Private The Path Home | Adron Malvern

[Faye Malvern]

L O C A T I O N | Azurine City, Illyria
W E A R I N G | [X]
T A G S | Adron Malvern

Lost was not a word that Faye would have used to readily describe herself. Lost was for small children looking for their parents. Lost was for pets that had wondered free of their gardens. How could she claim the mantle when she had four separate homes to call her own? When she had a large handful of people who loved her as much as she loved them? When she had credits to fill her every whim, food to keep her from starvation, a roof over her head to fend off the chill. On paper, Faye had a perfect life. A dream life that almost everyone in the galaxy strived to achieve.

Yet, still, she felt lost.

The shuttle sped smoothly over Illyria’s dominating mountains. If Faye had not been pressing her head against the viewport, she would have been hard-pressed to believe she was mid-air. However, the fact was hard to deny as she watched the green and grey landscape zip past her very eyes. Illyria was just one of the homes Faye called her own. A planet led and ruled by her brother ever since their hasty departure from Serenno. Faye had watched him grow into this seat of power with great pride.

He was reminiscent of their father now. Faye remarked on it almost every time she saw him. Sometimes privately, sometimes outwardly, but it never failed to shock her just how alike they had grown to be.

It had been an age since she saw them all. Adron, Alessandra, Aries. Her family. The only family she really had left. She missed them when she was gone, craved them when they were not around. The Malvern’s were not intended to be a family that worked alone. Fate had stolen that from both Faye and Adron in their youth, and they had rejoiced when they found it again. Yet, they had found different versions of themselves, different people to the ones they had known on Serenno. Yes, they were still the same at heart, but both had responsibilities. Duties that could not be shirked or avoided.

Life was not like what it had been like on Serenno.

After a particularly trying day on Naboo, when work for the ministry had seemed tedious and endless, Faye could not bear the idea of returning to her quarters. She could not bear the idea of sitting alone in the same four rooms, reading over the same paperwork, calling the same people. That was when she had felt truly lost. She missed home. She missed her brother. She missed her family. She had cancelled all her meetings, closed the offices, packed a suitcase and gotten on the next ship out to Illyria.

“We’re here, my Lady.” The subtle voice shocked Faye from her reverie. When her eyes focused on the viewport again, she could see the outline of Dragonne Palace against the slowly setting sun. Home. “Does my brother know I’m coming?” The man steering the shuttle shook his head. If it were not for the soft rustling of his hair against the seat, Faye would not have known he had moved at all. “No, my Lady, shall I ask the palace to inform him?” The question was not one she had considered. Her trip had been so last-minute that telling Adron she was coming had completely skipped her mind.

“No…” She replied slowly. “No.” A little more firmly this time. “I’d like it to be a surprise.” The pilot nodded again as the shuttle began to swoop down to the landing pad.

It was not long before the shuttle came to a stop. Faye was greeted at the landing pad by a familiar face, who seemed more than happy to see her. “Lady Francesca, please. His majesty is in his office.” The plump porter directed her down corridors that Faye could have just as easily walked herself, but such was the tradition here. When they reached the towering doors that led into Adron’s office, the porter stopped, bowed, and left Faye on her own.

True, she could have simply walked in. She was the last person Adron would have been upset with for disturbing him, but she did not. Instead, she reached out and rapped her fist against the ornate wood. Once, twice, and then four times in quick succession. She wondered if he would recall it. The secret knock they had both used on one another’s bedroom doors when the sun had finally slipped behind the horizon on Serenno. When they had intentions of stealing away to the kitchen for food, or the library to play, back when things had been simple.

 

[Adron Malvern]

FRANCESCA​

Tags: Faye Malvern ​

The King's office was silent, the only sound that one could hear was the faint sound of a pen scratching against paper. He preferred paper and pen to datapads and terminals. Of course, nearly everything that was written had to be transcribed into a digital version, especially any legal documents. Today the King was merely authorizing the distribution of excess rations to provinces in need. Every year the Federal Government produced so many containers of rations to be distributed to those in need. This year had utilized even less than the last, meaning the total number of those in need of such aid had dropped noticeably. He supposed he should be thankful for that. His pen paused for a moment as he lifted his chin, his attention being pulled from the paper on his desk.

The familiar presence was one that caused his lips to curl into a knowing smile. It was the middle of the month and his dear sister had not told him of any plans to venture to Illyria. Perhaps she'd hoped to surprise him with her visit? It didn't matter. He welcomed his younger sister's presence, now more than ever.

In preparation for his younger siblings arrival he tucked the pen back into it's case before sliding it into a compartment in his desk. Two such compartments were crafted into the ornate Winter Wood desk, one designed for pens and the other holding the handle of a lightsaber. Adron glanced down at the weapon for a moment before smiling softly to himself.

They were safe.

He had to believe they were safe within the palace of their new homeworld. Perhaps not untouchable...but for the moment the likelihood of someone harming them was relatively non existent.

Things must remain this way... He mused.

There were yet a few more allocation forms to be tended to, but they could wait until after-

Knock knock....knock, knock, knock, knock. It was like when you smelled a familiar scent and your mind pulled you to the very memory when you first experienced that scent.

"I haven't heard that in years." He stated loudly enough so that his younger sister could hear him from the other side of the door. The man drew up from his seat, smiling as he rounded the desk to approach the door. With a brief wave of his hand, the door was opened with the unseen call of the Force. It slid into its threshold to reveal Adron's precious younger sister. "Francesca." He greeted her, using her full name with a warm tone behind it. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her into her chest and surrounding her with the kind of warm presence that only family love could bring. He relished these moments. Whether it was Francesca, Alessandra, or even Aries. There was something about having family close and within arms reach that allowed the pressure in Adron's chest to rest easy for a few moments.

"Well isn't this a surprise. I thought you'd gotten too busy to visit me here on Illyria." He said, his hand coming up for a single finger to playfully jab just above her brow. "Here, let's have something to drink." He said, turning from the doorway with his sister as the door slid closed behind them. As they approached his desk, the corner of the room would begin to stir. Two wine flutes flew into the air, carefully floating onto the desk before them. In the next moment, a wine bottle from Adron's private stock floated over as well, directly into the King'a hand. "What brings you here? Not that I mind the company. If I sign my signature one more time I may wish to cut my own hand off." He pulled the seal from the bottle, pouring a golden-red liquid into a glass with a small smile towards his sister.

"Here, this is a favorite of mine from when I was on Bothawui. Smooth with a refreshing pull." He told her as he handed her one of the drinks. If there was anything to be known about Adron, he never turned down a proper chance to enjoy a good drink.
​

​

 

[Faye Malvern]

Adron Malvern ​

Faye waited patiently for her brother’s response on the other side of the door. If anyone knew Adron intimately, it was her. He always had a flair for the dramatic. He would likely lament her if she stole the chance to display it from him, even if it was only for her. Just as she expected, her brother's voice floated through the gap at the bottom of the door. It was quickly followed by a sudden breeze as they swung open on spotless hinges.

“Adron.” She responded in a similar tone. Her face by now had been overtaken by a smile that stretched her cheeks up and made her face glow. She was all too eager to meet her brother in his embrace. It was rare that they saw each other now, so rare that his arms around her shoulders felt almost foreign. Yet, when coupled with the heart that beat steadily against his chest, she was reminded. This was home. This was where she belonged. The sweet moment did not last long, Adron pulling away to poke at the centre of her forehead.

Her brows furrowed slightly, but the grin remained as she reached up to touch the same spot he had. “I was too busy, for a short while.” She responded, her tone dropping a little of its joy, but the idea of a drink quickly restored it. “I would kill for one.”

While he went about making the drinks, Faye set about making herself comfortable. She untied the tight knot at her throat, and let her collar fall loosely against her shoulders. Her shoes were next to go, which she readily abandoned as she crossed the room to the nearest sofa. By the time she reached it and threw herself down against the plush pillows, Adron had already popped the seal on the bottle. She accepted the flute with a grateful smile and took a deep sip of the heady liquid within.

It was just as he said. Smooth, with a refreshing pull that made Faye take another long sip before she replied to Adron’s question. “I’m bored, Adron.” She stated plainly. “Minister of Influence isn’t shaping up to my expectations.” She was free to talk as she liked here, but she still felt awkward saying it out loud. A soft, barely audible sigh left her lips as she settled further back onto the sofa, cradling the flute of alcohol as if it were a child. “I’m pleased we moved to Naobo. It’s a damn sight better than Geonosis, but it’s come with a lot of paperwork.” She flashed him a knowing smile. If anyone understood the disdain one developed for their own signature when a large majority of your job was scribbling it, it was the Ministers of the Confederacy.

She turned a little to face him properly. “I thought it would be exciting. I thought I would fly to a thousand different worlds, speak to a thousand different people, do a thousand notable things. But I’ve only just been able to settle the discord Confederacy First created.” Faye ran her free hand over her face, as though the very idea of the trouble caused by that mandate caused her pain. It had certainly aged her beyond her years. “It’s slow and painful and more irritating than I can say. I was sat in the office when the message for this assembly came through.”

Faye cast her charcoal gaze quickly at her brother. He would know what assembly she was referring to. The very idea of it had likely caused him just as much distress as it caused her. The notion that they would be forced to sit in the same room as the people who caused them so much pain, so much sorrow, and so much loss. It almost made her sick to think about it, but they were both in the same boat. Both had pleged their allegiance to the Confederacy, and both would have to “That was it. I just couldn’t force myself to sit there anymore, staring at datapads and paperwork. It was driving me to insanity.”

 

[Adron Malvern]

LADY OF SHADOWS​

Tags: Faye Malvern ​

The King watched as his younger sister removed the restraints that flowed across her in the form of a neck wrap and a set of heels. He couldn't help but chuckle as Faye eagerly abandoned the accessories to her outfit. When his younger sister had relaxed against the sofa and taken to the fine wine she'd been handled, the man listened to her words carefully. He stood, not truly caring to spend a break in his work sitting down as much of his day called for, yet his expression was thoughtful as he looked to Francesca.

Bored. Those words could have caused Adron to topple over had the Minister of Influence been anyone but his own baby sister. Instead all they caused him to do was stifle a smirk as he sipped down a bit more of the wine. Malvern's did not do well with being bored. It was simply something that was uncharacteristic to the Aristocratic family. Then Faye made her plight a bit more clear, even to the point where Adron's lips formed an understanding circle for a half-moment. He saw it now. It was not that her station was boring, merely she was spending far too much time in-office. When Ministers became drowned in routine and monotony they often fled to their logistical fortresses. It was understandable as there was always a plethora of work to be found there. However, it simply would not due...not for Faye, not for a Malvern.

"Idle hands are the hands of the foolish and incompetent." He repeated a quote that was often spoken by their father when he would find the two enjoying a book in the garden rather than training, or even if they were waking up past their morning alarms. He even went to such a length to make himself sound a bit more like their father, hoping to lighten his sister's mood. He chuckled at her plight a bit, finding the concept amusing as he turned towards his own desk.

"Of course you're bored baby sister." He told her, setting his wine flute down on the desk, with a notable light in his eyes. "Confederacy First was a disaster. Not a bad idea, mind you, however it has created a cycle in the galaxy that we have to work hard to correct." He paused for a moment, before glancing back at his sister as if realizing or considering something. He held the gaze for a moment before turning and leaning back on his desk, his arms crossed over his chest.

Adron had always been wary of bringing Faye too close to him. Not because she was incompetent or even because she was his baby sister....well partly because of the latter. It was merely that Adron wanted to offer Faye her own path, however as he watched her squander talent on paperwork, he could not wonder if it was time...

"Francesca it's time you began working for the vision of House Malvern." He said, a soft smile on his lips. "Confederacy First was a misstep on the Vicelord's part. He's lost the full support of the people and that is something I have to take advantage of." He told his sister pointedly. "Because the next time elections are held for the position of Vicelord I will be standing against my master for the right to his seat." He revealed this intention with a casual tone, yet it did little to lessen the true pressure behind what he spoke of. It was not direct treachery, no in fact, Darth Metus particularly challenged the man to take his position in the halls of politics. It was something similar to the rule of two that the Sith had recognized for generations.

One to embody the power and another to crave it.

Thus far, Adron had been on the lesser end of that pillar, yet soon that chapter would close.

"When I do run for Vicelord I will need your support more than any others. As the Minister of Influence your support to my party would be immeasurable." He said, with a warm hand falling on his sister's shoulder. "Still, that is years and years in the making. For us to even consider such a thing House Malvern must reclaim it's seat as a galactic power and with you, myself, and Alessandra at the head of The Confederacy it opens the doors of opportunity for us. Our resources we can use to better our House and Illyria are endless, though they must be used wisely." He counseled with a careful expression.

So far the man had said much but revealed little, but finally he looked to Francesca with a slight smile. "Your part will be information. That is all influence is, the proper handling of information so that it may influence those around us, right?" He pushed off the desk, taking his flute in his hand as he spoke lowly, considering his word careful. "You'll need a network that you can gather information through. Agents who can serve you faithfully and you alone. Once this network is built within The Confederacy you can extend it deeper into the galaxy."

He considered one final thing before turning to Faye pointedly. "It is time I complete your training. Your connection to the Force is powerful, however you lack the proper training to truly command that full potential."
​

​

 

[Faye Malvern]

Adron Malvern
​

The sound of something that Faye had not heard in a long time caught her attention. Her father’s voice filled Adron’s office. A dominating yet kind tone that drowned out everything else. Faye’s eyes were drawn instantly to her brother, where she was surprised to find that it was his lips moving. His throat the words were falling out of.

Faye flashed him a small, and a rather dramatic roll of her eyes. “I say it almost every time, but you are becoming more and more like him each time I see you.” She sat up a little on the couch, with a further grin that screamed of amusement. “It must be fatherhood. Aries is slowly turning you into him.” Though she teased him about it relentlessly, Faye was very much aware that it suited Adron. It always had. There was never any question or doubt in her mind that he would become as great as their father had been. He seemed to slip into the mantle of leader easily, as though it were a hand-tailored glove or a jigsaw that he happened to be the final piece too.

She did find herself moderately surprised at Adron’s following comment. He was not ordinarily a fan of the word “bored”. Faye could have sworn that it genuinely offended him sometimes, but there was no offence in his tone. There was only agreement. One of her feathery ebony brows rose in mild surprise. It was also surprising to hear him diminish the Confederacy First edict. Technically, Adron was Faye’s boss. Or one of them. There had never been an imbalance of power between the siblings, but they tried to avoid topics that had the potential to cause disagreements. Confederacy First was one of them. Even beyond that, they tended to attempt not to talk about work when they visited each other, though it was Alessandra that enforced that rule more than the two of them. She was always the more fun minded one. The more family-centric one.

Faye and Adron were Malverns. They held family close to their heart, more so than any she knew. They knew the meaning of it, knew the beauty of it. Through their pain and suffering, they were made aware of fact that they should appreciate what they have in the moment. But Malverns showed their appreciation in different ways. Work came first because with work came power. Money. Safety. A safety they could share and use to protect the ones they loved.

The surprise at Adron’s willingness to discuss Confederacy business was quickly replaced by the suggestion that came after the short silence.

What her brother said made Faye sit bolt upright. As though her mother’s sharp tone had rung out through the room, reminding her that a Lady did not slouch. “Adron…” Faye said hesitantly. She did not doubt his ability, but she doubted the repercussions. “Is that wise?” The youngest of the Malvern siblings was never one to disagree with her brother, and she had not disagreed today, but it was clear the notion was troubling her. Adron’s master, Darth Metus, leader of the Confederacy. He was no laughing matter. He was no noble on Serenno that could be dispatched with a hand paid far too many credits. This would not be so simple. He would not be so easily fooled. Faye had sat next to him through many meetings. He was dark, dangerous, secretive. Even she, as a natural empath, had a difficult time figuring out his motives.

Adron continued on, and Faye found herself listening intently. She almost laughed. Adron knew he had her support, no matter what. Even if it went against everything she had known since Serenno fell. When the warmth of his hand spread through her shoulder, Faye rose her own to meet his, to entangle their fingers together impossibly.

Adron was right, of course. As he so often was. Faye was a princess on Illyria, but the title was merely a formality. She had done nothing to act like one. Truth be told, she wasn’t really deserving of it, but what Adron was saying? That would make her more worthy than anything. The Confederacy had just absorbed their intelligence department into the influence department. She had access to the things he suggested, but thus far had not utilised them beyond asking their superiors to keep the division going. Secrets and mind games, undercover missions and system crumbling intelligence had never been her forte, but it made sense. Faye nodded her head. Slowly at first, but the action quickly became bold and obvious.

“Yes.” She said plainly, at first. “You are right.” Her body twisted just a little to face Adron properly, while her hand clutching the glass reached to abandon it on the same table as Adron’s. “Though I find myself hesitating to encourage you to go after Metus' seat as Vicelord.” She followed, with a hint of trepidation in her tone, though she continued quickly before Adron could interrupt. She knew he would take that in the one way she had not meant it. “I believe you would be capable, more than capable, and I believe that the Confederacy would be just as well off in your hands. If not more. But…” Her face fell just a little as she pulled the hand he rested on her shoulder closer to her chest. “He is a dangerous, dangerous man, Adron.” It felt foolish telling him as such.

Adron more than anyone was aware of how dangerous his master was. “What if something happened to you? What if, force forbid, he found out? It’s such a large gamble to make.” She paused, just for a brief moment, to take in her brother’s face. He was much older now than when they had met after all those years apart. Lines were beginning to prick the corners of his eyes and dimple the sides of his mouth. It was only by fortunes good grace that they had both survived long enough to see the effects of age upon their skin. Faye was hesitant to be so flippant with that gift.

“I will support you. I will gladly use my influence to help Illyria and to grow House Malvern’s power.” She began, in a firm tone that could beg no questions of truth from anyone. “I will train with you, better myself in the force so that I may better protect all that which I love. But…” The hand gripping her brothers tightened until the tips of her fingers went white with pressure. “Please think of what you, what we, may lose if this fails.”

 

[Adron Malvern]

DARK MIND​

Tags: Faye Malvern ​

When Francesca said that Adron was becoming more and more like their father he couldn't help but chuckle. A single hand came up to smooth through his hair as he considered her words. Even he was beginning to see it. Avius had always been a good father, though a very stern one. He never cared to spare the rod or even their feelings, yet he was always there when they needed him. Until suddenly he wasn't. Before the thought of his father's violent passing could fill his mind, the man took another sip from his drink before turning his eyes to Faye. Still, her words with fatherhood did not go amiss. He chuckled before pinching the bridge of his nose ever so slightly. "The boy is far more hyper than most Malvern children. Still, he is a lot of fun to be had."

With Faye's reaction to his statement came an unflinching gaze. It said all it needed to say. Still, he did decide to pair it with a number of words. "It is my duty to defeat him in the halls of Politics. I will do this by winning the heart of the people and the minds of the Viceroyalty. Once this is done I will be Vicelord and House Malvern will be the most powerful House in the Confederacy, perhaps even the Galaxy." He stated simply. "The Force brought us to this part of the galaxy for a reason, Francesca. We are to be the guiding hand for The Confederacy." He declared.

When Faye said that the Vicelord was dangerous, Adron couldn't help but laugh out at the notion. "I've watched him lay waste to entire civilizations. I am well aware of the danger." He told her. Yet, his next words would likely be the most surprising ones he had spoken yet.

"Besides. He is already well aware I seek to take the mantle of Vicelord from him." The man said simply. "You think I could keep such a thing a secret from him? No. Even if I did it would serve no purpose to do such a thing. He is aware of a great deal of my movements simply because he must be." The man said with an even tone, showing he was entirely unsettled by the notion. He smiled down at his dear sister, leaning over to kiss her brow softly before turning from her and taking the two empty glasses back to the bar cart. He set them upon the top before speaking softly. "Cedric Grayson and Tanomas Graf. I served both of them faithfully and in the end both of them betrayed me. It meant nothing to me. Though I sought their deaths for the embarrassment they meant absolutely nothing to me. Sadly, the same is not true for Darth Metus because he is a different man than them. He is my friend."

"It is his duty to maintain the hearts and wills of The Confederacy and my duty to take it from him. In the end the more powerful, the more victorious will be the one who sits upon the peak of the Confederacy and be named Vicelord. This is what it means for me to be an Exarch." He said simply, before waving is hand at the notion. "Enough for now. We can speak of such things later when they hold more relevance."

Adron heeded his sister's words, leaning down to press a soft kiss to her temple before gesturing out of the room. "Come, we have a lot of work to do." He told her. As he led her into the hall, Adron spoke in such a way that he seemed to have already contemplated Faye's training. "I will not train you as I have my apprentices, because what you need to become is something far more. You must become a being that understands the true connections of the Force, then you will learn to use these connections to influence and control others." He told her. "As you remember from our Jedi training, some individuals are weak of mind and can be put under a suggestive mind trick. However, we will expand upon that and I will teach you how to totally and completely dominate a mind."
​

​

 

[Faye Malvern]

Adron Malvern ​

He always had a way with words. So much so that even Faye, knowing what truly lay within and what possibly lay ahead, could not help but fall under the spell he seemed to weave.

She did not even try to hide the surprise on her face when Adron spoke of his master’s knowledge on the subject. Yet the further he dove into the subject, the more it made sense. It did not take a genius to know that Metus was just as wise as he was powerful. It was only logical to presume that he knew of Adron’s plan. Faye allowed him to continue uninterrupted, though she had a bubbling desire to cut him off when he began to talk of duty. When he moved the conversation on, promising to return to it later when it was relevant, Faye almost laughed.

It was all relevant to her. All the time. Every little cog that made up the complex machine that was the Confederacy, she had to know about. To prevent disaster, to implement precautions, to prepare. She could not do her job without it, but she also knew better than to argue with Adron when he had settled his mind on something. It was made even plainer when he leant forward to press a kiss to her forehead. Something else their father had frequently done to his daughters. When the conversation was over, and the matter was no longer up for debate. Faye could only smile at the memory the simple action produced.

Reluctantly, she relinquished her seat on the plush velvet sofa and stood with him. Her muscles were stiff from the travel, only made known to her by the comfort she had sat in for the past half hour. The idea that Adron had already been thinking of her training was not a surprising one. This was a man who thought deeply about everything. Faye imagined he thought hundreds of years into the future, not just what would happen one day to the next. Though what he did say caused her to raise a brow. She let him finish before turning a curious gaze upon his sun-kissed face. “If not you, then who?”

There was more to ask, of course. The Jedi training both she had Adron had been in the midst of when Serenno fell was such a long time ago. Faye could recall little of that time, and what she did recall was strictly tied to her family. To her mother’s face, her father’s scent, her sibling’s laughter. She had not thought about her Jedi training for years. Even if she had, she could hardly imagine it translated well to the darker side of the force. Everything the light side was, the dark side was not. Everything the light side lacked, the dark side was forged on. Adron had done it, of course, but Adron was intelligent.

When they had fled Serenno and been separated, Adron had made something of himself. He had risen to Exarch long before Faye had found him again. She had hidden. Supported by what little a loyal and personal guard rescued from the palace for her. Her force training had been forgotten, and she had relied solely upon her empathic abilities to survive.

 

[Adron Malvern]

OBJECTIVE​

Tags: Faye Malvern ​

The King chuckled at his younger sister's words. "I will train you of course. Just in a different manner than my other apprentices." He said, trying to clear the bit of confusion his words must have caused. The two made their way through the hall until finally they came to a door that led into one of Adron's more private chambers. The door was under guard, with two of his armored knights standing dutifully at the ready. The two men bowed their heads respectfully. "Your Majesty. Princess." They greeted in an almost rehearsed unison. Adron opened the door, his eyes turning to the armored men as he made his way inside. "No disruptions." He ordered them, causing both men to nod affirmatively. "Yes, your majesty."

Inside the chamber was a mixture of beauty and darkness. The room itself was crafted in a circle, with a ceiling that seemed capable of retracting into a moon-roof. The floor was black-marble that had a fresh polish about it. In the center of the room was a kind of reflection pool. The tiles within were crafted of a similar ebony marble as the rest of the room, making the waters appears as dark as the midnight sky. There was precious little light in the room. What little there was came from illuminators that lined the walls.

There was a statue in the room. One that echoed in the Force. It had been a gift to Adron and Alessandra when they entered a commerce deal with the Sovereign of Geminidae, Feyd-Serit. It was a beautifully crafted statue of an empowered Wolf, clutching a sword in its mighty jaws. The words of House Malvern were proudly stamped on the base of the statue, something Faye would likely notice. They passed the statue and Adron rested a hand upon it for a brief moment before looking to his dear sister. "In this room the effects of the Dark Side will be enhanced. It will make your training easier."

Adron pulled at the tie around his neck, pulling it from his body and tossing it to the ground below. "Now. We will start with a simple task." He said, before walking over to the waters. Adron's hand hovered over the black water, causing it to shimmer and quake from the Force. An explosion of water erupted up and suddenly a body emerged from the water. The man within had shaggy brown hair and a hard, chiseled jaw. He floated up to the man's hands, until Adron was able to grab a fistful of his matted, wet hair. "This man..." He hissed, throwing the man onto the ground before them. His arms had been bound, as well as his legs. He let out a coughing fit, before shaking his head and resting his face against the hard floor below.

"Fuck..." The man groaned, however Adron ignored him, speaking on.

"....murdered a Count. Hoping to take his place. Former Viscount Scinira. He will serve as your test subject today." The man on the ground began yelling out, cursing and slamming his feet against the ground. Adron rounded the man, stepping before Gaye and gesturing to the man. "Start by tapping into his mind, calm him. Sedate him with the Force." He told her.
​

​

 

[Faye Malvern]

Adron Malvern ​

“Oh.” She said sheepishly in response to his answer. Truthfully, she had never seen nor heard of any of Adron’s apprentices. Of course, she was aware of them. She knew their names, their ranks, their responsibilities, but she knew none of them personally. Perhaps that was a good thing. Faye did not want to compare herself to anyone else. Nor did she want to compare Adron’s style of teaching. She wondered if he would be like their father in this regard too.

They were greeted at the door by two guards, who they promptly abandoned again when the heavy doors shut behind them.

Faye thought she knew every room in the palace, but she had never seen this one before. The circular walls stretched up for miles, Faye had to crane her neck to see their end. When she found it, she could make out the curved top of the tower she had seen from the shuttle so many times before. Why had she never questioned what it was before? The further they walked into the room, the more her attention was drawn to a pool of inky water in the centre of the room. It was dominated by a statue of a ferocious wolf, its teeth bared around the carved handle of a great sword. At its base, stamped eternally into the stone, was the sigil of house Malvern.

Likely contrary to most people’s experience when in front of the statue, Faye found herself rather enamoured by it, so much so that Adron’s words slipped by her with little notice. There was once in a time in her life when she was surrounded by nothing but depictions of wolves in the throws of their instincts. They covered every wall. They were emblazoned on every piece of armour, stitched into every curtain and carpet. To Faye, the wolf was not frightening. It was comforting. She did not break from her trance till the sound of her brother’s footsteps clicked loudly on the polished ebony marble.

Though she was well aware of who it was, Faye found herself startling at the sharp noise. Only to relax again when she turned to find Adron at her side. She almost rolled her eyes. Simple to Adron was not simple to the rest of the galaxy. She was just about to open her mouth to say as much when the sudden eruption of water burst forth from the pool. Her arms instinctively rose to protect her face at the very least, though she was surprised to find not a single drop landed on her.

However, it was not the unforeseen waterfall that made her heartbeat so loudly she could hear it in her ears. It was the body that had emerged as the water fell. It was the face that became clearer with each drop.

Faye’s face collapsed immediately. Into something akin to mild horror. Adron himself had said that they were trained as Jedi in their youth. Faye did not consider herself amongst their ranks, but neither did she find herself drawn to the dark side. She was no fool either, she knew Adron and Alessandra were tied to it and utilised it often to Illyria’s advantage. They had just never acknowledged it in front of one other before, and Faye had certainly never expected Adron to ask her to join him. She had never even considered attempting it herself. The hesitation was written all over her body, made more obvious by the sudden stammer of noises that came flooding from her throat. It was rare for Faye to find herself lacking words.

“Adron…” She began, though where she was going Faye could not have said. Her hand reached up, to her neck, where there was usually a sparkling jewel gifted to her by Alden. The Cridhe Gras had been a blessing for her. A way to escape the constant barrage of unwanted emotion she was plagued with every single day. She had left it on Naboo. In her office. It had not occurred to her to bring it to Illyria. She was safe here. Only submissive to the emotions of her family, which were a welcome and comforting change to what she handled at work.

Now they were joined by a stranger. A stranger in pain. A stranger wracked with worry, stress, and fear. Fear most of all. Faye could feel every ounce of it. She could feel the white-hot anger in the pit of Adron’s stomach, and she could feel the stranger reflecting the same back. She could feel his intense distress, his desperate need to escape, the searing regret he harboured for his actions.

It made her feel sick.

She retreated.

Until the door that had closed behind her pressed up against her back. “I can’t.”

 

[Adron Malvern]

Tags: Faye Malvern ​

The King of Illyria had, for the most part, anticipated his sister's unwillingness to further her training in such a way. Of course as her elder brother he was content to wrap his arms around her and hush away the cry of emotions that must have been bleeding into her mind. However he could not offer her such luxury. Instead as the sprawling man fell to the ground, Adron cleared his hands of the water and strands of hair that had come from taking hold of the treacherous Viscount. "Francesca..." He began, yet as his sister shrinked away from the task before her his eyes were harder and line with the steel reinforcement of duty. "Francesca." He said again, his iron tone pulling her sister from the depths of her mind. He turned back from his sister, walking back to the waters that had kept the Viscount imprisoned for the better part of a week. On the edge of the pools were shining gems, crystals of Kyber which magnified the power of the Force to those who knew how to tap into them.

"What are our words?" Adron demanded, looking into the waters closely, as if almost searching for something. Before Francesca could even speak, he repeated the phrase. "Our words?" He demanded. His expression was not one of pained anger, instead it was meaningful, expressive to the point where Faye would know he was not angry at her, yet it did not mean his expectation was unwavering. Whether the girl would respond with the words of House Malvern or not, Adron would recite them. "We do what we must." He said with a tone of finality. The man reached down at the edge of the pool where a small black towel was neatly folded. He took it into his hands, clearing the water from them as he spoke to his sister. "We do not fall, we do not yield, and we do not die. We do not disappear into the darkness because We Do What We Must." He emphasized.

The King exhaled, tossing the towel down onto the ground before turning to his sister.

Francesca. As he looked over the young woman he was reminded of the young girl on Serenno. His closest friend and the one thing he could never suffer to lose. He loved her. Still, he would not waver in giving her the tools to stand amongst the titans of the galaxy. "Your powers in the Force are powerful Francesca. However you have something that I never will. Your connection to base emotion. It is a power that you simply don't understand how to use. The thoughts, the feelings, these are all gateways into the Force you just need to realize that and employ them." These words were contrary to Faye and Adron's upbringing. They had been taught to shelter their emotions and keep them under an iron lock, so they could never be used against them. It was a long time since Adron had taken a lesson in the Jedi arts, yet his mastery of the Force spoke for itself. He gestured to the man laying on the ground with a curious gaze. "Do you pity him? Does his emotion bleed through you and overwhelm you?"

"Your connection to this man on an emotional level has already been crafted, because of your unique abilities. This means the bridge of the Force has also been erected. His mind can be easily swayed by your impressions, you just need to focus." The man approached his sister with a single hand coming up to softly press into her temple. "Listen to me. You are stronger than you give yourself credit for. You can do this Francesca." Another hand came up and Adron held her head in a soft embrace as he spoke softly. "Close your eyes. Feel the Force. The emotion that comes with it? That is the Force Francesca. It's not as simple as light and dark. The Force is hatred and love, embarrassment, and sorrow."

"In this sea of emotion I am a mighty kraken, but you are the goddess of this sea my sweet sister. You must realize your power and let go of your inhibitions." As Adron spoke the Force began to shift around the room, almost as if it was responding to the proximity of the siblings. The Dark Side of the Force flowed through Adron with blissful freedom, yet it did not command his actions or tailor his mind. He had allowed himself to become a harbinger for its power and in return it had granted him a control over the Force that few could ever comprehend. However, his sister who was so close to him could see it for what it was. Blackness. A sea of darkness surrounded her, like the moment before a hellish storm it brought with it a silence, an odd kind of respite.

The King stepped back from his sister, walking past the Viscount he turned back to Francesca. "This one is a murderer just like the men who killed our family...consider that." He advised his sister.
​

​

 

[Faye Malvern]

Tags: Adron Malvern ​

Adron’s voice was tender, at first. It was the voice she had grown used to in their adult years. It was familiar and comforting. Yet, when Faye’s feet carried her further back from the man curled up before the pool, Adron’s voice hardened.

​

He sounded exactly like Father when he was in the throws of telling them off. Two wrongs do not make a right, he would say. Except Adron was not telling her off or attempting to instil Jedi attributes into her. He was asking her for their words. The words she had lived by for her entire life. The words that had kept her going when they had parted at the doors to their palace all those years ago. Adron demanded again, startling Faye out of her reverie. “We do what we must.” Faye finally responded in a small tone, only for it to be dominated by her brother’s a moment later.​

​

What he said rang true in her heart. After all, the words and their meaning had saved her life on countless occasions, but they had saved. Not brutally torture a man she had never seen before in her life. Do you pity him? Came her brother’s question. Yes. She pitied him. She felt a thousand things about this man with an unfamiliar face. Adron most of all knew her struggles in that regard. What her brother said made sense to her, but his words were like fire. Fire to the ice their Father had spent their younger years building.​

​

When Adron approached and placed a hand on her head, Faye did just as he asked. She allowed her eyes to close. With the scene before her bathed in darkness, it was easier to focus on his voice. Easier to feel what he was talking about. She had never really thought hard on it before. In her youth, she had done everything she could to block it. When she left Serenno, she did everything she could to surround herself with joy. Parties, social gatherings, festivals, lavish dinners…​

​

It was only when she joined the Confederacy that she began to use it for her advantage, but even then, it was rare. With the gift Alden had given her that naturally blocked her abilities, it had given her a choice, and she had chosen to ignore it. To tuck it away behind a pretty jewel until the situation was dire enough to require it. It had been under lock and key for so long, she had forgotten what it felt like when it ran amok. When there were hundreds of tense emotions bombarding her mind from all angles, from every mind. Including her own.​

​

Adron moved, but Faye did not open her eyes. It was only when he tried to make the situation feel familiar that she allowed the room to filter back in. She had been in the darkness for long enough to blur the room, but she could see what was necessary. “Is that supposed to make it easier?” Faye had never been one for revenge. From the moment she had set off from Serenno, her concern had been survival. She had never had the time to truly consider the evil behind her torment, she had only considered the consequences of their actions. What would she have done? If faced with a chance for revenge against the men who had stolen their lives? Would she forgive, like the voice of her Father implored? Or would she take her revenge, like the voice of her brother demanded was necessary?​

​

In truth, she would pick neither. She would have walked away, let someone else dole out the justice. What peace could revenge or forgiveness provide her now? But the Galaxy was changing. The Confederacy was growing. How much longer could she hide behind the title of Minister? How long could she depend on the might of Illyria and her brother to protect her from sinister plots?​

​

“Very well.” Came her diplomatic response, finally. She did not agree with Adron’s reasons, she did not agree with the idea of revenge, but she did agree with the notion that she needed to do more to protect herself. Not only that but to help protect her family too.​

​

Faye closed her eyes again. It was easier in the dark, but she made no move to close the distance between herself and the stranger. Once again, she was bombarded by the endless stream of emotion. It took a few moments of darkness, and of silence, for Faye to focus in on the Viscount’s mind. His emotions were the strongest in the room. Though Adron would hate to know it, they even dominated his sense of pride and his deep desire for revenge. Unwillingly, by allowing his emotions to run unchecked and unbalanced, he had made it easier for Faye. Every emotion that she cast aside as Adrons, or her own, was another slab paved on the path to his mind.​

​

It was just as her brother had said. Love, sorrow, embarrassment, regret, hatred, pain.​

​

There was one that she was avidly avoiding, but one that she knew she would have to face. The final brick in the bridge. The final key to the last lock. All the other emotions were secondary and only worked in tandem to produce the monstrosity that Adron bid her control.​

​

Fear.​

​

Faye took a steadying breath, one that shifted the fine silk ribbons that had once been tied around her neck. Facing it was facing a fear of her own, ironically. She had spent her entire life running from it. Drawing on the strength that her brother provided, and the dominating presence of the dark side swirling in the room, Faye found her courage. His fear was great, so great that it burst from his mind the moment Faye swung the door. In the darkness, and the silence, she could pick out the differences. Each harrowing feeling she flicked through, like the pages of a dusty old tome, caused the Viscount to cry out. In a mixture of pain, sorrow, and unrelenting discomfort. Faye was blind to it. ​

​

There were subtleties that tied the fear to the Viscount and distanced it from her own. What was more, Faye knew how to ease them. She had felt the emotions that soothed him. The emotions that brought him peace. One by one she allowed them to seep through the cracks in his mind. One by one, they began to erase his fear.​

​

When his mind was still, and his whimpering had stopped, Faye opened her eyes again. She could still feel everything she felt in the darkness, but it was muted now. Instead, what remained, was her own elation. This was a first for her. Disregarding her mastery over her own emotions, this was the first time Faye had ever found some semblance of control over her natural abilities. Her painted lips cracked, into the smallest hint of a smile, which she directed at Adron.​

​

​

 

[Adron Malvern]

THE MIND​

Tags: Faye Malvern ​

It seemed some of Adron's words had seeped through to Francesca. She recited their words and with it came a modicum of clarity. At least that was what Adron hoped it was. He pressed her and pushed her, just as their father had done to them time and time again. Always giving more than they could handle and always demanding success. The thought was a bitter one. Francesca asked if Adron's words were meant to make it easier and Adron merely shook his head. "No, its not meant to be easy. It is meant to remind you that your power has the power to save lives. The power to ensure a family is not gunned down at a dinner party." He said, the words a clear calling to the tragedy that had struck House Malvern so many years ago.

While Faye's eyes closed and she turned her mind to the Force, Adron stood silently. He could not vividly understand the avenues she took into the man's mind, but he could feel her presence swarming over the man. It was as if a massive shadow was wrapping itself around his being, suffocating his own mark in the Force and replacing it with her own.

When the man's eyes went from frantic to settled and he sat in an almost sedated posture, the King's lips rose to a smile. "Very good." He said, looking to Francesca with a warm expression. "The mind is a precious gateway of the Force. With the proper access to it you can build a corporation or destroy a planet in a single day."

With the Viscount steadied, Adron realized they would be able to move on to the next lesson. "Now. It is important that you learn to drink in the knowledge and memories of those you gain access to. With your skills it should not take you but around half an hour to comb his entire mind and know every secret, every soft thought." He placed a single finger on the man's brow, as if to explain his point. "Burrow deep within...and rip out all that lays inside. If you wish to preserve the mind then you'll take your time. However, if you wish to leave your targets in a vegetated state then you may simply rip the thoughts out without regard."

"Now. Find his secrets." He said softly.
​

​