A few days would pass before Lyni saw Thire or Ilonia saw Savage. But the two women met the day after the ball when Lyni was being bombarded with questions about the outfits she and her brothers wore. Some of the questioners were not polite with their displays of disbelief. Luckily Ilonia was passing and saw how they were trying to back poor Lyni into a wall with their questions.

Stepping up to the group Ilonia spoke, "Senator Lyni, Senator Chruchi would like to discuss a few of the recent bills with you."

"Yes, of course." Lyni responded, and then promptly gave her respects to those around her. Before the group around her realized it Lyni had slipped though them and was walking with Ilonia around the corner. Tilting her head to one side Ilonia saw how pale Lyni was as she asked, "What does Senator Churchi wish to discuss with me?"

Making sure that they were out of range from the semi-mob Ilonia answered quietly, "I just said that to get you away from those jerks. Are you alright?"

Nodding Lyni answered, "Yes thank you." Instead of stopping like Ilonia had grown to expect Lyni added, "They were nothing compared to the Nightsisters."

Seeing her chance to learn more Ilonia chose her words carefully, "Savage mentioned the Nightsisters at the dance."

Lyni interrupted her prepared opening with a frightened voice, "Why? What happened?"

Reaching out and touching Lynis arm Ilonia explained, "A drunk retired Senator tried to force himself on me. Savage stopped it."

Now Lyni smiled, "I knew he would. He always stops those things from happening if he can."

Nodding slowly as she added that information to what she knew of Savage Ilonia continued, "He said he couldn't watch me be treated as the Nightsisters treated all of you." Lyni tensed but waited for Ilonia to go on, "And I was wondering if…"

"If I could tell you more," Lyni finished for her. With a silence long enough for Ilonia to think she wouldn't answer Ilonia was about to suggest they split to continue their duties. Instead Lyni pulled her into a side garden and to a bench before sitting on it heavily and speaking, "The Nightsisters are some of the most notorious witches on Dathomir, and treat their men the worst."

Looking at the flowers by the bench she was silent for a few moments as Ilonia settled herself beside the slender Dathomirian teen who finally broke the silence, "None of the men on Dathomir are treated well but some are secondary citizens and kept around." Swallowing, "But the Nightsisters treat their men as beasts, just good for farming the food and personal slaves." Looking at Ilonia, "That is why the Dathmarians that took your colonists were so against my presence, and didn't trust you." Looking away again, "Because they are so used to mistreatment and intimidation at the hands of females."

Ilonia spoke slowly, "When the teen asked how you took Savage…."

The girl nodded, "Thats how the Nightsisters get their mates. By beating them in Arena," there was disgust in the teens voice, "after making sure they are worthy with the Notica." Then with a beam of pride, "But our Savage has never been beaten, neither has Maul."

"What happens?" Seeing the slight confusion, "If the Nightbrother is captured, I mean."

Lyni paled again, "I don't know all of it, Savage has tried to shield us from it as much as he can. But the first thing we noticed about it is that the one who is beaten never comes back." Looking at Ilonia, "There are times the men are ordered to visit one of the sisters bed chambers to which they must comply and they always come back. Staggering by themselves or carried by other Brothers but they always return." Looking away, "But when they are beaten in the combat, they never return. Sometimes the Nighsister who took them brings back a baby boy a few months old for the village to care for, but the Brother never returns."

Both of them were silent for a long while. Finally Ilonia broke the silence as she asked quietly, "Did you ever find out what happens to them?"

Lyni nodded, "The male is used as a personal slave or a soldier. They have to do anything they are ordered by the female who took them, any whim she has any pleasure she wants they have to do." A sigh, "And as soon as she is pregnant, she kills him." Looking at Ilonia, "I saw it once. She cut off each joint of his fingers and toes, then moved up his arms and legs until he finally died with blood loss."

Ilonia was horrified, "But why?"

"His purpose what fulfilled." Looking at Ilonia, "As he belonged to her, she could do exactly what she wanted with him." Turning back to the flowers, "The other Sisters were angry, they said the sentence was too light, but in the end she was the one to decide."

Not sure she wanted to know but needed to ask Ilonia said, "How do you get taken exactly?"

"A series of tests to prove speed and strength which we call the Notica." Another sigh, "Then whoever passes those go to the final round. Combat with the Sister." Looking at Ilonia, "Be defeated and you are owned by her; mind, body, and soul. Kill her and you are able to live another day."

The final question was a whisper, "Has Savage?"

"He's stopped seven." Continuing, "Maul has defeated ten and Feral has defeated one." Looking Ilonia straight in the eyes, "That's why their still alive." Pulling up a sleeve to reveal a long scar on her forearm with a twin on the other, "And I am alive because they found me strung up to die in the middle of the village square. They cut the ropes and took me home." Covering Ilona's hand with her own again, "My brothers protect those who can't fight for themselves." With that she got up and left.

Ilonia looked after her feeling nauseous. No wonder they stuck together so much. Her mind couldn't wrap around everything that the four Dathmarians had witnessed, what they had to do, in order to survive. No not just survive, to fight everything in order to be in they place that they were. And Ilonia got up, she had to tell Riyo and Padme. Maybe they will know more people to give the Dathmarians even more of a support group so they wouldn't be mistreated like that again.