Striking Stars
Pitched, bubbling peals of laughter floated down the grand hall of the Ascania manor. Constructed of finely carved stone and adorned in meticulously wrought metalwork and fine fibercraft, the generational home, impeccably tidy and austere, looked to be permanently frozen in some past century.
Luciana's laughter was the newest addition to such uncompromising architecture.
Behind the intricately carved door of the nursery, the babe howled with delight as her aunt, lips pressed loosely against her little tummy, blew air against bare skin. The resulting sound - loud, almost vibrating - along with the tickling sensation, drew another rising giggle from Lucy.
Fatine wasn't certain why Corazona had left as quickly as she had. Something about business in the capital, and that it was fine, it would just take a few hours, that she'd be back in the evening, and could you just keep Luciana company for now? Her sister might've given a passing explanation, but Fatine had no ear for the dry politics of Ukatis nor the self-importance of her elder siblings.
What she most certainly did not have the ear for, was the young man venturing down the hall. Bereft of the Force, Fatine could not sense the impending spiral of emotions that lay beyond the nursery door.
Bitter as she had been over the past few months, nothing could lift her spirits like Lucy.
Sprawled in her Fatine’s lap, Luciana looked up expectantly at her aunt. Fatine grinned, and bent down to blow more air against her niece's stomach. A fresh bout of laughter erupted from littlest von Ascania as she kicked her legs and flailed her arms, pleased that the game had not yet ended.
Acier Moonbound