Liz cleared her throat and forced a polite smile, "I hadn't expected to see you here." She said, "As a matter of fact, I hadn't expected seeing you anywhere on Coruscant."
Kyrian turned halfway, raising a blond eyebrow. He cocked his head to the side just slightly and eyed his younger sister. Normally one would think there would be happiness in the air when two siblings met each other, but Kyp only felt curiosity and anticipation through the Force.
Kyp inched closer towards Liz, wrapping his arm around her waist. He couldn't quite read Kyrian's expression and besides surprise drifting off of his person, there was nothing else within the Force to guess what the man was thinking.
"Well, I could say the same about you." His voice was dangerously deep, like an animal ready to prance on its prey. But it didn't seem to bother Liz. Kyp stayed rigid nonetheless; perhaps it was just him, but something about the man just felt strange.
Liz kept her smile in place but Kyp felt she didn't mean it, "I'm here enjoying the night with my friends. And this is Kyp." She pulled Kyp closer and introduced the Jedi Knight to her older brother. The two men grasped hands but their smiles were as cold as ice.
Luke and Corran gazed over frequently; even Han had an eye on the trio, as they continued on talking with people walking by.
"My wife is the Senatorial Aide to Chandrila." Kyrian commented blandly as if it meant nothing to him. He raised his small glass, filled with a dark liquid and took a sip, "Which is the reason I am here tonight."
Liz's eyes widened and she smirked, "You're married?" she asked incredulously.
A flicker of a frown crossed the older man's face, "Why should I not be, Eliziya? I do want to get on with my life and I am happy this way."
She was annoyed by the fact that Kyrian had called her by her full first name and at his tone of voice, making it clear to her that he did not approve of Liz. She made a slight face and forced another smile. Kyrian didn't know her, had never known her, so she wouldn't be aggravated by anything he'd say.
"Well, congratulations. I'd very much like to meet your wife." Her voice was low and soft, the look in her dark eyes one of sadness, Kyp thought. Here stood her brother and the both of them seemed not to stand each other.
And again Kyp had to wonder if they really were related. They looked nothing alike, they talked nothing alike and they definitely did not think alike.
Kyrian was an imposing figure, taller than the average human in the assembly hall. His broad shoulders blocked the view of people standing behind him, his slight smile holding only coldness.
"She'll be back in a moment or two."
Liz cleared her throat and gripped Kyp's robe tightly, "How are Mom and Dad?" Kyp felt her unease at the question, her nervousness at Kyrian's possible answer.
"They are well, Eliziya. Perhaps it would be wise to call upon them once and a while."
Through Liz's smile Kyp could tell she thought Kyrian was joking. But she let the matter drop when a tall brunette came their way, wearing a fantastic dark red gown. Her long dark tresses fell about her slender shoulders, her blue eyes shining as she walked. Liz would have killed for a figure like that.
Kyrian gripped the woman's hand and Liz was very surprised at the loving smile surfacing on her brother's face. It was more than obvious that he loved this woman greatly.
"Eliziya, this is my wife, Sera."
Liz extended her hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you." At Sera's confused look, Liz continued, "I'm Kyrian's sister."
She wondered if Kyrian had ever talked about her and if he had, what he'd said about her. She imagined nothing good had come out of such a conversation.
"Oh!" Sera said suddenly enveloping Liz in quite a hug. She gazed at Kyrian over Sera's shoulder and raised a brow in question. Was that a smile on the older man's face? For her?
"I've heard so much about you!" Sera said, her voice annoyingly high pitched in Liz's ear. She let go of her and smiled brightly, "I'm so glad to finally meet you."
Sera held her at arms length, her blue gaze drifting over Liz's smaller form and then shifting to Kyp, who was silently standing behind Liz. His hand was now at the small of Liz's back and she had to smile at his protectiveness.
Sera held out her hand for Kyp to grasp, introducing herself as the Senatorial Aide to Chandrila. She kept stressing the fact that she was one of few who still stood by the Jedi and who hoped to soon see a newly developed order of fearless Jedi Knights.
Her choice of words sounded rehearsed and Liz fought dearly not to laugh. She shifted her gaze back to Kyrian, "How long have you been married?"
"Six months now."
For a split second Liz felt a pang of regret. Even throughout their differences a small part of her would have loved seeing Kyrian and Sera at the altar.
Kyrian leaned down to whisper something in Sera's ear and with a smile, that could only be described as naïve, she nodded, "Of course." With a nod and a gentle swagger she headed towards the crowd.
Liz raised a brow as she watched Sera go, then shifted her attention back to her brother, "Did – did you just send her away?"
As the older man nodded, Liz remembered with total clarity why she disliked the man so much, "You're still the same controlling person you used to be. You haven't changed a bit, have you?"
"Neither have you. You're still meddling in things that do not concern you."
With her jaw locked, she clamped down on her rising anger and forced a smile that betrayed nothing of her emotions. "Perhaps you should rejoin your poor wife, Kyrian. I'm sure people will start to whisper once they realize she's alone, yet having arrived here with her perfect husband. It wouldn't do you or her any good if rumors spread, wouldn't you agree? I'm certain the both of you have a reputation to uphold."
Kyrian's blue eyes narrowed to slits, "What is it you're saying, Eliziya?"
Liz arched a brow and couldn't hide a smile as Kyp stepped closer; ever the protector.
"I'm merely stating a fact." She cleared her throat and took a step aside, making room for Kyrian to pass, "Have a nice evening."
Without so much as a nod Kyrian hurried on. Liz watched him moving through the crowd, his stance one of built up aggression, "And have a nice life." She whispered when all she could see of her older brother was his blond hair.
She leaned into Kyp and sighed heavily. This evening was not going the way she had planned. But her spirits lifted a notch; the headache was completely gone.
And now all she wanted was to be alone with her Jedi Knight and forget about everything around them. For the next two hours they mingled with the other attendants at the assembly, talking about this and that, avoiding conversations that would delve to deeply into politics.
With a last drink with Han, Luke and Corran, Kyp and Liz bid them a good night and slowly headed for the exit. The cool wind was welcoming and Liz breathed in deep. She couldn't put in words how glad she was to be leaving those wretched people behind.
"Are you alright?"
Liz chuckled at Kyp's question, "You keep asking me that, Kyp."
"I'm worried, that's all. It's not everyday you meet your brother."
Liz made a face and grunted, "Honestly? I wish I hadn't."
She let Kyp take the drivers' side of the speeder, not feeling in the mood to wrestle the vehicle through traffic at this time of night. Surprised it was almost two o'clock in the morning, she let her gaze sweep over the city below them. The endless colors were beautiful, no doubt, but everything seemed so unfulfilling.
Kyp parked the speeder on the roof of Liz's building and slowly, walking hand in hand, they made their way to her home.
Liz palmed the light to the living area, and kicked her shoes off. With a sudden bright smile she turned on her heels and threw her arms around Kyp's neck, "So now I finally have you all to myself."
"Seems so." He breathed as he lowered his lips to her mouth; just a nip to tease her. He cupped her cheek in his hand, his eyes seeming to take in every detail of her face. "You are so beautiful." Then he smiled wickedly, "Eliziya."
Liz groaned and rolled her eyes, "I should sue my mother for giving me that horrid name." She sighed, "But it doesn't sound so bad when you say it."
Kyp chuckled and nuzzled the skin above her pulse, "Good. Because I like it." His lips went lower, touching her collarbone, moving along her shoulder. He lifted her arm and trailed feather light kisses to her elbow, down to her hands.
She felt tingles course through her, starting at her toes and moving along her legs to her arms, to the very spot where his lips met her skin.
They stared at each other for a moment, the silence between them stretching into what seemed like minutes before Liz stepped closer and finally gave him the kiss both of them had been longing for the entire evening.
She didn't hold back as his arms went around her waist, a moan reverberating through her skin.
Liz broke off, stepping back and smiling at the Jedi Knight, "I'll be right back." She whispered, while reaching up to a single pin in her hair; the dark tresses fell in waves around her shoulders as she kept backing up, "Please don't go anywhere."
Kyp arched a brow and wondered what Liz was up to, "I wouldn't dream of it."
She turned around, picking up her skirt and headed into the bedroom. With a grin she looked over her shoulder and shut the door behind her.
Liz took two steadying breaths as she hurried through the room, lighting candles standing on the floor and on shelves around the walls. Before leaving for Luce's place the previous evening, she had decorated the room with dark red candles, the now flickering lights casting beautiful contorted shadows across the area. The scent was sweet yet not too much.
Again she breathed in deeply to calm herself, palming the door open.
Kyp arched a brow as he saw her in the doorway, her lithe form illuminated by a dim, flickering light. As he approached her, she reached for his hands, slowly pulling him into the room.
He took in the candles and smiled, "What's all this?"
Liz shrugged, "I thought it would be nice." She hoped he couldn't see her blush in the dim light.
He captured her lips with his, and the touch sent tendrils of fire throughout her body. She moaned as their tongues met, as his hands slowly trailed up and down her spine.
And then she felt him connect to her again; she sucked in her breath as his presence enveloped her, sending tiny shocks of pleasure to her nerves and back again. His soft touch felt like so much more, it was hard for her to put into words. He was sharing his entire being with her and it was an indescribable feeling.
She caught snippets of thoughts from him, small pieces of emotions he tried to keep hidden but in the current situation was too hard to do so.
She felt his nervousness as if it were her own.
Lifting her hand and touching his chest with her palm, she felt his rapid heartbeat beneath his ribs. Gazing up into his dark eyes, she smiled, "You're nervous."
Kyp nodded, "Yes." He breathed.
"Don't be."
He smiled at her then, his thumb caressing her face, her slightly swollen lower lip.
As he went to kiss her again, she held a finger to his mouth. Slowly her hands moved along his torso, starting at his shoulders and ending at the belt he wore slung around his hips. She unbuckled the leather and just as her fingers slightly brushed the cold metal of his lightsaber, he gently grabbed her hand and lifted her fingers to his mouth. With his eyes closed, he kissed each finger in succession, lingering a few seconds before moving on. He drew on the Force to lift the leather belt to a dresser under the window.
When his lips touched her palm, a shiver ran through her and she closed her eyes for just a moment.
She undid the sash around his hips, slipping the dark robe off his shoulders. Underneath he wore a sleeveless light shirt that she shrugged off over his head.
She kissed him, turning halfway and directing him towards the foot of the bed with small steps. His hands went to the back of her dress, slowly unfastening the cloth. It took only seconds until the dress pooled around her feet in a heap of black.
"I wanted this to be perfect for you." Liz whispered, the tips of her fingers snaking up and down his bare chest, "So that you'd remember this." He had to strain to hear her, but the words she spoke made him tingle from top to bottom.
The muscles beneath his skin constricted ever so slightly under her fingers; he closed his eyes as she stepped closer, leaving warm kisses along his chest. He groaned as he felt the warmth of her tongue slide along his skin.
She pushed him back just a step and as his calves met the foot of the bed, he let himself fall, bracing himself on the mattress with his elbows. Liz crawled onto his toned body, helping him out of his pants before straddling his legs.
She dipped her head and trailed light kisses along his neck, gently nipping at his earlobe with her teeth. From the corner of her eye she saw he had his eyes closed, enjoying every second he had with her.
Her fingers tangled with his dark hair as his hands slid up and down her spine. She kissed him then, a hot, penetrating and passionate kiss that rattled him to his core. He groaned beneath her and smiled mischievously as she broke the kiss, "Are you seducing me, Eliziya?"
She laughed as she leaned down and covered his mouth with hers.
They lay quietly in the afterglow, Kyp clutching her sweaty form to his sleek body. Liz listened to his rapid heart beat as she laid her head on his chest, listened to his ragged breathing. She had trouble controlling her own intakes of breath but still a very satisfied grin crossed her face.
He played with strands of her hair as he breathed in deeply and after a moment Liz began to relax in his hold.
But then she heard Kyp chuckle and she arched a dark brow while sitting up. He looked gorgeous laying there, pearls of perspiration running down his chest, his cheeks flushed red. For a moment she wondered what he thought of her current state but was distracted by a broad grin surfacing on his features.
"You didn't think we'd be finished already?" he asked.
"Well –"
He flipped her onto her back, his fingers entangled with hers as he gently nipped her chin, then her earlobe with his teeth. His voice was a low, sexy growl that made her want him more than before, "Baby, I'm just getting started."