Private The Best Place for Tea

[Kay-Larr]

Draco Miles

The Sphaera Tea Shoppe on Altiria/Anarris was doing very well. Of course there's more going behind the scenes in the warehouse than out in the storefront. There were plenty of orders being made and Kay was lucky that she had plenty of appliances and machines to help her out.

Right now she was still the only employee, although she hoped that one day she'd find a suitable droid to lend a helping hand. Especially whenever she travelled. Most of her travels consisted of company expos. She didn't have a social life anymore. Those days were long since past.

Kay took a sip of Sapir tea in one of her special cups from what felt like a past life. She was on a bit of a break inbetween customers coming in the shop. A fire was burning in the hearth, warming her up on the outside as she was seated at a table near it, while the Sapir tea warmed her from within. It was nice and quiet, and at times a little too quiet for her liking. But she was only taking babysteps in venturing out there in the Galaxy. Fortunately she was mostly forgotten in history. She didn't want there to be any trouble again. But a few have tried to push her out from her hermit-like existence, wanting her to do so much more with her life than being a tea merchant.

Yet finding one's purpose wasn't so easy...

 

[Draco Miles]

No it was not, in fact finding purpose is often very difficult! It’s what Draco searched for as well quite often, as she wouldn’t always be Arianna’s apprentice.

Currently she ventured to Kay-Larr ‘s tea shop, having heard of their newest introduction into House Io, she wanted to meet her! And maybe even try some tea. She had some rather fond memories of it, from successful missions defeating jedi. She got to try it once, and the warm, calming nature of it was something she was rather fond of.

That special tea set would probably glow rather brightly with Draco entering the shop, due to her strong connection to the force. Wearing her armor, minus the helmet, she moved close to Kay-Larr and smiled warmly

“Hello, I am Draco Miles of House Io… are you Kay-Larr?”

 

[Kay-Larr]

It was the glowing of her tea cup that caught her attention first. It had been a long time since someone had activated her tea set. Curiously she looked to the door mere moments before Draco Miles opened the door and stepped inside.

Kay got to her feet as the armoured woman walked in. She kept her tea cup cradled in her hands, moreso to cover up much of it's glow than anything else.

"I am, yes. And you're from House Io are you? Well welcome to my shoppe. Can I get you anything?"

The Amalgam was an old friend of hers, darker in nature than Kay wanted to be. And a huge fan of her Darkside cookies. It was through her that she was invited into House Io, although she had yet to meet anyone else from there.

Until now.

"It's on the house."

 

[Draco Miles]

“Ah, just a cup of tea, please… no, no, I’ll pay the credits for it. Just because I am of House Io does not mean I need special treatment”

She dismissively waved her hand at the offer of free stuff, as all businesses of the House needed to prosper, so taking free stuff wouldn’t guarantee that. What would guarantee prosperity was overpaying! Which Draco didn’t mind, after her armor she had all the money she could do with in the world, as her food costs were rather low. She was used to trash and horrible military rations from her former master’s… forceful employment.

Draco held out a hand to shake

“A pleasure to meet you, ma’am. I heard you joined and came to see what you are like! If our matriarch enjoys you so much, you must be a pleasure to be around. Apologies if I seem too intruding as well, do let me know if you are uncomfortable with anything I say or do”

Coupled with her former employer came horrible social skills, so speaking with people like this really helped her better understand the nuances of the common language and how to be socially adept! She was no diplomat, but she was friendly

Kay-Larr

 

[Kay-Larr]

She took Draco's hand in her own and gave it a firm yet gentle shake. "It's alright. I've known her for......some time. And she's always been good to me. So I return the favour."

Kay bowed her head and gestured for Draco Miles to follow her to the counter. "What kind of tea would you like? I have teas of all sorts."

Once behind the counter, she finished her tea and slipped her cup into a drawer. Just how many were in House Io, she wasn't sure. But more than likely she'd end up encountering them all. Kay took out a cup from the cupboard and readied to prepare whatever tea Draco would choose.

 

[Draco Miles]

She smiled as she as well used a firm grip, but gently shook. It was interesting to hear about the amalgam’s history, even if it was something as small as Kay-Larr knew her for a long time

Then came that embarrassing question:

"What kind of tea would you like? I have teas of all sorts."

She didn’t even know there was multiple kinds of teas. So the question caught her really off guard, with a slight bit of confusion she asked

“What uh… kinds are there? I only really… found it off Jedi…”

 

[Kay-Larr]

"Well Jedi aren't the only ones to drink tea. A lot of people do; both Force users and non-Force users alike."

Kay picked out a couple of boxes of loose leaf tea and handed them over to Draco Miles to smell. "I recommend either one of these. There's Cassius tea that promotes good health and is quite soothing. And then there's my favourite; Sapir tea which is also soothing and makes you feel like you're getting a warm hug."

 

[Draco Miles]

Warm… hugs… o hell yeah! Draco sniffed the Sapir Tea and nodded, not really caring about that but more the prospect of a drink making one feel like they were receiving a warm embrace, it sounded nice.

“The Sapir sounds lovely… how much?”

She was hoping Kay-Larr would forget she said on the house and give an actual credit price, but most likely these plans would fail, and price would be left up to her.

 

[Kay-Larr]

"Just two credits for the cup."

Kay put the Cassius box away and then brought out a cup from the cupboard. She dropped in a pinch of Sapir leaves into the cup and poured in the boiled water, before handing the cup to Draco Miles . "Now you've got to let it steep. When the leaves disappear, you'll know that it's ready. And then you can add cream and sugars if you'd like."

Sapir tea was her favourite, as she said, and she loved to share it with others. It was Kay's addiction.

"How did you stumble upon House Io?"

 

[Draco Miles]

Draco kept her eyes on the leaves, watching that water turn darker and darker as the leaves disappeared while she spoke

“House Io found me after I escaped my former master and crash landed on Jakku… Countess Belasko was investigating the crash and found me, offering to take me under her wing and train me better in the ways of the force. I do not regret a single choice made that night, as you can see”

She seemed rather ecstatic to share her story, as it was a slave freeing themselves and making their first choice with full freedom. Though what is given must also be received

“What about you, Ma’am, how did you meet the matriarch?”

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay had no idea who Countess Belasko was. Outside of Draco Miles , as far as she knew The Amalgam was the only person that she knew in that house. It seemed as though Draco was quite happy and that was the most important thing.

When asked about how she met Amy, Kay folded her arms across her chest comfortably, while leaning against the counter while she thought back on just how she had met Amy. It felt like an age ago, yet she remembered.

"It was over a decade ago, back when I was Queen over dozens of worlds. My home planet was put under siege by the Sith Empire and I was forced to surrender to them. They made me sign a treaty, dissolving my planetary alliances and my control. I was put under house arrest for some time. Yet something of mine was needed that was hidden away on a planet called The Graveyard. Amy was tasked with coming with me, to both protect me and to ensure that I didn't escape. We ran into trouble there and saved eachother's lives. And we've been friends ever since, despite our differences. I like to think that we are proof that people of different ideologies can co-exist together."

She glanced down at Draco's cup. "I believe your tea is ready now."

 

[Draco Miles]

Draco seemed absorbed in the conversation, not even bothering on the tea, from hearing how a monarch had met Amy… very interesting history! But it raised questions… what was a Queen doing running a tea shop?!

“Oh! Thank you”

Draco sipped at the tea and savored it’s taste, feeling it’s warmth course through her and having a similar feeling as to when she first tried it from that Jedi… how lovely, those warm memories in a sea of anger and pain. Little islands of hope to rest on. Thankfully now she was on a massive continent of hope!

“Mm… good soup. So what’s a Queen doing running a shop? Are your planets still enslaved?”

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay could see the soothing effects of the tea working as Draco Miles had her first sip. Of course the effects were nothing bad for this type of tea. But she knew exactly how it felt. These days it was her only comfort.

She chuckled a little as Draco misspoke. "It's sapir tea, not soup. But I suppose that it does warm one up like a soup. Hmmm...perhaps I could venture into soups as well...." Now that would be an idea. Soups and stews could be very ideal in her shoppe. It was certainly something worth looking into.

"I'm only a former Queen now. All of that was lost during the Sith occupation. The Sith were later removed as many helped to liberate my home world. But it was understood to be too dangerous for the citizens for me to return. It's under Jedi rule now, and the one planet that retained our monarchy; well, my late husband and I relinquished our titles for our children to take up. I found myself here and decided to do what I do best, which is to make tea. Most have forgotten about me, which is a good thing. It's better for my children that way."

Being killed by an explosion that was deliberately set by some spice dealers at this very shoppe also helped in having her forgotten. However she was rescued from the Netherworld not long ago, rebuilt and just continued on.

 

[Draco Miles]

AYO WHAT?! That would be one hell of a story to tell!

“… it is sad to be forgotten by one’s own kin, is it not? I have… well, never mothered children, so I do not personally know, but from how the matriarch treats her citizens as if they were her own children, I’d assume being forgotten would… not be pleasant. I will not forget you, if that brings you any comfort, Kay-Larr ”

She spoke with conviction, and she would not, even going so far as to remember now all of the Jedi she had assassinated in cold blood during her service to her creator. To her the greatest death, and yet the most common, one could receive was being forgotten… husband dead and kids not even knowing one was alive, it must be painful.

“I’m glad my joke gave you an idea!”

Draco mainly said ‘good soup’ to mess with her, while IRL it’s a reference to a meme, canonically she just wanted to get in Kay’s head and call tea a soup instead

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay gave Draco Miles a small smile. "Thank you. I appreciate it. My children have not forgotten me, but I'm....keeping away from them so that they aren't in danger. My late husband told me that it would be better for them if I was in their lives, but...I worry that my fears will come to pass. This is where I am comfortable and where my fears remain only with me." She was punishing herself for so many that were lost because of her choices. It was an Arenais family trait as all of them had done it.

"But I am taking babysteps in venturing out again. Usually it's just to sell tea.". And she did her best to avoid those that she knew. There was one old Jedi that had found her at a market and he was....not exactly thrilled that her shoppe was still in business. It made her wonder how many more would feel that way. So more often than not, she would venture out of the shoppe under an alias by the name of Cessy.

"Your joke is a wonderful idea. Thank you."

 

[Draco Miles]

“I see… I hope they realize your sacrifice. Why are you so hesitant to even leave this place though? It’s not like your hunters would even locate you here. As if you’d even aid their conquest of your worlds in the first place”

Inching closer and closer to the truth on what happened to this shop! What Draco’s reaction would be to hearing such an assassination story would be interesting… sadness? Anger? Pride? These are just some among endless possibilities. In the meantime though, Draco sipped at her tea

 

[Kay-Larr]

"My children are....very understanding. I am sure that they will not hate me for it." She was protecting them. That's what mothers did best. By any means necessary.

Kay didn't quite know how to answer Draco Miles ' questions. It was difficult. She wanted to just back herself into a corner and curl up to protect herself, but all of that was purely just an emotional reaction. And so she did what she always did when she just needed a bit of comfort. Kay moved from the counter and took down a cup from the counter and began making herself some tea.

"They are not my worlds anymore. I hold no claim to any world. My only claim is to this shoppe. This is my home. These walls are my kingdom. I don't believe that there are any bounties on me. I'm sure that I'd of been notified if there were. That is an advantage to being forgotten."

 

[Draco Miles]

Oh… damn… if only Draco knew she was overstepping her boundaries. To her, this was discussing the safety of Kay-Larr , a very important matter that should be thoroughly explored so that she could never struggle in the future with reasons why or hesitate to defend herself

“Ah there was a bounty on me… I… think there still is honestly… I don’t know, never knew about it until a bounty Hunter showed up… very nice man though”

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay raised a brow as Draco Miles spoke about a bounty. It wasn't surorising as some people would put bounties up for nearly anything.

But what caught her attention was that the hunter was apparently very nice. It certainly wasn't unheard of. Yet she wondered if the hunter was one of her friends.

"What was his name? Do you know? Was he a Herglic?"

 

[Draco Miles]

“He wasn’t herglic, a Zabrak, wearing Mandalorian armor. I say he was nice because he didn’t instantly try and kill me”

She chuckled slightly remembering that fateful night. It was rather entertaining, and amusing… but back to reality! To Kay-Larr . Draco focused more on what she said and how she wanted the Draconic Sith to specify what bounty Hunter

“Why do you ask? Did a bounty hunter assist you in the past?”