Post by Joan Dagar on Jan 16, 2016 17:33:48 GMT -8
MAZ KATANA’S CASTLE, TAKODANA
40 ABYThe smell of this bar was actually quite pleasant. Joan had to admit when she’d researched the location this is not at all what she was expecting from an establishment owned and still operated by a nearly thousand year old pirate. It was quaint, homey even. She didn’t think she’d ever seen brick walls of the castle exuded warmth and welcome. Given the vast assortment of the patrons here, Joan thought she would have stuck out like a them. But she didn’t. Everyone was either so care free or invested in their own affairs that no one seemed to notice the dainty human female sitting alone at the bar.
No one except for the man sitting on the other side of the bar, that was. Their gaze had locked several times now, like a X-Wing caught in a TIE Fighter’s crosshairs. Quickly she’d averted her eyes before he was able to lock on. Or so she thought, but despite this he was now walking her way. There wasn’t time for whatever he wanted, she was here with a mission and no matter the trepidation she had about what she must do, there was no room for her to be distracted.
“That is you!” There was no hiding the surprise in his voice. “I was sitting over asking myself ‘is that Joan Dagar?’ What are you doing out here?”
She avoided further eye contact right until he standing right beside her and Joan decided it would have been more trouble to avoid him, as he clearly knew who she was. Her eyes which had been fixed on the tonic before her shifted to the young man. He was fair and handsome with strikingly dark hair. A sprinkling of youthful freckles highlighted his cheekbones back into his to hairline, however it was his eyes that caught her attention. It was like the whole sky was staring back at her. There was something timeless about those eyes that made the man look wiser than the rest of him looked old enough to have any right to be. Something was so familiar about those eyes, but she had no idea how he knew her.
“Me, indeed.” She tested the waters trying to place where they knew each other from. “What brings you this far from...home?”
He grinned and her heart fluttered. What was that. She downed the rest of her drink, hoping that would offset how warm the room had suddenly become, as he leaned across the bar and motioned for another round.
“You don’t recognize me, do you?” He set his own drink down on the bar and took the stool beside her.
This new drink was stronger than the previous and her eyes skimmed from it, to the Gabdorin barkeep who’d fixed it, back to her mysterious companion. “That obvious?”
He had a youthful laugh. “I can’t blame you, I couldn’t have been more than thirteen the last time we saw each other.”
“And how long ago was that?” She asked, turning to face him and have a closer look now that there was no sense in hiding her confusion.
“A lifetime.” There was a sadness in his voice and he swiveled away in his seat to obstruct her view. He intended to keep this game going as long as possible, she was the first friendly face he’d seen in months.
“Where was it?”
“Home.”
“You’re toying with me…”
The young boy’s laugh came out again. “Oh, I’d be much too frightened to tease a Jedi.”
“Well...that’s a shame.”
Intrigued, he turned to face her and found there was something dangerous in her eyes. For the first time in longer than he cared to remember he opened himself up to the Force, but only slightly. Still keeping himself guarded he reached out and could feel her heart thumping. His eyes slipped and he watched her chest heaving. It was only then that he noticed his own breathing was equally as shallow. The two sat there for a moment that stretched on for longer than it should have before he leaned towards her.
“Joan, you are exactly the way I remember you.”
“You have me at a very unfair advantage.”
She inched towards him in response and he seized the moment by whispering into her ear, “Life’s not fair…” before he turned and kissed her. He could feel her reaching out and probing his presence. It made him smile, her curiosity. If she wanted to know more about him he’d was willing to acquiesce, but not like this. Breaking their kiss he stood and called for the barkeep in some language Joan didn’t comprehend. The Gabdorin exchanged an unopened bottle for credits from his hand.
“Keep the change.”
The heafy lifeform gave its best attempted at a nod as it walked away to tend its other patrons.
“The sunsets here, on the lake, they’re exceptional. Will join me?”
She pressed her lips together. They hadn’t been touched since….for the first time she pushed thoughts of Chane from her mind. What was she doing? She’d come here for a reason, and this was not it. In fact, this could get them both killed. Like Chane.
“I really shouldn’t.”
“For what it’s worth, I’m sure I shouldn’t either.”
He flashed her his smile that could have made a wampa week in the needs.
“You,” she said emphatically, highlighting the his actual name as she stood and began towards the door, “have the most perfect teeth I’ve ever seen.”
His innocent laughed charmed her once more, as his eyes dove deeper than his playful grin would have suggested. “Just ask yourself, ‘Who has the most perfect teeth’ out of everyone you’ve ever met in your whole life. You’ll remember who I am in no time.”