scrosciare - the action of rain pouring down or of waves hitting rocks and cliffs- petrichor - the pleasant smell that accompanies the first rain after a long period of dry weather- (two of my favorite things)
Thanks for the ask and I apologise sincerely for taking so long ;_; I did both and hope that I did them justice!
It was incrediblydark outside, Edenye mused numbly, far too dark to still be daytime. Rainsplashed down all around her, soaking her clothes right down to her bones. Waterran down her neck, back and arms… she felt so heavy. A relieving weight as hairstuck to her soaking wet skin on every inch. After being bedbound for days, itwas liberating to be outside.
Even when it wasduring a downpour on Dromund Kaas that doused everything in a deep grey-black.
She tilted herhead up, the drops now hitting her eyelids, forehead and nose. To think thatshe had been on death’s door not days ago and now was sitting in the heavilypouring rain. Away from the too bright medbay, the too clean smell… she justneeded to be alone. To feel – to trulyfeel – that she was still alive. Maybe she could pretend that the poison was beingswept away in the streams flowing from her shivering limbs. The stone bench shewas on was cold, slick and her fingers were numb from trying to keep a grip onit. If she stretched her hand out, she would not even see it. No one would seeher from the lit window screens, alone with no sound other than that of rain.
A blessed illusionof utter loneliness.
Her tunic stuck toher like a second skin and she no longer bothered pulling up the sleeve thathad slipped from her shoulder. It was warm even with the rain, so she didn’tfeel the need to move. Slipping out had been easy enough. Marr and Atrea hadnot yet let her go back to her regular duties, mostly ordering her to rest. Which…she needed to get out, have fresh air! The walls of her chambers had started tofall on her head by the second hour of being left in utter silence. Tolun hadfallen asleep from pure exhaustion and she had not had the heart to wake him tobreak the deafening silence.
Though, she smiledwidely into the downpour, how long would she have before someone came lookingfor her? In this darkness, not seeing anything, she could pretend she wasnowhere and where no one would find her.
Feeling the rainand to just let it wash over her, was exhilarating. Reminded her that she wasstill breathing. No one had told her… what had happened when she lost consciousness.All she was told from Atrea, that it had been critical. That they had thought herlost until Marr had done the impossible. She wondered if she was crying, it wasimpossible to tell with all the rain. Tears of relief? Of realization that shecould have been the first urn in Malgus’ tomb?
Alive… yet she hadsacrificed herself for Marr.
Why he had notspoken to her other than issues related to their duties? It made no sense… notto her. With a wet hand she rubbed her eyes, wiping away any tears she mighthave spilled to clear her eyes. Gripping at the tunic, she sunk her fingersinto the soaked, oh so heavy cloth.
“You should beinside,” Marr’s voice jolted her and she looked down.
His silhouettemelted out of the sheet formed by the rain near her. His boots touched hers andthen he kneeled down.
“Ale…” she went tosay, but her breath caught too short and she had to bend over as a coughing fitwrecked through her.
Sighing, he reachedout to her bare shoulder, cupping it and fumbled for the hem. Tingling spreadfrom where his fingers slipped on her skin, but the rain drowned the feelingquickly. She could not hold on to it, her focus wavering too much.
“Come inside,” he muttered.“You haven’t recovered yet.”
She shook her headsharply.
Sighing in defeat,he sat down next to her. “You nearly died.”
She laughedquietly. “I never thought I’d appreciate the rain like this.”
He remained silent,drew her closer so her head was nestled against his neck. Tugged the sleeve up toits original position where he kept his hands. There was an unspoken feelinghanging around him. Like a blanket that wrapped around her. Fear? Relief? Shedid not know… For now, she’d just let herself feel, smell the rain.
Know she was alive,that the pain was being washed away and all the duties swept away into thelittle streams to their feet. Marr was an anchor keeping her still, to not loseherself in this utterly consuming feeling.
Colourful lanterns swung in thelight breeze that swept through the near deserted streets in the capital cityof Ziost. Most Sith and Imperials were gathered in the large square where thefestival on the anniversary of reconquering the planet was still ongoing even afterhours. Firedancers, speeches, food and dances… the whole program with smaller attractionsset up. But that was not where Edenye was heading with Marr in tow.
Who was wearing a grey cloak withthe hood drawn up to obscure his face. So no one could recognize him he hadinsisted, when she had proposed the idea to him. To go to a festival withoutthe armour, without the mask. To experience the Empire as not as a DarkCouncilor, but as a young Sith who had not the Empire’s fate on theirshoulders. Still, he had not wanted anyone to see his face, anything to givehis rivals any information on him. Something she did not quite understand, butshe did not argue. After all, it was not her place yet and she had not wantedto sabotage the trust they were slowly starting to establish.
But it would be good for him to seethe Empire he was working day and night to defend. Not as Darth Marr, but as himself.A man who had never been truly outside without his status, insignia….
They passed underneath a stone archwhere flowers were wound around the pillars. There was a hidden alcove nearby,one she had found years ago with Temare. Where he could look down on the massesand decide whether he wanted to mingle. Quietly, she motioned for him to huddleinto this narrow street that would lead to the terrace that she prayed would bedeserted.
It was… thank the stars. She pulledhim into the shadows that the overhanging roofs provided. There below them wasthe festival grounds that was crawling with Imperials and Sith between stagesand stalls. Their laughter and indistinguishable words floating up to them. Lanternsswayed gently above their heads now glowing soft blue. Smiling she watched thembefore turning to look at him.
He had stepped to the railing,gripping it hard as he stared down. Another breeze came up, making his cloakflutter behind him. Speechless, utter awe prickling along his skin, he watched.Tugging her hood down, she watched him. It was… strange… the feeling was likerain dancing off her skin. Pleasant. So she leaned back, letting him absorbeverything on his own time in his own space.
The sky was dove-blue grey. A freshsmell of flowers… earth and something else she could not describe. Rain… thelong-awaited rain that had fallen this morning and stopped in time. All thewhile Marr stared down, in awe and slowly realizing that he was unrecognized. Awayfrom his duties and just as a citizen of the Empire. Slowly he turned his headto her, a tilted smile tugging on his mouth as the smell grew more intense. Thechilly breeze picked up making their cloaks fly up again. Bringing the promiseof rain on their faces.
Maybe… she now knew. This was the feeling of joy precedingunwavering hope.