Private In Veré’s Wake

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

THEED PALACE GARDENS
Mood: I would like your counsel.
Interacting with: Corazona von Ascania | Soon: Aurelian Veruna

The wisteria swayed gently overhead as its soft clusters rustled like distant chimes as Sibylla made one final check of the table. Porcelain teacups still steaming. A small array of Nabooan pastries. Slices of citrus fruit arranged beside delicate sandwiches. It all felt exactly right for what she hoped the afternoon would be: warm, unhurried, and perhaps even a little personable.

After the intensity of her conversation with Grandmaster Ala Quin the day before, Sibylla found herself needing to discuss someone she trusted on the subject of dreamwalking, the Force, and, even more importantly, how to properly explain it to Aurelian Veruna without causing him to have an apoplectic fit. She had promised honesty between them, especially regarding her well-being after Kenari.

The first person that had come to mind to discuss this with who had already been informed the crazy tale of Sibylla's experience with the Goddess Shiraya's vessel Vere and Set, had been Ace…but in the several weeks that has passed and that she'd given him his distance turned into over a month of silence, Sibylla felt more and more sorrow that she had indeed lost another friend, cursed to somehow only bring hurt to those she only wanted to care for.

The whole mess of it she'd been keeping to herself, not even relaying to Aurelian, and not because she was hiding it. More than an appropriate time never seemed to come between their busy schedules and everything in between. He'd noticed something had been bothering her back on Parrlay, but she didn't bring it up then. It didn't feel like an appropriate conversation to have while out at the tavern. Perhaps she'll make time for it the next time they have some quiet time for themselves.

Which meant that the only other Force user she trusted to be honest and provide sound counsel was Lady Corazona Von Ascania. Her few interactions and what Lysander had told her had given Sibylla the assurance not just on Corazona's advice, but also her discretion. And from the conversations she had with Aurelian, he held respect for the Lady of Ukatis.

Corde's quiet announcement that Cora had arrived broke Sibylla from her thoughts. She lifted her head, the jeweled strands of her headdress giving a soft, musical jingle that brushed against her cheeks. The breeze tugged at the warm bronze brocade of her gown as she turned, offering a genuine smile.

"Welcome, Lady von Ascania," she greeted warmly as Cora and her attendants approached beneath the pergola's lavender canopy.

"It is a pleasure to welcome you to Theed's Royal Gardens."

Had Sibylla known just how familiar Cora truly was with these gardens already, she might have flushed from her ears to her collar. But for now, she only extended her hand graciously, ready to share lunch and perhaps a little of what weighed on her heart.

"I hope you are doing well. Come, please have a seat." Sibylla gestured for Cora to make herself comfortable.

At the very least it would be best to have the Lady sit before revealing that an ancient Naboo goddess had imparted some of her essence within Sibylla, making her feel distinctly different and resonating with a curious aura within the Force.

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

The palace gardens of Theed looked quite different in the daylight.

They'd been lovely the evening of the coronation, too. Now, soaked in rays of sun, the impeccably manicured hedges didn't appear to be nearly as private as they had in shadow and starlight.

Cora swept that thought aside before it could surface as a flush on pale cheeks. The pergola came into view, and with it, Sibylla Abrantes and a spread of finger foods. This pleased the little light growing inside of her, who'd fortunately moved on from inducing nausea as a daily event.

"Queen Abrantes." Hand over heart, the gentle incline of her head stirred loose sleeves of soft, muted pink chiffon. She'd arrived dressed not as a Jedi, but as a Lady. "I was pleased to receive your invitation. The gardens are lovely."

With Aurelian as interim chancellor, Sibylla had moved to slot herself in as Naboo's temporary regent. Had the pair not been as capable as they were, Cora might've worried.

"More than well," she mused, a little more genial while taking the seat across from her host. One hand brushed over the growing swell of her abdomen – all twenty weeks of it – before coming to rest in her lap. "I hope you've been well too, all things considered."

The galaxy was in a state of flux, yet life still persistently moved on. Cora smiled.

"I don't suppose there's a reason you've asked me here, beyond the need of friendly company?"

Sibylla Abrantes

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

THEED PALACE GARDENS
Mood: Oh my goodness, you are with child?!
Interacting with: Corazona von Ascania | Soon: Aurelian Veruna

Sibylla's breath caught in her throat for a single, gleaming instant as her smile faltered only the width of a heartbeat before it bloomed into genuine joy.

She hadn't expected the sight of Cora's gentle hand smoothing over her belly. And oh, if Shiraya herself had whispered the revelation, Sibylla could not have been more delighted.

"Shiraya's blessings upon you, Lady von Ascania," she said, the words slipping out in a rush of heartfelt warmth.

"Congratulations. How wonderful for you and your husband. If I may, how far along are you?" she inquired, hoping that it would not offend Lady Corazona as Sibylla settled in gracefully into her own chair. She set atop of the bronze brocade of her skirt with a smile that refused to dim. New life was precious. Sacred. Even in a galaxy fraying at the seams, life chose to press onward in defiant luminous joy. It struck Sibylla with a quiet tenderness she hadn't expected.

"I am well enough," she replied gently. "Better for seeing you in such good spirits."

Cora's question brought Sibylla's smile down just a tone, but even then it lingered still. She lowered her gaze for a moment as her fingers brushed the rim of her teacup as though arranging her thoughts.

"There is… a reason," she admitted lifting her eyes again, those hazel irises warm beneath the dappled sunlight. "Though I hope you will forgive me for not launching straight into the madness of it the moment you sat down."

A faint polite and self-aware laugh escaped her

"I wished for your company, yes, but also your counsel. It concerns the Force, and matters most people would dismiss as myth. I thought it best we share tea first before I begin sounding absolutely nonsensical."

And while there was a distinct sense of self-effacing wryness in her tone, her smile was no less sincere as she admitted.

"And I trust you, Lady von Ascania. That is reason enough to ask your time today."

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

"Twenty weeks and two days."

But who was counting? Cora beamed, letting her hand rest atop the apex of her tummy, a grounding gesture as of late. Some days she still couldn't quite believe that life had taken root in her.

"My husband and I are quite looking forward to meeting her. Nervous, but excited."

Lady Sibylla's genuine mirth served to endear her more to the young Queen. Her reaction had been far more pleasant than Aurelian's own - but then again, she supposed that a pregnant woman working with the sick in a refugee camp would cause concern in anyone.

Her gaze fell from Sibylla's charming visage, again landing on the fare that had been meticulously prepared and arranged. It almost looked too good to eat - Cora held great respect for art, and hated to disturb such a lovely array - but her rumbling stomach won out.

"Would you mind?" Her tone was cordial as always, but Cora was already reaching for one of those little sandwiches.

As Sibylla revealed the purpose behind her visit, Cora nibbled delicately. A wry little smile quirked over a mouthful of bread and cucumbers, then she swallowed.

"Matters of the Force can sometimes seem rather nonsensical if you haven't spent years immersed in its teachings," she acknowledged with a soft laugh. "There are times where even we Jedi struggle to interpret its will - but I'd be happy to give you my thoughts on whatever is troubling you.”

Sibylla Abrantes

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

THEED PALACE GARDENS
Mood: Goddesses, Ancient Love affairs, Dreamwalks, oh my!
Interacting with: Corazona von Ascania | Soon: Aurelian Veruna

"Oh, blessed Shiraya, of course, please, go on and eat. You need your fill to feed not only yourself but your daughter too!" Sibylla beamed, gesturing encouragingly for Lady Corazona to eat as she pleased.

"Here, let me pour the tea for you. Oh! I hope nothing upsets your stomach. Goodness, I should have asked that first," she murmured, her hazel eyes drifting across the spread with new scrutiny, as if seeking out which offending treat might cause the blonde woman any discomfort.

"I hear ginger is good for such things. Would you like any ginger? Maybe we might have some ginger tea instead..." Her mind wandered in her slight fret before Cora's soft laugh regarding matters of the Force prompted Sibylla to take a breath and relax. Best to take cues from Cora rather than assuming. Still, it was automatic to feel concerned, even excited, over such blessed news. Several of her cousins had children of their own, and they were delightful, adorable blessings.

A soft laugh slipped from Sibylla's lips, her brows giving a slight arch and her head a small cant, as if to say, well, you have not heard this story yet.

"Hmm... well... where to start, I suppose?" she began, musing to herself as she organized the tale in her mind.

"Right. Well, I will not assume you are familiar with the Legend of Set and Vere. It is one of our oldest stories, tied to Shiraya and her lover, Set. It is said that of all the gods, Shiraya was the one who walked among mortals, veiling her divinity behind the visage of Vere, a woman hailed for her beauty who bestowed blessings wherever she went."

Sibylla poured the rest of the hot water into their cups, the steam curling around the delicate rims.

"Her lover, Set, was a mortal whom none could rival in valor, born of the noblest of kings with unyielding benevolence." She set the teapot down gently.

"However, their love was star-crossed, a destiny foredoomed to endure ceaseless tribulations. Kharos, Shiraya's father, deemed their union a desecration and beseeched his daughter to leave Set and return to her heavenly dwelling."

She offered a plate of sugar cubes toward Cora with a faint smile, allowing her to take what she wished.

"Yet Vere refused, provoking her father's wrath. He summoned treacherous trials and fearsome creatures to tear them apart, but no matter what was sent, the valor of Set and the purity of Vere were never once diminished."

Sibylla folded her hands, continuing with quiet reverence.

"But as the trials wore on, weakening them both, a plan was devised to end their suffering. A quest to send Set to procure an artifact capable of sealing a god away. Yet even his valiant soul could not surmount the insurmountable. As a final act to appease her father and secure peace, Vere surrendered her immortality and divine nature. But this only enraged Kharos further. He unleashed a curse of apocalyptic proportions upon Set, transforming him into a monstrous beast of darkness, with titanic wings and cruel talons."

Sibylla paused long enough to study Cora's expression, gauging whether she followed the story's weight.

"Even then, Vere's love did not falter. Her devotion pierced the abyss that enveloped her beloved, allowing her to reach what remained of his mangled soul. In doing so, she freed Set from his torment and granted him the eternal rest he deserved. Yet consumed by grief over her own actions, Vere willingly embraced death's grasp to join him."

And while Sibylla's voice softened, the wry twist of her lips at the irony did not go unnoticed, even as something stirred within her in indignation.

"Only then did her father at last understand. Moved by their unshakable bond, he granted them the chance to ascend together, reborn as the divine beings of Shiraya, Goddess of the Moon, and Aditya, God of the Sun."

The corner of her mouth perked and Sibylla smiled at Cora.

"Such an ancient tragic love story, no?" she added, even as she selected a mint tea. The thick fringe of her lashes fell, staring at her cup, only to glance back up to Cora.

"What if I told you it wasn't just a story? Only that the real ending is, in fact, far more sinister and drenched in sorrow... even to this day?"

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

"Oh, she's finally allowing me to eat," Cora supplied, seemingly just as pleased as Sibylla was. "It was at its worst hmmm-" she hummed in thought around a delicate mouthful of sandwich before swallowing "-maybe a week or two after we found out? Around 10 weeks, or thereabouts."

If there was one thing she loved more than the idea of finally being with child, it was witnessing reactions to the pregnancy. By and large, they tended to be joyful. The rest had been plain amusing.

"Oh no, whatever you have on hand will be fine," she assured. "Please don't go to any special lengths for me, though I do appreciate the accommodation."

The blonde wrapped a hand around her cup, focusing on the gentle warmth suffusing through painted porcelain as she settled in for the tale of Set and Vere.

It reminded her of Midvinter legend, in a way; while she wasn't wholly familiar with the tapestry of tales woven into the ice planet's lore, she recalled an element of mortal beings ascending to godhood after performing great deeds.

What greater deed was there than to love despite the forces that conspired against your union?

Cora reached for the plate, pinching a cube of sugar between two fingers and set it on the saucer. Then, she selected her tea and deposited it into the cup. Earthy, floral notes drifted on steam, and she was delighted to realize that they did not stir her stomach in an unpleasant way.

"That’s quite the story. All legends, no matter how old or impossible, had to come from somewhere."

The sugar cube slipped into her cup, and Cora took a moment to watch the harsh, granulated edges soften from the heat. Her attention returned to Sibylla as she picked up her spoon and gave the tea a slow stir. There was something searching to the other's woman's gaze.

Seeds of truth could become wrapped in layers of fantastically colored silk - embellishments that changed the shape of a story, but not its message.

Cora lifted a brow.

"The real ending?" She raised the teacup just below her lips, letting the heat curl around her cheeks. "I'd say that I'd have to hear it, sorrowful or not."

Sibylla Abrantes

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

THEED PALACE GARDENS
Mood: And so, the Gods are real
Interacting with: Corazona von Ascania | Soon: Aurelian Veruna

Sibylla felt the soft curl of steam against her cheek as she lifted her teacup and for a moment she simply watched the sugar dissolve.

How fitting, she thought, that something so small could change the entire flavor of what it touched.

Some truths were like that. Small, but powerful.

And once dropped into a legend nothing was ever quite the same again.

So Sibylla drew a quiet breath, moving to take another sip of her tea. Then she leaned in just slightly, even as her voice lowered into something meant only for the circle of wisteria-laced shade around them.

"Then I should warn you, Lady von Ascania," she murmured, "the real ending is far less romantic than the legend that survived. And I ask for your complete discretion for what comes next."

Her hazel eyes flicked toward the gardens beyond the pergola, as though ensuring no curious ears lingered nearby. Then she returned her attention to Cora.

"What we grew up hearing of Vere and Set is not... untrue, precisely. But it is a softened retelling of something far more tragic."

She toyed gently with the handle of her teacup then continued.

"Over a millennia ago, Vere and Set did not ascend to become Shiraya and Aditya. They were imprisoned, trapped inside the World Between Worlds, sealed within a single moment with ritualistic annual events to reinforce that barrier by Nabooian people for over a millennium, its true darker purpose hidden as an annual solstice festival."

The words tasted heavy.

"Set remained bound in the very heartbeat where he lost her, corrupted in anguish and unable to escape it. Vere, desperate to reach him, caught in that same instant... unable to cross the threshold."

Sibylla's fingers tightened faintly.

"The Ancient Sith learned of Vere's power. But unable to harness it, they feared it so deeply that they tried to destroy the gateway to the World Between Worlds itself. Instead, they shattered Katabasis, and the resulting fallout turned the planet into a wasteland, not from war but from a rupture in time."

A humorless, breathy laugh left her.

"And then, in our brilliance, we went digging there believing we could understand what happened. A Jedi and an archaeological team disturbed the site and... unintentionally released Set and Vere. Their essences latched onto two individuals, forming them anew. Vere's light in one. Set's corrupted shadow in another."

Her voice quieted further, almost a confession.

"But opening that seal fractured the boundary. The World Between Worlds began leaking into our galaxy... time bleeding and unraveling. Past, present, and future colliding. The very fabric of reality at risk."

Sibylla poured herself a sip of tea, though she didn't drink. She simply needed something to hold.

"I joined them in returning to Katabasis to find a clue to releasing the possessed individuals from Vere and Set. It was my research into the iconography etched along the altar and on the ancient murals of Set and Vere that led me to the first connection."

She gave a slight rueful smile to Cora then.

"Needless to say... my obsession over the ancient love story had found some merits then. Those symbols and iconography matched those that appeared in texts referencing the Mortis Gods… and suddenly the legend was no longer just a story. It became a clue. A map. Proof that the tale of Vere and Set might have been rooted in very real beings... perhaps of a sort beyond our celestial time."

Her gaze lifted again to Cora, softer now, touched with something almost vulnerable.

"But once the breach began to tear open… we needed Vere herself to seal it again. And the only way to do that was to return to where this all began. We had to step back through the gate into the World Between Worlds."

Sibylla swallowed, her fingers brushing the warm porcelain of her cup.

"And there… I met her. The true Vere. Not a statue, not a myth, not a symbol. A goddess bound by love and grief as we were transported and tossed into one vision to the next, of past, present, and future. Reliving even the most painful of moments..." Sibylla's voice waned, thinking back how her relived vision had been the last time she had spoken to Lysander.

Another breath and she continued.

"And soon after, I met Set as well… or what remained of him. Corrupted, torn apart, searching for Vere with nothing left but anguish, rage, and obsession..."

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora could only observe in silence as the heroic love story unraveled. It was fitting, in a grim sort of way. Reality was often far less rosy, and far more complicated, than fiction.

She just didn't expect the numerous turns Sibylla's tale took: the lovers bound to another plane, frozen in anguish, sealed away.

Of course the Sith had meddled with things. Did there exist any great tragedy that was untouched by their machinations? Cora's gaze tightened here, not in anger, but in somber understanding that this story was beginning to cross the bounds of fantasy.

And cross it, it did. In a way that she hadn't anticipated, and frankly, found a little difficult to wrap her head around. Who had Vere and Set possessed, and what did that mean for them? For the galaxy? Cora could only give Sibylla the space to speak, lifting her tea cup to her lips for a prolonged sip while she did her best to digest this deluge of information and wonder just what it was that the Queen wanted to pick her brain about in regards to this celestial catastrophe.

"Goodness," she murmured, low and reverent. From the way she spoke and the subtleties of her body language, it was clear that this weighed heavily on Sibylla. And why shouldn't it – she'd been through quite a lot in her pursuit of the truth.

Cora lowered her teacup into it's saucer and rested her chin against laced fingers.

"And what happened when you met Set…?"

Sibylla Abrantes

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

THEED PALACE GARDENS
Mood: Well he wasn’t happy…
Interacting with: Corazona von Ascania | Soon: Aurelian Veruna

What happened when you met Set?

The question took Sibylla back.

Back towards a sky tearing open into black and gold. A figure that stepped out made of shadow and sorrow with eyes that burned like dying suns. She remembered the way the Force had screamed around him, grief given form, love twisted into something monstrous.

She remembered freezing.

'Vere…' how his voice had not been angry then. It had been ache. The kind that hollowed gods.

And she remembered how he reached for her.

The pull of him had hit like a tide, dragging her own grief and hope into the abyss of his fury and longing. His fingers, glowing faintly at the seams, had brushed her cheek with a tenderness so painful it nearly brought her to her knees.

She could still feel it.
The centuries of waiting.
The moment of loss replaying forever.
The drowning weight of a love that had been trapped in a single heartbeat for ages.

Then the shift.
The hope dying in his eyes.
Recognition turning to rage.

'You are not her.'

Swallowing hard, Sibylla took a deep breath, letting the quiet settle between them even as the soft rustle of wisteria leaves filled the space where words momentarily failed her. When she finally spoke, there was a shadow of melancholy that echoed within her that was as much her own as it was not.

"He was grief given form. Love twisted into a monstrous thing. An echo of a man broken by a millennium of separation. And when he saw me…"

She took another breath, needing to take a sip of her tea to wet her suddenly dry tongue.

"Vere left a fragment of herself within me," she explained, segwaying to explain the crux of the matter.

"She told me it would guide Set to her, that he would sense her through me. And he did. I met him there, in that fractured space between time… but even then, but even with her reaching through me, it was not enough to free them."

Her fingers tightened ever so slightly around her cup.

"There were details we did not yet understand. Clues we could not see until it was too late. And so, Vere made her sacrifice again. She willingly stepped back into the moment of their separation, locking herself and Set within that single heartbeat in time… sealing the breach and saving reality from collapsing."

Sibylla's voice grew quieter, touched with a sorrow that felt both distant and deeply personal.

"But in doing so, she cursed them to relive that agony for another age. Her grief… it washed over all of us when she chose it. None of us walked away untouched."

She managed a faint bittersweet smile, her hazel eyes softening in awareness of how crazy it all sounded.

"I know it sounds surreal -- the tale of a madwoman, truly. But I promise you it is real."

She set her cup down, letting her hand rest lightly against the table.

"And that brings me to why I asked for your counsel."

Sibylla's expression gentled further but also held a measure of grave seriousness over the next matter.

"Grandmaster Ala Quin was the one Vere possessed upon her release. It was she who bore the goddess's presence until we helped untangle them. She is the one who sealed the chamber when Vere chose to act. And now… she has come to me."

A soft breath escaped her.

"She believes the fragment Vere left behind is still within me, that it may hold insight -- perhaps even the key to helping them both find peace at last."

Sibylla's gaze lowered to her hands then lifted again with quiet honesty.

"My dreams since then… they are not merely dreams…sometimes nightmares. They are places that feel equally familiar and foreign to me. They carry emotion, resonance, memory…but not always mine. The Grandmaster believes that if she can see them with me, we might uncover what we missed."

She paused, searching Cora's face.

"To do this, she would induce sleep using the Force and enter the dreams with me. Dreamwalking, she called it. She assured me the risks are minimal… so long as no one tries to wake me while our minds are linked."

Delicate brown brows knit lightly, concern flickering there.

"I wanted your thoughts. If you know of such a technique. And more importantly… how I might explain this to someone else and ease their worries."

That smile softened, just barely.

"Because I must tell Aurelian. And I have not yet had the chance to explain any of this -- Set, Vere, the breach, their sacrifice, and what happened in the wake of it. We deal with politics… and while Shiraya is one of many of the pantheon of our faith, it's one thing to believe and another to witness it come to life as I have, much less how the Force comes into play."

And that was the real reason. Because after being so obsessed over the ancient love story and learning the truth of it, Sibylla wanted to help. Needed to. In learning what she felt for Aurelian every day, how it grew, Sibylla felt the need to at least try and grant Set and Vere some peace.

If she had to suffer the same fate…

"So I value your advice… both as a healer, and as someone I trust to speak candidly. What would you recommend?"

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Sibylla's explanation was that she had not relayed any of this to Aurelian - not yet. Even if the connection she sensed between them was simply borne from the mind of a romance novelist spinning her own playful musings, Cora understood them to be close.

How else were the King and Voice supposed to work together? Now the Queen and Chancellor in a temporary capacity.

Cora's gaze softened on Sibylla, a tender smile settling into her otherwise focused expression. "I can understand wanting to gather as much information as you can before presenting this to him."


Idly, her mind wandered back to how he'd berated her in the camps. In a strange way, that had become a fond memory for how genuine his reaction to a pregnant woman working with the sick and dying had been.

The longer she had to marinate in Sibylla's detailed explanation, the less strange it seemed. The Force heralded many oddities, some she could explain, and others she could not.

"Dreamwalking…"

Cora let out a slow exhale as she learned back in her seat. It was one thing to explain an esoteric technique to a group of young Jedi already immersed in the nature of the Force, but at least Sibylla had been briefed on the approach. She was sharp, too. Of sound mind.

Cora's recommendation would've swayed differently had she not been.

"Dreamwalking can be safe, so long as it is in the hands of someone who knows well what they're doing." A pause, during which she tilted her head in further thought. "From what you've described to me, it sounds like it might be helpful if Grandmaster Quin could see the nightmares that you face. Perhaps she can help you unscramble this mystery."

Both hands had come to warm themselves around the perimeter of her tea cup. Cora glanced down at her reflection, slightly distorted against the surface of the deep amber liquid.

"I went through something similar once. Not-" she lifted her head, eyes soft, "-not on the scale of what you've been through, Ashla. But a few years ago, a Dark…" Cora's lips pursed as she searched for an appropriate descriptor of Isar. "A Dark entity twisted my memories. Made it so that someone who hurt me terribly wore the face of somebody I loved. My husband was able to enter my psyche and untangle those memories, restoring them to their true nature. I was in a meditative state, but I wasn't asleep for it. It was something adjacent to dreamwalking."

Cora wasn't certain that there was a way to explain all of this to Aurelian that would not cause the interim chancellor to hit the proverbial ceiling. Her fingers drummed against the teacup.

"I think it worked as well as it did because of how much trust was between us. Even then, it felt…odd to have someone else so present in something so personal. Delicate, but strong in a way that I can't quite put into words."

Cora exhaled slowly through her nose. She didn't know much about Grandmaster Quin - frankly, she didn't know much about the Republic's Jedi - but she seemed a capable woman.

The lift of her gaze came slow and steady until the whole of her attention was fixed on Sibylla. Not probing, just observational - but it wasn't soft. There was a quiet edge to it that carried the weight of the impending task before the young Queen.

"What I want to know is, do you trust her with such a delicate task?"

Sibylla Abrantes Aurelian Veruna (soon)

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

THEED PALACE GARDENS
Mood: I believe I do trust her
Interacting with: Corazona von Ascania | Soon: Aurelian Veruna

What I want to know is, do you trust her with such a delicate task?

Sibylla let the question hang there for a moment, her gaze drifting toward the lavender canopy above them. Sunlight dappled the table in soft gold, warm and deceptively tranquil given the enormity of what they were speaking about.

Cora's empathy and forthrightness had eased some of Sibylla's concerns, although hearing that she too had endured a violation of memory, a twisting of truth into something cruel, made Sibylla's heart ache with quiet solidarity. It was a terrible thing, to have the sanctity of one's mind intruded upon. And yet Cora had survived it. Found healing through trust.

Trust.

The word settled heavily.

Sibylla exhaled softly through her nose, a small, almost rueful sound.

"It is no small thing, is it," she murmured, "to let another walk through the most private corners of one's mind...even with the best intentions."

There was no missing the way the Interim Queen's cheeks warmed faintly at the memory of dreams she would prefer never be shared with another soul.

"A lady's dreams should remain private," she muttered with a hint of embarrassed humor, bringing the cup of to take of sip of tea as she cleared her throat delicately. "But dreams also change. Shift. What begins as a memory of Vere's coast may turn, without warning, into something else entirely...and that worries me."

Aurelian's face brushed her thoughts, and she grimaced lightly.

"Explaining any of this to him will be… a challenge. He is already wary of the Force and of those who use it. If he learns someone intends to enter my mind -- or worse, my dreams -- I fear he may have some colorful things to say about it in concern over my wellbeing. I would have the same thoughts were the situation reversed."

Sibylla let her fingers trace the handle of her teacup in a thoughtful muse. Really, how did she bring this up with Aurelian? Would he think it to be a ridiculous story? The thought of the Goddess Shiraya as Vere and her lover being as real as they were a curiously surreal revelation. Much less that she'd retained an aspect of Vere in the wake of it.

"But… he respects you. And if I can present him with clear information...your reassurance, your perspective, it may temper his reaction."

She lifted her eyes fully to meet Cora's and for a moment, there shone a genuine musing of vulnerability and contemplation Sibylla rarely let anyone see.

"As for Ala Quin …" Sibylla paused, weighing her words. "Under any normal circumstance, I would say no. She is young, newly woken from possession, newly appointed Grandmaster. A dozen reasons not to trust her."

The young woman let out a soft exhale and gave a soft shake of her head.

"And yet… I do. Or rather, something in me does. Perhaps it is foolish. Perhaps it is that lingering resonance Vere left behind. Something between us reacts, like two strings pulled from the same instrument."

She pressed a hand lightly to her heart.

"I do not sense any ill intent from her. Only urgency. Compassion. And a desire to help. And I want to help them, Cora," Sibylla relayed, chosing to use Lady von Ascania's informal use of her name to signify the sincerity and importance of the venture," -- Vere and Set. If there is even a chance that understanding these dreams could lead to their freedom… then I cannot ignore it."

It was then that Sibylla's tone shifted into quiet resolution.

"So yes. I believe I do trust her, at least enough to attempt this. Enough to let her see what I see."

She offered Cora a small, earnest smile, gratitude shimmering in it.

"And I trust you to tell me if I am about to do something profoundly foolish."

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Location: My Gardens that Cora soiled.
Tags: Sibylla Abrantes | Corazona von Ascania

Aurelian cut through the winter gardens like a comet of warm light, too bright and too shirtless for a winter's day. The sun was out and the cold wasn't biting enough to deter him. After being caged in meetings all morning, he was finally making his escape. His tan skin was slick with sweat and his muscles flexed with each stride, breath coming in sharp pulls that fogged in the cool Naboo air. A pair of guards jogged behind him with the defeated determination of men who had not expected a post-Lifeday marathon.

He slowed when he spotted movement ahead, two figures. Aurelian narrowed his eyes, wiped an arm across his brow, and then his grin broke open. Well now, this was interesting. Cora and Sibylla. Together, having tea and discussing things without him. He adjusted his pace to a saunter, making sure the sunlight caught the line of his shoulders, the cut of his abdomen, the trail of sweat down his throat, just in case either of them needed the view.

He stopped at their table, hands braced on his hips, his breathing still heavy from the run. "Well," he said with an easy, breathless drawl, "it's good to see my two favorite people having tea together." After a moment or two, his grin sharpened. "Queen Abrantes… and little Lady Aurelia von Ascania." He tilted his head toward Cora's stomach with a smugness that bordered on criminal, then pulled out a chair without asking and dropped into it. The guards lingered a respectful distance away, pretending they weren't questioning all their life choices.

Aurelian leaned back, his eyes flicking between the two women with wolfish amusement. He wiped a bead of sweat from his jaw with his thumb. "So," he said, "what are we talking about? I could swear someone was talking about me." His smile turned slow and insufferably confident. "Though, to be fair… most people usually are."

​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Location: Jesus Christ
Tags: Sibylla Abrantes and Aurelian Veruna ‘s shirt.

Cora tilted her head in consideration. "I don't think there is a way to explain this to Aurelian without him getting upset.

"Though, I imagine the concerns he'd have wouldn't be unwarranted. This is foolish, even in the best of circumstances."

The smile she gave Sibylla was a little tender, a little knowing. A faint breeze rolled through the garden, gently rippling the canopy above them. Either it was instinct, or the whispers of the Force - though they might've been one and the same - but something told her that the Queen had made her choice.

Hm?

Cora's eyes snapped to the side, having caught a glimmer of golden light catching the sweat-soaked chesticles of an approaching figure. Her face pulled in surprise, momentarily concerned that an unwell individual had escaped from the local asylum and somehow managed to slip this deep into Theed's royal gardens.

The tension in her shoulders deflated - part relief, part exasperation - as the shirtless man drew nearer and helped himself to a seat between the two noblewomen.

"There goes my appetite," she murmured whilst setting the teacup down in its saucer. One hand gave a lazy wave to her left. "The calendar shoot is one gazebo over, Aurelian."

Cora didn't bother to suppress her rolling eyes as she lifted the teacup to her lips once more. Which, given that she was in the company of nobility, spoke of how comfortable she was.

Then, her voice deadpanned, and she affirmed his suspicion: "We're plotting to overthrow you.”

The dowager princess of Ukatis helped herself to a prolonged sip of tea, during which, her eyes slipped toward Sibylla to gauge how the young Queen was faring with the brazenly exposed skin.

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

THEED PALACE GARDENS
Mood: .... ( At an utter loss for words)
Interacting with: Corazona von Ascania | Aurelian Veruna

"You aren't wrong...his concerns wouldn't be unwarranted, and I'll listen to them all. I just want to be prepared as much as I can --" whatever Sibylla was going to say paused as she saw Cora's attention draw to the side, and then Sibylla also caught movement and a flash of sun on bare skin from the corner of her eye.

She turned to get a better look, musing to herself that there shouldn't be anyone in this section of the garden. She had specifically made it clear that --

And then her entire mind simply… blanked.

Aurelian Veruna jogged into view like some sun-kissed daydream, shirtless in the middle of winter, sweat slicking every line of muscle. The breeze caught at him, highlighting the cut of his abdomen, the broad sweep of his shoulders, the confident saunter he adopted once he realized he had an audience.

Sibylla went still.

Utterly still.

Her breath caught, lips halfway parted, teacup frozen halfway to her lips as her thoughts collided in a frantic, fluttering mess.

Shiraya take him.

She had barely survived his teasing on Zeltros; the tiny swim trunks, the ridiculous silk shirt, the deliberately wild curls. But now? Sweat slicked, flushed, strutting into the gardens like temptation incarnate? Her composure simply gave up on the spot as she couldn't help but... stare.

By the time he drew near, his grin was bright and absolutely criminal. Sibylla's traitorous mind wandered shamelessly, but she managed to shut her mouth, take a deep breath, then set her teacup down very, very, carefully, as Aurelian pulled out a chair and sprawled into it, radiating smug satisfaction.

Sibylla swallowed. Once. Twice. Then she swung her attention back up again even as Cora deadpaned joking a plot to over throw him and the calender shoot.

Oh Shiraya, a calendar shoot. Of Aurelian. He would simply just -- no. no... nono no-no...no. Not going there.

"Aur-- Chancellor Veruna," she began in a higher octave, feeling traitorous, humiliating heat rising to her cheeks as she stumbled over the greeting between using his given name and his title, cursing herself again. "I… did not expect to see you out in the gardens."

Or glistening. Or shirtless. Or casually destroying my ability to form coherent speech.

Sibylla inhaled. Breathe. Just breathe. This is just Aurelian being Aurelian. Like normal. Doing his best to get a rise out of the situation.

So, Sibylla lifted her chin and did her best to clear her throat quickly before continuing.

"We were discussing… matters of research," she said, drawing herself up with a shift of her seat, glancing down at her cup and adding another cube of sugar. "Mythology. History. Set and Vere... uses of the Force..."

Keep your eyes at a respectable height, Sibylla, she told herself, do not let your eyes drift down the lines of his...

"Perhaps you should..." she added abruptly, adding another sugar cube to her tea with a slight plink! "… cool down inside. Before you catch a chill."

A hopeless suggestion considering she was the one in danger of overheating.

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Location: Why are you both staring?
Tags: Sibylla Abrantes | Corazona von Ascania

Aurelian's gaze drifted lazily to Cora first, drinking in her unimpressed stare as if it were a challenge. Her comment landed, but it only sharpened the smug tilt of his mouth.

"A loss of appetite?" he echoed, his voice a velvety mock concern. "You should get that checked, Lady von Ascania. Terrible thing during a pregnancy." He raised his eyebrows as if offering genuine advice.

Cora's deadpan coup attempt coaxed a low, warm laugh from him; amused and entirely unbothered. "Plotting to overthrow me? You two can do that anytime. Really, just say the word." His grin sharpened like a hidden blade. "I'd even make it easy."

When his attention shifted to Sibylla, the smugness softened into a slower, intent stare that lingered a little too long. Her eyes darted away, then kept returning, as if pulled by gravity. Aurelian leaned in, breath faintly warm, his voice dropping low enough for only her to hear.

"You especially could overthrow me," he murmured, a hint of heat in his words, "with far less effort than you think." He pulled back with the satisfied air of a man who had turned someone's thoughts into melted sugar. "Cool down inside?" he said lightly, reaching for the teapot. "I'm warm enough." He poured a cup with disarming grace, took a sip, and settled back in the chair.

"So, mythology," he waved a hand idly. "Our Queen loves her Naboo legends, every dusty myth this planet has ever produced." There was no judgment, only fondness. "I've combed half the planet for original manuscripts: old temple copies, pre‑Republic transcriptions, anything to get her to escape her work for an hour." He lifted his cup in a toast toward Sibylla. "Can't have our Queen stressed. Mythology is acceptable."

His expression soured slightly. "But the Force part? I could do without. Those mystical monks in the mountains think they're better than everyone." He took another sip, golden eyes flicking back towards Cora, mischief returning fully. "No offense."

​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

"A terrible thing during a pregnancy," she echoed, mirth curling at the edge of her tone. "Yes, I'm certain you've been called that before."

This was the first time she'd seen Sibylla knocked off kilter, and it was…well, she felt bad for the young woman, flustered by a shirtless politician who knew exactly what he was doing showing up to tea with a bare, glistening torso. Not that he'd planned this. Unless he had, which was always a possibility.

"Do not let him rile you," she waved a hand absently at the impromptu Abercrombie model seated at the table. "Men like that thrive off of attention. Cut them off," she lifted two fingers in a decisive snipping motion, "and watch them wither. Or, they trip over themselves to win your attention."

Instead of deriding Sibylla's interest in Nabooian myths, he took the time to honor them. A pleased little hum issued from the back of her throat in a brief acknowledgment that Aurelian Veruna might not be such a terror to those he cared for.

His tenderness towards the Queen was cute, but his everything else wasn't.

"I am a Jedi, Chancellor Veruna," she mused. "I've grown used to having stones thrown at the pedestal."

Her focus drifted to Sibylla, noting how swiftly the poor girl managed to rebuild her composure. A skill in its own right, and one that Aurelian seemed intent on testing.

"But yes, Queen Abrantes was indulging me in the tale of Set and Vere. I daresay her knowledge of that particular legend runs deeper than anyone else's on Naboo."

It was up to Sibylla whether or not she wanted to broach the topic right here, right now. Either way, Cora busied herself with a pastry. She’d need the energy if Aurelian were to break into one of his patented tirades.

Sibylla Abrantes Aurelian Veruna

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

THEED PALACE GARDENS
Mood: Oh Shiraya help me...
Interacting with: Corazona von Ascania | Aurelian Veruna

Do not let him rile you.

Easier said than done.

Men like that thrive off attention; cut them off and watch them wither.

Could Aurelian even wither? Was he even capable of such?

Not that Sibylla had the chance to proceed with that thought, because the moment Aurelian leaned in and murmured, you especially could overthrow me, Sibylla's mind betrayed her entirely. A dozen meanings bloomed at once, racing through her mind as vivid as watercolor and absolutely inappropriate.

Overthrow him. How. Where. With what... leverage. With what… technique.

Enough.

Sibylla took a swift inhale and lifted her teacup to her lips, only to discover she had dumped far too many sugar cubes into it during her flustered spiral. She swallowed the rest of the syrupy tea in one go, purely out of pride and sheer spite, then set the cup down with all the dignity she could muster. She would not give him another reason to tease her.

Eyes up, Sibylla.

Eyes. Up.

But even that was just as bad, for her gaze flicked up, catching the way Aurelian's dark damp curls clung to his forehead and temples. Her fingers twitched. A terrible, embarrassing urge to push them back, to rake her hand through them flashed through her like lightning.

She immediately poured herself a new cup.

Not that it mattered, because then he mentioned to Cora his adorable, utterly sweet endeavor, how he had personally curated the mythical texts for her tragic love story obsession….the very texts that had helped her uncover the truth of Set and Vere… and walk into the hands of a goddess.

A slight, guilty grimace tugged at her lips. She bit her lower lip, wanting to tell Aurelian outright as much as she was uncertain how. He would hate an audience, she knew he would, but would it work better with Cora here?

Perhaps that was Lady von Ascania's thought as well, with her remarking on the depth of Sibylla's knowledge regarding the legend.

"What makes mythology acceptable then?" she asked quietly, grateful that if she just focused on his eyes and thought of all of the context she still needed to discuss with Aurelian as her guilty shroud, she could use it as her makeshift mental eyeblinders to prevent her from focusing on just how cold Aurelian was despite his insistence that he was warm enough.

"What do you make of the legend of Set and Vere, Chancellor? Of their story?" he was a son of Naboo by birth, if not by faith. Shiraya was one of the many gods in their pantheon. And Vere was Shiraya's living embodiment.

She was well aware that, during the month he was serving as King Veruna the Second and she as his Voice, he could have been briefed on the subject of Katabasis... just not on her part of it as Inez.

Right?

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Location: You can never cut me off
Tags: Sibylla Abrantes | Corazona von Ascania

Aurelian blinked at Cora's dry commentary, then let a slow, incredulous smile unfurl across his face.

"Rile you up? Thrive off attention?" he asked, his voice dripping amusement. He set his teacup down with a soft click. "Lady von Ascania, I am inevitable. If there is one constant in this galaxy, it's that I will get attention. Cut me off and ignore me... it simply won't matter." He lifted his brows, entirely shameless. "But I suppose neither of you would be cruel enough to deprive me on purpose."

His gaze slid to Sibylla, who, to his delight, appeared to be mid-process of remembering how to breathe. Her eyes kept flicking to his chest and the curls at his temple, anywhere but the tea in her hands. Aurelian leaned back, savoring her fluster before murmuring, "Right?"

Her jaw dropped a fraction, and he laughed. He glanced over his shoulder. "Shirt." One of the guards scrambled to hand it over, and Aurelian tugged it on with the lazy confidence of a man who knew the damage was already done. "There," he said, sweeping a hand down his torso. "I'll spare you both, if that's what you wish." His smirk suggested he doubted it.

He reclined again, fingers curling around his cup. "Mythology," he said lightly, "is a very convenient escape. A way to crawl out of our own troubles and into someone else's. They're stories, but they're meant to make us feel."

He tapped his fingers against the rim of his cup. "As for Set and Vere; romantic doesn't quite cover it." He tilted his head toward Sibylla, his voice lowering, a thread of something personal weaving through it. "To be trapped in the heartbeat where you lost the person you love? To tear through time itself to reach them?" His eyes held hers, steady and warm. "I can imagine doing the same."

He let the words linger, then added with a quiet certainty, "Love like that rewrites whole galaxies."

​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora's brows matched the rise of Aurelian's own. "I suppose that's true if you believe all publicity to be good publicity."

Fortunately, Aurelian finally saw it fit to procure a shirt - which he'd had access to all along, mind you. "Poor souls," Cora murmured from behind the rim of her teacup. "Whatever you're paying them isn't nearly enough."

She spared a sympathetic glance toward the guard before bringing her gaze back to Sibylla, who was no longer fighting for her life against a bare chest of tawny, glistening skin.

Idly, she had to wonder which brand of wax his esthetician used.

Then - as he was wont to do - Aurelian did something she hadn't expected. He was sincere. A man like him appreciating mythological love stories? Whilst gazing at Sibylla like she was the sun, the moon, and the stars all at once?

Cora didn't interrupt the moment, letting them share this warm, lingering look while she indulged herself with a soft, flaky mouthful of pastry. After a few moments of that, she spoke.

"A poignant story not just for Queen Abrantes, but for you as well?"

She chose not to elaborate, taking in another slow, thoughtful sip of tea. "Stories like that have to come from somewhere. The best legends tend to have a seed of truth to them."

Sibylla Abrantes Aurelian Veruna

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

THEED PALACE GARDENS
Mood: Would you believe me?
Interacting with: Corazona von Ascania | Aurelian Veruna

Sibylla had not expected Aurelian to say it.

Not like that, not witih a warmth that wrapped his voice around her with such surity.

Love like that rewrites whole galaxies.

For all of Sibylla's fluster, for all her runaway thoughts and humiliatingly vivid imaginings inspired by his Zeltros antics and his shameless strutting across the gardens … those words stole the breath straight from her chest. For it only reinforced what she had known for months; that Aurelian Veruna was a man capable of such depths of sincerity.

But Cora's remark -- that stories like this must come from somewhere -- nudged her forward. Gently. Firmly. There was no skirting around it now.

Sibylla set her cup down, though her fingers lingered along its warm porcelain rim, tracing slow circles.

"There is truth to it," she said quietly, meeting Aurelian's gaze. "Living truth."

She drew a steadying breath, the kind taken before confessions long overdue.

"Aurelian… would you believe me if I told you that Set and Vere are truly trapped? That they have been reliving the very heartbeat of their separation for over a thousand years?" the informal use of his name as well as the tone would be telling. This wasn't Siyblla acting as Interim Queen or his Voice, but as herself in a way she very rarely displayed in public, let alone with others watching.

It was there in the way her lips parted only to pressed together aeven as she searched his face. No jest. No teasing. Only the sincerity of someone offering him something that truly meant a lot to her. It had been for that very reason that he'd spent over fifty-thousand credits on the beautiful petrified wood statue of Set and Vere in an embrace at the Auction. Why he had set aside to build her that sanctuary with the piano, the carefully curated texts, the space where she could find rest.

"That it is no myth," she said, the admission settled between them with the weight of long-kept truth. "Not just a mere story we tell children but that it is real."