Force of Nature: Book 1 - The Shadow Traitor | A Star Wars Story

The Sounds of Suffering (.2)

TW: Fighting, Attempted Murder, Hand Stomping, and Mind Torture.

Bold Text = Specking Marazies

Italics: Dream sequence or inner thoughts

Translations:
Anaman = Jedi

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"Meli, I think you should get up," Eglantine said, shaking her friend's shoulder.

"What Eggie? We don't have to get to training yet." Melinoe said without opening her eyes or lifting her head up.

"Yeah, but someone's coming, and I don't think they're happy," Eglantine whispered while her eyes darted over to the sealed door.

Melinoe's eyes snapped open when she suddenly heard what Eglantine was talking about. Melinoe leaned up off the ground right as there was a loud banging at the metal door.

"Get up! Darth Heiss wants to see you both at the training grounds."

Melinoe and Eglantine both scoffed at the man's failed attempt to intimidate them. Melinoe got up from the old sleeping mat and the pile of rags on the floor that she called a bed, and started getting dressed. Despite the small space the two women shared they had both learned to move around without getting in each other's way over the past eleven years.

"Meli, have you seen my saber?"

"You put it in my usual spot."

"Thank you!" Eglantine said in a happy tone. Rushing over to where Melinoe kept her stuff hidden from the prying hands of the night. Eglantine picked up the slick dark silver blade and clipped it to her belt. Melinoe always felt a rush of pride for her friend when seeing the weapon. Eglantine had risked her neck to get the parts for it and always acted like it was the easiest thing in the universe to do.

After the two were done getting ready Melinoe made her way over to the door and yelled that they were ready to leave. The same guard from before opened the door for them while giving them an ugly look. Melinoe scowled right back at him as she and Eglantine walked down the hall.

As the two walked towards the training grounds. Melinoe let her eyes wander. The blue-green sunlight of Byss was exceptionally bright that day. But unlike a lot of people in the galaxy, Melinoe didn't take the weather as an indicator of what her luck would be like that day.

"What do you think she wants?" Eglantine asked. The guard frowned at the fact that she was speaking a language he couldn't understand.

"To make our lives as miserable as possible and eventually turn us into living weapons with no free will of our own."

"Well, I'm well aware of that, but what does she want today?"

"Alright, you two, shut up." The guard said as they arrived at the training grounds. He moved towards the ladies and motioned for them to show their hands. Eglantine was the first to move towards him with her arms out. The man cautiously removed the bonds from Eglantine's wrists, and he did the same for Melinoe.

Once he had done so, Melinoe felt the rush of the Force returning to her. She looked down at her hands then back up to the guard. He had a nervous look on his face. Melinoe's eye flicked over to Eglantine for a second. Who smiled at her. Like she could tell what Melinoe was thinking. Melinoe raised her hands toward the man. Causing him to impulsively flinch back. Melinoe grinned, and Eglantine let out a snort.

Melinoe hated a lot of things about her training and Byss, but one of the things she hated the most was the bonds she and Eglantine were forced to wear. Made out of ysalamiri pelts, the bonds were designed to make sure that the two women couldn't fully tap into their connections with the Force while wearing them.