To Cull a Crow [Kress]

[Slade Xandir]

Blood hadn't considered how taxing this entire situation was to her. But he felt her fear drain her strength with every second that passed that his silence allowed nothing said. And it...vexed him. Despite the sick thoughts, the whispers and disgust at raising another spawn, the possibility of a frakking traitorous senseless and sorry excuse of an heir to come about with another idiotic golden lightsaber attempting to strike him low, his fury at the situation and how she allowed it to weaken her so mightily, it overthrew even his own spite! "That's my spawn, Kressara." He spoke it with such a deep settle of possession that there was no argue to it. It stood strong against any doubt she could have henceforth and prior. It was the past, present, and attempt at claiming future his stance on the matter.
Until it grew, and attempted to repeat what those before it, had.

His nostrils flared, lips peeling back and away the curtains of grey went, revealing those inhumane ivories where they lay, voracious to tear, decimate, devour. Maws barely parted as his baritones lowered, dangerous, a growl that promised pain and end to any whom he decided.

And he bore holes into her hazels with more conviction than his devotion to the Sith, itself. "But if it betrays me- if you betray me, you both will join my table for a different reason than to enjoy a meal. This time, I promise you, will be the last." His hunger bled through those golden irises, and through them, that threat was clear and rang true. He would not hold back, and no one would be able to stop him.

Blood released her, his intensity relaxing and his maddening face returned to the sleek mask it seemed forever to hold. Calmly, a complete difference to what he had embraced her with, he asked her-

"Are you hungry, Mnami?"

[Kressara Thryn]

Right about now would be the time when most young women began fearing for their safety, the wellbeing of their children, or worrying that they were in a sick, abusive relationship with a monster. While the thoughts did cross Kressara’s mind, this was the Blood she recognized. She knew him to make threats, to be cruel, to always go just so far to make her believe that he would tear her asunder...but he never did. This turn of mood did not unsettle Kressara as badly as his previous calm had. Her master was a basic creature at times, sneering when he wanted something and it was beyond his control to take it immediately. She believed it was his way of showing vulnerability really. If he did not fear the chance of being hurt, why bare those fangs and make himself out to be so inhuman? Why bother? She’d seen him casually murder before. If it would be so simple to be rid of her, there would not be such a production of it.

He loves me...I know he must.

Thoughts based on assumptions, based on signs, based on nothing. Yet it was a feeling. Deep in her she felt love. She felt fear of betrayal and the willingness to stake it anyways if he could have a family again. Was that so evil?

“No, my lord.” Her lips pulled into a slight smile before she stood on the tips of her toes and steading herself on his arms, placed a tender kiss against his cheek. Her lips remained pressed to his skin for a moment longer than usual, eyes closing. His beloved apprentice, as utterly spoiled as she was by a master who acted more and more the part of a king wed to the hand of his queen than a sith to his student, dropped down again to her regular height and continued, “The thought of food makes me ill right now. If you would like to eat without me, I’ll be in the east wing.”

The east wing was where a certain egg was kept, being incubated by machinery until such a day that it might hatch. Nightly, sometimes twice even, she would check on it and ensure all was well. Any day now that egg would crack open and the pet her master gifted her would take it’s first breath.

[Slade Xandir]

It grew silent. And after the tension of what he had told, her, he watched as she climbed up smooth and slow, landing a peck on his cheek. The dancing shadows from earlier were a treat, sure, a nice view as he enticed her company. But the draconian was lethal in his words - and those were not easily to shatter illusion of. No Sith enjoyed having attempts made on their life, especially if they were the reigning Dark Lord of all of it. It was his duty for him to raise the Sith into a hellish wave of terror and destruction; for all of it to be damned by his own flesh and blood? He would have none of it. His Hopeful may smile now, her soft reassurance a delicate swear in his ear, but the Sithian would keeping an eye on the both of them, from here on out. Should that child come without any problems or defects, and should either loyalty remain swayless, only then would he blink.

A nod cleared his geared head, him allowing her to go play with her unhatched creature. There would be scientists who still conducted experiments with closely related organics to play out a bit more Sith Alchemy for the day the avian would hatch. And once it did, Blood would have to decide what planet would be best for him to transport the creature to. It would be ungodly huge, and had potential to be the beast she rode into battle with. Even he had rides on Wrath still, when he was lazy enough to not travel by wing, himself. Mnami, after seeing what his own experiments had done to him, how they had gone so wrong despite his goals, refused for him to attempt experimenting sorcery on her. When her creature was born, perhaps she would want to fly with it. Who knew. "If anything, call to me." As per usual, and never one for tech, the Krow would know he meant within their tether in the Force.

Until then, he would meet with Karliah and see if any progress had been made within their academies educational front, as the magic of her people coexisted nicely, but not as efficient as he'd hope with the Sith teachings. Perhaps the older things yes-...

He dismissed her, walking away as she turned herself, and began to head for the transmission room. Unfortunately Karliah was too far away to be summoned by Force, and he grumbled over having to touch a device to get in contact with his pawns.

[Kressara Thryn]

“Without delay.” Kressara agreed, reluctant to step out of his arms so much so that her hands slid over his softly when he departed from her. She was a fool for loving him, and she knew it, but even a room across the hall would feel too distant for her now. His willingness to keep the child only served to bolster her fondness of the dark lord and the anxiety attack she had before was buried now beneath happy thoughts. She could stay with him. She could let her child have his father. His reaction told her everything. Blood would not harm them.

Still feeling ill, Kressara meandered down the hall and up a flight of stairs that would eventually lead her to the east wing of the base. After some time of wandering with a nameless tune in her head the enamoured young woman found herself in a large and open space where at its center there glowed an incubator. A large tawny egg with black speckles was kept warm there. The egg was nearly knee height were it set on the ground and within it a species of bird that Blood thought fitting to gift his apprentice.

She came here often to check on the egg and think up names for the chick which would hatch soon, but now she had another name to conjure up.