Interlude – Revan's Past

Innocence Lost

The late afternoon was just perfect, with a welcoming breeze tempering the rising temperature that came with the cloudless, sunny sky. One of many perfect days in Taris' moderate climate. In this meteorological paradise the upper-class was on its way home; politicians, businessmen, lawyers and emissaries – all wearing the most exquisite garments to impress all who cared to watch – making laidback small talk to acquaintances. Friend was an unknown word here, everyone knew better than to trust another.

Their peaceful ritual was brutally disrupted by a grim presence approaching at a brisk pace, like a looming thunderstorm carrying its oppressive, suffocating atmosphere; a warning of the destruction soon to follow. The crowds parted, desperate to get out of the way of the angered lady strolling through the streets. Robes billowing widely behind her, beautiful face set in anger, strides long and quick. Should one be so senseless to approach her they'd be pushed back by the force of her mere aura alone.

"Damn politicians," the woman snarled under her breath. "I swear if that snake Haroph leers at me with his beady eyes one more time I'll give him a much needed diet, lightsaber style."

"Calm down, Rev," Meetra said with a worried look at her best friend and master, while doing her best to keep up with the other Jedi. "It would admittedly be very satisfying to kill the bastard, but even I can't imagine the pile of shit that'll land us in."

"Assassinating an important minister of a Republic world," Alek mused calmly, his long legs giving him little trouble keeping up with the other two. "On a scale from one to 'definitely not a good idea': definitely not a good idea."

A deep growl escaped Revan's throat. "I don't get it. Why do we get these shitty Mid Rim jobs while we could make ourselves more useful in the Outer Rim? I don't want to be the obedient bitch of a perverted human politician with the build of a Hutt. You'd almost think underhandedness increases with body weight. Force!"

Meetra chuckled at that. "It's probably the other way around. Let's just forget about the bastard and focus on our next assignment. Can't be as bad as this one."

Revan snorted, not believing that one bit. It was frustrating her to no end, all these crappy fetch jobs she was doing for high ranking Republic officials. The forced politeness and fake smiles were making her ill. She was a Jedi Knight dammit, not an errand-girl. It was almost as if the Jedi Masters were trying to keep her out of important matters. "I figured that by keeping our trinity together we'd be assigned to the most interesting jobs. We're the strongest Jedi of our age, for crying out loud!"

After her promotion to knight the Council had granted Revan's request of making Meetra her student, as they were confident enough in the Prodigy's ability to trust her with that responsibility. The circle was completed with Alek's assignment to Revan's command, also at her request. She was hell-bent on forming the most powerful Jedi triumvirate of all time and could be very convincing when needed.

So Revan had become the leader of their little gang, officially this time, complete with Council stamp of approval. And a fat lot it had helped her, she thought bitterly. It had been a few months since her promotion, but it had been the most horrible months of her life; her crappy youth on Nar Shaddaa included.

Suddenly Alek caught up with his friend and grabbed her around the shoulders, effectively blocking her stampede through the crowded streets. "Revan, I'm not usually the preachy sort, but right now would be an excellent time to think of the consequences of your actions. You're freaking out half of Taris' nobility with that face of yours."

At his words the raven haired woman looked around, for the first time seeing the many pedestrians staring at her with a mix of horror and aversion. In her anger she had unconsciously tapped into the Force to bolster her presence, an advanced and subtle technique meant to coerce people into co-operating. It could also be used by Dark Jedi to strike fear in people's hearts, which was exactly what she had been doing right now. "Shit." She quickly dispersed the Force blanket around her.

"Damn it, Rev," Alek snarled when the oppressive mood was gone. "What's wrong with you lately? You've been as cranky as a Sith Lord last few months."

Aviendha, that's what was wrong of course. The soft curves of the handsome Cathar battlemaster kept haunting Revan's dreams and with each night she was more and more convinced she had made the wrong choice. Her feelings for the woman had grown so strong not being with her almost made her physically ill. She should've pursued the woman, but now it was too late.

She turned away from two pair of inquisitive eyes; no way was she going to let them in on that secret. Meetra wouldn't let her hear the end of it for years to come.

The small brunette sighed and shook her head. "Why don't we go to a nice restaurant and order some good food to forget about all this crap? You can say what you want about Haroph, he tipped us enough creds to afford an expensive meal!" Leave it to Meetra to come up with a solution to Revan's infamous temper. The raven haired woman might not be picky about food, she did enjoy the pleasures of proper cuisine whenever they had the chance to eat something else than synthesized crap.

"Fine," the older woman snarled, although Meetra's bright face was already starting to cool her burning anger. "Let's enjoy this money the best we can. That way we haven't been optically molested for nothing."

The restaurant was exquisite with food to match, making the remainder of Revan's unrest dissolve effectively. If the waiters found it odd to find three Jedi lavishing themselves like this they didn't show it, their professionalism overruling everything else. Haroph's money was spent in one go, but none of them minded; even Alek let out a content sigh when the last plates were taken away.

They were moved to the lounge, where they sat down in deep, comfortable fauteuils. An ornate water pipe stood on the table, along with various expensive herbs. As soon as they were ignited their pleasant, sharp smell started to sooth their senses. Before long they were taking turns to inhale the spicy fumes, glad they could enjoy such a delicacy.

After a long, comfortable silence Revan spoke up her mind. "I don't get it. Why the shit do we get all these crappy jobs?"

Meetra yawned lazily, snugging deeper into the comfortable cushions. "You're about the youngest Jedi Knight ever, not to mention fresh and with a freighterload of potential. They don't want that potential to die because they sent you on an impossible mission."

"So how's letting Haroph undress me with his eyes proportional to our actual skill?" It was difficult keeping the acid out of her voice, even though the herbs were slowing her down. "I can understand they don't want to send us on a suicide mission, but this is ridiculous."

Alek sat forward and scratched the day-old stubbles on his chin. "D'you reckon they're on to us? That they keep us out of important worlds to avoid us asking questions about the Mandalorians?"

Ever since the Jedi Master's evasive behavior about Rhawones' claims of an all-out war in the Outer Rim the three of them had started an investigation. It was difficult and slow, because they couldn't abandon their responsibilities without raising suspicion. And asking other Jedi had proven futile; they had either laughed them in their faces for thinking the pathetic Mandies could pose a threat, or shut down and refused to answer any questions.

"Maybe," Revan slowly said. She wanted to forget about all this supposed 'Mandalorian War' business, but found that she couldn't. The Cathar and Aviendha in particular were too strongly on her mind to forget about it. "But our investigation is the direct result of their lying about it."

"No, they never lied," the brunette easily replied. When Revan gave her a death glare she quickly added, "But they never told us the truth either. They don't want the Jedi to fight the Mandies, because they're afraid such a war might corrupt us, like it once corrupted Exar Kun and his buddies. The best way to ensure no Jedi gets the urge to travel to the Outer Rim is by downplaying the threat. Make it seem all is quiet on the outer front, make the Mandies appear like a bunch of pussies."

"All the while the Republic borders are burning," Revan countered darkly.

"Sure, but you have to see it in the larger scheme of things," the young brunette explained calmly. She learned a long time ago not to fear her friend's dark moods. "The Order is still rebuilding from the Great Sith War, their main concern is preserving the small number of Jedi we have. That includes preventing them from falling to the dark side after experiencing the horrors of war. If that means some useless planets in outer territory fall, so be it."

"Who cares if some tribal alien races burn on their nameless planets?" Alek pointed out. "As long as the important stuff remains untouched no politician gives a shit."

He did make a good point, but somehow it didn't ease Revan's mind. She didn't want to care, shouldn't even care. Life's so successful because of the strong weeding out the weak. Survival of the fittest. But Aviendha came to mind, and the strange yet interesting culture she came from. If the Mandies were as strong as the Cathar wanted her to believe, that culture might very well be wiped out. And it wouldn't stop there. "Cultural diversity is going to be sacrificed for political stability."

Her two friends watched her with open mouths, shock clearly visible on their faces. "Is that really coming from your mouth?" Meetra asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm supposed to be the coldhearted bitch that doesn't give a fuck about some tribal weaklings living in tents. I'm supposed to believe in heavy industry and economical and technological advancement."

"Then what changed?" the brunette inquired, now sitting forward and eying her friend with a curiosity she hadn't shown in a long time.

Revan sighed. She had walked herself in a nice trap; she knew that look in Meetra's eyes very well. Inquisitor mode: engaged. Knowing there was nowhere to run she heaved another deep breath and decided to get it off her chest. "I met this girl. A Cathar girl."

Meetra's face broke in the widest smile possible. "No way! And you're only telling me this now? What's her name? What does she look like? What does she do? Who's her father? How does she live? What does she eat?" Lack of air halted her barrage of questions and she was forced to take a deep breath. Then she shot Revan a piercing look that made the senior Jedi flinch. "Tell. Me. Everything!"

The older woman held up her hands. "Look, the reason why I haven't told you is because we decided not to pursue it. She's the head of the princess' guard and I am a Jedi Knight. It would never work."

"Revan, what the hell?" the brunette demanded hotly, her face dropping faster than physically possible. "You actually talked about a relationship? You were both interested in each other, yet you walked away? You dumb bitch!"

Alek was still watching his friend with a shocked expression. "You and the steel eating battlemaster had an eye for each other? Seriously?" Het let out a low whistle.

Meetra was suddenly reminded of her male friend and turned her anger to him. "Squint, you asshole! How could you let her walk away? They should've been together!"

"I didn't even know those two were sweet for each other," he replied defensively. "You should've seen that woman. She was more likely to eat Revan's heart than her pussy!"

"Maybe you should pay attention to us for a change, you blind bastard! You think Revan is looking for a girl that subserviently sits at her feet and lovingly takes care of her house and her meals?"

Things quickly escalated between them and soon they had one of their infamous fights again. Revan watched them go at each other with a bittersweet smile, the little quarrel making her realize how much she wanted to see Aviendha, but also realizing that was never going to happen. She grabbed both their friends by the shoulder and pulled them apart. "Meet, what's done is done. I can't turn back time."

The brunette shot her an incredulous look. "Since when is 'resigned' an emotion you're capable feeling of? The Revan I chose to be my master always pursued her goals with hardheaded persistence, even if that goal was so blatantly impossible it was painful to watch her struggle."

"Look, there's more girls in the universe."

"No!" Meetra shook her head vigorously. "This one's different. You've been silent and moody ever since you left her. You're so into her just thinking about her aches your heart, aren't you? But what's more; she changed you. The same way Atris changed me. I'm right, aren't I Revan? If it weren't for her you wouldn't spare these Mandalorians even a single thought, but she has made you see that her way of life is something that's worth being preserved. She achieved the bloody impossible, you ruthless liberalist."

The tanned woman breathed a sigh. "You're right," she whispered. "To be honest not a day has gone by without thinking about Aviendha. It's driving me absolutely crazy."

"Explains why you're such a cranky bitch lately." Suddenly the young girl shot her a no-bullshit look. "We're going to Cathar."

Revan could only watch the girl in utter disbelieve. "W-wha…?"

"I'm making the decision you should've made back then." Meetra had folded her arms and was looking dead serious, making Revan shrink back a couple of inches. The brunette had made a thing of copying her master's behavior and the terrorizing aura was one of the first things on her list. Much to said master's dismay. "We're going there and you are going to let that woman fuck you senseless until the bloody Force begs her for mercy. Serves you right for leaving her in the cold for so long."

"Meet, do you know how much there's wrong with that idea?" Her eyes turned pleadingly to Alek in hope for his aid, but the bastard averted his eyes in fear. Meetra was as close as a little sister to them and they knew exactly what mood she was in. The one where you should pull the hell back and call for backup. "It's a warzone out there, our lives would be in constant danger. Besides, ignoring our duty to travel outside Republic space without Council consent will seriously piss some elders off. We can't just drop everything so I can get laid."

The brunette gave her a deep scowl. "You're a big pussy, Rev. Your halfhearted objections are just to cover up your insecurity about meeting her again."

"Maybe she has moved on," Revan said in a tiny voice. "There may be someone else."

Meetra rolled her eyes. "You won't find out unless you go there."

Unable to subvert that piece of infallible logic and knowing Meetra would push the matter until she got her way, Revan resigned.

Alek was looking very sour. "So if I want to sex a nice girl I get scornful looks, but when Revan wants it we're going to move heaven and earth to make it happen. Figures." When Meetra shot him a dirty look he quickly held up his hands. "Fine, whatever."

"So now the apprentice is ordering the master around?" the tanned woman muttered under her breath, but her heart made a little leap in joy. She was going to see Aviendha again. For better, or worse.

While going to Cathar was a most nerve-racking yet exciting prospect, the actual act itself was rather difficult. Tension in the Outer Rim had increased in the few months they had been away and Cathar was almost isolated from the outside world. An ancient yet powerful tactic: cut off the enemy's supplies.

Finding a transport to Cathar proved to be difficult. Asking the Republic would lead to difficult questions and unwanted attention, so they had to rely on privateers. After some asking around they found a traveling merchant whose next destination was the desert planet, an ugly Toydarian eager for lucrative business. When all else fails you can always trust on capitalism to save the day.

The alien had a rickety little freighter cramped with goods, leaving little room for the three hitchhikers. Alek was in the cockpit, chatting with the host who he somehow seemed to like, while Revan had holed herself up in the cargo hold to read in silence. That was, until her best friend walked in and interrupted her. "'sup nerd, reading again?"

Revan looked up and grinned sheepishly at the pretty brunette. "Old habits die hard."

Meetra rolled her eyes in mock exasperation, before slumping down next to her friend and resting her head on her shoulder. "What are you reading anyway?"

"Force Bonds…"

The smaller girl clacked her tongue in disapproval. "Bonds again… you know the ability to form them is innate, right? It's not something you can learn by reading about them, it just happens. Like I told you for like… two hundred times now?"

The raven haired woman smirked and playfully brushed her finger past the tip of Meetra's nose, making her face scrunch up from the tickling. "And that's the difference between us two. You walk the beaten track, whereas I don't give a fuck what the supposedly 'wise guys' say. If some of us didn't attempt the impossible from time to time we'd still be sitting in caves, hoping we'll find enough blueberries to fill out bellies."

The brunette yawned lazily. "Way to waste your energy. Boring nerd," she added in a low mutter.

"I heard that," Revan said absentmindedly, while continuing scrolling through the file. Meetra groaned, before pushing Revan's datapad away and straddling her master at the waist. The raven haired woman let out a surprised yelp and looked at her best friend in undignified surprise. "What the…?"

Meetra wrapped her arms around Revan's neck and smirked. "I'm bored, entertain me master."

Revan rolled her eyes, glancing at the discarded datapad. "Not now." When Meetra pouted, the other woman grinned. "Stop being cute, it won't work on me."

"You know I'll just be annoying until I get what I want, right?"

"Great, my apprentice turns out to be a blackmailing harpy."

"Like you didn't know what you were getting into when you took me. We know each other for how long now? Six years?"

"Fine, I'll entertain you." She smirked lecherously while she let her fingers wander through the crevices of Meetra's ribcage. "Let's get you out of your robes."

"Ewww!" The brunette gave her best friend a playful swat to the head. "Save that for your catfriend, you creep!"

Suddenly Revan's face fell to a nervous grin. "What if it really comes to it and won't be able to… y'know? Get her off?"

Meetra rolled her eyes again. "You're the single most gorgeous woman of the galaxy… if you won't be able to rock her world, no one will." When Revan continued looking uncertain she added, "C'mon Rev, don't worry. Things will come natural, you'll see. Atris and I were both virgin when it happened and it was the most wonderful thing ever." Her face fell ever so slightly.

The master gave her a bittersweet smile. "It's a shame she's so old-fashioned when it comes to the Code. You two would be such a cool couple."

"Well, probably. Minus the fact she's twenty-eight and I'm sixteen."

Revan let out an undefined noise. "Who gives a damn about some arbitrary statistics when you're face to face with the love of your life? Gender, race, background, age… it's so bloody pointless to make a big taboo out of it."

That put a slight smile on Meetra's face. She buried her face in Revan's neck and made herself comfortable, snuggling up in the warmth of the other woman's body. "You always make things sound so easy."

The raven haired woman simply shrugged. "Why bother making things unnecessary hard for yourself?"

"Why are you doing just that with Aviendha?" the brunette countered smartly, while sneaking a peak at the other woman from a single eye.

Revan chuckled, while affectionately pulling her best friend closer and making herself comfortable as well. "Good point. I'll stop that bullshit right away."

As they sat cuddled up in silence it didn't take long for Meetra's breathing to become deep and even. Soothed by the rhythmic breaths of the young woman Revan also quickly found peace in the land of dreams.

They offered no rest, the Mandalorians. Battle after battle they had fought against the vicious tinned enemies and it was starting to wear them down. None of Aviendha's spearmaidens had been slain yet, but she feared that moment might not be far off. The proud battlemaster had trained the elite of the elite, but even the finest warrior could be bested by sheer numbers.

Their current battle took place at a small village on the very outskirts of House Jenn territory. Twenty tents, surrounding a bigger one in the center of town, housing forty-eight souls. Hunter-gatherers, like most Cathar in these regions. Their equipment was simple and offered little resistance against the well-prepared Mandalorians. Rhawones and her Royal Guard had come to their aid, but were outnumbered four to one; in their current state the fall of a spearmaiden was not unlikely.

Being out here and risking her life was characteristic for Rhawones. The literal meaning of the princess' name was wild maiden, and she more than lived up to that name. The blood of the ancestors flowed undiluted through her veins, like liquefied fire rousing an ever burning passion. Like any true leader and warrior she was there for her people, mortal peril or not. After all, what good is a living princess to a dead clan?

Rhawones would not be locked up in an ivory tower. No, she'd defend her people with her very sweat and blood. And where Rhawones was, there was Aviendha, ready to protect the princess with her life. Death wouldn't bother her as much, as long as the princess was safe.

Aviendha was surprised by her own nihilistic thought, but realized it was exactly what her life had become. Such a simple action, letting Revan leave, yet such harsh consequences. Only now she realized how deeply she felt for the handsome Jedi Knight, only now she realized how blasphemous her action had been. Ignoring pure love given by the Goddesses was a deep insult and now she was paying dearly.

Normally her action would mean she'd be sentenced to a life of servitude for an indefinite period. If one cannot make decisions by herself, she doesn't deserve control. It would reduce her to a simple housemaid or something similar, until she had proven herself worthy again and repaid her debt to the Trinity. But her debt was so large it would take multiple lifetimes to be redeemed.

The war and Rhawones' mercy had saved her from that fate. Rhawones couldn't miss her battlemaster in these times and cared a great deal about Aviendha. They had grown up alongside of each other ever since they were helpless whelps, both destined to become what they were today. That's why the princess kept her silence, even though she was deeply disappointed.

So now Aviendha lived with the constant nagging feeling of emptiness coupled with the princess' disdainful stares, making her life double hard. And she had only herself to thank for it. If only she could meet the love of her life one more time, she could make things right. But she had no way of contacting the Jedi, so that chance was naught.

If she didn't have the duty of protecting the princess she might've given up long ago. It would be incredibly simple, making a little slip in battle to allow an opponent to slice her throat. After all, what meaning did life have anymore, except for her duty? She was barely more than an outcast, who was destined to live a life in solitude. The Goddesses wouldn't waste another lover on someone as ungrateful as her.

Instead she fought with bitter determination, clinging to the only thing that still mattered: her duty. There was no lack of battles to be fought, all clans suffered attack after attack. The Mandalorians were still bitter from their defeat during the Great Sith Wars. Rhawones wanted to fight as much battles as possible, allowing them little rest. The mighty princess would sooner die from exhaustion than to let the Mandalorians defile her lands.

She calculated their odds and came to a grim conclusion. Four to one. Her spearmaidens all tired and some injured. The villagers tough and able to fight, but of a completely different level than the Mandalorians. There was no doubt about it, her Royal Guard would lose its first spearmaiden today. Aviendha already regretted their lives.

Her spear was locked with a red-armored enemy. His skill with the vibrosword no doubt meant he was one of their lieutenants. The length of her weapon gave her a slight advantage, the sharp of his blade had trouble reaching her body. She heard one of her maidens scream in agony and felt the beast within her stir. Anger gave her vision a blurry red haze and she knew she had to meditate. If her inner beast came out now the consequences would be dire.

Once she had been infamous for her rages, as she always had little control over her fierce temper. She was banished to the wilderness, where she had to stay until she could control the beast dwelling within her. Every month a group of spearmaidens would come to test her, only to return home with bad wounds from the mighty warrior.

It took almost a full year to gain complete control, but the consequences were disastrous. The clan sent a childhood friend to talk to her, but in her fierce rage she didn't recognize him. Only when his mangled corpse lay in front of her did she see what she had just done. Her rage immediately vanished to make way for complete agony. She never allowed herself such weakness again. From that point on whenever the beast threatened to overwhelm her, his battered face came to mind, reminding her of the consequences of giving in to it.

Right now it was a livid image, but for the first time he couldn't temper her.

Death and fire were all around her as she fought against her enemy and against herself. With a single, vicious stab she ended the life of her opponent, but found two more in his place. A villager dropped dead next to her, another soul she failed to protect. Her blood boiled, control slipped, a berserker rage was imminent.

A sudden gust of wind started her and for a single moment the entire skirmish seemed to grind to a halt. Then, like the Goddesses' Revenge embodied, a human woman leaped into the fray. Brown robes billowed widely behind her and a single violet lightsaber lay in her hand. Her beautiful, tanned face was contorted in rage as she began slashing wildly around her. The air became vibrant with energy, making the sands shift in a terrible sandstorm pelting everything in its path.

Aviendha realized the storm was centered in the Mandalorians ranks, and immediately knew this was not another enemy, but rather a very familiar friend. Hope sprouted in her heart like grass around a fresh oasis formed after the first rain of the year and she battled her enemy with renewed vengeance. From the corners of her eyes she saw two other Jedi enter the battle, a tall male and a shorter female. She smirked, before letting out a vicious battle cry that struck fear in the hearts of those opposing her.

Revan – her beautiful Revan – was truly a sight to behold, with her violent sword style and powerful magic. During the battle Aviendha often found her eyes wander to the beauty of nature and she silently thanked the Goddesses for giving her this second chance. This one she'd not let go to waste.

The skirmish ended much faster than she had anticipated, in no small part thanks to the three powerful Jedi. None of her spearmaidens had perished, a thing she hadn't anticipated. The village was saved as well, although much of their resources had been lost to the Mandalorian bonfires. They could be replenished. In a silent prayer she thanked the Goddesses for their mercy.

With all her heart she wanted to go to Revan, but right now she had her duty to tend to. The area had to be secured and the wounded treated. One of her maidens – a vicious little vixen called Xanphares – sported a nasty wound on her side, which had to be looked after. She spotted Revan talking to the princess, the Jedi looking rather nervous and Rhawones rather stern. Aviendha couldn't suppress a smirk, apparently Revan was getting scolded as well.

The two of them briefly locked eyes and the raven haired human offered a tentative smile. Aviendha returned it and nodded, before indicating she had to go to her soldiers. Revan nodded in understanding, sending a clear message: we'll talk later. And talk they would, the battlemaster was curious why this woman was here, how they got on the planet and how they had found the princess in these deserted lands. Revan was a very resourceful creature.

Oh yes, they'd talk. And do much more, hopefully.

The trio had been appointed their own makeshift tent to spend the night in. Alek and Meetra had already tucked in – Alek's fighting style required a lot of energy and Meetra's hyperactive way of life required even more – but Revan was wide awake. She was standing in front of the tent staring at the stars and mulling over the princess' words. By ignoring her feelings for Aviendha and abandoning her she had almost made the battlemaster an outcast. It was only thanks to the princess' grace that Aviendha still had her job.

A single decision had almost destroyed two lives.

A sudden voice startled her. "Not often Catharese nights are this beautiful." When the knight looked around she saw Aviendha standing next to her, looking into the cloudless sky with a tiny smile on her lips. The faint light of faraway fires and the stars cast a warm glow on the Cathar's skin and Revan couldn't help but notice how beautiful her face was. Feminine, but with sharp, aggressive features. And the lush lips, damn!

"If you hadn't come when you did there's a good chance I wouldn't have been able to enjoy this view anymore."

An exaggeration, Revan knew the battlemaster would've survived even without their intervention. The Cathar was showing her inclination by being modest. Revan wasn't planning to be modest this time around though, she openly appraised Aviendha's lithe form with an approving smirk. "Me neither."

The feline's head snapped to Revan. When she saw the human's lustful look her eyes started to fill with desire. "Subtlety is not your strong suit, I see."

The Jedi's grin only widened further. "Oh, I can be subtle. I just don't have the desire to be so."

Aviendha's lips curled in a most charming little grin. "And might I ask what you do desire?"

The raven haired woman now fully turned to the Cathar battlemaster, face suddenly sincere. "Since I left not a night has gone by without thinking of you," she said silently.

Aviendha reached out and gently caressed the human's cheek, an incredibly soft gesture for someone so fierce. "You know, when the Princess learned that I let you go she nearly banished me." Her voice dropped to a hoarse whisper. "Honor your clan, honor your duty, honor your mate. Three simple rules the Cathar live by in honor of the Goddesses that gave us life. They let us fall in love and by ignoring it I committed the gravest form of blasphemy."

The young Jedi Knight stepped a bit closer. "You mean…" She craned her neck and gently kissed the beautiful Cathar's lips. "…this…" A tiny lick followed the kiss, and her arms wrapped around the feline's slim waist. "…will land us in Cathar heaven?"

Aviendha laughed a rich, full laugh, which reverberated through Revan's body as they were pressed together. Yellow eyes ignited with lust and she leant in to kiss Revan in return. "I'm not sure if our definitions of heaven are the same." Her slim fingers took hold of the human's face, who shivered from the contact. "But I'm pretty sure I can show you heaven, if only for a little while." Aviendha's voice had become low and husky, turning Revan on to the point where she almost couldn't contain herself anymore.

They were going to do this; Revan was going to lose her virginity.

Nerves and anticipation flared up, but she managed a composed and confident smile. "I'd prefer my heaven with a little privacy," she quipped, trying to sound cocky but unable to keep a slight quaver out of her voice.

Aviendha chuckled, before taking Revan by the hand and leading her to her tent.

What started as a tender, affectionate exchange of soft pecks on the lips and gentle stroking slowly intensified into searing hot, passionate kisses and exploring touches. Revan couldn't keep her fingers off the body pressing into her, amazed by the incredible feeling. The Cathar's body was a network of flat muscles constantly writhing underneath a layer of skin softer than the finest silk. Coupled with the heath radiating from her body Aviendha was like a fluffy pillow Revan could curl up to for hours.

The touch, the scent, the taste… it all added up to the building feeling of arousal in the pit of Revan's stomach. Clothes were shed, more intimate parts explored. Deft fingers wandered over the six firm muscles of Aviendha's abdomen, gliding through the ridges with an almost reverent touch. Long fingers took hold of Revan's firm butt, squeezing gently as to test the pliability of the flesh.

They battled for control. It was subtle yet present. Revan had noticed it even at the first tentative intrusion of Aviendha's tongue. The long, flexible and powerful muscle overwhelmed hers, giving a clear message: you're mine. But the human wasn't about to surrender; all her life she had fought for independence, she wasn't going to give that up now. She told the Cathar to back off with little gestures: pushing away a hand, biting down on her bottom lip a little too hard, pinching a nipple…

It escalated when Aviendha pushed Revan on her back and straddled her at the waist, while pushing the human's wrists down hard and kissing her deeply. The knight wormed free from the powerful grasp and tried reverting their positions. It became nothing short of wrestling, all while kissing, nibbling and touching each other.

Aviendha was tall and powerful, but Revan was in the prime of her life and strengthened by the Force. In the end the Jedi successfully worked the battlemaster on her back and pushed her down. The feline tried one more time to break free, only to find her lover was too strong. She let out a low whine and slumped down, resigned to her fate.

When she saw Revan smiling victoriously above her, her face softened into a grin. "Everyone always expected I'd find a gentle mate I could take care off. It's almost unreal to find a warrior more potent than myself. But you are one hell of a woman Revan, submitting to you is no shame." Her brows knitted into a frown. "Although the spearmaidens won't ever let me hear the end of it."

The raven haired woman grinned playfully while stroking the Cathar's cheek in a possessive manner. "Don't worry, my kitten. I won't let them ridicule what is mine."

Aviendha's entire pose relaxed and she looked up into Revan's eyes wearing a reassured expression. "You're as honorable as any Cathar, I can safely put my trust in you."

With their roles decided they attacked each other with renewed vigor, this time Aviendha allowing Revan free reign. The human loved the feeling of power she just got and eagerly took charge, helping the beautiful Cathar out of the remainder of her clothes. Before long the tall battlemaster lay on display beneath her and she took her time to take in the sight of lean muscles and soft curves. "You're beautiful," she breathed.

"Prove it," Aviendha whispered hoarsely in return, her yellow eyes simmering under heavy eyelids.

And prove she did. Fueled by their earlier ministrations Revan couldn't hold back anymore. While her tongue teased a pointy ear one hand worked on an erect nipple and the other found the wet folds between Aviendha's legs. A desperate moan told her she set these erogenous zones on fire, making Revan feel proud she could give her lover such pleasure.

After one last searing hot kiss she descended downwards, leaving a trail of teasing kisses and licks in her wake. The toned body was constantly writhing and quivering underneath her and she had to use some force to keep Aviendha right where she wanted her. Her wonderful journey ended right above the feline's center, where she shot a teasing look upward. The battlemaster groaned desperately. "P-please Revan, just end it."

Needing no further encouragement she dove right in, using everything at her disposal – tongue, lips and fingers – to please her lover. She carefully observed how the other responded to her motions and changed them accordingly. Meetra had been right, it came naturally. Filled with renewed confidence and with the taste and scent of her lover overwhelming her senses it took no time at all to bring Aviendha to an erupting climax.

It would be the first of many that night.

The heaven was already starting to brighten when a contented Aviendha curled up against her lover, stroking the soft skin of Revan's abdomen. "I love you, Revan."

It was just wonderful how much that simple, sincere sentence affected her. Sure, she loved Alek and Meetra, but this feeling was so much stronger. "And I you," she muttered, kissing the top of Aviendha's head. "Sorry for taking control like that, I hope I didn't shame you in any way."

The feline pulled herself closer. "Don't be an idiot, you proved to be the stronger one." She offered no further explanation.

"I don't think I'll ever understand your people," a confused Revan breathed.

Aviendha placed a tender kiss in the human's neck. "We're a straightforward people. Don't think in bends and you'll do fine."

The human chuckled. "That still doesn't explain why you allowed me to take charge. Or why your princess all but forced you into a lesbian relationship. Where I come from homosexuality isn't exactly accepted, you know?"

The feline let out a disapproving growl. "You people put way too much value on appearance and ancient ideals. We Cathar believe an individual is made up from two things: essence and talents. The essence – the soul – defines your personality and is linked with those around you: your family, your friends, your comrades and your lover. It's an enormous web that's constantly changing, but strong connections won't ever be severed. The most important connection – the one with your lover – is forged by the Goddesses, their most beautiful gift. They don't care about gender or profession. If they want a female warrior to bond with a female tailor, or a male blacksmith with a male butcher, so be it. It's rare to happen, because it won't generate offspring, but when it does happen everyone accepts it as Their Will."

"That's beautiful. So tell me about these talents you mentioned."

"It decides your place in our hierarchy. Each person is individually gifted. I'm an exceptional warrior, so I've attained the highest possible rank in the warrior caste. But in the tailor caste I'm nothing, so I have no authority to speak there. This combination of essence and talents defines who we are. It's up to us to sculpt them; form connections, hone talents, and eventually use them to aid the clan."

The human pushed the feline a little closer and made herself comfortable against her lover. "And these talents mean I'm the dominant one in our relationship?"

"Not dominant, per se. In our clan the strong protect the weak. The weak have to respect that by obeying their superiors. It's why I obey you, because you're my superior. But it gives you responsibility and the duty to take care of me." She pulled her head back and gave Revan a stern look. "This doesn't mean you can abuse my subservience, that would be about the gravest form of disrespect."

Revan smiled lazily and placed a tender kiss on Aviendha's lips. "Of course I wouldn't abuse you, I love you." The feline smiled in an assured way and relaxed again, while the human breathed a longing sigh. "Your culture sounds much better than the egocentric, materialistic world I came from. I'd love to learn more about it."

A worried grimace spread over Aviendha's beautiful features. "You chose a bad time to arrive, with this war going on. And I'm not a scholar, I'm afraid. But I will show you my world. And when this senseless war finally comes to an end I'd like to see yours."

"I like that you say when and not if."

The battlemaster puffed her chest proudly. "I haven't stooped so low that I'm afraid of losing to some lily-livered Mandalorians." Confidence almost palpably radiated from the woman and Revan could only admire her willpower. She was proud this extraordinary woman had just called her her superior.

"Then let's end this war and live our lives, together."

Aviendha hummed in agreement and closed her eyes to get some sleep, safely enclosed by the arms of her lover.

"Together."

A/N: I've been struggling on this chapter for way too long, it almost became a block for me. I'm not exaggerating when I say I've rewritten it about three times. But I've finished it and now I can focus on Xana and her lovely crew once more! Major thanks to all of you who've pulled me through this.

For those who haven't seen it yet and are interested: you can find the first chapter of my Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines story on my profile page. It's called Concrete Forest and is something of an experimentation project for me. Basically what happens when you send a loony Malkavian and a vain, hotheaded Toreador into vampire society unprepared and force them to work together. I'll give a free hint: femslash… Check it out if you're into that sort of thing.

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