the couch, Ana retired to her quarters after a few minutes, and Captain Lindsey had moved to the guard quarters, a man having relieved him for the nights watch. Draco wasn't sleeping, he couldn't sleep. Far too much had happened since arriving on Vena for him to sleep, even restlessly.

First Duke Aris retracted his intentions to marry Faith, agreeing to let her pursue the desires of her heart without prompt or reluctance. It was like he had just given up. Then Rebekah had gone missing, and now at night, the couple having missed dinner and her having been gone since lunch. Then Gabriella had been nothing but catty towards Faith, her former friend, and trying to feign genuine attraction towards him. That didn't make much sense to him. Why burn the bridge? Now this convenient recording of him from a past visit that didn't exist.

His initial idea had been to intimidate one of them into telling him what was going on, but that hadn't really worked on Gabriella. He needed something that would scare one or both of the conniving pair. Unfortunately right now he had nothing on either of them. The guard wasn't exactly pleased with his presence on the couch, but wasn't telling him to leave.

About midnight, he heard a tapping on the door. It was a trained signal to denote friendlies or allies, something he taught all his clansmen, so when the guard went for the Door, Draco sat up on the couch. "Its one of my people. They probably found Rebekah." He rubbed his eyes, red rims around them, as he blinked. The door slid open and a shadowy form slipped through it, sticking to the walls instinctively. Behind him, an armored reptilian humanoid carried the body of Rebekah, slightly dirty from having been carried and hidden in the garden sheds.

Draco looked at the body solemnly for a moment, but it wasn't as surprising as he might have wanted given recent events. "Put her on the table, and cover her with something." His voice solemn and calm. At least she would be covered respectfully and prepared to be taken back to Alderaan for her burial.

The guard went for the guards quarters to tell Captain Lindsey, and Draco sat on the couch looking at the covered body, his clansmen standing off to the side quietly. "Where did you find her?"

"Thiz one found her in the Garden shed, under guard." The Barabel's voice was kept low, just above a whisper. The Barabel and the Defel had been with him through the darkest of times during his time as Darth Vulkan. They could tell when their master was in dark moods.

Draco breathed in deeply. "How?"

The Defel spoke up, "Her neck was broken, professionally."

The wheels in Draco's head began turning. "Ner'gal, I want you to go and tell me if Gabriella is in her room yet. Hurry, but don't be seen. Then come back and help me get into her room without anyone seeing." The Defel nodded and slipped back out the door without another sound. Captain Lindsey emerged from the guard's chamber.

"Why would you go see her after midnight? Didn't get enough?" The captain's voice was short and sarcastic.

"I am in no mood to be slandered by you. I would never betray Faith's trust like that." The Mandalorian's dark eyes didn't leave the body in front of him as the Captain spoke. "But it will serve me best if the Duke and Countess didn't know we were flustered. Keep her calm if you are going to tell her before I get back."

"If there is a threat against her life, I have to get her to safety."

"Our lives are in much more danger than hers. Don't go anywhere restricted or alone and we should be fine." Draco heard the tapping on the door and answered it himself, the Defel standing waiting for him. "Are we good."

"Yes, located all the holocameras, and the route least traveled by the staff. She's still in the Duke's room but they are awake." The Defel was a spy, that was what he did. The fact that he didn't know more would have been more surprising to the Mandalorian.

"Good, lead the way. Captain, please, keep her calm if you wake her up at all. I'm going to be done a few hours." Draco hoped that the Captain wouldn't worry Faith anymore than she had to, but he had a plan to convince Gabriella to spill everything now. The Defel darted ahead of him, Flashing the cameras on the way so they wouldn't show Draco leaving the suite and heading for Gabriella's. Draco didn't want anyone to know he was visiting her or that he knew about Rebekah's murder. He needed to ambush her and the Duke with that information, one at a time.

[member="Faith Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

Faith was sleeping, dreaming. Not of the Lake or of days better spent but of Draco laughing at her, pointing a finger as he lavished his attentions on Gabriella, on a Mystic who helped him, of a wife that she couldn't see. She tossed and turned.

The Duke snickered at her.

Her mother ejected her from the palace, and there she sat on the side of the road on Alderaan begging for alms with two small children. Their faces dirty, with stormy gray eyes looking upon those who walked passed. Draco and his women laughing at her foolishness, laughing at how naive she really was.

When she woke up the pillow was torn in two, as her heart thundered within. She hadn't eaten, and was hungry lunch had worn off long ago. She pushed up looking at the empty space that was Draco's spot.

There was a noise from the other room, gathering her robe she slid from the bed and walked to the door to see what was happening. What met her gaze shocked her more than anything else this visit had brought about. "Oh no..." She looked up at Captain Lindsey, "Is that"

Faith walked over and pulled back the sheet they had covered her with. Rebekah's sweet solemn little face smudged with dirt was revealed. Thankfully her eyes were closed she could have been sleeping but the color of her skin had already lost it luster. Her life had slipped away and only the shell of the perky little brunette remained. Faith caught her breath, "How did this happen?"

Captain Lindsey began to explain that little Rebekah had been murdered and that Draco had gone out to find out more information with two of his clansmen. "Why kill her? She was one of the more gentler souls, always happy, fearful of things she never seen, she was so excited to come..." Faith shook her head, "I told her mother it would be ok that it was an official visit, no danger.

Faith pulled the cover back up. "I want to go home" She sounded more like a child than an adult.

Ana pulled the reports from Yutan, "Faith, you should see this" She handed her the communication marked eyes only. Entering her code she looked at the message, "All of the territory the Republic held around Alderaan and the Core is no longer under Republic Protection. I need to speak to Supreme Commander [member="Willam Forlon"], and find the Chancellor [member="Jack Sparrow"] let's find out what's next"

Faith sat down at this moment she was alone in all things.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Draco sat in a high back chair facing the door of the apartment Gabriella was staying in, the defel sentinel quietly in a corner unseen and unheard by anyone. Even Draco wouldn't know he was there if it weren't for having pointed the position out and having watched the Defel disappear into the shadows. The Mandalorian knew what he was going to do when Gabriella got back to her room. Most of it was bluff, but even his rudimentary use of the Force, his gut instinct was that she knew what happened to Rebekah.

It was almost one in the morning when the door clicked and the dark room had a little arrow of star light and the redhead slipped into her room, closing the door behind her. She sighed, happy to be alone at last. Having to act around Draco, having to put on an act around Duke Aris, sleeping with Duke Aris. It was time she relaxed and got to collect herself. Her marriage to the Duke's brother would be announced the day after the Duke's marriage to Faith was, and would probably happen a lot sooner than the Royal Wedding.

"We found Rebekah." Draco's voice from behind her startled her, the countess's eyes went wide after she let out a soft yelp of surprise.

"Oh, well that's good, but should you really be in my bedroom to tell me the good news." Gabriella could only feign ignorance, but he wouldn't be here unless he knew.

"She's dead. But you already knew that." Draco's eyes looked up from the ground, the stormy grey eyes shone in the darkness as they pierced her. "You see, Faith makes her aides wear recorders to catch her notes, information about people she meets. I listened to it before I came here. Lucky Duke Aris's men didn't think to search her." Gabriella's eyes went wider, she backed towards the door. Maybe she could run from the Mandalorian. Her eyes looked down into his hands, good, they were empty, he wasn't planning on shooting her.

"Listen, its not what you think. I didn't know he was going to kill her. I-" Draco didn't know, but he knew if he blamed her and she knew anything, she would confess.

"Stop. I've heard all the excuses before. Everyone in your positions begs. It rarely works." Draco stood up and took a few steps towards her, "You are lucky though. Tell me everything, and I'll make sure your involvement stays off the records."

The countess started crying, backing up against the door. She couldn't run. The feeling of being trapped filled her, House Alde would suffer backlash if her involvement was revealed, even just conspiracy against the Princess in such a manner would bring about a backlash, and her, they would have to disown her. To her, tired as she was, there was only one option. Comply to the Mandalorian and hope he kept his word. It seemed he wanted to focus on destroying the Duke's reputation and influence, and was willing to let her slide to do so.

She cried, and sobbed through the whole story, everything she knew. Draco just stood over her, unemotional, unfeeling, uncaring. All he did was listen. He didn't ask any questions, didn't say a word.

"I swear, that is all I know. So what now?" She looked up at him, tears streaming off her face.

"I haven't decided. But its not really up to me. Its up to Faith. In the morning she may be willing to talk to you." It was better than she had thought he would do for her. Hopefully having confessed everything to him, he would convince Faith to show her some mercy. "Don't contact anyone until daybreak, or I'll try you in Mandalorian courts." She didn't know exactly what that meant, but a warrior culture probably didn't have the most merciful courts.

Draco turned and opened the door, a shadow peeled itself from the corner, barely visible, just... a darker shape in the dim light of the darkened room. Draco turned, looked back at her, "Dawn, go apologize to Faith. That should be the next time you speak." And closed the door behind him. He left a comm-jammer and holocamera in the room, hidden enough that she would have a hard time finding them, just in case she decided to show one last act of loyalty to the Duke.

Draco and Ner'gal made their way back to Faith's suite. Draco didn't know the next step. Every part of him wanted to put on his armor and go kill Duke Aris in his sleep. When the door opened and he saw Faith his thoughts went from vengeance to making sure she was okay. "Gabriella confessed." It was about all he could say, seeing how humble, how sad she was.

[member="Faith Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

Faith looked up, "you were with Gabriella. She confessed to what?" She wiped her face she put a bit of that Darkhold steel in her back and Organa poise in her movement.

Ten times she thought about Rebekah of the 20 or so things she had her do this week alone. She had her study Mandalorian history culture. Language. She was to be Draco connection to the citizens of Aldera. She laughed when she couldn't wrap her tongue around words. Greeting.

Rebekah tried hard at everything.

Faith looked to Draco deep sadness near what she felt when Dar and Bud didn't come home. Where was it all now? "Give me the room" everyone looked at her but did as she requested filing out into their rooms.

She waited to hear what did she confess to what was the plot. The reason. For this. Taking lives destroy others. Hmm.

Her dark eyes looked into Draco' s they each had suffered too much today. They needed one another. But how to get passed the rancor in the room.

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

"Ner'gal, your visor." Draco said after the others left, "You can go now." Once the defel escaped the room Draco moved to sit beside Faith, putting his arm around her, trying to comfort her and ease some of the tension and stress she was feeling.

"Here. I ambushed her when she got back to her room, accused her of participating in the murder, offered her mercy if she told me everything she knew. Ner'gal didn't sense any falsehood in her words. Listen, and then tell me what justice you want done." Draco turned the volume up on the visor so that it could be heard and played back the audio from his confrontation with Gabriella.

The woman had spilled it all, how the Duke was planning to use the connection to House Organa to secure Phrik Mining rights and then resale through House Aris, cutting House Organa out of the profits. How Gabriella had agreed to play a part in exchange for the marriage to the Duke's younger brother, and House Alde's phrik rights to be kept in tact after House Organa went bankrupt. How they had used a Human Replica Droid to implicate Draco of being unfaithful, and how the Duke alone had ordered Rebekah's death after she caught them scheming. The woman's recorded sobs meant nothing to Draco, not really. Someone died over money, but it was always money that people died over. That was nothing new. But it was one of his people that died, for some petty scheme.

"There is a problem with this, cyar'ika. You can't accuse him. He will deny it, and move on with his life. The Republic doesn't have jurisdiction in these matters, nor would they imprison or remove a Head of State of a planet for a single murder with so little physical evidence." Draco sighed, holding Faith, hugging her, hoping that she would relax in his arms and that her pain and suffering would roll away because of his touch. It was a reach given everything that had happened this day, how emotionally crushed she'd been. How, closed off he'd been once accused. He was still hurt, that she hadn't trusted him fully, but he could understand, and his protective instincts prevent him from piling on right now. That was a conversation for later, once they were home.

"So. Do you want me to kill him?" Draco's voice was simple, speaking as a matter of fact. He said it like he was asking what the weather was like. The Mandalorian was tired, exhausted, and emotionally drained. It just didn't bother him to rid the world of this one evil man, even if it would bother her. "Or do you want me to make him confess his crimes?"

[member="Faith Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

She listened. She heard. She understood. She snuggled into his arms where she was supposed to be safe. She didn't know what to say. Forgiveness was she suppose to say I forgive you. He had not done anything with Gabriella.

But.

He did find Rebekah. Her killer. Expose the Dukes plan. And show the conspirator in house Alde.

All without being asked.

"This has not been one of our better moments. But it has been where you shine at what you do. " What more could she say. Now the punishment.

Part of her really wanted to tell him go slit his throat. Beat him to a pulp. Make him bleed. But she couldn't the right thing to do. "He has to confess be tried before the courts here or the galactic system court and have Vena sanctioned."

Faith laid her head on his chest. " I want to be there. Hear him say it." No discussion on that.

"My protector Draco the Dragon. Are we going to survive this?"

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Draco felt her warmth, and eased, his weariness shedding as he rested, relaxed for the first time that night. He wouldn't be getting any sleep, but he would be taking advantage of this short rest in her loving embrace now. He would confront her about her mistrust when there wasn't the chance that they would have to flee quickly. "Oh, this isn't where I shine." He smiled weakly at her, meeting her golden hued eyes, brushing his fingers through her long brown hair. It felt like her hair was made of silk and he could feel his cheeks flush with color and warmth when he touched her.

"Okay. It will be okay baby." He said, resting his forehead against Faith's, sighing deeply. "We will survive. One way or another." Draco lips kissed her nose, as he so often did to show his affections for her. "I don't know how we will be able to punish him. I could try challenging him to a Trial by Combat, but he doesn't have to accept, and even if he does, he doesn't have to fight or abide by the outcome. He's in charge, its his planet." That was what bothered Draco with politics. Mandalorian Justice would be so much quicker, more final, more absolute.

"I need to sleep, at least an hour, and shower." He sighed, closing his eyes. "And I want things to go back to the way they were before. Right after lunch, when you longed for me, and spoiled me, and I couldn't keep my hands to myself. Promise me when we get home you will love me still?" His voice dropped to a whipser, and the Mandalorian's breath stopped for a moment. He still had the ring, but it didn't feel right. It didn't feel like the right time anymore. His hand slipped on to her thigh and he nuzzled Faith's neck, still not noticeably breathing, waiting for her reply.

[member="Faith Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

"Yes it is, always when I need protection from something, someone. When I need help, you step up take the rancor by the teeth and dive right in. You shine." Faith smiled she knew he was hurt she knew he feared loss more than anything else right now.

She feared it too, it haunted her.

"There are ways to punish him ways that need only prompting, that is my circle that is where I can request action. You get him to confess, I'll get him punished." She said it with such coldness that one would wonder about what she meant by punishment. "It's his planet but just like on Alderaan he has contemporaries ones who would not want to see Vena cut from trade markets. The Trade Agreements that he made up, he never showed to me, but I don't need them to know by looking Vena needs imports for the things they cannot create themselves. Raw materials. There are ways."

She pulled back to look up at him, "Draco. I didn't stop loving you, that would take a great deal of effort on my part. But being hurt, feeling betrayed those are the things that take time. Just because I know now that it was all a ruse, I can't get the image out of my mind. I see it in my dreams. I hear you laugh at me call me weak. Casting me aside. So much of what I do is public, I can't go many places without someone reporting where I went who went with me, what I ate sometimes falling onto some report, some tabloid holo, you get to travel almost anonymously. Any how its late, you should sleep I have work to do for the Republic."

She half smiled, "we'll go home after this is all dealt with. I have to take Rebekah home"

Faith kissed his cheek.

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Draco exhaled finally, after she finished talking. "Alright, I'll need Gabriella for that. She is coming here at dawn to apologize to you. If you want a confession, she can't have any marks on her." He smiled weakly, but he was going to wire the redhead, and send her after the Duke to get the confession. About the conspiracy, about the murder. Anything House Organa could use to hold against Vena as a whole. It would be tricky, but the Duke was utterly confident, and viewed the redhead as his property. Unless told, he wouldn't assume she was manipulating him. A man like Duke Aris was too proud to believe that he could be outsmarted by a woman like Gabriella.

"Noooo, I don't sleep well unless you are with me. Come on, you could use the rest too." He tugged on her, as he stood, trying to drag her back to bed, even if only for a little while. "Perhaps me holding you tight will warn your nightmares away." Draco's weary smile was the best he could manage. Exhaustion seeped from him, and his mind was dead, too tired to function well or politely, much less play the part of heart broken Mandalorian. He needed the rest of an hour or so, wrapped in Faith's arms, burning away her fears with his fire, and her warming him with her love and affection.

"I know. We will leave tomorrow once we've gotten some measure of justice. And we can take her home, back to her family together. I'd like them to hear about it from us if possible. In person. I've gotten news like that before. Reading it off some report or news article is the worst way to find out a loved one has died." The only thing worse was them just going missing and never knowing for sure, always having that cruel glimmer of hope as reality crushes it, slowly, but never completely.

Draco made for the bed and collapsed, leaving space for her to slip into his arms and spoon with him if she decided to get the extra hour or so rest he offered. When he woke, he would need to shower and don his armor, then prep Gabriella for her mission, and discuss her punishment, he, Faith, and Gabriella. She would have to suffer some.

[member="Faith Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

Faith moved when Draco pulled her along she just wasn't sure she was ready to sleep now, she had so much on her mind. "Coming here you say, I will listen to what she has to say, but I can't say that I won't be angry with her, or want to find a punishment for her"

Faith knew he was right she wouldn't sleep well unless he was near. She had grown into a habit of having him there, to be able to curl up next to him feel his warmth, hear the gentle breathing, and feel his arms around her. It was a lonely bed when he wasn't in it.

She slid into the bed and curled up next to him watching his face, knowing how long the day had been. They had left Alderaan when early this morning, or was it yesterday now? "You're upset with me." Even though he had never said it she knew him well enough to know that he had a hard time accepting that she could have believed what was shown to her. She laid her head on his chest. If only he had been in the room, she had said it couldn't be.

Ahhh, she didn't know anymore. She only knew they were tired, and that poor Rebekah would not be there in the morning with her bright smile.

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

"Not right now." Draco whispered, holding Faith tightly as they cuddled each other in the bed, his eyes closed, his breathing soft. He smiled, at her, giving her a soft kiss on the forehead before getting comfortable and trying to clear his mind, focusing on entering a healing trance. It wasn't that he was seriously injured, it was that he needed as much rest as he could get in the short time he had.

~In the Morning~

When Draco woke, it was still a little before dawn and he could feel his tire and exhaustion had abated a little bit, and his sleep had been sound, dreamless, motionless sleep. He pulled himself from Faith little by little, doing his best to get up without waking her and getting a shower before things got into motion.

The Mandalorian relaxed under the warm water, thinking of how he would have to go about the next day, how he would have to act, behave, think to get through it with his sanity in tact. Politics bored him, but now they had proven to be more dangerous to him than battle or wars. Once he was out of the refresher and dressed, Draco opened the sensor blocked suit case in the main room, letting Faith sleep in for a little bit.

Before he started getting into the contents of the box there was a knock at the door. Captain Lindsey answered it and Gabriella, red eyed, dressed in something fairly casual and currently not exactly dolled up. "I, I'm here to see Princess Faith." She looked, she could see the body, covered with a sheet on the counter, waiting to be transported away, and the Barabel monster sitting in the corner on its haunches, cleaning its six centimeter long fangs.

Captain Lindsey glared at her, but let her into the main room. "Faith is sleeping. You can talk to her in a moment." Draco pulled a small microphone from the box. "Here is the deal. You aren't getting out of this free and clear. Faith wants to exile you. I'm not going to fight her on that. I will ensure House Alde isn't publicly shamed or your actions held against them. But, you have a choice." Draco held out the small recording device.

"Get the Duke to confess to the plot and ordering Rebekah's death. Do that, and I will set you up in your exile. An estate on your choice of outer rim worlds. A sizable trust fund. And a guard to make sure you never leave that planet. There is no real alternative." Gabriella looked up at him, she didn't realize her punishment would be severe, but he was offering to make it a luxurious permanent vacation. Her other option was to risk Faith's anger and rage, and possibly face judgement in the Royal Court of Alderaan.

"Okay, but if he finds out I did this for you, he will kill me." She took the microphone and held it, inspecting it. She would have to hide it on her person.

"Unlikely. He won't know where you've gone and he will be publicly rebuked for it. I doubt he will have any power after this. If I'm lucky, they will toss him in prison and won't mind extraditing him to Mandalore." The Mandalorian pulled the first thing from the box, a machete in a scabbard an placed it on the table, removing the foam covering the armor plates in the bottom of the case.

[member="Faith Organa"]