Private Frail Refuge: Bridge Over Troubled Waters

[Ala Quin]

COR LEONIS
Tingrel Arm
Space between Bryn'adul, Sith Empire and Warlords of the Sith Space​

There was a world of ancient peoples and customs. This world in their ancient tongue was known as Coleonis, place of majesty, but over the millenia it became known as Cor Leonis, meaning Great Lion. The great dynasty of Valenkere had held the lionlike beast native to the world as its sigil for almost two thousand years. What had started as parody, became adopted as reality and the planets name became known as Cor Leonis. Every ruling family since has taken on some form of the Lion as its family crest and sigil.

It was on this world that a problem grew. A problem of immigration. With the Sith twice over and the relentless Bryn'adul wrecking havoc, the peoples of the Tion Hegemony had been fleeing their ancient homes and finding refuge where they could. Despite the percentages of immigrants to Cor Leonis being low compared to the whole crisis, the sheer number of refugees meant that the small percentage meant a planet wide crisis. This adding to the pressure of being on the prespice of invasion from three separate and vile empires that would usurp all the rebuilt powerbases of the noble families.

The people of Cor Leonis were proud though, and did not reach out for help, save for one family. This family was the House of Starwynter. Known now for their compassion, but their history of ruling harshly centuries earlier, their family had lived with the shame of a despot in their lineage for some time. The fact that the Starwynter family had reached out to the Jedi had only just become known. The other Houses were already in an outrage, though their representatives had not yet arrived as the Jedi ship entered orbit. Hopefully, the Jedi would get a full debrief before the other Houses arrived.

--------​

"Father. The Jedi...I have never met one before," said Soline as she walked alongside her taller, dignified, regal looking father. His grey locks forming a silver streak either side of his head, making him look more dashing than ever. Soline admired him, near hero worship.

"They are noble. Controlled. Powerful beings. But controlled. Defence is their forte. Wisdom that we cannot know," he said with a hand coming to rest on his daughters shoulder. She was far shorter than he and his wife, something that was passed off as a genetic throwback to someone on her mother's side. The reality was very different.

"Can I meet one today?" She said, pert lips creeping into a smile of expectation.

"Yes. You will stand with me at their greeting. I have just received word that ship has entered the atmosphere and will be here in a few moments," he said, "this is why I called you."

The thrill in Soline was noticeable as she almost lifted off the ground as she walked. Her father wandered at times if she really did walk on air like some of the whispers around the palace. Duke Starwynter frowned. She was still a mystery, years after she had arrived into their life, but she would be a fine heir to his legacy, trained well, regal in her own light and breezy manner. She was his light and soul, especially since the passing of his dear wife.

Entering into the reception hall, Duke Starwynter indicated that it was time to prepare his daughter in the customary manner. While the attendants robed her, and placed the ceremonial veil across the lower half of her face, the Duke looked around at the room. So much history. Pictures of his ancestors going back thousands of years hung on the walls. His own family picture hung in pride across the extra wide fireplace's mantle. The room was lined with pillars, with picutres hanging on the wall just beyond them. Down the middle of the room a long table for banquets and meetings of the House representatives that visited.

He turned to see his daughter in the ceremonial greeting garb of their people. Modest and petite she appeared, but nothing could hide the spark in her eyes, her raven coloured hair framing her veiled face and beautiful eyes. "You. You are..."

"My Duke. The Jedi have landed and are being brought to the reception area," the voice interupted the Duke's thoughts. He simply smiled and nodded towards his servant, then offered an arm for his daughter to hold.

They walked together to the foot of the long banquet table and awaited their guests. Surely, they would be soon followed by many prying and annoyed House representatives.

| Aayla Shan | Valery Noble |​

 

[Aayla Shan]

Aayla walked in a set of regular old Jedi Robes, they were a clear designation of her alliances, most especially considering she had chosen her black and white ensemble for this initial meeting. Well groomed, prim, and proper. Her hair was done up in a bun at the rear of her head, with a single braid that hung at the back right which signified a rank. Learning more about Valery, she appreciated the other for working with her, and not doing what most Masters would've done with her most recent outburst on Jakku. Valery exuded a leadership that made Aayla comfortable to listen too, and follow. Spritzing up the steps that lead into the estate, she would remove her gloves, noting not only the faces that peered at the duo, but the feelings of mixed emotions from the crowd.

When there was a light lull in the amount of ears near them, Aayla would lean over to her better that was her equal in height.

"You ever get that feeling of being vaguely unwelcome?"

She stated that quickly, in a hushed tone, glancing behind her once as it was said. The large doors into the place being closed, and the sounds of mixed chatter suddenly rising as the pair had left the sight of the general public. Aayla's walking was loose, and yet sturdy. For lack of a better way to describe it, she had a gait that seemed to suggest she was ready to beat something up. That may not have just been an imaginary visage either. She was a beauty in her own right, though she was tough; never should it be thought the little firecracker wasn't a warrior through and through.

Inside the reception hall, she would glance up, and around, observing the surroundings with interest. More so, she would glance back again and notice a group of well dressed individuals quite obviously making comments about the pair. Not loud enough to be heard, uncaring enough to be obvious with their hushed remarks, and gestures. Aayla just frowned slightly, and focused on what they were there for. In the end, it was the Coleonis' that requested their aide after all... She couldn't help but shake the feeling not everyone was content with their presence.

She would allow Valery to make the presentations for both of them, or wait her turn and introduce herself by full name, adding a careful bow to the pair that was in front of them. She didn't sit unless instructed, and just stood at ease, eyes trailing over to the half masked woman, and squinting slightly as if she was trying to read something inscribed on the woman's face. Even with half of the face visible, she looked a whole lot like... No way. Striking resemblance though.

 

[Valery Noble]

Onboard the ship, Valery had taken time to meditate and prepare herself for their upcoming task. As usual, she had chosen to wear the dark blue tunic with red and gold accents which, unlike the more traditional robes, did little to hide her features. At this point, Valery wasn't sure what the more typical attire was for Jedi at this time, but she would be wearing her tunic either way. She kept her hair in a long ponytail and clipped her weapon to her belt. She didn't have much but it would be enough. Besides these personal preparations, the flight to Cor Leonis also gave her the chance to learn more about Aayla and understand her better. Valery had a strong feeling they were heading out to meet some serious trouble but felt the two of them were the right Jedi for this task, especially after learning more about the strengths they had in common.

When the two finally landed and began to move towards the reception hall, Valery would be scanning her environment as well, noting the mixed feelings towards the pair of Jedi. However, her exterior did not change - she simply looked around once and then looked at Aayla as she spoke.

A faint smirk appeared on her face and she'd nod, "More often than you might think." she said, having experienced it before. She expected their help here to not be appreciated by all, but that wouldn't stop her from offering her assistance to those who asked for it.

Inside the reception hall, it seemed to be much of the same thing - people staring, making gestures, and whispering to each other. It was something many would be bothered by but it hardly phased Valery, who glanced around the beautifully decorated room. She wasn't oblivious to the other individuals in the room, but she wasn't here to worry about how they viewed her. She was here to respond to a call for help.

Noticing the pair in front of them, Valery decided to step forward and bowed her head respectfully, "Thank you for greeting us here. I'm Jedi Master Valery Noble, and this is Padawan Aayla Shan." she said, her tone respectful, calm and confident. She offered the two a brief smile and spoke again, her vibrant orange eyes fixed on just them.

"We are here in response to your request for help."

| Aayla Shan | Ala Quin |​

 

[Ala Quin]

"Master Jedi," the Duke said, voice booming in a show of joviality that Soline felt a little taken aback by. She rarely saw her father like this. It wasn't that he was not a happy sort, but simply that he was not given to frivolity. "And your Padawan learner," finished the Duke as he offered them his hand palm up, a symbolic gesture of peace and welcoming. The expectation was that they would place their hand over his, but Soline noted that he did not linger long in front of each of the Jedi, just in case they did not pick up on the cues she assumed.

"Master Noble. Padawan Shan. I am Duke Evalindeer Starwynter, and this is my daughter, Soline," he said, stepping back a little for the young woman to step forward.

Soline did as she was expected to. Stepping foward with a slight dip of her head, and a upwards facing palm extended in front of the two Jedi individually, giving them again the opportunity to pick up on the custom just long enough to not feel to awkward. "Greetings Master Noble. Padawan Shan. It is a pleasure to meet you. I have so many questions about the Jedi. You are the first I have ever met."

"Come now, Soline. Let us not burden our guests with too many questions before dinner," he said with a stern face, that was broken with a wink when he turned his head away from the Jedi just to look at his daughter.

"Apologies," Soline replied, checks flushed with an embarassment that she knew was unnecessary.

The Master, a Valery Noble, was beautiful, her hair so long and beautifully brown. Even the scars on her face added to the beauty through the story that they told. Soline was sure that the Master did not have time for her prying, but she would try at some point nonetheless. The shorter, whitehaired elven eared Padawan looked at her oddly. It didn't make Soline uncomfortable, not in the slightest, but rather piqued her curiousity even more. She gave Aayla a smile beneath her veil, even though it was hid from view.

"Come to think of it. Perhaps you can show Padawan Shan about the hall while I speak privately with Master Noble," the Duke said.

Soline's eyes widdened with excitement, and she held her breath to avoid any literal squeaking noises coming from her excited, buzzing thoughts. "Come this way...Padawan Shan. Allow me to introduce you to my family...all the many generations..."

Leading Aayla away from the group, Soline quickly revealed her intention of not at all asking anything about her family, but instead began excitedly rattling off questions. "How many Masters do you have Padawan Shan? What is it like being a Jedi? Can you fly? Can you read my mind?" She said pretty much tripping over with an excitement that remained bundled up in her body, not showing as much as possible in order to remain the graceful person she had been trained to be, "oh. You must think me a right fool for asking so many questions. And you would likely be horrified to know how many more questions I have."

---------​

The Duke smiled as he watched his daughter lead an unsuspecting Aayla away from the elder two. He grimaced a little in pity for the Padawan. Soline could be quite a handful when a thought excited her. Meeting a Jedi for the first time was sure to be one line of thinking that would keep her on a high for days to come.

"Master Noble," he said, face becoming sullen, "I am not sure how much you know about our situation, but you should know that we have received over two hundred thousand refugees from the Tion Hegemony in the last six months. You may have seen some of the camps that are set up outside of our estate and around our ancestral lands. These people are not just peasants...but nobles and aristocratic types as well, that are truly fed up with living in what they perceive to be squalor. We simply do not have the capacity to properly relocate them. We would bring some of them into the Estate...but there...has been a threat on my daughter's life. It is considered credible. I was hoping if you and your Padawan could provide protection, but also investigate these threats. The sooner they are resolved, the sooner I can make the Estate grounds available to those in the camps. You must understand. We would have opened our gates already...but Soline means...everything to me."

| Valery Noble | Aayla Shan |​

 

[Aayla Shan]

Aayla had forgotten about the thoughts that had clouded her mind briefly, though... It was hard to ignore the resemblance. It almost made he want to tell the other to remove that veil from her face, but she was a patient one; at times. As such, Aayla gave Valery an upnod, and allowed the Lady of the castle to lead her about. They hadn't even made it out of the room when Aayla was barraged with a series of questions. Usually people didn't respond to Jedi in that manner, but in this case Aayla could only peer at the other in amazement. How much questions was she gonna ask?

She allowed Soline to prattle on, waiting until she finished before sighing aloud.

"I don't have a Master right now, I guess I have as many as I need to become a Knight, or Master in my own right... Being a Jedi is... Hard, I guess." she had said that, the thought of Ala Quin coming to mind hard as she answered. It was hard to be a Jedi, a tough life that they didn't get much time for respite for. In any case, that other question made her think about her Flying Witchblade. As such, she would chuckle a bit, and nod to the other.

"Sure, I can fly when I need too... And if I focus, sure I can read your mind. I'm not going too though. That would be against the code, to impose myself on you in the Force for no reason" Aayla admitted, looking at the beautiful inner workings of their estate...

Beyond that, while the accent was off, her voice was identical... It caused Aayla's heart to sink lightly. What kind of strange fate was this, that she would go a quarter way across the galaxy, and be so vividly reminded of Ala all the same? Walking past another corridor, she felt a strange tug in the Force, glancing at some huge double doors, the ornate carving on them gave the impression of some kind of treasury, or perhaps even some royal chambers. Though, as they were closed tight, she wondered if what lay beyond was any of her business.

"I can answer any questions you have M'lady..." she mumbled, fingers tracing along that door as they passed it, she would instead throw one in of her own. "Say... What's in here?" she asked, glancing over to Soline curiously.

Ala Quin Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Valery resisted raising an eyebrow as the duke offered his hand - it wasn't a kind of greeting she had seen before but she'd respect their culture. So she placed her hand on top of his and tilted her head just a little. "It's a pleasure to meet you both." Valery said as Soline stepped forward as well.

Valery always loved kids so she offered her a warm smile at the excitement she showed. But her attention would quickly be drawn by the duke again. She nodded in agreement and patted Aayla on the shoulder once, knowing she was likely going to have to deal with a bombardment of questions.

She felt a bit sorry for Aayla.

Watching Soline and Aayla leave, Valery would look back at the duke, whose exterior seemed to have shifted, and listened to his explanation of the ongoing situation. For two Jedi to be assigned as guards was uncommon, but it likely meant the threats were incredibly serious and from a dangerous source.

"It's not easy to both protect her and investigate the threats at the same time." Valery said, "So if you have any information that can help us, that would be appreciated. Are there any suspicions about where the threats came from? And why would your daughter specifically be threatened at a time like this, when all those people out there need help?" she asked, her piercing orange eyes narrowing slightly.

She wasn't suspicious herself but the threats being made at this time seemed rather odd to her.

"Either way, we will protect your daughter but I do urge you to have your own guards ready constantly as well. When Padawan Shan and I investigate, we will not be bringing your daughter along, after all."

| Aayla Shan | Ala Quin |​

 

[Ala Quin]

As quickly as Aayla had answered the questions, Soline seemed prepped with another round, but Aayla stopped her in her tracks with a question of her own. The young woman's mind had been racing, what made being a Jedi hard? Surely having super powers would make things way easier? But she noted Aayla's hand drifting across the ornate door that entered into a private space of her fathers.

"Ah. I don't...actually know," Soline said, glancing at the door with an expression that seemed to indicate that she had only just realized they were standing in front of it, "father goes there from time to time. He once told me it is a place that helps him grieve for my mother. So I have always assumed it was a place special to he and mother...or maybe a shrine of some kind. Never pressed him too much."

-----------​

The Duke listened with an intensity of will and purpose that made his previous frivolity pale in comparison. "There are many a noble family from the Hegemony that would like to see themselves taking up roles in leadership on this world. They assume it as their birthright. While I was at a meeting of Hegemony delegates, things became heated. As I left...a nobleman from the Hegemony, family name of Taliskar...he heavily insinuated that if something were to happen to Soline, then my house would be vulnerable. Since then there has been one attempt on Soline's life...a trusted advisor attempted to poison her. This advisor did not live to see the end of the day...but you can understand that I now have some trust issues with those in my own house. Perhaps if you were to investigate outside these walls...your Padawan could be trusted to report on their findings within these walls?"

He opened his mouth to share more, but the door behind Valery opened with a loud clatter.

"Duke Starwynter! What is the meaning of this?" Came the bellowing voice from some many metres behind the Jedi Master, "outsiders are not needed to resolve matters on Cor Leonis. It is not our way!"

There was a noticeable expression of frustration that washed over the Duke's face, as he stepped to the side to see past Valery. He already knew who it was, and behind him were more of the expected co-conspirators in this complaint.

"Duke. You must have the Jedi leave immediately," came the voice of an older woman who was still easily keeping pace with the first to enter the room. Cheers and calls of agreement came up from the other half dozen individuals that had walked in. Each one was decked out in the refined clothing, and sporting an emblem that was a variation on the lion of Cor Leonis mythology.

"I am sorry Master Noble. It seems our time to debrief has been cut short. It would probably be best that you depart and begin whatever investigation you can. You do not want to get caught in this conversation. Trust me," said the Duke, already looking tired.

| Valery Noble | Aayla Shan |​

 

[Aayla Shan]

Aayla's fingers ran off of the doorway, not sure what was in there, but indeed feeling that tug of the Force from within. It reminded her of Ilum, finding her first Kyber crystal. How it seemed to want to be found. It tested her, but all the same it whispered to her, always guiding her. In any case, she didn't let the tug of the Force distract her from her duties, as she had said; whatever it was didn't belong to Soline's Father, which meant it made no sense for her to dwell on it.

Beyond that, she had that quickly become so comfortable with the other that she forgot she was on a mission there. Forgotten that the other needed to be vetted just like anyone else they would encounter. It wasn't just Aayla's safety, but Master Nobles as well that was on the line.

"Anyway, one more question, and you can continue your barrage... What's going on Cor Leonis really? Why do people want you killed Al-.. Soline, sorry... You... Reminded me of someone" the padawan said, swallowing her as she thought of her again.

If there was one thing she wanted to do, if there was anything she could do with this life... She wanted to fix that woman's body.

She had cared, and looked out for her when no one else had, it was something one didn't soon forget.

 

[Valery Noble]

Valery remained quiet while she listened to the Duke explaining the situation from his perspective. She knew on planets like this, the rivalries could be rather complex, as they were typically the result of a long history between noble families. This could potentially make it hard to investigate and piece together the puzzle, but the neutrality also gave her the ability to assess everything without bias. No matter what was going on, ensuring the safety of this young girl was her priority. She wasn't going to allow such innocence to be targeted like this.

"Taliskar.." she mumbled to herself - it seemed like a name worth remembering with the way the Duke's tone shifted.

However, before she was given a chance to ask more about them or discuss some potential steps they could take, her attention was drawn by loud clatter as well. She heard a voice behind her and turned around to face it.

Valery's eyebrow visibly raised as she listened to his words, and those of the older woman who spoke after him. She knew that she wasn't exactly welcomed by most on this planet, but this was certainly interesting to experience. However, Valery couldn't care less about the way they spoke of her and Aayla, and this showed in her exterior - she remained perfectly calm.

Her eyes then shifted back to the Duke and she offered a nod of her head, "I certainly prefer the investigation over dealing with all this." she smiled softly and bowed her head respectfully. "I'll return once I have something to share."

With that said, Valery moved to leave the room behind, so she could begin her investigation. But as she moved she'd look around the hallways to try and spot Aayla - she was hoping to briefly discuss the plan. But she also knew Aayla was more than capable of handling herself and finding her way to where she needed to be.

"I suppose I should start with this Taliskar family.." she said to herself, as she made her way outside.

| Aayla Shan | Ala Quin |​

 

[Ala Quin]

Soline frowned as Aayla paid such close attention to the door, and presumably what was beyond it. "You feel it to don't you?" She whispered, as her hand reached forth to touch the door, "there is something that kind of calls you...from inside."

Her attention was pulled back to the present, away from the speculative pondering that she had steadfastly refused to give into in the past, and back to Aayla's new question. "It is not safe for us to speak to deeply on such matters. There are eyes and ears within the court of my father that are not favorable towards our family."

Looping her arm through Aayla's she led her to the corner of the room, and into a long gently curving passageway. On the left was a row of semi-circular windows looking out over the expansive grounds of the Starwynter's ancestral possessions, to the right was an occasional large, wooden door with ornate carvings with silver gilded edges. It was at one of these doors, that Soline stopped, and entered a short passcode into the panel beside the door. "Here we will have some privacy."

The wooden door opened to reveal that its internal structure was actually a durasteel type construction, with a covering of wood that made it appear more rustic and low tech than it actually was. Soline left Aayla's arm to glide into the large expansive room ahead of her. The three tiered room had an atrium in the middle with a couple of levels of open air balconies wrapping around it, with the middle of the room going straight up to a stained glass window. The light shining down from the window high above gave off an almost kaleidoscopic affect, mixing coloured light beams in an array of hues.

The two floors of balconies above were a vast library, while the floor below had a desk area to the left, in a small nook surrounded by potted plants that could use a good watering. Across the desk was strewn sheets of actual paper, an inkwell and quills of various breadths. Books piled high on the floor surrounding the desk indicated that the owner of the desk was slower at returning to the library that which they removed.

To the right was a large bed, disheveled and half made, with pillows enough for a large family of Gamorreans, and a large canopy over the top. It was a bed that belonged to someone that was accustomed to others cleaning up behind them, or perhaps by someone who was too preoccupied to bother with what they considered time wasters.

Directly ahead was a large circular rug with a lion's face, the family crest, woven into it, and coloured light spilling across it. Beyond that was a serious of large cushions surrounding an old looking window that looked over an internal courtyard within the Starwynter keep. The space that Soline had entered was well lived in, but warm and inviting with soft decorative colours off setting the ancient dark hardwoods that made up the decor from its original creation.

Soline reached the middle of the round rug, and with back to her Jedi visitor, removed her face covering. Her arms quickly stretched up and outwards. "Welcome to my haven."

She didn't wait for Aayla to reply, but cast a quick glance over her shoulder that still obscured part of her face. "Come...sit with me by the window," she spoke before moving to comfort herself within the embrace of the large, seat like pillow to the left of the window across the room from Aayla.

"My father is old. And...in poor health. I am his only heir. He longs to see me marry well and foster a legacy for the Starwynter name long into the future," she said, face turned towards the large open courtyard in the middle of the keep, her eyes fixated on a stone building in its midst that appeared to be the family crypt, "there are families with a great amount of wealth from the Tion region that are dispossessed. They have known the ways of court intrigue. One young woman is all that stands between them and possessing a new ancestral home for their progeny. I am nothing compared to the preservation of their line. But father is not...subtle enough...to wage the underhanded war that is afoot. I fear it may be too much for him."

Her shoulders slumped, as she finally turned her face towards Aayla, eyes sad with the realization of her families potential demise. "You mentioned that I reminded you of someone?" She said, the face looking back at Aayla being that of Ala Quin, Jedi Knight.

------​

The Duke grimaced in response to Valery's words. "My preference is to be on the investigation as well. I was not made for these sort of politics," he said, seemingly more forlorn than perhaps this moment alone would allow for. He seemed to steel himself internally before acknowledging those that had entered the room.

"Lady Valenth. Duke Calyle. Representative Dhavic. General Mott. Greetings and welcome...I understand your concerns..."

The man's voice continued but faded into the distance as Valery walked away.

REFUGEE CAMP OUTSIDE THE STARWYNTER KEEP'S GROUNDS

"There is a Jedi here?"

"Two of them."

"Two!"

"One stayed in the keep."

The two voices interchanging panicked conversation were hushed, as tent walls did not provide much privacy for the type of conversation they were having.

"The Master will not be pleased if the Jedi finds out what we have been doing."

"What Starwynter is doing is of far greater revulsion to the noble Jedi Order...we are merely...revealing the lies."

"It is the worst kept secret on Cor Leonis. Even his own people are disgusted."

"When she is dead. He will have nowhere else to turn. His legacy will end in the shame that is owed him, and our Master can take the keep as we promised they could."

"Are preparations in order?"

"Starwynter has invited several houses for a ball. It is a futile attempt to gain favour with those that have lost all respect for him. We are prepared for the final step in the plan."

"We won't even need to be there. There are so many volunteers for the task."

"Just let the Jedi do what they will. No one will talk to an outsider."

"Yes. Yes. It is too late anyway. The Jedi cannot stop what is coming."

"If they understood. They wouldn't want too."

END OF THREAD 1

[ Aayla Shan ][ Valery Noble ]​