The Elvenqueen

You never see it coming[Freedomliveson/The Elvenqueen]

Awesome, will do! Feeling a bit out of sorts today so reply will probably come tomorrow though I shall endeavor to make a start tonight :P

B!tchfest: a healthy release for our non-roleplay annoyances.

Bit of a more idk serious bitch? Just...idk, me. Why.

I go to bed at night feeling tired as hell, as if I need sleep really badly. Then when I'm actually lying there I'm so stressed out about well...bloody everything in my life right now that I can't even get to sleep anymore and I'm still tossing and turning at 5 or 6am when I'm supposed to be up and awake in the next few hours

I just honestly do not understand why I have to do this to myself. Can I not just decide "tired, now sleep" instead of having to repeat the above pattern till I'm literally at the point of "so exhausted that my brain shuts down and I literally pass out"? :B

You never see it coming[Freedomliveson/The Elvenqueen]

Don't worry, no need to apologise, seriously! :) XD

Shuffle your music player and post the first 10 songs

1. Evelyn, Evelyn-Evelyn & Evelyn-Evelyn, Evelyn
2. Song Of The Lonely Mountain (Extended Version)-Neil Finn-The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Original Soundtrack (Deluxe Edition)
3. My Mom-Kimya Dawson-Remember That I Love You
4. I Have Made Mistakes-The Oh Hellos-Through The Deep, Dark Valley
5. Hopeless Wanderer-Mumford & Sons-Babel
6. Skinny Love (Bon Iver Cover)-Birdy-Birdy
7. Hold Me Down-Halsey-Badlands (Deluxe Edition)
8. King-Lauren Aquilina-Fools
9. The Valley-The Oh Hellos-Through The Deep, Dark Valley
10. White Blank Page-Mumford & Sons-Sigh No More (Deluxe Edition)

You never see it coming[Freedomliveson/The Elvenqueen]

Awesome, no worries as always! The kiddos come first! :P

You never see it coming[Freedomliveson/The Elvenqueen]

Tah dah! Apologies for this one taking so long ;w; every time I tried to sit down to work on it some other thing came up and pulled me away xD

You never see it coming[Freedomliveson/The Elvenqueen]

Aria accompanied Voldon to the medbay entrance, sighing heavily as the Elder proclaimed he felt it prudent to continue on ahead to the Senate tower post haste. Yerbol was in no condition to travel, at least not yet. She had been skeptical of Voldon contacting Junoco at first, but of course the hacker could prove useful if they needed somebody to handle all the technological jargon while they were here; they didn’t exactly have time to call Manso in and wait for the Twi’lek to arrive after all. After Voldon had disappeared out of sight again, she retreated back into the medbay to check up on Yerbol once more, drawing up a chair to perch beside the tank and remain nearby. Chwuq and Taral settled themselves at her feet, the latter perching his chin on her knee and blowing out a loud snort.
“Yerbol?”
She managed to smile, scratching the Tuk’ata’s ears soothingly. “Bol’s gonna be fine, buddy. Don’t you worry.” She tried to make conversation with Rhine and Denali, who did their best to return the sentiment, but other than commenting on the state of the streets outside or Aria providing explanation (for what felt like the umpteenth time) of what the Tuk’ata were and why they followed the pair around all the time, there wasn’t awfully much to talk about that wouldn’t have made the conversation even more awkward. Just when she thought she might die of embarrassment if she had to endure the awkward silence any longer, Taral’s head shot out of her lap and into the air as Yerbol finally stirred again and called out to her. Standing up, she moved closer to the edge of the tank and took his hands gently in her own.
“I’m right here.” she smiled in relief as she helped him to sit up further, cautioning him to be careful as he asked about how long he had been gone for. She told him a few days, then added:
“But that doesn’t matter now, what’s most important is that you’re here, and you’re safe, and I’m NEVER letting you out of my sight again.” Aria placed her free hand over his as he clung to hers tightly, and squeezed it firmly. “I thought I’d lost you.” the words stuck in her throat, effort to get out, but she felt better now that she could expel the thought permanently. He was here, he was going to be okay.
Chwuq and Taral barked and leapt excitedly, their tails lashing as they sprang up and down in their attempts to lick his face and convey their enthusiasm at his recovery. They sank back down to their former positions at her feet, allowing Aria to drop back onto the chair, though she kept a firm hold on his hand, running her thumb gently over the top as he spoke of his experiences with Illesia. She took the information in, the implication of the sheer strength lead Xiis’ power sending cold shivers of dread down her spine. If she could become that powerful by feeding on the energies of just a few people, how were they going to combat that?
Yerbol attempted to climb out of the tank, Denali and Rhine immediately racing over to stop him.
“Woah, Woah, Bol...baby, take it easy a minute.” Aria murmured, patting his hand with as much of a calm urgency as she could manage. His hand went limp in hers, the Champion’s eyes drooping shut as he once again fell asleep, accompanied by a relieved sigh from the Echani twins.
“A little reckless, isn't he?” Rhine chuckled, drawing a smirk from Aria.
“Actually, he's usually the sensible one of the two of us. He just gets passionate about protecting people and sometimes does silly things.” she had to laugh, it made her feel a little less weird about having to be the sensible one for once.
“Sounds familiar, doesn't it?” Denali shot his sister a good-natured glare. Rhine rolled her eyes and was about to reply when Yerbol began to stir again at the same time as Aria's comlink chirped at her belt.

Grabbing it, the Champion popped the device back into her ear and answered in time to receive Voldon's instructions.
“Tunnel network, got it. See you soon.” she reiterated, signing off and turning back to their newest companions. “That was Voldon, they’re badly holed up at the Senate tower, says we need to get over there right now.” her datapad made a little noise to indicate Junoco’s promised file finding its way through. “We’ve got a map to follow. Thanks, for not throwing us out, and for helping him. I really can’t thank you enough.” she flashed the Echani twins another smile before she slipped past them to send the healed up Alliance troopers back down to aid their comrades in the undercity. When she returned to help Yerbol get out of the bacta tank, Denali had disappeared back into the office again. Aria had been going to ask where he had gone when the doctor reappeared, handing her two hyperdermic injectors with the explanation of:
“Adrenal stims. It’s not much and it’s in no way a substitute for proper rest, but if you both REALLY have to fight, then they’ll give you an extra boost.” with another smirk he proclaimed that he had enough of a stock to give the two hounds one each too if they had the means to administer it to them.
“Thanks, Denali.” Aria smiled, quickly administering the stim shots for herself and Yerbol, and with some effort doing the same for Chwuq and Taral (who both shot to the other end of the room squealing as soon as the needle jabbed into their shoulder).
“The least I could do.” the medic nodded, folding his hands behind his back.
“Hey, it’s probably pretty bad up there.” Rhine chipped in as she stepped up to join them, fully kitted out in some kind of electrostaff in hand. She looked like she meant business, Aria thought, which was backed up by her asserting: “So, we’re coming with you. Your little boyscout over there is still worn out, and you three are no better even with the stims in your bloodstream.” she grinned at the pair mischievously for a moment, before it was gone and her face was once again a mask of seriousness. Aria and Yerbol could hardly argue against their help, from the sounds of the tightness in Voldon’s voice as he had spoken on the comlink they could use all the fighters they could get. And if Denali could patch up some of those who were more badly wounded, they could maybe hold their own….she hoped.

_______________________

They found that it wasn’t so much Xiis that were the main problem in getting to the tunnels Junoco had mapped out for them, but rather the local gangs. She should have been expecting it of course, after their brush up with the thugs as they left the undercity, but Aria was still somewhat perplexed to find the gangs not taking the same “cower in fear of the blue guys” approach that everyone else on the planet seemed to favour.
“It started out that way.” Rhine explained as they fended off another band of thugs, the entrance to the tunnel just around the corner. “But then once the...what are they, Xiis?” the Echani frowned at the new word but continued on after Aria nodded in affirmation, “Once the Xiis went back into the pipes they started getting a little braver. They’re used to being in charge in the undercity and once the undercity wasn’t safe anymore they had to find somewhere.” Rhine shrugged. “They had a lot of firepower, and with the Alliance forces stretched thin after the initial attacks I guess they figure it’s time for “Revolution!” and all that crap!” the Echani mercenary snorted sardonically as they weaved through the tunnel network, slowly working their way upwards towards the Senate tower. Junoco’s map was precise, and surprisingly reliable, as they re-emerged to the surface once more, they could clearly see the (somewhat battered) white structure jutting out of the ground a few feet ahead of them.

The group paused to allow Yerbol to take a quick breather, though they all took full advantage of the respite too, before they moved forward again. After Rhine and the Tuk’ata had ascertained that there were no gang sentries poised to ambush them as they broke their cover, they slipped across the small expanse of open ground and through the side-door which the map indicated had been left open for them (the main doors had been completely sealed and were inaccessible in order to deter the heavy artillery Junoco proclaimed the gangs had been carting out to try and get at the forces inside. Rhine believed him. Aria was inclined to trust the Echani woman, she seemed to know her way around battlefields in the same way that Elara and Havoc did). They found Voldon and a slightly scraggly-looking young sergeant at the head of an exhausted group of Alliance personnel, who were more than relieved to see them.
“What’s the situation?” Rhine enquired as Aria found Yerbol a chair (with some difficulty, given all the debris and discarded weapons that now littered the room after the firefight from before) to sit down on and dropped into a crouch beside him, keeping one hand rested reassuringly on his knee as she faced Voldon and the commanding officer to hear their report.
“Could be better, could be worse, ma’am.” the sergeant chirped, saluting the newly arrived troops respectfully. “We’re very glad to see some extra help, fight’s been going on for a while now and we’re nearly worn out.”
“The blast doors are holding out...for now.” Voldon grunted, his face grave.
Aria knew what he meant. If the Xiis arrived now, they would be in a spot of bother...a lot of the soldiers had very little to no ammo left, they had only six turrets and a handful of droids that were nowhere near adequate to hold off a contingent of gang fighters AND the bloodthirsty aliens who would be entirely fresh and likely capable of overpowering them all without batting an eyelid. She swallowed the lump that had begun to form in her throat and sucked in a deep breath to try and calm her own nerves, her fingers unknowingly clenching into a half fist against Yerbol’s knee. They needed a plan, and a very good one, if they were all going to get out of this.
She wished Roan was here, he would have come up with one before she could have said “we need a plan”.
She could use Renso’s teachings to keep herself fighting fit, but whether she would be able to extend the same benefits of her Battlemind ability to the other members of their group, she wasn’t certain...

You never see it coming[Freedomliveson/The Elvenqueen]

Aww noo, if only I could teleport there and help you mark XD Alas, I shall have to just send good thoughts! ;w;

No rush on my end as always :P

Elven's Art Thread

*blows away cobwebs with leafblower*

I actually have something else to post here now!! :D Started my first SWTOR fanfiction, for the first time in forever. I literally have not written fanfiction in years, hopefully it doesn't suck completely XD

**Also to note that this probably won't pertain to most RP storylines as I pick and choose backstory depending on the setting of RP that I use the characters in. This is all my own personal storyline for them and doesn't include other people's characters, though you may recognise parts of it as active backstory used as bio/backstory within RPs xD**

Synopsis:
The past has it's ways of catching up to everyone, and Aria Saal is no exception. Though she desperately tries to escape her previous deeds by dropping off the grid and avoiding contact with both Jedi and Sith, when a looming threat from the Sith Empire emerges, she may be forced to come out of hiding in order to save the Jedi Master who took her under her wing and cared for her...with the ghosts of her past creeping up behind her every step of the way

This fanfic follows the Jedi Consular storyline of the Star Wars: The Old Republic MMORPG (albeit it will deviate from the 'canon' storyline in some places!)
MATURE warning for mild drug references, and possible violence/gore, swearing and sexual themes in later chapters that are not suitable for younger readers! You have been warned!

SWTOR Fanfic Creeping Shadows: Prologue

Prologue: The Enemy Of My Enemy
"The enemy of mine enemy is my friend"--Kautilya

Aria was jerked from her fitful memories by the groaning of the shuttle’s hyperdrive. Stumbling to the small viewport, she glimpsed their descent through the moon’s infrastructure down to the landing pad. She exhaled heavily, raking a hand through her hair as she trooped down into the bustling spaceport, thanking the pilot on her way past who gave her little more than a grunt in acknowledgement. Probably better that way, at least she'd know the few extra credit chits she'd slipped into his palm when she boarded at Tython’s orbital station had worked. He wouldn't remember ever seeing her. Nar Shaddaa was heaving with life forms and Force presences, so many that it was hard to distinguish one from the next. Exactly what she needed. Her nose wrinkling against the unsavoury smell, Aria pushed onwards, heading for the red light sector. It was the busiest place on the smuggler’s moon, and by extension the easiest place to get lost in the crowd and forgotten, which was why she had come. Nobody would ever find her here, not the Jedi, not the Sith...she'd be safe, finally. Now all she needed to do was forget, all of it.

There was only one way to do that. Neon signs buzzed overhead as they beckoned patrons into the various drinking establishments, the young woman choosing one that looked like it would suit her needs: somewhere a lady wouldn't look out of place and wouldn't draw too many questions to herself. She slid into a vacant seat in a less populated corner and placed a rolling order with the serving droid, sinking back in the uncomfortable chair as she debated whether or not to try making idle conversation with the Mirialan mam situated a table or so over from her. His blue eyes watched her curiously as she sat down, then returned to his meal as she started on her first drink. The alcohol tasted sharp and sour on her tongue, cheap stuff, not meant to taste great but good for getting smashed out of your skull. A couple of glasses in and her head was already buzzing, thoughts and sensations starting to blur together; she almost missed the Mirialan sliding into the seat opposite her, had he not spoken to her.
“I must admit I'm quite shocked to see a lady drinking such cheap liqueur.”
Aria glanced up at him through her eyelashes, making a quick assessment of the man now that she could get a closer look at him. He had a rugged sort of charm to him, his angular face broken here and there by thin streaks of paler white-ish skin, betraying the almost-healed scars that had once been there. A shock of dark hair framed his forehead, slicked smoothly back from his eyes but more ruffled and unkempt around his ears. His clothing was slightly tattered, all in all giving the impression of somebody who didn't exactly follow the law to the letter. “Look, buddy, ‘m jus’ here to get drunk, not start a fight with criminal syndicates.” she managed to exaggerate the slur in her words to a satisfactory enough level. Good, maybe he’d leave her alone.

His laughter startled her, perhaps because the sound was amplified in her drink-addled state but because it was so unexpectedly...pleasant. Just about in control of her faculties, she managed to use her Force senses to probe discreetly into the edges of his consciousness. His outwardly friendly demeanour proved genuine, and she relaxed somewhat. Smuggler, she decided, but not dangerous. Anything he offered her to drink was safe to accept, probably. Therefore, Aria saw no issue in downing the glass he pushed towards her. Much better than the last lot, actually tasted of something.
“I assure you my dear, I bear no affiliation to the crime gangs that terrorise these streets.”
Aria's eyebrows arched upwards as she took another swig.
“You don't work for the Hutts?”
White teeth glinted back at her as the Mirialan smuggler grinned.
“Darling, I work for whoever pays me more.”
“Don't do that, darlin’ thing. I'm not your darlin’.” He laughed at her again, waving a hand dismissively. She told him to clear off, in perhaps less than colourful language, bid him goodnight and stumbled out of the bar.
It wouldn't be the last she saw of him.

***

Drinking away her problems had served her well for a while, but it wasn't enough. She needed something better. Aria's trembling fingers fumbled with the drawstring that held the black velvet pouch in her hands closed. She had been skeptical at first as the dealer had pitched it to her, but he had assured her:
“If you really wanna forget anything, this'll do it for ya.”
It had cost her nearly all the credits she had left, but the blissful ignorance that the spice brought with each high was worth every single credit. It had addled her thoughts somewhat in the few days (or possibly more...she'd lost all concept of time. If not for her connection to the Force which gave her more strength, she may have overdosed by now). The strands were sticky and clung to her fingers like glue, difficult for her to cram between her dry lips. The headrush was instant. Colours were brighter, more vivid, sounds heightened...kriff she swore she could hear the infrastructure moving underneath their feet, memories and thoughts began to blur together in a tangled, indiscernible mess...the mind wipe she craved as badly as oxygen was utter bliss. But there was one thing the spice couldn't do for her, and that was remove her connection to the Force. From what she had learned contacting other rogue Force users who were scattered around the moon, that was nearly impossible. She could hope.

It must have been a couple of hours since her last dose now, because her senses had returned to normal, leaving only a dull, throbbing buzz in the back of her skull. It was safe to try walking again without risking blundering into anyone that might try turning her in to the Hutts as a trophy. She had been scouting out nearby establishments with the hopes of slipping in while the bouncers were distracted to swindle a meal or a few drinks from one of the patrons (it was amazing what a lady could get for free with a simple Force persuade trick, or occasionally just fluttering her eyelashes if they were already drunk enough!) when she spotted a familiar face conversing with a shady-looking Rodian. The Mirialan man from the bar a few days ago. Some form of stupidity possessed her then, and Aria abandoned her original mission to follow him to the loading docks. She wasn't quite sure why, perhaps she had hoped to hitch a ride off-world. She'd come narrowly close to being found by a group of Jedi one time too many lately and Nar Shaddaa was no longer the safe haven it had once been for her….or perhaps she was simply bored and looking for a bit more excitement. She didn't think too hard about it, her attention rather focused on the Mirialan as he stooped to pick up a stack of crates and began loading them onto an XS model freighter. An all too familiar smell wafted through a crack in one of the containers that made her mouth water. Spice.

So he was a smuggler. Aria kept her distance as she watched him from behind a tall stack of shipment crates, shrinking backwards with a startled exclamation as he dropped the crate he had been lifting to look directly at her.
“I know you're back there, shorty...why are you following me?” He called, a hint of amusement to his tone. “C'mon I'm not falling for that bantha crap!” he added, not fooled by her attempt to remain quiet and pretend he had been imagining the moment their eyes had locked.
“How’d you know it was me?” she muttered, straightening up and smoothing the wrinkles out of her synthleather jumpsuit where she had been crouched down.
His teeth flashed in a grin.
“I know a junkie when I see one. This stuff’s going off world if that's what you were after.”
Her gaze darted from the container at his feet back to his eyes.
"Off world? Got room for one more?” He laughed and shook his head.
“I fly solo now, last time I took someone on the son of a bantha stole my ship and I had a hells own job getting her back.”
Aria swiped her tongue over her lips, huffing an impatient sigh.
"Please? I'm just trying to stay out of the loop. I can't pay you, my credit chits are dry, but…” it was a risk, a big one, but she lifted the dark cloak that draped across her back to reveal the lightsaber hilts concealed at her hip. “I can help you out, give you protection.”

The smuggler eyed the weapons carefully, and broke into another toothy grin.
“You're a Jedi?! What you running from, kid?”
She shook her head, eyes narrowed.
“I don't work for the Jedi, I'm trying to get away from them. I just need a ride okay, can you give me one or not?”
He picked up the box he had set at his feet and jerked his chin up the loading ramp for her to follow.
“Double cross me and I'll put one right between your eyes, kid.”
“I'm twenty, I ain't a kid!” Aria snarled, skittering into the ship behind him.
“You didn't answer my other question,” He glanced over his shoulder as he stepped down into the cargo hold, “What you running from?”
She peered down at him through the opening in the ship’s floor, lowering another crate down to him as he gestured for it.
“I'd rather not go into details or I'd be taking public transport. Just suffice to say I'm trying to stay out everyone’s way, I don't want anything to do with the war anymore.”
“Fair enough.” the Mirialan chuckled. “Well, you're not the only one. Welcome aboard the Silver Zephyr, miss ‘trying to avoid everyone’. Don't scratch the paint, don't touch the cargo unless I tell you to, and we'll get along just fine.”
After climbing back out into the main seating area, he extended a hand towards her, which she hesitantly grasped and shook.
“The name's Merak Shenly. You got a name, or should I just keep calling you ‘shorty’?”
Aria considered lying, but withdrawal was beginning to make her head pound and she couldn't come up with anything believable.
“Aria. J-Just Aria is fine.” she swallowed, forcing a thin smile. Don't tell him your last name, a voice in her head told her, he might know who you are.
She'd learned to trust the voice. It was usually right.

You never see it coming[Freedomliveson/The Elvenqueen]

She would legit fight anything that tried to hurt her brother tbh, even if she wouldn't win haha XD

No worries, you too! :D