Private To Thine Own Self Be True

[Madrona A’Mia]

Korriban
The Palace of Vardin

Curiosity was undoubtedly the thing which most commonly drove A'Mia Madrona to pursue almost any course of action she took. Duty was certainly something which could motivate her, but only if called upon by a very select few. It was the former which brought her to her Lord's obsidian palace in search of Revna sometime soon after the Kor'ethyr winter dance, but the latter did play a part as well. The Neti was one of a select few who had been granted the opportunity to spend long hours in the company of Darth Caedes . More unusual still, she'd had unprecedented access to his mind a few times and therefore insights into the complex weave which made up the King of Korriban. Though she'd been a playful accomplice at the Kor'ethyr Dance where many weeks of careful circling between Revna and Caedes crescendoed into a happy union for the two, A'Mia thought it wise to follow up.

She drifted up stairs, through grand halls, 'neath otherworldly architecture and sought the new Lady of the castle. To the best of her knowledge nothing had been formalized yet but if instinct was correct and Elmindra Xitaar 's teachings were paying off, A'Mia suspected that might soon change. Not only did she pursue a meeting with the fiery young woman in order to sate her curiosity but in truth she was already unusually fond of her after the conversation and dance they shared. Upon asking an attendant about the woman's whereabouts, A'Mia made a direct course to the King's own reading room.

A gentle rap of knuckles on the door-frame, large blue-green eyes and placid smile upon her face, A'Mia announced her entry to the space quietly. She peered around and soon found what she sought. The room was modest perhaps when measured against other grand libraries or collections of data, but this place was resplendent with knowledge and furnished to be comfortable for long stretches of time. The Neti curtsied in her simple green and purple Kor'ethyr robes.

"Well met, Revna."

​

 

[Revna]

Tag: Madrona A’Mia ​

It had been a few days since the events of the Academy winter dance, and today Revna found herself lounged within the Sith King’s private library, her black Zeyd-cloth robes keeping her warm and cozy as she once again found herself seeking more knowledge to add to her expanding understanding. Libraries were a favored place for the Sith woman to spend her time when she wasn't training; there was always something more to learn and discover and reflect upon, and of course she didn’t hesitate to come to this place when it was offered to her to peruse at her leisure.

Revna had been in a handful of grand libraries in her time as a Sith acolyte and then apprentice: she’d been inside her Master’s library within the Formos Cathedral where she had spent much of her time learning and trying to understand new found powers and abilities, what it meant to be a Sith - who the Sith even were. She had also been granted special privilege, by way of station and birth, to the royal archives on Alvaria when it was discovered that she was a Marr. She had found herself within the libraries of two great Sith Academies - one on Jutrand and the one within Kor’ethyr.

She had even been granted access to one of the greatest libraries in the galaxy - that which belonged to Darth Carnifex, a privilege that was granted to very few - and though it was the library of her enemy, she had not passed up on such an opportunity. It had also become one of the few places where she could go to spend some time with a woman who meant a great deal to her - Lady Talon.

But this library, though perhaps not as grand as many of the others she’d visited, was far more precious and special than any of the others to her now. This place carried the presence of home, and reminded her of the library in the Cathedral she spent so much of her time in with her High Priest. And of course, the knowledge that was contained within was now hers to seek after whenever she wished.

But all that was held within the library was not entirely what drew her in these last few days - it was the solitude and silence that allowed her to think, to reflect, and to replay those sweet memories of the dance she shared with Darth Caedes over and over again; of the words spoken between them - the revelations made, secrets revealed between the two of them - their kiss they shared, her first one ever.

...Of the offer he had made to her, one that she had accepted - but one that had yet to be formally recognized. It was still their little secret.

All of these things, and more, filled her thoughts as she spent time in his library. Once again, she had been faced with a choice - to leap into the unknown and let the Force carry her forward, and she had chosen to do so. Now many new things loomed within her mind, things she had never imagined she would entertain or think about.

...Like the fact that she had another man in her life to look to for personal things; a man with whom she could share more hidden desires and secrets of her heart. A man with whom she could confide in, in a way she never could have with her High Priest. Someone who could help her navigate the complex emotions and feelings that she still didn’t quite understand herself.

She never thought or imagined herself willingly offering loyalty to someone else besides Darth Strosius - and yet here she was. But she recognized that the loyalty she had given to her Master, and the loyalty she now gave to Darth Caedes - were very different. With Strosius, it had been a loyalty that a servant might give to their Lord…but with Caedes it was a loyalty one gave to their chosen partner.

Revna had no real example, except maybe the Imperial couple, to look upon to help her understand or navigate this new pathway laid out before her. She felt things swirling in her heart, her mind and soul that she didn’t understand but that ignited a fire that drew her to him, to Caedes.

It was a mystery for her - but she loved mysteries. She loved the journey that came with unraveling such things and she was very much excited, and a little nervous, about the journey ahead of her. At least, she wouldn’t have to traverse that journey alone.

The little woman was pondering all of these things when a soft knock upon the doorway of the library announced the presence of another person there with her. At first, Revna thought it might be Caedes, come to see her perhaps - but that was quickly proven not to be the case when ember eyes lifted and locked onto the blue-green gaze of Korriban’s Lord Seer, A’Mia - who had slipped quietly into the chamber as if in search of something. Or perhaps someone.

A serene smile greeted Revna as the Sith Shadow offered a curtsy that made Revna tilt her head to one side. No one had ever done that around her before, and she wasn’t sure how to react to it.

"Well met, Revna." A’Mia said, and after a brief moment of hesitation, Revna set the datapad that had been sitting in her lap aside as she straightened herself a bit more to give the Shadow her attention as curiosity began to gnaw away at her. Briefly, memories of the dance she had shared with the Lord Seer passed through her mind, and a tremor of joy rippled through her; it had been the start of perhaps the best evening of her life. And, truth be told, the little Disciple had rather enjoyed the dance with the other woman.

“A’Mia - what a surprise!” the little woman exclaimed softly, a smile gracing her pale face, before a curious frown creased her brow. “What brings you here?”

 

[Madrona A’Mia]

Strange and powerful eyes alighted on Revna properly, curiosity met by curiosity. The neti remained standing out of respect or formality, perhaps even out of uncertainty about the other woman's boundaries. Regardless, she still appeared perfectly at ease towering slightly over her seated companion at nearly seven feet tall.

"I hoped to see how you were fairing, and to compliment that you have a knack for dancing. Have you been formally trained?"

It wasn't so much that the woman was guileless, but she certainly had to work at being politic. If left to her own devices, conversation could look more like interrogation but A'Mia was trying out all her best social skills that day.

​

 

[Revna]

Tag: Madrona A’Mia
​

Seeing A’Mia once again in such a close space reminded Revna of just how tall the Neti was. Of course, Revna was accustomed to being around taller beings than she was but something about the Shadow looming over her made her eye the other woman with a hint of wariness for a moment. Revna didn’t know A’Mia all too well, but she hoped to change that - especially now that it looked like she would be staying on Korriban more long term. There were others that surrounded the King that she would need to get to know in due time, but A’Mia was here so she figured now was a good chance to build a bridge to the Lord Seer.

And it appeared that A’Mia wanted to do the same, as she offered up why she had found her way into the King’s personal library. "I hoped to see how you were fairing, and to compliment that you have a knack for dancing. Have you been formally trained?"

Revna half-smiled as amusement shined in her eyes. “Oh! Well - please, have a seat if you’d like. I rather like it when others sit with me for conversations or chats…” the little, raven-haired woman said to A’Mia as she gathered her thoughts enough to provide answers and hold a conversation.

“I am fairing rather well, I think. Still a little bit...sore from all the exertion.” Revna replied after a moment. “But certainly better than I have been in a long time. As for the dancing, thank you for the compliment. No, I haven’t been formally trained - well, unless you consider being taught how to dance by the Sith Empress as ‘formal’ training.” There was a spark in the young woman’s eyes for a moment as she recalled that first dance a few years prior.

“I attended a Life Day Gala with Lord Strosius, not long after He brought me on as His acolyte. And no He didn't dance; He stood in a corner and brooded, sadly. The Emperor and Empress arrived, and I couldn’t take my eyes off of them. I was so fascinated by them, the…uniqueness of their relationship. He, a corpse…her, a near goddess. Well…they noticed me watching, and the Empress extended an invitation to me to dance with her…if I dared.”

Revna’s smile turned into a playful smirk. “Well, I dared to. I didn’t know how to dance, and I asked her to teach me how, then and there, and she did. My Master wasn't too thrilled about me dancing with 'the enemy'. I got an earful on the way back to Formos after we departed.” She said with a hearty chuckle as she recalled the memory. “I tried to remember what all she taught me when you and I danced together the other night. It had been a few years so I was a bit rusty. You are an excellent dancer yourself, A’Mia. You certainly seemed like you were trained - maybe I should have you teach me a bit more!” ​

 

[Madrona A’Mia]

With encouragement to sit, A'Mia did so surprisingly lithely for a woman that appeared so wooden. Given their dance though, Revna knew there was much more to the neti than met the eye. The Lord Seer listened intently as Revna spoke, she had a rather unnerving ability to hold entirely still. Only her eyes gave away that she was not in fact a statue.

So many big names, so many points of connection or perhaps even threads which ensnare her, A'Mia mused as she listened.

Eventually the little Sith finished a story from her past, a long pause fell between them before A'Mia seemed to animate again. She dipped her head in a bob of acknowledgement, the small smile on her face grew just slightly as she fell into conversation.

"You dare to do many bold things, it seems."

Her tone might almost pass as playful, but in truth it was a notation of fact more than banter. A'Mia could see clearly that this woman was made of tougher stuff than the average citizen of even their esteemed Sith Order. Her eyes roamed a bit, though she knew to look too closely might be taken as rude or impertinent. Regardless, A'Mia couldn't help but hone in on some very unusual anamolies within and bound to Revna's energetic weave.

"I'm glad to know you fair well enough here and that we of Korriban could not be considered poor hosts by you."

The way she said "we" appeared to be a "royal we" or perhaps embedded with some sense of almost planetary significance.

"And yes of course I would be delighted to teach you more dance! I'm a trained echani fire dancer, that was my work a lifetime ago. But Revna-"

The woman leaned a bit closer, strange eyes raising once more to collect her companion's gaze.

"How might I be of service to you elsewise? Surely you have wants or needs other than dance lessons."

​

 

[Revna]

Tag: Madrona A’Mia
​

A’Mia sat with Revna’s encouragement to do so, and she moved with a grace that momentarily awed the young Sith woman. Revna of course wasn’t too familiar with A’Mia’s race, though she knew the Shadow was a Neti. Still, it did surprise her a bit that someone who appeared to be made of wood, was so… supple.

The elegant Lord Seer sat still and unmoving as Revna shared her dance story about the Empress, and had anyone who didn’t know better walked in they might have assumed that Revna was talking to a wooden statue. A’Mia’s gaze piercing, blue-green eyes were the only things that moved and were perhaps expressive enough to inform Revna that she was indeed still listening to her. It made the younger and smaller Sith wonder, once again, just what was going on inside the Neti’s mind.

"You dare to do many bold things, it seems." A’Mia said when Revna had finished. And to that, the smaller woman smirked slightly, as if she was aware of that fact.

“I do, I admit it. Sometimes it gets me into trouble.” Revna replied in a lower voice, sitting calmly as she noticed A’Mia’s eyes roam a bit. It wasn’t too obvious, but it was enough that the young woman caught onto it.

"I'm glad to know you fair well enough here and that we of Korriban could not be considered poor hosts by you."

Revna smiled slightly once more. “Truthfully I expected much of the same treatment here as I did aboard the Malsheem, when I first arrived. But…I was pleasantly surprised to see that the powers that be are I daresay welcoming of my presence. Most of them are, anyway.”

She still wasn’t entirely sure how the First Lord felt about her and her increased involvement in the King’s affairs and matters. Revna had yet to truly meet the Falleen woman, something she knew would have to be remedied and probably sooner rather than later. Revna knew she would need to be on the top of her game for that meeting; she’d heard whispers and rumors of the Sith woman and how effective she was at her job.

A’Mia’s voice pulled her from her thoughts about Elmindra. "And yes of course I would be delighted to teach you more dance! I'm a trained Echani fire dancer, that was my work a lifetime ago. But Revna-"

The raven haired woman smiled briefly as A’Mia seemed agreeable to teaching her more dancing lessons, and watched curiously as the Neti leaned a bit closer to her, those large and eerily beautiful eyes lifting to capture Revna’s.

"-How might I be of service to you elsewise? Surely you have wants or needs other than dance lessons."

The young woman tilted her head to one side slightly as she pondered the question and the statement. Her ember eyes narrowed ever so slightly, not in hostility, but in a more curious manner. The question seemed…specific, knowing. Revna had not summoned A’Mia here - the Shadow had come on her own volition, despite the question almost sounding as if Revna had called her here for some help.

“How can you be of service to me? I should be asking you that question, my Lady." Revna said with a soft chuckle. "Surely you didn't come all this way just to ask me how I was fairing and to hear about my selfish wants and needs. Though I suppose, since you are here, one of my wants is to get to know you a bit better. Especially now that it appears I will be saying on Korriban a bit longer than I thought I would be; I want to know more about the others that the King surrounds himself with. And I want to know about him a bit better too, I suppose."

 

[Madrona A’Mia]

Processing...

Processing...
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Processing...​

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A'Mia blinked finally and looked up into a corner of the room, as if seeking a blank place for her sensitive gaze to reset. No one had asked her so directly about herself, nor in such a friendly manner, in quite a long time. The only exception had perhaps been Corazona von Ascania , the prissy and exceedingly interesting Jedi girl A'Mia had encountered a few times. "Small talk" was something the neti had been practicing of late but that did not seem to be the tone of Revna's inquiry. No, she seemed truly curious about not only A'Mia but her peers, the other Lords of Korriban, and their King as well. Her gaze returned to her companion as she began.

"Born to the Kwoom Tul'Wan Grovemind, my people soon determined that I was unfit to remain with them. As a seedling of nine years, I was cut 'root and stem' from the grove and cast out. Monks, devotees of the Book of Moross soon took me in and from then I learned the wys of botany and some small craft in medicine."

The woman recited this all with such a pleasant tone and inflection, it was impossible to know if it caused any emotional distress in the retelling.

"I lack devotion, the ability to process or experience faith, so I was ill suited to carry on the work of the monks as I grew up. Eventually, well meaning as they were, they found me a suitable marraige to a Zelosian Nobleman and I agreed. Tragically, a number of my husband's family members and attendants of his estate fell ill just a few years after our betrothal. The plague eventually claimed the life of my darling Jerome."

Her eyes glittered, though not with tears, and her face remained as impassive as ever. Voice just as pleasant as when she'd started.

"In my grief, I soon left and sought a new life. That's when I joined a dance troupe, learned martial arts and after many years was scouted by The One Sith. My abilities were put to the test as a basic foot soldier. In one of my first big skirmishes, I faced a dreadfully powerful young Jedi..."

It was the first time her expression changed, and turned slightly contemplative.

"He bestest me, and in my attempt to flee I hid amongst the trees. The very world of Kashyyyk came alive as if in aid of the Light present that day. I was entombed deep in a forest where I slumbered for many decades, dreaming the World Dream as if I were Kashyyyk itself. Something eventually woke me, someone more specifically. Darth Caedes reached out to me somehow in the darkness, rousing my spirit to wake. I knew I needed to find my way to him- though at the time I thought the time I thought it was merely the planet of Korriban I made haste to answer the call of."

Very abruptly she paused, as if recognizing that she'd just talked non-stop for a long while. There was still more to share of course, and she needed to answer the queeries about her colleagues, but she gave Revna a moment to interject.

"Any questions before I continue?" She asked brightly.

​

 

[Revna]

Tag: Madrona A’Mia ​

Revna waited with the patience of a hunter as A’Mia seemed to process her words, her want. Her burning eyes never strayed from the Neti, and as her tall and woodsy companion began to speak, Revna’s smile grew and her eyes brightened.

She just loved hearing other people’s stories. Such tales gave her a window, a glimpse, into the lives and the minds of those she dealt with. People revealed many things when they told their story, enough for her to know if they would be friend or foe, ally or enemy.

The young woman listened with rapt attention as A’Mia shared her origins, where she had come from and where she had gone in her earlier years. Revna was curious and only grew more so as she learned that the Neti had been trained in the ways of botany and a bit in medicine, her education guided by Monks that seemed to center their practices around a book - a pathway that A’Mia confessed to struggle in as she simply did not have the ability to process faith, and even lacked devotion. This seemed to lead her into something else that greatly intrigued the young Sith woman: a marriage.

That did come as a bit of a surprise to Revna; A’Mia didn’t really strike her as someone who would be content with such a thing, and as the Neti continued unveiling her story, a shine of recognition and intuition shone from Revna’s fiery eyes and a small smirked tugged at the corner of her lips.

...Her husband and members of his family had been ‘tragically’ affected by a plague? Oh how unfortunate...or maybe not??

Revna did not miss the glittering within A’Mia’s eyes, and that only seemed to confirm Revna’s suspicions. Still, the Neti carried on with such a cheerful voice, as if she was talking about something pleasant and not the demise of her former husband and his family. She explained that after Jerome’s death, she had joined a dance trope, where she learned the art of dancing as well as martial arts before she was eventually scouted out by the One Sith and trained to be a soldier. Revna nodded as she continued to track the story, ever eager to hear more.

A’Mia turned contemplative after revealing her defeat at the hand of a young, but powerful Jedi - and she had chosen to hide herself away, entombing herself amongst the trees of Kashyyyk where she remained until awoken by someone familiar now to them both - Darth Caedes.

So that was how A’Mia had found her way into the service of the King… Revna mused quietly to herself.

The Neti paused suddenly and asked if Revna had any questions before she continued. Revna smiled at her companion, one that bordered on pleasant. “Hmm…questions? More like…morbid curiosity. I have a feeling that their tragic deaths weren’t so…tragic, for you…were they, A’Mia? And such a skilled botanist such as yourself surely would know a thing or two about poisons.” Revna smirked then, a bit playfully. “It is something I have an interest in myself, but that is a topic for a different point in time I think. Please…continue! I’d love to hear more!”

 

[Madrona A’Mia]

Childlike glee very suddenly animated the nymphish face of A'Mia Madrona. Never before had she been quite so directly accused or asked about the untimely death of her husband. The woman was incapable of blushing, but her fairly precise control over the pigmentation of her body meant that she was able to show here glee with a sudden saturation of her already striking coloration. In the same way candlewick flowers bloomed beneath moonlight, A'Mia's strange personality seemed to open up to Revna's genuine interest and playful speculation.

"Oh! The we'll need go to my laboratory sometime! I'd love to show you around, you haven't seen the greenhouses yet have you? I simply must take you there."

The way she chattered happily was distinctly at odds with the rather calm intonation of her life's story. In truth, A'Mia was both an old creature and very young at the same time. Her species was long lived, she'd likely passed the century mark at this point though she wasn't entirely certain, but she'd also recently undergone physical and psychological changes that meant she was relearning how her form functioned. Namely, she was becoming increasingly aware of the broad range and scope of emotions that were available to most people, and until recently had not been available to her.

"Right... Well I made my way to Korriban and found my way to the newly established school. It became apparent to the powers that be I definitely needed instruction in some areas, but exceeded in others so I was able to enroll at a higher level and was offered a role in the Medbay. From there, I met a number of the Lords and our King of course. What would you like to know about the other Lords of Vardin?"

​

 

[Revna]

Tag: Madrona A’Mia
​

Revna’s grin only widened with the Neti’s physical reaction to her almost accusatory comment in regards to the death of her late husband and members of her family. Of course, A’Mia didn’t outright say she killed them - but she didn’t have to. The colorful flush to her skin, almost akin to a blush, coupled with the near glee that shone in those blue-green eyes, was all Revna needed to see to come to her own conclusion.

A’Mia seemed to open up a bit more, her unique personality shining through as Revna expressed her interest in poisons. "Oh! Then we'll need to go to my laboratory sometime! I'd love to show you around, you haven't seen the greenhouses yet have you? I simply must take you there."

The excitement in the Neti’s voice brought another smile to Revna’s lips; it seemed that they were connecting on something that was a mutual interest for them both. Having a friendship, if one could call it that, with the Neti could prove very profitable to Revna, she realized.

“I would love to see the greenhouses, and your laboratory! Perhaps even learn a secret or two of yours while we’re there…” Of course Revna was referring to the different recipes to concoct poisons or whatever else A’Mia knew, but the smaller Sith didn’t clarify that.

A’Mia continued after Revna urged her to, sharing further how she had arrived to Korriban and made her way to the newly established Academy. She was enrolled as a higher ranked student, but at the same time brought on as faculty as well in the Medbay. This allowed her to meet the other Lords of Vardin, including the King for the first time.

Then she asked Revna what she would like to know about the other Lords.

The younger woman pursed her lips in thoughts for a few moments, tipping her head from side to side in ponderance. There was one Lord that stood out to Revna the most, someone she was eager to learn more about, but she would ease herself into gathering what information she could for now.

“How many Lords of Vardin are there, currently? And, what can you tell me about the First Lord? I have yet to actually meet or speak with her, though I do hope to rectify that soon.”

 

[Madrona A’Mia]

The neti listened with a growing excitement, her own curiosity paired with the other woman's clear enthusiasm and she felt the orchid within her thrum with the infectious energy. A'Mia rarely shared enjoyed such interpersonal connections with others, and certainly hadn't since she'd integrated the core into her body. Then the woman asked some prudent questions and the Lord Seer considered carefully how to answer. Her words slowed somewhat and it was clear that she was now attempting to be a bit more politic in her answer.

"There are seats for thirteen Lords. Currently seven are occupied but there might yet be more brought into the fold now that reconstruction is fully behind us and our minds can turn to growth."

It was true but vague, noncommittal. She certainly didn't want to speak out of turn and she really wasn't sure how much Darth Caedes trusted the woman. Nor could she fathom his purpose might be for keeping her close.

"As for Elmindra Xitaar , the First Lord's resume speaks for itself, no? Marquess, Sith Knight, Captain and Chief Navigator of The Omen..." her voice trailed off after listening some of the woman's titles.

"She is a political powerhouse, by all accounts. Plus I can say in no uncertain terms that she's formidable person to have on your side and a brutal person to have as opposition."

Such things often inspired awe in others, or intimidated. A'Mia regarded Elmindra's storied past and current position within the Order to be verification she was an excellent person to ally with, learn from, and be useful to. Though she was being more careful, the neti remained otherwise friendly and open.

"If you wish to know more about her on a personal level, then yes it's a good idea for you to pursue conversation with her."

​

 

[Revna]

Tag: Madrona A’Mia
​

Revna watched A’Mia carefully as the Neti absorbed her questions about the Lords of Vardin, and about the First Lord in particular. A’Mia seemed to consider what she might say next, and internally Revna made note of this. Here was the delicate act of political intrigue, of curiosity that bordered on the edge of being too noticeable or dangerous. She knew that she would need to proceed carefully, if she wanted to get the information she wanted - or at least bits and pieces of it.

To Revna, it was rather vital information to learn and gain - especially if she was to take her place besides Caedes as his queen, in due time.

The little Sith nodded along, storing the information that there were seats for thirteen ‘Lords’, but not all those seats were filled. A’Mia mentioned that, now that reconstruction was nearing its completion, those other seats could be filled as Korriban turned its attention towards growth. To this, Revna personally agreed with. She felt it was always wise for a seat of power to grow itself and become secure in its own borders and build a strong foundation before ever seeking to expand further.

Expansion without a foundation could bring a whole Kingdom, or Empire, crumbling down into ruin.

Next, the Neti tackled the topic of the First Lord - Elmindra Xitaar. She listed off a couple of notable titles: Marquess, which Revna recognized to be a title of nobility and she made note of that, Sith Knight, as well as Captain and Chief Navigator of a ship known as The Omen.

"She is a political powerhouse, by all accounts. Plus I can say in no uncertain terms that she's a formidable person to have on your side and a brutal person to have as opposition." A’Mia said with a brief pause, before adding, "If you wish to know more about her on a personal level, then yes it's a good idea for you to pursue conversation with her."

Revna nodded thoughtfully, her ember eyes glimmering ever so slightly as she stored the information and pondered on it for a moment. It did make her wonder, briefly, why Caedes had chosen Revna to be his queen over the First Lord, who - politically - seemed a better match for such a thing. But of course, she wouldn’t voice these thoughts aloud to anyone; such questioning, especially here, could invite danger.

“Hmm, yes. It does appear that having someone of Lady Xitaar’s stature as an ally would be…wise. I will reach out in due time to see if I can arrange a meeting between the two of us. I much prefer to meet and speak to a person face to face anyway, and learn who they are instead of hearing it from outside sources. But hearing this information does help me and satisfy some of my curiosity, my Lady - so thank you.”

There was another brief pause as Revna debated asking her other questions, and she eyed the Neti for another longer moment in thoughtful consideration. “Well, you know the King and I danced the other night. I don’t believe for a moment that you simply released me into the arms of a total stranger.” she said with her eyes gleaming pointedly, then a more playful smirk tugged at her lips. “And if you hadn’t known prior to this, well now you know the truth.” She paused once more, choosing her words carefully.

“Due to the…events of the dance and conversations I have had with him, I desire to know a little bit more about Lord Caedes. He’s quite an enigmatic figure, and I now find myself in a unique position where getting to know him better would be of a great benefit to me. Hearing from others who have known him longer than I have would be…helpful. I am keenly aware that I am quite new here, and my presence is noted and watched. I come from an entirely different background, and I do not wish to do something wrong that could jeopardize my place here. So, I would be thankful for anything you could share with me, Lady A’Mia, in regards to this.”