Private The Sky Turned Black

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

Where there was a chair to sit by desk he ignored.

Where there were couches laid about to entertain guests he ignored.

Even the finely made and shining floors likely would have made the far more suitable place to sit and think, yet they with everything else went ignored.

There was no time to sit, there was no time to rest, bloodshot eyes of already blood-coloured eyes were enough indication of that, attached to a figure whose raven locks swayed in the internal breeze of his own movements, the only sound in the room, an office that certainly did not befit the Emperor of this world. Yet, even discounting the fact that despite all the pride he had in that certain title, he was equally so abashed by it.

There was a far larger thought to warrant his concern rather than his own frankly and self-admittedly childishness that was akin to demanding an answer through the petals of an ox-eye daisy.

His pacing was causing enough friction to burn a path through the floorboards.

As it stood.

If nothing changes.

All his carefully laid plans, how far he had risen, would all come tumbling down.

All because of his...

To call him a battlebrother now, after this latest sin...

... Darth Strosius would pay.

...And all that they had built would be saved.

He just needed to think.

He was painfully alone now, as he always had been, Elsie so absorbed into his research, his family and his apprentices he needed to protect rather than put them up on the firing line by making them accomplices, and all the allies he had made... they had not yet deserted, but to consider them trusted confidantees was inviting a dagger in his back. Even his Tsis'Kaar... even Ansisa ... Kara... he should have been here.

Yet she had kept her distance.

He was so painfully alone now.

Yet he knew that was for the best, that was how it had to be.

It had always been him that held this responsibility, always him that would need to change things for the better.

It was for all of them.

That he fought.

Even as the hopelessness set in.

It was not all a foregone conclusion, the Dark Council was to meet soon, they had inched closer and closer to disaster, they sat upon its edge, and the void below called for their names.

But they had not yet leapt.

It would be there that he would have his chance.

Unfortunately, he had little time to consider that.

The intercom buzzed awake, "Your Imperial Majesty, a certain Lady Lina of House Zambrano requests an audience."

One of many that would want audiences these coming days...

"Allow her in," Malum answered, wiping the sleeplessness from his eyes, his pacing completed... or at the very least on a moratorium, as he returned to his desk, gazing at some paper he had long since neglected.

Awaiting...

...Whatever would come.

 

[Lina Ovmar]

It had been some time since she had last set foot on Alvaria, almost a year to be precise and the heat of that meeting had already passed into mere memory, a fond memory, but a memory nonetheless. Today Lina had a purpose beyond find what makes Malum tick, one that focused her so much she didn't spare a glance at the wartwork she'd once admired as she was led through the halls to his office. The door was opened for her, allowing her to sweep into the room.

Only once inside did she spare a glance at her surroundings as the door clicked shut behind her. It was a modest office, all things considered, comfortable couches for guests a desk of a reasonable size, behind which sat an exhausted looking Malum. She tilted her head, surveying him for a moment, deciding which angle it was best to approach this with.

"You look dreadful, Malum." she said finally, moving across the rest of the room to settle into a chair opposite him, bright green eyes fixed upon him, monitoring everything, every twitch of a muscle, voluntary or otherwise. "Quite the mess that Lord Strosius has created, no?"

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

He blinked owlishly at her, though noticing her entrance into his office at the moment the door opened, noticing her glances around this familiar for him, but unfamiliar for her locale, and then the gaze she settled him with.

Her words however had been the first to actually rouse his mind to the present in a sense more than just... being present.

"A pleasure to see you as well, Lina... or is it Lady Zambrano now?" Much had occurred since the last time they had been close enough, in both senses, to use their first names, she wished to play a game with him, and he was more than willing to participate, but she had already known he was far more than simply a passive spectator.

Still gazing into her emerald orbs, it was difficult for his mind to not wander.

"...As for Darth Strosisus... yes, you could say that, I suppose... my congratulations for your successful pregnancy, and your wedding... but too my apologies regarding your wedding." There were multiple loaded statements throughout, multiple double meanings hidden by niceties and politeness, would she rise to the bait for any?

Or would she simply accept the words as they were?

Lina Ovmar

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Lina let out a small chuckle, dropping her eyes briefly to pluck a stray thread from the lap of her skirt, looking back up at him with the slightest hint of a smirk. "There are so many Lady Zambrano's these days it seems I have simply become one of many, so let us stick with Lina. Unless of course you find it too informal? Perhaps you would rather we forget our last interaction and pretend like we are still dancing around one another." she teased.

Her expression darkened somewhat at the mention of her wedding, but she still maintained the smile upon her face, even if it had taken on a dangerous edge. "Oh, no need for the condolences, I will handle Strosius's insult in due course, besides if there had been no bloodshed it would have been a dull affair. My family is safe and happy and hidden and that is how they shall remain. I should have known better than to trust sith en masse. We always were a messy group."

She tilted her head slightly a frown creasing her forehead slightly "Perhaps I should offer you condolences. Your kaggath was not accepted was it? A bold move, though who can blame you for taking such an opportunity to seize power from...what do you call someone you apprenticed with? A classmate? A brother? Must be hard for you both to have such a relationship breakdown."

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

"By my measure of you, I never thought you a woman to so meekly allow herself to be one among so many," His eyes bore down on her even as she chuckled and perhaps... abashedly gazed down at her skirt, though her true feelings were revealed as she gazed back up with those... entrancing emeralds, her smirk clear, "Something I thought you knew about me, my lady, I do never forget, alas... it matters little now, I suppose."

Had he expected it to matter back then?

Did it matter at all that it did not?

Likely not, apart from that singular suspicion... he had not been able to be close to the child, her features a mystery to him, and at that celebration, there were far too many Marrs for his amulet to be helpful.

For that singular mystery, part of him still remembered...

...Or so he told himself that was why it was a fond memory.

He blinked the confusion away, having realised he had scored the first point of their engagement as her expression darkened, even if she still maintained her smile... even if said smile had become far sharper, "I see that time has allowed your feelings on the matter to cool, much more than what they were initially, it was unfortunate that your wedding had to be interrupted for a conflagration between Darth Strosius and Darth Arcanix, yet... as the Zambranos have always been staunch allies of the latter, it mattered little in the end," Despite all what he had been taught of the art of war.

It had always been the art of politik which had driven his heart the highest.

He raised an eyebrow at the end of her words, "I see your network is not fully operational, Darth Strosius has since accepted the Kaggath, I depart soon to confer with the Dark Council on the matter, suffice it to say, whatever bound us as co-apprentices was killed upon Fiviune long ago, what remains to us is the singular question of who the true heir of our Mistress was, the entire Order will learn the answer soon enough."

Lina Ovmar

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Lina disliked being lumped in with the Zambrano's as a whole, it was no different from being called a Kainite because Kaine had held her fast when she had first arrived. Had she shot herself in the foot by marrying his eldest son. Perhaps, from one point of view it could be seen as such, and yet from another? If she was seen as something she was not, it allowed her to pass under the radar, allowed her to move amidst circles that would consider her enemy were her true nature to be revealed.

"Time...and a quiet conversation with the Emperor and Empress." she replied smoothly. "But you are correct, my network is not yet fully operational. These things take time, though not too much longer." She did not believe for a second that such a relationship had been killed, he had had Strosius at blade point and he had hesitated. It could have all been over there and then, the inquisition in his hand...

"Interesting that he should accept, considering he stands to lose everything...but then I suppose so do you." She paused for a moment in contemplation. "It would be a shame for the Tsis'Kaar to fall into the hands of one who lacks subtlety and finesse, Malum." It was both a compliment and a quiet request for him to not lose.

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

A glimmer did appear in his eye at that revelation, so she had gone and done what he had implicitly threatened them all with at that wedding, ran to... mum and dad as it were... it was an uncomfortable metaphor, he would admit easily, though with the... 'nurturing'... nature of the Empress it was not exactly an inaccurate metaphor.

Though imagining the Empress as a father was enough to make Malum feel ill.

Though he supposed despite the quirks which Arcturus Dinn and Venn Kolis possessed, they had turned out... mostly fine.

How he did miss their relative simplicity.

Though, considering that sons were likely loyal to their fathers, it was perhaps a blessing that the gifted adopted sons of the Emperor had made their presence recently near invisible.

"I imagine the Imperial Majesties are none too pleased with us at present," Malum offered with half a smile, he had hoped to confer with the Empress before much of what was to occur... alas, that might need to wait, and perhaps would be for the best.

He moved on quickly enough, considering the rest of her words, "Ah, I must compete with yet another Zambrano spy network, what luck I possess indeed," Despite the reputation that preceded the infamous Anaya Fenn, he was not entirely sure if the woman who sat before him's network was to be superior to Darth Prazutis ' Shikkars.

Even if they were inferior, they would prove a problem.

The half-smile fled his face as she continued on, "There is no victory worth having without risk," Even as a smirk fluttered easily upon his face as she continued on, a smirk... that was not entirely one forged... indeed he was not entirely sure what had confounded him to smirk so genially, "...Is the Lady Zambrano worried for my wellbeing now?" Red eyes were glimmering with mirth.

Lina Ovmar

 

[Lina Ovmar]

None too pleased was one way of putting it. While there had been no outward display of rage, she had no doubt it would come, as soon as the Emperor returned he had promised he would deal with things, but she had her own instructions in the interim. Instructions that had brought her here, in fact. "We need not be in competition, Malum, it is possible for us to work together."

She almost rolled her eyes at his arrogance, but instead opted to mirror his smirk. "Well of course," she replied her tone almost mocking "your wellbeing ensures some stability. The Tsis'Kaar falling in Strosius's hands however? That's a recipe for disaster. I may not have come into the Order willingly, but I have a vested interest in its survival and if he keeps trying to proverbially stab people in the face instead of playing quietly like the rest of us and stabbing people in the back, there will be another Crisis."

Lina waved the matter aside. "All stabbing aside, I have a favour to ask of you. i require an audience with the Dark Council."

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

He quirked a brow, "And do inform how exactly we of two such similar tools shall possibly work together in an Order in which only the existence of a singular would be to the greatest benefit of the victor?" He challenged with the rhetoric that was known to him, not simply the words chosen to be said, but too, how exactly they were structured, and what inflexions were behind them, building up to a crescendo, which he knew this conversation would likely lead, "I know of the possibility there lay in us working together... indeed, you intrigued me after our first meeting, and you had certainly gained my attention by the second... but I do believe the third and fourth meetings have now solidified your position Lady Zambrano..." His vision flickered for a moment, seeming to move away from her emeralds to her forehead, considering... what revolved around her mind perhaps? No... simply needing a break from that gaze.

"...Lady Djo seemed one despite the risks, one which held far more possibility in cooperation, but that specific door seems closed now, no?" As had been well established in their last time in his palace, biting words, a battle within conversation was much their tune, and it was in full display now, as their fangs began to bear.

He blinked, from the red eyes the mirth which had long ago not even been present in his words, fading away to a dull unemotional shade, hiding... the barest amount of hurt which she had inflicted upon him, hurt that he knew by all rights he should not have felt, "Suffice it to say that the Tsis'Kaar will not fall into the hands of Darth Strosius," It was the last of her words which drew out actual consideration out of him, "...And what exactly would I gain from such a favour?"

Lina Ovmar

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Lina's eyes narrowed imperceptibly and for the briefest of moments as his eyes left hers, she was a patient woman and yet Malum seemed to be testing he patience today. though it was not entirely his fault. She had changed her name, she had married into the enemies court, even brought a child into this world that would bear the Zambrano name. She was just another Kainite to the rest of the Order, one to be dismissed.

Perhaps she should have kept her name, or perhaps she should change it again entirely and take up her mantle as a Darth like so many others. Perhaps then the association would shift.

"My circumstances and name may have changed Malum," she said quietly, "But I am still the same woman of the same mind, the only thing that has changed is that now I have more of a reason to succeed." To carve the way for her daughter, to ensure her future would not be spent in the shadows that Lina had spent a lifetime mastering. There was a darkness flickering behind those green eyes, flecks of black that seemed to grow, a blink, and they were gone.

"You would have my gratitude," she answered, her voice returning to it formal tone and volume. "A favour to call in, should you need it."

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

"I am afraid that is far from apparent to myself, nay, I imagine is far from apparent to anyone... though I too imagine that was the point." His eyes trailed back to down to hers, blinking, those emeralds had seemed obsidian for a moment... but perhaps a trick of the light?

How ironic would that be?

"Still, I must wonder... is it even apparent to you? I might wager otherwise. Blood is a powerful thing, it binds you to those with something far stronger than simply choice, and it seems you have chosen..." His eyes narrowed, looking for something in those green orbs, "...Incorrectly."

He offered a smile, one which he did not even pretend to put in any effort, as his eyes remained as poised as ever, "I do not make it a habit to deal in such flexible currency as favours, while your gratitude..." What was he to say to that? "To have the gratitude of Kaine's daughter-in-law may have meant something, before I knew that those in-laws are in conflict," His eyes if possible narrowed again, looking for something in her response, as his mind pondered the favour.

He did in fact have one thing he wanted of her.

But it was far from an equal trade.

"And finally... what exactly do you wish to say to the Dark Council? For a sitting member is before you, and he is most curious."

Lina Ovmar

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Lina allowed herself a small smile at his narrowed gaze and choice of words around her husband and new family. The strange devotion these families had to their blood relatives was alien to her, it always had been, it was a pain point in her relationship with her husband, for she could not begin to understand his devotion to a man that had treated him so poorly as a child. It would seem that the Marr's had a similar outlook. Family above all else, regardless of who they were.

Amusement flickered in her gaze. "Is that so?" she said softly "I wonder if perhaps you wish I had chosen you instead?" She could have been more subtle, perhaps left a suggestion in between lines, and played the games a little longer but sometimes there was little more satisfying than tripping someone with directness.

She matched his cold smile. "Interesting that you would have made a deal with the Lady Djo, slave to Kaine, yet not to a woman free and tied to him only by marriage. Am I somehow lesser because I am wed?" She clicked her tongue is disappointment. "I sincerely hope not. Though if that is the view you chose to take, and that others within the order also take, I dread to think what would become of such underestimation."

The smile remained steadfast at his question her requested audience. "I have a suggestion for managing Strosius. I will not divulge more until I am before the Council as a whole."

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

The blink at her words was the only visible reaction to her words, as upfront as they had been, while beneath the desk, the vein of his hand had grown more pronounced, as they made themselves fists, before he forced them to relax, "Implying that I wished to be an option, alas, I have little regard for those that willingly choose that family," It was the answer to barb and note, yet, there was ever still so much more to say, as his smile remained ever on his face, every breath the icy steel of winter billowing forth, "That you consider it underestimation is your folly, not theirs. Frankly to imagine that one who would willingly marry a Zambrano, would bear one, is not one to be trusted, as she goes forth with such arrogance born of mother and husband... well, as I see it, it is you who underestimates the rest of the Order, I pray it is not your folly, Lady Zambrano,"

He quirked his head, seeming to ponder when it was already firmly decided, "Consider yourself barred then, how Darth Strosius is to be managed is already a foregone conclusion, and far be it from me to invite a spider into the viper's den."

Lina Ovmar

 

[Lina Ovmar]

The grip on the arms of her chair tightened slightly at the barbed insult, her eyes flashed dangerously before she closed them briefly and took a deep breath, exhaling in a soft sigh, her grip relaxing, not bothering to hide how easily he hide slid under her skin. "How very short sighted of you, Lord Malum."

Had she married Sarlow because she loved him? Partially, yes, but she had also married him as it solidified her position within the family, a position that kept her close to her enemy. A move that she had no doubt the ever watchful eyes of Darth Carnifex was well aware of, and yet the leader of the snakes himself could not seem to see.

She let out a bark of laughter at his suggestion of barring her. "You don't have that power, Lord Malum. Nor would you be so stupid as to try and enforce it. You can attempt to shut your door, but there are two others open to me. I could utilise the alliance that Lady Raaf has with my new family to my advantage, or I could approach the Executioner himself seeing as he is the only non biased one in this folly, he would be more than willing, knowing where I have come from and on whose words I am acting."

she shook her head. "Your inability to see past my new family name will cost you dearly, make no mistake."

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

He had won then, not that such victory meant anything at all, not that such victory gained him anything. Still, victory was victory, and her grip upon the armrests would be the mark of that victory, "It is your prerogative to do so, however, if you believe that Lord Lechner would be any more willing than I to add you to the proceedings than I must imagine you know him better than I... as for Lady Raaf, well if you are to make use of your family's alliance with her, that would be a rather apt proving of my point would it not?" He offered a smile, this time, it was filled with emotion, it was genial, it was... kind even.

Indeed, he surprised himself at how easily it came.

"I am sure it will, I wish you the best of luck in bringing down Kaine, may our separate efforts bear fruit that our paired ones did not."

Yet, there remained something still in the air.

Something which even if could not be guaranteed with a favour.

He needed to ask still.

"...Before you go... is your daughter well?" His vision flickered to a memory that by itself once had brought him to tears.

Now instead could only harden his jaw.

A solitary tree atop a hillside.

A single unmarked grave below its aegis.

Lina Ovmar

 

[Lina Ovmar]

There was a flicker of hurt at his refusal, thay he seemed to miss the point entirely. She did not want to go Arcanix, and her claim that Lechner would allow her an audience was based on rumour abd assumption only. Lina had chosen to come here...

And he had slammed the door in her face.

She made a noise akin to a growl of frustration and set her hands to rise from the chair, unable to find words to respond to him as her gaze dropped from his. An alliance she had thought she could rely on, down the drain all for th3 sake of her new name.

But then he asked about Lucia, and she froze. Sweet, beautiful Lucia. Slowly she lifted her emerald gaze back to his trying to discern the reason for such a question.

"She is." Her voice was soft, gentle and full of love. "She is the single greatest thing I will ever bring into this world."

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

Something rose in his chest as he witnessed how his words had cut her, contradictory feelings made conflict in his heart, concern at the fact she was pained, epicaricacy at inflicting what she had inflicted on him.

Not that he would ever admit that was a factor in this.

More often than not, he was more confused by the contradiction than anything else.

Her emerald gaze watched him carefully, as much as he would have expected, any parent should be guarded when a Sith Lord was investigative of their child.

At the end of the day, all he wished to know he supposed was...

...Should he be guarded as well?

He swallowed, the prominence by his throat bobbing, rubies breaking contact, unable to keep looking at such a piercing gaze, that filled him with such a font of unwanted emotions.

A further font as her words for some reason he could not even identify.

Filled his stomach with a certain... acrimony.

"...I am glad to..." He trailed off, he simply did not care, if what he was strangely, if what he strangely wished to be true was false, he no longer cared, "What colour are her eyes?"

Lina Ovmar

 

[Lina Ovmar]

For a moment, Lina did not answer, her forehead creased slightly as she searched his face seeking understanding. Why that question? Why did he even care?

And then it struck her, eyes widening in realisation as she sat back in her chair. The Marr's had a distinct familial trait in their red eyes...he thought she could be his. That he thiught Sarlow would not have ripped her apart if she weren't...

"Malum..." she began but then found she had nothing fo comfort to say to him.

"Blue." she answered finally "Her eyes are blue, like her fathers."

She is not yours. She wanted to give him the answer to the question he was avoiding. She clewred her throat, her eyes dropping from his gaze as she took a moment to collect herself.

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

Despite the fact they still played games around each other, it seemed she had indeed cottoned on at the end.

He let out a breath, the smile on his face firming up, "I am sure they are beautiful diamonds or sapphires indeed," It was far from entire confirmation, after all the possibility for Marrs to not be born with their distinctive red eyes was always a strong one.

He knew it well.

But no, if they were blue like their father's, then that was enough to put most doubts to bed.

He was free.

He was not bound to this woman or her child.

Why did that...

...It did not make the contradictions any easier, it did not quell them like he had so hoped.

"...Is there anything else to discuss then?" He offered, as they both were sitting, in retrospect he had been too harsh on her, "...I could call for refreshments if you require a break?" Noticing her downcast eyes.

Whatever could they mean...

Lina Ovmar

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Lina looked back up, all trace of emotion gone from her face, a neutral smile fixed on her face as she settled her gaze back upon him.

"I think not, Lord Malum. You have made it perfectly clear today what you think of me and you have no interest in...how did you put it... letting a spider into a viper's nest?"

She pushed herself to her feet, smoothing her skirts as she stood. "What else could you possibly wish to discuss with a spider?"

Darth Malum of House Marr