Open Social Jewel Of The Desert

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

Caerllion looked while Vossari and Azar walked away together, a faint smile threatening to appear on his lips. Perhaps the Pureblood would feel better after talking with the only partner that had remained faithful to him. Taking a deep breath, the Annfyn went back to the bar. Now he could really use some alcoholic beverage.

While he walked, Caerllion saw that Trael had approached Iymril and the two had started to talk. He wondered if they were plotting another betrayal, since they were a pair of rats. The Annfyn got a bit closer and with his keen hearing, he overheard the human trying to force the Sephi to abandon Azar's orders because he would do them himself.

The Annfyn was furious. Once again that filthy human was trying to go against Azar’s will. How arrogant they were.

Immediately Caerllion’s eyes shone red and he gathered the Dark side around himself. The Anfyn rushed toward them, right on time to see Iymril immobilize Trael. At least now the Sephi had some good sense. “How dare you betray your Dark Lord again?” he released a blast of red concusive energy against Osso. With the man immobilized, it's concusive power would be enough to knock him out.

@Apollyon @Javier esschoolbus @Phoenix

 

[Vossari Khaldun]

Even though Azar was shorter than him, he carried such presence. His poise and refinement, even in the face of danger, were always borne of his royal training. Vossari couldn't deny he loved it. He felt royal just being near Azar. Vossari's arms found their familiar place around Azar's waist as they moved. Different, each step was, now, but they moved as one. They were meant to be one, Vossari thought. That was why the Force had put them in each other's path on Saleucami, right? To tend to one another, care for one another, bring each others' dreams to reality.

The dream would continue for the duration of the dance. Vossari imagined the security that Azar's greatest artifact would have had - a wedding ring made just for Vossari. A ring that kept them together. Vossari's hands traced up his arm, towards his shoulder. As he touched the dragon tattoo that lay on Azar's shoulder, the pureblood would feel the tingle of Vossari's art. "You know, they've found ancient Sith mummies, with tattoos that have remained over ten thousand years." Even beyond death, the delicate writings of generations of Pureblood tattoo artists lived on. "When I drew that on you, we became bonded forever. Even past both of our deaths, I will remain a part of you." Even in his royal portraits, all alone or with his many wives, his dragon tattoo would glare past his shoulder. Many might not know Vossari's influence. But Azar always would. That was the only thing that mattered.

"Yes. It would have been a million times yes. I would have screamed. I would have flaunted that ring in front of everyone's face." He chuckled as he thought about the image - strutting into the party not just as Azar's lover, but as his husband to be. He would have loved to declare their bond eternal. Perhaps there was still a chance.

Vossari used a power that only he knew how. From his fingers, a circlet of water formed between their fingers. Vossari poured the cool of the desert wind into the circlet, as it froze into place. When all was said and done, a ring formed from ice remained. "What if we tried it?" Voss let a devilish smirk take to his face. "The ring will melt by morning. What if, just for tonight, we...play it out?" Vossari had never had Azar to himself. From the beginning, when Azar was with Karys, Vossari had learned to share, even when he hated it. He endured these annoyances for this special man. If Azar had to embrace his destiny as King and continue a political dynasty, so be it. But what if they had just one more night for storybook tale?

"What if you become my husband?" Vossari couldn't even tell what he meant - headstrong and impulsive, controlled and calculating, vulnerable and introspective...All of these things collided together to this moment, where Vossari fell on bended knee before Azar, adding the necessary clause to keep his request within the bounds of their established, shared fantasy. "Just for the rest of the party?"

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Azar could only smile faintly as Vossari reminded him of that tattoo. His hand traced up Vossrai’s spine where he could still feel the ridges and grooves of the scars from Saleucami. Where Azar had to haphazardly heal him from draining life, “I suppose we both will…” He mused. When Vossari emphatically began to say yes, it took every fiber of his being not to break down in tears again. Azar retained his dignified poise, slowly dancing with the Wrean. It was a beautiful night for a dance on the balcony - a sky full of stars and a large, silvery moon accenting the perfect backdrop.

The Pureblood looked at Vossari as he made his suggestion, gasping when he got down on one knee. Azar’s heart thundered against his chest, “Vossari..” He trailed off, having imagined himself a million times where Vossari was. He had imagined the Wrean glancing down at him with that adorable look of wonder and excitement he had since he was an acolyte. He had imagined Vossari calling his father while Azar stood there sheepishly. He imagined Vossari going over the top with showing off his engagement. Azar could be pessimistic about love, but in many ways Vossari would be Vossari.

Azar chewed on his lip, the tears brimming his eyes again, “For tonight,” He whispered hoarsely, “Yes,” He said, agreeing to the outlandish idea. He glanced down at the icy ring. His smile never quite reached his eyes, but there was one nonetheless. He extended his arm for Vossari, leading him back into the party.

The acting Dark Lord didn’t even look at anyone around them, guiding his new groom through the halls. He was vaguely aware of Trael being subdued by several Sith. He didn’t dare look in that direction, he didn’t dare acknowledge the sharp pang in his chest. His focus was Vossari and only Vossari.

For the first time. Just for tonight.

Azar first led him to the gardens. He kept Vossari’s arm looped around his the entire time, walking as he would lead any formal spouse, “I have had plants brought from Wrea so you don’t get homesick,” He said, leaning into the little roleplay for the evening. Yet Vossari would realize the plants were already there, “I like to sit and read in this garden. I would love it if you accompanied me, Vossari’ithar iv Kressh,” He said with a smile.

Before long, he whisked Vossari towards another room, this one with massive bookshelves and a war table, “This is the war council chamber, my king,” He said smoothly. Azar pressed a button and a holographic map projected of the stygian caldera. He clicked another button and mood music began to play, clearly things he had set up a while ago having considered Vossari moving in, “I would love your opinions on the best tactical approach for Dromund Kaas and Ziost.”

Azar started to walk down the corridor, “What do you imagine our children will be like?” He quirked a brow, “I pray they don’t get only your insolent and loud attitude.”

@Fine Dining Set

 

[Karai Hekk-iv-Adas]

As Karai was waiting an answer he heard a ruckus in the background and so instinctively turned to see if it was a threat or someone trying stab him in the back. As the street had taught him, always be on your guard, and so his eyes looked around suspiciously at anyone making a sudden move towards him.

There stood the recently promoted Master Osso (@Javier esschoolbus) in some kind of altercation.

His ears picked up what was said. Something about killing his family himself and some threats being made. He didn't like the sound of where this was going. Those types of threats usually meant things were about to go south fast, his gut instincts told him to be very careful at the moment. And possibly find a better spot so he didn't get caught in the cross-fire. And so he moved himself to a better spot near the bar, so he could still see but avoid being involved. Then he heard the words none wanted to hear. Traitor and seize him from a Sephi (@Apollyon)The last two words were very familiar, often called out to him during a chase in the streets of the city of Ur after stealing something. Usually food.

His pale yellow eyes soon drifted to the source of it all as he felt the Dark Side unleash within the dance hall.

He took note, so he would always know just what not to do and how to avoid becoming the next one on the chopping block. He vaguely saw a glimpse of his king (@Sreeya) for the first time, although he was distracted it seemed and disappeared almost as quickly as he had seen him, holding arms with the infamous Wrean he had heard about. Vossari (@Fine Dining Set). As they disappeared he refocused upon the squabble. Seeing Master Caerllion (@LouJoVi) send some kind of red concussion blast at Trael that apparently was knocking him over. He had never witnessed it before and was intrigued.

He had little context as to what was going on but he assumed something really bad had gone down before his arrival. And had ended messy. He knew Sith socials by reputation were violent but never expected to see it so soon. He approached the only other person he could see, another Pureblood Acolyte (@René) from what he could tell. She looked about his age.

Perhaps they might oblige and enlighten him to what was going on.

"I don't mean to intrude, but what is going on over there. I arrived late to the party, got caught up in the dunes and thinking this party was at the Academy. How do I avoid whatever is happening over there."

 

[Vander]

You go for one dance and suddenly things devolve even further. As was his wont, Vander did his best to shield both himself and Zira from the edges of Arcanos's mental assault, though their relative distance bought them some protection.

Vander's attention was now almost fully on the altercation, not moving toward it but keeping himself on high alert.

He watched in silence the way that things unfolded, and it seemed that death had occurred outside of the room. Punishments were handed out, and Vander... didn't envy either Tats or his family. But that was the nature of the Sith, and if you went looking for trouble, it would find you.

By now, Limerick (@Apollyon) had returned, far, far too excited to carry out the punishment on Tats' family. They came over to collect Zira, and he found himself hoping she wouldn't have to participate. If she thought what had happened at the party was bad... it would pale in comparison to what came next.

While Vander didn't envy Tats, he also wouldn't allow the orders of the Dark Sith Lord to be contradicted. Even if it weren't for his own self preservation, Vander owed Arcanos as well.

Having been near to Zira and Limerick, Vander didn't miss Tats coming over to stop the Sephi.

What unfolded happened quickly. Vander's saber hilt leapt to his hand as he reached out with his hand to slam the Sith Master (@Javier esschoolbus) into the ground with the Force even as he was grabbed by the throat and slammed with a concussive blast.

As he was being tossed backwards by Stiffnos (@LouJoVi), he would be thrown to the ground by Vander. All in all, the trio of attacks was far more than enough to knock the man out. Some might say it was overkill, but you could never be too sure when dealing with a Sith Master.

 

[Zira Suvan]

Zira was already on edge, but the sight of her master waddling over in a torn dress looking deranged was almost enough to make her collapse. The tiefling stared wide eyed as everything played out, only having context clues based on her observations. Just earlier in the evening the King and the new Sith Master were making lovey eyes at each other, and now this? She took several steps back from Corax, once again reminded how everyone here was always going to be a snake. There was no loyalty beyond clawing for survival. No one was friends with anyone. No one loved anyone. It was all transactional business.

Just as her life had always been.

The tiefling stared with a stony face as Corax jumped into fray with her master and the other Sith Master. The Trael character was overwhelmed and subdued, a spectacle made in the King’s halls. The King himself was nowhere to be seen, but she could have sworn she saw the hems of his clothing disappear away into another room. Could she blame him? His guests were degenerates. It was a wonder the man didn’t systematically execute everyone present.

Zira’s head still throbbed from the psychic attack earlier. It was a miracle her head didn’t implode as she came close to joining one of those poor servants that lay dead.

She stepped away from the dance floor, patiently waiting for her master and the other Sith to complete their theatrics. She had no interest in going on this Naboo adventure to butcher families that was turning into a field trip where other Sith were eagerly signing up. All she could think about was that stupid tiefling (@Mr. Teatime )with his stupid smile - that summed up the depraved sentiment all these disgusting individuals had towards wanton violence.

And it made her want to do the same.

She wanted to derive sick pleasure from carving off that smile. She wanted to set her master’s (@Apollyon )dress on fire just to see some expression on that stupid Sephi’s face. She wanted to punch Corax (@Phoenix ) the next time he dropped some stupid small talk ‘I want to try and be your friend’ bantha shit at her. She wanted to walk over and kick the shit out of that idiot Sith Master (@Javier esschoolbus )that caused a chain of events that could lead to her going on a venture she did not want. She wanted to peel the skin from these beautiful beings to reveal all the ugly inside. To show their monstrous selves.

Zira calmly sipped from her drink, her face impassive.

She would train relentlessly tonight.

 

[Vossari Khaldun]

The rest of the party faded. Vossari was acutely aware of Trael's implosion on the other side of the ballroom, but he chose to ignore it. Trael seemed to always find his way back to jail. Maybe that's why the words rhymed? 'Trael,' a portmanteau of 'straight to jail.' Sith dungeons would probably be less cushy than the Corporate Sector, though.

There was only Vossari and Azar, in the halls of the palace. Much of the staff had gone to serve the party. Apart from the odd guardsman, the castle only had the pair of them, the glow of the moon, and the fiery light of the many lamps that adorned King Arcanos's castle. He listened dutifully, placing his head on Azar's shoulder as his king began to walk him through their life together. Vossari had to squat down to do it, of course, but he listened. He felt safe in Azar's arms. This little fantasy gave him a greater indulgence than ever he could have realized he wanted.

Vossari noticed Wrean plants - tall, tropical things that needed a truly ludicrous amount of water for a desert planet. Azar had really planned it, then. He really wanted to make this place a home for the both of them. It was the name that brought the tears again. He repeated it out loud, slowly. His Ur-Kittat was far improved since his time as an acolyte, but he still spoke this with the slow, deliberate, practiced pronunciation of a student. "Vossari’ithar iv Kressh..." His hand tightened around Azar's, as his brown eyes bored into Azar's golden.

Dromuund Kaas, Ziost, the Stygian Caldera itself unfolded before them. It was their galaxy to take - as Vossari had always dreamed of. He realized, now, that had he just spoken to Azar rather than schemed behind his back...the dream would still be alive, rather than a beautiful fantasy.

Vossari's grin grew at the mention of children. His fingers traced along the Pureblood's jaw as he imagined. "My insolence combined with your intelligence...they would be a dangerous combination." He chuckled, as the thought of a merger of their personalities, temperaments, biologies, fitting together. "Free. They'd be uncontrollable." He could imagine the little deviants running amok, some carrying the gills of the Wrean, others carrying the three-fingers of the Sith. He could almost see their purposeful eyes, brown and gold together. "They'd have long, long, braids, of course." And the best fineries possible. Vossari and Azar both carefully controlled their images. He couldn't imagine their children being any different. "More than anything, I think they'd know love." Voss and Azar both came from households without a lot of love. Their lives had come with many restrictions, and they had made some dark choices to reach where they were. Their children, though? Their children would see the example of love and loyalty made manifest in their parents' bond. They would want for nothing, emotionally. And their home would be the entire Galaxy, where they would walk not as slaves, exiles, or abused acolytes, but as kings. "The desert meeting the sea. What do you think that would be like?"

As the mood music came on, Vossari laughed again. He touched Azar's ring of ice, already rapidly melting, to seal it into place again. To seal this fantasy into place. Voss would hang on as long as he could. His finger traced up his tattooed form, up his scars, up his beautiful, red skin towards those eyes of gold and yellow. There were many things he could say. He could beg Azar for more time. Urge his King to punish Trael, but to keep him safe. Give his man time to think through his options. When Voss's hand landed at Azar's chin, he had nothing left to say.

He only wanted to kiss his husband. Gently, without any urging, he pulled Azar's chin towards his, to bring them together for their first embrace as husbands. His lips quivered in anticipation, expecting that electric connection that he had grown nearly addicted to throughout the years. He was as nervous as he was the first time, when he kissed Azar on Umbara. Those nerves had never faded.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

It took every fiber of his being to keep from breaking down again as he imagined a future that would likely never come true. But they were pretending, weren’t they? They had all the freedom in the world to dare to dream it. Hours ago Azar thought it so real - so within the grasps of his fingers. But hours ago, he thought Trael incapable of betraying him. He knew he couldn’t truly trust in this. But it didn’t mean he wouldn’t savor every moment of this fantasy.

“They would know love,” Azar repeated, “I would know love because I’d wake up next to you every day. It would just be us before we ever put the crowns on. We can look ahead at an entire lifetime. We can walk through the streets of Wrea and admire the coral towers. I can hear the street music already,” Azar said with a smile, “And you trying to convince the kids that the stupid clam is really a dish to try,” He started chuckling softly, “Visiting your father..” His voice broke there. He could remember how ecstatic Bakar looked when Azar informed him that he would propose to his son. That he cherished and loved his son as someone he could spend the rest of his life with. That he would be proud to have children that were even half the man Vossari was. That Vossari made him feel so vulnerable and powerful at once, that he wasn’t certain about the empire he was building, but he was certain about Vossari. By the end of it, Bakar was in tears and so was Azar. He joked about how Azar and Vossari had to have many kids because Bakar couldn’t be a great father, but he promised to be the best grandfather.

Bakar, who was still waiting for that Holocall.

All the thoughts weighed heavily through Azar’s mind as he gazed at Vossari, watching him freeze the melting ice of the ring, “A life where I know you’ll love me no matter what..where I know you’ll always try to understand me, where you will stand by me in my darkest moments and my greatest…” His eyes began to brim with tears again, “A life where even when I’m old and not so beautiful I can look at you and I know you still love me the same. Whether I stand before you as a King or a vagrant in an alley."

Azar closed his eyes as Vossari closed the distance, meeting that kiss. The wrean would taste the salty tears, taste the pain, taste the joy and everything in between. Somewhere in the distance a clock chimed to signal the midnight hour. Marking a new day.

The Pureblood gently drew back from the kiss, glancing down at their rings, “Vossari Khaldun,” He said with a shuddered whisper, “Will you marry me?” He asked softly, “Just for today.”

@Fine Dining Set

 

[Vossari Khaldun]

A life where Azar and Vossari were together, whether as kings or as paupers, seemed beautiful. It was always in those small moments, together, that they grew closer. Conversations on the beach, in the basement of the a Wizard's palace on Tund, or the swamps of Saleucami. They had always these moments where their minds and souls connected.

Vossari laughed as he nodded emphatically. “Yes. Yes! A million times yes!” He laughed, as he removed the ring and placed it back on. This was truly absurd, but in a way that Vossari couldn't stop loving. They could ask this to one another every single day. But yet, duty called. Vossari and Azar both realized that he was a king, now. And, without the ability to trust in the power and guidance of his partners, Azar had to take the lonely road to the top.

Even though Azar had resigned himself to this fate, though, Vossari would stay loyal. Vossari always played the long game, in this life. As much as he often gave into his impulses, deep beneath the surface lived a man with unending patience for Azar. With him, he used his insufferabiltiy to tease answers and love out of Azar, but it was always their endurance in the face of hardship that defined their love. They had sacrificed for each other, protected one another, and put each other first in their own ways. This night had been the definition of tumultuous - the man who Azar loved, who this whole party was for, stood now in chains.

But they still had this moment. And Vossari would keep making it stretch. Vossari longed to spend the rest of his life with Azar - at the very least, he would spend the rest of tonight with him. Until the sun came up, at least. And for the rest of the day. And then, tomorrow again, if Azar would have him.

@Sreeya