Training - Part 1

It was a while before Zaiya saw him again, and her time in the clinic became busier and busier. When she did get a chance to see him, it was a simple meeting, in fact he barely spoke at all. Not even asking her anything.

She had the foresight to have brought some more of the meat skewers again, which he seemed to like. She could only infer it from the way he ate it without attempting to kill her.

She sat in the quiet of the moment, not forcing him to speak, though as she focused and cleared her mind, one thing entered it. A song she had learned. Sitting on the rooftop opposite him she turned to look towards where the light shone down from.

Her lips parted and the soft tune filled the air. The assassin stilled and his head turned to look at her. She could not read his expressions, he never removed his hood but she could not feel anger from him… at least, not excessively.

The melody hung in the air, a lingering feeling of warmth and a sense of nostalgia flooded her as she sang. It was a soft, almost haunting song in Old Dathomiri. One he had heard before, she used to sing it a lot then, though her voice had improved over time… She wondered if he would remember it. The stillness of his form told her it was possible, though she could assume nothing. She did not invoke her magic however. While she always gained strength when she sang, this time she did not push for the effect of manipulation. She just let her voice carry to anyone that cared to listen. She noticed he seemed to pay closer attention as she sang, and she felt as though there was something there, within him, that she had to reach… something that would attune to his memories. She was working purely on instinct now, whether it be intuition or the force that guided her, she just… felt it.

The girl could feel his eyes boring a hole through her, though she didn't look at him this time, just observing him with her other senses. She sang of family, one she favoured as a child, in the old language,

"When I am blind, in my mind

I swear they be my rescue, my lifeline

I don't know what I'd do if I, if I'd survive

Without my brothers and my sisters in my life," His eyes stayed on her, there was a strange feeling in the air around them. A sense of nostalgia. When the song finally ended, there was a calm around them. This was when he finally spoke.

"My master has a grand plan." He stated softly, her gaze snapped to him from beneath the blindfold. "He will bring the Sith back into power." Zaiya stayed silent, her hands together as she listened. He had not talked about himself before, or his master before. She couldn't imagine him bowing to a master though… as distasteful as she found it, she would not interrupt. He let out a sudden sigh. "I grow weary of waiting… I want to kill the Jedi. I want them to fear me."

This confused Zaiya. Yes they were hypocritical and overly self-righteous… but this urge to kill was beyond that. She wanted to ask, but hesitated, instead asking; "What will you do?" she queried tentatively.

"I will do as my master commands… but hunting Rathtars can only do so much."

"You hunt Rathtars?" Her head perked up, she had yet to face one, but the reputation was legendary.

"If I cannot kill Jedi, I must hone my skills." He nearly snarled, yet she was not deterred.

"I have fought Rancors, but not a rathtar… if... " if that was the level of which he was, then she too needed to gain skills. Working had been enough to cover her expenses, but she had grown restless, she craved a good fight. She looked at his face again. "When next you go, take me with you." The excitement in her voice betrayed her and she was far too eager.

"Why would I do something like that?" He hissed with a scowl.

"I can help you."

"I do not need help. Besides, you just said you had not faced one before, you will die." He scoffed.

"Then I die." She shrugged. "Though yes, you would not need help, I want to be at the same level as you at least." He was right, she need not assist him to kill a rathtar, but the opportunities to test her skills and to see what he could do… she had to hope he would find it entertaining.

"Why would you need to gain as much power if not to kill me?" His glowing eyes narrowed under the darkness of his hood.

"No!" She gasped, standing suddenly, shocked at the idea he could think she had even thought of it. Just as fast, she dropped to one knee before him. "Never to harm you, sire, only to protect you! I would serve you…!" She didn't know where the words had come from, but they were the truth. They had sworn they would have no masters, yet, she would gladly serve him if it meant she could protect him from the monster that had poisoned his mind. The Zabrak stood, looking down at her with a tension about him, but she dared not raise her head.

"Take it off." He hissed in a low tone. She froze in place, the edge in his voice had her fearful. There was a tense silence for a moment. "The hood. Take it off, and look at me." He growled and Zaiya felt compelled to obey. She slowly raised her hands, leaning back to push the dark fabric away, letting it fall as she looked up to meet his gaze.

That was a mistake. He should not have asked this of her. His eyes widened slightly the second they met hers. He was frozen in place for a moment. How was that possible? These eyes of hers, blue and deep like oceans and yet so familiar. The brief glimpse he had seen before was clearly not enough, she had eyes that seemed to be endless and deeper than the vastness of space. He should not have asked, he should have just ignored her request and left. Instead, he had wanted to see her eyes, to prove to himself she was not lying.

The temptation of having his own assassin just as his Master had him. It would increase his power, he might even be able to… no… he was already restless, his master's plan was not ready to be enacted yet. He felt strange… How did he know those eyes? They looked into him more than any eyes he had ever seen. He was unnerved, off guard and unsure. He had not been so confused before. She still looked at him like that. What she saw, he didn't know but…

"Fine. When next I go, I shall take you with me." He muttered, finally turning away. The strange feeling was too much, he was unable to keep looking at her. The anger stemming from his confusion again rising and he found himself having to depart.

It was a strange cycle. He found himself here in her presence, the split between his training and that feeling of something missing driving him to distraction and rage, he returned, to train hard and expel the feeling. His mind returned to it's singular devotion to sith and the revenge he so desired. Then time passed, and that feeling of absence, the urge to return to ask more questions. Even then, he was not even sure how much he wanted to know. There was too much to know… and yet…

No, that was enough. He turned away looking to return to his 'home'.

Zaiya watched him go with a mix of excitement and sadness. Why had he stared at her for so long? Was he planning on killing her? For her insolent request? Did he hate looking at her eyes? That was silly, he was surely not so petty… Perhaps there was something he had to see? He was looking for a lie perhaps. She could only assume that he had seen the truth in her, as he had agreed.

She was glad to know more of his time here, and to hear he was able to fight Rathtars! She could not help but be impressed. Her own exercises were lacking these days, though since she had put in so much time to the clinic, even increasing the efficiency, she supposed she would become a nurse soon. From there, money would be less troublesome. Now she had made that part of her cover easier, she was free to focus on other things. Once she learned where his hunting grounds were, she would be able to find her own way there, purchasing her own small ship; she was not the child that had left Dathomir now. She was older, stronger and wiser. She was old enough to look after herself now, and she had to stand on her own feet. If she could take down a rathtar, then she should be able to defend herself against nearly anything! She was ready! She just had to show him how strong she had become!