The Bane of Fresia (Subjection of Fresia, Open to OS, Others PM for Invite)

[Sage Bane]

Though his blood began to boil at her audacity, Sage was partially impressed by the gall of the young woman, who was, frankly, risking life, limb, and mental sanity to make demands on him. Just look at what happened to poor, broken Trystis Ray when his arrogance ran unchecked in the Coruscant prison the day of the Rebel prison break. The husk of man still hadn’t recovered from the illusionist’s shattering of his mind.

“I understand,” Sage told Acolyte Tirel with a measure of warning in his honey brown eyes. “But as hard as you worked among the ranks of the Jedi, you will still need to prove yourself to those closest to the Dark Lord, who scrutinizes each and every Knighthood. I cannot bestow this title on you on your word alone.”

Just as many initiates before her, Sage would test Sifa. If she survived this trial, he would consider her request.

“The planet of Corbos, is said to have ancient Leviathans who have survived deep underground. Legend also has it that artifacts have survived from those who dabbled in creating the beasts, those such as the exiled Dark Jedi Sorzus Syn. You will go to Corbos, and find proof of these legendary beasts as well as bring back any treasure protected by them.”

He gave her the slowest of nods. “Only then will I Knight you, Acolyte Tirel.”

[member="Sifa Tirel"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Sage Bane"]

Z-snap. Her 'friend' from the speeder crash was trying to hustle her master. Girl had balls. She new she liked that chick more for just her ability to save her life during high-speed wrecks. The Starchaser gave Sage a short nod as she strolled into the library. He was supposed to be giving her a tour of the palace today. Perhaps it was a celebration of her healed broken wrist from that crash? Or maybe her progress in training? Or maybe when she didn't eat him that one time as a nexu?

She knew better than to interrupt. Okay, not really. It was really because she'd rather check out this room. It was really impressive. Wall to wall holo pads and scrolls. Her hip-hugging short-shorts and tank-top self wandered leisurely down one of the aisles, neck craning up to check out the titles on the scrolls and checking out for any other hot acolytes in the adjacent rows.

[member="Sifa Tirel"]

 

[Sifa Tirel]

[member="Sage Bane"]

She frowned for a moment, then nodded.

"Then I shall bring you the head of one of these creatures." Sifa had heard of leviathans before. The creatures were legendary for their status above all else. Stories had circulated among the Jedi for years, decades, and over the war with the One Sith it had been reported that the faction even possessed a few Leviathans themselves. She didn't known if there was truth to that, but she knew what she had to do in order to take the next step, knew what she had to do in order to get what she wanted.

"I will return in three days time." She said with confidence, her hand wrapping tighter around the holocron. "I will have what you asked."

An underhanded toss, and Sifa threw him the holocron.

There was still hesitance in that, handing over her bargaining chip, but she figured if she did as she was told and delivered whatever the Leviathans held to him, then she would have what she wanted. It would be a final test of sorts, a way to prove herself and show that she truly was meant for Knigthood.

 

[Sage Bane]

"May the Force serve you well, Acolyte Tirel," said the Sith Lord, palming the holocron. "I look forward to your return, when you'll be ready to seek the knowledge that is held inside."

Sage would keep the valuable object in his private chambers on his Star Destroyer. As secure as the Temple of Pain was, its reliquary was for minor artifacts only. A familiar Force signature permeated the room, and Sage turned to see his apprentice Kinsey skulking through the library shelves, probably looking for a dalliance with a young male Sith apprentice. And she was really not very appropriately dressed. His eyes flashed red for a moment and then back to brown.

He carefully crept up behind her, moving like a snake, and then suddenly grabbed her, wrapping his arms around her.

"Did you miss me?" he cooed in her ear, a sibilant whisper. "I have something to show you."

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"] [member="Sifa Tirel"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Sage Bane"]

For once, she wasn't entirely surprised when he grabbed her. Her familiarity with the sith lord's presence was a little disturbing. That and her training was starting to pay off, even if in little ways. Still, there may have been a little squeak that left her cherry-lips.

She faced him, the force coursing through her muscles as she used the darkside to give her arms a little boost of strength so she could pin Sage against one of the shelves. Fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt.

"Hi." She pushed on her toes so her lips could come up to meet his.

She didn't care if the shelf rocked slightly as his back pushed against it or if some of the scrolls haphazardly hung out. She didn't care if the other sith looked over. Not even if that hot Chiss glanced over from one of the study tables. She pulled back slightly, catching her breath.

"Show me? You mean something other than the Anthology of the Dark Lord Dracus Vern?" Lips curled back into a playful grin.

 

[Sage Bane]

He laughed as Kinsey used Force Strength to pin him against the stacks. Honey-brown eyes dove right into blue when she stood up on tiptoes for a kiss. Electric charges of the Force surged between them as they sought out each other's lips, then Sage pulled back, eyeing Kinsey's very short shorts with a raised brow. If she was going to be Queen of Fresia, she would definitely need a wardrobe makeover.

"You seem to have forgotten your pants," Sage stated with mock eyeroll. Then, he grabbed her hand and kissed it.

"No lessons today. We're going to have fun. Come, we have guarlaras waiting to take us to the construction site of our new palace."

Sage led her outside the temple where two black-furred guarlaras were waiting. One was his own steed, Nightbrother. He patted the other on its muscular neck, and it snorted, ears twitching away a few pesky flies.

"This one is yours, Kinsey." He smiled at her. "He only needs a name."

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Sage Bane"]

"But it gets hot in the temple," she pouted and then cooed, "A man who lounges around in Zoosha fabric sheets and bathrobes can hardly critique my wardrobe choices." She let her lips linger on his cheek as they made their way outside. Hips swayed as she walked in-line with the sith lord.

Blue-eyes widened as the sun hit her face and she registered his words with the guarlara mounts. "For realsies!!!!????!!!" She squead and bounced in excitement next to him. The animal was gorgeous: sleek, powerful, and muscular. The teen approached gingerly and ran her hand along its sleek-neck. It whinnied softly and gently nudged her shoulder with its nose. Insta-bond.

"He's beautiful," eyes remained on the guarlara. Her guarlara. "Midnight," she said quietly and got another nudge on her shoulder. Midnight promptly nibbled on the strap of her tanktop. She laughed, a bell-like sound that usually made guys or girls, that much more determined to get her comm-frequency. "Thank you," she beamed, finally looking up into Sage's honey-eyes.

"I've never ridden one but it can't be that hard, right?"

Never one to shy from a challenge, especially when it involved adventure, risk, and fast-speeds, she stepped to the side of the mount and hauled herself up. Short shorts sitting on an equine creature meant she was all legs.

 

[Sage Bane]

Sage thoroughly enjoyed Kinsey's bouncy reaction to her new steed. Her enthusiasm for the guarlara was like night and day compared to Spark Finn's tepid reception of Sage's horseback-riding excursion. Grinning back at her, he climbed up onto Nightbrother and slipped his boots into the stirrups. He took a moment to leer at her shapely legs, then dug his heels into the sides of his mount.

"Come! This way, Kinsey!" he exclaimed as Nightbrother broke into a gallop across the Fresian landscape.

The Sith Lord and his apprentice rode past the site of what would end up being his mutant sarlaac, and then a few more miles. Before long, an enormous cluster of spires revealed themselves in the distance. As they drew closer, they neared a behemoth structure so tall it almost seemed to stretch into the stars themselves. It was the half-built Fresian palace that he and Kinsey would soon move into.

Spoiler

Sage pulled on Nightbrother's reigns, guiding the animal to a stop in front of the palace. He turned to Kinsey with a proud grin on his face.

"So darling, what do you think of the home of the future King and Queen of Fresia?"

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]