AN: Hah here it is the third chapter. These things are getting longer and longer everytimg. I hope you guys are liking the story. Cause I've seen the hit count and know it to be true.. so stop putsing about and REVIEW! I mean it I won't update unless you review. Though it is true that not much has happened to review about yet. So the next chapter I'll be introducing the Jedi and Palpatine hehehe . Yeah yeah I know you are alll excited and can't wait to get on with the story.

Disclaimer: Guess what, more then half of these characters belong to me so don't steal them. Star Wars and Bakura are the works of George Lucas. The Jedi are his work, elves are Tolkien's work and mythology, Relknor looks like Cloud which is Square Enix' work, but other then that... Lamentock, Eris, the soon new addition whose name shall be disclosed. They're mine they are all mine and if ANYONE steals Eris trust me there will be hell, someone already stole one of my characters as well as the plot line to a fanfic and started taking credit for it so trust me I'm not happy about those kind of things.


Chapter II

The next day Eris had been given the rare chance to sleep alone and in peace, Iniga had obviously gotten what it was she had wanted, leaving Eris to enjoy her solitude and the chance to breath in her own space. It must have been some time around midday because while Eris continued to try and burry herself deeper into the warm and comforting bed sheets, she felt another presence enter the room and pull her curtains open, the light streaming in and awakening her senses. She groaned out in aggravation, her body digging deeper under the covers and away from whatever light had just destroyed her peace. Lamentock was gone. Couldn't she sleep in for this day and enjoy what little peace she had while the palace prepared for the trip to Coruscant?

Relknor only watched her as she pulled the sheets higher around herself, her small body becoming completely encased in the thick satin sheets. He had already dressed himself for the day, wearing the common clothes that the villagers wore, pants that were thick and baggy around his scrawny and yet incredibly fit form. His sleeveless wool shirt showed the muscles in his arms and chest while he threw on a jacket and walked over to Eris. She was still trying to hide from the light, and already he could tell that she had forgotten about what they had planed for the day. This brought a spark to his eye, though his face remained emotionless and he crossed his arms over his chest waiting to see if she would remember anytime soon, and silently enjoying this rare chance he had to watch her while she slept. Eris knew he was watching her, though, and she had known it was him that had snuck into her quarters. Relknor was not a patient person, and though he was a very insecure man when it came to his feelings and expressing himself, especially around a beautiful elf, he had his playful moments. And leaning down he blew on one of her ears, knowing they were a sensitive spot for her, something that Lamentock would never discover, too worried about other parts of her.

"Curse the stars and force Relknor." He heard her groan out before throwing the covers off of her and glaring at him in defiance. It was a rare moment when Eris showed any emotion either, but it seemed that in these moments she was able to let herself go and not worry about Lamentock near by.

"It's time to go Eris, we have at least eight hours, I've already made the arrangements and most of the servants are too busy with preparations to notice you being gone. Here… I brought these for you."

Relknor left little time in getting to business once he had gotten control over himself, and his face was once again blank. His large eyes looked at her and blinked the moments away that he wished he could change the past. He had always felt partially responsible for her situation, had he been more forceful with Lamentock things might have turned out differently, but he had been young and he still was. He had only been 23 then.

Eris got up without a sound, her legs sliding from the sheets. She grabbed a fine robe and wrapped it around herself, tightening the sash before disappearing into the washroom for a few moments. When she came back out her skin looked fresher and her hair was brushed back into an elaborate bun with braids and waves spilling out and around her back. He had already set her clothes out on the bed for her and once she had emerged from the washroom he had excused himself, walking out of her sliding doors and leaning against the wall looking at the ceiling.

For months Eris had just been the easily angered and tortured concubine to his King, an ornament for the palace when he returned from trips to Coruscant. He had never meant to know her any better then that, the official palace ornament. But things had a way of happening around Relknor that shouldn't, and he had stumbled upon her while she was staring out at the jungle from the same patio they stood the night before. It had become a custom for them to talk after meetings. When Iniga would take any moment she could to snag Lamentock. He had even found that Eris fluently understood the science of politics, that over the months she had been listening and silently assessing everyone and everything in the palace. His first idea of her had been completely turned upside down in their small talks, and slowly- slowly Relknor had come to realize what a mistake they had made, that this elf had grown into a better politician then himself and many others. He would go to her for help and occasionally opinions on the matters of senate, and after a while had decided to educate her on everything outside of the palace. Now when he looked at her, she seemed to be ages older than she really was, perhaps as wise as Palpatine was. And many times over she had saved Bakura from a political slip when she pointed something out that not even he had noticed about contracts or laws.

It was then that Eris' doors slid open and she walked out in commoners clothes like his own, a hood enveloping her face while the cloak opened up to reveal a tightly fitted upper shirt with a utility belt accentuating the curve of her torso as it met her hips. The tight pants didn't help either, as they passed under her large black boots, the buckles pulled to the last notch. It made Relknor assess what it was he had just thought to himself, she acted one way; she would always look the other.

An hour later and Eris was landing the small pod down onto a landing pad in the village of Dukai, the soft soil rising up around them while she turned off the booster jets and then slowed down the engine, checking all the systems before shutting it off. She had asked earlier on if she could drive, and Relknor had been hesitant until she assured him she could drive. She had gotten there in half the time it would have taken him.

"I don't remember Lamentock ever letting anyone teach you how to fly."

"Yes, well there are many things he won't let me do, but your eyes can be a useful thing, especially yours since they are so large."

Once the ship was docked and ready Eris lowered the ramp and the two of them walked out into the open air of Dukai. The village was as small and quaint as any that Lamentock had dragged Eris to so that he could be sure to socialize with his citizens. But now that Eris was here enjoying the company and without the tormenting presence of Lamentock or Iniga, she felt more elated than she had in quite some time.

She hadn't noticed that while she had been daydreaming, Relknor had moved ahead of her and was looking back while she stared at the direction they were walking, a small fair taking place as performers danced and women tried there best to attract the attention of men. She had frozen in place where she stood, watching quietly and marking every person, still in a mode that told her to make sure this wasn't a trap, that her parent's weren't being constantly watched if they did reside here.

"Eris?"

Relknor had walked up in front of her while she stood there staring straight ahead of herself, her mind assessing every image that it captured: a little boy crying while he clung to a stuffed doll of a jedi; a twi'lek concubine trying desperately to find a new employer, her hips swinging from side to side like a pendulum; a pair of lovers holding hands as they pointed out the things they liked and felt the need to kiss in between each stand and booth. Just then she felt something take her own hand and looked down to see that it was Relknor's.

"It's alright."

His eyes were large and staring into hers before he looked down and saw what it was he had done, he took his hand back quickly and gave her a soft smile, nodding for her to follow. Eris hesitated for a short second and then nodded her own head, replacing the hood of her cloak overtop of her hair.

They walked for an hour or so and stopped to look at the small booths as they sold various objects, news of the new chancellor, stories and gossip on various Politicians. None of them noticed one politician walked among them, or that his guest for the day was the sole concubine to the king. They seemed to think they were just another pair of tourists enjoying the warm season. Eris had never been able to truly enjoy herself and for a moment as they walked by a certain booth with cheap jewelry made from the bark of trees; she paused and looked at the young girl no older then herself selling the small items. Her skin was dirty, hair blond and stained with the sun from overexposure, her eyes wrinkled at the corners because she liked to smile, but even with her condition and her lifestyle she seemed not to care or notice, and that hit something in Eris. Eris had been about to start off again when she noticed that Relknor wasn't with her. She started to panic; her mind starting to dramatically run through scenarios that had been the cause of his sudden absence, but there he was there again, holding a small brown bracelet with beads and stones that were washed up from the shore. How could something so cheap and tacky mean so much? Eris smiled and held out her arm while he clasped it around her wrist and they moved on.

When they started off again, heading towards the spread out side of the village that was placed up and against a cliffside facing the forest, Relknor couldn't help but watch Eris. She was a good pace ahead of him, her head moving to every side of her and deep in her eyes he could see a spark that hadn't been there before. After a year of knowing her and he had never seen that before. But now, here, it seemed so natural for her. It looked like that smile was meant to be there and should always be there, and yet, she always looked so stoic. He hadn't known how long he was staring until she turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow and he chuckled walking up to her quickly and grabbing her hand, he didn't care who saw, right now was the only time she'd have to herself, and for a long time at that.

An hour later and they finally reached the cliffside street where it was said her family had moved. Relknor knew that her family had been kept tabs on and constantly watched so that they didn't try anything stupid, and it seemed that Eris knew this, back to herself again, the self he knew. Her face was that unreadable look, features as cold as stone and her eyes dead. Her palms were sweaty as they came closer and finally came upon the house that was her families. Eris only stood frozen while she stared up at it, her hand sliding out of Relknor's and to her side.

"Eris."

Her insides felt like the juice in a blender being churned slowly and torturously while impatient younglings sat by idly waiting to be fed. She had dreamed for months and hours at a single sitting of what it would be like to see them again, show them that she was as alright as she would ever be. But knowing they were alright made it okay with her. Time and time again she had heard Reyna tell her how foolish she was, that she needed to stop thinking of others and start worrying about herself, like she had for the first month. But, after so long Eris had never felt so sure of herself, and she had come to except things. It seemed like she could be at peace as long as she knew that they were alright. She hadn't noticed that Relknor was waiting for her, staring at her while she looked at the top window. She couldn't see beyond the clay structure and metal supports that held the house together. It was small and quaint, but looking at it still made it the most heart filled place she'd see for some time.

Eris' heart lodged in her throat then, the front door sliding open as a small child came out. The little girl couldn't have been any older then a year or so. Suddenly the sun in Eris' days seemed to fade to night. The child was human. There was no light in her eyes, no point to her ears and no awkward coloring to her hair. Her aura was the one of someone whose life had already been decided when she was born, and following her came an older woman with a back bent with the strain of childbearing. Her hair was just as mousy as the small girl that came before her. Eris watched the mother nod hello to her as she passed, the door to her house sliding shut before she turned up the road and headed towards the festival.

"Perhaps they were just visiting, we should make sure just in case. I'm sure your family couldn't have moved so soon they've only lived here for a mo-"

"No."

Eris had already turned around and headed back up the hill, her feet didn't make a sound, but her heart was. It was hammering against her chest beating out her thoughts in distress codes. Her family wasn't there; the house had been empty when the older lady had come hunched out.

"Eris wait, you can't just walk away. We could ask we have some time before we have to go back…Eris will you wait!" Relknor was yelling now, stopped a little ways down the hill while he did so before growling and catching up with her. His hand wrapped around her wrist as he pulled her around, some look of desperation in his large blue eyes while the ones that stared back at him were empty once more. Just pools of gold and silver.

"Eris they might know where your family is now come one, we're going back. I'm not going to give up on you."

"No! Relknor no, I'm… I'm tired. I've had enough for today let's just go home." There was no anger in Eris' voice, no annoyance or aggravation. It was the ideal voice of stoicism. Even the tone had no emotion, it was just 'no.' Relknor didn't know how to reply to it, for a rare chance Relknor was lost. He looked at her with confusion, his lips parted so that you could see a slit of white that was his teeth. But quickly he was able to gather himself. He knew as well as any that Eris' family had moved probably. It wasn't a secret to Lamentock and his spies that they changed houses around three times in a month before they were found again.

Without either one saying another thing Relknor let go of her arm and they both set off towards the ship, there gate the same, long and somber. In mere seconds it seemed as if the elf that whoever Eris really was, had gone and Eris was back in her place.

It took them little time to return back to the palace, Relknor had decided to fly back and not a word had been exchanged between the two. Relknor didn't know how to feel, he was confused and felt a need to reach over and take Eris into his arms. So many times had he agonized at the idea of her with Lamentock, and so many times had he wished that he could just run away with her and her family and live life like that but it was petulant of him to try and reason like that. Lamentock was a powerful man, and once they were gone he'd let slip to the senate that an entire family of elves still existed in the system, and not just one girl. They could perhaps live for some time happy, but Relknor knew as well as any that you could only planet hop for so long until you were given up. And not even the systems out of the Republics reach would be protection enough for them with hungry bounty hunters on their tales.

Eris hadn't even thought about her family on the way home, her mind had been shut down and it seemed that she was back to dreading her return to the palace, playing out scenarios where she would be in her room and Lamentock would come in. Her mind was revisiting each and every word exchanged before she actually grasped onto what little command she had left over the elements and energy that buzzed in the air. She knew that, to many, it was called the force but she had never given it a name. It was nature in itself, life, and to try and control it was selfish and deadly. For her people, they were apart of it and one with it, but little did that matter to her, after going so long numbing yourself when you found that fighting only hurt the ones around you, and that feeling, that connection, started to fade out of touch. Now all she had were the minutes she could pass thinking of grand adventures and escapes, fleeing and running for her entire life before they had to come to the ultimate battle. But then there was the romantic side of her, the side that pictured being let go and settling into the forest, nestling in the trunks of large trees and letting her mind drift while she gathered witch hazel, lichens, or mushrooms for whatever purposes.

Her thoughts had gotten away with her as they landed and she quietly slipped from the pod without a word, heading for the ramp so that she could disappear to her room and perhaps see that Reyna and the others packed the right clothes. She had a feeling that Lamentock had already selected what he wanted her to wear, but right now she would make any excuse to separate herself from that ship and from what had happened today as soon as possible.

"Eris wait, I'm sorry. I should have known but I was so enamored by the idea that you'd get to see your family again that I forgot. I just… I just want you to be happy."

Eris had her hand leaning against the side of this ship and her weight pressed on one leg before she turned around and looked at him, a small smile coming at the corner of her lips as she nodded her head and then walked over to him, she made a dangerous move then, letting her arms wrap around his waist and leaning her head into his chest.

"Thank you Relknor." Her head was still buried into his chest before she took a step back. Relknor had hugged her back, his arms going around her shoulders and pulling her closer while he stroked the top of her head; she smelled so much like the jungle just after it had rained; a tart whiff of what he knew to be wild berries in her hair. It wasn't any perfume he had smelled but her, and he never wanted to let go. Eventually she had pulled back.

For a second the two had chanced everything but Eris didn't care. She hadn't known what it would feel like to let him hug her and for a moment she felt safer then she had in a while, she felt warm.

With all done, Eris turned around and replaced her hood, and without a second word she had disappeared, her feet carrying her to a back entrance into the palace. Relknor hadn't realized she was gone until he could no longer smell that dew in the air.

Eris was back in her room within the next few moments, looking at her reflection in the washroom mirror before she slowly undressed and pulled on her silk robe. The water was running for a bath and Reyna had already seen to it that the water had been filled with salts and oils. Reyna would keep her secret for her, and it wouldn't be the first or last time she did it either. Eris just owed her so much. After a few moments she was able to relax, letting her hair down and pulling out her earrings before her robe fell away and she slid into the water, the steam rising around her and veiling her from the world for a moment.

The next day came all too soon, and it only brought their visit to Coruscant all the sooner. Eris had been able to spend the night in peace, though Lamentock had appointed that a guard stand outside her bedchambers in the hall as well as at the secret entrances to her rooms. No one would be sneaking into her room as she slept, and it was even more assured that no one would be coming to wake her unless Reyna made another distraction. The first one was dangerous enough. The second would confirm any suspicions for Lamentock. She knew that he would never out right do anything to Relknor, but he had his means. Eris could handle anything the man would have to throw at her, but she didn't want Relknor destroyed at such a young age. And not physically- no, Lamenotck had his ways and if anything he would take any chance Relknor had of furthering his political career.

The sun was shining through the window when Reyna finally woke her, pulling the drapes aside and letting the sun drift in while Eris groaned and rolled over wanting to go back to sleep.

"Come no milady you to dine with his lord when he returns from his vacation. He's still taking the pod on the way back. I suppose I should tell you that the schedule has been changed and you'll be traveling tomorrow for Coruscant. Apparently the senate can not wait for this treaty to be signed. Politics is such a tiring business, 'scuse my old bones, looks like I'm doing it again."

"Don't worry about it Reyna, I would rather wake up to hear you rambling then anything else. And you're wrong this galaxy needs politics to hold itself together. Though I have moments where I doubt the efficiency of some of them."

Eris had finally woken her self and thrown the covers aside while she grabbed her robe from the back of a chair. She slipped it on along with her small sandals before she too a seat at her Bureau while Reyna came up and started to brush out her long hair, fussing over it as she always did.

"You've always had such gorgeous hair milady, it's such a shame that they have to put it up all the time. And a women like you shouldn't be fussin' over such things as politics, you just worry about keeping yourself pretty."

Reyna had her moments when Eris would adore her, she was a motherly woman and acted as such anyways, but she was appointed by the king and worked for the king no matter what her friendships, and there were times when Eris could only sigh and pretend to agree with her. Reyna was human and old fashioned by even elvish standards. She still felt women should not partake in politics and yet they still intrigued Eris to a point. After the minutes had passed in relative silence Reyna finally finished brushing out Eris' hair and allowed for her to get up and dress herself. Once she was done she noticed that time had passed by quickly, because it was only a matter of hours before Lamentock arrived.

Reyna had left some time ago and Eris decided now would be as good a time as any to sit in front of her fireplace and read a little. Of course just as she had gotten herself comfortable someone entered the room, and the first thing she smelled was the harsh scent of Lamentock. He was early, a whole three hours early. She moved to set the small holo screen down and stood up but before she had even fully risen, his hands closed around her neck and he picked her up slamming her back into the wall with an amazing force like no other. He was angry and he was drunk.

"I heard you enjoyed yourself this weekend. Did you actually think you could try to find your parents without my knowing about it? That was a stupid move, and to take Relknor with you."

His grip tightened before he slapped her hard across the face and sent her flying to the ground again, her whole body flaring with pain as she blocked it out and numbed herself taking it as she could. She was only rewarded with him picking her back up by her hair.

"You're a slut and a whore and you are going to know just how dirty I can be when I'm through with you. Did you actually think that you could woo that bantha slime?"


Wow, I kind of left you on a cliff didn't I. Well if you review I'll update. And so you notice, I've gone through and edited all of these so there shouldn't be any Gramatical errors.
Also I don't come here to have my grammar corrected I come here to have the content of my stories critqued as well as my style which includes: voice, tone, narration or point of view, character development, plotline, background, sense of place, music (yes there is music to stories it's in the metaphors and way you presnt it which can also be said to be style in general), and anything else. Please, don't correct my grammar becuase I already know that after I write something I need to re-read it. But it's just hypocritical to tell me about my grammar.

questions...comments...conscerns... well review. (god it feel's good to say that again. A whole year of abscence and here I am back to write away the day.)