The Ties That Bind

[Theodora Arwyn]

Talravin
Spaceport Outside the Royal Palace

Sirrah Danella of House Redbush sat on her horse, silvery helmet under her arm, red locks flowing past her shoulders. The beast below her had been bred for beauty and performance, its red coat shining in the sun. The spaceport was simple, a clearing with a tower, large enough for massive ships to touch down. Around it lay the deep green forests of Talravin, undisturbed for tens of thousands of years. The road to the Royal Palace was behind, well-paved, a long clearing in the trees.

Sirrah Danella had been dispatched by the Queen Theodora with an escort of twenty-five other mounted knights to meet a [member="Darth Prazutis"]. She of course did as her Queen commanded, but the idea of having a Sith on the surface of Talravin made her quite uncomfortable. Talravin had been neutral in the affairs of the galaxy since the founding days of the Galactic Republic. Was her Queen planning to change that? Such thoughts troubled her.

She sighed, and glanced to her side. The knight beside her held a large and long banner, beholding the sigil of House Arwyn: a red rose on a black field. Danella herself held the reigns to an extra horse, for the Sith Lord. Hopefully, he knew how to ride.

 

[Darth Prazutis]

​Spaceport, Talravin

​A single modified Upsilon-Class Command Shuttle exited hyperspace in orbit over Talravin. There was no battlefleet, no magnificent grand battleship to announce his arrival. Just a single command shuttle its hull panted a slick black that reflected in the light of the sun and stars. The ship dropped down through the atmosphere and glided across the green landscape of Talravin. A wilderness untouched by industry for many thousands of years, they managed to self sustain themselves without sacrificing the planets beauty. It reminded him of Panatha that way how most of the worlds jungle, swamps, and other elements of wilderness still remained to this day.

The invitation by Queen [member="Theodora Arwyn"] was an unexpected one if he was being honest. Talravin was known for their neutrality and remaining neutral at all costs, whatever it took. They were an autonomous world inside the space of the Free Worlds Coalition. When the invitation came he had his advisor Lazerus pull up a full intelligence briefing on Talravin, everything they could find out about it. The world was a form of absolute monarchy called a Queendom. Instead of a male King and heir rulership was centered around the female line and females were the dominant leaders of the world. Men were equal except in matters involving nobility.

The line of succession wasn't as clear cut as a typical monarchy however and rival houses could steal the crown away from the ruling house upon the monarchs death if they weren't careful. It was a ruthless and cutthroat world and one that Darth Prazutis was all too familiar with. It was a world he thrived in, excelled in destroying his rivals through his many convoluted plots. Just one of the ways that he earned the alias Lord of Lies in some circles. All accounts from Talravani Nobility said that while Theodora was warm and kind, she was someone many of the nobility didn't want to get in the ring with. The Queen's rise to power was swift and paved with the death of those who stood in her way.

An intriguing woman.

When the shuttle touched down its ramp descending with a hiss a pair of Crownguard marched down the steps standing on either side. Those gifted with the force would feel the maelstrom of dark side energy that surrounded the being within, the very presence of this unholy power practically thickened the air. Out came the source of this aura the Shadow Hand himself clad in a set of dark robes, the usual torrent of screeching souls that came with the aura of fear was all subdued. The only thing visible of the nearly seven foot tall Sith Lords face from within the hood was his molten eyes that burned like hot coals.

The Dark Titan approached the lead rider his gaze falling on her entirely "Let's not keep your Queen waiting." ​Darth Prazutis said taking the horse when it was offered. While he didn't train on horseback he easily knew how to ride the beast. Back home he and his family rode the great lion like Kraln Luparj, ferocious war beasts. When offered his horse he took it and mounted the large creature ready to follow his escort to the Palace.

 

[Theodora Arwyn]

Sirrah Danella had not expected the Sith Lord to arrive in such a small ship. The sworn sword of House Arwyn examined the ship skeptically. She had expected a larger vessel, black and crimson, with a large escort. Beside her, the standard-bearer glanced at her. The young woman was a newly-anointed knight, Danella believed she had proven herself against a gang of bandits? Something like that.

"Is that the ship, sirrah? I expected something more."

Danella grunted, shifting in her saddle.

"It doesn't matter what you expected. Lord Prazutis arrives in whatever vessel Lord Prazutis chooses to arrive in."

Her words sealed the matter, as the ramp extended down, and the Lord himself walked down. Danella swallowed, and her horse knickered nervously, but she quieted it with a touch of her armored hand. Her Queen had orded this man's safe passage. She would ensure he received as such.

She nodded at his words, donning her helm.

"Her Majesty, Queen Theodora of the House Arwyn, Protector of the Talravani People, welcomes you to her world. As long as you remain under her banner, you are under our protection."

Words that custom demanded be said, but glancing up and down at the man, she surmised he would not need much protection. She spurred her horse, and the column left down the road. It was not a long ride, perhaps four hours, and they came upon the valley that held the royal palace.

​

​

Sirrah Danella and her column rode across the bridge, and up the winding hill. Archers, catapults, ballistas, and other weapons of war lined the walls at every turn, staring down at them. The bridge was the only way on and off the island palace, and if an army wished to take it, they would have to take the hill road, harassed by arrows and boulders every step of the way.

When they reached the top, before the great hall, Sirrah Danella dismounted. She took off her helm once more, and pointed through the large oaken doors.

"Her Majesty awaits through those doors, at the end of the great hall. She is expecting you, my lord, and my queen is not a woman to be kept waiting."

[member="Darth Prazutis"]

 

[Darth Prazutis]

As they approached the massive island palace it reminded him of House Zambrano's ancestral seat on panatha: Vain Hollow. Wall upon wall, battlement upon battlement it was the largest and most heavily defended structure ever built by the Zambranos. But unlike the Hollow this palace was different in many ways. The primitive weaponry in the form of ballistae, archers, catapults were its defense. There was a certain beauty to the entire palace that he could appreciate. Undoubtedly this structure was ancient the ancestral seat of the Queen for centuries but it was so well maintained it didn't show.

The Sith Lord remained quiet while he looked around with a keen observant eye at everything around him as the lady knight led him through the castle. Eyes drifted to him as he moved through attracting a good deal of attention. If it wasn't the dark aura that did it the massive nearly seven foot imposing frame sure did it. When they finally reached their destination he pulled down the hood revealing his face, pale skin and dark hair​. Deep within the chamber he felt a powerful presence swathed in the dark side of the force, whoever it was had a great command over the dark side.

When the doors opened he swept into the chamber and followed the directions that the knight gave. The Shadow Hand stood tall even while saying nothing he had a powerful presence that dominated a room. When [member="Theodora Arwyn"] came into view the Sith Lord said "I have to say your majesty when I received your invitation I was intrigued."

 

[Theodora Arwyn]

Theodora of the House Arwyn, monarch of Talravin, and protector of the people, sat on a large throne of gold and silver. It was huge, dwarfing even the large [member="Darth Prazutis"]. Her eyes as blue as crystal stared down at him. She was clad in a dress as crimson as the rose of her House, matching her dark red hair.

Her mouth was twisted in a fake pleasant smile, hands relaxed as they gripped the armrests of the throne.

"Sirrah Danella, you are dismissed."

The knight curtsied, and left the throne room. Now it was just her, the Sith Lord, and two women armored in crimson plate, with songsteel-tipped spears gripped in their hands. She slowly stood, making her way down the stairs of the throne.

"I expect that it would be. My world may lay along the Hydian Way, but it is far from relevant in the galaxy as a whole."

She curtsied at him, then gestured for him to sit at a small table to the side of the throne. She herself took a seat, and gestured at the two glasses and pitcher of wine on the surface. The flagon lifted by itself, seemingly, and poured her glass full of crimson liquid.

"Do you partake, my lord? Tis a fine vintage. You are unlike to find it's like anywhere else but Talravin."

 

[Darth Prazutis]

​Queen [member="Theodora Arwyn"] certainly didn't disappoint sitting atop a gigantic throne clad in an elegant red dress that matched both her hair and the colors of her house. No doubt they were chosen strategically for the meeting to represent her and Talravin. The only symbol that Darth Prazutis had on him was the ornate signet ring on his finger that held the Eye of Solomon, symbol of House Zambrano. The throne room was large, majestic and intimidating in equal measure any other man might've stood in awe of its beauty. But there was no facial reaction from the Shadow Hand as Theodora descended from her throne

To be honest she was absolutely right on the galactic stage Talravin was far from relevant especially to the Sith Empire. They maintained their neutrality and were left alone by most galactic nations who dominated the territories they sat in. It was far from the interests of the Sith and House Zambrano. The Queen was incredibly ambitious to invite him into her home but if she hoped he was the easy path to power she would be sorely mistaken. Darth Prazutis sat down across from Theodora at the table "Yes, thank you." ​He said allowing her to pour him a glass of the fine wine. He picked up the glass bringing it up to his mouth carefully sniffing at the wine, his enhanced senses included his smell. In his line of work there were many dangers to someone with such power many rivals and enemies who would see him dead. "You'll forgive if i'm not so trusting of strangers with intriguing invitations Queen Theodora." ​He said. When he was sure the drink wasn't drugged with anything he would take a drink. "Excellent. So tell me why does the Queen of Talravin want to speak with me. Your people have maintained neutrality for thousands of years." ​Prazutis asked.

 

[Theodora Arwyn]

She was not surprised he did not trust her. In his position, she would not trust her, either. Queen Theodora sipped from her glass, blue eyes examining the man. If she was going to back out of this, now was the time. But she was not the woman to back down. Not now, not ever.

"Neutrality has kept my people alive for twenty thousand years, my lord. Since the days of the first Galactic Republic, we have remained aloof from the galaxy, tending to our own garden, not watering the plants of the other worlds. For twenty thousand years, we have remained here, isolated." She spread her hands. "It has made us very rich, but very arrogant and stubborn. We eschew technology and the modern galaxy in favor of more civilized and elegant times. The defenses on this castle, for example, will hold a Talravani army until the end of time. But a foreign? A day, at the most."

The Queen of Talravin gestured to the two crimson-clad women in the room with their spears.

"The elite of Talravin, and yet, a man with a blaster could end them fairly quickly. What I am getting at, is that we need friends. The galaxy is changing, my lord, and Talravin must change with it."

She eyed him.

"Is House Zambrano willing to be Talravin's friend, my lord?"

[member="Darth Prazutis"]