Private Building Bridges

[Teyla Sal-Soren]

Appearance | XoXo
Location | Sal-Soren Esate, Hapes
Tag | Valery Noble

Teyla had been alerted when Valery Noble’s ship arrived at the family's dock, droids already busily unpacking the woman's belongings. She’d invited her to stay at the Estate for a few days, in part as a show of hospitality for the woman who had trained both Brandyn and Briana, but also for the purpose of discussing Briana’s future among the Jedi.

A part of her felt guilty, knowing that her late husband would not have approved of this life pursuit for their daughter, but Baros was gone and Teyla was left to try and pick up the pieces of her family and their lives.

Whether she chose to see it or not, Briana had thrived and grown exponentially during the time she’d spent among the Jedi - her daughter's talents wasted away behind her father’s desk and she hoped Valery would be key in helping her convince Briana that it was high time she returned to the Jedi Temple.

With her chin held high and regal, she watched as Valery approached, stepping forward with an extended hand to greet her.

“Master Jedi,” Teyla said, opting for a more formal greeting since this was their first time meeting. “Welcome to the Sal-Soren Estate, it is an honor to finally make your acquaintance. I hope your flight wasn’t too tiring.”

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Location: Test
Items: Necklace

For a few days, Valery had been planning her trip to Hapes. It was... highly uncommon for a Jedi Master to meet the parents of their Padawans, especially in the old days when Jedi were kept very separated from their families. Having grown up at that time, Valery really needed to adjust to the idea, but there was something interesting about it as well. Despite how much time Briana had been away from home, the familial bond was still very much there, and it hadn't really turned into a problem.

Only when Naboo was attacked, Valery had sensed a lot more turmoil in the young woman, but she couldn't blame a Padawan for struggling with something on such a tremendous scale.

The other side to this trip that required preparation beforehand was the culture of the planet. She knew about the matriarchal systems and their obsession with beauty. So for days, she was thinking about what to wear, how to present herself, and make people on Hapes feel most comfortable and respected with her presence. But in the end, she decided to only bring along some better-looking clothes, and appear in her usual Jedi outfit — she wanted the mother of her Padawan to meet her the way she usually was; the way her daughter knew her.

There was also the minor issue that Valery only had a few dresses and none that really rivaled those you'd find on Hapes. Maybe she could get away with some shopping time at some point...

"Master Jedi,"

Valery had stepped off the shuttle, dressed like she was on a mission, and watched as her stuff was being taken care of for a moment. But rather quickly, her gaze settled on the woman in the beautiful dress she instantly recognized, "Mrs, Sal-Soren, it's a pleasure to finally meet you, and thank you very much for the invitation and the warm welcome," Valery said with a smile before she reached for the hand. She was about to shake it rather firmly, as she usually would, but blinked and quickly decided against it, opting for a more gentle grip instead.

"And please, you may call me Valery." She then looked around and her smile grew only brighter, "I've heard many stories about Hapes, but seeing it in person is... something else. You have a beautiful home here," she continued as her fiery eyes settled back on Teyla.

Teyla Sal-Soren ​

 

[Teyla Sal-Soren]

Appearance | XoXo
Location | Sal-Soren Esate, Hapes
Tag | Valery Noble

Teyla's smile broadened marginally, but carried with it a twinge of sadness, "Thank you, this house was originally designed by my late husband to be a summer home so we could come to visit with my sister and her children. Briana's father wanted it to reflect some of the qualities that we loved about our home on Naboo while keeping with Hapan architectural design. He always had an eye for such things, and the house itself is very much a part of him. It's been of great comfort to us since Naboo fell." the noblewoman explained, taking her time as she guided Valery through the formal rose gardens and intricately trimmed hedges, following a gravel path that crunched beneath their feet as the spring birds chirped merrily above them.

"I thought we could take our tea in the gardens while we talk, since it's such a lovely day for it." Teyla said, leading Valery towards the marble pavilion at the end of the garden. The dome top was covered in an array of climbing amethyst celmatis, and surrounded by pale snowdrops and butter-yellow daffodils that swayed in the balmy breeze. Waiting up ahead were several pairs of scantily clad, chiseled, male servants, standing at the ready to attend them.

With a wave of her hand on their approach, the retainers moved to arrange cushions for them to sit on, promptly filling the trays with various appetizers and desserts. As to be expected, Teyla took her seat at the table first, urging Valery to join her.

"Have you ever had moon tea?" She asked, every word and movement made with the practiced ease and grace of a Naboo noble woman as she poured each of them a cup of deep red, floral tea. "It's made from a mix of various herbs and flowers, but it gets its name because of one particular flower on Naboo that we called the, 'companion of serenity'. The flower only bloomed under the moonlight and the petals have to be harvested before sunrise. If left on their own, they wilt. It's sweet but not cloying, and very aromatic. I find that it suits most of our visitors tastes."

Taking her cup to hand, Teyla went to sip the tea, stopping to gently blow on the scalding liquid before proceeding. Lowering her cup, she paused, her finely sculpted brows knitting together. "I'm sure you're wondering why I invited you here, out of the blue," her cup was set aside, "While I was hoping to get to know you better, I also wished to speak with you about your Padawan, my daughter... Briana. I'm concerned that she's wasting her potential here on Hapes and using us as a shield to not have to face her own fears and doubts. I hoped you would be able to help me convince her to return to the Jedi Temple with you. Though she doesn't want to see it, she is strong with the Force and has the capacity to do a lot more good out there, than hiding behind a desk here."

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Location: Test
Items: Necklace

After their initial greetings, Valery followed Teyla through the beautiful Rose garden and looked around to admire just how much effort had gone into making all of it. But she was very focused on what the woman explained as well and didn't break focus even once while Teyla talked about her late husband and his involvement in the design. From the earlier, saddened smile alone, Valery knew it was a difficult topic, and the way she talked about her husband showed just how much she loved him. Perhaps that's something that added to the appeal of this home — the way it brought comfort after Naboo, but also that a part of him would always remain here.

"It is breathtaking, and I'm very glad your family has found so much comfort here. I... saw what Naboo did to your daughter, so it warms my heart to know that you both can find peace here," she said with an understanding smile before they stepped further into the garden and were greeted by the songs of birds all around them. If she was able to afford it, she would bring her own family to a place like this as well — maybe one day.

"I'll never say no to tea and conversation, especially not on a day like this," she chuckled and felt the mood getting brighter as they approached the pavilion to sit down. But when they got closer, she noticed that they weren't alone. A small group of what she assumed to be Teyla's servants greeted them, and because of their appearance alone, Valery found herself being a little distracted for a moment.

"Have you ever had moon tea?"

The question remained unanswered for a few seconds as they sat down, but with a quick shake of her head and some blinking, her eyes turned away from the men serving them food and drinks and quickly shifted back to Teyla. She offered the woman a brief, but somewhat sheepish smile, and shook her head again, "I uh, I can't say I have, but it smells really good," she said before she raised the cup up to her lips for a sip that allowed her some time to recover from her embarrassment.

"Hmm, I can see why visitors enjoy it. The tea is amazing!" she beamed Teyla a warm smile and gently set the cup down while she listened to the woman. After a moment, she nodded, "I was actually hoping to talk to you about it as well today. I've trained a lot of students in my time already, and Briana has undoubtedly been one of my most promising ones. After Naboo, I knew she needed some space, but I've greatly missed her presence...." she paused and looked down at her tea for just a brief moment, "It would be my pleasure to talk to her. I've missed her, so I'd love for her to continue her training again as well."

Teyla Sal-Soren ​