#╰──➢ ⠀far too many notes for my taste ⠀⠀ ✧ ⠀⠀ 𝑺𝑪𝑹𝑰𝑷𝑻𝑼𝑹𝑬𝑺

[valorums]

@divinehr       sent         …        “   raise  your  head   &   look  at  me .   ”

╰► SOURCE: Querencia (2021) Sentence Starters / ALWAYS ACCEPTING

THE PROPHESIED CHILD — destined to either guide lost souls back to the light or join them and resurrect a long-lost empire of darkness — followed THE MOTHER’S command, and therefore lifts her head to meet her gaze. Shi’al trembles, though whether from anticipation or fear, she presently can’t determine. Master Priscilla’s presence is not the catalyst for her slender form’s visceral emotional expression; instead, the it is the peculiar sensation that this moment was one with enormous magnitude. How unsettling it was to be on the verge of changing the very course of galactic history.

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ Nothing feels more natural to her than kneeling in front of this ancient, highly esteemed Jedi Master. There was no one in the galaxy, save for perhaps Masters Yoda, Windu, or Dooku, that Shi’al admired more. “ You wished to speak with me, Master Priscilla? ”

[valorums]

“ The Living Force tied us together for a reason, Anakin. ” Shi’al murmured, her hand coming to rest on Anakin’s chest — directly above where his heart resided. “ I did not know that we were bound to each other when I called this … when I called us a mistake. If I had known … ” She trailed off, shaking her head and swallowing the lump that formed in her throat.

⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀“ If I had known that you were half of my soul, I wouldn’t have said such a foolish thing. Which is … well, that’s probably why he — ” Shi’al couldn’t bring herself to utter Palpatine’s name, not so soon after the discovery that he had betrayed both her and the entire republic. “ — wanted to keep us apart. When we’re together, we’re stronger than he ever was … we’re stronger than the darkness. ” She has to stand on her tiptoes in order to cup his cheek with her hand, but she does so nevertheless. “ I love you, Ani. ”

── ⠀ A BINDING PHRASE, UTTERED FOR THE FIRST TIME WITHOUT THE THREAT OF WAR OR SCRUTINY FROM THE JEDI COUNCIL HANGING OVER THEIR HEADS.

⊱ ⠀⠀ … ⠀⠀ @forcenexus

“I thought you said kissing me was a mistake.”

— Force Suppressed Verse Shi’al to Anakin

"And I thought you said entertaining us was a mistake too." Anakin raised a brow at Shi’al as he inched slower. "But the more I am around you, the more I find myself and want to be better." His voice was hushed as he reached to touch her bare shoulder. "I can't imagine my life without you."

[valorums]

@mvndrvke      sent         …       “ you’re doing great , okay ?? i mean it . ”

╰► SOURCE: Hurt / Comfort Sentence Starters / ALWAYS ACCEPTING

Shi’al frowned, studying Ahsoka through furrowed brows. The young woman deactivated the two sabers she wielded — Darth Sidious’s former blade, as well as a blade of her own original design — and clipped them to her belt. She shook her head, taking a step forward.

    “ If this is your definition of great, ‘Soka, then I think you need to check a dictionary. ” Shi’al muttered, flopping onto a nearby couch. “ I shouldn’t be struggling this much with my sabers — I’m good with a knife, and Grandmaster Jovem over at the dojang was teaching me to use a katana sword before Palpatine’s execution. It shouldn’t be this difficult. ” She shrugged, beginning to absentmindedly pick at the skin around her nails. “ There must be something I’m missing. ”

[valorums]

@shattcredmind       sent         …        [ injury ] sender cleans receiver's wound and patches it up

╰► SOURCE: Prompts for Comfortable Intimacy / ALWAYS ACCEPTING

Apparently, antagonizing a DARK LORD OF THE SITH as powerful as COUNT DOOKU while being the man’s prisoner of war was not the smartest idea, and she had the evidence to remind herself of why precisely such was the case. Shi’al’s rescue from captivity by Master Billaba — not unlike a knight in shining armor rescuing the princess from the tower — was quite fortuitous indeed, but now, the fiery woman was made to confront the consequences for her vicious tongue.

⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ When the dust settled, the two were able to tend to her wounds. Shi’al watches Depa work with morbid fascination present upon her visage, both intrigued and slightly unsettled by the whole process. ❝ Thank you, Master. ❞ she says quietly, letting out a soft exhale upon realizing that the most prominent wound — a large cut from Dooku’s saber, carefully delivered so as to injure rather than sever her arm completely — was now patched up. ❝ This one’s going to scar, I’m afraid, but it’s a scar I’ll wear with pride. I found it immensely delightful telling Dooku to shove his lightsaber up his ass. ❞

[valorums]

@shadowedlights       sent         …        "Actually, I was wondering if you wanted to come with me to my family's for Thanksgiving dinner."

╰► SOURCE: Unprompted Asks / ALWAYS ACCEPTING

The RISING OPERA STAR blinked, taken aback by this most unexpected question. After the assassination of her father a few months prior, Shi’al originally intended to spend this holiday alone for the sake of grieving, but it seems that the hand of Fate had other plans.

⠀⠀ ⠀⠀“ You … ” Shi’al momentarily trailed off, her brain SHORT CIRCUITING in the wake of this development. “ Are you … You’d really want me there? ”

[valorums]

RELATIONSHIP DYNAMIC TAGS

╰──➢  ⠀the crowning jewel of the republic ⠀⠀ ✧ ⠀⠀ 𝑽𝑰𝑺𝑼𝑨𝑳𝑺

╰──➢  ⠀songbird trapped in a gilded cage⠀⠀ ✧ ⠀⠀ 𝑯𝑬𝑨𝑫𝑪𝑨𝑵𝑶𝑵𝑺

╰──➢  ⠀all i ask of you⠀⠀ ✧ ⠀⠀ 𝑨𝑺𝑲𝑩𝑶𝑿 𝑹𝑬𝑺𝑷𝑶𝑵𝑺𝑬

╰──➢  ⠀wishing you were somehow here again⠀⠀ ✧ ⠀⠀ 𝑨𝑺𝑲𝑩𝑶𝑿 𝑷𝑹𝑶𝑴𝑷𝑻𝑺

╰──➢  ⠀this is the queue of no return⠀⠀ ✧ ⠀⠀ 𝑸𝑼𝑬𝑼𝑬

╰──➢  ⠀far too many notes for my taste ⠀⠀ ✧ ⠀⠀ 𝑺𝑪𝑹𝑰𝑷𝑻𝑼𝑹𝑬𝑺

╰──➢  ⠀why have you brought me here? ⠀⠀ ✧ ⠀⠀ 𝑫𝑨𝑺𝑯𝑩𝑶𝑨𝑹𝑫 𝑮𝑨𝑴𝑬

╰──➢  ⠀it’s over now; the music of the night ⠀⠀ ✧ ⠀⠀ 𝑨𝑹𝑪𝑯𝑰𝑽𝑬𝑫

╰──➢  ⠀a hot mess inside a dumpster fire inside a trainwreck ⠀⠀ ✧ ⠀⠀ 𝑶𝑼𝑻 𝑶𝑭 𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑹𝑨𝑪𝑻𝑬𝑹

╰──➢  ⠀gaslight. gatekeep. girlboss. ⠀⠀ ✧ ⠀⠀ 𝑶𝑹𝑰𝑮𝑰𝑵𝑨𝑳 𝑨𝑹𝑻𝑾𝑶𝑹𝑲

╰──➢  ⠀we’ll go from there ⠀⠀ ✧ ⠀⠀ 𝑫𝒀𝑵𝑨𝑴𝑰𝑪 𝑴𝑼𝑺𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑺

╰──➢  ⠀i make my own sunshine ⠀⠀ ✧ ⠀⠀𝑴𝑼𝑺𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑺

╰──➢  ⠀press conferences with secretary valorum⠀⠀ ✧ ⠀⠀ 𝑷𝑼𝑩𝑳𝑰𝑪𝑰𝑻𝒀

╰──➢  ⠀some things never change ⠀⠀ ✧ ⠀⠀𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑪𝑨𝑳𝑳

( 𝑬𝑿𝑪𝑳𝑼𝑺𝑰𝑽𝑬 𝑼𝑵𝑰𝑽𝑬𝑹𝑺𝑬 / dooku’s protégé ) ⠀⠀ ଽ ⠀⠀even the shadows are worthy of love ⠀⠀—⠀⠀fallesto

( 𝑬𝑿𝑪𝑳𝑼𝑺𝑰𝑽𝑬 𝑼𝑵𝑰𝑽𝑬𝑹𝑺𝑬 / house serenno’s lost heiress ) ⠀⠀ ଽ ⠀⠀once upon a december ⠀⠀—⠀⠀fallesto

( 𝑬𝑿𝑪𝑳𝑼𝑺𝑰𝑽𝑬 𝑼𝑵𝑰𝑽𝑬𝑹𝑺𝑬 / prophetic and dyadic ) ⠀⠀ ଽ ⠀⠀the redeemer and her chosen one ⠀⠀—⠀⠀forcenexus

( 𝑨𝑳𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑵𝑨𝑻𝑬 𝑼𝑵𝑰𝑽𝑬𝑹𝑺𝑬 / force sensitive ) ⠀⠀ ଽ ⠀⠀force suppressed⠀⠀—⠀⠀canon divergent

( 𝑨𝑳𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑵𝑨𝑻𝑬 𝑼𝑵𝑰𝑽𝑬𝑹𝑺𝑬 / modern ) ⠀⠀ ଽ ⠀⠀first daughter of the united states⠀⠀—⠀⠀canon divergent

( 𝑴𝑨𝑰𝑵 𝑼𝑵𝑰𝑽𝑬𝑹𝑺𝑬 / the phantom menace ) ⠀⠀ ଽ ⠀⠀first daughter of the galactic republic⠀⠀—⠀⠀canon compliant

( 𝑴𝑨𝑰𝑵 𝑼𝑵𝑰𝑽𝑬𝑹𝑺𝑬 / the clone wars ) ⠀⠀ ଽ ⠀⠀the republic’s greatest hope⠀⠀—⠀⠀canon compliant

( 𝑴𝑨𝑰𝑵 𝑼𝑵𝑰𝑽𝑬𝑹𝑺𝑬 / rise of the empire ) ⠀⠀ ଽ ⠀⠀architect of the republic’s demise⠀⠀—⠀⠀canon compliant

( 𝑴𝑨𝑰𝑵 𝑼𝑵𝑰𝑽𝑬𝑹𝑺𝑬 / rebellion sympathizer ) ⠀⠀ ଽ ⠀⠀the twice condemned traitor⠀⠀—⠀⠀canon compliant

( 𝑴𝑨𝑰𝑵 𝑼𝑵𝑰𝑽𝑬𝑹𝑺𝑬 / resistance general ) ⠀⠀ ଽ ⠀⠀never underestimate the elderly⠀⠀—⠀⠀canon compliant

[valorums]

@rush-to-greatness     sent         …       ❰❰ HAND KISS ❱❱

╰► SOURCE: Self-Indulgent Nonverbal Actions / ALWAYS ACCEPTING

It is a gesture of common courtesy; of this she was well aware. Nevertheless, Shi’al could not stop a light blush from appearing upon her porcelain cheeks. She offered the handsome Scipian senator a small smile, reaching up with her other hand to tuck a loose golden curl behind her ear.

⠀ ⠀ “ Well hello to you too, Senator Clovis. ” She responded amicably, rising from her chair to offer him a curtsy. “ How do you do? I was pleasantly surprised to discover that you were able to join me for supper this evening. ”

[valorums]

@debelltio      sent      …    “   you  want  me  to  punch  him  in  the  face  ??   ”

╰► SOURCE: Hurt / Comfort Sentence Starters

Director Krennic’s question came so entirely out of left field that the unthinkable occurred — the Press Secretary’s carefully crafted façade of emotionless stoicism shattered. Shi’al’s head snapped around to gaze upon her companion with wide eyes and parted lips, genuinely stunned by this uncharacteristic display of impropriety.

          ❝ If you wish to maintain your reputation of austerity, Director, then I suggest you refrain from acquainting his face and your fist. After all, such an act would be scandalous. ❞ Any hint of the damage wrought upon her mask vanished, and in its place was faint amusement. Nevertheless, she was deeply moved by the man’s reaction, even if it didn’t show.

[valorums]

OH, HOW WONDERFULLY NAÏVE this young man has just revealed himself to be. Shi’al was indeed truly moved by Luke’s words, and thus, unable to stop a small smile from creeping onto her lips. The PRESS SECRETARY gazed upon the JEDI in silence for a few precious moments, lost in memories and lost in thought.

        “ Your mother would’ve responded with something similar, I think. It seems that you have inherited her immense kindness. ” Shi’al said softly, breaking the silence that had settled between them while handing him the requested cup. “ Cling to your kindness, young man; it is desperately needed within our galaxy. ”

In a rare display — even amongst members of the rebellion, Press Secretary Valorum was still renowned for her STOICISM — of emotion, she swallowed the lump inside her throat, glancing down at her shoes. Quite some time has passed since she last spoke of her DEAREST FRIEND, to the point where the eternal ache in her heart left by Padmè’s demise almost entirely subsided. Now, however, that same ache was revitalized, and subsequently returned in full force.

        “ What you must understand, though, is that this game of chess played here is incredibly intricate and decades in the making. Emperor Palaptine has no regard for the value of bravery or delusions of agency — he is a mortal man who masquerades as divine. Much of my life path has been a creation entirely of his design. ”

⊱ ⠀⠀ … ⠀⠀ @hotchocolatejedi

“   i’m nothing more than a puppet .   ”

send a meme! @valorums

𝐒𝐇𝐈'𝐀𝐋 𝐖𝐀𝐒, 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐁𝐄 𝐀 𝐏𝐔𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐓. Not to Luke, at least. They hadn't known each other for as long as some members in the Rebellion had known each other, but Luke still feels like a good judge of character. Though everyone had the capacity to be flawed, especially so, Shi'al reminded him so much of his friend, Leia, that he couldn't fully see evil within her.

After all, she'd stuck her neck out so many times to help them against the Empire.

"I wouldn't say that," the newly trained Jedi says. He rubs over his right wrist, checking the cybernetics of his prosthetic hand with a curious test of pressure.

Realizing he should give some context to his words, Luke looks up to her, and flashes a gentle smile - as much as he can manage after getting out of that hellish nightmare and finding himself healing on this station -

"I think you're a lot more than that. You're brave. Puppets aren't brave. You're worth more than you think, and you can't be controlled. I may not know the full story that you carry within you, but you have never seemed like a puppet to me. You're the puppeteer."

A sheepish smile dances on his lips. He motions towards a translucent cup that holds a red gelatin dessert of some kind.

"Can you hand me that cup?"

[valorums]

❝ i won’t let you get hurt. i promise. and i don’t make empty promises. ❞         …        @jeditrash        said.

╰► SOURCE: For “You Can Kill Me But Don’t You Dare Touch Them” Dynamics / ALWAYS ACCEPTING

THE FORMER PRESS SECRETARY’S previously downcast gaze snapped upwards, her breath catching in her throat. Shi'al blinked, gazing at Cal with an expression present upon her visage that spoke of immense bewilderment. Such peculiar words he has uttered — words that she didn't deserve to hear.

⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀BLOOD WAS ALREADY ON SHI'AL'S HANDS, spilled both in her name and as a product of her own actions. The mere thought of further bloodshed was more agonizing than ANY HORROR that the Emperor himself could inflict upon her to punish her for her betrayal. Hence, Shi'al offered Cal a small, sad smile, reaching out to grasp the boy's hand as she shook her head.

" You've got a good soul, Kestis, but don't you go worrying about me. " She responds quietly, squeezing his hand. " I don't want to see you putting yourself in danger for my sake. "

⠀ ⠀⠀I can't handle the idea of any more suffering or death burdening my conscience.

[valorums]

“ I think that your wounds are the type that may eventually heal with time and with the coming of peace. ” Shi’al said softly, the corners of her lips tugging downwards into a frown.

“ I can’t imagine how painful this must have been for you, Ahsoka, but give yourself — and the council — time. You need it, to recover. ” One hand was already resting on the togruta’s shoulder, but now, her other hand gently grasps Ahsoka’s own. “ That’s what I’m here for. I’m always here for you, okay? ”

⊱ ⠀⠀ … ⠀⠀ @mvndrvke

@valorums : i’m so, so sorry. you didn’t deserve that.

Ahsoka shrugs weakly, shaking her head. “No,” she says. “I didn’t. But I’d rather have left than remain with a group who doesn’t trust me. They turned their backs on me just like that.” She snaps her fingers. “How can that be ignored? How can it be forgiven?”

[valorums]

EVEN IF HER FORCE SENSITIVITY WERE STILL LOCKED AWAY in a gilded cage, Shi’al would have been able to sense Obi-Wan’s anxiety all the way from halfway across the galaxy. The newly christened Jedi Initiate — naturally, the oldest of the bunch, but she did not mind — glanced up, setting down her teacup as the Jedi Master entered her apartment.

⠀ ⠀Thank the stars that she chose to do this, for otherwise, the words that came out of Obi-Wan’s mouth would have made her drop the aforementioned teacup. Her breath caught in her throat, blue eyes widening as all the gears in her brilliant mind arrived at a SCREECHING HALT.

“ Wait, hold up. ” Obi-Wan was speaking so fast that Shi’al could not process what he was saying, and when she finally did comprehend his words, they left her stunned to the point that she questioned her own perception of reality. “ Did you — I’m sorry; what did you just say? ”

⊱ ⠀⠀ … ⠀⠀ @spokewar

@valorums // surprise starter call.

"Oh, good. You're still here!" His voice lifts to an uncomfortable pitch, a certain nervousness he hadn't felt in years threatening to overtake him. Between all the worry and war, it seems he's forgotten how to be a Jedi. It had been a lifetime ago that he stood before the council and plead, threatened, and fought for Anakin to be at his side, barely out of padawanship himself. And now as a seasoned Master of his own right, he's struggling for the words for a question he never thought he would ask. At first because he hadn't thought he would survive to see Anakin knighted, then he'd thought he wouldn't live to see the end of the war, and his latest overcome fear that the counsel would not want him near a youngling again, not after his failures to see the darkness enveloping his own for nearly a decade. But they had asked—not only the council—but Master Yoda himself seemed quite pleased with the thought of Obi-Wan taking Shi'al as his student. There was a balance to it, he supposed, but the thought didn't make it any the less frightening. "The council met earlier to discuss your further training here and we all agreed there is not anymore you can learn as an initiate.

"We believe you are ready for the next step, to be a padawan learner and if you want . . . my padawan." There's a pause. He doesn't breathe before speaking again. "You do not have to answer right away, of course, I will give you time to think."

[valorums]

Cue a side eye, then a quiet giggle.

“ That’s not how romance works, Alfienna. ”

⊱ ⠀⠀ … ⠀⠀ @vendettavalor

“Getting a date is easy. Just ask them out. I don’t see what the big deal is.”

[valorums]

Ashla’s response did not simplify matters at all. In fact, Shi’al only grew increasingly baffled, rather than gaining the clarity that she sought.

⠀ ⠀ “ By the stars, Miss Ashla, you’re as cryptic as Master Yoda. ” She chuckled, shaking her head fondly. She was not surprised by this development, though, not when she knew full well what this woman was. “ I never thought I’d meet anyone who could be as cryptic as that little old frog. ”

⊱ ⠀⠀ … ⠀⠀ @ofthestcrs

@valorums continued from x

"The self ... it's like an endless pool." Ashla said, "You can always go deeper." She gave a soft smile then though and nodded, "But it's true. You can't know everything and it's better to know something rather than nothing at all." There she goes again with her silly little games. She loves to teeter the balance of things, because she knows it'll always come right back. What's meant to be always comes to be no matter who resists.

[valorums]

WATCHING ANAKIN TEACH was delightful. Shi’al observed his lesson from the doorway, the fondest of small smiles gracing her visage. She then approached the newly minted JEDI MASTER upon the lesson’s conclusion, in search of his affection.

        Although carefully concealed through the expert craftsmanship of this seasoned politician, a shiver traveled down Shi’al’s spine as Anakin spoke. She bit her lip, frowning. “ Let’s not waste these precious moments by ruminating on what may have been, Ani. Such dreadful little thoughts never do anyone any good. ” Her left hand rose toward Anakin’s chest, settling down in a feather-light placement directly below his heart. “ Papa used to say that sometimes, we have to get a little lost in order to find ourselves. You lost hope, and yet, I think you’re finding yourself again. ”

“ Being a Jedi suits you.” Shi’al offered Anakin a small smile, her expression softening. “ You have a way with those younglings — they adore you, and were hanging onto your every word. ”

⊱ ⠀⠀ … ⠀⠀ @forcenexus

❝ i think i have a new purpose in my life. to be with you. ❞

ANAKIN TURNED TO SEE SHI'AL COMING OVER TO HIM while he was in the temple teaching some padawans. Standing near her, he smiled and reached out to brush a piece of hair out of her face after dismissing the younglings. "You renewed my hope in the Jedi Order and in life itself. I don't want to think about what would have happened if they did not accept our relationship." He was sick of hiding it by that time and was really thinking of leaving the Order.

[valorums]

“ That bastard Krell was a Force-forsaken asshole. ” Shi’al muttered, for Jesse’s indignation was infectious. “ Instead of taking two steps forward like Master Yoda always says to do, he took a thousand steps back, and as if that wasn’t enough, he was a bloody traitor. ” It was RARE for one to hear such vile words from the lips of a being so prim and proper, but as Palpatine always insists, Shi’al spent too much time amongst the clone army as of late for her own good.

“ Things like this … well, it’s exactly why I do what I do. It’s why I always strive to advocate on the behalf of you and your brothers. ” Shi’al reached up, resting a feather-light hand upon Jesse’s arm for the briefest of moments before letting go, lest he become startled by her unexpected touch. “ The way that the republic sometimes treats you — it’s not right. You are human. The Jedi know this, but the Senate always seems to forgets. ”

⊱ ⠀⠀ … ⠀⠀ @pracses

Open :\\ Mutuals Only

"I can understand a court-martial, and locking us up in the brig, but executing us?!"