Private Old Money

[Corazona von Ascania]

Within the palace grounds, the gardens were unquestionably her favorite aspect.

Ukatis, Coruscant, Thule – no matter which planet she resided on, Cora always gravitated to areas that were thick with vegetation. They offered a measure of privacy, while managing to be quietly vibrant with life in their own way.

Several guests had spent the night on Thule after Golden Covenent's celebration of formation, but to Cora, the palace was her home. Temporarily, at least – after her capture during the revitalization ritual, her fate had been more than spared. Other Jedi hadn't been as lucky; some turned, others she sensed being snuffed out. She'd been angry about that, her comrades suffering while Nwul's favor kept her both alive and comfortable. Angry at herself for bending to her hidden affections for the Sith, for not leaving when he'd given her the opportunity to, for not at least attempting to do something brave and heroic and stupid.

She liked to think that survival instinct played a part in her decision. Showing defiance to a powerful man, as she'd learned from her marriage, brought nothing but pain. Nwul was not Horace, but Cora was not whole. Still, he'd shown her nothing but kindness and understanding.

Even during her leisurely stroll, her mind was in a constant state of tug-of-war. Lingering near an archway, the wayward Jedi pressed the pads of her fingertips to a vine that had snaked around the wooden beams. Little buds worked their way to the surface of the creeping plant, blossoming into little white flowers. Cora smiled distantly.

A familiar presence ripping in the Force had her attention shifting away from the blossoms.

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

"Please do not let me distract you from your query, Lady Von Ascania," Darth Malum spoke, arriving as was his won't, seemingly always from the shadows, his hands raised in both mock surrender, and as a show that he was no threat, his eyes glimmered with mischief, his smile curved in the teasing smirk that seemed to always permanent home upon his face... or at least an extended vacation, "Though if you'll excuse my vulgarity, I was enjoying the view."

His smile became lecherous for but a moment, before returning to its normal place, as he advanced upon Corazona, "But no view is more beautiful than the smile upon your face," His lips shifted again, where once teasing, it was now genial, genuine even, "All should count themselves lucky to see it... you smiled many times at the ball... but only now do I think it is truly radiant." It was not hard to reason why that was, between a lush garden and surrounded by Sith, even he might have picked the former. His eyes flicked to the side of her cheek, the darkshear was no regular weapon, an ability to summon a spear made entirely of the Force, of the Dark Side of the Force, well... if it struck you, even if only a glancing wound, one was liable for the injury.

And though he had attempted to tend to her, immediately after it had occurred, he was not sure if he had succeeded.

It would have been a crime after all, to blemish such a face, and it would have been another crime of Carnifex to add to an unending list.

"So tell me, Corazona, what is your plan now... do you intend to remain within the Holy Worlds? There are a full host of other Sith worlds out to the galactic south if you wish for more than... Carnifex and his ilk." The grimace on his face made it evident what exactly he thought of them, brutalisers, sociopaths, war criminals, they might perhaps represent the worst aspects of their Order. No wonder, as their Twice-Fallen Emperor, had been allowed to let them stagnate to that most basic and primal state.

And he would admit, it was simply another of his attempts to get the Jedi padawan out of here. Darth Carnifex had already felt bold enough to strike her, the rest of his peons would see that as permission to do as they wished, and... as stupid as it was, he was growing fond of the blonde-haired princess. He could not allow her to simply remain amongst them, even if she thought Nwul could protect her... he could not be with her always, it would only take a single lapse of his gaze, for her life to be spilt across the gardens.

Malum would not let that happen.

Corazona von Ascania

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora's pleasant expression firmed, regarding Malum with a cold gaze as he stepped from the shadows. Her eyes tightened on the salacious curve of his smile, and for a moment, she appeared more like a hard-nosed school marm than a youthful debutante.

"You'd think a nobleman with four sisters would know better how to behave around a woman."

Especially a lone woman among the tall, maze-like hedges of a garden. Nwul was elsewhere on the estate, tending to his duties, trusting in the wayward Jedi's ability to defend herself in her temporary home if need be. Not that a guest would dare attack her on the palace grounds proper.

Malum didn't pose much of a threat - not for a lack of prowess, but because he'd shown no real interest in harming her. Aside from the verbal jousting their class was inclined towards, he'd seemed rather…cordial? Concerned? He'd even tended to her after Carnifex had launched a spear of darkness her way whilst spectating a duel. The wound was shallow and still healing, but would likely leave a thin scar across the length of her cheek.

It brought to the surface a stomach-churning thought that had been lingering in her mind since she'd first awoken on Thule.

I don't belong here. Do I want to belong here?

Cora didn't realize she'd broken her gaze from Malum's form until she felt the delicate petals of the flower she'd been idly tracing with the tip of her finger.

"Holy worlds?"

She nearly snorted, matching Malum's grimace for a different reason. It was strange to think of the dark in that way. Blasphemous and depraved, yes. Holy, not so much. Cora took note of the way he spat Carnifex's name like bitter tea.

"You don't like them very much, do you?"

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

"There are the protective brothers and the dashing rogues, I would be denying my sisters if I picked the latter, and denying all the blushing maidens and noble ladies from Jutrand to Coruscant if I picked the former," His cocky smile was back upon his face, as his fingers extended out, slowly, seeming afraid to spook the ocean-eyed woman, as if she were some doe which would bolt at the first sign of trouble, and when they reached his query, caressing the golden locks, which he had been so mystified by since he had seen her on Exegol... since he had danced with her on Thule.

It was no surprise, for calling them golden locks was no exaggeration, having seen many a blonde in his life, Corazona von Ascania's hair might indeed have been the closest to make him question if she was grown with golden strands.

"In that sense, I do so hate to disappoint, princess... but you are right, this is no way for a gentleman to behave, you have my apologies." Where once his lips were almost mocking in their words, they turned back to the geniality, yet now he questioned if she would even believe that, so many masks and lies had been worn and ripped off in front of her in quick succession.

And that did not even consider the fact this woman was predisposed to distrusting him, after all, what foe was there for the Jedi more different, more challenging, and more concerning than a Sith?

The Imperials? They were merely an extension of Sith will, and if not, were more allies of the Jedi than foes.

The Mandalorians? Well, at the moment Malum could not exactly blame one for thinking so, after all, while the Sith seemed busy with... parties, and other internal unrest, Malum himself missing the irony that it was his faction within the Empire that was causing the unrest. The Mandalorians, if Tsis'Kaar intelligence could be believed were about to begin an invasion of the Galactic Alliance, Yag'Dhul, Kiffu, Thyferra, and Ukatis to be the frontl-.

Ukatis.

A moment of realisation almost made him miss the question posed by the Jedi, and certainly made him retract his fingers.

As the gears in his mind turned, his mind answered on autopilot, "Where you have your Tython, we have Korriban, where you have Ossus, we have Dromund Kaas," Though, it was not as if he was disinterested in those so labelled Jedi worlds, Tython with its twin moons, with their namesake of Bogan, where the precursors of their Order fell in the Force Wars. Ossus, where Exar Kuun had nearly levelled the planet in his search for knowledge. Inspiring places no doubt, and he was not the Jedi, who feared their linked lineage, for all the faults the Jedi had, for all the fear of them that had been instilled in him since his birth. He could not help but see them as distant kin, brothers, cousins, split apart by constant war for millennia.

"If by them, you mean Carnifex," He had a distinct impression she meant more than him, and his ilk, yet he did not confront it, "The Twice-Fallen Emperor, the False Emperor, is an utter failure, who did irreparable damage to the Empire, both during his rule, and after his abandonment. The House of Zambrano is lucky for its strength, for if they were not so secure, they should be ripped out, root and stem." His words flowed out of his lips, far more harshly than he had meant for, all the varied thoughts, made over years, all the personal anger he felt, all that he learned and knew, spilt out in a messy sentence, for the Jedi to take on, as she wished.

He let out a breath, to calm his nerves, as his mind still turned.

"But please," His lips turned back to their pleasant expression, he had not even realised they had straightened and thinned in his outburst, "It would be unfair for us to simply discuss I... how was growing up on Ukatis? I must admit, I know little of the world," That was a half-truth... he was a scholar, an academic, he researched all that he did not know, yet a cursory read of the holonet, was far from what a true native could tell him... and it could give him the opportunity to get her out of here.

A Princess would wish to defend her home, no?

Corazona von Ascania

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Before Malum's fingers could brush against her hair, Cora intercepted his hand with her own. Her fingers curled lightly around his wrist, brows raising as she regarded him with a firm stare.

A few moments passed and she tsked, relinquishing her grip. Flirtiness aside, Lord Marr has been one of the few Sith on Thule who'd been genuinely kind to her. Even if that kindness has been buried beneath layers of aristocratic teasing.

"How kind of you to think of those poor, blushing maidens."

Cora watched Malum carefully as he expressed his thoughts regarding Carnifex and his ilk. Being on the receiving end of the Dark Lord's attention had been chilling, and House Zambrano's strength was well known across the galaxy for a reason.

"So you really don't like them." She confirmed, a short note of amusement in her otherwise even tone. Malum was more earnest than many of his comrades of similar social standing, an aspect she couldn't help but find endearing.

The mention of Ukatis brought distrust back into her eyes. Was he digging for ammunition, or genuinely curious about her upbringing?

"Come, let us walk."

Cora slipped her hands around Malum's arm, smiling placidly up at him. As they paced leisurely through the garden, she would answer his question.

"Much of Ukatis is farmland, including my family's territory. I'm the eldest of eig…no, nine siblings now." Correcting herself after a pause, Cora recalled that her mother had recently given birth again. A child she would never meet, a sibling that would only know of her through whispered stories. "I suppose I spent much of my childhood like any young aristocrat; learning to run a household, lessons in general education, fencing and the like. I accompanied my father on trips to the capital, and though I didn't have an influence as a young girl, he occasionally had me shadow him during meetings and business dealings."

It was all rather standard for an old money Ukatian family. The status of women was difficult to define; while men were often heirs of the estate, some Lords left their territories to a well-suited daughter. Though Cora had been involved in her family's dealings, she was not the official Ascania heir; that honor belonged to her younger brother, Dominick von Ascania .

"Ukatis suffered a history of isolationist periods, so it is not as…developed in certain aspects compared to other worlds. The capital, Axilla, is one of few modern cities there. It is simply wonderful."

She squeezed Malum's arm for a moment, eyes sparkling as they gazed into the middle distance before they dimmed.

"Our people suffered famine when I was very young. The crown wouldn't allow us to import aid, among other things, which lead to a bloody rebellion. Most of the Houses supporting the former King disappeared. My father supported the rebellion and eventually the current rule, which is far more…forward-thinking, by comparison."

The very family she'd married into, and subsequently killed the heir of. With an ailing King on the throne who had no other legitimate children, a crisis of succession swept the court.

"Ukatis may not be an economic powerhouse or rich in natural resources, but it is a beautiful planet and my home."

Her genuinely fond smile broke into a frown.

"At least, it was."

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

He blinked.

Then he blinked again.

And if it were somehow possible, his smile grew even wider. He gave no resistance as she snatched out his hand from mid-air, it was a rare one indeed who would meet his boldness with their own. All too quickly he realised again why Nwul had attached this Jedi to his side... calling her intriguing was a disservice to what she truly was.

He took her 'tsk tsk'-s with good grace, as his hand relaxed in the grip that was both coarse and soft, both warrior and princess. The supposed contradiction in values, which Corazona had toed the line easily.

Or had it been so easy?

He withdrew his hand, as his smile turned to smirk at the response to his words, "Well, someone has to," He began, his arm making its way back to his side, before within a flash, he had infiltrated her personal space, his red eyes glimmering with mischief, confidence either real or feigned, seeping out of him, "It is a responsibility, I take very, seriously." His voice grew darker, softer, huskier, as it almost whispered against her face.

And then within another moment, he withdrew back to his lines, facing away from her, a chuckle sounding from his form, as he gazed out towards the flowers, red roses, white gardenias, and golden chrysanthemums, were only some of the blossoms found amongst them, and among the few he could actually identify at a glance, "But yes, to say the least... I am not a fan." He finally said, turning around to face her, the smirk transforming back to its regular smile, an unheard of event considering the subject of their query had been bloody Darth Carnifex of all people.

It had been when she had taken his arm that he would find himself again on the back foot. Bold, yes, bold was certainly the way to describe her, Malum decided, as she took the lead in walking them through the colourful meadow, his eyes taking the godsend excuse to look there, rather than her smile... the smile which made his heart beat, perhaps just a little bit faster than normal.

Maybe.

He nodded along at her words, noting any information that could be useful... or indeed what was interesting at all. Nine siblings, nine! The number boggled the mind, and he came from a family which was bigger than most, but he would have to tip his hat to the Ascanias, for ten children was indeed larger than five.

He tilted his head as she continued speaking, her lessons were both not too dissimilar and not too similar to what he experienced, though it was more likely she could commiserate with one of his sisters before any others. Though... he had a feeling that even they may have seen such an education as foreign in a sense, the Marrs were not exactly normal when it came to how they viewed their scions, male or female alike.

His heart skipped a beat as she squeezed his arm, a he looked down at her sparkling blue diamonds. He had to resist the urge to bite his lip, there had been calculus as to why he had desired to speak of Ukatis, but how to balance that out with the confusing hurl of emotions and thoughts transmitting throughout his form?

"Ukatis certainly seems like a place to visit..." He trailed off, an awkward silence threatening to envelop them both, he meant it genuinely too, any place that had the princess acting like this certainly deserved some consideration.

It would only be a pity that its beauty would sour once the Mandalorians were done with it.

"And it seems the Ascanias have done well for themselves..." It was an attempt to move the conversation along, to banish the awkwardness that would doom them all.

Or at the very least doom what was to him, quite the lovely... walk? Interaction? Flirtation? Whatever they were doing.

"It could be home again, after all, we will need someone to rule Ukatis once the Empire reaches her gates." It was a joke, a teasing jab, he even tried to chuckle to bring the much-needed levity, but really, as soon as he said it, he knew it was a weak attempt... what woman wanted to hear that they could return home, but only as a puppet of the Sith Empire?

Few indeed.

Corazona von Ascania

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

As her lengthly description of Ukatis trickled into silence, Cora realized that she’d been talking an awful lot. Certainly moreso than would be considered ladylike, but Malum didn’t appear to mind.

The wayward Jedi guessed that they’d been raised under similar circumstances. Old money families on austere worlds often held the same sets of values. But Malum and Cora were young, both holy warriors that were being tempered by the galaxy for better or for worse.

They still had their differences, of course. Cora could not help but entertain the idea of where she would be standing if the Sith had come to Ukatis before the Alliance.

Perhaps she wouldn’t have to wonder for long, if what Malum implied was true and came to fruition.

Though they continued their leisurely pace, there was a sudden stillness to Cora. Her face firmed, the calm seaglass blue of her eyes broiled into a storm.

He’s suggesting what?

Ukatis had been under to protection of the Confederacy of Independent Systems for a spell when she was very young, a notoriously Sith-heavy power. But they’d largely left Ukatis to its devices, serving as a deterrent from outside invaders. It was only after their protection fell away did Ukatis find itself embroiled in a civil war.

After seeing the Sith Order’s handiwork first hand…

Cora shook her head, a delicate, gentle movement. A measure of good humor softened her face as her protective anger was kept to a simmer on the back burner.

“You’ll have to fight me for it.”

A dry jest, matching what had hopefully also been a dry jest.

“Ruling is complicated, and there is much work to be done on Ukatis. I’d appreciate your restraint regarding the little agrarian world without much to offer.”

A wry smile gave way to a far off stare into the rose garden.

“My former father-in-law is doing a sufficient job, I suppose.”

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

Malum raised an eyebrow in challenge, "Is that a threat, or an offer, Corazona of House von Ascania?" He batted, as his eyes instinctively flicked down to his two lightsabers that were strapped on the belt around his waist, before turning to meet her simmering eyes. It was odd, where they could once be called as heady as the ocean, he thought they were boiling, where he thought them as pristine as the sky, he caught a hint of storms, "Because neither should be made unless you are willing to carry them out."

His eyes flicked out to the gardens surrounding them, the flowers might be casualties, littered about the area as they were, but that was a sacrifice he was more than willing to make. The sky looked down upon the circular plaza which housed the environs, and that in itself would make it perfect for the purpose he had in mind.

Gentling removing her fingers from his arm, he began to walk away, "Tell me Corazona of House von Ascania, has our mutual friend," He stressed the word with a peculiar tinge, "Left you without weapon?" It was an odd question to be asked at the best of times, odder still between two noble scions who were walking in concert in the gardens, "If so, you may have one of mine," He did have two after all, and for some reason, the thought of her wielding the red blade filled him with an emotion he could not quite place, "We did never have the opportunity to engage directly on Exegol, would it not be grand to make up for that... fault?" Malum suddenly turned, and in his eyes were the burning remnants of two stars, about to finally reach their death knoll, but not without detonation.

"Your enemy will reach Ukatis, and your home will burn," He had to wonder why this was the way he had decided to inform her, with vaguery and little explanation, but as soon as the thought struck, it was squashed by the reality that he had long ago resisted, but would never allow him to truly escape. She was a Jedi, and he was a Sith, and in this cycle, they both had their roles to play.

In this grand drama, with the galaxy as their stage, their parts had to be sung.

"Your former father by marriage will fail your people, and Ukatis will fall," His hand was raised, and his finger pointing in accusation, "So tell me, the apprentice of Valery Noble, the grandmaster of your precious Jedi Order, will you take the reins to rule when they are handed to you," His eyes flashed crimson, "or will you fight?" Fight and die.

Success or death, as his master would have said.

Corazona von Ascania

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

"It is the truth."

A note of confusion touched her face as Malum disengaged and made his way to one end of the garden. He questioned her strength of conviction, and brought to mind a battle that had happened long ago.

Blonde brows crinkled as he offered her a lightsaber, citing their lack of engagement during the assault as a fault. One that she didn't feel the need to correct.

And then, he taunted her with talk of her home burning, of falling to an unseen enemy. Was he trying to goad her, or was he privy to something that she wasn't? Either way, her face firmed with the same severe stringency her father was known for, and Cora did not move from her end of the courtyard.

"I will do what I've always endeavored to. What all nobles," Her gaze narrowed onto Malum, pinpointing him in the center of her vision."

"Should do."

Roiling blue irises met burning crimson. It wasn't a challenge, but it wasn't submission either.

"I will do whatever is best for the people of Ukatis."

A desire that had been implanted since birth, ingrained into her upbringing. It was a part of who she was, embedded so deeply into her person that Cora had left her home - and returned - when it had best served Ukatis. She'd given up her freedom, doused herself in gasoline and lit herself on fire to keep both her husband and father warm. The violence and humiliation she'd suffered at the hands of a world she'd dedicated herself to had left her a listless husk, but it hadn't lessened her need to do what she could for her people.

Even if, by Ukatain accounts, her marriage had been a failure.

Here, she stood on uneven ground. Wayward, wandering from one great shadow to the next in search of something she couldn't describe. Whether his words were a lie meant to rile her, or his own way of communicating a warning, she couldn't help but investigate the bones Malum was throwing at her feet.

"I've no interest in fighting you, Malum."

She spread her hands out to either side, watching him carefully. Cora didn't expect the young nobleman to be so crass as to strike an unarmed person, but he was Sith. There was no one on Thule she trusted fully.

They shared the same unbidden thoughts about the flowers. It would be a shame to reduce the blossoms to a casualty.

"Will you tell me what you know?"

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

He ground his teeth, with enough fury that he was surprised they were not made dust. Who knew it would be difficult to goad a Jedi into battle against a Sith? It was their usual modus operandi, and it would be so much easier for both of them if she just... played the role she was assigned.

Instead, she was compelling him to force her into action.

He felt the Force swell about him, as he guided it into position, forging it into what he needed, swirling it through the voi into the weapon that would begin the end. The Spear of Midnight Black formed above him, the Darkshear which had not so long ago pierced her face and left the scar which he had been unable to stop, pointed directly at the Jedi Princess. He stamped down the guilt, the inklings of which had formed in his heart, he had not thought he would ever bring out this with her.

But it was necessary to save her.

Or so he told himself.

"The truth is a lie we tell ourselves to be able to get a good night's sleep, the truth is perception that went defective, the truth is false certainty of what you will do next. You want to tell me it is the truth?" He paused, the Darkshear above him pulsating in the energies that seemed to feed it from every direction, seeming to vibrate in the air, "Then prove it."

A hand went down to his side, and a violent hiss erupted out of his hilt as red plasma flowed out into a blade, and was soon firmly pointing towards the Jedi in front of him in silent challenge.

"We are from families who did whatever it took for their legacies, for their names, and for their children to survive, they killed, stole, and warred to make sure they would be victorious, and on their pedestals, they rationalised those decisions, as lawful, as rightful, as necessary. And you know what, they were right, for there are wolves in the darkness, who will prey upon you unless you are willing to fight," He always knew what nobility was, beyond the dresses and curtsies, beyond the formality and fidelity, all it was necessary to be sure, to maintain all that was good and right in this world.

But they could never forget the savagery, the brutality, that their ancestors had used to reach these horizons.

Or they would find themselves in free fall, as one willing to go beyond them would push them off the cliff edge.

It was her final words that stopped him in his tracks, both still refusing to fight him, and a request to just... say what he knew. She had seen through his words, and knew that he was pointing at someone else than the Sith, she had not fallen into the anger that by all rights she should have. He threatened her hearth and home and brought firm hostility behind each and every single one of his words, it was not the Jedi way to give in to their emotions sure... but she was an apprentice, and this was to defend herself.

Why would she not fight?

They would find each other on the battlefield someday anyway.

It was fated, the duel of fates and destiny between the light and dark, and for some reason now, specifically more than any other time, he could not take joy, or satisfaction in that inevitable conflict and bloodletting.

Because the thought of those ocean blue eyes being lifelessly dull...

Red orbs dulled, as the emotion burned out of them.

"You need to leave this place, there is no safety for you..." He whispered into the wind, barely audible by the only other person in the gardens, "Ukatis will burn otherwise."

Life returned to his eyes, as with a flourish, his free hand reached down to his side, and the handle of his second lightsaber was thrown forward in the direction of the Jedi in front of him.

And as he closed his eyes, with all the conflicting thoughts of both his brain and heart filtering through, he felt time slow, and when he was sure she would have enough time to respond.

The Darkshear was unleashed upon its target.

I'm sorry.

Corazona von Ascania

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora struggled to pinpoint why the nature of their interaction had taken such a harsh turn - but she couldn't afford to spend much thought on that. Not when the Force swelled dangerously around Malum, not when his eyes blazed with the power of the Dark.

Above his head, an imperceivable weapon coalesced into existence. At his waist, the unmistakable snap-hiss of a crimson blade flared to life.

Was his kindness up until now just a lie?

Icy fingers wrapped their grip around her heart, the shock startling her to shift on instinct. Her stance widened and her senses sharped, reflexively calling on the Force in preparation to defend herself.

She squinted at Malum, recalling the dance they'd shared, where he'd extended an offer of freedom. He'd even tended to her wound sustained from Carnifex just a short while ago. Why now? What changed? She hadn't deluded herself into believing that they were friends, but a small part of her still felt betrayed. Sad, even. Disappointed that he'd leverage her love of her home in order to goad her into a fight.

The fire faded from his eyes, giving way to something more somber but no less threatening. It was only when he whispered, did she finally get the sense that Malum was wrestling with some sort of inner conflict.

"You need to leave this place, there is no safety for you..."

The Darkshear lanced through the air, and Cora jerked her head sharply to the side in the span of half a heartbeat. This time, it narrowly missed her left cheek. Her lips curled back into a sneer as she faced the Scion of Marr once more, pulse thundering away in her ears.

"I thought you rational. I thought you better than…”

She looked to the lightsaber hilt that had landed at her feet, contrasting it to the spear of midnight black that had almost struck her. One said that he wanted her to leave, the other told her that he wanted her to stay. Her fingers twitched, then steadied.

"…this."

By now, a pair of temple guards who'd heard the cacophony had flanked her, cautious in their movements when they saw that Lord Nwul's guest was facing down a Sith Knight. Cora kept her focus on Malum, a silent sign of respect for his strength.

It was a beautiful backdrop to what could've been a very bloody fight. She breathed in deep the herbaceous air, letting it fill her lungs before exhaling slowly.

"Not here. Find me on the battlefield, if you must, but not here."

Still, his words continued to ring loudly in her mind.

You need to leave this place, there is no safety for you.

Malum was right. Nwul's favor could not shield her completely, especially in a place where she was regarded as an enemy by many. Her heart and mind were both frazzled and weary, her path unclear as she grasped at straws to try and smother her pain. She could not remain here unless she was willing to forsake the Jedi.

This was not where she belonged.

He could've been lying about Ukatis, but she still felt an uncomfortable twisting in her gut. Her lips parted, but she still hesitated for a few long moments.

"Perhaps, if we'd been born for similar paths, we could've sat down for tea. I would've liked that, Malum of House Marr."

She met his eyes, ocean blue against ruby red, but didn't linger.

Then, she swept away.

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

His eyes opened to a peculiar sight, his lightsaber falling ungracefully to the ground, and his Darkshear slamming into some marble pillar beside her. It was never designed to hit, something within him, even after goading, and challenging, her to a fight, was holding himself back. His imagination ran rampant, filtering through the imagined lifeless ocean orbs, and the ones which were very much alive.

And looked at him with such emotion that he felt a pain in his chest.

Are these pangs imagined, or does the Force concoct visions of the mind killer?

He did not know, and he could not say, vision or imagined, they swirled around him forcing him into indecision, as she-

As she spoke words that pained him further still.

"Rationality born of ignorance cannot be called that... you do not know everything." He whispered into the air, so desperate to simply tell her what he knew and avoid all this, but knowing... knowing despite his desire to, he could not. He had helped too many Jedi, and been amiable to more in his curiosity of what they were, it was a weakness that all those in both Orders would exploit.

If they ever learned.

And they could not, and they would not, for it would be the end of them all. He knew his loyalties, though he supposed even that had been an open question these past few weeks. But what he did know was, the Jedi were his foes, as ordained by destiny and fate, as chosen by him. Those were the facts, and no matter what... mercy, he gave to them, they were his enemy, and they would not hesitate to strike him down where he stood if he gave them the opportunity.

And he had given them, far too many opportunities.

Yet she refuses to fight you.

To his confusion, he had to admit that fact, for all he thought he knew of their Jedi, citing them as hypocrites for their creed of avoiding violence while resorting to it so often. Here was Jedi, an apprentice, at that, who even after being directly challenged to battle, who had the first attack launched against them, still, even now, refused battle.

Refused to fight him.

His vision grew heady, his eyes glancing towards the two guards who had moved forth to intervene in the brewing battle. There supposed the possibility that Nwul would not find out about this, and no doubt there would need to be some explanation done. Yet such excuses were the last thought on his mind, his only focus, was on the princess before him.

"We are bound in our fates, in our destinies to one day come to blows," He spoke, the first time his voice more than a whisper in some time. The Jedi contently. perhaps resignedly accepted such, though, it was another instance that Cora seemed unlike the Jedi he had met, but the end of his Order's code remained... true, through victory his chains would be broken, and the Force would set him free.

Free from the chains it bound around him.

Free from this inevitable conflict.

Free from destiny and fate alike.

But that was a long time away, for he was still chained, still too weak. His lightsaber hissed as the red plasma declined back into its sheath, pocketing the blade by his side, as he stared back ahead.

"The future might be influenced into inevitability, but the future is not in itself inevitable, maybe... one day." The guards moved forward, his lack of a lightsabre perhaps being seen as a sign of surrender. Unfortunately, Malum had no such inclination. Summoning the Force around him, he pictured the Tsis'Kaar hideout upon Thule, the place he had visited once... long ago, before things were so complicated.

And without dramatics, Malum of House Marr was gone, with a pang in his heart, as the last thing he saw, was her turned away from him.

Bending time and space, as a fragment of his voice wafted across the gardens.

"Ukatis will burn, but it will not be by our hand, the Mandalorians are on the march. You must leave this place..."

And then, nothing more.

Apart from a red rose, by the lightsabre still left by the princesses' feet.

Corazona von Ascania

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

"We are bound in our fates, in our destinies to one day come to blows,"

Cora's brow furrowed, but with his words came a glimpse of a vision. A spacious hall, lit dimly, where they'd meet once more, as if he'd spoken it into fruition. Blue and crimson plasma flared into existence.

As quickly as it had come, the imagery evaporated from her mind's eye.

Then came a whisper, a warning carried on the wind;

"Ukatis will burn, but it will not be by our hand, the Mandalorians are on the march. You must leave this place..."

Her breath caught, an audible sound of surprise. Cora turned on her heel, but Malum had vanished. He left no footsteps, no retreating form, and once the guards had caught up, they too seemed confused by his sudden disappearance.

A flicker of red among the grass drew her gaze down. Nestled next to his lightsaber was a rose, perfect and healthy. Cora knelt and retrieved both.

In one hand, she held the blade of a Sith. The scion of an ancient, noble family with ties to the dark side of the Force and all that entailed. It was a symbol of both the expectations placed upon him and the power he wielded.

In the other hand, a rose. Vibrant and beautiful, with thorns that pricked her fingers.

Just who are you, Malum of House Marr?

Two things had become clear; she would return to Ukatis, and they would meet once more.

That night, she would be accosted by the visceral images of Axilla ablaze.

Darth Malum of House Marr