Private Squirreled Away

[Caiden Elayance]

| Kaikielius
| Kesipli
| Elayance Estate

His father had departed the previous day, but he was rarely home these days so it was not some strange thing. This time it was a trip to oversee development of the families new investment into carababba tabac plantations on Stampa. It was only a moon, so it seemed like it should be a day trip, but it sounded like he would be gone for upwards of a week. Caiden would have thought nothing of it if it had not been for the flurry of activity that followed his father’s departure.

“Do we really have to go to boarding school? I promise I will not put anymore bantha milk bombs in Jalene’s bed!” He had declared in protestation. About the sixth time he did so, his mother pulled him to the side, she seemed to have resigned to telling him the truth if only to motivate action from the sole son of the Elayance family. He tended to drag his feet ‘a bit’.

The revelation that he and his twin sister, Callie, were been shipped off to start their Jedi training sounded MUCH better than what he had been told by his father. Though, he had to keep this from Callie. She would not be impressed that the boarding school was actually Jedi training.

I’m gonna be a Jedi!

The thought bounced around in his head and brought a smile to his face that his mother tried to growl away. It disappeared only as long as she remained vigilant. She was too busy to watch him all the time, and thus his smile quickly reappeared and barely left his face.

His belongings were shoved into every nook and cranny of his carry bag, including his favour Jedi holovids. He had watched them to the point of corrupting multiple datachits. It was a running joke that he would get replacements every birthday. He was ashamed to admit that he had already worn out the previous years chits, and had been waiting for weeks already to watch them again.

I’m gonna be the very best, like no one ever was....

He swung the bag over his shoulder and bounded out the door, skidding to halt just before knocking a tray out of Jalene’s hands. The housekeeper snarled at him. “I cannot say I will miss you much, young sir!” She declared.

Caiden smiled even more. “Oh. You know you will, Jalene,” he said before planting a kiss on her time worn cheek, “and when I get back...oh boy...you are going to be surprised.”

“You just study hard and make me proud, you here boy!” She called, but Caiden was already half way down the long pillar lined hallway.

By the time Caiden reached the gangway to the landing pad, he was breathless, and beads of sweat were beginning to form on his brow. He had not seen his mother for a while, but could hear voices...mother and Callie, at it again.

The door leading to the gangway slid open, and there leaning on a vine covered marble pillar was his younger sister, Caiden’s smile disappeared for a moment as he noted her expression, but returned moments later, this time to comfort his sister.

“Hey there, Cee,” he said as he walked over to her with an odd bounce in his step, “didn’t think you would show up.”

T The End Narrator Charlyze Elayance

 

[The End Narrator]

Kaikielius
Kesipli
Elayance Estate​

“No, no…” She shook her head vigorously as her mother continued to explain the reasons behind the decision to send her on to the Academy. “I had it all planned out, I had everything done that I needed to in order to enroll in the Senatorial Internship on Coruscant!” She exclaimed, stomping her foot hard against the duracrete, throwing her hands out infront of her as she continued to explain the importance of the program – but it fell on deaf ears, her mother countered each time she brought up a different point.

“Callie…” Aredel paused and brought her hands down upon the shoulders of the oldest of her children – atleast by a few minutes. “My dearest Callie – you must understand the importance o-“

“I don’t care! That is your desire for me! It isn’t what I want to do…” She re-iterated for the third time.

Arrdal let off a sigh as she pulled away from her daughter. “I’m sorry, but this is happening…” She shook her head softly and began walking away, only to pause and look over her shoulder. “One day, you’ll understand. For now, I’m sorry but it’s done.”

Callista went to retort but the sound of the door sliding open and snapping shut was enough to stop her cold. She let off a loud growl, almost a snarling yell before stomping away towards the Estate – to collect the remainder of her things. She marched past her twin brother and her nosy little sister – both whom were huddled somewhere, spying on the conversation between her and her mother, as usual. She said nothing to either of them, taking a mental note but dismissing it just as quick. Callie was focused on the moment, the denial of what she felt was her destiny in the universe – and what she felt was her right.

The sound of light conversation caught her attention, albeit brief but defineatly audible. She stopped dead in her tracks and turned to her two siblings, calling out as if to draw attention to them.

“HEY!” She marched forward and pointed at Charly. “I TOLD YOU TO STOP LISTENING IN ON MY CONVERSATIONS!”

Caiden Elayance | Charlyze Elayance ​

 

[Charlyze Elayance]

She’d been standing outside the gathering room of the Elayance Estate for a while, thinking, brooding. The last few days had been weighing down on her. She’d always known this day would come, but a naïve part of her had hoped it wouldn’t. Maybe something would happen to keep her siblings here, prevent them from leaving her all alone. Both of them? Hm... Decidedly… yeah.

She was going to miss even her, ‘popular without trying’ annoying older sister.

Having insisted the day before that she wouldn’t come to bid them off, and at the last second changing her mind, she didn’t know what exactly to say. She wasn’t really good with goodbyes. Sappy emotions, ick.

Seeing Caiden rounding the corner, madr concern over what to say melt into a dim smile. “I didn’t think I would either.” she admitted with a sigh, rolling off the pillar her shoulder had found purchase on and looking back at the closed door where the heated voices of their Mom and sister echoed from, then back to her brother. “I just thought I’d come and --”

If the door could have been slammed, it most certainly would have. As it was, the stomping of her sister was enough to do the trick, and Charlyze flinched.

“HEY!” Callista marched forward and pointed at Charly. “I TOLD YOU TO STOP LISTENING IN ON MY CONVERSATIONS!”

“First off. Who died and made you Queen of the roost?! You can't tell me what to do! So shove off!” Her eyes narrowed pointedly at her sister, smacking away the accusatory finger Callista had thrown in her face.

“Secondly, I’m not hear to listen to your loud mouth argue with Mom again,” barked Charlyze, “I just came…Uuaghh!” She threw her hands in the air, exasperated by what had started out as good intentions to see off her siblings and make peace, just turning into another typical fight with her older sister.

She sniffled a little, hot faced, with angry tears beginning to well up. “You know what, forget it! Just get out of here and go Jedi, or whatever stupid thing it is you’re planning on doing!”

Charlyze questioned why she ever bothered with her sister at times. Caiden, she’d always had a soft spot for, trailing him like a lost puppy since they were kids and soaking up all the regaled tales of the Jedi their Mom filled their heads with, right alongside him. But Callista? The two of them never seemed to see eye to eye on anything. The fabled ‘sisterly bonds’ didn’t seem to apply where the two of them were concerned. A day didn’t go by, where they didn’t find a reason to not be arguing with one another. Not even the looming of an extended departure was enough to make them get along.

“We’ll all be better off without you anyway!”

Frustrated, she turned on her heels and stormed off down the hall.

She was right the first time. She shouldn’t have come. Good riddance!

Callista Elayance | Caiden Elayance