Thank you so much for @ymirr-art-blog. This turned out great, just love the mood of it. Perfect amount of seriousness and regality for Darth Mortis’ official Dark Council portrait. I honestly love the entire piece, turned out exactly as I hoped.
I actually wrote a little fic inspired by it, featuring Aleena and Zane stumbling upon the portrait.
***
The halls of the Sphere of Laws and Justice are filled with the portraits of previous councillors, as well as the current one. Aleena wasn’t sure how they all were there, considering how many must have been rivals when still alive. Yet their portraits hadn’t been removed. Perhaps there was a law about that, or all of them wanted to look at the face of their predecessor as a reminder to keep their guard up. Not that any of it truly mattered.
“You could still come up with a plan to get us out of this.” Zane leans closer, his words quiet.
“It’s just lunch with dad. I mean, what could go wrong?” Well a lot of things, it was Darth Mortis they were talking about after all.
“And how many of them,” Zane nods towards the portraits, “had dinner that turned out to be their last?”
She laughs, he couldn’t be serious. “Are you implying dad would poison you?”
“Who knows. Maybe he poisoned his predecessor.”
“What? Asked mom for the poison and slipped it into the wine?”
“Could have.”
“Probably not, you are just being paranoid.”
“About my death? Definitely. It’s his last chance before the wedding.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t let him.” She kisses his cheek. He was being silly. Dad might not like that she was marrying Zane but he wouldn’t kill him knowing how she’d react.
Towards the end of the hall there’s her dad’s portrait. He was clearly just as serious back in the day as he was now. There’s the same aristocratic aura that she’s seen in later portraits of him as well. The authority he had wielded for years. Perhaps he’d always had it. The red eyes filled with contempt for his lessers.
Below the portrait there’s a small slate, reading:
Darth Mortis
Head of Sphere of Laws and Justice
15th of Muur 1322 -
Marem Daliandri, 1322
It was so easy for her to forget he’d been on the Council for over a quarter of a decade. At this point he’d survived longer than most. Force only knew how.
“You know, your father was kind of hot when he was younger.”
“What?” Her brain can barely process his words. “No! Take that back! That’s my dad!”
“I know, but come on, you have to see at least some of it.”
“Yeah, no, just no.”
He shrugs, “Suit yourself.”
Aleena ignores him, looking at the portrait next to Mortis’. Had this been the woman dad had poisoned for his seat? Was she even entertaining Zane’s ludicrous idea? Maybe a little. Sith were Sith after all. Except… “There’s a portrait missing.”
“What?”
“She died a decade before dad took office.”
“But that makes no sense… Unless — maybe it was Sajar.”
“Who?”
“He served on the Council before turning traitor. It’d be reason enough to wipe him from these halls.” There’s a sourness in his voice. Treason was definitely not taken lightly around here. “He told the Jedi everything he knew when he joined them.”
Well that sounded familiar. She hadn’t been with the Jedi when that had happened, but she had heard about it after “joining”. The example that anyone could be redeemed. Lothal Jedi had felt it more an anomaly than a realistic possibility for all Sith. “Oh, so the high ranking Sith Tol Braga turned was a Councillor. No wonder he later thought he could redeem Vititate.”
Zane chokes. “Are all Jedi that delusional or just him?”
“Mostly just him.” She moves past the portraits, they’d be late at this rate, “But look on the bright side, dad didn’t poison his predecessor.”
So for Ace Week I'll be doing short pieces from my ace characters. Some more familiar, and some less familiar, faces to be seen this week. First up, Aleena
Prompt: Ace week
Rating: G
Characters: Aleena
It was strange. To finally have a word that fit her experiences. That explained them perfectly. Not that Aleena had realised before she needed one. Here she had been thinking she’d been acing being a Jedi, but no, apparently not, she was just ace.
Perhaps she should have realised it was more than just being a good Jedi when she didn’t have the entire ‘rip clothes of your boyfriend because you want him so badly’ experience. Because apparently that was a thing… she couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to do that.
Then again, she’d never been in a relationship before. For her wanting to have sex was not really part of the deal, but to Zane it was. Enough that he’d gone all on his way to look into why she wasn’t sexually attracted to him. Not that those two were linked, but she guessed he also had the desire to be wanted in all the ways.
But then he had reassured her it was not a big deal. That he knew that she loved him, and found him attractive, if just not in that way. Which was good, because she did. It would probably be simpler if she did, but she couldn’t change who she was. Just be thankful that he accepted her for who she is.
I don't know if I'll be writing something for every day of Fictober, but I'm going to try to do some short things this month. Not inspired by the official prompt list though. First fic was inspired by a recent Jedi Order headcanon post I reblogged.
Prompt: Flowers
Rating: Gen
Characters: Aleena, Darth Mortis
Flowers
“I don’t want them,” Aleena says, putting the vase on the table with more force than was necessary. The flowers in the vase swaying for a moment before settling down. They were colourful and bountiful, beautiful even if she ignored what had been done to them.
“Is there something wrong with them? I can have new ones sent to your room, or different ones if you’d prefer.” Mortis only glances from his work, going back to writing.
He was so frustrating! If he wanted to be her father, he shouldn’t ignore her.
“No, the flowers themselves are fine, I just don’t want them.”
“Your room is rather drab, it could use something to make it more pleasant for you.”
She huffs. Of course she knew the room was drab. She was the one living there. “But this doesn’t make it more pleasant. I don’t want things to die needlessly, least off all just for my pleasure.”
“They are flowers.” He sounded tired, and worse than that, condescending.
“Flowers that will wilt away and die in a few days. That were alive in the Force, connected to the earth, and you had them ripped away.”
“Is this another Jedi thing I’m not aware of? How sacred all life supposedly is? Even flowers?”
“Yes. Don’t mock me.”
He doesn’t answer for a moment. Sighing, he says, “Leave the flowers here, I’ll make sure no more are sent to your room.”
“Oh,” that was surprising, he didn’t want to argue with her over it? About her foolish Jedi notions? “Thank you.”
Sith had weird ideas about lightsabers. It was important for them to build their own. That wasn’t the point, at least not at first. The point was to prove yourself by earning, or even claiming, a lightsaber.
Aleena didn’t much care for it. After dad had taken her lightsaber away, it was certainly nice to have one again. But it wasn’t hers. The crystal seemed to respond to her well enough, but it was a little off. She wasn’t sure how to describe it. They just weren’t vibrating on the same frequency.
That fact wasn’t changed even by the fact that it had been her mom’s lightsaber and crystal. Ones that she had made by her own hands. Perhaps that was the reason it was only a little off. Their blood relation mitigated the fact that mom had been a proper Sith and her crystal was unsuitable for someone not as attuned to the Dark Side. Well, mitigated some of it, not all.
Dad had suggested she should meditate. Focus on the crystal, make it more hers.
Except… It had been mom’s. There weren’t a lot of things that were mom’s left. Mortis had kept the lightsaber for all these years. Despite the likelihood there’d never anyone to pass it on. The crystal was part of mom, a part she’d change to make herself more comfortable. Wouldn’t dad prefer the crystal as it was, still echoing mom in the Force?
Lot of Sith took a while to make their own because there was no need. A weapon was a weapon. Then they made a new one with their own crystal when it broke or was lost. On occasion because they felt like it.
But for her… making a lightsaber was after all an important ritual for Jedi. She might not be a Jedi, but it still held significance to her. It was a symbolic ritual, when a Padawan was ready to become more independent. Take on tasks on their own.
Perhaps she just missed having her own lightsaber with a crystal perfectly suited for her. Perhaps it was a selfish desire. But maybe for once she could be a little selfish.
This will eventually be part of a fic series in AO3, but as that’s still in the plans, tumblr it is. It was written between midnight and 2am due to me fucking my sleep schedule. So not necessarily the final version of the events.
Warnings for implied (but not shown on screen) domestic abuse, child neglect, and hate sex. Also implied on screen heavy alcohol usage.
Summary: Aleena didn’t enjoy visiting her grandparents, especially not when their dislike of each other was so clear for everyone to see. Especially not when she gets woken by her dad because grandparents are fighting.
The pool looks so tempting, the water clear and lovely, still. She wanted to jump in, to feel its refreshing coolness against her skin. A ball falls in, a quiet blomb in the water. Then another ball, more falling in rapid succession. That was weird. There were no clouds. “Aleena,” she turns around, hearing her name. It sounded so distant, but it was somewhere close by. She couldn’t see anyone.
“Aleena.” Her body shakes slightly as her eyes open, they felt so heavy.
“Dad?” Why was he here? “Is everything alright?”
“Yes. But things will not remain so for the next few hours. Come with me.”
Aleena wants to ask why, but Mortis’ tone left no room to argue. She gets up, pulling a nightgown around her as she follows him out of the room and down the stairs.
The noises become louder as they descended the stairs. They were still muffled, clearly coming from the office, but definitely two raised voices. Arguing. The tension from dinner seemed to have boiled over.
Mortis doesn’t pay it any mind, leading her down the hallway, towards the patio. There’s a slave with a basket by the door, clearly expecting them. Aleena takes it, mouthing her thanks, not wanting her grandparents to hear them. Though based on how loud they are, she doubts that’d be an issue. A loud crack echoes the hallway, making her flinch. She was just glad she wasn’t in the room with them as she hurries after dad.
The stairs to the beach have never felt so long, but any distance she can put between them and her was ideal. She doubted they’d do anything to harm her, not with dad here, but things could happen when you got stuck between fighting Sith.
The sand is still warm from the sun under her bare feet. The air feels freer here, less oppressive. Those two were not good for her blood pressure. As she walks along the beach after her dad the house and the cliffs its on cut a menacing figure against the sky. She can’t believe dad had spent his holidays here.
Halfway on their way to the beach house, he stops. “There should be some blankets in the basket.”
They are in fact laid on top of the basket. She quickly lays a couple down, sitting on top of one of them. Mortis sit next to her, looking exhausted. It was strange seeing him like this. There’s also few bottles of alcohol in the basket and some expensive snacks. She doubted this was the first time such a basket had been put together for him.
“A drink?”
“Please.”
Aleena pours him a glass of whiskey before looking at the sky. The stars were so bright, the waves gently hitting the shore. It was all so peaceful, quite different from what was going on inside. “This happens often?”
He hums, taking a deep drink before responding, “On occasion. It has been a while. One of the advantages of not living with them anymore.”
“I bet.” Her fingers dig into the sand. Her dad’s life made so much more sense now. Growing up with two people who despised each other. Who had to be together because of marriage that could not be annulled, who could not get away from each other until their son was old enough to take over running the family.
“You should get comfortable, it will be at least few hours.”
“I was sleeping just fine in my bed.”
“Only because they had not moved to upstairs yet. Their later activities are even more aggravating than the fighting.” The disgust in his voice is audible as he finishes his glass. She shudders at the implication, rather glad not to be there to hear the aftermath.
Instead of filling his glass, she hands him the bottle, filling a glass of wine for herself. This family definitely drew one to drink. “Dad, I’m-”
“Aleena, I do not require your sympathy. I know how to handle my parents.”
If by handle he meant escaping to the beach… She lowers her eyes in shame, he hadn’t always been an all powerful Sith Lord. Once he’d been a child, scared of his parents arguing. The beach must have seemed like a safe place for him. Perhaps the slaves had prepared him care baskets back then already.
He sighs, “The sentiment is appreciate, but I am used to them.”
***
Few hours later the bottle is empty next to Mortis. He knew he would pay for his choice in the morning, even if it made him forget the current situation. Peaceful huffs interrupt the otherwise quiet night. Aleena had fallen asleep just minutes earlier.
He takes a deep breath, letting the Force wash over him. It pushed away worst of the haze, he did need to concentrate. Aleena’s sleeping body rises from the ground, levitating just behind him as he makes his way to the beach house. He didn’t wish to wake her twice during a night and did not trust his ability to get her upstairs safely. Besides, his parents might still be awake and he had no desire to subject Aleena to that.
The beach house door slides open easily, nobody still seemed to lock it. Some things didn’t change. He sets Aleena on the bed, watching her eyes flutter. She doesn’t wake up as he tucks her in under a blanket.
She seemed much more happy in her sleep than awake. He truly did wish he could change that, to make her see how what he was doing was best for her in the long run. Even if she did not enjoy their training sessions, they were necessary, he could not lose her again.
He pushes few fallen strands of hair back behind her ear, his fingers lingering on her face. She still reminded her of Indran, even if it was easy to see all the differences now. Both were forces of nature when they set their mind to something, stubborn to the last. But where Indran had been ruthless, a trait he did admire, Aleena had a softness and kindness to her. Something he could only blame the Jedi for. He could only hope in the end it wouldn’t destroy her.
He wished Indran was there with him, he was not cut out for single parenthood. Not that there was that much parenting when it came to having an adult child, but she did need guidance. The Jedi had certainly made her unprepared for the Sith society. Not only could it be seen in her behaviour but also in her choice of company.
Stenet was… for one of Imperial blood, he had made something of himself, but he was completely beneath Aleena. Yet he made her happy. Even Mortis could not deny that. But sometimes happiness didn’t matter. Aleena had a responsibility, one she clearly happily kept forgetting, as the heir of the Marwil family.
A responsibly the weight of which he was very well aware off. It was not an easy burden to bear, one’s life already written out. His parents had certainly pressured him to excel in the Academy, given clear guidelines on acceptable behaviours and social circles. He’d never strayed from those, and it had paid off. He had risen to greater heights than his parents had dared to dream of. But Aleena… she didn’t fit to the pre-assigned mould. She would have, had she been raised properly, and he was sure she would have flourished in the position.
He wished that when she eventually left for the Academy, she would find a social circle more fit for her standing. Perhaps even meet someone proper, someone more worthy of her than Stenet. Just so that he would not have to destroy what happiness she’d been able to find with the Imperial. Perhaps he should have kept her less isolated so that she had met other people, but… He did worry about her.
Was it wrong to wish it did not end with him breaking Aleena’s current relationship? He understood his duty as head of the family. It was up to him to keep the family and the lineage strong. To make sure people like Stenet were not part of it. To arrange an appropriate marriage if she was unable to strike such a match on her own.Yet… he can’t but think of his parents’ clearly unhappy marriage, how much they despised each other, how much more they preferred to be away from each other. Could he subject Aleena to that so that she might have children of proper heritage?
What about his duty as her father? Not only to protect her, but to ensure her happiness. Shouldn’t he let her have this, for however long it would last. Stenet was her first romantic relationship, those hardly lasted a life time. With any luck he would never have to say anything to her, time would do what it did best and separate them. She’d move on and meet someone proper, taking the choice away from his hands. He could only hope so.
He sighs, it was far too late in the night to make any such decisions. He should get back to the main house, his parents must be done by now. He could finally get some sleep. Though before that he needed to send someone to bring Aleena fresh clothes for the morning and to clean the beach. As well as to inform Erland of planned departure for tomorrow. He had no desire to subject Aleena to his parents for longer than necessary. He could always cite Council business as to why they needed to leave. Even his parents weren’t foolish enough to pry.
Prompt: Protest
Rating: G
Characters: Aleena, Zavrasha
The rain beat down on them. Not even the most prestigious parts of Kaas City could escape from the inevitable rain. Most people hurried by, not giving them much mind. Probably assuming someone was coming to remove them soon enough. Some stood by to argue.
The idea of alien liberation seemed to bring people’s feelings to the surface. The location had been chosen because it would draw attention. Their chants for freedom seemed to annoy many of the Sith. Some who were getting agitated by the calls for freedom that were granted to them at birth to be also granted to the slaves and aliens. Whatever progress the Empire had made recently wasn’t enough, but even that seemed to be too much to swallow for some.
Garin from the free clinic in the alien quarter had asked Aleena to join. She hadn’t told anyone else she’d be joining today. She already knew what Zane, or Hadar, let alone dad would say. Bad idea through and through. But she didn’t want to just sit on the sidelines when she could at least make some difference.
“Why are you here?” Aleena hadn’t noticed Zavrasha approach her. For such a tall woman, she certainly could be quiet.
“Did dad send you?”
“Yes, he did. He is disappointed.”
“But not surprised?”
Zavrasha didn’t look all that impressed, clearly unhappy to be sent on ‘fetch Master’s kid’ errant once again. “We need to leave, the military police is on its way. Your father made it clear you are not to be arrested.”
“So why send you?”
“By not be arrested he meant not be here when they arrive. Come, we have no time to argue.”
“No, I want to stay.”
Zavrasha grabs her shoulder, “What you want is unimportant. Let’s go.”
“Hey, hands off her!” She recognised Garin’s voice as the Zabrak has noticed the confrontation.
“Do not intervene, this does not concern you.” Zavrasha’s other hand rests on her lightsaber. “Unless you wish to see what authority I hold here.”
“It’s fine Garin. Just tell everyone the police are coming.”
“Aleena…”
Zavrasha’s talons dig more into her shoulder as she starts pulling her away. “I’ll be fine, just a family matter.”
Zavrasha shakes her head, her grip not loosening at all. “Why must you be so difficult?”
It had been surprising that Asra had agreed to her request. Asking to construct her own lightsaber this early was unusual after all. Yet her Master had provided her with instructions, equipment, and even the space. Perhaps Asra had felt she would be more comfortable with her own lightsaber, or this was some test.
Placing the needed minerals into the small furnace, she turned it on. The settings were already correct, nobody used this furnace for anything else. Synthetic crystals and Sith tended to go together. She would have preferred a natural crystal, but when she had even brought the idea up, dad had shot her down. Too dangerous apparently.
Aleena sat down next to the furnace, crossing her legs. Meditation was something she knew how to do. But the idea of at least a full day of meditation was still daunting. She just wished it wouldn’t have to be much longer than that.
The Force whirls around her. It was strong on Dromund Kaas, the Dark Side still feeling almost overwhelming, wishing to sweep her away with it, before she’s able to focus on her crystal-to-be. It was weak, a tiny signal among all the noice. But that was the point, it was hers to shape and mould as she pleased.
Except she didn’t really want to force it under her will. All she wanted was a crystal that matched her Force signature. A crystal that was hers, that hummed the same tune in the Force, one that she could say was hers.
Hours pass as she directs her thoughts on to the crystal. As the Force passes through her. Time loses meaning. There’s only her and the crystal that keeps growing. She can feel it pulse with more power, become more attuned to hers by the hour.
She’s not sure how long has passed. But she knows the crystal is ready. Even the furnace has cooled. She must have turned if off without realising it. It had all felt so natural, like the Force had guided her rather than her having to know in what stage she was.
The crystal glints under the light as she holds it up against it. It’s not a deep blood red like most Sith crystals. Instead it’s a deep blood orange, there are some crimson tones in it, but it’s not red. She hadn’t expected that. But it is a pleasant surprise.
This prompt will have three parts, as soon as I get to write the rest.
Prompt: Crystal
Rating: G
Characters: Aleena
Trust the Force. That’s what Aleusis had said. Trust the Force. It was easier to trust the Force when you weren’t freezing your fingers off.
Not that she should be complaining. It was an honour to be on Ilum finding a lightsaber crystal. The crystal cave she was in was pulsing in the Force, every single crystal harmonising in the Force. There was a strange warmth to it. Not the kind that warmth her body, but the kind that made her heart sing along with the crystals.
Technically any crystal would do, they were all conduits of the Force after all. But she needed to find the one that harmonised with her Force. That’s what Aleusis had said. If only she knew what it meant.
Despite the unclear instructions, she continued her way deeper into the cave. It was a strange pull. Something was calling her. Not strongly, but still… It was there. Perhaps that was what Aleusis had meant. For her to trust that feeling rather than going head-strongly into it with her presuppositions. Aleusis did call her stubborn and head-strong often enough.
That might also be the reason why this was the third cave she was trekking through today. She huffs, pulling her jacket tighter around her. She could do this. She was on a right path, she could feel it. She’d better be. Otherwise she’d have to spend the night in the cave. Just the thought of it…
Aleena sighs, there was no point in delving on it right now. It wouldn’t help her. Trusting her instinct was the best option she had. Following her own path hadn’t brought her any closer to finding the crystal. Trust the Force.
Ten minutes pass as she ends deeper into the cave, twists and turns blend into each other. Every wall is covered in crystals but none of them speak to her. Not until one crystal seems brighter than the rest. She needs to touch it, to make sure it is real.
Even with the cold, she feels the urge to touch it with bare hands. Pulling her mitten off, she reaches out. Her fingers brush against it. It is warm, pulsing under her touch, in harmony with her. Her crystal. The one the Force had meant for her. She smiles. Despite the cold and the tiredness she feels, she’s found it.
Aleena extracts it gently from the cave wall. It’s almost too easy. Like the crystal wants to come home with her. She pockets it carefully, making sure it is safe.
