[IC] Annabelle's Holo Diary

[Lord Iezkon]

Entry 1: The End of Silence

The holo-recorder would switch on and the image would show an empty chair. The room would be dark, indicating it was night time but there was one light on, giving the room just enough light to show the empty chair. A few seconds later Annabelle came into the frame as she would sit down on the chair. She looked different. As an acolyte, her hair was up in a bun with a strand of hair on each side of her face, a face that served as the representation of her innocence. Now she would have her hair loose, her long dark brown hair covered her shoulders, with a fringe covering her forehead, her face no longer had that innocent look, but more of a look of anger. She looked straight at the holo-recorder and rested her hands on her lap as she prepared to speak.

"My name is Annabelle. A few days ago, I was made an apprentice by Lorekeeper Jadie Priaa, leaving the wretched title of Acolyte behind. Granted how I became an apprentice took me by surprise. I was at the end of my task that I had done for Lord Saud..."

In the video, it can be seen that she paused for a moment as she looked down, shaking her head with a sigh. She then lifted her head up to look back at the recorder and used her right hand to brush some of her hair out of her face as she continued.

"I was on Korriban, doing research on apparitions when Jadie approached me. After a few words between the two of us, she threw me into the darkness and there my trial to become her new apprentice began. Granted during this unique trial I did not know her plan, I didn't think it would end up with me being her apprentice. However the trial, it changed me. I had to learn to embrace the darkness, to become one with it to the point that my motto became 'Let darkness guide my path.' After that trial, I know the meaning and passion behind that motto."

Annabelle would look to her left as she looked at the door, to see if there was anyone lurking in the shadows of the hallway. Her master gave her a room in her estate, making Annabelle relieved that she no longer had to share a room with a group of acolytes. She would look back to the recorder.

"I have been thinking of setting this up for some time now but it was difficult with being in a huge room filled with acolytes. Now I am able to do this, to speak finally on what is on my heart and mind about my time here. One thing I am happy about is the fact I am not an alien. I have seen how aliens are treated here, yet being a human is no picnic either. I am treated differently just because I am not a Pureblood, get nowhere with the task my master has given me because when I ask a Pureblood for help, he said no."

"In this House that I have joined, I have never felt more alone than I do now and that includes my time as a slave where no one spoke to me other than my other side. Now my other half hardly speaks but that is because of the task Lord Tokiai gave me, teaching me control and such. Yet I am use to being alone, not much I can do in a House of mainly Purebloods and aliens. As a new apprentice, I will embark on a journey that will determine everything from this day forward, and all I can hope for in this journey is that I do so well that one day people will see me something other than the girl who talks to herself with a head twitch. Its time for me to leave the silent world and become part of the darkness and have a voice of my own. Let the negative people laugh at my attempts, see if I care. I will prove myself, no matter what I have to do."

Annabelle would look at the recorder, her ocean blue eyes not moving from the recorder for a few seconds. She then got up onto her feet and walked to her left side. The image once again showed the picture of an empty chair that was lit up by a single light in her dark bedroom. Capturing the moment as it served as a symbol of what she spoke about and soon the image faded to black as the holo-recorder was switched off.

[Lord Iezkon]

Entry 2: A Needed Change

The image would come to life upon command, the same black empty chair would appear in the frame. The lighting however was different, it was lighter, this would mean that this message was recorded before the sun had set. The room was bathed in dark orange and faded red from the sun, the sounds would be soft, however a sudden sound appeared, Annabelle walking to her chair. She would sit down, letting her right leg rest on top of her left leg, her arms would rest on the arm rests. Something about this video was different, she appeared to have a light smile.

"I just came back from a lesson that was led by Lord Trakaton and Captain Koren. A lesson in which I had no experience in, one I had learned a great deal. How the Sith and Imperials should work together as a team. Lord Trakaton had a scenario ready for us, giving us a role that was the complete opposite of what myself and the others were. He gave me the role of Imperial Officer, I know its just a pretend instance, but the man barely knows me. Why trust a role that big on someone he doesn't know rather than one of his -many- apprentices?"

"I had to act as if I was the leader of my team along with the Sith Lord commander, who in reality is an Imperial. As the scenario, I had to organise the group, give orders...lead. And it felt good. For once, I know what it feels like when people actually care about what I have to say and for them to follow my commands. It made me excited to the day when I become a Lord. Of course I know that won't happen -any- time soon."

In the footage, it can be seen that Annabelle's ocean blue eyes drifted away, as if staring into the void as she was deep in thought. She then looked down and moved her hands to rest on her lap and took a deep breath, as if the next part would be difficult for her to say. Soon she slowly lifted her head to look at the recorder.

"My split personality. Not many people in the House knows of it, nor cares obviously. It hinders me more than I realise. Yet at the same time, I think there is something more, hidden away behind its mask. I may an idea but I am no expert. So I have to speak to one to either confirm or deny my theory...Lord Saud. She recently had a baby and is busy with her -new- apprentices. But I will make my voice heard to capture her attention, even if its only for a few minutes. I am no longer a vile acolyte. The time for change, in a few aspects, has come at last. Here goes nothing."

Annabelle would stare at the recorder for a few seconds, a stern expression can be seen on her face, showing how seriously she was taking this. She then gracefully lifted her right hand up so that it would appear in the frame, and with a soft twist of her wrist, the footage suddenly shifted to darkness, silence joined the embrace of the darkness, indicating that she had switched it off, letting the footage of her sitting in the once empty chair be the last memory until the next entry.

[Lord Iezkon]

Entry 3: Thoughts

The holo-recorder would come to life once more, yet the scene would be different than the past two entries. The scene took place outside on a balcony, in the frame would be Annabelle sitting on the edge of the wall, if she moved forward, she would meet her end with a fall. Her arms rested on her knees as she looked at the recorder for a few seconds. She then looked to her left, staring at the busy city at her master's estate. The sun would be up yet it was late afternoon. Annabelle's hair would be blowing softly as there was a light breeze in the air, her face was glowing sweetly as the sun's rays would caress her skin. She would let her soft voice drift along the sweet song of the wind as she spoke, still looking at the city.

"It should come to no surprise that I didn't speak to Lord Saud. Trust me when I said I tried to talk with the woman, she is always...'busy'...I know things would be a whole lot different if I was a pureblood, maybe then she would at least make an effort. Maybe I should paint my skin red and glue some sticks to my face to make myself look like a pureblood?"

She would then shake her head at the idea.

"Whatever, its done now. The question I wanted to ask her, I asked my master, the only person who would actually make time to help others with a big question like mine. Sometimes I would think that she cares for me in her own way, but then in moments like my trial on Eshan, makes me wonder why she hasn't killed me yet, seeing that I am a great disappointment to her and that Aljo is some form of god in her eyes."

"Lately I have been wondering if I am wasting my time here. I can see in peoples eyes how they want me dead. I wonder if I should just go and disappear, no one would notice anyway, I don't have red skin. I swear at times I miss being a slave....No matter now, guess I have to stay and do as I am told, and take the insults with a smile and no words on my lips. Its a good thing my master is not here. I am sure she would push me off for either sitting here or hearing what I am saying. At least -I- don't betray her... There is no one here, nor at the Spire or the ship. They are all there, while I chose to stay here. Why go to a wedding? For all I know if I was there, I would be the sacrificial gift. But that is not the reason why I chose not to go...there are other reasons, but they will forever remain as thoughts."

Annabelle did not look once at the recorder, choosing to hide her emotions shown in her eyes. With a wave of her hand, the scene would turn to black met with silence.

[Lord Iezkon]

Entry 4: Hello There Again

A device would hum to live as the darkness was chased away with an image of a woman. This woman had long black hair, which was loose. She had a strand of hair on each side of her face, and on her forehead would be a purple headband, lines interwoven to make it seem like a diadem. She was sitting by a desk, though the environment was different, as well as the room. Behind her were windows, and on this particular day it was raining. She looked calmly at the holo-recorder and started to speak in a calm tone.

"It has been a long time since I had spoken to this holo-recorder, and I have valid reasons as to explain my sudden disappearance. So much had happened in the past few months that it had proven difficult to keep up with my regular activities. Before, I thought that my life would be one of boring silence, where nothing worth telling would happen. I was proven wrong completely. Firstly, Jadie is no longer my Master. She disappeared for some time, after giving Aljo the instruction to train me. After some time, Jadie came back. She had summoned both me and Aljo for a talk. However, the talk turned into a fight, to which Jadie literally pushed me out off and focused on Aljo. A fierce battle between the two occurred, and that is where it happened. With a poisoned blade, Jadie met her end by the hands of Aljo. It was on this night that my life had changed forever."

Annabelle moved to have her legs crossed, letting her left leg rest on top of her right leg. She took a small deep breath and carried on.

"Right after Jadie's death, Aljo offered me a room in her apartment that she shared with Occularis, and I have been living there ever since. After the death of the Lorekeeper, Aljo and I were instructed to keep it a secret, and act like nothing happened. I had been a secret Neophyte for roughly three months, training in private or with Aljo. During those three months, I started to work towards a goal, not to find a new Master, but to build myself up to hopefully being Lorekeeper one day. I believe that I would do a much better job than Jadie, and I aimed to prove that by giving out tasks to Acolytes, writing reports and studying very hard on the Lore of the Sith. At this moment in the present, people within House Horuset know of my goal in becoming Lorekeeper, and some have approached me to either write reports on their accomplishments or came with research questions."

"A few months ago, a House meeting was held within House Horuset. It was here where the death of Jadie was made public, and it was on this night that Aljo had ascended to Sith. Those months were hard for me, specially when it felt like to me that Aljo was not in trouble but I was. I was told certain things by a Lord on what not to do, but then another Lord forced the answers out of me. Regardless, I got into trouble greatly for a small mistake.."

Annabelle softly shook her head and chuckled softly.

"A few days later after the House meeting, Aljo and I had a spar, and at the end of it, she made me her apprentice. And let me put this on the record, I learned far more with her than with Jadie. I grew more under her supervision whereas with Jadie, I was pushed aside, showing just how a pathetic Master she was. It was with Aljo that I finally learned what a Master truly was. Aljo has been helping in my goal in becoming Lorekeeper, by giving me a task of great honour. The task given to me was to write reports on the Sith within House Horuset. A task that has so far proven its vastness, importance and its honour. With each written report I get closer to my own lightsaber."

"Those few months held many changes, not just within House Horuset, but within me as well. I finally learned about the "other me", and I was surprised to say the least. However, that tale is for another day, as it is quite a long one. That tale has an ending that I did not expect, and I am still unsure on how to feel about it. All I know is, is that I feel more alone than ever, but I distract myself with my work and training. Some secrets of mine have to stay hidden, even from this recorder, for if anyone knew what had happened in my time on Tatooine recently..."

She softly shook her head and looked down for a moment. She then looked up.

"There is only one person who knows what happened because they went with me, and I trust them with my secret. In the end, I wonder what new challenges will await for me, seeing that I am just me now and not a part of something.."

Annabelle looked at the holo-recorder a few seconds after she was done speaking, and soon the woman disappeared as she was engulfed by the darkness, and the hum of the device was replaced with silence.

[Lord Iezkon]

Entry 5: Tongue-Tied

A familiar hum would come to live as the darkness was chased away with an image of Annabelle. She had her usual look of her long black hair, which was loose. She had a strand of hair on each side of her face, and on her forehead would be a purple headband, lines interwoven to make it seem like a diadem. She was sitting by a desk once again. She looked calmly at the holo-recorder and started to speak in a calm tone.

"I have contemplated on what I should share and not to this holo-device about my...adventures to Tatooine recently. Yet the words of my Master never leave me...'Do not trust anything, not even me, not even yourself.' Truth rang hard in her words that day. So I will tell what happened, but rather a downscale version."

She straightened up in her seat, looking fully into the device as she spoke.

"After the death of my mother, something within me changed. As a young girl with no education, I thought it was some form of a split personality. A voice would appear and speak out each time I grew really angry or really nervous, a voice that was not my own, a person that did not act like me. I had to deal with 'her' for a number of years. It was only during the task for Lord Saud, based on apparitions, that I first questioned the other me."

"As luck would have it, I had a dream, a vision of sorts that basically informed me that I should return home, return to Tatooine. I brought a friend with me, someone within the Horuset Powerbase whom I could trust with this secret. We ventured forth to Tatooine.."

She paused for a few moments as her head fell slowly, deep in thought. Taking a deep breath, she lifted her head and looked to the device once more with a stern expression.

My friend and I faced many dangers on this journey, some dangers that she even said that she has never seen before. Yet we both survived. We even found a tamed Wompa Rat and called it Cuddles."

She smiled with a soft chuckle.

"Strange I know. Why would two Sith call a rat something like that? And keep it? Regardless, throughout the dangers of my quest, I found my answers. I had learned what was wrong with me, and I truly had no idea that, that was the reason. For safety measures I will not state what it was, what was wrong with me, to protect myself. But in the end, with the aid of my friend, my issue was resolved. I had full control once more, and yet, as I sit here now, I miss 'her'. It is strange...to miss something your loathed for years."

"I wonder what the future holds now with me being along, with me having full control, and being an Apprentice to Aljo. She has been a good Master thus far. Doing her duty to train me, to push me forward in my goal to become Lorekeeper, and now giving me a task that will end with me getting my first Lightsaber. It would seem that it is a good thing that my other self is gone, 'she' was holding me back, and now I am finding my place within the Empire."

Annabelle looked at the holo-recorder a few seconds after she was done speaking, and soon the woman disappeared as she was engulfed by the darkness, and the hum of the device was replaced with silence.