Rediscovery

[Madalena Antares]

It had been a few weeks since Madalena had been brought back from the space between dimensions. What was from the start a complex ritual that could've gone wrong at any moment (not to mention that it came after close to two months of growing a body, another thing with which things could've gone wrong at any moment), had actually gone wrong. Madalena's soul, free of its initial captivity, had attempted to flee. Madalena had no actual recollection of this; for all she knew, she was standing with Scherezade one moment, and then waking up to see her almost dead on the floor the next. But Scherezade had told her everything in the weeks that followed.

The weeks that followed had not been easy for any of the girls. Scherezade still had to leave on missions, was still pretending to be Madalena, though that would end soon enough. Yet in between, she spent every moment she could with Madalena, helping her re-learn her new body. It had been strange for Madalena, at first. Every time she saw Scherezade at first, it had been like looking into a mirror and seeing a reflection that did not move like her, did not behave like her. Yet as the days progressed, Scherezade's outward appearnce had become entirely different to her, and she came to see her as someone who was never her. Now, when Madalena looked into an actual mirror and saw herself, she felt as though that was what she was meant to look like, had always looked like.

It was slightly… As Scherezade liked to describe it, a mind-krak.

Other things had not been easy as well. Every day, Scherezade forced Madalena into working the body out, stretching the muscles and strengthening them. Talking had to be taught, movement had to be learned, even simple things like getting her fingers to doodle on a piece of paper were at first a challenge. Madalena had set her little commdevice to also record her, and at night she would watch the recording, loathing the loss of fluidity in her motions, the lack of grace in them. But she also saw the progression over time.

Still, her body annoyed her. It was not a body she could dance in, it was not a body that she could fight in. Once, when Scherezade had been on a mission, Madalena had turned one of the droids on for a basic practice combat sequence. It had taken less than three minutes before she shut it down angry and caused it to combust, pieces of metal flying into her face as well.

Something had changed.

Before, Madalena had loved the field of battle. There was a reason she'd taken so many missions on it – at first she never even considered why yet later, when she analyzed the differences in how her senses accepted and perceived things, she realized that it was the loss of the song. Scherezade was a Warrior; when she was fighting, there was a song that had coursed through her body. Madalena's body… Did not do that

What am I? Was a question she often asked herself.

Yet enough weeks had passed. While Madalena cherished the time spent with her sister, both to help and to get to know each other better, her heart constantly yearned for Cardinal. She had not wanted him around for the initial stages, to see her struggle with simple things like sitting down and getting up, learning how to chew food, swallow it, keep it down, or do any of the other things that many of took for granted.

But she was now tired of it. She could mostly move, though she had to rest often, and she was sick and tired of the diet that her sister refused to budge from.

Enough time has passed, my love, she sent to [member="Cardinal Vi'dreya"], I will be alone on my ship for the next few days. Please come. And bring me something to eat that is not just meat and cheese or I will lose my mind. I want to try bread and sweets. And you.

 

[ToKola Bakari]

Recently it seemed like Cardinal was dedicating more time than usual to himself. It was relieving, but at times the man felt guilty. It wasn't like he had been frequenting cantinas or blowing credits on new speeders. No, mostly he had been fighting. He'd spent almost every day of the past week with Uthixo and Anansi, relearning the Sandali fighting styles and even learning some new ones. He loved fighting. The taste of blood on his lips, the feeling of flesh slamming against bone and cartilage. But there was more to it, it sated something within him, left him fulfilled. Still, there was something else. Cardinal could feel it, the pull that came from deep in him. Normally it would leave him worried. He would spend hours in mediation or take a number of days to reflect and cleanse himself. Not this time.

Today was no day different from any other. After an evening of training Cardinal returned to his flat with a mind for a meal, maybe he would have a Bantha steak or a Mynock sandwich, either one sounded appetising.

Cardinal tossed his comm link on the table, sweat still flowing from his brow. After Cardinal spent a time in the refresher, washing off a thick coating of sweat and dirt he returned to his kitchen eager for a meal, instead he was greeted with the subtle chirp from his holocomm. He tapped the device, allowing it to play it's message. When Madalena's image appeared in a golden hue the man exhaled a bit. It was bizarre, to see her face and hear her voice and them not strike a single memory in his mind. But she was there. Full lips and long flowing hair that caused him to smile all the same. His Yua. Her message was a welcome one. It had been so long since Cardinal had seen her and had any time to truly call theirs, so he was eager for an invitation.

Once the message was done, he tapped a button on the holocomm. It would let her know he would be returning to her in short order. He strapped the device to his wrist and soon was fast out the door.

The trip to Madalena's ship was short enough, it was the stops that made it take almost an hour. He'd stopped by a nearby bakery and butcher shop, buying a platter of freshly grilled and baked meats as well as an assortment of pastries and baked goods. His speeder was thick with the aroma of the treats and it only caused his stomach to rumble expectantly. He was hoping Madalena would love the selections, but he was also very confident she'd like just about anything at this point.

When he arrived at Madalena's ship, he smiled softly before making his way up the loading ramp, knocking on the side of the hull with loud deliberate taps. “Madalena.” He called out to her, eager to see her.

[member="Madalena Antares"]

 

[Madalena Antares]

He was coming! Madalena's heart fluttered, and despite the levels of fatigue, she managed to push herself into the refresher, making sure she looked as best as she could for Cardinal. She was still learning how to get this body to work with her in terms of aesthetics as well; but it appeared that even without having her memories and wants and wills altered by blood magic, she was good with these things. It was a comfort to her, to know that some things she still the same about, though it did open the door to a myriad of questions that only time could answer.

Quickly, she pushed herself into the best look pair of non-leather pants she owned, and an off the shoulder top, before checking herself out in the mirror and making sure her hair looked great as well. It was silly. She was behaving like a teenager going through a major crush. It made her laugh; she'd cherish thee feelings and the excitement for as long as she could.

There was a knock on the door. A knock? Madalena was certain she'd left the door open in anticipation, wanting him to walk in, but she supposed that with all the excitement of getting ready for him, she'd forgotten about it entirely. The only thing that kept her from running to the door was the stumble she took while trying to leave her room.

Cursing, Madalena called for her crutches via the Force, and pushed herself up. She loathed needing to use them; when the day came that she could walk for hours again without external help, that day would not becoming soon enough. It was only when she was almost at the door that she tossed one of the crutches away, not wanting to appear too weak at present.

And then the door opened, and glowing green eyes befell Cardinal's face. The happy smile spread across her face almost instantly, and a heart-beat later she closed the distance between them, her free arm wrapping around his waist as she leaned forward to see what his lips tasted like now that she was in her new body.

[member="Cardinal Vi'dreya"]

 

[ToKola Bakari]

When Cardinal was met at the door with Madalena's brilliant green eyes, he allowed a smile to cross over his face. It was filled with happiness and told the tale of just how much he missed her. Setting the bags he'd brought down on the ground he pulled her to him. He felt her arms wrapped around him and his lips parted to meet hers. They were different. Still full and soft, dripping with the expectation to meet his own, but they were warm and welcoming as well. He enjoyed the taste of her and it only caused him to wrap his arms around her, almost making a silent promise to never let go. He enjoyed her for a few minutes until finally he would pull back from her. His hand came up, brushing against her cheek as he spoke softly. “My Yua.” He spoke the words in a whisper, the only ones he cared to speak as he leaned his head over her shoulder and took in her warmth. “I've missed you.” He told her, before pulling back, taking her hand in his own.

“Come. I have a surprise for you.” He told her, bending down to pick up the bags he'd brought. “A couple of them actually.” He said, offering her lips another brief kiss before he led her into the kitchen. Cardinal laid the bags over the counter and began to sort through them. It caused his hunger to return to him, but he was too excited to care about it right now. He dug through the bags and pulled out a few rather large platters. Before her, Madalena would have meats, breads, and deserts of all manner. He even produced a rather healthy bottle of Kashyyyk ale. It was a strong brew, but still a heavily dulled version of what the Wookies drink. He glanced over the bottle for a moment, muttering to himself. “I heard this is pretty good. Never tried it myself.” He shrugged before setting it to the side as well. He gestured to the spread with an approving smile. “I thought this was a good start, but if you want something else we can run and get it.”

He rounded the table, pulling Madalena to him. His hand washed over her wrist and he eyed her closely. He looked into those green eyes with a searching gaze before he finally smiled. There she is. Deep in her eyes he could see her as he always had. Of course it was something to be used to, but she was no less the woman he loved. His hands fell to her waist, searchingly, tenderly, as if he was learning her body and how it felt now. When his eyes rose back on her he spoke again. “Here's your other surprise.” Cardinal pressed his hands to her shoulders, turning her back to him. His hand fell to his pocket and he pulled out a small token. It tapped against his leg before he pulled Madalena's hair back around her neck. The necklace was made of a thin Phrik weave. It was dark, nearly black. At the end of the necklace was a small black stone, with a green hue to it. It was as smooth as silk and was a nearly perfect circle. In the center was a symbol, the one of Cardinal's own tribe, carved into the stone.

“When I left my homeworld I only ever took one thing. My father gave me this the day I became a warrior...For a long time it was all I had to remind me of who I was. But now I have you, so I want you to have this.” Cardinal looked to Madalena's neck. It was soft and tempting and he could not help but bend down to kiss it tenderly. Again and again he would lay the soft kisses on her neck as his hands wrapped around her waist. “Welcome back, Madalena.”

[member="Madalena Antares"]

 

[Madalena Antares]

His arms around her, his lips on hers, and Madalena found herself wishing for the moment to last forever. Cardinal was of the same mind, and they remained there by the entrance for minutes that felt both an eternity and nothing at all at the same time. Her heart fluttered with him here now, so near, so close to her. His smell was different now that she had different ways to smell him, but he was still him, and that smell to her was the smell of home.

My Yua. The way he said it melted her. She missed him too. Their recent separation had only been because of her, because she hadn't wanted him to see her while she was adjusting to the new body. But she'd been adjusting enough. She never wanted to let him go again, even if missions and such would probably cause this to happen more often than either of them liked.

Madalena pushed her face into his hand as he caressed her cheek, her eyes closing until he pulled away, taking her hand. She squeezed his.

"A surprise?" she blinked. A couple of them? As Cardinal picked the bags up and went towards the kitchen, Madalena grabbed her crutch, walking slowly after him, cursing her body all the while. She didn't want to walk after him, she wanted to run and jump on him and tell him the surprises could wait. Just a little bit longer… she promised herself.

Madalena plomped herself down on one of the chairs, the movement less elegant than she would have wanted it to be. But seated down required less effort on her part than standing up, and she carefully balanced her crutch against the nearby wall.

Staring at the food in front of her, the woman's mouth almost began to water. Food. Her sister was feeding her more than properly; but a diet of meats, cheeses, and eggs. Madalena wanted more. And she wanted to know whether or not in her new body, she could actually eat a bigger variety of items. But even though Cardinal had pulled the food out, the time to eat wasn't there quite just yet.

Because instead of piling personal plates to feed, Cardinal walked around the table and took her wrist. Madalena blinked in slight confusion. He looked at her as though he was stripping her naked – not her body, but her soul, and she held her chin up, looking at him with her glowing green eyes, unashamed, strong and proud. Whatever parts of her were because of her sister's design, she was still herself, and she would not cover herself or yield. Not for anyone, and not to hide from the man who held her heart, and would never receive anything less from her than who she fully was.

And suddenly, her back was to him. Madalena turned her head, wondering what was going on, what Cardinal had planned. Her eyes fell then on what he removed from his pocket; the dark stone with the green tint. He didn't have to tell her what the symbol meant exactly – she could guess it had to do with his home planet, with his tribe. They'd spoken about it only briefly, but she knew what weight it held in his heart.

His explanation quickly followed, and she smiled, purring at the feel his lips against his neck. Only when he finished speaking did she turn around again, looking at him now, the stone resting against her chest.

"I am, incredibly lucky," she breathed, smiling, taking one of his hands off her waist and into hers, kissing the top of his knuckles, "I didn't meet you because of any choice that either of us made. And yet that moment in your office opened a door I hadn't even thought to imagine, not with you, not with anybody else. In this body or in any other, I choose you, Cardinal. You hold my heart willingly. I love you."

Rising from her chair, Madalena wrapped her arms around Cardinal again, her body pressed against his.

"I love you," she said again, and the words came out so effortlessly, as natural as breathing was.

[member="Cardinal Vi'dreya"]

 

[ToKola Bakari]

It was the security. That was what Cardinal liked about it most. The unspoken assurance that when his hands parted from Madalena's she would still be there. It caused his eyes to soften and his muscles to relax. Her words were sweet, but most importantly they were meaningful, true. It was not another nightmarish dream, crafted to break him. It was not a lie he had told himself in an attempt to escape a cruel reality. It was the truth. She loved him as he loved her and the two would not be easily parted. The soft kiss she placed on his knuckles made his body warm, hot even. He looked to her, his hand pressing to her cheek once again and he exhaled ever so softly. Cardinal said nothing. No, there was nothing more he wished to say right now.

His lips pressed to hers. He kissed her softly, lovingly, but as seconds passed the kiss turned to something more. It became more passionate, more hungering. As his lips pressed into her, his hands took hold of her waist, urging her body into his own. She was soft, so much so that he was eager to feel her skin. His lips fell from hers and went down to her neck. He kissed it, once and then again and again as his hands took hold of her wrists.

He paused, looking at the necklace around her neck. His necklace, his token, now hers. It made him smile, just before planting another kiss just below where the stone fell on her chest. His hand came up to rub her back, just where her shirt met her skin. Slowly they rolled over her shoulders as he kissed her once again, this time with a fire he was not intent on ignoring. No, he wanted her. His hand came to her chin, holding it tenderly as his sunburnt eyes peered into her green orbs. He stared for a moment before reaching down at her shirt, allowing his hands to slide inside of it and caress her back. “Madalena…” he spoke lowly, in a sultry tone but said nothing else, the rest was in his eyes.

[member="Madalena Antares"]

 

[Madalena Antares]

Oh, she was most definitely still there. And so was he. He kissed her again, kissed her many times, and she returned the kisses, as eager and as hungry as he was. So many times had they attempted to do this, to take it further, but something had always stopped them.

Not this time.

She could feel Cardinal's lips beginning to move lower, down to where the stone he had given her now rested, his hand atop of her shirt, her body attempting to move so that it would actually touch the skin. Oh, she knew what he wanted – and she wanted the very same thing. The moan that escaped her mouth as his hand finally came beneath her shirt would leave him no place to question her desire or willingness.

"Yes," she whispered, her own hands now coming beneath his own shirt, wanting, needing to feel the skin beneath, "yes," she whispered again – and paused.

"This will be my first time," she admitted, looking up at him in surprise as she realized it. She had the fake memories of things that had occurred in a past that did not exist. She did not know what happened in the dimension she was from. And on top of that, her body was still far from being in its prime…

But within a few moments, Madalena was smiling again. Her crutch was too far, so she simply used the Force. Somewhat awkwardly, she wrapped her legs around Cardinal, her entire weight now held by him as he held on with her arms for support.

She'd know what to do. Even if she had never done it in any pre-existing versions of herself, she knew what her body wanted, but more importantly, she knew what Cardinal's body wanted.

"Just be a little gentle at first," she whispered into his ear before her mouth found his own neck, and did more than just kissing there. "My room is that way."

[member="Cardinal Vi'dreya"]

 

[ToKola Bakari]

He heard Madalena breathe out the words that caused his spine to tingle. Her first time. He looked down at her and took hold of her chin, ever so tenderly. He looked into those beautiful green eyes before pressing his lips to hers. This time it was softer, deeper. He held her in his arms for what felt like an eternity before she moved herself into his arms. As his smile deepened he carried her towards her bedroom. When finally he laid her on the bed, he was quick to pull his shirt from his chest.

Cardinal climbed on the bed, crawling over Madalena. His tone was still deep and sultry as his lips pressed against the woman's forehead. “I'll be gentle...as a start.” He promised before lowering himself so his lips could meet hers.

“Madalena…” he breathed, just before his hands began to roam her body, slowly.

It wasn't quite morning when Cardinal woke up. His muscles were tight and expended but the bed was warm against the cool morning, keeping him from rising just yet. His eyes were the only bit of light in the room, as the rest was shrouded in shadows. A few quick blinks brought some sight, some focus. When he looked down to his chest, he could see Madalena still sleeping against him, her bare skin pressed to his. He exhaled softly, recalling the night before and allowing a brief smile to come over him. He leaned down, pressing his lips to the crown of his lover's head. He was large and his muscles were still tight from the night before, but he tried his hardest to move without waking Madalena.

Once he was out of the bed, the man found his jeans and quickly pulled them on. His feet and chest were still bare, but he was less concerned about them and more concerned about a snack. Nights of exertion often caused the man's hunger to triple, so he set off to the kitchen, in search of something to sate his hunger.

[member="Madalena Antares"]

 

[Madalena Antares]

It had been everything she had imagined.

She'd had to let him take the lead in the beginning, easing into it. Her body had been tired from the day's work, yet Cardinal had found the way to awaken her from the inside as well as the out. At a certain point, Madalena had been sure that it was simply the first time in memory, and not the first time ever, for she knew what to do, and her body responded to his without shake, without holding back, and the sleep that had taken over when at last both of them were done and exhausted, drenched in each other's sweat, had been the sweetest sleep she ever had, his arms around her and her head against his chest, kept company by the sound of hi beating heart. Her heart.

The sunshine poured softly into her bedroom when her eyes opened. Cardinal was no longer in the bed with her, yet his scent remained on the sheet, bringing a smile to Madalena's lips. Every muscle in her body ached, yet for the first time in weeks, it was the good and sweet sort of ache that she welcomed. Her fingers were nimble enough to help her tie her bedsheet around herself on her own, and it was minutes later that she managed to stand up, her legs this time quaking because of more than one reason.

Slowly, and with a lot of leaning against the painting covered walls, Madalena made her way from the bedroom to the kitchen, where she knew she would find Cardinal. Her crutch was still there, tossed against the floor, but she ignored it as she made her way to her love, her arms wrapping around him from behind as her lips nestled against the back of his neck.

"Good morning," she purred into him, delivering another kiss against his spine, "I never got to eat last night. I'm hungry."

[member="Cardinal Vi'dreya"]

 

[ToKola Bakari]

Even before Madalena entered Cardinal could sense her. He did not move as she wrapped her hands around him. He savored her touch, taking her hands from his chest and kissing them tenderly. “Good morning, My Yua.” He returned, before turning to face her. Her face, not quite so foreign, brought a smile to his own features.

When she said she was hungry, Cardinal raised a plate he had been working on. It was a mass of meats and breads, surely a champions breakfast as it was nearly to the point of overflowing. “I was bringing you some breakfast.” He said, holding the platter out to her while one of his arms wrapped around her waist. “Here.” He offered it to her before setting it down on the counter for her to eat. Madalena was beautiful, amazingly so, and it had little to do with her outer appearance, there was something so much more that Cardinal loved about the woman.

He pulled her close. It was unsuspecting, deep, and passionate. However his lips met hers in a deep kiss as his hands squeezed her backside, pushing her close to him. “Madalena…” he said, softly, his eyes holding a new light. He picked her up, setting her on the counter beside the platter. She was as light as a feather to him, even though her form was so perfectly full. “Remember a while ago, we spoke about leaving for a while? Do you still want to?” He asked, his hand rubbing along the outside of the woman's thighs as he spoke. “I just...Madalena a lot has happened. I found my people and they showed me how to find a world...my people's homeworld.” He explained, his hands pressing into her waist as he looked to her with a smile. “Come with me, soon. Just you and I.” He said, the enthusiasm was damn near impossible to miss.

[member="Madalena Antares"]

 

[Madalena Antares]

His Yua. She would never tire of hearing him say that, caressing something deeper within her than merely the mention of her name from his lips ever could.

Her hand reached for the platter, only to have it taken away from her again, but laughter soon came from her he pulled her in, silencing her only by the mention of her name. Madalena's arms came around Cardinal again, never wanting to let him go, one hand moving to caress his face as he gazed into his orange eyes. Before she could kiss him again, she was suddenly lifted and placed on the counter, drawing another hearty laugh from her.

His hand against her thigh sent bolts of the fuzziest electricity through her body and she moaned softly, placing a hand over his just to pause him so that she could focus on his words. Did she still want to?

"You found your people?" she asked, eyes wide with amazement. The food entirely forgotten, she threw her arms around him again, "That is amazing!" Madalena sighed, planting a kiss on his cheek. She knew what his homeworld at meant to him, what the people he'd had to leave behind had met. "Of course I want to go with you!" she grinned, grabbing his hand again so she could kiss it, "as soon as I can move around without the crutches, we can leave!"

Grabbing a piece of bread in her hands, she looked at him again, smiling, "Tell me about it," she urged him, "how did you find them? What are they like? Do I get to meet them?"

Before he could answer, Madalena bit into a bread roll, and another deep moan escaped from her. That… That was… "Oh my Force," she whispered, "this is… I…" she quickly took another bite, her cheeks puffing ever so slightly. It tasted nothing like it had in her former body. "Bread. I like it. Bread!"

[member="Cardinal Vi'dreya"]

 

[ToKola Bakari]

As always Madalena's response was exactly what he needed. When she exploded into an embrace, Cardinal chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her. Still, when she said she would come with him, he nodded with an enthusiastic look in his eyes. Perfect. Cardinal was eager to show Madalena the world his people had come from and just what it could mean for him, he was not sure. However it could mean an answer to many of his questions. When she asked for him to explain, he laughed a bit before nodding. “There were two of them. Uthixo and Anansi. There was a small dueling event on a planet Scherezade and I traveled to, they were there to compete. Madalena when I met them I felt like my blood was boiling, but not out of anger. It was so bizarre. They spoke my tongue and their movements were identical to mine. Uthixo is young, but he's a strong warrior. Anansi is older, maybe a bit wiser as well.” Cardinal took some time to explain the men. He decided against bringing up the brawl he had gotten into on the last planet they visited together.

Still, his excitement was barely containable. “Anansi took me there, briefly. But there is a tribe, they're called the Jiwe and they are where my clan came from. A long time ago a number of the Jiwe left the planet and ended up on a moon far from Sandala. That was where my clan was founded, all the clans on that planet we're from Sandala. It's why we all spoke the same language and fought using the same styles, even though we'd always been at war.” When Madalena bit into the bread, Cardinal chuckled a bit at her before arching a brow. “Pretty good?” He asked before leaning forward to kiss her puffed up cheeks. “Good.”

Cardinal exhaled before crossing his arms while he leaned on the counter behind him. “Scherezade wants to confess to my brother. After that, whenever you're feeling up to it, we can go. For a few months at least. I want you to experience my people's homeworld with me.” He took her hand, gazing into those green eyes with a happy smile. “I love you, My Yua. Always.”

[member="Madalena Antares"]

 

[Madalena Antares]

"Uthixo," Madalena repeated the names, "Anansi," and looked to Cardinal to ensure she got the pronunciation right. The smile was etched on her face in response to the excitement that flowed out of Cardinal. To find such a strong evidence of his home, a place he had not visited in so long, a place that his heart still dreamed of from time to time. She remembered the look on his face when he spoke of his home when the two of them visited Kashyyyk; "Your blood sang in response to finding them," she commented with a little smile.

As he resumed the tale of what had happened, Madalena nodded enthusiastically, the joy on her face radiating just for him. "We have to go there," she commented when he'd finished. He had no other choice on the matter. And whatever choice she might have had about not going with him she easily vanquished; she wanted to be there with him when his eyes befell the Sandali home world, when he was among his tribe.

Taking another bite from her bread, she almost exploded with the happiness. Bread. Who'd have thought it was so great? What other amazing things did the culinary world hold for her that she didn't realize just yet? What other foods would taste so delicious now to her tongue?

To hearing about her sister's stupid plan, she made no comment. She had tried to persuade Scherezade into not doing it, tried telling her that some things were better left off the table. But if there was something that both she and Cardinal were going to learn, was just about how stupidly stubborn this family was. Madalena might have chosen to keep her father's name out of respect t him and the hopes that she would someday get to meet him, but she was a deWinter nonetheless.

Yet once again all worries vanished. She smiled and put the bread down, leaning against Cardinal, her nose against his cheek. "I love you," she breathed into his ear. There would be no denying it. They were both real, and they were both alive, and what leashes had been in place before the previous few months that had kept them at bay from realizing their emotions for each other were now utterly gone and destroyed. "Always," she added, echoing his own words.

Eventually, she pushed herself up, taking another piece of bread to eat. "I'll find a beautiful word to use for you sooner or later," she nodded, mostly to herself, before turning to look at him. "Are you planning on remaining Cardinal?" came the question, "or will you revert back to using To'kola now that you've rediscovered your roots?"

[member="Cardinal Vi'dreya"]

 

[ToKola Bakari]

Each time Madalena spoke those three words, Cardinal found himself smiling. There was no call to hide it or pretend it was something less than what it was. His hand wrapped around the back of her neck, pulling her close so that his forehead could rest against hers.

“Always.” Cardinal repeated Madalena's words before letting her lean back away from him. The next question to come was one that not even Cardinal had considered. His name. He paused, not quite sure what to say. His name had been Cardinal for so long that he'd never considered the day he would take his old name back. He exhaled, before taking Madalena's hand. He loved to hear her say his name, his true name. It was as if she was washing away everything else until it was only him.

“My name is To'Kola Bakari…” He started, “and it is Cardinal Vi'Dreya.” His lips formed a thin smile before clearing his throat and nodding. “I don't know. Not yet. After we visit Sandala, then I can make that decision. Not before.” He said, patting the woman's thighs softly before looking up to her. “I cannot wait for you to see the planet.” His eyes spied a piece of peppered jerky and he took hold of the meat, biting into it hungrily. “My tribe, the Jiwe, they used to rule Sandala. A long time ago it was one unified people. Now the tribes are scattered. Feuding.” It was obvious by Cardinal's tone that the last part bothered him, immensely.
[member="Madalena Antares"]

 

[Madalena Antares]

To'Kola Bakarai… And Cardinal Vi'dreya. Madalena listened quietly, her own opinion forming quite quickly, yet here was no reason to impose it on him. He himself was unsure at present which of the two dominated him, choosing to be both until such a time that they returned to his home planet.

As he spoke of the Jiwe and their rule, Madalena's hand came up, coming to rest against his chest, feeling the beat of his heart in the palm of her hand. The change in his tone had not gone unnoticed, and Madalena frowned, looking at her beloved's face.

"Did that not happen before you were born?" she asked, her hand moving sideways to rest against his arm. Even when talking about these unhappy knowledge bits, she still wanted to touch him, to stay physically close to him, "is it something you imagine fixing when we go there?"

[member="Cardinal Vi'dreya"]

 

[ToKola Bakari]

When Madalena spoke of fixing the fued that hundreds of years of bad blood had kindled, he fell silent for a moment. He shrugged at the words, as ultimately he could not know if what she asked was possible. "I'm...Not a native Sandali. I don't really know why the tribes are still fighting so I can't say whether or not it could end." There was some sadness there, a minor amount. Perhaps it came from Cardinal knowing he was not native born to his home or even the fact that he had ties, deep emotional ties to a place he'd only been to once.

"My ancestors fought with the Jiwe. They fought to preserve the Sandali way of life. I will do the same and I want you to do it with me. fight by my side and train with me." He leaned forward, pressing his lips to her neck in soft tender kisses. "With you I can do anything." As Cardinal looked to the woman he was reminded of how she had been warm to him, even before they had become a couple.

"Besides, my people believe in the strength of two. It is always greater than one." He admitted, with a smile coming to his lips. "Still...I should focus my attention on the present for the time being. The Force shifts...in a way I'm all too familiar with. Something is coming and it is not going to be good."

[member="Madalena Antares"]

 

[Madalena Antares]

Madalena said nothing at first. She could taste the little sadness in Cardinal's voice, taste it fully well. She knew what he spoke of, for her heart longed for a planet she had never seem in this body, a planet that was her home. Two sets of memories existed for it now; one of the false memories in which her home was a made up magical kingdom, and another one in which it was a place that was very real. And yet that real place was not the peaceful powerful place. She knew, some, about the troubles that plagued it. But now was not the time for it.

Taking Cardinal's hand, she smiled. "I will fight with you for the Jiwe. I will fight with you for the Sandali. I will fight the entire galaxy with and for you," she assured him. There would simply be no other way.

As for the strength of two… To that she let a soft chuckle out. "Perhaps we are simply meant to be, then," she said, her hands running along the exposed skin of his arm, touching in those gentle spots where nerves ended, "my people believe in the strength of two as well. There is a strong dichotomy on Endelaan, and they believe that a true wholesome pair is stronger than anything else. The pair must be made up of one Warrior, and one Sorceress, and it is rooted so deeply that sometimes positions of powers are denied if that pairing is not adhered to."

Removing her hands, her glowing green eyes scanned Cardinal from top to bottom, and Madalena did not even attempt to hide the satisfaction from her eyes.

"You are my Warrior," she stated as a matter of fact, "and I don't know yet what I am. What I could be, in this new body and new existence. But you are my Warrior. Never forget that."

And with that she leaned in to kiss him again.

[member="Cardinal Vi'dreya"]

 

[ToKola Bakari]

To hear that Madalena would fight by his side, caused a feeling he had never felt before. It was odd, the security that came with the woman's words. To know that the journey he planned to take, he would not take alone.

When she said they were meant to be, even though she chuckled, the man nodded. He truly believed it was the will of The gods that brought this woman to him. Her hand running along his arm was a warming feeling that he would savor for as long as he could. Even when her eyes took his form in he said nothing. He enjoyed the way her eyes gazed over him, it stirred things within him. When she leaned in to kiss him, he stood forward, pressing her back from him. He pressed her to the wall of the ship as their lips met.

"I love you, my Yua." He muttered, before taking hold of the woman's wrists and pressing them to the wall above her head. Their lips would meet once again, and once again they would be lost in each other.

[member="Madalena Antares"]

{END}