Island in the Sun

[Kamon's OOC]

Sometimes it's good to be rich.

When you have a lot of money you can do things that you otherwise would not be able to do. For example, you could pay for a super expensive vacation for yourself and a bunch of your top employees. Take them anywhere you wanted to go, let them have a good old time, and provide an incentive for good performance from the rest of your people. Sith or not, Leos was a good boss to work for and he wanted to make sure that all of his people were aware of that fact. It made them less likely to turn around and betray him.

In this particular instance, he had rented out several of Spira's islands. He'd divided his people accordingly to minimize numbers per island, while keeping one of the islands for himself, and only allowed Mae to join him there. He didn't want to spend all of his time hanging around with his employees, even though Mae was technically an employee. He did pay her and she did have a ship of her own, so perhaps it showed a little favoritism. But most people understood that she was his protector and as such no doubt expected him to be taking her where he went.

As it was, they arrived with little fanfare, dropped off on their own little private island, where everything would be left up to them. No cooks and no waiting staff except for the cleaning crew that came through each day. In the short distance from them was their new, temporary home. He hoisted his bags and started heading up to the house, glancing back to make sure Mae was coming.

"Home away from home."

[member="Maelasi Eramar"]

 

[Lief]

Had he not insisted she join him, even stooping so low as to pull the protector card, Maelasi would never in a million years have come to the tropical getaway that was Spira.

This was a place for the rich and famous, those with more money than sense, her paycheck would never have afforded it. Not that she really used the wage she was given. It didn't feel right. Everything she needed was already paid for, ship, crew, supplies. Another cause for argument between the pair. Funny how he had been so intent on knocking her to her knees, forcing submission from her, but would not go so far as to actually keep her as a slave.

Still, the credits were sat accumulating worth. Just like this vacation, he had the last word.

Maelasi did not own very much. As such her belongings for this trip had fit into one pack she could carry on her back. Not that she had let Leos realize as much, a fact he would not note until just this very moment when unpacking his own things. She walked along the sand-strewn path toward their ... just what in the world was that? A weird wooden hut set atop a sand dune?

What a strange place.

No she most definitely would not have been here otherwise.

She made a noise to his statement. While she was in no doubt about the location's beauty, truly it was enough to take her breath away, she wasn't about to break ranks now. Vacation for him simply meant more cause to remain alert on her part.

Sand had somehow already made its way into her boots, much to her dismay, it made her toes feel weird. She was carrying any of the extra luggage that had remained within the transport vessel which brought them here, more than happy to carry the burden. Her ribs had mostly set by this point, though a reminder of the whole incident remained in Ignus' hand. Part of her thought it was looking better than it had, but that might have been a trick of the light or simply her adjusting to the sight of it.

Who knew?

[member="Ignus"]

 

[Kamon's OOC]

Leos knew. It was not getting better. He'd watched day after day, using small marks on his skin to measure. If anything, the darkness was very, very slowly progressing up his hand. Eventually he would find he no longer had use of it, but until that point, he chose to try and ignore it. He didn't want to make Mae worry over it anymore than she already did. So if she thought it was getting better, she was wrong, but if she expressed as much, he would assure her that it was. Sometimes it was best to lie to people. Some lies weren't inherently bad things, after all. Sometimes they protected people from getting really hurt.

Up they went to the house. He pushed the door open and felt out with the force. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so he stepped inside, and immediately pressed a button on the wall, which opened the shutters separating the building from the outside. What was left was such a wide open space that he stood and marveled at it.

"Well, we should have plenty of lounge space."

He nodded and turned to head towards the bedroom, which he found easy enough. It wasn't as if the home was overly difficult to navigate. Inside the bedroom was a single, large bed, and several smaller lounges. He hit the button here to open the walls as well before setting his bags on one of the lounges, opening them, and beginning to unpack. They had the place for an entire week to themselves, so there was no need for them to live out of their suitcases. He'd even taken the liberty of purchasing swimming attire for them so they could enjoy the warm waters of their private beach. He knew she'd probably groan when she saw it, but she was going to wear it and she was going to enjoy the water whether she liked it or not!

When she stopped to put her things away, he grabbed the suit and tossed it at her.

"For when we go to the beach."

[member="Maelasi Eramar"]

 

[Lief]

Up the winding path, and to the front door... If one could call it such. She doubted it could keep the rain out, if this island even saw much rain, much less any who might wish harm on Leos.

Everything about this felt wrong, but what was she going to do? Leave him here? Hardly. Her issues stemmed from the need to protect him, especially since she had willingly signed herself over to him. No, she would have to simply grin and bear it. Did not mean she had to enjoy herself, though.

The place was fancy to say the least, even if a little odd architecturally. Like nothing she had seen before. Her eyes flicked over the room, surveying for entry points and--

"Oh, Force help me."

The whole damn building was lined with windows. Windows which, as Leos so perfectly demonstrated, could effortlessly open. She was going to go insane. Simply insane! How was she supposed to watch them all?

He gestured toward the only bedroom the place had, which was saying a lot given the size of it, and she followed him reluctantly inside. Moving to one of the chaise longue she set her pack down, as well as anything else she might have been carrying, before sitting alongside it. Comfortable enough, but she doubted she'd be getting any sleep regardless. This place was just too risky.

Every inch of the room was mentally analyzed.

Oh for the love of... This room too?

Yet more windows which opened like doors.

Unlike Leos she didn't really have any intentions of unpacking. He likely wouldn't be happy with what she had brought, because it most definitely was not at all suitable for the climate. In fact the majority of her bag was filled with other things all together, medpacks so that he didn't have to resort to damn sorcery, two empty cantines incase he decided to wander too far afield. Fresh water on a place surrounded by salt water was paramount. Just a few changes of clothes, uniform not casual gear.

So when he threw her the bathing suit, she simply stared at it, then him, then back to it, before tossing it back at him. "I'm here to work" she said, with a slight pout. She didn't have time to mess around in the water.

[member="Ignus"]

 

[Kamon's OOC]

He caught it and promptly tossed it back at her.

"No, you're here to relax, same as me. If anyone comes after me here, we'll both know it. There's no one here but us. If you're that worried, double check the staff that cleans every day. No one else will be here while we are."

No there was no going back on this. She was going to enjoy herself even if he had to make her enjoy herself. Yes, he'd known that she was likely to insist upon working while they were there, and that she was going to want to do everything that she could to protect him, but that was just another reason he hadn't brought anyone else out to their island. He didn't want to have to deal with people trying to attack him while they were vacationing. He wanted her to relax. Ever since their fight she'd been nothing but stuffy. She was always formal, prim and proper. Everything was serious business to her, and he appreciated it, but he needed her to relax some too.

When he finished unpacking his things, he walked over and opened her bag, whether she wanted him to or not. He frowned at what he saw and looked at her with an expression of consternation.

"I know you take your job seriously, Mae, but this is a bit much, don't you think? We're here to relax, not go on a crusade."

[member="Maelasi Eramar"]

 

[Lief]

She set it down without another word and turned from him, feigning interest in the damn doors which were going to become the bane of her existence.

"You took me from Nadir to protect you, not to flounce around on some beach resort."

Truth be told it wasn't that she didn't want to enjoy herself. Mae had never been on vacation, not once in her life, not even during her academy days. She had never truly let her hair down and relaxed. Was that a bad thing? Not in her eyes. She didn't want to goof off in front of the man who literally held her life in his hands, and whose life was in her hands.

When he came to her side though, and began rummaging through the only bag she had brought, Mae winced and began to step away from him. She turned and watched his reaction. He did not seem impressed, and right now she was honestly feeling a little silly.

"You came here to relax." She swallowed, and looked away, unable to keep her gaze on his. "I don't know what that entails."

[member="Ignus"]

 

[Kamon's OOC]

He could only blink in response to this. She didn't know what relaxing meant?

"You've never been anything but work oriented, have you?"

He frowned, shaking his head. No, this just wouldn't do. If he had any say in the matter, which he of course did, she was going to enjoy herself and not spend every single moment worrying over him. Every once in a while, even the most busy of people needed to relax for a moment. It was a wonder she hadn't gone crazy over the years if she hadn't taken the chance to relax for even a moment. How could he stand by and allow her to work on this vacation of theirs? He couldn't. He wasn't that cruel, and in his mind it would be hurting her to keep her trapped in a working situation in such a lovely place as this.

The first thing he did was pick up the bikini and hold it out to her.

"Take off your uniform and put this on. If I have to make it an order I will. I'm going to show you how to relax because I want you learn. I don't need your protection here. I could have chosen not to bring you, but I told you I needed you in order to get you to come here WITH me, not to protect me."

[member="Maelasi Eramar"]

 

[Lief]

She shook her head almost awkwardly to his first question. In fact, what kind of question was that at all? Of course she hadn't. Even on Nadir her whole reason for being there was to improve herself, to find people worth fighting so that she didn't lose momentum.

"Not exactly had any time for that, Sir. Between school, and training, and work..." A slight shrug of her shoulders, still not looking at him. She felt rather put on the spot. If it had been anyone else stood across from her, talking to her like this, she'd have kept her head held high and laughed it off. But for some reason Leos was different, he made her feel more vulnerable than anyone else ever had. It was not a pleasant feeling.

He held out the swim suit she had set aside, and only then did she lift her head in stern resolve. He wanted her to ease up, why that was the case she did not know. "Then you're going to have to make me, Sir. I'm not putting that on. I don't understand why this matters to you, I'm not stopping you from doing what you want."

[member="Ignus"]

 

[Kamon's OOC]

"Yes, actually, you are. Stop being so obstinate all the time."

He walked around the lounge and stepped up to her, holding the bikini out for her to take. If she wasn't going to do it of her own free will then he would make her. But he was going to give her one more chance to just do it. He wanted her to relax because she deserved it. All the time she was working and serious and making every effort to keep him safe. That was great, but she deserved some free time that she didn't ever actually get. The fact that she'd never had it before only served to actually make him pained. How could someone never take some time to unwind? How had she lived this long without going absolutely crazy.

"Just do this for me, Mae. I don't need your protection here, and I want you to learn to relax and unwind. You don't have to be serious all the time."

Reaching out, he took her hand and put the bikini in.

"Please?"

[member="Maelasi Eramar"]

 

[Lief]

In the end she didn't really have a choice. She knew she was facing her last chance to put it on with dignity, that any more resistance would lead to a firm hand or sharp tongue demanding it of her. And though no others stood close enough to hear, that would still be humiliating.

So when he set it in her hand she did not cast it aside. She did not throw it at him. She simply hung her head.

"As you wish, Sir."

Her gaze lifted a touch though not in his direction, trying to seek out some sort of towel which could cover her when she put it on. It may have seemed like a private beach, but what did she know? And besides, though he had seen her body before it wasn't in the most pleasant of circumstances... She wasn't sure she was ready to willingly share it.

"T-Turn around, maybe?"

Whether he would or not remained to be seen. After all, she hadn't exactly said it with much confidence.

[member="Ignus"]

 

[Kamon's OOC]

Good, she took it and agreed this time. He knew she could be reasonable when she felt around to it, and his request wasn't exactly the worst in the world, to be honest. Whether she knew what relaxing was or not, she was going to learn. She might not like it that he was going to make her learn, but it was in her best interest. He was trying to make life better for her and he was doing it the only way that he knew how.

When she agreed, she asked him to turn around. He was about to say he'd seen her completely naked before so what was the point, but he felt he should be nice and let her offer her body to him sometime down the road rather than make her give it to him. It would be better that way. So, instead, he turned around, facing away from her so that she could take a moment to get out of her uniform and get dressed in the swimsuit. He'd have to change into his soon enough, but for the moment he could wait. He still found it hard to believe that she didn't know what it meant to relax. It almost made him angry at the people who'd made her into what she was.

"I want you to know that I'm not doing this because I'm angry at you or anything. I brought you here because I wanted to relax, but I also want you to relax. You can't work all the time and keep at your top performance. You need to enjoy the little things in life too."

He poked at his hand.

"You work hard. You deserve to rest some."

[member="Maelasi Eramar"]

 

[Lief]

Relief flooded through her when he turned around, and while she took her sweet-ass time she soon had the damn thing on and began to once again look for a towel. The sea breeze while welcome was a little chill, considering they were out of the sun, and given that she was wearing so little she wasn't exactly equipped against it.

Damn stupid necessities. Why couldn't I have stayed on the ship?

Still she couldn't very much refuse him now could she? Not without risking seeing that darker side at least. The right of her torso remained rather bruised at the ribs, and her body was lined with scars that she was suddenly very self-conscious of. One did not fight for a living and come away without a 'scratch' or two.

"Whatever you say, Sir. If this is what you wish of me, then so be it." A task was a task, after all, and he was her superior. No doubt she would only annoy him further with the way she was talking but she didn't care. She stepped away from him, without informing him that she was finished, still dead-set on finding a towel. There had to be one somewhere!

[member="Ignus"]

 

[Kamon's OOC]

When she started walking away from him, he snuck a glance and saw that she was clothed, so he turned about. It did look good on her, as he'd known that it would. But he didn't oggle her. He had no reason to do so being as he'd seen her unclothed before. Plus it seemed she was busy looking for something, though he didn't exactly know what it was that she was looking for since she hadn't said. But she was starting to bother him with what she said. Yes, he was her superior and he would remain such, but was she completely incapable of treating him as anything other than her superior? It sort of seemed that way.

He went and grabbed his trousers and snuck off to the bathroom to change into them before returning and finding her with a towel wrapped around her waist that she'd found somewhere. He put his normal clothes in the wardrobe before turning and walking to her, and, gently grabbing her by the shoulders while looking her in the eyes.

"Mae, listen. I know I'm you're superior and that you're programmed to do what I say, but that doesn't mean you have to be so stiff necked about it all the time. I know you don't understand what relaxing is, since you've told me as much, but relaxing is when you let go of everything else and just attune yourself to what's around you. This is a beautiful place here. It's quiet and there's no one here but you and I. Explore, swim, sleep, stare at the stars. You're not my protector here. Here you're just a beautiful woman who is free to enjoy this place."

He released her arms then and tapped her chin.

"Let's go swim before it gets dark."

[member="Maelasi Eramar"]

 

[Lief]

She felt him look at her for just a second, and breathed out another relief filled sigh when she heard him walk off to change. Oh sure, you get your damn privacy don't you? Still he hadn't stared at her, so that was something.

Finally she found what she was looking for, a bright white towel that she wrapped around herself. From the top of her chest, to the tops of her knees, it covered her up nicely. And the cold which had settled over her began to lift.

Mae had just finished folding up her uniform when firm hands grasped her shoulders and turned her on the spot. Suddenly he was there, staring at her intently, and she wondered if she had done something wrong.

"It's just a towel, Sir..." she began to explain, before pausing to listen to what he had to say. "Oh..." So she wasn't in trouble? Or more, not for the reason she believed she was. She wasn't his protector here? "Why am I here if not to protect? Why didn't you bring someone else along with you, someone who wouldn't spoil your fun?"

A very slight pout made itself known, before she gave a very light nod of her head. "Fine, fine... Let's swim. And maybe I'll watch the stars with you after..." Maybe.

[member="Ignus"]

 

[Kamon's OOC]

"If I brought someone else it would have been Paa'lee, but she pushed me away. Besides, I wanted you to be here so I could know you're actually taking a break."

Well, at least she wouldn't be able to wear the towel forever. When they got in the water she'd have to take it off and literally let her hair down. Turning back from her, and releasing her because he wasn't going to literally drag her, he went and grabbed a towel for himself before heading through the open side of the building that faced the beach. He started the climb down the stairs, only glancing back to make sure that she was, indeed, following. If she wasn't he'd have to go back and get her. She did say she would go for a swim and maybe even watch the stars with him. He hadn't expressly asked her to do that. Maybe they were getting somewhere?

Down and down they went. Nary a soul in sight. All of this beautiful place was theirs to enjoy for an entire week. A week in paradise! If nothing else, he would SHOW her what relaxing was like so that she could learn for the future. Once his feet hit the sand, he stopped and dug his toes down into it. When barefoot, sand is the most wondrous of things. When wearing shoes it was really quite the bother.

"The sand is warm. It feels nice."

He proceeded onward and tossed his blanket down in a spot where it wouldn't get wet by the rolling waters. Then he turned back to her and motioned around them.

"Nobody but us. Let's go in."

And without another word, he turned and ran into the water before diving in and disappearing from her view.

[member="Maelasi Eramar"]

 

[Lief]

Maelasi was curious about this mystery woman, but she knew that it wasn't her place to press about his personal life so she let it go. Likely a lover of some sort. Such things were frowned upon where she came from, they were a distraction, but Leos hadn't been raised the way she was. He could do whatever he pleased.

Good for him.

While she moved toward the open wall she was somewhat slow going. As though afraid of what lay beyond, within the sun and heat of the beach. They were high up, truly the view was remarkable, she couldn't even see the other islands though she knew they were in the distance somewhere.

Bare feet touched ridged wood, and she stopped for a moment to stare down at the decking. A completely different texture to the interior of the hut. Leos turned and stared at her, as though expecting her to magically have caught up. Damn him.

She hurried on, down and down and down until her feet became engulfed in sand. She grit her teeth, it felt odd between her toes. But he seemed to enjoy it, so maybe it wasn't as bad as she was making out?

"Nice is subjective" she grumbled, before wriggling her toes around. Okay so maybe it didn't feel that bad. "You're right, it is warm."

The whole place was, it cast a nice glow on her body and quite soon she realized that wearing the towel was a mistake. Very hot. Though the towel was also providing modesty, she supposed.

Then he was gone. Lost to the waters which brushed along the shore. She stared after him for a moment, before very timidly stepping up to the waves and dipping her toes in.

Nothing more for now. She waited for him to resurface.

[member="Ignus"]

 

[Kamon's OOC]

He didn't resurface, though. Not because he was in peril or anything, but simply because he was using the Force to reduce his need for oxygen, while strengthening his bodies ability to swim. He explored the waters beneath them, looking about at the various flora and fauna, before realizing that he probably should have been paying more attention to Mae than to what lay beneath the waves at the moment. Turning about, he made his way back, but maintained his presence beneath the surface rather than breaching. She'd only come out as far as getting her feet into the water from what he could see. Poor girl really didn't know what she was missing in life.

Why do you hesitate?

The words would resonate within her mind as he touched it gently, as though he were caressing her mind with his metaphysical presence. She had to be stifling hot under the sunlight on the beach with that blanket wrapped around her. She was clothed beneath it. More so than most Zeltron women were in their lifetimes. Was she that embarassed of her own body? He frowned at that, but shook the thought away.

Curious.

[member="Maelasi Eramar"]

 

[Lief]

Still she stood and gawped. No sign of any struggle, no bubbles rising or arms thrashing. Just the steady pull of the tide, waves breaking against the sand. Maelasi swallowed. He had told her that she was not on duty while they were here on the island, yet every bone in her body longed to dive in after him and drag him out before he drowned.

Would he be mad if she did?

Her toes curled into the sand again, this time with discomfort. Anxiety rose as the seconds ticked by. This wasn't natural. Did he have secret gills or something?

Then something odd happened, a voice pressed at the edge of her mind and while her instinct was to recoil she didn't. It was familiar, it was firm though it likely didn't intend to be... Mostly her own perception of it.

It was Leos.

He was fine. But he didn't understand why she hadn't joined him yet.

Dropping the towel, and kicking it away from the surf, Maelasi took a few more steps in until the water was up to her thigh. No further, she stared instead... Did she want to do this? Could she?

[member="Ignus"]

 

[Kamon's OOC]

He surfaced slowly as she moved a little further in and stopped. My did she look good in the bathing suit. But his eyes moved to her as she moved towards her. The apprehension on her face was enough to tell the tale. Was she scared? He couldn't go that far in telling, but he knew she was uncertain and that may as well have been the same in his eyes. Thus, as he approached, he reached out his hand and gently took hers in effort of reassurance.

The thought crossed his mind to pick her up and throw her out further, but he didn't feel like it was a good idea at the moment.

"You'll be fine."

He gently tugged on her hand, beckoning her to come out further into the water with him. It was pleasant. The water wasn't cold at all. It was warm, tinged with a hint of salt the belied cleanliness, even despite the creatures that lived in the water. In fact the salt water was supposedly good for the skin of most of the denizens of the galaxy, and it wasn't as overpowering as it was on some worlds. He didn't release her hand, in case she actually was afraid of the water. Better to be cautious for her sake.

[member="Maelasi Eramar"]

 

[Lief]

He appeared on the edge of the shore a foot or so from her, and she breathed a small sigh of relief. She took one step back as he approached, part of her thinking that maybe he had given up on the prospect of swimming, only to find his hand suddenly in hers.

Maelasi looked down, almost dumbfounded, and stared at his hand. Then she lifted her eyes back up to his. None of the trepidation had gone, even with him out of the water, in fact as he led her further in it seemed to deepen though she did not tell him to halt. Not realizing that it was writ upon her expression, she did not want to let on her fears. It would not do, a woman in her position.

Thankfully he did not release her hand. Nor did he push. He just led her further and further in until the water was up to the middle of her torso and her breathing was deepened with an intense focus.

Forget it, focus on his hand... Focus on his hand.

There was a small measure of comfort to be had from the water, that much was true, but it held within it so much uncertainty... She had never really willingly stepped into it before, outside of a bath or a shower. Willingly. She knew how to swim, didn't make it any easier.

[member="Ignus"]