"Come on, by the Goddess you are slow!" Sera rushed me in a harsh whisper. The Sith had always been an impatient one, ever in a rush to get to the end destination with little focus on the current events.
I couldn't help but to let out a little giggle at her insistence as I scurried quietly out my bedroom window. "I'm coming, I couldn't leave without this." As I landed with a loud thud next to her on the beaten earth, I placed my hand on the necklace she had given to me for my eighteenth birthday. I was instantly rewarded with one of her rare sweet smiles.
"Okay, well in that case I can forgive you, at least this once." She said as she leaned in to rest her forehead against mine, lips almost in reach but I pulled back slightly and made her frown. "Your Mother will eventually find out. She will notice when she wakes one day and we are both far away from here."
My pale white hand came up and gently caressed her ruby cheek as I smiled sadly at her. "Hopefully that day will be soon, my love." To my own surprise I leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips, at first, and then it grew in passion as she wrapped her arms around me, pulling me against her. I wanted to keep kissing her but there was a sound of something rustling in the garden bushes a few metres away from us which caused us to break apart with a spike of panic.
"I think it is time we go to our spot before one of your Mother's pets catches us in your backyard…what?" Sera asks as I smirked at her.
"Nothing, I just love that you call them her 'little pets', I should start using that line. It'll always make me think of you and smile." I let my hand lightly trace along her short facial bone spur so common to her species, I am lucky she lets me play with them as often as she does. "Okay, you're right we should go." I laced my fingers in hers' and pulled her along behind me as we rushed through the gardens towards the little cave she had fixed up for us so long ago.
As I reached the door first I turned back towards her, trying to catch my breath to gloat but she was already on me, pinning me to the door as she kissed me. Unable and not willing to break the tirade of kissing I moved my hand to the panel and felt the door slide open but not in time to stop us from stumbling into the room beyond. "Oh shit, I'm sorry I didn't-" I try to apologise but Sera had that gleam in her eyes, she had captured her prey and there were no more words, only actions.
Laying in the bed curled up together, I traced my fingers over her soft, warm body, wishing that I never had to leave. She must have sensed my line of thinking because she stirred so that she was looking up at me from her resting spot on my stomach. "I am sorry I cannot help having the thoughts and feelings around you. You have told me every time not to hide them from you."
"I know, I have told you that since we were children and used to play together in the field outside of this cave." She changed her position and lifted herself up, first on her elbows so she could kiss and then randomly bite along my abdomen, causing me to jump slightly. She stopped at the worst of my scars and looked down at it sadly before leaning down and kissing it ever so softly. "I will not let her ever do something like that to you again. I swear it." When she looked up her yellow eyes were blazing with a fierce promise and defiance.
"There's that passion you Sith are so famous for. I love you Sera and I want to be with you forever. Let's run away tonight." The words tumble out of my mouth without any thought to stop them, I just want her to know I am finally saying yes to her after all this time.
Her hand came up and gently cupped my flushing cheek as she smiled brightly at me. "You're finally saying yes to me? Really? No holding back, can we truly leave tonight and go start off on our own life without your family?" The hope was clear in her voice as her smile grew even larger. I nodded my head knowing that words would only detract from the moment. She rushed up my body and pushed me down onto the soft bed, pinning me with her own body as she kissed me passionately, truly elated with the news.
We made love one last time that night before we then kissed outside the door, dreading the short time we were to be apart but eager to start our new life together. "No matter how long we are together, I will never tire of kissing you, Sera."
She smiled against my lips before responding as she laced our fingers together, "I feel the same way about you my dearest Ahhotep. You have no idea how happy you have made me this morning. Now get home quickly before your Mother notices you're missing. I'll meet you here tonight, the usual time to leave." She kissed me once more before we took off at a sprint to our separate homes, trying desperately to beat the sunrise home.
The house was silent, no one in the gardens as I ran, barely reaching out with the Force to feel for anyone around me. I gathered the Force and launched myself into my room through my open window coming to a skidding halt, almost ramming right into Isis' solid form. My heart pounded in my chest, the blood rushed in my ears, and I was covered in a cold sweat as I just sat there on the ground looking up at my eldest sister with sheer horror.
"You are an idiot, do you know that? Mother thinks that you are the Chosen One for this damn family and yet you are a fool like none other. You know Mother loathes Purebloods and yet here you are running off to the forest to hide in that precious little cave of yours night after night, like it's some kind of couples retreat." Isis said with her usual dark, deep tone that sent shivers down my spine. Her burly arms were crossed over her chest in the most disapproving posture anyone could have.
"I-I-I don't know wha-" My words got cut off as Isis reached out with the Force to constrict my windpipe. I tried to scratch at my throat, willing the invisible hand to loosen its grip if not let go completely.
"I may be a beast of war, as Mother calls me, but I am not a complete idiot, baby sister. I have my own spies to keep an eye on you. You were seen last night outside your window with Sera, you were even stupid enough to kiss her on our family property!" The words came out like pure venom. Isis had never approved of my friendship with Sera, she had always said she was beneath me.
"I-I lo-love...her." I managed to just barely get the words out. I noticed a little flicker in my sister's red ringed yellow eyes but it was gone so quickly that I'm not even sure it was ever there. Almost a look of understanding of love.
She finally let me go and dropped me in a heap on the floor. As she turned to leave the room she said over her shoulder to me, "If you truly do love her then you will send her away. Never tell Mother what happened and just take random lovers to your bed. Never get attached, baby sister." There was a sad note in her voice but I didn't understand why. I could sense there was more to her words but I would never dare to ask for fear of what she would do to me for prying into her personal life.
The rest of the day passed in a blur as I went through the motions of my training but cannot remember what any of my instructors said that day. Opening a log with T8 I started to ramble on about random thoughts as they popped into my mind while I gathered my belongings. It was almost as if it were any normal day but for once there was a thread of hope tugging me along.
Nephthys was strangely kind today. I don't know why, I know her and Isis have always been close but I don't think my sister would share her findings with her old Master. I've never understood why Mother chose Nephthys. She hates Purebloods with a passion and she has never hidden that fact, not even to spare Nephthys and yet the Sith has stayed all of these years, I don't know if I will ever know why though. It matters not, tonight I will be leaving this forsaken compound and striking out with the woman I love and living how we want to live. I will have a beautiful garden T8. I will grow the wild flowers Sera and I used to roll around in as children and I will grow fruits and vegetables. It will be perfect. Eventually we will have children of our own. She will teach them the way of her people and I will be in charge of their in class teaching; history will be the best. I hope we have one of each, a little boy and a little girl, and that they will love each other unconditionally. Not like how things have always been between my sisters and I. My tone changed and T8 beeped softly at me reminding me that, for a droid, he loved me. I smiled as I patted his metallic head lovingly. I know you do, my little friend and I love you too. It'll be just you, me and Sera for a while. Now take this bag to the cave and await me there. It's only another two hours and then it'll be time to leave. I hope you didn't let me forget anything. He beeped in outrage and I laughed at my little astromech before telling him it's alright before I sent him on his way.
The final hour felt like an eternity to pass. The sun had already gone down but we always liked to wait an hour after dark to give people time to settle and get lost in their nighttime routines. Less likely to notice two young ladies sneaking off into the forest then.
Finally the time came and I climbed out my window like I had so many nights before since becoming friends with Sera. I quickly and quietly made my way through the gardens and to our cave. A safe place with so many happy memories. The only place outside of the library that I could truly say I was happy in. I managed to get there only a few minutes early and find the cave dark inside. I must have made it here before her for once. I'll have to remember to gloat about that later. I spent the next few hours waiting for my lover to show up to finally start our life together, but she never came. After the first two hours I had started to sob off and on going through a cycle of hope and denial. After Several hours of the cycle T8 finally convinced me that since the sun was coming up we should go home and investigate what happened in the morning. So as to avoid any possible ugly outcomes within the family setting. In truth it was a smart plan.
The walk of shame home took me three times longer as I dragged my feet, dreading going home and finding out that she had left the planet with some other while I am stuck here to be one of Mother's little pets. As I walked on autopilot I failed to notice the scuffling of feet as I was being surrounded. I only became aware far too late, when I was knocked in the back of the head with something hard then darkness filled my vision.
When I came to, I was groggy at first. I could tell I was in a cell of some sort, but not one I had ever seen previously. My half of the room was lit with bright white light but the other side was in complete darkness. Even in my dim state I could tell there was someone over there but who, I did not know. My head still throbed from the blow I took earlier and it would not allow me to focus enough to call on the Force. That was when I realised my arms and legs were chained. Not like how I used to be strapped down as a child for Mother's experiments but, my arms were chained separately to the wall behind me, holding me upright on my knees. My ankles were bound as well, keeping them together. I was clearly not meant to be moved any time soon, I could already feel the pulling at my shoulders and it made me wonder how long I had been in that position for.
Suddenly there were voices getting closer to the room, one clearly a male's based on the deepness and the other seems to be female. My mind was still swimming and it slowed my reaction but then it hit me, "By the Goddess, it's Mother…"
"How nice of you to finally join us, whore." Mother sneered as she entered the room to stand before me. I gingerly lifted my head up only to have it rocket back down when she struck me with the back of her hand. For a smaller woman she had a surprising strength too, something that I had always tried to push from my memories out of self preservation I suppose. "A filthy Pureblood! You have sullied yourself by being with her and you have sullied our house name by trying to…. Run away with her. You disgusting little wretch. I have had many thoughts about how this would go. I could just simply kill you both, no one would care." She had begun to pace the floor as her anger built to the point of overflow. "I own you and your sisters, you are my property to do with as I wish. None of you have made names for yourselves. Other than your traitorous sister who left to join the Jedi and she will be dealt with in time. You, however…" She trailed off and I knew she was trying to focus her anger so she could continue to speak in her horrifying calm voice. It was when that voice came out that I always knew what would come next, a sudden need to be left awake while she sliced into me and tried out new technologies or old Sith spells. "You were my prized possession, you were to learn all that I have and take my place above your sisters, where you belong. My dear girl you are the smartest of my children, the heights you will take this house will be amazing. You will have Isis as your war hound and Neith as her counterpart who protects your person." She knelt down before me and I can see the malice in her eyes overpowering the sickeningly sweet tones of her speech. All of her anger, her rage, had been fully brought under control. "Now all we have to do is correct this little… hiccup. As I said, I have put much thought into this. How best to leave an everlasting mark on you so you will permanently learn your lesson. Then it came to me as if it was a sign from the Goddess." She waved her hand at the man, who I then recognized as the horrible human, Lord Barcus.
The lights on the other half of the room flicked on and there she was, strung up in much the same fashion as myself. Her head still hung down, clearly still unconscious from whatever Mother's pets had done to her. As I looked at her I realised that there's something different about her chains holding her in place, there were tubes intertwined with the chains and connected to her. It was the first time that I realised there was a machine in the room along with us, connected to the tubes. "What are you going to do to her?!" My words were drenched in panic, not even trying to hide it from Mother.
A disgusted sneer contorted her haggard face as she walked closer to Sera. "I'll do as I please. However, it'll be you who kills her my-" She stopped to scowl before continuing her sentence. "Darling daughter. You should recognize the serum. It's one of your own creations, a disease that only attacks Purebloods. Oh goody she was awake to hear that." A monstrous grin covered Mother's face as she used the Force to lift Sera's head to show the tears streaming down her blood red face.
I pulled hard against the chains and instantly felt pain rip through my exhausted aching body. My chains were connected to a power supply sending volts of electricity tearing through my entire being. I screamed out in a mixture of physical and emotional pain. Instead of yelling, no, I only screamed out her name. "SERA!"
The look of utter disgust was vivid upon Mother's pale face. "You, disappointment." She grabbed onto Sera's black hair and jerked her head back so she was looking at me. "You will watch as she suffers and you will know you are the cause of all this." She went silent and I could sense it, she called on the tendrils with her magic. A dark smile creased her lips as the tendrils appeared and slowly started to crawl across the floor towards Sera. The purple grey misty tendrils were one of the most feared spells to be used in Sith Sorcery. They were also notoriously difficult to conjure. Mother enjoyed showing off for all who witnessed her sadistic pleasures.
"Mother, please don't, I'll do as you ask, just let her go!" I never thought I would want to bargain for someone's life as badly as I did that day. I pulled against the restraints and screamed out in anguish when the shock courses through my body again. I deserved the pain for what was about to be done to my lover… I deserved far worse.
As I sagged in my chains I could vaguely hear Sera growling threats to Mother, a smile played on my lips even in this state. "I'll rip your throat out if you touch her again!" I heard her grunt and could tell Mother was letting the tendrils close in around Sera.
I finally lifted my head, my light brown hair matted to my sweaty face slightly obstructing my view, to see the first misty tendril touch Sera's forearm. Her face transformed from one of anger and contempt to one of strained pain and a flicker of understanding. I had told her about the tendrils before, they're hard to describe until you've felt it for yourself. It causes pain and emptiness all at the same time. It gives its victims a look behind the curtain of the void, the nothingness they will be banished to should they succumb to the tendrils. Sera barred her teeth against it to the point of chipping her fanged canines, trying not to let the emotions overwhelm her.
I called out to her with the Force, sending love and admiration. Aloud, "I am right here, my love." Our eyes locked across the room as more tendrils started clawing at her, burning away the fabric of her clothes and seering into her tender flesh beneath, not long enough to sever the body parts but just to leave tendrils burned into her arms, legs, and chest but stayed clear of her face for some reason. Tears of anger and pain trickled down her cheeks.
"Ah there it is, the thought I wanted from you, a most touching image, my sickly whore of an offspring. You love her but you have… touching, memories of these." Mother reaches down and roughly grabs hold of Sera's facial spurs causing the Pureblood Sith to cry out in agony as the facial spurs were sensitive in her species.
Without thinking I immediately growled out and pulled hard against my restraints. "DON'T YOU TOUCH HER!"
Mother's eyes glowed with malicious intent once the words barely left my lips. I saw two tendrils scar their way slowly up Sera's abdomen and chest and then slowly Mother controlled them to sever her bone spurs. The pain overwhelmed Sera as she let out a blood curdling scream. I tugged harder against my restraints feeling the electricity course through me but I did not stop. I let pain feed my anger until I felt Mother push me back with the Force, causing her tendrils to evaporate.
"You are a fool and will get yourself killed. I still have a use for that vessel yet. Don't you ever forget that fact my… pet." She snarled wickedly.
I sagged against the restraints fighting to breathe, feeling the burning in my lungs from the severe scorching. As I continued to wheeze I could sense Mother getting closer until she was standing before me and grabbed my head with both hands, forcing me to look into her hate filled golden glowing eyes. "You will not sacrifice yourself in some bold move to save that filth, you will watch as your own creation takes her from you." She dropped my head nodding to Lord Barcus who in turn flipped the switch on my machine but I found the strength to lift my head to look at Sera. "Mother…..p-pl-ease." I managed to scratch out a last desperate plea but it fell on deaf ears. Mother's eyes were focused on the purple poison slowly winding its way through the tubing, getting ever closer to Sera.
"Hey, look at me, Ahhotep." Sera instructed me from across the metallic room, even in her weakened state. I turned my gaze to her wishing so badly that I would have left sooner with her, trying to convey that all in one look. She gave me that rare sweet smile and said it to me for the first and last time in front of Mother. "I love you nuyak Auka (my prey)." Her face strained as the liquid burned its way through her veins but even through that she still focused on keeping her yellow eyes locked on mine. Love shone brightly in them even as the pain crept in more and more.
I knew it would not be long before it burned its way through her whole system but then kept her in that state for days or maybe even weeks. I had designed it to be used for torturing the Sith species specifically. It slowly and painfully eats away at the organs and veins, keeping them in an alive and aware state near to death but not quite over the edge.
"You will sit here and watch as she dies. I do not care how long it takes, you will stay here and learn your lesson, Vessel." Mother spoke over her shoulder in a bored poisonous voice before walking from the cell of a room.
Lord Barcus flicked off the machine then walked over to me, a cocky grin plastered across his face the entire time. "I told you, you should have married me when I asked. I could have protected you from your Mother but, you were too proud and foolish. Well what now, simple girl? You've made yourself a Sith filth of a whore and for nothing." His grin went from one of triumph to that of disgust as he glared down at me. His bushy brown brows furrowed in disgusted anger at the memory of being turned down for a Pureblood Sith.
"Come down so that I might look upon you once more with new eyes, Darling Feneris." A flicker of hope pierced his grey eyes as he eagerly knelt down before me. The stench of stale Tarisian ale heavy on his breath. "Come closer so I may whisper it to you." Like a fool he leaned in, once close enough I leaned in and kissed him, making sure my tongue worked its way into his foul mouth. Without warning I pull hard against my restraints and feel the electricity racing through my body into his, the smell of burning flesh quickly burning into my nostrils. It felt like an eternity our mouths attached before guards rushed in forcing him free and me back to stop the pulsing waves of electrical current. Smoke rose from my body as the electricity ceased to flow through me. The Force was the only thing that kept my heart beating at that time, if Sera had not been alive still I would have let life free of me.
"What the hell just happened? Is-is he alive?" The bigger guard asked the one kneeling next to the prone Sith Lord's body. A slight shake of his head brought a pleased smile to my lips and an unexpected chuckle. "Your Mother will deal with you later. Get the body out of here and shut off the lights."
I watched as they dragged the corpse of Fenris from the room, beyond pleased with myself that the half baked plan worked. "Isis would be proud…" I heard a grunt of agreement from Sera followed by groans of pain.
"Try not to fight it my Huntress." I croaked out in a harsh voice.
"W-why...did you… make this?" Sera struggled to get the words out as her jaw began to lock.
"I did it to make Mother happy… proud. I never told you about it because I was ashamed of what I had created." I quietly and shyly explained.
"Cure?" Sera barely got the words out in more than a whisper.
I shook my head then remembered she couldn't see me. "No cure. Only a slow painfully aware death." I reached out with the Force to sense her heart breaking emotionally and physically. "I am so sorry, Sera." I pulled hard against my chains, letting the electricity tear through me to stoke my rage. Once it was built enough I let out a scream and used the Force to rip the restraints from their bolts to the wall and floor. I collapsed to the floor, a wheezing smouldering mess as I felt my implants stuttering inside me trying to release the healing solutions. Mother had been kind enough to install those first so many years ago, though they had been replaced several times since with better upgrades. Feeling the implants active was painful in itself but it was worth the end result of being able to heal almost immediately.
After a few moments I had gotten enough relief to start dragging myself slowly across the strained floor to Sera. I followed the sound of her laboured breathing, listening for it to get louder until I stretched out landing a hand on her thigh, feeling her recoil from the pain of the sensation. "I am so sorry." I fought to hold back tears.
"It's fine." She hissed between gritted fangs as she fought for control a little while longer.
I focused all of my power rip her restraints from her wrist and ankles. Hearing her slump to the floor, I crawled over and pulled her pained quivering body onto my lap to have her cradled there. "I'm so sorry" I repeated to her in a soft whisper as I lightly caressed her violet lined cheek, the tears stung my eyes. The poison had worked its way toward her eyes as it was designed to do, take the sight first so the other senses grew more keen. Then the victim could feel more of the torture my mother desired to inflict.
"Po...em." She got out from her clenched teeth.
I took a deep breath to centre myself, gathering the Force to me slowly rebuilding it. "Of course my love." I cleared my throat to try and speak more clearly. My voice had already faltered several times, even then it had cracked as I declared my love.
"Honestly, Nu Geida Nu were Guduma.
Dauti Nyâsh tears, M'tye Kairys Nun ir said,
"alas, Kait terribly Mes Kesti, sappho.
Nu Fashita Mezdi Tu Priaet Nuyak Valia. "
ir Nu answered: "farewell, Zuti ir Dovanoti Nun.
j'us Zenoti Kait Mes cared Nuo j'us.
Ar Nenx, Nu Tariam Mineti j'us
iv our wonderful times.
Nuo by Nuyak Salis j'us Deli Ant
Nyâsh wreaths iv roses
ir garlands iv flowers
Netolise your Tylus Sprada.
ir Su precious ir Karal perfume
j'us anointed Tu'Saen.
Ant Tylus beds j'us satisfied your Shâsot.
ir Antai Meo Nie dance,
Nie holy Aikste
Sulig which Mes were absent. "
("Honestly, I wish I were dead.
Weeping many tears, she left me and said,
"Alas, how terribly we suffer, Sappho.
I really leave you against my will."
And I answered: "Farewell, go and remember me.
You know how we cared for you.
If not, I would remind you
...of our wonderful times.
For by my side you put on
many wreaths of roses
and garlands of flowers
around your soft neck.
And with precious and royal perfume
you anointed yourself.
On soft beds you satisfied your passion.
And there was no dance,
no holy place
from which we were absent.")
As I finished the poem I leaned down and kissed her one last time on her burning lips. Reaching out in the Force I slowed her heart until it came to a complete stop. I let my tears flow freely, rushing down my cheeks and dropping onto her cooling ruby skin.
I stayed with the corpse for seven days, smelling the rot getting worse with each passing day. I was unsleeping, uneating, just festering alone in the stinking room. Eventually, the guards freed me, tossing me into my old lab where fresh clothes had been laid out for me. I washed up, the past week forever burned into my memory. "I will kill you one day Mother. I do not know when but I will." I made that vow as I clenched the necklace dangling from my neck while the water dripped from its edges. Sera would be avenged. I would make it so, with or without the aid of my sisters.
This is a recorded event pieced together by my T8 droid and cousin Nef. It took years to get it all but they eventually did hack all the systems. Nef taught me how to add in commentary at points to explain what I was thinking. She's always thinking ahead like that. Treat it with care, Vandeven. This is but a copy of the original but there are only the two created. I wished to share this event with you for better understanding. Share it with your Mother if you wish, that is up to you and I trust your wisdom.
Ahhotep
This is an original story with original characters based in the timeline of SWTOR (star wars the old republic video game) the poem was one written by the ancient Greek poet Sappho.I wrote this years ago to accompany a Role-play I was doing with friends and hope you enjoy. Excuse the roughness of it, now I would probably write it differently. Rated M for mature.