This Lady Needs Defending (Lucien)

[Yasha Cadera]

I stand in the middle of the floor as Bucket gets back up and whirs over to me, puts his arm around my shoulders and grabs the gun. "Where are th-no fair! You bastard, you could ha-"

"Stop it, Bucket. Lucien was making a point." I stare at [member="Lucien Cordel"] crestfallen. "Isn't it better to get out? Make sure everyone's alive and go?" Clearly this is a hard lesson for the Compassionate Jedi in me to learn. I pick up the foil and rub my forehead. Bucket takes the foil and nudges my shoulder. I pout. "Aspect Two does need work."

Lucien's asking me if I dance? I look down at my two left feet. "Depends. How many times am I allowed to step on your foot? I don't remember if I waltz. I might have earlier in my life. There's not a whole lot of things I remember Lucien. Every time I had a new symbiotic attachment in my head, I'd live their memories instead of my own. If it weren't for Spencer, Jared and Mikhail I'd still live like that. It's just like the scatter gun.

I didn't know I could fire it until I had it in my hands. My brain's still playing catch-up."

The life of a symbiotic empath. I leave hanging the social commentary on my relationship with Lucien's absentee wife Meret. She'd been another of my symbionts and when I was with her, I was Anders the artistically trained painter dude from Naboo. I loved forests and understood Ewoks. I played with paint on brushes and knew the sounds of familiar birds. I don't remember the birds anymore. I don't speak any language of the Ewoks and I don't paint.

Taking Lucien's hand, I realize how lonely this life has been, how desperate I'd been to find a protector, when I could not protect myself because there was no Self. I settle into the first position for a typical waltz and am astounded when my back arches, shoulders settle and feet go exactly where they need to. It's a strange wonderment when I realize there's one more thing I know how to do.

 

[Lucien Cordel]

Lucien smiled it seemed Lady [member="Anders Sivas"] was more talented that even she knew. A soft melody filled the room and Lucien took his own position. Taking Andra's right hand holding her hand up at arm level while his left sat at her shoulder blades "1,2 , 3 ... 4 " he counted the steps in his head, carful not to miss a step and leading Andra over to the buffet table with a series of turns.

"Follow my eyes lady Sivas, the eyes can tell you more about a person than many comprehend" his head turned "did you ever attach to me ... Or Lady Blackmoon ... Did she tell you where she whent ... She has somthing I want ..." He declined to say that he also wanted to bring her the same suffering she had put him through.

He turned her so she had her back to the buffet table and dipped her subtly reaching for a glass of water and pulling Andra up ... Now had she taken his advice her next move would tell him.

 

[Yasha Cadera]

"Yes, Lucien. I imprinted on your wife before you married. Meret and I met on Endor, I'd just gotten to the Fringe and Meret wanted... She wanted a piece of home." Sweeping through the footwork of the waltz, I keep my hips close and my back straight as Lucien takes me across the floor. "Mikhail destroyed my physical links. All the ties I had to the past symbionts are out of my reach. Unless you have something of hers that pre-dates her relationship with you."

I follow his eyes, first swinging through with nothing but the ease of the follower yet as we continue I come in to my own. "If I had symbiotically attached to you,I would be your perfect vision of me. I'd turn into your view until either you let me go or my immune system fought back. You'd know, I'd be a different person, with very few memories of who I was before. You're one of the few I don't feel scared of being myself around. I imprinted on Mikhail, but that imprint discintigrated. Was odd though. Sargon Vynea threw me into my first duel and I had no idea. My mind returned to Mikhail's imprint, when I realized the danger. I fought like he did until the danger passed. There is a chance I could find Meret, she's probably on Naboo. Her family had a house in the Lake District. Meret entertained lovers there. . . I'm sorry, Lucien."

He must be thirsty. I smirk and spin around to grab a glass. "I could use her stuff as an anchor and search. Is the Lord Cordel going to be enacting revenge on his Lady Wife? Gosh. I sound like Livia saying that. Wouldn't have gotten through my political career on Naboo if not for Livia."

 

[Lucien Cordel]

Lucien didn't smile, he didn't cry he betrayed nothing as Anders discussed his lost love "She wanted an object for her lust no more no less" he responded sharply "she barely batted an eyelid when I allowed Mikhail to threaten you her morality was as fickle as her heart" he might have had somthing Anders could use to reconnect with Meret ... Somewhere but Lucien didn't want her found , he had moved on and her return would only lead him to kill her ... He wanted to hurt her. He tightened his grip as a momentary fear swept over him ... He could've killed her. Then a mere moment later all was well again.

Lucien listened intently as Ander's described how she couldn't be linked to him "prehaps ..." He mused "my 'perfect' vision of you is the you who determines her own destiny ... " he smiled as she announced that she wasn't scared to be alone with him, it was a rare reaction indeed. Most feared him ,his name enough to shatter the back bone of even the most rebellious commoner. "Mikhail was never one to let some one get to him easily ... Meret is better left unfound , I want to find her then I want to hurt her like she hurt me to take all she holds dear , then when she is begging for death ... I would withhold it. Abject cruelty is not normally in my line but I changed for her and she threw it in my face , kept finding fault , she never stopped putting me down I have an uncontrollable but entirely unwelcome urge to kill her ... It sickens me"

Lucien nodded and took a drink, it didn't help he need somthing stronger. He let go of her hand "excuse me a moment , I must ... Recompose ... There is one more task we must do " he sighed then swept from the room returning a moment later with a large carafe of strong wine, two glasses , a cigar and a holographic chess board

 

[Yasha Cadera]

"You've been hurt, Lucien. A man in your position doesn't allow himself to be hurt often. This burns, I do get it. It's okay to admit the pain is there, if you don't you'll turn out like Mikhail, cool one second then murdering the next. Then feeling terrible about it afterward." I continue being swept across the floor, feeling Lucien's iron grip shift and change with his emotions. He's beinghonest, and I too have to find the value in that honesty. It is a rarer gift than can be found to see the inner workings of [member="Lucien Cordel"]. "She wanted political advantage. Her greatest sin in all this is refusing to accept that you loved her. That you wanted her, not her titles or political gains. I don't think she ever admitted your affection was a reality."

He would kill her. What is it with these Sith men and their all or nothing approaches? "I put trust in you and you've never broken it. Why would I be afraid of my friend? You're one of the only people who knows who and what I am. You know me better than I do sometimes. You are a man of impeccable rules and poise. I've got faith things will turn out for you. You'll find love, Lucien. The ache you feel will fade with time."

He lets me go and comes back with wine and glasses. I smirk and take a glass from him, swirling it around before smelling the bouquet. "What's next?"

 

[Lucien Cordel]

"Chess " Lucien stated as he poured himself a large measure of wine and lit his cigar. All the talk of Meret had riled him up, he was tense and the worry that he was willing to murder in cold blood didn't make him better. He wouldn't turn into mikhail . He was not so broken as that yet.

He took a long drag of his cigar and took a deep breath. He sighed and rubbed his neck as he set up two chairs and a table with the force then he put the board down softly and sat down "the final aspect of dueling is strategic thinking , short of putting you in command of a war zone chess is the best way to develop this " he smiled " I trust you can play?" He asked

 

[Yasha Cadera]

I take [member="Lucien Cordel"]'s hand for a moment to give it a comforting squeeze. He wouldn't turn into Mikhail. If I'd have gotten to Mikhail sooner, would he have turned into himself? "I've been in war zones. A couple, anyway. The Generals and Admirals of the Military are better strategic thinkers than I am. . . but yes, I can play."

I think I can anyway. I don't mention that I've never played. Several of my past symbionts have, and I'm hoping it brings me through. As I touch the pieces on my side, the muscle memory coats back into my brain. I sip my wine and lean back in my chair.

I move the Queen's Pawn two spaces forward and wait for Lucien's move.

 

[Lucien Cordel]

Lucien nodded "See there is your weakness , if you go about thinking everyone is better than you at strategy then they will be ... You can't just play you can win" She wouldn't of course Lucien had never once lost a fair game of chess ... Surely his servants didn't let him win?

Mirroring Andra Lucien sipped his wine then drew on his cigar. A contented sigh escaped him. His queen side knight shifted under the Pressure of the force, his knight levitated two spaces forward and to the left. Lucien blinked and sat bacK

 

[Yasha Cadera]

"Guess confidence isn't my strong suit, eh? Another thing to work on." I watch the queen's knight move and glanced up at Lucien Cordel. This has been an entrancing day. Already I've learned a wealth of self defence and good tactic. Now I had to survive a game of chess with Lucien.

I pick up the queen and move her diagonally from d1 to G4. "You're predisposing me with an ability to win. I hope I can be that optimistic."

 

[Lucien Cordel]

Lucien tilted his head "you must learn to be that optimistic. High society is a den of vipers and you look easy" he looked down at the board "when the vipers wake ... And they will you must be ready ... We must be ready" he moved the Kings side knight two forward one right.

Change was coming to the fringe and Lucien was determined to remain on top. There was a time when Lucien would have played the high society players off against each other ... He still would for the most part but not with Andra. She was meaningful to him.