The Sweetest Taste

Chapter 44 - Nar Shaddaa

Trigger warning: Themes of violence and abuse.

The world felt dark now.

Distant voices echoing through Lysa's consciousness.

Where was she?

What was going on?

Lysa let out a soft groan, feeling and hearing the hum of a ship's engine somewhere nearby.

Her head throbbed, as she blinked her eyes open, seeing only the cold and dark floor she was obviously lying on, come swimming into focus.

Wait...what was she doing on the floor? And why was it now moving beneath her? Far below she could hear the vibrations of a whirring engine.

A searing pain shot through her head as she tried to recollect what had happened. Grimacing against it, Lysa tried to move her aching body. But as she did so she heard a voice from somewhere above.

She gazed around, blinking a few times, finding that she was lying inside a very small cargo hold in the rear of a ship she had never seen before.

Turning her head, she frowned hard as a figure slowly strolled into focus.

"Wakey, wakey," came the voice again. A voice Lysa was only used to hearing these past few weeks in her nightmares. "Rise and shine."

And suddenly, the events of the past few hours came flooding instantly back to her, her mind clearing.

The wire...her speeder crashing...and the voice of-

"No..." she managed to murmur out in utter anguish as she realised just who was stood above her.

After so much suffering, all she wanted was for it all to be over, and yet here he was again. Causing her more utter pain. As though the abuse was an addiction to him.

And Lysa could only flick her green, tearful eyes up towards him now...

...her gaze meeting with that of Crix Val'shif.

"You miss me?" he uttered in a simpering tone, giving a shallow laugh.

And Lysa watched with wide eyes, as he leaned over her...

....his fingers clenching suddenly around her throat.

Lysa gave a pained whimper as he dragged her to her feet, his fingers digging into her skin.

When she got to standing she looked directly into the eyes of the man stood before her. The man she had once convinced herself she loved and who loved her back.

Crix's face was still as long and tanned as ever, his salt and pepper hair slicked back, with his teeth bared menacingly as he stared at her with cold grey eyes.

"Look at you, still as pathetic as the day I met you," he said in a foul mocking tone, a fleck of spittle landing on her cheek as he spoke. "Last time I saw you you were more than happy to put a blaster hole through me."

And with that, he pointed to his shoulder which was covered with a black leather strap.

"So I thought we could get all the- y'know -formalities out of the way early...and I could return the favour..."

And with that, before Lysa could do anything to stop him, she felt the hard and cold barrel of his blaster suddenly press against her shoulder at close range. Followed by a deafening shot.

A searing pain jolted Lysa backwards a step or two. Her eyes widening as she let out a scream of pure agony.

She clutched instantly at her shoulder with a shaking right hand, to find it covered in blood. Her pale blue long tunic dress now stained ruby red.