Away From It All

[Andraste]

It wasn’t often that Andraste took time for herself these days. Now that she had two children, she was especially busy on top her duties as Empress. At the constant nudging of her husbands, she finally delegated a lot of her responsibilities to free some time up for herself. She had finished her responsibilities for the day and had left her children with caretakers she trusted. Andraste cancelled the rest of her meetings, deciding that she wanted no further work on her shoulders.

The Serenno palace was as grand as ever, and she had retired to the bath she had installed years prior. Serene music was playing and she was waist deep in the pool, drinking from a colorful fruity drink. Her handmaidens accompanied her, ensuring perfumed oils and flowers were all around her. A woman massaged her shoulders, the ladies quietly talking about the latest gossip.

Andraste closed her eyes and tilted her head back, letting her mind grow foggy from relaxation. She heard one of the women make a comment about some sort of Jedi gathering that apparently had one member chanting absurdly right in the middle of it. Andraste couldn’t help but chuckle at this, leaning down to take another drink from her glass.

“You can’t tell me Jedi meetings aren’t interesting,” Andraste responded to the handmaiden, “I remember them from my days of being a Jedi. It was like a drama Holomovie playing out each time,” The woman giggled as she continued to massage Andraste’s shoulders. The water was set to be warm, steam rising from the surface. It was enough to almost lull anyone to sleep, especially with the soft harp music that was playing.

 

[Siris Drast]

After his fight with the Grandmaster, Siris was tired and he missed his wife. The Eternal had taken control over him then and when he finally established who was in charge, all of his emotions came rushing back and heightened. It was time to see his wife and he flew to Serenno after nurturing his wounds, choosing not to alert her of his coming. Siris was making a point now to meet with his old friends and overall have better appearances, with his time as the Eternal forcing him to retreat into the Outer Rim or unknown and cut off any contact with anyone who wasn't in the Black Hand.

Arriving at the palace of Serenno, Siris took the private way to reach his wife quarters, not wanting to deal with the whole theatrics of people stopping what they were doing to salute at him or offer their respects. He was never comfortable with that fact and he made a point to make sure in avoiding those meetings, most of it just people placing on a mask in front of him in showing their gratitude. Siris didn't need to sense people's emotions to know how they felt about someone and he didn't need people smiling in his face before having it quickly disappear when he turned away. Approaching the doors of her quarters, the two guards in front gave a nod before slamming their fist to their chest as he passed them without a second glance before stepping inside.

The first thing that hit him was the smell, it spread throughout the room until he narrowed it down coming from the bathroom. His signature was still suppressed so Alais wouldn't know that he there and he slowly made his way to the bathing room. Upon seeing him, one of the handmaidens outside opened her mouth to speak but Siris just held a finger to his lips as the universal sign to stay quiet. She listened before stepping to the side and allowing him access to the door. He still had to wrap his head around having servants, starting from being one of the poorest people into the galaxy to now finding one of his homes being a palace. How times have changed.

Siris quietly opened the door, her personal handmaiden looking up from her message to find the Sith Lord quietly stepping inside. She figured that if he didn't announce his presence coming in, he wouldn't want it announced now and she kept quiet. Alais' eyes were closed and he walked the length of the pool, his footsteps not making a sound while he had a smile touching his lips. The handmaiden's hands would lift from her shoulders for a moment before larger ones took their place, much rougher and calloused but applying an even gentler touch then what the servant had, "Well, hopefully, I'm interesting enough right now where you don't have to think about them for the moment."

If Alais opened her eyes she would Siris' right above hers, his gleaming silver gaze aimed directly toward her as another smile touched his lips. "It's not a bad view from up here." Alais was completely exposed and he got a healthy view of her chest and everything else with the water almost crystal clear. His hands would press into her shoulders harder but still have the gentle touch, his long fingers digging into the muscle underneath. "I've missed you," He murmured softly, content with giving his wife a massage.

 

[Andraste]

She closed her eyes again after the gossiping went back to being between the handmaidens. These ladies were afraid of her in the beginning, but over time they realized Andraste posed them no threat. She enjoyed unwinding and enjoying the company of the few women she trusted. The women were loyal to her, and they often helped care for her children as well. The drink almost fell from her hand as she began to slightly doze off.

Andraste didn’t even notice that the women stopped talking. They were too busy looking at Siris, some of them displaying outright fear and bowing respectfully. They didn’t make a single sound, only one of the women gently holding up the glass that threatened to fall as Andraste eased into the massage. The Empress didn’t even notice when the woman behind her was replaced.

As Siris spoke, her eyes flew open and she tilted her head up to look at him. Andraste didn’t even realize how much she missed seeing those silver eyes till she found herself staring right into them. For a moment, she was perplexed at seeing him, finding herself at a loss for words. She felt his touch, and it felt so foreign, as if she hadn’t felt it in years. Nevertheless, after a moment, it brought back a familiar comfort.

“You didn’t tell me you were coming,” She muttered softly. All around them, the women slowly got out of the water to give her and Siris privacy. Andraste didn’t know how to react. She had expected to be angry, having been irritated by how long he was always gone and how absent he was as a father. Now that he was here, all of those feelings melted away. Her heart began to beat rapidly, her emotions flooding as she felt elated to see him again.

That didn’t mean she wasn’t going to display a mood of sorts, however. Andraste looked back down and sipped from her glass, “Here for five minutes before you disappear again?” She said with a tone of annoyance, “I’d rather you visit Elix for that time.”

 

[Siris Drast]

There was a moment of silence between them as they stared at each other, both of them seeing to realizing how deep it went that they both haven't seen each other in a while. "I like surprising you," He murmured back in response softly, the way she looked at him whenever he came always making his heart flutter. Well, when she wasn't mad at him. It didn't long for that irritation to come back as she immediately pointed out his usual short stays and bringing Elix back up. Siris wasn't fazed by the comments this time as he continued to massage her shoulders. "I actually plan on staying longer this time, maybe ten minutes now." He gave her a quip back but it didn't hold any anger in it, it being said in an obviously joking manner.

Siris' hands fell away from her shoulders as he went to sit down on his behind right behind her, taking off his boots and rolling up his pant legs so they wouldn't get soaked. He dangled his feet in the water, each one at the sides of the Alais so that she was trapped between them. "We already had our play time together, he got to eat to his heart's content with his godmother and he got to see Vex." Siris glanced over before finding a rag near him that the maiden used, picking it up himself before dipping it into the water and letting it collect as much as it could. He held the rag over Alais' squeezing the warm water out as it fell onto her shoulders and the back of her neck gently. After that his hands went back to her shoulders, digging his fingers into her muscle again as he forced them to loosen up.

Siris would have thought she known about his excursions with Elix but he didn't hold it against her, knowing how busy and troublesome it could be dealing with your duties at the same time. One of his hands came to her hair, gently pulling it back and exposing her ear as he leaned down with his lips brushing against it. "So, do you mind if I spare some of my time for you as well?" He bit onto the lobe of her ear teasingly before leaning back up, taking his time to bathe her as his hands glid over her slick body. Picking up the rag again, he dipped it into the water before having it hover over one of her arms, squeezing a trail of the hot water down the length of it before reaching her shoulder again. "How have you been keeping up?" Siris asked gently, mostly focused on washing her down. He actually liked asking about her day, hearing about her grievances or excitements. It was mundane but some reason Siris always enjoyed it.

 

[Andraste]

Andraste rolled her eyes at his quip back, her jaw tightening. She said nothing in return, still glaring ahead of herself. He was clearly unfazed by her annoyance, and she knew she couldn’t keep up the appearance for much longer. He knew her well enough to see through her façade. Andraste finished off her drink and floated the glass off to land on an edge to the side. Truthfully, she barely managed to keep up with what he had been doing. Out of anyone else, he was the most mysterious and secretive about his activities.

“I haven’t seen Cami in a long time,” She sighed. That was another friend she had neglected since getting caught up with her new responsibilities. Cami had been with her from the very beginning and had helped her build up the Empire from the ground up. Vex was another woman that rose to prominence rapidly. She was Siris’ most loyal follower and had proven herself time and time again. Nevertheless, Andraste was appeased by hearing that he began to take their son on adventures with him.

She felt him gently wash her, caught off guard by how sensual and tender the gesture was. She was used to her handmaidens doing it, but him taking the time to do it threw her off. Andraste felt his hot breath flutter against her ear as he spoke, sending a jolt down through her spine. She couldn’t help the smile that tugged at her lips, “I suppose you can..” She spoke barely above a whisper as she felt the warm water drip over arm before the cloth brushed along her shoulder. Goosebumps lined her skin from where her skin was exposed above the warm water.

“You know, always busy. Taking a break from being a mother,” Her daughter was thankfully less fussy than Elix and had already begun to sleep through the night. Andraste reached her free hand up to grasp his, entwining their fingers. She pulled his hand close, tilting her head to kiss his knuckles, “I don’t have to look at you to know you’re hurt. What did you do this time?”

 

[Siris Drast]

Siris listened but he was absentmindedly there, his mind drifting to what happened back on Tython. It felt exhilarating and different when the Eternal was in complete in control, causing the Dark Side to course through his veins in a rush. It wasn't like last time on Korriban, he was still there in a weird way to experience it and take part like the mask was trying to show him something. Siris was also disgusted by it at the same time as he was becoming what he didn't want his wife to become despite all he tried. It must have been what Alais had experienced when she went through it and he was observant enough to recognize the same happening to him.

Her mentioning her motherly duty also tugged at something in the back of his mind, knowing she recently had another child, this time a daughter. Siris was glad she was healthy and doing well but he didn't mention anything about it to her, not exactly excited about her having another child with someone else. But he knew she hated when he showed his dislike and he gave no indication of it, controlling his emotions evenly and just continuing to bathe her. When she caught his hand, it snapped him out of his thoughts and he looked over to their hands as she planted a kiss on his knuckles. That was something he wasn't used too still as well, someone knowing him well enough to know what he was feeling without saying anything or even looking at them. It always made him slightly uncomfortable when he was an open book, but he still appreciated and liked the fact Alais knew him well enough like that in the first place.

Siris didn't hesitate when she asked, "I'm hurt because I haven't seen you in so long. Enough about what's going on with me, let's make this day about you." Siris' other hand went underneath her jaw as he pulled her toward him until her back was pressed to his body. He tilted Alais' head up to look at him with the same hand as his thumb stroked her cheek. "Have I mentioned how breathtaking you are?" Siris asked the rhetorical question softly, leaning down to plant a light kiss on her lips as he also gave the hand that was intertwined with his a squeeze. "I know you're a woman of many needs, what do you feel like?" It was time to make it just their night, where they dropped all of the responsibilities around and just enjoyed each other. He felt like treating his wife to make up for the fact he missed time with his son and with her. Siris was going to take it one step at a time to make it up to her.

 

[Andraste]

Andraste could feel him tense up behind her, a flood of thoughts whirling within his mind. The moment lasted for a while, and she knew immediately she wouldn’t get a clear answer from him. When he finally spoke, her suspicions were confirmed and she couldn’t help but smile. She was reminded of when she knew him all those years back, when he guarded his thoughts. Andraste despised how she could never understand what he was thinking or what went through his mind. She had screamed so many things at him and he stood there through her tirade, always keeping his mind guarded and tucked away. His mind was a vast ocean that remained forever uncharted. He changed in so many ways, and yet that was one aspect that remained fundamentally unchanged.

The entire galaxy could have changed and he would still sum it up with just one or two words and move onto a different topic. Andraste didn’t mention anything about it, leaning back and looking up at him. Her yellow eyes were haunting in the low lighting of the room, glowing like lamps and keeping their usual almost animalistic qualities. She smiled at his words, “Still? After all these years?” She asked as he came down to kiss her. Andraste didn’t protest, tilting up into the kiss and tasting the lips she missed for so long. It was as if sampling a treat she had been denied for years, and it brought back the flurry of emotions he always invoked with his gestures. He had an uncanny way of disarming her no matter what state of mind she was in, and it began even from that very first day they met.

Andraste chuckled at his question, “I don’t think my needs matter anymore. Not above those of the kids and…pretty much the entire Empire,” She slowly pulled away from his grasp and slid fully into the water for a moment. When she came up again, she was deeper in the pool and facing him. Her wet hair was matted to her body and she gave him a teasing grin, “I need you to get into this water with me,” She didn’t take her eyes off his, “It’s just us here.”

 

[Siris Drast]

"Months, years, weeks, whichever unit you would like to use." Siris murmured softly, his fingers sliding from underneath her jaw and to her hair, tucking it behind her ear and exposing more of her face. Yes, she had changed but so had he. Did Siris prefer it like this? No, but when they made their vows and other confessions they agreed they would stick through it all when it came to each other. Even if her eyes became as black as a demon or the presence of the Eternal, Siris would still find her the most beautiful woman that he ever laid his eyes upon. His answer and her question made his mind drawback to when they first met, how everything changed since then and how they ran an Empire now together. All of it had come together like they hoped but was it worth it in the end? The answer to that question was still being discovered and he wondered what the outcome would be.

"Your needs always matter, it's my job to take care of them." When Alais mentioned that it was pretty much her children and the Empire, Siris couldn't help but have his own soft laugh come out. "Even the foreboding and dark queen of the Sith has her own desires, not just the Empire's. His eyes steadily followed her after that as he rested his elbows on his knees, watching until she finally dipped under the water. Siris arched his eyebrow mostly to himself until she came back up, maintaining the arch while Alais gave him her famous grin towards him. After her demand, he maintained his gaze with hers for a few seconds before finally lifting his legs from the water and standing at the edge. Siris gave a quick glance around despite her confirming that it was just them. His scars were still extremely private to him and Alais was still the only one who knew about them or how he got them and he intended to keep the circle that small.

Returning his gaze to Alais, he shrugged off his jacket and tossed it in the corner before peeling his shirt off and tossing it too. Siris still kept their eye contact the entire time, taking off the rest of his articles of clothing before stepping into the warm water confidently towards her. The clear blue reflected in his eyes, making them shine brighter than they already were and mix with the color. With their height difference, the water stopped right at his abdomen as Siris slowly waded closer and closer to Alais. As he came closer there were even new scars added to his museum and appearing fresher than the others. The marks were slightly more pinkish and black while the rest were silvery after healing for many years. It was due to his recent battles but he didn't voice any pain if he had any. Siris stopped a few steps away from her, his gaze boring down on her for a few moments before he spoke softly over the water, "And now what do you need?" He stood motionless and exposed in front of her, his head tilted slightly and the only thing showing life being the slight movement of his eyes.

 

[Andraste]

Andraste said nothing as he slowly undressed before her. It wasn’t anything she hadn’t seen before, and yet it always caused a spike in her whenever she saw him like this. She remembered back when he used to be entirely closed off about revealing himself, and now he could look her in the eye while stripping himself bare. Andraste couldn’t take her eyes off him, silently admiring every line and tone of his body. She looked over the news scars he sported, some appearing as if they hurt him even now. He was unconcerned by this, slowly stepping into the water and making his way to her.

She purposely didn’t move towards him, simply drinking in every physical aspect of him without shame. It was everything that belonged to her and everything she had loved and cherished for years. Andraste waited till he came to stop before her, his question causing the grin to return to her face. She abruptly fell back, gazing up at the ceiling as she floated on her back. She kicked her legs and floated around him, not bothering to answer him till she came around again full circle.

“I’m not your Empress right now,” She finally spoke as she propped herself upright and faced him again, much closer this time. Andraste shifted closer to him till she popped up to wrap her arms around his neck and pulled him downwards closer to her height. She smiled at him, her face inches from his, “I don’t have to give you orders, do I?” She teased as she playfully brushed her lips against his, but didn’t kiss him.

“I think what I want and need are the same,” She whispered quietly. They hadn’t shared a moment like this for a very long time. They had been caught up in being parents or performing their duties to run the Empire. Right now, she felt like Alais again, the same Alais that lived in a modest apartment with him on Alderaan. The same Alais that only loved this man and no one else, the same Alais that had no idea what her future held in store for her but knew he would be in it.

 

[Siris Drast]

Siris' eyes drifted with her as she laid on her back and floated around him, drinking in her details as her body was completely exposed. But he still didn't move an inch, keeping his gaze in front of him when she went around his back and waited for Alais to make her round. The water seemed to glow, reflecting off her body as well and making appear shiny, making Siris transfixed by her. When she finally spoke and stood herself up, he immediately noticed her closeness then and he leaned forward, just wanting the simple touch of her body against his. Letting her pull him down with her arms, Siris tilted his head so their foreheads connected while his arms wrapped around her curvy waist and pulled her in tight against him.

Siris smirked as he felt her lips brush against his, the small action making his pull towards her and his need for her spike. "What if I find it appealing that you do?" He asked back teasingly as his hands slowly started to explore Alais, refamiliarizing itself with the once known terrain. Siris felt the fire light inside him once more for her, remembering all too well the little things the woman did that drove his mind crazy for her. He still retrained himself for kissing her, only his hands holding no restrictions until she spoke again. Siris let out a soft sort of groan that was mixed with a growl as if a representation of the chains around him starting to slip off and free him. "Then I need to do my job and make sure you're cared for." His lips went after her's, perfectly forming against them as his hand slid to the back of her neck, deepening it as she would feel the amount of passion he had for in it.

With his other arm, Siris drew her in as close as she could, lifting her up and making it so her legs hanged by hips. He only took a few steps backward until they started to elevate and that's when he slowly dropped, sitting on the floor of the pool and to where the water raised just at his lower neck. Alais would be on hips and prop her up, leaving her more out of the water than him. Like what she did before, Siris took his time to examine her, every single inch being drunk in by his gaze as he admired her unmatched beauty. Without saying a word he leaned up slightly, applying his lips at the top of the abdomen before leading the way up. Siris made a point to kiss as much as he could where the water droplets were before reaching her neck, tugging at the skin with his teeth.

His hand slid up her body as well, making an extra squeeze here and there before reaching her throat and gripping onto it lightly. Siris pulled his lips back for a moment before tilting Alais' head the other way and opening her neck for more kisses as he did just that. His touches were tender and passionate and as he continued to leave tiny marks on her neck he breathed in the perfume that coated her and the bathhouse. "Is that new? I think you should keep it." Siris leaned back once more to look at Alais, tilting her head back to face him as his thumb went along her cheek.

 

[Andraste]

Andraste felt him pull her closer, her eyes fixing on his. She had been in love with those eyes since the very first day she gazed upon them on Dagobah. Against the dark lighting of the pool hall, they appeared almost ethereal and she could get lost in them. With the impacts of the dark side, there were flecks of gold streaking within the silvery pools, and she noticed them for the first time then. Andraste simply stared at him for a moment, his words causing her to smile.

“Then I order you to not leave my side,” She whispered softly, spinning them around easily in the water while their faces were close and she was pressed against him. There was no denying how badly she wanted him to remain with her. It had been so simple in the past – she used to go home to their apartment and he was there. It was a care-free life back then, and she only had her own personal responsibilities to worry about instead of the weight of an empire.

She gasped lightly as he abruptly lifted her up and lowered himself. Her arms remained around his neck, grasping him tightly as her legs fastened around him. She felt the cold air brush against her wet skin, gazing down as drops of water slid down her face and hair and onto him. Andraste gazed down at him from where he held her up, feeling his tender kisses trailing up her body. She closed her eyes to relish it, committing the sensation to memory so she could relive it for those long months he was away. She didn’t protest as he tilted her head away, his kisses now working along her neck, as he commented on the perfumes. Andraste made a mental point to send some of them with him on his next trip.

“Why do you do this to me only to leave me…” She murmured as she turned her head back down to look at him. Andraste’s hand traveled up the back of his neck to grasp his hair, “You leave me both aching for you and angry all at once. You awaken fury within me no one else can..” She trailed off as she captured his lips with her own, letting her passion pour into the action. She couldn’t hold back anymore, despite the whirlwind of emotions he invoked in her. For all the rage he brought out and all the pain he caused, it was all too easy to get lost in his arms and remember just how much she cherished him. He had always been a weakness for her, and he was proving that even now by making her lose complete sight of her thoughts. She began to forget just how important and imposing she was, being reduced to nothing more than the consistency of the pool she was soaking in.

 

[Siris Drast]

When she spoke he pulled his mouth away, having their gazes meet while he felt her hand slide into his hair. He closed his eyes for a moment at the familiar feeling before opening them again, finding her eyes even closer as stayed still. Before she could finish she already leaned in to kiss him and he met her halfway. Siris knew about the pain he caused her, leaving her for a month or even longer at times. It was the opposite of how they came together, them usually always by each other side or only a few hours apart at most. This was a rough change both were having trouble adjusting to but it didn't seem it would alter or be any better in the future.

Siris groaned in her mouth softly, his arm around her tightening as he pulled her into his hips, making her straddle him while they were in the pool. Leaning back from her lips, his other hand went up and cupped her cheek. "It's not easy for me as well." With his arm around her lower back, he used his other hand to lightly grip on her shoulders, pushing her back gently and making her bend backward while also staring up at the ceiling. Siris kept her in place with his arm as his eyes slowly scanned down her body, his hand sliding from her hip and slowly down her torso, his index finger tracing one of the water trails. "I think about you every second," He then leaned forward, planting a kiss on her collarbone, "I miss your touch," Another above her breast, "Your skin," Siris then started to make a trail from there, "Your smell," When he reached the top of her stomach he went back up following the same path, "Your lips,"

Siris pulled her back up and having her face stop a few inches from his, "You drive me crazy and it's one of the most painful things I've experienced." Despite what he said, he still spoke calmly but something flickered in his gaze. Every fiber of his body was now focused on her, their responsibilities shedding away easily. Right now it was just them and what they wanted, how it used to be when it was just them trying to figure out everything together. His lips claimed her's once more, his own passion able to be felt through it as the steam continued to rise around them. He shifted his hips with hers, the water moving with them as his arm held her against him. Siris had been without her long enough and he needed his hunger and taste for her to be sated.

 

[Andraste]

It was hours later, and they were back in her chambers. It was a large, ornate room that she had grown accustomed to. It was quite different than the apartment where she and Siris began. She had fallen asleep against his chest after they came back here from the pool. Elix and Lyanna were both sound asleep in a different room, a droid looking over them in case there was any trouble. She couldn’t tell what time it was, only that it was the most she had slept in quite some time.

She knew if she was awake, Siris had been awake for some time. Andraste curled her fingers against his chest, smiling softly as she nuzzled against his neck. She took in the feel of his warm skin, the scent of him, a hint of the oils in the pool lingering on him still. Andraste knew it’d only be another moment before he started moving again and told her how he needed to head back to his base, “Not today..” Andraste murmured as she leaned in to kiss his cheek.

“Spend today with me,” She smiled at him, “And tomorrow….and the next day,” She rolled over playfully till she was atop him, her warm body pressed against his. Her hair fell around their heads like a veil, and she gazed down at him. Andraste purposely made it difficult for him to get out of bed.

It was strange for her to act like this, especially as she was always used to getting what she wanted. In this case, she was practically begging for it. It had been so long since she spent time with Siris and had him all to herself.

 

[Siris Drast]

Siris had woken up earlier then Alais, staring up at the ceiling while she rose and fell with his chest. His arm was around her while the other was behind his head and propping it up. He usually would have left the bed by now, letting her have the rest of the space but Alais was partly on top of him. Siris found he didn't actually mind it this time and his eyes scanned the room while she slept. It was certainly different then what they had back on Alderaan. The extravagance of it was something he wasn't used to and due to his humble beginnings, he found it entirely pointless. But he couldn't deny the comfort it brought, the bed probably the nicest thing he's ever laid on. Maybe Alais' taste had changed but Siris would always prefer familiarity over extravagance.

Siris felt her fingers curl on his chest and he brought his gaze back to her, a smile playing at his lips as he felt her nuzzle into his neck and causing him to chuckle. But she had predicted right and Siris eventually turned his head the other way, sitting up slightly to move out the bed until he felt her kiss on the cheek. Turning his head back to her, he laid back down into the bed with a smile also touching his lips again. Siris had his head propped again while she rolled on top of him, murmuring softly, "I miss waking up next to you." While she was on top of him and his hand went to her back, pulling her tighter against him until he started to drag his finger slowly up her spine. When both of them were covered by the veil of her hair, Siris couldn't help but laugh at her attempt to keep him in bed.

Pulling his finger from her spine, he brought his hand through the veil and gripped her chin lightly while his thumb went to her lip, "Are you ordering me around? You know I can't deny those." Siris chuckled softly before using his grip on her chin to pull her head down and give her a kiss. He held it for a few moments, making it clear so Alais felt the passion that was in it. Pulling away after a few seconds and holding their gaze for a moment, "Are they changing? You looked at them differently for a second in the pool." Siris was referring to his eyes, knowing how Alais loved them and how she usually looked at them. It was different that time and he was suspecting the Dark Side was finally showing after so long. But if Alais actually gave closer inspection, they weren't streaks of gold but crimson, like the mask he wore whenever he left.