Return to Schwartzweld: Schloss Alsasse

[Diego Van Derveld]

The solar sailship coursed by the greying contours of Figaro Favoura V, silently carried by radiating streams of outward-bound photonic rays, picked up by the sensitive furls of the sailship's rigging. The planet passed through the viewport, sleepy and dormant. There was life there, but it was simple life, unnoticed for millennia so far from the Galactic Core. Those who lived there lived on the planet because their fathers, and their fathers before lived there. Generations extended backward like grains of sand, traceable through the dusty annals of history as far back as the Great Sith War of ancient. On Figaro Favoura V, there was a timeless existance of subsistance and simplicity. The shockwaves of Imperial reign and the collapse of the Republic years ago had reached the planet in words only. It was the same for the Empire's fall. Yet these unremarkable people shared a dark secret...a hatred wholly alien from the eternal struggle of Jedi and Sith. Once, there lived Parriahs here...only to become more feared than the sorcerors of ancient time. They were beasts who walked as men. Men who lived as beasts. The desperation of their paranoia had struck fear in the ancestry of Figaro Favoura V that neither Jedi nor Sith had instilled before. Thus, the Lupines of Clan Van Derveld were banished...to small, inhospitable moon of the grey giant. Its dark surface became the dwelling of darker men. Those on Figaro Favoura V look in fear at night, to a blight in the sky known to outsiders as Figaro Favoura VII...

...to them, it is The Schwartzweld. The Black World.

[Baron Marco Van Derveld]

<center><h1>Schwartzweld: Schloss Alsasse Lorraine</h1></center>

Schloss Alsasse Lorraine was the oldest building on the Schwartzweld by far, not that there were many buildings on the moon's surface at any time in its long history. Servants quarters here and there, various offworlder settlements that mysteriously vanished from existance. Yet the same time that ravaged all else seemed to slumber in the presence of the Van Derveld manor, which rested atop a lonely, forrested mountain. Its design was built to last, intricate buttresses supporting its looming facades and tiers, with stone wards of gargoyles, dragons, wolves, and other beasts as silent wards. Its vaulted roof cut an angular silhouette into the mountain's profile, casting an even darker shadow across the dull grey sky. At one time in its history, Schloss Alsasse Lorraine likely housed dozens, maybe as many as a hundred. Now, its myriad of stained glass windows were mostly dark. Mostly. In the winnowing east wing, a wan red light could be seen, as it cast through crimson window-work. Inside, a stooped old man sat at a monstrous desk, seemingly carved from solid mahogany. Heaped about him were datapads, which he would grab from time to time, scouring the contents with a dour face as he held a monacle to his left eye. And so the ritual went for hours, until the man leaned back in his large, leather chair, stroking a well-cultivated moustache.

"Are there any more, Egor?"

A shadow seemed to detatch itself from the wall, taking the guise of a form that seemed vaguely humanoid. It shuffled into the light of the desklamp, back hunched with unnatural posture.

"No Thir. Thethe are all the Mathterth communiqueth."

The being paused, as if in thought.

"Ith there thomething that you are mithing, Mathter?"

Baron Marco van Derveld eyed wistfully at an ornate decanter of cognac.

"Yes, Egor. I have sent word to my nephew, bidding his return to the Manor. Have you any word of his response?"

Egor nodded, which was more of an up and down motion at the shoulders that worked its way to his head.

"Yeth, Mathter. Your nephew, Diego, thon of Carracci, hath agreed to your requetht, and ith on hith way with hathte, m'lord."

The Egor's news did not noticably improve the old Baron's mood, but the man was not one to divulge his emotions easily. His mouth shifted under his thick mustache.

"Good. Make preparations for his arrival, Egor. There is work to be done. He has informed me of...another."

The way he spoke of 'another' caused Egor to take pause. There had been nothing but despicable treachery in House Van Derveld in the past years. It had nearly swept clean the Elders, and the Byzantine power struggle now sent shockwaves upon the clan's youthful heirs. Perhaps Diego's return would herald better news. It was only a thought to the creature called Egor, as he hobbled out of the Baron's study, and back into the shadowy recesses of the Schloss.

[Diego Van Derveld]

The sailship continued onward, passing Figaro Favoura V. In the distance, the dark outline of the Schwartzweld could be seen, the distant sun casting an eerie sheath of pale light around its obsidian surface. Inside the ship, a cool, artificial and feminine voice sounded.

Approaching Schwartzweld. Solar sails retracting. Manual control in one minute.

A series of soft chiming sounds roused Diego from sleep. He returned the pilot's chair to its upright position, sighing suddenly as he awoke. Blinking away the residuals of sleep, he brushed back a lock of hair, and looked to his passenger, seated opposite.

"We're almost there. Are you ready to do this?"

He tightened his jawline in concern, turning his attention back to piloting as the navigational ion drive came online.

"I know you remember his last visit. The Baron hasn't forgotten it, and is quick to shame me at every encounter with its consequences."

Diego shifted in his seat slightly.

"Whatever becomes of this, our enemy: Mine, yours, and the Baron's...must be the same. Its more than just petty vengeance now. He never understood the power of family. You must, Elena."

[Elena Van Derveld]

Through the whole flight, she’d not slept a wink. What was keeping her awake was a mixture of two things, anxiety and excitement. The nervousness was brought on by the fact that in her ulterior form she’d rid the Schwartzweld of the majority of its population, and doubted she would receive a warm welcome from its current residence. On the other hand, she was eager to see Marco. Part of her because they would now be allies, but a small piece of her wanted to see if he’d decayed and declined in health – this was the remnant of Vega, which would take great pleasure in such a sight.

“…He never understood the power of family. You must, Elena.”

She caught the end of the sentence clearly and looked up, nodding vaguely.

“I’m sorry he frowns on you because of it, father. But we shall wipe the slate clean and spill the blood of that traitorous dog for him,” Elena added with a rather content smile.

[Diego Van Derveld]

"I have no son, Elena."

As much as Diego hated his progeny, it was hard for him to say this much. His face seemed to lose some of its color.

"And it isn't a task I relish. I'm forced to it."

He paused for another eternity, adrift in his thoughts.

"After our business has concluded with the Baron, I will be traveling to the mainworld."

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia bent over the oven, her long hair pulled back in an attractive, yet utilitarian way. The odor of fresh baking bread tickled her nose, and she grinned as her stomach responded to the smell by growling.

She'd been on planet for a week, and the townspeople had been a little less than welcoming. No one came anywhere near the cottage she'd awoken in a week previously. When she walked into the village, she was given a wide berth.

So, that meant no job yet, but the shops were still willing to take her credits. Gia was rationing out her supplies, and biding her time, trying to gain a rapport with her nearest neighbors.

Unfortunately, it was taking longer than she'd hoped. Gia pulled the bread out of the oven, and set it on the counter to cool.

[Diego Van Derveld]

As Gia set the bread on the counter, a quick rapping sound came from her front door...

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia walked to the door, and opened it. "Can I help you?" An elderly woman stood on the other side. Gia smiled enagingly, waiting for her visitor to speak.

[Diego Van Derveld]

The old woman stared up at Gia with fierce eyes. Her hair was shock-white, where it was exposed from her brown babushka.

"You came from offworld? I've heard the men at the mill talk. They think you came from Schwartzweld, and you'll ravage their flocks!"

She slapped a silver medallion on a chain into her hand, gripping her fingers over it with strength remarkable in such a frail form. Her eyes watched Gia with suspicious intent, waiting to see a wince or a yelp, or to see welts and blisters form on her fair skin...

[Gia Van Derveld]

The younger woman jerked back in surprise, and then looked at the woman curiously. "I did come from offworld...but I have no interest in your flocks..or their flocks, for that matter." Gia pried her fingers open, and looked at the medallion.

"Its very pretty...?" She was at a loss for words. Was this old woman off her rocker? Gia remembered people whispering behind her back in the marketplace, but this was beyond weird. This whole planet seemed to be as backwards technologically as might be possible, and now this?

She looked at the medallion again, and back at the woman, still confused.

[Diego Van Derveld]

Her unflappable ignorance, and the fact that her skin remained intact, was enough to assuage the old woman's initial fears. She sighed, seeming to stoop a little, as she retrieved the medallion.

"Nevermind, child. You'd be best to do your business here, and be on your way. Tis no place to make a living, and you're a beautiful lass."

Reluctantly, she reached into her pack, removing a burlap bag with some fruits and nuts inside.

"I peddle m'wares in the market, dear...an I can use your help if you're hell-bent on staying. I wouldn't though. Tis dangerous, and the night brings only evil."

She looked at her with stern fire in her eyes.

"Stay on the road, lass...if you heed any warning at all...stay on the road. If you're inclined on making a living here, I'll expect you on the morrow."

She sighed...

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia nodded, feeling a little excited at the prospect. "I'll be there, thank you! My name is Gia..." She opened the door a little wider, and leaned against the edge of the heavy oak door.

"I don't have anywhere else to go, but thank you for warning me." Gia fiddled with her hair as the woman sighed.

[Elena Van Derveld]

She was taken aback a little by his response. Was she the only one who wanted to draw blood here? Perhaps she’d misunderstood Diego’s attitude and motives. Elena gave an absent shrug.

“.. Why do you want to go onto the main world? There’s nothing there but suspicious fools.”

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego turned slightly.

"There is someone there who interests me. I'll go and sate my curiosity for a while."

A secret smile barely distinguished itself on Diego's face, as the rigging interlocks snapped over the solar sail housing, finally securing for transit to the Schwartzweld. The oval sailship meandered its way through dark, cloudy skies, over ageless forest, and toward a sprawling villa on a lonely mountain.

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia walked lightly along the path towards the market the next day, dressed in a light blue flowered dress that she had bought upon arriving on planet. She had only the clothes on her back when she'd come, and thought it was wiser to dress like the locals than to insist on modern fashions.

All the women wore dresses, and so Gia did as well. Staying in the middle of the path, she quickly made her way into the small town, and arrived in the hustle and bustle of the marketplace without incident. She looked around, peering about for the woman's booth. She hadn't been able to catch her name the day before, but surely she would see her.

Gia stood on her tiptoes, trying to see over the heads of taller beings. Only 5'6", and 104 lbs sopping wet, she wasn't about to trust herself to the crowds by trying to push through them. Not until she had a destination, at least.

[Figaro Favoura Villagers]

The old woman sat in a wicker rocking chair, under a thin cloth shade that served as the roof of her market stall. The peasant's bazaar was bustling with other such people, busy peddling away foodstuffs and other necessities of life. As drab people milled about down the cobbled road, the woman saw Gia approach. It was in the way she walked. She was not without her burdens, but they were not of this place. Rising up, she busied herself with a fruit basket.

"Ah child, you decided to come."

It wasn't an overly enthusiastic response...as if the woman had quietly hoped that she would have disappeared in the night, back to wherever safety she came from.

"My name is Drae." She allowed Gia this much courtesy, finally speaking of herself.

"You've a lovely face, child. The villagers will buy from you. Mind the sugardew fruits, the children are nimble with their hands."

Drae wiped her hands on a cloth she kept on the counter, lifting a basket from the floor to the display rack. She looked up to the sky, staring at another dreary, overcast day.

"In a few hours, I've rounds to make. Old man Mygar needs beanstalks delivered."

She smiled, a smile decrepit with great age, but with a beauty that could still barely be seen.

"Its the best opportunity for you to find your way in the village."

[Baron Marco Van Derveld]

The Baron took time from his menial duties, and separated himself from the study desk. Strolling through the refurnished Schloss, he paused for a moment beneath a giant crimson banner that hung from a wall as a tapestry. On it, the familiar family crest of two wolf heads opposing each, biting down upon a forked bolt of lightning, with the words 'CARPE JVGVLVM' emblazoned upon it. The Baron had a wistful sentimentality to him, and as he paused with a goblet of cognac in hand, he considered his clan's crest. Though the fabric was new and the colors fierce, he'd wondered if the symbolism had bled like the shade from an old rag. A phantasm of shadow interrupted his solitude, however.

"What is it, Egor?"

The form paused, always impressed at his master's ability to never be suprised at his approach.

"Mathter, Diego'th thailthip ith approacthing the Thloss. Thall I go to greet them?"

The Baron looked to the window. Below, there was a terraced landing pad, carved out of the mountainface, and beset on all sides by elaborate wrought-iron fencing. Diego's sailship could be seen above, its navigational lights casting pale fingers into the evening mist as it lowered to land.

"Yes, Egor. Bid them welcome, and bring them hence."

The Baron finished his cognac, tracing an aged finger along the goblet's lip.

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia felt worries lift from her shoulders as she assisted Drae at her booth, gently waving children away from the sugardews, and managing small talk with some of the other women who approached the stand.

No one was very open or forthcoming with her, but that would come. Gia was just enjoying the difference from the hustle and bustle of Coruscant and Corellia...even Arcan IV had its own brand of busy-ness. But Figaro Favoura V was entirely different. It was a different world, and she was starting to feel comfortable in it.

Gia fiddled with her hair, catching the loose wisps that had escaped from her braids, and securing them again. It was noon, and she hadn't brought anything to eat for lunch. She sold another basket of fruit, and let the sun tickle her skin, feeling younger than she had in years.

[Elena Van Derveld]

Elena craned her neck forward as she looked out of the front window to catch a glimpse of the castle below, illuminated by the evening moon. Slowly it grew larger, and all the while the two remained silent, as the ship descended towards the landing spot. After a few minutes, the calm was interrupted by the soft thud-thud of the base touching down, then the hiss of the engines disengaging. Without wasting a moment, she stood up and began to stride towards the ships exit. Doors slid open and a ramp hissed out allowing the Lupine a view out onto the windswept, rain-beaten landscape of VII.

Down to her left, someone gave a breathy wheezed chuckle.

“Mith, pleathe, follow me.”

One brow quirked. It was an Egor, something she had been fully expecting to see here. Surprisingly, it looked identical to the one who had greeted Vega on previous occasions.

With Diego – presumably – following, she began walking, boots crushing the hard-packed mud under foot. Again, déjà vu, as they stepped up to the door. It was open, though clearly she could see the huge iron knocker – and what was beyond it was very familiar indeed. The inner corridor, still lined with its marble flagstones, still looked partially damaged.

Though she expected to be lead towards the lounge, the small creature shuffled off up the stairs. She hesitated a moment when laying the toe of her boot on the first stair … but hastily made the decision to follow at a quick pace, casting a glance back at Diego as she went.

[Figaro Favoura Villagers]

Drae assisted Gia in her duties, and then, when it was time for deliveries, she handed her a basket, and a piece of paper, with basic directions.

"Ere you go, child...make sure Old Man Mygar gets his delivery. And make sure that he tips you properly. Jus' because yer offworld, doesn't mean a comely lass shouldn't make a decent day's wages. An' tellem that he'll have to take it up with me otherwise."

Gia somehow got the gist that "taking up matters" with Drae was not a pleasant encounter. She took the fruit, and followed the directions, arriving at a squat, cobblestone pub, 2 blocks away.

<img src=http://www.houseofhorrors.com/slamb_small.JPG>

The sign read "The Slaughtered Lamb", and bore a ferocious wolf's head on it. It was rather morbid, for a pub sign, she thought.

[Diego Van Derveld]

The interior of the schloss was a mishmash of order and chaos. Most of the destruction wrought by Vega had been fastidiously tended to by the Egor. However, there were some scars that the Baron had not ordered repaired. It was a reminder of consequences and betrayal. It was also a scarlet letter that Diego bore on his shoulders, to pass by the fruit of his bastard son's misdeeds. Elena walked close behind the Egor, which escorted her to, if he recalled correctly, the drawing room. It was ornately furnished, with objects of meticulous fancy and macabre intent. Realist nudes in oil paint hung next to a skull on a podium, such was the contrast of the Van Derveld clan in its inception. The struggle between humanity and the wonts of beasts. As Diego entered, the Baron was seated by a roaring fire, feet elevated on a deep, leather ottoman, as he smoked his pipe. It was an act that Diego abhored, though the fragrant smoke was bearable, almost perfume-like in its sweetness. If the Baron were to continue his filthy habit, best to be through a pipe, then. As the Egor led Elena in, he turned about, passing Diego as he exited the room, with no words. Egors weren't chatty when they didn't need to be. Choosing the hand-knit Corellian rug over the leather sofa, Diego sat when bidden to sit. It was not impolite to sit on the floor, for those who did such things more frequently than most. In the background, daintily scientific strings of harpsichord and violin danced around the precise notes and harmonics of an old Baroque Fugue. It was so very...traditional.

"I received your summons, Uncle...and Elena has come with me as well."

He glanced to her, awaiting their first interactions.

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia hesitated outside the door, and looked up at the sign again, rich red paint seeming to drip from the wolf's head carved into the wood. Then she shook herself a little, and pushed the door open. As her eyes adjusted to the dark and cool interior, she could see men sitting around, chatting and having pints with friends. Some women were about, serving, and even a few drinking, as if they were regulars.

She took another step forward, and then realized that everyone was staring at her. Gia flushed as conversations around her dwindled away, and soon was standing in an absolutely silent room. "I have a delivery for Mr. Mygar?" Gia prayed her voice was not trembling, but she knew it was.

[Figaro Favoura Villagers]

The patrons stared at Gia. Not even a pint was lifted as she walked in. A broad faced woman wrung her hands on a washcloth, slapping it to the counter.

"You be the offworlder woman, ain't ya?"

A balding man hocked into a spitoon, eyeing her with one eye open. The woman's jowls seemed to tighten as she scrutinized her.

"Yer workin' for Drae?"

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia nodded, and then found her voice. "Yes, I am working for Drae. I have a delivery...for Mygar... if you could just tell me where he is." She felt small amongst all the people, and naked beneath their staring eyes.

However, she refused to back down. Frell it I have to be able to make a living somehow! "Please, sir, I'm just trying to do my job."

[Elena Van Derveld]

The room didn’t appear to have changed, though Marco had. His age now showed more than ever, and where once his muscles had been predominant, they now were barely noticeable beneath his clothes – though Elena had no doubt some where there. A moustache curled over his top lip and reminded her a great deal of Ziek, Marco’s elder brother who had died so ironically at the hands of Vega. The Baron regarded Elena with an air of anger, yet it was anger spawned from uncertainty, as he was quite obviously unsure as to where this clone of the traitor laid her loyalties.

“Baron,”

Elena lowered her head as a mark of respect, half-bowing.

[Baron Marco Van Derveld]

The elder man's face turned to Elena, blue eyes regarding her.

"Come closer, young one. My eyes are not once they used to be, and..."

He gave a soft laugh.

"...I feel I am now quite long in the tooth, so to speak."

As she approached, the Baron reached out, holding her by her jawline. It was neither severe nor gentle, but firm enough to tilt her head gently from side to side. With his other hand, he inserted his monacle, eyeing every nuance. At last, he let her be.

"You are the very image of Vega. Remarkable. What dreams and nightmares science now spins in the dark."

He leaned back, putting distance between himself and his "granddaughter".

"I trust you do not share his foul disposition. I cannot witness my nephew's child betray me again. The sanctity of our clan has stood for hundreds of generations. I never dreamed that it would be so gravely threatened by a heretic from within."

Marco steepled his fingers together, his brow knit with thought.

"These are dark times, Elena Van Derveld."

He acknowledged her name, and her place amongst the clan.

"You are the heiress. You will be the matriarch of a future generation one day, with all the power and responsibility of Schwartzweld upon you. One day I will pass into time, and your father will become Baron. And his time will pass as mine shall. Now you must seize the day, and make it yours. Take the birthright that Vega threw back in spite."

[Figaro Favoura Villagers]

"I'm Mygar."

A tall man with greying hair entered from the backroom. He looked a bit sullen-faced, turning to the bartender and giving her a look. Immediately, the woman returned to her duties. Mygar then approached Gia, relieving her of her burden, and setting it upon the counter. He reached into a sack at his belt, pulling out a handful of coins.

"There covers Drae..."

He pulled an equal amount from the sack, laying it to the side.

"And is that fair gratuity?"

He smiled wryly, rummaging through the basket with a farmer's scrutiny.

"Have a seat, Lass. Have a drink. These are hard folks, but raising a pint softens things just plenty. They say I'm the finder of lost sheep. There have been three offworlders in the past twenty years, and each one's found a warm barstool here."

He had the look of a weird wiseness, the kind only those high in years possess.

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia could not help but instantly recall the sign above the pub, The Slaughtered Lamb. Mygar's generosity to her quieted her fears, for the moment at least. She sat quietly, murmuring her thanks as a drink was placed in front of her, ale sloshing over the sides.

"Only three offworlders in twenty years?" Gia lifted the heavy tankard to her lips, and then added, "Do they still live in these parts?"

[Elena Van Derveld]

Matriarch, heiress. A determined look appeared on Elena’s face, as she looked into the stern eyes of the Baron: she gave a curt nod. The thought of the clan rising once more was indeed warming and filled her heart with a sense of hope and, in fact, brotherhood that she had not sensed in her lifetime. Family came above all, amongst the Van-Dervelds, and is was very pleasing to see that this tradition was being upheld and now strengthened by Diego and Elena’s return to the elders home.

“I cannot achieve this alone, Baron. Nor can we,” she said with a motion to Diego.

“We are not strong enough or well equipped to deal with a threat like Vega. Any advice, supplies or, especially, help you can offer would be most gladly accepted – and in due time repaid with the downfall of your malefactor.”

[Baron Marco Van Derveld]

"Of course not. Vega's strength is not only in his magic, but his influence. I have some number of eyes and ears in this galaxy, Elena. He is not only himself powerful, but he is not alone."

He sighed, gesturing to the side. Another unseen Egor approached, with a datapad, handing it to Elena.

"I have elicited increased tribute from the homeworld, at the promise of reduced cullings. There is sufficient money to begin whatever means are deemed necessary."

He arched an eyebrow.

"And you are both in lucrative employ, yes? Give my regards to your gracious host, then. The Sector Rangers are far from insubstantial. Maintain close ties with these powerful people. We may need their services."

Marco lit his pipe, rising from his seat for a walk. Though ripe in age, he had moments of restlessness, even now.

"There is...another matter. I am reluctant to consider it, but it may be prudent to create Betas...outside the family name.."

He let the words hang in the air, thick as the smoke from his pipe.

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego's jawline tightened.

"It can be done, if needed. I have met an influential man...Taro Idol. He has attracted followers to his cause, that may prove useful to us. I could arrange...an event."

He glanced sidelong to Elena. Both knew exactly what that entailed.

[Figaro Favoura Villagers]

"Oh yes."

Mygar nodded, still separating the contents of the basket.

"Drae herself, even. And each one's come to me, because it ain't no way to live, being lonely."

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia sipped the ale, and enjoyed the crisp flavors. "I didn't know Drae was an offworlder." She sipped the drink, and smiled, "This is good ale. My thanks, Mygar, for your generosities."

In her head she still saw the bloodied sign of the pub, and she wondered why it bothered her so much. "I do have a question, though, about the name of this establishment. Is there any paticular reasoning behind it?"

[Figaro Favoura Villagers]

Mygar paused, the smile fading from his face a bit. What bustle that had accumulated since the tension subsided had now redoubled.

"Lass...thats a sensitive question."

He mulled a bit for the words.

"A bit of dark humor, I guess. Lass, these are farming people, and..."

He faltered.

"...just stay on the roads when you can. Countryside's no place for you."

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia couldn't help but memorize everything about the situation around her, from the look on the bartender's face, to the drops of ale dripping from the bottom of her tankard. Gia nodded slowly, hearing the conversations around her, bits and pieces amongst the overall babble.

"...and the girl...blood..."

"Another ale for my friend! I tell you....the things......."

"...frelling wolves..."

The last comment caught her ear, and she leaned in towards Mygar. "Do you have wolves around here? I haven't heard any at night...?"

[Figaro Favoura Villagers]

"You almost never do."

Mygar abandoned the fruit basket, preparing himself a cup of caf as he took time to talk to Gia.

"They're cunning, and smart. If they don't want to be seen, they won't."

He sipped, half in thought.

"The attacks in the past few years have been decreasing. Now, its maybe ten a year. I can recall when that number was four times as high."

[Gia Van Derveld]

She continued to drink her ale, and contemplated that number. Forty wolf attacks a year? "That's a lot. And I have the feeling you're not referring to attacks on just farm animals."

Someone in her peripheral vision crossed themselves, and she tracked her eyes to them, and then refocused on Mygar. "Maybe I should start home now, then, before it gets too late." Gia tried not to admit it, but she felt a cold trickle of fear at the thought of walking home now.

People here were weird, and their comments about staying on the roads were starting to creep the Alderaanian out. Gia fiddled with her hair a little nervously.

[Figaro Favoura Villagers]

Mygar understood her concerns...and her need to return home. The uncomfortable subject was avoided because it bred fear inside you, like a well-planted seed. Nobody could bear to live in constant expression of that fear, so the subject was avoided.

"Alright then, Gia. Go in peace, Lass. Give Drae many thanks for the delivery, and send my compliments of the delivery girl."

He nodded, knowingly, policing up his cup and the glass Gia had drank from.

[Elena Van Derveld]

Elena eyed Diego unsurely. She’d not heard him speak of this Taro Idol before, but of course trusted his word on him – at times such as this; even untrustworthy help would be appreciated. The proposition of creating some Alpha’s was one she warmed too much more quickly. Though Vega was reluctant to embrace people into the clan, Elena thought that expanding pack size would be an excellent way to work up a militia, that could then strike out at Vega and the ‘others’.

“I’m sure they’re many out there who’d like to see the downfall of the Force users,” she added to Diego’s words.

“Once we alert them to our presence, they’ll come flocking to join the cause. There’ll be a veritable throng of possible candidates to enlist!”

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego glanced back, his brow raising. A throng? An army of fighters with the Lupine gift? Diego couldn't imagine diluting their clan's blood so thinly.

"We must be cautious with this. If we create another heretic..."

He didn't have to complete the sentence.

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia nodded, and slipped out the front door, starting the walk back to the market, where she would return the basket and the money to Drae. The shadows were lengthening by the time she'd finished her business at the market, and when she finally started on the road for home, she was walking into the most beautiful sunset she'd ever seen.

The growing dusk at her heels was a source of some consternation, however. She started home, a basket of vegetables and fruits on her arm.

[Figaro Favoura Villagers]

Two children played along the road as Gia passed, kicking a stuffed cloth ball around on the ground. Their faces were dirty and their hair was bedraggled. They looked adorably disheveled, like quintessential street urchins. With big dark eyes, they watched Gia walk by, waving grubby little hands at her.

"Ello space lady!"

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia waved to the children, and stopped near them. It was a good thirty minute walk to her cottage...or rather, Diego's cottage, but she couldn't help but adore those little faces. "Hello there...what are your names?"

She bent down so she was on their level, and smiled at their dirty faces.

[Figaro Favoura Villagers]

"I'm Salla!"

A tawny-haired girl with pigtails smiled with missing front teeth.

"I'm Neik!"

A boy in mud-stained overalls bounced the ball on his knee.

"Where did you come from??" They both seemed to query in unison, tagging along behind Gia like lost puppies.

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia pointed up. "I came from another planet. Do you know anything about the other planets?" Salla and Neik were adorable, and she stopped just before she stepped onto the road home again.

[Figaro Favoura Villagers]

"Um...."

They both looked at her blankly.

"The black planet is bad. Mommy says bad people live there."

[Gia Van Derveld]

"The what? The black planet?" Gia looked up, but knew she wouldn't be able to see anything in the growing dusk. "What sorts of bad people?"

[Figaro Favoura Villagers]

"The Baron, and..."

Neik scratched his head. Salla picked up where he left off.

"But his family is sick. He's been nicer. They don't come here much, Mommy says. They used to. I never saw 'em."

[Gia Van Derveld]

"They're sick? Do they have a disease?" Gia was becoming more confused the longer the children tried to explain. "This Baron, he comes to this planet?" Salla was clinging to her leg, and Gia gave her a slight squeeze. The little girl reached up to touch her hair, playing with one of the pins holding it up.

Neik opened his mouth to say more, but a woman's voice called up the street. He shrugged apologetically. "Got to go, its getting dark. Bye lady!" The slightly older boy grabbed Salla's hand, and they both scampere down the street, away from Gia.

Her hair was falling out of place, and Gia tried to put the pin Salla had pulled out back in. Then she saw how dark it was getting, so fast. Pocketing her hair pins, she let her waist length hair fly free, and started towards the cottage again.

[Baron Marco Van Derveld]

"No. This time, caution goes with us."

The Baron's voice was resolute.

"I have heard enough, and I am in agreement with all plans. It is a desperate time, and our actions must be unfettered by convention or tradition. If that means that the gift is given to those not of the family, so be it. They will always be held subservient to us. Perhaps even destroyed in the inevitable battle to restore the stability of our house."

Marco raised an eyebrow, preparing another bowl to smoke.

"That should concllude our business, my family. Feel free to stay at Schwartzweld in the immediate days, and enjoy the hospitality of the hearth."

This statement could mean many, many things...and the Baron knew such.

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego rose from the floor, nodding.

"Thank you, Baron."

He looked to Elena...not knowing what she intended to do in the meantime. He looked back to his uncle.

"Baron, I will now be making my leave to the homeworld. I have...matters to attend to."

He smiled.

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia still held the basket in the crook of her right arm, but she had certainly picked up her pace. The cottage was a good fifteen minutes away still, and it was nearly completely dark.

She tried to tell herself that her fears were irrational, but the darkness continued to nip at her heels even as the last glimmers of the sunset were before her. Gia tried to force out the image of The Slaughtered Lamb's sign...but the wolf's head seemed to entice her to visualize it.

She shuddered, and kept moving. Just a few more minutes. Gia almost imagined she heard somethig behind her, but there was nothing, and only a slight breeze in the trees that lined the road.

[Elena Van Derveld]

Elena nodded to Diego and smiled somewhat before looking back to the Baron.

“If you don’t mind, I’ll just stay here whilst you’re on the Figaro Favoura. I never did like it there,” she added as she cast a sideward glance at her father.

Turning then to her grandfather, she approached the only other chair in the room and ran one hand over the leather cushioning.

“Are you busy, Baron… or could you spare a little time to talk with me?”

[Baron Marco Van Derveld]

Marco watched his nephew depart, raising a singular, bushy eyebrow.

"Very well then. Do not be long."

Igniting his bowl, Marco puffed a bit, setting the pipe aside once more, as he looked to his grand-daughter through a smoky halo.

"I've only menial affairs left to me this evening, Elena. You may speak your mind here."

With a subtle gesture, Marco dismissed the Egor at the door.

"What occupies your thoughts?"

[Elena Van Derveld]

Guilt riddled her mind for the damage she had caused, and there would be only one way to hopefully alleviate it.

“I just,” she began, “wanted to know how you’ve been, in these past couple of years.”

[Baron Marco Van Derveld]

"Old."

Marco spoke at last, the lines on his face seeming to become more apparent.

"Oh, perhaps not so much physically. Mentally and spiritually, it has drained me. The life of the family has been cut tot he quick, and each day, this house becomes more and more a tomb. The atrium is not filled with the sounds of children. I have no council to speak amongst. Ziek, Laktani, Caracci...they are only names now."

He steepled his fingers together, in thought.

"I feel myself aging. My time as Baron will pass one day. A good leader wishes to leave his kingdom in greater riches than when he inheirited it. I will leave my kingdom in ruins."

He sighed.

"If you must, then feel residual guilt. The crime is not on your hands, however. Yet, the opportunity to atone for it is within your grasp."

[Diego Van Derveld]

Meanwhile...a black silhouette lifted off from the Schloss's mountain hangar, and angled toward the sky. It had a lean black prow, and seemed to dissolve into the dark of night as it left the atmosphere. Angling trajectory and setting initial speed, the craft cut its engines as soon as it accelerated, approaching Figaro Favoura's dark side on its own inertia. It lazily entered the atmosphere, angling towards a sleepy village on the northern continent. It touched down, five miles out, the only lights coming from muted repulsorjets, as the craft sank below the treeline.

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia's eyes were adjusting to the darkness as she continued home. The moon was full tonight, and it lit the path well enough that she was not afraid of tripping.

The night was actually beautiful, and she soon forgot her fears as she looked up at the stars. It had been a long time since she'd seen so many stars in the night sky. Corellia, Umgul, and Coruscant had all had one thing in common. A lot of lights.

A cool breeze played with her long hair as she walked, and Gia listened to the insects singing alongside the road. Suddenly the insect chatter ceased, and she paused, one foot still in the air.

Gia stood still for a moment, and then the insects started chirping again, first one, and then another, until the night was as it had been. She scanned up and down the road, and then continued on her way. Her heart was beating a little faster, but she quelched her fears, and headed home.

Just a few more minutes...

[Diego Van Derveld]

There was only one way to pass the distance. Diego changed, letting the liquid movement of his quadripedal running carry him over the miles between his ship and the cottage. He could trace it by memory, the smells were so engrained in his mind. About halfway out, he began to pick up another scent. It was Gia, and her pheromones glowed around him like a salmon-colored halo, vibrant even through the background smells of the woods. Diego continued forward, footfalls soft and repetitive, strutting a line between discord and rhyme. After a few minutes he slowed, careful to approach the cottage from the far side of the village. He knew well enough that the locals were wary of the "wolves" around these parts. As he got within visual range of the cottage, he stopped, nose puffing the steam of night into the wind...

...she was very close.

[Gia Van Derveld]

Finally. The cottage was in sight. She'd neglected to leave a light on, and so it was bathed only in moonlight as she approached it.

Gia walked up to the path that led from the road to the cottage, and froze. She felt like she was being watched, although there was no one around... not for miles. "Don't stay out after dark." Mygar was one of many who had warned her.

What was it they were all so afraid of? Gia stepped onto the path, making for the front door.

[Diego Van Derveld]

Loping forward, Diego raced for the back of the cottage, breath puffing rhythmically with his strides. As he neared, he noticed the bedroom window was open, probably from earlier in the day, to relieve the heat. Perfect.

Diego cleared the windowsill with ease, padding into Gia's bedroom.

[Gia Van Derveld]

She unlocked the front door, and shut it firmly behind her, pulling the slide bolt closed as well. Gia walked to the table in the kitchen and set the basket down, then reached for a match.

Everything here was antiquidated, but it was relaxing not to have the steady hum of electric lights all the time. Not that there wasn't electricity, there was, and the cottage was fully rigged with lights. But somehow she preferred the simplicity of a flame over the brilliance of artifical lights. The woman lifted the hurricane from an oil lamp, and struck the match with her other hand, setting it at the wick.

The light flared, and she adjusted the trim, settling the glass back around the flame. Gia shook the match out, and tossed it into the sink, before starting to put the vegetables into the cooler.

[Diego Van Derveld]

A strange sound came from the bedroom...like a sigh, almost.

[Gia Van Derveld]

She turned her head at the sound, and slowly closed the cooler door. Picking up the lamp, Gia walked towards the bedroom, her shoes making a slight sound on the wood floors.

The door was slightly cracked open, just as she'd left it that morning. Exactly as she'd left it. And she would know if it had moved even a centimeter. Gia pushed it open, and let the light shine inside.

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego slid the traditional style, tie-down shirt over his hirsute torso, and began tying the laces up the center and sleeves...just as Gia entered. He said nothing, and suddenly ceased in his movements.

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia stood stock still in the doorway, and dropped the lamp, the flame extinguishing as the glass shattered on the ground, spilling oil on the floor.

Bathed in sudden darkness, Gia's eyes couldn't adjust fast enough, and she stammered, "Wha...h.how?" She reached for the doorjamb for support, and her feet crunched on the broken glass underneath her feet as she took a step backwards.

[Diego Van Derveld]

"Careful!"

He was quick to counteract her loss of balance, picking her off her feet, and over the glass, so that she was laying on the bed. He walked to the nightstand, lighting a candle, and setting it to where it would provide plenty of light. He dropped to his knees, and began to examine her foot, which had a few shards wedged into the skin.

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia squeaked as strong arms caught her, and as Diego lit a candle, she scooted up on the bed, so she was sitting against the headboard. She winced as he took her shoe off, noticing that the falling lamp must have glanced off her foot, shattering and leaving glass behind.

Her sock had a reddish stain around the ankle, and Gia bit her lip. "You startled me."

[Elena Van Derveld]

“I do very much hope we can return the family to its former glory, Baron.”

She sighed and recalled her time as a child here in the manner. Family had been important, but then only family that fitted the mould – Mort was held in the attic and tended to by Caracci, with a beating every day. The boy had been mentally unstable and they frowned upon it as a weakness, though would not kill him for the dishonour it would gain them. It was mainly the elders who stuck as one, though on occasion Virginie had been known to engage in business with them. She dearly wished she’d grown up with Ket around, or at least Mort for some company instead of just her father and his brash ways, but that could not be changed now.

“Perhaps we can even regain our footing on the main world. With just a little push it would fall to us...”

She felt a pang of sadness and wished Ziek was here to help them. In Vega’s child hood, Ziek had acted as a true father and nurtured all of the boy’s interests. He would be so proud to know that now ‘he’ had returned to the family.

[Diego Van Derveld]

With a firm grip on her cut foot, Diego pried a small sliver away.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

He looked around for something to stem the trickle of crimson, but could find nothing around him. The blood threatened to drip again. In a snap decision, he leaned down, stemming the tide with his lips and tongue, taking of her ferric essence. It was a peculiar pleasure, and exited two distinctly different beasts within, for but a moment. He flashed an embarrassed smile, hoisting her up again.

"Lets get that dressed. No sense in bleeding on the floors."

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia felt her breath catch as Diego licked her foot, and winced a little at the touch. She didn't know what to say, and when he lifted her up again in his arms, she put her arms around his neck automatically.

"Um..I- I- okay..." Gia stammered confusedly, and then bit her lip, mortified at the way she was acting. Just like child.

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego sat Gia on the lip of the basin in the bathroom, applying a cleaning astringent and a bandage, in a manner that was gentle and fastidious. He eased her to her feet, allowing her to favor her uninjured leg as he went to clean the glass and trace amount of blood from the floor. As he worked, he struck a conversation.

"So, you like the cottage?"

[Gia Van Derveld]

She nodded, limping to the doorway, watching him clean up the glass and oil. "Yes, its relaxing. Wonderful, really. I can't thank you enough for letting me stay here."

Gia wriggled her bare toes on the bandaged foot, lightly brushing them against the wood floor. "The locals aren't all that bad, you were right."

[Diego Van Derveld]

"They've got their own flavor, I'll give them that."

He smiled thinly, looking down at her.

"What if I were to say there was an even better place to stay?"

[Gia Van Derveld]

She hesitated. "What do you mean?" Gia leaned against the doorjam for support.

[Diego Van Derveld]

He approached slowly, careful as he encroached upon her personal space, rough hand brushing against her arm.

"With me."

His eyes were cool and sincere, and evaluated her face for any hint of emotion.

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia felt him approaching her, and her heart beat faster as he gently brushed her arm with his hand. She looked up into his eyes, and blinked. "With you? Just like that?"

His hand was warm on her arm, and she suddenly flushed. "I..I am tempted to say yes. But I'm afraid." Gia looked up, her eyes revealing her every emotion.

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego paused, nodding, affirming Gia's no-doubt shaky feelings with a smile.

"You can feel free to stay here, if you wish. My offer stands."

He paused, laughing to himself.

"You must excuse me. I suppose I can be direct, when I know what I want."

[Gia Van Derveld]

She hesitated again, and the sight of Diego, swooping in like an avenging angel in her Arcan apartment came back to her mind. A tear dripped unbidden out of her eye, and she smiled a little.

"You ...want me?" Gia's eyes tracked up from the third button on his shirt to his eyes.

[Baron Marco Van Derveld]

The Baron nodded at Elena's words.

"Perhaps. But they are not our enemy. Ignorant, yes. They forsake us through fear. Even though they rightfully cower in our presence, they rely on our vigilance. There has not been a force sorceror on that world since the Great Sith War. We are destined to remain in this fiefdom. We, the lords, and they, the vassals."

The Baron seemed to smile under his mustache, rising from his seat. Pipe in hand, he gestured toward the door.

"Come now, I've something to show you."

[Elena Van Derveld]

It was understandable, what he said. In
childhood she had never spent much time with the locals of Figaro Favoura, for
she had been exiled on birth. However she had her thoughts on them, pieced
together from others words, and did not take kindly to them. As the Baron stood,
she smiled eagerly and walked off to the door, and on through it.

“Something to show me?”
<center>
http://jenjen.clanhappy.com/elena/smile3.jpghttp://jenjen.clanhappy.com/elena/main.jpg</center>

[Diego Van Derveld]

His eyes narrowed, peering through her own irises, and seemingly into her soul.

"This is unexpected? You are beautiful, and strong in spirit. Which injustice is worse? The man you left, or the loneliness you left him for?"

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia couldn't tear her eyes away from his gaze, letting his words sink in for a few moments. The candle on the nightstand flickered in a nighttime breeze from the open window, and sputtered out.

She leaned in a little, and then hesitated. Gia licked her lips slightly, and then closed her eyes and kissed him.

[Diego Van Derveld]

It was soft and gradual, like prodding hot bath water with a toe, fearful of unseen peril and unwilling to commit to the moment until fears were assuaged. Diego was receptive, but firm, embracing her only as she advanced to him, his broad arms covering her back with room to spare. He leaned down to meet her lips, and his sienna locks spilled over her own. He was as careful as Gia's caution permitted, and his lips gently met her own. He minded the roughness of his stubble, careful not to slide against the grain.

[Gia Van Derveld]

The kiss was gentle, but firm, and Diego gathered her up in his strong arms. Arms which had brutalized her now dead husband. Arms which had comforted her, and rescued her from her own death.

Gia sighed a little, and relaxed into his arms, putting her arms around his neck in the darkness and kissing him more intensely. Yes...yes I will go with you. It was unspoken, for now, but her decision had been made.

[Diego Van Derveld]

He hefted her up, and slid her on the edge of the bed, and seated himself parallel, not coming on too strong, but maintaining his affections. A work-calloused hand gently slid from her face, to her neck, and along her left shoulder, catching a spaghetti strap as he slowly worked down her arm.

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia felt the strap sliding, and her first instinct was to grab for it, but instead she twisted slightly towards Diego.

Her hands ran across the ties on his shirt, and slim fingers picked at them as they continued to kiss. Suddenly she broke contact, and drew back from him a little.

Diego looked back at her, hand still on her arm. Gia smiled, and then drew in close for another kiss. "You're very persuasive..." The end of her sentance was muffled against his lips as they kissed again.

[Baron Marco Van Derveld]

"Oh yes."

Marco escorted Elena through the long hallways, passing ornate tapestries and paintings, as well as wide windows that overlooked the view from the mountainside, though little was to be seen tonight. After a moment of walking, they arrived at a heavy, double door.

"I know that you and Ziek were quite close."

He opened the door, to Ziek's chambers. The room had been well-kept, and aside from an Egor on dusting duty, had remained untouched since the Elder Lupine's death. It was ornately furnished, but in a style that suited the man uniquely from the others of the family. Upon the desk, there lay a thick, bound book.

"He'd expressed his fondness of you."

Marco hefted the book...an unabridged collection of his memoirs.

"And I think that he would wish you to have this."

[Diego Van Derveld]

In the heat of his advance, Diego paused, his lips precariously perched upon the tips of hers.

"This is too soon."

With an almost sad look in his eyes, he returned the strap of her dress to where it was, his lips sliding up to rest on her forehead. These overtures would be trite and meaningless, if she found out what he was...and ran from him. It was easy to satisfy lust. Deeper feelings were more unsure, and far more difficult.

With a sigh of resignation, he lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia sat on the edge of the bed, confused. Diego seemed interested, and now he was retreating from her. She didn't know quite how to handle that.

She crawled up onto the bed, and nestled into his side. "What's wrong?"

[Diego Van Derveld]

He looked sideways at her.

"There are things about me that aren't as attractive as how I may appear to you. I want to continue, but not through ignorance of each other. If you are still by my side after knowing me, and I you, then we can continue this."

[Gia Van Derveld]

She sighed, and traced a small pattern with her finger on his chest. "Does this have something to do with the Black Planet?"

[Diego Van Derveld]

He closed his eyes for a moment, and a few seconds later, opened them again.

"Yes."

[Gia Van Derveld]

She thought about that a moment. "Oh."

Gia sighed, and laid her head on his shoulder. "When you want to tell me, you can." She closed her eyes.

[Elena Van Derveld]

She literally snatched up the book, shoulders dropping downwards with the sudden burden of the books weight. Lifting it back up, she looked down at the worn leather cover with the embossed snaking dragon upon it and bit her lower lip in anticipation. Pulling it open, she began to flick through, eyes picking up on certain words and the diagrams scribbled onto each page. There was so much information in here, not only about Ziek’s daily life but about Disciplines in the martial arts, as well as those involved in changing.

“Wow… I didn’t even know he kept a journal,”

Turning to look to Marco, she pushed the book up under her arm and discarded any hesitation as she flung her arms around him, embracing him tightly.

“Thank you.”

[Diego Van Derveld]

"What about you?"

Diego looked at her as they lay on the bed.

"Our lack of knowledge is mutual. I only know the unfortunate circumstances that I barged into."

He frowned a bit, stepping away from the actions of the past and analyzing them with a scientist's skepticism. Had he actually done her any good? He'd delivered her from misery, and into...what?

"I want to know you first, Gia."

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia sat up, crosslegged on the bed next to him. "There isn't much to tell. I'm of Alderaanian descent, from Corellia. When I was seventeen I snuck out of the house and went to a club with some friends of mine from school. I had a few too much to drink, and fell in love with the first dashing stranger I met. His name is...well it was Jahn.

"The next time I saw him, he convinced me to leave my parents and my home, and come with him. I did. I was young, naive, and thought I was in love. We were married on the ship by the captain, and lived on Umgul for two years. During which time he gambled away all our money and spent the rest of it on spice. When it was good, it was allright, and when it was bad, it was horrible." She closed her eyes and shuddered at the memories. Each one was crystal clear, like a tear.

"A year ago, I left him. I managed to pay my way to Coruscant, and there I met a man called Prent. He helped me find an apartment, and a job." She closed her lips, not wishing to reveal her participation with the Sector Ranger's CEO, Sasseeri Reeouurra. "After that job panned out, I came to Arcan, still addicted to glit, and suffering. I tried killing myself, but that didn't work, and a Jedi helped me get off the spice.

"And that's where you found me." She looked over to his eyes. "Your turn." Her slightly sad face changed into a small smile.

[Diego Van Derveld]

"Sanis Prent?"

Diego arched an eyebrow. He was familiar with the name. Vaguely familiar with the man. Didn't particuarly strike him as anything special, and definitely not as an altruist.

"I know of him. At least he was better to you than Jahn."

His jawline tightened.

"I abhor such abuse. I am sorry that so much of your life has been taken by his deceit."

He had begun to inquire about her parents and Corellia...but stopped short. The planet had been corrupted by Sith sorcerors. Even if she could return, there was no guarantee her parents would still be alive. The sorcerors sought to assert total power, and took care to crush those underneath their thrones, to consolidate. Perhaps then Jahn's abuse was an indirect blessing, saving her from slavery to the Sith. She was free now. It was a humble, meager life, but it was free. If she shrank from Diego's side, he would let her. There was much to be atoned for, and he wanted more than a mate. He wanted a companion...someone that he would not tire of, and would live with forever. Something that would clean the slate from the shame of his past infidelities, and the seeds of evil that were cast through them.

"My turn, eh."

He sighed.

"My family has lived on the Black Planet...Schwartzweld, for a very long time. I am a descendent of an endless lineage, who have isolated ourselves from the rest of the galaxy, and the sorcerors that abuse the force. I had a prior marriage, and consorted out of wedlock with another, because I no longer loved her."

His face turned somber.

"I am not proud of it, and my children were the wages of my sin. They betrayed my family, and tore it asunder. Now, my eldest son, Vega Van Derveld, has become seduced by the force, and has coerced the rest of my children to follow him. Only my daughter, Elena, remains faithful to me, and our family. My father was killed by my son, as were an aunt and an uncle...the elders of my family. One last uncle remains as a patriarch, but his home is empty now, save for myself and my daughter. It has been years since, but I still live with the guilt of my infidelity, and the shame at its reprocussions."

Diego rose suddenly, turning away from Gia.

"I do not wish to cheapen our liason with motive, but I must confess that I seek a family, and a happy home to provide for."

He turned back, his blue eyes wistful and sad.

[Gia Van Derveld]

She remained crosslegged on the bed, nibbling on her lower lip. "It sounds wonderful. But - "

He looked at her, his eyes still wistful. "But?"

Gia swallowed, "The people here, they are afraid, but I couldn't figure out why. Some children said that - that the Black Planet had sick people on it, but the Baron was nicer. Your son, this Vega, does he have a disease?" She turned questioning, and innocent eyes towards him.

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego looked away from her.

"The people here can be irrational in their fear of my family. We are...gifted, I suppose. We protect them from the same kind of invasion that plagued Corellia and a thousand other worlds. In return, we are made parriahs, and outcast by the power of the mob. There are some here who would like to see us killed, forgetful of the danger we shield them from."

He sighed.

"I suppose...that one could call us sick. If fear keeps men from being emboldened into war, then there must some virtue in sacrificial lambs, and those who lead them to slaughter."

[Gia Van Derveld]

Lambs. That word again. Gia pressed forward, trying to learn the secret that Diego continued to dance around.

"You speak in riddles... You shield these people from the Jedi? What is it that you are trying to tell me, Diego?"

[Diego Van Derveld]

"Come with me, outside."

He held his hand out to her.

[Gia Van Derveld]

She took his hand, and allowed him to help her off the bed. "Okay." The tension in the room was strange, but not uncomfortable. Gia almost imagined that she could feel a strange power coming off of Diego, his force of presence was so strong.

The look in his eyes awed her, but she felt no fear as he led her outside.

[Diego Van Derveld]

It was a chill evening, and outside, the only light came from distant homes, far away, and the second moon, hanging high above. Diego led Gia out into the night, to a point a few strides from the house. Breath became steam in the cold of the evening, and with the exception of natural ambience, all was quiet. Diego put a hand on Gia's shoulder, looking down at her. The moonlight glinted in his eyes. His voice was low, almost a whisper.

"I don't know how you will take this, but it is necessary truth, and I cannot hide it. I want you to close your eyes, and keep them closed."

He removed his frilly shirt, tugging away the ties and hoisting it over his torso. He crumpled it up, tossing it to the side.

"Please. You will know when you can open them. If you cannot handle what you see...I want you to run to a man named Mygar."

He looked to the distance.

"He will understand."

[Gia Van Derveld]

Her eyes were wide, and she clasped her arms around her body against the chill of the night air. His body was magnificent... Gia nodded, and opened her mouth as if to say something.

Instead, she closed her mouth, nodded again, and squeezed her eyes shut. Standing in darkness, her mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle of Diego. Apparently he held the missing piece, and was about to reveal it to her.

Gia heard a grunting noise, and bit her lip, keeping her eyelids sealed shut, trusting Diego.

[Diego Van Derveld]

Lupines weren't immodest, it was just that they were more concerned in other areas of modesty. Since they were nude over half the time, they were only somewhat concerned with nudity on two legs. But somewhere between two and four, there was a very vague and indeterminate form that became their person. It was neither man nor vornskr, but a moment in time. Diego, like most, wanted as few to see that side of him as possible. Once her eyes were closed, he removed the clothes that covered his waist and below, and stood stark naked in the night air. He arched his back, popped his neck, and changed. Unlike an involuntary shift, this transition was much smoother, quicker, and many times less painful. It felt strange...like if every part of his body could sneeze at once. With a sound that was part fluid, part sigh, and part of something that no ear could identify, Diego's form shifted from upright to all fours. At last, front paws met back paws, crumpling the grass underneath as the vornskr fell forward. The animal yawned, and snorted a puff of steamy air into the chill of night. Moonlight glinted yellow off his eyes as Diego slowly approached Gia, whose eyes were still shut. Gently, he rocked back on his haunches, and licked at the back of her left hand, whining as if to tell Gia that she could at last open her eyes.

[Gia Van Derveld]

The sudden touch on her hand startled her, and Gia's muscles tightened involuntarily. The whine that accompanied the lick confused her, and she opened her eyes, looking down at a large, dark furred animal.

Gia stared at it, yet did not move. Her eyes tracked up to where she had last seen Diego, and saw the crumpled pile of clothing, but nothing more. Her heart was beginning to pound, and her breath seemed to catch in her throat as she looked back down at the wolf-like creature before her.

"Diego?" Finding her voice at last, she sank down to her knees in the dewy grass, her eyes on level with the animal.

[Diego Van Derveld]

Speaking wasn't very doable in the state of a vornskr. Words were garbled, and pretty much left to single syllables, and no matter the mood, sounded mean and growly. Diego looked at Gia's monochrome form as she kneeled to his level, her unique scent wafting about her like a colorful aura. He blinked, and nodded his head in a slow, deliberate way.

whiine

[Gia Van Derveld]

Wide eyed, Gia took in his new form, tenetively reaching out a hand to touch the fur on his neck. It was almost bristly, yet soft enough to be pleasant. "This is amazing...I've never known a skin changer before."

[Diego Van Derveld]

keeeen...

Diego cocked his head a bit, ears twitching as he accepted Gia's touch. His cold, wet nose snuffed a bit, as he wagged his barbed tail behind him.

[Gia Van Derveld]

She ruffled the fur near the base of his ears, and looked him in the eyes, vastly different than they had been in human form. "Is this what you were afraid to tell me? That you weren't human?" Gia sighed, and settled back on her heels.

"That doesn't bother me. I mean, it's different...but, not something I can't get used to."

[Diego Van Derveld]

whiine-wurf

Diego was suprised at her response, and he rose from his haunches. The vornskr yawned, his muzzle opening up wide to reveal a series of long, rather sharp teeth. He padded away a short distance, and looked toward the forest, and back at Gia again. He shuffled on his paws, and seemed to freeze for a moment, as if he was concentrating. A growling sound seemed to grow in his chest, and a strange sound finally found its way out.

hrrrcome-rrr

The growl ceased, and the vornskr looked to Gia empathetically, hoping she understood. After a moment more, he padded in the direction of the forest.

[Gia Van Derveld]

She rocked up from her heels, and frowned at the dampness on her dress from the grass. Diego obviously wanted her to follow him, to where and for what purpose, she wasn't sure.

Gia paused, and stooped to unlace and discard her other shoe. Walking lopsided wasn't very comfortable. Barefoot in the grass, she walked after Diego, following him into the forest.

[Diego Van Derveld]

The distance was long, but the trip seemed to pass quickly. The expanse around the cottage turned to pasture, pasture turned to meadow, which in turn began to be dotted sporadically by the trees of the forest periphery. Diego yipped, and then cut loose a howl.

awOOOooooo

Glancing back at Gia, he began loping through the beginnings of the forest, but not so fast as to leave her behind. She was running in the wet grass, falling both a step behind. Neither of them were tiring, and the end of their trip was approaching.

[Gia Van Derveld]

She hiked up her skirt and ran after Diego, giggling as she chased him. Her injured foot stung a little, but not enough to slow her down.

As she entered the forest she fell a little further behind, trying to follow Diego's path between the trees. Gia ducked a branch, and panted as she emerged into a clearing. There was Diego's solarsail ship. She paused, catching her breath.

[Diego Van Derveld]

At the sight of the sailship, Diego sprinted ahead, putting more distance between him and Gia, and giving him enough time to change in isolation before she could catch up. When Gia finally approached the clearing, Diego was back on two feet, untangling his hair with a shake of his head, as he fastened up a pair of pants he had set aside in a log hollow. His smile returned to his face as Gia entered the clearing, and he slid a more modern looking shirt over his torso. He walked up to her, wordlessly but full of emotion. His eyes sparkled in the moonlight, radiating his gratitude that she had run with him, instead of from him.

"Thank you."

[Gia Van Derveld]

She walked towards him, taking his now human hand. Gia only smiled, not sure what else to say. You're welcome for not thinking you're a freak? She took a deep breath, and let it out, grinning. "That was fun." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek, not minding the perpetual stubble he seemed to have.

"Are we going somewhere?"

[Diego Van Derveld]

He turned, kissing her in full, finally prepared to commit his passion to his instinct.

"That is your decision. I am leaving now, to return to Schwartzweld."

He smiled, a pleasant, yet dangerous smile.

"There is room for another passenger aboard."

[Gia Van Derveld]

She leaned into the kiss, and wrapped her arms around his trim waist as he spoke. The look in his eye was almost as if he were daring her to accompany him. "Well, I'd be lying if your family didn't make me nervous. But, that would be true of anyone."

Gia knew how dangerous Diego was. He had killed a man he didn't even know in cold blood, and apparently his son was insane. Yet, strangely, she felt perfectly safe in his arms. "I'll go with you, Diego." Her blue eyes reflected trust.

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego accepted her choice with a wordless nod of his head. As he leaned to kiss her again, he reached back, hitting the button to open the aft hatchway. When the gangplank finally slid to the ground, Diego uncoupled his lips from Gia's, releasing her from his embrace. Taking her by the hand, he led her onto his sailship once again. A moment later, and the sleek shape was rising over the treetops once more.

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia settled back into the seat, and strapped in as the ship took off smoothly. She looked at her companion, and smiled. "I'm a little nervous."

Diego only smiled at her, and squeezed her hand a bit before returning his attention to piloting. She swallowed, and watched the stars loom nearer as they cleared the planet's atmosphere.

The trip to the Dark planet was short, and soon they were landing again. Gia took a deep breath, and unbuckled from the seat. She looked down at her bare feet. "I...I left my shoes behind."

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego nodded, rising from his seat, and helping Gia from hers.

"I can get you new shoes."

Lowering the gangplank, the Lupine led his lady down through the craft's exit. Meeting them at the tarmac's edge was a curious creature, that seemed to be more of a mish-mash of different parts than any singular person. It hobbled over to the two, and bowed, which was more of a motion of its hunched shoulders.

"Welcome back, Diego. I thee you have brought a vithitor."

Egor looked at Gia, and 'bowed' again.

"Hello, m'lady. Any guetht of mathter Diego'th ith mathter to me ath well. Doeth the lady have any bagth or luggage for Egor to carry?"

[Gia Van Derveld]

The being's Basic was badly accented, but Gia could still understand it. She shook her head, "No I don't have anything."

She slid a little closer to Diego, hesitant to be too far away from his side.

[Diego Van Derveld]

"Ath you with, m'lady. I will ethcort you and Mathter Diego to the Baron and Mith Elena. They are expecting you."

The Egor looked at Gia strangely as the trio walked.

"Mathter Diego, thould I inform the Baron of any dinner planth, that you are arranging for our company?"

Diego's jaw set a little.

"No, Egor. No special dinner plans."

He squeezed Gia's shoulder.

"My guest doesn't agree with the local cuisine."

Egor 'nodded' again, understanding.

"Of courthe, thir. The uthual then, I prethume?"

The trio entered the Schoss's grand main entrance.

"Yes, Egor. The usual will do just fine."

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia gaped at the decor, surrounded by dark, heavy furnishings and doors all over. Each detail was instantly branded on her mind, from the lever door handles to the dog doors cut out of the bottom of nearly every door.

The non-lever doorknobs were wolf heads, and there were thick tapestries on the walls, in what appeared to be a desperate attempt at color. The rich dark tones of red were in every hanging, and Gia felt very small. She leaned up to Diego, "What's the usual?"

[Baron Marco Van Derveld]

"Filet Mignon, full courses, and the house vintage, though I can request an older bottle, as the current vintage is somewhat lacking in bouquet."

An older gentleman descended down the grand staircase and into the sprawling atrium. He dressed stately, yet in a relaxed manner that was a curiosity. A beautiful, blonde woman was beside him, as another Egor followed the pair behind. The old man's blue eyes looked curiously at Gia, and then to Diego as he reached the end of the stairs.

"Well Nephew, aren't you going to introduce your lovely guest to me?"

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego nodded to his elder.

"My apologies, Baron."

He looked to Gia. extending a hand in Marco's direction.

"Gia Thorn, allow me to introduce you to Marco Van Derveld, Baron of Schwartzweld, and my uncle."

He then gestured to Elena.

"And this is Elena Van Derveld, my daughter."

He looked to both, smiling courteously.

"Gia is looking for a place to stay, and I have offered her my hospitality as a guest of the manor. I trust this won't be any inconvenience?"

[Elena Van Derveld]

She canted her head for a moment before nodding in greeting to her father and his guest.

“I’m sure that won’t be a problem, right Baron?” Elena questioned to her grandfather.

Though she was desperately trying not to use the Force as of late, some things she did still feel, and one of these was the guard that her father was holding around Gia, and a very protective one at that. At this, she smiled.

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia nodded to the Baron and Diego's daughter. Elena was beautiful and the Baron was as impressive as his mansion. She felt young, and small, and...

Diego smiled down at her, and she plucked up her courage, and smiled back. "I thank you for your hospitality, Baron."

[Baron Marco Van Derveld]

"No, no, not a problem at all."

The Baron smiled, laughing heartily.

"We welcome your company, young lady. Despite what rumors the riff-raff on the main world might pass about, we are gracious hosts, and look forward to lavishing our guests in our good graces."

He absent-mindedly smoothed his immense mustache, and continued.

"So tell me, young lady, how is it that you and Diego have met?"

[Gia Van Derveld]

She looked at the Baron, and then to Diego. "You might say he rescued me on Arcan IV." Gia slipped her arm into Diego's, and smiled. "I had no where to stay, and he helped me immensely, sir."

[Elena Van Derveld]

She leant back against the thick banister that ran up the side of the stairs and watched Gia silently as she and the Baron conversed. Perhaps she was the one her father intended to rebuild the clan alongside, making her the new heiress. At this, her first twisted a little and she looked down at the carpet, frowning.

[Diego Van Derveld]

Elena's reaction wasn't missed by Diego, though he didn't confront it.

"Anyways, I've brought Gia here so that she can find a new life. Her old one wasn't treating her well."

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia felt an awkward silence, but wasn't sure how to react, so she just stood there next to Diego. She scuffed her toe on the floor lightly, shifting her weight to the other leg.

[Elena Van Derveld]

“So she’s going to be living here?” she responded instantly, staring straight at Diego.

[Baron Marco Van Derveld]

"I'm sure such matters are better discussed at dinner." The Baron quickly interjected, sensing an uncomfortable moment. He glanced to an awaiting Egor, his aged face brightening.

"Have Egor prepare dinner. Spare no lavish for our guest."

Yeth, M'Lord...

The Egor ambled away, leaving the trio alone. Marco arranged the contents of his bowl once more, and lit it with a match. As the smoky halo rose, he stroked at his full moustache.

"So, tell us about yourself, Miss Thorn. What is your trade?"

[Gia Van Derveld]

"Well... I don't have a trade, persay. I was a waitress most recently. My memory helps with that, I don't have to write anything down to remember who had what." Gia felt intensely uncomfortable, and hoped she hadn't made the wrong choice.

She looked up at Diego, and breathed a little easier. It was the right choice, Gia. Still, there was a lot of tension coming from the blond woman, Diego's daughter. Gia pondered the fact that she was probably younger than Elena, and a lot less cultured. I hope dinner is soon.

[Diego Van Derveld]

"She has an amazing ability to recall past experiences to the most precise degree."

Diego changed the subject, easing some of the tension, as he stepped away from his uncle's pipe smoke.

"A...photographic memory, is the term, I believe. Its an amazing talent."

He smiled at her, glancing back at his family.

[Elena Van Derveld]

Had she not corrected herself mentally, she would have blurted out that she could do the same … with the Force. Of course she had to stop that now and thus remained quiet for a bit.

“How unique,” she commented, with a genuine smile.

“It’s a shame you can’t see into the future too,” Elena added, with a slight grin.

[Baron Marco Van Derveld]

"That, I imagine, could just as well be a curse as a blessing."

Marco smiled at Elena, noting the younger Lupine's annoyance at her father's choice of guests. He gestured toward the dining hall.

"But such idle discussion is wasted on empty stomachs. Come, let us enjoy dinner. I'm sure that we will enjoy Miss Thorn's company. We do get so very little in the way of visitors."

At this, the Baron looked at Gia strangely, and led the way.

"Come, come. An idle Egor is the Devil's stooge."

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia felt his strange look, and the tension in her shoulders tightened more as she walked beside Diego towards the dining hall. It was large and just as impressive as the entryway, the same dark decor, and a long table which dominated the room.

It was shiny enough for her to see her reflection in the dark stained wood as Diego helped her into her seat beside him. She remained quiet, simply soaking in everything around her with a wide-eyed stare and a half smile on her face.

[Elena Van Derveld]

Sitting down at the table in the seat Vega had once used, down a little way from the Baron, her father and his companion, Elena shifted rather uncomfortably. She was still adjusting to coming back to the manor on a regular basis, and felt uneasy.

What would the guethth like to drink?

“Jack and coke,” Elena replied instantly, though received a frown from her father and changed the reply to,

“Just … water or something.”

[Diego Van Derveld]

"Elena, whatever you wish is fine."

Diego knew his 'daughter' would find some aspects of home uncomfortable, and he was prepared to ease the uneasiness.

"I will have Jagermeister."

The Egor astutely remembered...

"A clean glath, Thir?"

"Of course, Egor."

He looked to Gia.

[Baron Marco Van Derveld]

"Port will suffice, Egor."

The Baron's demeanor seemed to brighten at Diego's peculiar compulsions.

"Nephew...will you not rest until every tapestry is taken down and scoured bare? Your cleanliness will be the death of you. You can scour the silver off your fork, and curiously relent from a clean shave. Very peculiar..."

He looked to Gia.

"Wouldn't you say?"

[Gia Van Derveld]

She blinked at the Egor, and looked at the Baron. "They do say that cleanliness is next to godliness." Gia's lips relaxed into a smile, and she turned to the Egor once more. "I'd just like some red wine, please."

[Elena Van Derveld]

Elena followed patiently into what would have once been known as the Grand Hall. On the walls hung the deep crimson flags of the Elders, with the usual hunting trophies; covered in the dust of decades of inactivity. It had been a long time since fresh game had lined the decaying walls and if the foundations were not repaired soon – of both the clan and the castle – they would crumble.

As she walked with the Baron, her father and his guest, she watched Igor ahead of them. She had always been fond of Igor’s as a child – her grandfather had kept one all her life, it seemed, though she later realised it was infact numerous Igor’s, who simply shared one another’s eyes.

[Diego Van Derveld]

Dinner progressed as normally as any aristocratic function would seem. Small talk was made over entrees, but little of value was said. The Uncle, Nephew and his Daughter exchanged fleeting knowing glances, which were lost on the outsider. A little over an hour later, the courses were finished, and the table was bare again.

Diego rose from his seat, and helped Gia to her feet.

"Uncle, I'll be taking Gia for a walk in the courtyard now."

The meaning of what he said was known only to Marco, Elena, and the Igor working fastidiously in the background.

[Elena Van Derveld]

“Have fun you two,” Elena replied, her previous somewhat skeptical expression smoothing over into a now apparently excited smile.

“Grandfather and I can have another talk, can’t we?” she asked, looking to Marco with an impish grin, giving his forearm a gentle squeeze.

[Gia Van Derveld]

Gia thanked her host for the meal, feeling a little bit like a Cinderella who'd just been blown into a fairy tale. Diego took her elbow and steered her out of the dining room as Elena and the Baron stayed at the table to talk.

The woman looked at Diego, and smiled, feeling genuinely happy. He was so unlike the other man she'd known...although her experience was very limited. He had saved her life from Jahn, and whisked her away to a gorgeous planet and set her up with a comfortable life. She didn't understand what he saw in her, but her pliable heart was already bonding to him.

"Thank you, Diego. Dinner was lovely." Her blue eyes looked up into his as they made their way outside. She wiggled her toes. "But I still don't have any shoes. I can't imagine what your uncle thought of that," Gia laughed.

[Diego Van Derveld]

"Oh I doubt you'd ever get scolded for a thing like that here."

Diego smiled, laughing a bit.

"In fact, I've been known to do the same on occasion, as have all of us. My family is a bit...different, in that respect. There are traditions that are older than centuries, and there are idiosyncracies that arise from nowhere. The key to life is that I never feel bound by either in any way, but feel confident to live how I see fit."

[Gia Van Derveld]

She had soft feet from living in shoes all her life, but the flagstones of the courtyard weren't too rough on her feet. The wound from the glass was starting to bother her again, but she tried not to show it as they slowly walked in the cool night air.

"It must be nice...to live as you want." She wasn't looking at him, but just talking absently, looking at the night flowers that were blooming in the light of the waning moon.

[Diego Van Derveld]

"Gia."

Diego paused, near a large tree with sprawling branches. He turned to look at her.

"What I want is you. Perhaps that could be considered an ulterior motive of bringing you to my home, but I mean you no ill will if my proposition does not agree with you."

He smiled slightly, and his blue eyes seemed to catch moonbeams and glow weakly.

"I would like for you to be my wife."

[Gia Van Derveld]

She blinked, and backed away a bit, her bare foot catching in a crack and Gia stumbled a bit on her hurt foot. She rallied impressively, and looked back into his eyes as she contemplated what he'd just said.

"You...you want me to...to marry you?" Gia licked her lips, and put a hand to her head. In all the moments she could remember, she hadn't seen anything that quite made her expect this proposal. "But...why?" Her lighter blue eyes looked at him, a little bit of honest confusion in them.

[Diego Van Derveld]

"Because I need a companion, and you need one too. And a family, if that is in our future. You have seen too much pain, and I promise that if you choose to be my wife, I will make sure you are never hurt by anyone again."

Diego approached Gia slowly, taking her by the hand.

"I can give you the life that you deserve."

[Gia Van Derveld]

She shied away a bit, and then let him take her hand, his words drenching her soul like water into parched soil. Gia let her eyes track up to his again, and stopped the question that was forming on her tongue. Do you mean it?

One look at his eyes and she knew he did. The memory of their kisses on the planet below warmed her cheeks, and she smiled a tiny smile.

"I... I will. Diego, yes. I will be your wife." The smile grew on her face as she promised, and suddenly she was glad she'd never forget this moment.

[Diego Van Derveld]

"I must ask you to do something, then...only I can't ask."

Diego's eyes looked almost sad.

"You won't understand now, and there is nothing I can say to make you understand. But with time, you will understand the bond that we must now share."

Taking her by the hand, he eased her down to the soft grass, and they both sat down. With a gentle hand, he eased her onto her back, and placated her with a kiss.

"Gia, close your eyes. I promise, when you open them again, everything will be clear as day."

[Gia Van Derveld]

Her eyes questioned him, and she felt a flutter of fear as his lips left hers and he murmured in her ear. She nodded slightly, "I'll do it."

Gia lightly closed her eyes, and then reached up and brought his head down for another kiss, holding onto him for a bit before releasing him and laying quietly.

Waiting...and trusting.

[Diego Van Derveld]

The sounds that met Gia's ears were strange. There was a sighing sound, that almost sounded wet, and something indescribable. Punctuated by that was the sound of clothes sliding to the ground.

She never heard the lupine's sting coming, as it pressed its barbed tail against the side of her neck. There was barely even time to register the pain of the strike, before the venom began its work of quickly rendering her unconcious. From that point on, it was a fight within. Guarded and under the protection of the Van Dervelds' good favor, she would pass the toxin and live, and find a new life waiting for her when she woke from her long sleep.