Inexorable

[Laira Darkhold]

Dimeria smiled, "No, of course not. They probably just had one of the other Ambassadors return home recently, giving them a duty so they are not sitting home. I'll be remaining as her guardian and as part of her retinue to provide her with advice on what I've been able to learn about Eldorai culture." Precious little, but likely more than any other Alderaanian would understand. It would benefit Vaena politically as she would no longer be forced to allow an abomination to sit with her Court, helping the Duchess save face with her much more conservative constituents.

The Force-Dead Knight smiled, trying to maintain her stoic face as if being replaced and demoted to the rank of bodyguard didn't hurt her pride at all. It did, even if Sigma was correct in her assumptions and in the end the demotion worked to Dimeria's benefit, giving her more free time and less responsibilities. "I am sure the new Ambassador will serve you and Alderaan better than I, but in the meantime I will remain to ensure our relationship remains strong," a double meaning for sure, but she wasn't trying to place emphasis on it.

"I wouldn't want to take up anymore of your time unless you have need of me."

[member="Vaena Askari"]

 

[Vaena Askari]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]


Vaena was not blind to the political value. Her sudden ennoblement had forced her to broaden her horizons. The fact that an abomination had suddenly appeared at her court inevitably produced lurid rumours and gossip. That alone hurt her standing. In a way...Dimeria was a vulnerability.


Yet the young Duchess wanted to keep her. Demon she might be, Dimeria was brave, honest, forthright and caring. Vaena's yearning for her was selfish, but could she not be allowed one moment of selfishness? Vaena had used her connection with her to gain access to something the Royal House of Alderaan might have otherwise been a bit less willing to part with. Did this make her a bad partner? Did it mean she had exploited her?


She pushed the thought aside. Her lover was putting up a good show, but Vaena doubted that her demotion sat well with her. With luck, being less exposed would make Dimeria less of a target of scorn and derision. "I believe you sell yourself short, my lady. You have been a good friend and helped open a window to the outside world for someone deeply unschooled in it. I will be sure to stress this when I receive the new ambassador," she said formally.


"The guests will be here soon, Your Grace," Zahra interjected suddenly. Quite what the Qadiri made of the scene remained ambiguous. Her expression gave nothing away. "There are some files that require your attention before the gathering begins," she passed a folder with neat Qadiri sigils.


"Yes, of course," Vaena responded a bit distractedly. She straightened her back. Duty called. It stood above all other concerns. "There are matters I must attend to ere the gathering begins." Paperwork, security matters with Ariawyn, prayer. "I shall see you once it begins. Then you can deliver the good news about Alderaan providing us with a herdship."

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Dimeria was grateful that Vaena continued to appreciate her, even though admittedly she had done very little in her own mind. “I thank you for your kind words. May you be rewarded for them later.” Certainly not alluding to anything, couldn’t be. The Knight flashed a grin as she spoke, a mischievous look crossing her features.

She bowed deeply at the waist as she was dismissed and backed from the room as was proper, to never turn one’s back to the Lord or Lady of the house. She didn’t have to make quite the same preparations as Vaena, but she did, unfortunately have to mingle with the other Eldorai to show that Alderaan did indeed have a presence in the court and that despite her affliction, she was a grateful and earnest guest in their House.

Something that for the most part was lost on the Eldorai. Many scorned her as soon as they saw her as the Knight walked the corridors. She did have at least one friend, well acquaintance, who at least didn’t openly hate her or despise her. Karina, who at one point had desired Princess Organa for her own, which had amused Dimeria at the time.

Long strides carried her through the faces of disdain and disgust towards the door of the pompous, arrogant, vapid brat that Dimeria had come to feel had several endearing qualities. At least she could manage to be polite.

[member="Vaena Askari"]

 

[Vaena Askari]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]


Karina did not live in the same place as Vaena, having acquired lodgings elsewhere. Her place was close though. The guards would let Dimeria through, though not without giving her looks that verged from suspicious to downright hostile. In contrast to Vaena, Karina revelled in high living and it showed. There was no sign that she intended to downscale the ostentatiousness of her living quarters.

Once she approached the room Karina was in, Dimeria would hear a rather loud, shrill voice. "Audits? Inspections? Requisitions?! How dare she? Has my baseborn sister lost her mind? What gives her the right to steal my property from me? It is all mine by right," Karina shrieked.

"I agree completely, my Lady," one of her ladies-in-waiting declared sycophantically. "You accepted her into your great house despite the shame she has brought upon you, and now she repays you with robbery. No doubt she is jealous."

"Yes, jealous! Of my glorious lineage, grace and good breeding! She would have us live like paupers. No Daughter of the Dragon would debase herself in such a way. We put up with Tarissa's tyranny, but no more. I shall make this clear to her at the gathering. Fraeya is of one mind with me. Her auditors are to be turned away, by force if needed." There was a gleam in Karina's eye.

"It was a mistake of her to take these actions without consultation, Mistress," another minion said carefully. "But if I may, we should consider House Cadalthor's poor financial situation. We are no longer..."

"Would you have the Lady Karina Cadalthor part with what is hers by right and live like a commoner?" the lady-in-waiting interjected fiercely. "Who knows what treasonous schemes the bastard and the proles she surrounds herself with have concocted. She is a bastard, after all, not trueborn."

"Pardon, the interruption, Lady Karina, the Ambassador of Alderaan is here to see you," a guard who had accompanied Dimeria spoke. Her voice was modulated by her helmet's electronic speaker, but the disdain in her voice was unmistakeable when she referred to the Force Dead Knight.

"That demon still walks these halls? Is it enough humiliation enough that our own Queen has supplicated herself before the monkeighs and ...," the lady-in-waiting spoke up.

"Oh, send her in," Karina cut her off with a wave of her hand, temporarily distracted from her grievances. The confessor had been quite adamant about being Dimeria being an evil demon, but Karina found the old bat annoying. Besides, scripture said all humans were demons. Dimeria was polite to her and knew how to dress. Unlike her mean, holier than thou sister.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Dimeria strode through the security, which for Eldorai was more for show than for actual security. She had come to learn that it was a status symbol, the more a noble could afford meant that they were important enough for someone else to want to assassinate them. Or something like that.

Karina, despite her selfishness, was surprisingly one of Dimeria’s favorite. Also Laira said she had a nice rump, which was hard to argue with. The knight bowed at the waist when she entered the room. “Good afternoon, my lady,” she started moving to find a seat. Thankfully her armor was light and comfortable, actually something Karina had suggested for her.

“I was just looking to kill some time before your sister’s conclave and thought to chew the fat with you Lady Karina.” She found a seat across from the vapid noble, letting the formalities pass for now. She could be polite and be informal at the same time. “I would have offered to get something to eat, but I’m afraid my monthly allowance is mostly spent for the next few days.” She blushed, “I splurged on a few things for the bedroom this month.”

The knight sighed, “I do miss having Laira’s trust-fund pay for everything.”

[member="Vaena Askari"]

 

[Vaena Askari]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]


"The Dem...human forgets herself, m'Lady," Edina, the lady-in-waiting hissed. "Remember who you are speaking to," she added sharply with a pointed look towards Dimeria that left no doubt about where she considered the woman's place to be. Certainly not in the same room as an Eldorai noblewoman, especially one descended from the line of Anais the Dragon.


Karina was in ill humour, feeling annoyed by her minion's interruption and Dimeria's words. "It must be delightful to live off the largesse of your social betters without the need to care for your expenses," she declared without the slightest hint of irony. She probably needed some copper with it.


"I, on the other hand, must endure the boundless insolence of a pretentious, jealous beancounter," she huffed. "Tell me, would the Queen of Alderaan deprive her own family - her flesh and blood - of their rightly deserved income and have them debase themselves before her like paupers? I think not." But then the Queen was not baseborn or a bastard.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

"Well, I serve the crown, and so the crown provides for me. I'm grateful for what they are willing to grant me, but sometimes I do miss Princess Laira paying for everything and having plenty to spare." Dimeria said, noting the disdain in Karina's servant. Luckily Karina didn't feel the same, which made the otherwise vapid woman tolerable. "She used to donate huge sums to charity because she had been unable to spend her monthly allowance."

"The queen and her family members are very fortunate, and very gracious to their loyal servants." The knight was careful with her words, noting the Eldorai's huffiness about her own situation. She couldn't complain about her situation too much, even if she could admit that she wished her position provided her with more wealth to compensate for her frivolous spending habits. And with that position going away, she'd have to figuratively tighten her own belt as it were. "When the throne prospers as do the people who follow it."

A sly grin crossed her face as purple eyes flicked back to the Eldorai arista, a devious plot forming in her head. "I'm told the Prince Consort has a similar trust fund available as the Princess's dowry. Some lucky man is going to have a very pretty bride and a very pleasant lifestyle." She yawned, "Oh well, we should probably get ready to attend the conclave."

[member="Vaena Askari"]

 

[Vaena Askari]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]


"I cannot help but wonder about your appointment. You're not a trained diplomat, and yet you were posted here. Alderaan's first representative. Not even to the Crown, but to my dear sister. I'm not sure the Crown even has an embassy on Alderaan. Curious, yes? Do you merely discuss trade agreements with her and listen to her deliver lectures about Ashira and spew vitriol on her family?" Karina asked Dimeria, then shrugged.

She snapped her finger at a servant. "You there. My coat and shoes. The gathering awaits. I shall grace it with my presence," she declared haughtily. They would be fashionably late, but that was the way she liked it. It would not do for her to be perfectly on time. Punctuality was something for malelings and plebeians. By the time they arrived, several Eldorai aristocrats would be showing up, along with bodyguards, secretaries and miscallaenous hangers-on that served no real purpose, but seemed to be a requirement for the entourage of a blue blooded bigwig.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

"I think my appointment was made as a result of the fact that I was one of the few Alderaanians the Eldorai as a whole had dealt with in any capacity. And to the House the Royal Family had the closest relationship with. Perhaps in time the Crown will appoint someone to the Star Queen based on how well this relationship goes. Kind of like a test run I guess." Dimeria said, though many of the points Karina raised were something to consider. It was unknown to her how the rest of the Eldorai Matriarchy felt about the appointment or whether they felt slighted by not receiving one of their own.

Then the violet-eyed knight smiled once more, "Yeah, it usually trade agreements and such, but she never complains about you to me. Personally I think she's glad to have such an understanding member of her family for me to hangout with." Buttering up Karina never hurt too much. Plus Vaena needed some of her family to like her, at least Dimeria thought so.

Regardless, the time had come for them all to attend the congregation of the House of Cadalthor, which Dimeria thankfully didn't have to change or get any more prepared than she already was, armed with her atrisian sword and armored in her fashionable red hauberk with black and white secondaries. She walked behind Karina, a sign of respect that she was merely an observing guest rather than a participating member, and took a seat far from the central table where Vaena and her confidants would be. The Force-Dead Knight stood out enough without being up Front and Center.

[member="Vaena Askari"]

 

[Vaena Askari]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]


"Oh really, does she?" Karina flipped her hair back. "Then maybe she should follow my advice. Her rule would be a lot smoother if she did. If only she knew how to act among highborn. Or dress, for that matter," she declared airily as they departed the apartment. Her high heels clacked on the floor. She walked with her head held high, with the ostentatious bearing of a woman who thought she owned the place.

By the time they arrived at the gathering, the place was already packed. Despite the large number of high ladies and hangers-on, it would probably not be difficult to pick out Vaena from amongst the crowd. The duchess stuck out like a sore thumb since she had elected to wear simple black robes and boots rather than anything fancy. This stood in stark contrast to the many ladies who wore beautiful gowns bedecked with gems.

One lady in particular had engaged her in dialogue, pulling the duchess aside. "Vaena, dear, what is the meaning of all this talk of requisitions and audits about? Insolent minions of yours showed up at my doorstep, making impudent demands. You must control these proles better. The house is in uproar," Mylea chided her, speaking in a tone one might use with a child who still had not learned an important lesson.

"The audits are being carried at my command, Mother," Vaena responded tersely. "Our house is in dire straits. So is the entire Matriarchy. I ordered them for the good of the Eldorai."

"Do not lecture me, dear. I know well enough of the sorry state of affairs. You cannot make decisions of this magnitude unilaterally. You should have consulted with me first. The family council..."

"Would have watered down any proposal I made until it was unrecognisable," Vaena cut her off impatiently. "As they have done so well in the past. This is why our people have fallen so far. I am Duchess and the decision is mine alone."

"A Duchess who only bears the title because we have an apostate for a Queen," the Marchioness of Thermiscyra, an old crone, approached them. Centuries ago, a Company of Angelii had faced a numerically superior Kar'zun army at the passes of Thermiscyra. Outnumbered and outgunned, the Angelii had fought to the bitter end. The Marchioness was a distant relative of the High Captain who had led him. "I always said that following a bastard would lead us to ruin. Look at what your daughter has wrought, Myela. She consorts with Demons and is now trying to carry out a power grab."

"Elpharae," Vaena's mother began, but she was cut off.

"Why else would she have secret dealings with mercenaries and barbarians and seek to deprive her family of what is rightfully theirs?"

"To prevent this house from falling into ruin?" Vaena countered. "Something you have contributed little to. It is time for you to repay what is owed. The Goddess did not mean for her ministers to grow greedy and for her daughters to drown in gold."

"Girl, do not lecture me about the Goddess. You who have broken her laws by soiling yourself with mon..."

"Vaena is correct on one matter. The Eldorai have fallen far," a tall, dark-haired Eldorai female clad in a gown stepped in. Her bearing was confident and she had brought a sizeable entourage. "The Goddess wished a better fate for her daughters than seeking succour from monkeighs and kowtowing to a Queen who spits on tradition."

"Fraeya, I see you have returned from your exile, dear cousin." Vaena felt like saying something scatological, but held her tongue.

"When the motherland calls, I answer," the newcomer declared. "The family convinced me that I could not stand by idly while our race sinks into ruin under the leadership of apostates and monkeigh lovers."

"Strange that you did not have this insight when we were fighting for our lost sistren on Kaeshana, who even now languish under foreign tyranny," Vaena remarked cynically.

"An endeavour that was doomed ere our soldiers even landed, cousin. We put ourselves at the beck and call of the godless and paid the price. It was the monkeighs whose duplicity thwarted us. Now I am here to help set things right and defend the interests of our house." Obvious implication was obvious.

Karina looked a little annoyed about the fact that the eyes of most were on Fraeya rather than her. So she stepped forward to stand at her side. "I contacted Fraeya. We have discussed the situation very thoroughly. We do not wish to remove you, Vaena. Merely protect the family and our rights."

Meanwhile, Dimeria would not remain alone for long. Many of the Cadalthors looked at her with scorn or pointedly ignored her. However, one approached the Force Dead Knight. She was a girl who was probably about Laira's age - or the elf equivalent thereof. "They say you are a Demon," she stated without preamble. Her tone was curious and a bit bemused instead of hostile though. She made a show out of looking the human up and down, as if searching for demonic attributes. "You do not look like one. No more than any human, at any rate," she added with a laugh. "Or do you keep your claws and cloven feet hidden?"

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Dimeria smiled at the young woman, though her words weren’t the kindest, she didn’t seem to be acting out of malice but curiosity. “No, I don’t have hooves or claws.” Though one conversation with the right Yuuzhan Vong Shaper and she could have if she wanted them. The purple eyes of the Knight shifted with flecks of light blue, emphasizing her kind state of mind. Damn eyes keeping her honest about her mood. “Think of me less as a demon, more as someone cursed by a demon, you know?”

The group of matriarchs were all speaking amongst one another, all vying and prying, some more polite in their tones than others. Given all the dirty looks, Dimeria could surmise she was at least one topic of conversation that did not stand to help Vaena’s position. There were certainly enough of them, and enough of them seemed to be disillusioned from the Duchess’s vision for the House. Not that Dimeria could blame them, in times of need, someone had to make sacrifices for the good of the whole, but that didn’t mean everyone was just okay with it. Alderaan’s rebuilding had been lucky, bankrupting the enterprises of Alyessa Organa and Incom, selling a portion of its sister world for funding, and a vast input from Clan Vereen, the Mandalorians, and House Organa as a whole had born the brunt of the expenses. House Cadalthor was not so lucky to be comprised of powerful CEO’s willing to nearly bankrupt themselves for the good of their people. Sacrifice was never easy, especially not from rigid nobility.

“I’m just human that doesn’t feel right is all. Nothing as extraordinary as a demon I’m afraid. I’m Dame Dimeria Nykerian, Ambassador from House Organa to House Cadalthor. And you are?” She asked, keeping her voice kind and her tone polite. It was possible this girl had a massive list of titles that required proper reverence from a humble foreign ambassador.

[member="Vaena Askari"]

 

[Vaena Askari]

[member="Laira Darkhold"]

"Your rights? Gold is your Goddess. Do you have such little care for the good people of the Matriarchy that you would fret over your gems?" Disgust rolled from Vaena's tongue. She felt cornered and it made her angry. "This house would have wiped out by Firemane if it had not been for me. I am the reason you can stand here in your silk dresses and pontificate about being oppressed."

"You think you saves us? You kowtowed before Firemane. The dictate you signed without the slightest protest or even bothering to consult us crippled our house," Fraeya countered. "Even now we are shackled. Our house would not be in such dire straits if you had stood up to them."

"And then you'd all be dead," Vaena snapped. "Except for you, I suppose, since you were hiding in exile like a coward instead of standing with your people. There would have been no reparations if Tarissa had not plotted treason."

"I wonder whether the apostate Queen ennobled you at their behest. She was always an apostates' whore debasing herself before the monkeighs," the old crone spoke caustically.

"This is unbecoming of us. Our house can do better this. Vaena, our family must stand together, but that requires you to...," her mother was cut off when the young Duchess impatiently waved her hand.

"Acquiesce to greed and foolishness?"

"High Ladies, if I may suggest a compromise. Surely we all wish for House Cadalthor to prosper. The House needs to raise funds to become solvent, but I cannot imagine that it is Her Grace's desire to oppress her family members. Perhaps the creation of a council composed of the most esteemed members of the house will ease your concerns. It could manage the collective fund and help steer policy," Zahra proposed reasonably.

The old crone Elpharae looked at her with disgust. Indeed, she seemed surprised that the Qadiri could even speak her language. "I see you have taught a sand baby Eldarai and let it speak for you, Vaena. What a strange world we live in, where apes and savages walk in the same circles as us."

"Her name is Zahra. You will use it," Vaena growled.

"I believe the proposal has merit. It would harken back to the traditions of our foremothers. But the council would have to have actual teeth behind it. It would be most unwise to leave the direction of our family to one woman. Especially one who is, no offence meant, so unrested and was not raised as a highborn. I do not think one woman should be able to enter binding treaties, demand the collection of tribute or wield control over our warriors without its input. We have all seen how unchecked power promotes abuse," Fraeya spoke.

"I agree completely. I think Lady Fraeya would be an excellent candidate to chair such a body," Karina added sycophantically. "She has the experience, is a pious believer in the Goddess and was born and raised as a daughter of the Dragon."

Vaena felt a strong urge to say something scatological or set someone on fire, but a look from her advisor convinced her otherwise. She ground her teeth. "We shall discuss this later," she responded tersely. In the back of her mind, dark thoughts were being given voice. "I am open to...considering appropriate ways to ensure the worthiest get their say." The words tasted sour on their tongue. You shall all reap what you have sown, she told herself. If pretty words did not help, then the cold steel would. Meanwhile, Ariawyn watched the display, standing vigilant. Her helmet concealed the loathing written across her features. Vaena could sense it though. She gave her friend a barely perceptible shake of her head.

xxx

The young Eldorai woman furrowed her brow slightly. She looked intrigued when the human's eyes suddenls changed colour. That looked cool! "Oh, I am sorry. I have suffered at the hands of demons, too. My mother was pulled into Illyria's maw when I was young." In other words, she had been raptured during the Netherworld Event. The girl looked a bit upset, but then shook it off.

"Is there something that could be done to break your curse?" she asked curiously. It seemed like a reasonable question to her. Then it occured to the girl that she had not introduced herself yet. "Oh, where are my manners. I am Lady Elanil Cadalthor, daughter of Alesia Cadalthor," she stretched out her hand. "Pleased to meet you. Where is Alderaan? What is it like?" Unlike the other Eldorai, Elanil spoke Basic. It was very accented, but understandable enough. Indeed, it was probably better than Vaena's.