Private Prince of thieves

[Cartri Keswoll]

Soon enough she accepted his handshake and even showed a flicker of surprise which may have been Cartri's mind playing tricks on him. None the less, it was a surprise in itself that she accepted his offer. Cartri could only keep it there as he continued to listen carefully to what she had to say, seemingly understanding every word she spoke. The Empress had to fulfill her duty no matter what, even if it meant changing the way she acted to fit in. Sometimes she had to be ruthless to keep everyone else in check, all of which came with the package as the leader of an Empire.

Her title and abilities also needed another key factor, control. Cartri couldn't tell if she belonged to the Jedi or the Sith, partly because she had a powerful dark presence around her while only using it when it was right to do so. If she was a true Sith, there was no doubt he would have been dead right now, but luckily she was the latter of that. And with such a thing in mind, she also noticed his lack of control over his abilities. Falling to the dark side never crossed his mind, but the anger that came with it was clear in abundance. There were many instances of his rage getting him into trouble, especially one certain event that he vowed to never speak of again.

When she finished Cartri nodded slowly in agreement, knowing himself he had to do something soon to bottle up his emotion before it got too late "So you suggest I do something to contain my anger, but how?" he questioned while drawing back his hand away from hers. That also reminded him about Xan mentioning a Jedi that would help him unlock his true potential, but unfortunately, her contact went off the radar before she could get in touch
"I barely know anything about the force let alone my potential, so how do I even know where to start..." he sighed as he placed his hand inside one of his pockets.

Although, the fact they were moving out in a few days seemed to make things easier in formulating a story. Like what the Empress said, he could say the house was empty and move on as if the situation didn't even happen "When this is all said and done, what will you do with the information of me being here, will anyone know of this incident?" Cartri asked who gazed around the library for any cameras or possible recording equipment that would expose this event. If anything was passed on it may lead to suspicions of Darkwire turning up their operations in finding more data on the corpo's next move. Thankfully, he had not revealed everything from his mission and kept certain things away from her. Even though he trusted the Empress now, he still couldn't tell a soul about what Darkwire was trying to achieve.

Ingrid L'lerim ​

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir
Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud
The Red Witch, The Night Queen, Lady Stuztala, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium, Archon of the Primyn Group​

Location: Whisperwind Castle, Vengard, Kalidan
Equipment: Hersir Imperial Uniform || Empyrean gland
Tag: Cartri Keswoll

To tell the truth, Ingrid was always neutral in the Force, except when she was just using emotions that she stole or borrowed from the other. When she conjured, or just absorbed dark energies, there was a Dark Side, but not in other cases. She was still neutral; and indeed, she was neither a Jedi nor a Sith. Although all her teachers were Sith, she was not fit to be a Sith. Controlled her emotions too well. But none were, the Wardens of the Shroud was quite unique in that respect.

"According to them, has no one ever taught you?"

Controlling and suppressing emotions is one of the first lessons almost everywhere the woman knew everywhere. Maybe not for the Sith. After all, if someone doesn’t control all of this, there can be huge problems there. Although even in the case of a Sith; there are countless examples of this in history. How? It was a really great question, the woman was special in this. She had learned this before the dormant Force awoken in her. Precisely for this reason hers was quite drastic, but it is a fact that it is very effective.

"It is usually through meditation that one finds inner peace. But there are also ways for you to be able to clear your mind at any time. But even without Force, there are skills that can be developed through meditation to be able to push on feelings you don’t want and would be distracting. Like anger, hatred, or whatever you think."

She explained in the voice she used to teach her disciples. Now got the answer that he really doesn’t know much about this. Ingrid was even older than him when she first got into this situation. She gestured with her hand to the young man to sit back to his seat.

"Do you know someone who can help you with the Force?"

Luckily, didn’t have to think so much about the next one, but was able to respond right away.

"I will not start a war if that is the question. I keep the matter entirely on a corporate level. I guess you pretty much know what that means. And, nobody. No one but the two of us will find out you were here, so you don’t have to worry about that. Even if your security people see it… they are loyal primarily to me and not to the Empire, you are safe."

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

He remembered when he first met Xan that she would get in contact with someone to help him control his power, something of which never came to be. Since then, all he could do was learn to cope with it instead of learning to control it, that's one of the reasons why he only uses it on people in last resort "I was going to get taught by a Jedi who my friend knew, but he seemed to go off the radar before we could even get into contact with him. So up until this point, no" he replied to her question with a glum expression, knowing better things could come out of it if he learned to control it somehow. Although, deep down inside was a brewing anger that had been growing in him from a young age. One which stemmed from him being unwanted for most of his life.

Cartri listened to the empress with all of his attention and nodded slowly to the mention of meditation. He had heard of it before but never thought about doing it personally, probably from the fact he didn't believe it worked. When she mentioned him to sit back in the seat he did so without hesitation, while at the same time place the book back onto the old school table "No, even if I did I doubt they would help a random kid..." he grumbled out with a sigh, his gaze looking at her without fear for once.

Slowly but surely, Cartri got to see the empress's true colors. She wasn't trying to trick him like he thought she would, but instead help him get out of this mess alive as well as sorting his head. Yes, she was a corpo, but she seemed different compared to the rest. Her heart wasn't full of greed but full of mercy and kindness, something of which she may not see herself "Thank you... I think you've saved both of us the trouble really." he said with a smile as he leaned up in his chair and curiously gazed at her as if he had to ask a question "By any chance, do you know anyone that could help me? surely you must know someone who's willing to teach a thing or two to a kid looking for help. Because at this point, I'm beginning to run out of options..."

Ingrid L'lerim ​

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir
Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud
The Red Witch, The Night Queen, Lady Stuztala, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium, Archon of the Primyn Group​

Location: Whisperwind Castle, Vengard, Kalidan
Equipment: Hersir Imperial Uniform || Empyrean gland
Tag: Cartri Keswoll

Ingrid nodded at the young man's words. In fact, that answer was what she expected. However, she disagreed with the second part that no one should need the boy. The red-haired woman knew with the Sith that it was not age-dependent who would start learning when, as she did with the Jedi. She learned this from Mathieu Brion when she met him again in Zakuul. Last but not least, Ingrid was also very old when she started learning Force using. She was in her mid-twenties.

"You're wrong in this, there aren't that many Force Users in the galaxy, so as far as I know, they're happy with the so-called "random kid" in most places. Both the Sith and the Jedi, but also others."

Cartri really wasn’t wrong, the woman’s heart wasn’t corrupted by power, she wasn’t greedy, she wasn’t interested in power or money. What really mattered to her was to be able to serve her people and keep their interests in mind. Nothing else mattered. She nodded again when the young man asked for an idea.

"Yes, I have connections. I also know Jedi and Sith. But I don't think you're interested in these two extremes. Here in the Eternal Empire, there is an organization, a group, the Spear, who undertake the education of all kinds of Force Users, Jedi, Sith, or even gray, Force Disciples. There, everyone can learn and learn what they want."

Nor did she think the young man would ever be interested in the idea that Wardens thought or that they believed. That's why she didn't say that.

"I know the leaders there, if you think I can speak to them for your benefit."

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

"R-really?" he said in surprise to her answer. It was true that there weren't many force sensitive in the galaxy, and that fact alone made him and the others a special case. It made sense what the empress said, due to them being less in numbers they were more likely to help him train rather than let another faction find him, rather that be sith or Jedi.

Another thing the empress said soon caught his attention, and that was the offer of training in an organization within the empire. The idea of finally getting training made his face light up, but that soon began to fade. If he trained, there was a possibility he'd have to put dark wire on the backburner and stop everything he worked hard towards. On the other hand, the help would prevent his rising anger from boiling over.

"Thank you for the offer, I really do appreciate it. but... I feel like I need to think about this a little more before I make a decision." he mumbled almost embarrassingly, knowing keeping her waiting wasn't such a very good idea. Nonetheless, another itching question soon crossed his mind to ask the Empress, a question that was perfectly reasonable considering the circumstances.

"I-I need to tell you something. Earlier when you asked me about who I was with, some of that story was true..." he said nervously, while his hands continued to interlock constantly as a way of keeping himself focused "For most of my life I was held up in an orphanage a long way from here on the borders of the sith and jedi factions, a planet which was cruel and peaceful in its own right. But luckily for me, the folks I'm with now saw promise and introduced me into their family. Although, the thing I never understood was why my real family never came back for me." he said with a small choke in his voice, struggling to keep it together.

"That's why I'm asking, how do you leave something so important behind?"

Ingrid L'lerim ​

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir
Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud
The Red Witch, The Night Queen, Lady Stuztala, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium, Archon of the Primyn Group​

Location: Whisperwind Castle, Vengard, Kalidan
Equipment: Hersir Imperial Uniform || Empyrean gland
Tag: Cartri Keswoll

She nodded twice in a row to really think so. And the second is that she understood why he wanted to think about it. The woman had little choice in this matter; the Emperor stated as a fact that he would teach her. She had no other choice but to obey. Did she regret it? Sometimes she felt it, but a new world opened up for her. If it hadn't happened, she might not have known Adrian either.

"I understand this is something you have to think about. If you feel ready or want answers, visit them. They are probably better able to explain than I am. And, of course they'll accept the negative answer as well."

Listened intently to the young man, it wasn't an easy question. Especially not the last one she got, and yet she knew the answer. Ingrid had learned this lesson a lot of times, one of the hardest. Now the boy had a family to which he could go back and the Empress will not prevent this.

"If you go to study, you don’t have to leave behind those who are important to you. Spear is like a university. There are no strict rules, they don’t oblige you to anything, you go there or you come if you want. Why did your parents leave you there? I do not know. Maybe that saved your life. I would die for what is important to me, be it my family or my empire. Maybe they did the same, and that includes they had to leave others behind. Nothing in life is easy, but the hardest is to find balance, the golden mean."

She did not say out loud that she would give her life too for Adrian to live again, even though it meant leaving her family and the Empire…

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

By the time she had finished, tears slowly ran down his cheeks as he agreed with a multitude of nods. For the longest time, he had felt unwanted and thrown to the side by the people you were supposed to love most. Although, now he felt differently on the whole matter. Without them, he wouldn't be the person he is today nor would he be still alive.

"Y-yea, maybe your right..." the teen said while wiping away the tears from his face, almost embarrassed to be crying in front of a person, let alone an empress of a nation.

Cartri took some time to compose himself as he tried to let go of some emotional buildup. A few sobs came from his mouth as he looked down to the table to hide his face. It was almost as if he was waiting for someone to tell him that maybe they weren't so careless or evil and instead really loved to the point where they put him first. Not many people understood how much pain he went through for fifteen years, but the empress seemed to be one of the few who did.

"I'm s-sorry... you don't know how much I needed to hear that" the teen choked out once more.

In the back of his mind, he also thought about the proposition of doing the training when he wanted. It's all he ever needed. However, something was stopping him right now from saying yes to the whole thing. Right now, he just couldn't figure out why he wasn't jumping at the chance.

Ingrid L'lerim​

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir
Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud
The Red Witch, The Night Queen, Lady Stuztala, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium, Archon of the Primyn Group​

Location: Whisperwind Castle, Vengard, Kalidan
Equipment: Hersir Imperial Uniform || Empyrean gland
Tag: Cartri Keswoll

Ingrid watched the young man and was very envious to him. She could not afford the luxury of looking weak. Because of one of the first lessons she learned in her life; the sentence that has always been on her mind since she was a very young girl: Never show weakness!. She envied those who did not have to live by it. The woman may have been wrong and his parents really didn’t need the boy, but they may have saved him. It will probably never be revealed.

She had always had a great sense of saying what someone else needed. Empathy; as an agent and manipulator, she had to learn to take advantages on others to obtain information and control others. All this in such a way that she had to remain objective and could not feel anything towards the other party. She made the mistake twice, to feel something for her targets, both men became her husband. After that, did anyone wonder why the woman considered herself a monster?

"I believe it, but don’t forget, Mr. Keswoll, the family is not just based on blood. You may never know your biological parents, but you have found a new family you can count on. You got a new opportunity, appreciate them."

She waited a few moments for the young man to get over all this, she'll only speak afterwards.

"Are you ready to embrace the false memories that won’t get you in trouble when you return home?"

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

When it came down to talking about family Cartri always found it to be a sore topic, and it only proved to release the floodgates when he finally did. Holding in thoughts and emotions for almost a decade probably made it that way, especially when he dreaded even telling anyone in the first place. To him, it made him look weak and vulnerable, something which a person could use to their advantage if they really wanted to. Although, if he really trusted the person he couldn't help but blurt it out sometimes as a way of forcing himself to improve. Luckily, to those he did tell none of them have used it the wrong way.

Cartri slowly started to compose himself and looked back at the ever cold empress, listening to what she had to say next. She was right... right now he needed to focus on the family that had taken him in. Darkwire as a whole was his new family, but Xan would always be considered his closest friend and sister he never had. The empress had a knack for using words as her greatest weapon, and it would have been a lie to say that she wasn't a master of it "Y-yea... some of them need me more than I need them" he mumbled out, a small smile forming slightly "That's why I need to make the most of this new adventure, like you said" nodded the boy in clear agreement, a bit more upbeat compared to the state he was in not so long ago.

"I'm ready... and please don't put anything I don't need in there, my mind is full as it is" Quipped the boy bravely as he awaited her next instruction, unsure of the process they use to plant forged memory's. Although, the boy seemed to have one final question for the Empress as he sat up from his chair "By the way, will I even be able to recognise you if we meet again?"

Ingrid L'lerim ​

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir
Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud
The Red Witch, The Night Queen, Lady Stuztala, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium, Archon of the Primyn Group​

Location: Whisperwind Castle, Vengard, Kalidan
Equipment: Hersir Imperial Uniform || Empyrean gland
Tag: Cartri Keswoll

"A family or real friends are just like that." she smiled sadly for a moment.

When the young man was ready, the woman showed the way. They stepped out into the hallway, which had emergency lighting but was full of moving shadows from which the power of the Dark Side flowed. Ingrid just waved her hand after that the shadows and their presence disappeared. Whatever it was, this was what Cartri had felt before. It took a few corridors and corners to reach a spacious and well-equipped infirmary.

"You don’t have to worry, you only get those memories what you need. Lie on the table and try to relax, I will immediately give you a weak sedative." she said kindly.

Remember; she paused here for a moment. It didn’t depend on the woman; Cartri may will never be remember maybe in a few weeks. Of course, the woman was also able to cancel the brainwash's effect if they met, but it basically depended on the young man.

"The memories will be there in your mind. When your subconscious thinks you are already safe and what happened here doesn’t affect your life, if you remember that, then if we meet or you see a recording of me, you will remember. However, there are opportunities that is you will never feel safe yourself, then you will never be remember me." she told him the possibilities; unfortunately she could not offer more than that.

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

"You're right..." he said quietly as his right hand wiped any loose tears, looking back at the empress to indicate he was ready to go. Sluggishly he tucked the large book under his armpit and followed the leader, leaving his datapad and gear behind with the confidence they'd follow him eventually.

When they walked out into the hallway emergency lighting was in full effect, as well as the dark side presence that seemingly followed them. Cartri thought he could see the shadows moving, but after a wave of the Empress's hand that motion all but stopped. The teen could only blink nervously and follow close behind her. Each room they passed Cartri made sure to give a curious look, his mind racing from the thought of what she kept in the maze known as her mansion.

Eventually, the pair reached a large infirmary room which looked more than well equipped to handle all possibilities. The teen stopped by the doorway and peeked in, skeptical about where all the nurses were to perform this mental procedure. When the empress told him to make himself comfy he hesitated for a few seconds before listening to the command. Cartri placed his book beside the table and carefully placed himself on top, extending his body out and anxiously glaring at the so called medical professional performing the treatment "Who knew an Empress was a medical professional too" he said jokingly with a nervous chuckle, unknowing of how this was going to happen.

Naturally, he rolled up his right arm sleeve and help it for the Empress to apply the sedative. He never had one applied to him in his short life, but he knew how the whole thing worked "I hope my mind forces me to remember this" he remarked as his eyes shut slightly from the bright light shining down on him "When I first saw you I thought I wasn't ever going to get out of here alive. But in the end, you surprised me and taught me a few things. that I'll never forget. Thank you, Empress. Somewhere down the line, I'll be more than happy to return the favor"

Ingrid L'lerim ​

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir
Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud
The Red Witch, The Night Queen, Lady Stuztala, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium, Archon of the Primyn Group​

Location: Whisperwind Castle, Vengard, Kalidan
Equipment: Hersir Imperial Uniform || Empyrean gland
Tag: Cartri Keswoll

"The merit of my late husband, but as a soldier, I also learned a basic medical qualification during my officer training." she answered.

The officer training was more of an agent training, but it’s a fact that both the Shadow and Frost Company taught her first aid, the Shadow Company taught her anatomy as well. She learned more serious scientific things from Adrian on the Sith Alchemy topic. Everything had its benefits. As the man agreed to this, she measured the appropriate dose of sedative and administered it to the young man. It should work in a minute or two.

"That will be decided by the future, Mr. Keswoll. I hope to see you in the future and try not to kill yourself." she said.

When the sedative had an effect and Cartri fell asleep, she would start to work as well. The Empress kept what she promised, did not hurt the young man, and received false memories that were believable to Cartri and those who know him. She also put the protection on the man's mind. So did only exactly what they agreed on. When Cartri regains consciousness, his head hurts a little, there are only false memories in his mind as he steals the book, the data, and then escapes. Both the data store and the book are there with him, and he’s on his own ship, heading back to Denon. If he doesn't have a ship, he’ll be travelling on a scheduled transport.


//Last post; thank you for the game! <3 //