Private Putting on a Face

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora gave Colette a long, appraising look as she made her eyeshadow selection. She'd half expected the girl to cringe and wave off the pressed powders. Instead, both brows arched curiously.

"Fine choices." She nodded. "Blue and brown go well together. The blue especially suits your skin tone."

Again, Cora resumed her work while absorbing Colette's words. So many of the other Padawans had been raised in environments far removed from her own—there were street rats, witches, sternwarriors, and now tribal nomads.

Constant motion. That was a new concept for Cora, someone who had been rooted to one place for the majority of her life. Everything had been scripted for her, and until now, she hadn't taken issue with that.

A small fist squeezed at the base of her lungs. Envy.

"It sounds like you've put a lot of thought into this. Oh- close your eyes."

The blonde found herself humming softly as she dabbed a sheer paste across the width Colette's close eyelids. "It looks like you have greasy skin, so I'm going to apply a bit of primer to help the shadows stay in place."

Next came a brush with short, tapered bristles, which was pressed into a powder a shade or two above Colette's own coloration.

"Your people are wanderers, right? It makes sense to me that you'd want to see more of the galaxy. You'll certainly have many opportunities to do so with the Jedi." The brush made flat sweeps across her eyelid before it was tapped off on the edge of the palette. Next came the blue, which was worked into the center of her lids with a careful hand. "Some Jedi prefer not to marry and start families for their own reasons. In the old days, things were more strict and such acts weren't even permitted!"

Cora gave another hum, this one in approval. The pigment was blending nicely into the creases of her lids with short strokes of the brush.

"I am...to be married next month, actually."

Colette

 

[Colette]

Corazona von Ascania

Eyes closed with weird substances applied for them as if to make Colette truly wonder what the hell was going on. Why did the people that were considered ‘upper class’ do this to themselves, and why were they judged for it? Did they even enjoy doing this? How come it was normal to apply dust to your face? Growing up, Colette had always been told to wipe the dust from her face. It made no sense.

And then she nodded. The galactic sightseeing was just one of the many benefits so far. It felt a bit odd to stay cooped up in one space at all times, but Colette figured that once she was old enough that it wouldn’t be a problem.

But… Wait, Cora was getting married?

“You don’t sound very enthusiastic about it.” Colette said as she frowned and turned around in her seat to truly face Cora. “Are you?”

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora pulled back just as Colette turned to face her. For a moment, the girls simply stared at each other in silence as the blonde mulled over how to answer.

"It is my duty." She shrugged. "I would've like to have waited a few more years, but this is an opportunity that my family would be foolish to turn down."

Cora went back in with the brush, blending the darker brown into the creases of Colette's eyes as they stayed open.

The young noblewoman was well aware of the Jedi's overall distaste for her arrangement. She wasn't thrilled about it either—terrified, truthfully—but she'd settle in time. Hopefully.

"This is simply how things are done where I am from."

Colette did not agree with some aspects of how her own people conducted their way of life, but Cora thought of herself, and her situation, as different. She had a family to look after.

Colette

 

[Colette]

Corazona von Ascania

DUTY?!

HER FAMILY?!

Colette bit her tongue, clenched her fists shut and tensed so hard they could shape diamonds. She wanted to call Cora out on this, but given the earlier mistake of speaking to candidly she understood that she needed to rein herself in.

Colette licked her lip for a moment to calm herself down.

“That’s st-” -upid as hell. She wanted to say. “... Strong of you.”

“I’m— I’m sorry, I just… I need to THINK about how to say this...”

“What about YOU, Cora? Do you WANT to do this, and why can’t ‘how things are done’ CHANGE?”

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

“That’s st-”

“... Strong of you.”

Though the mirror, Cora arched a brow and Colette took a moment to think better of what she was about to say. She appreciated that the other Padawan was taking the time to frame her question differently.

Her natural fire still came through, and Cora could not begrudge her for that. If the subject in question was not herself, perhaps she would've even found it charming.

The eyeshadow was done, and Cora elected not to pursue foundation. Some found it thick and unsettling. Instead, she pumped a dollop of light moisturizer onto her finger and began to dot it over Colette's face.

"I suppose if I had the choice to turn down this marriage and it would change nothing—then yes, I would turn it down. Life rarely works how we want it to, unfortunately."

One corner of her mouth crinkled in a wistful smile as she went about rubbing the moisturizer into Colette's rough skin. The girl was in need of some good exfoliation, but that would be a project for another day.

"Noble marriages are more complicated than a simple union. To reject a proposal from a Prince could have…unpleasant ramifications for my family. That would spill over to the people living in Ascania territory, who may suddenly find life much harder at no fault of their own."

Cora frowned. Perhaps she'd gone too far, but that was simply how things worked on Ukatis. She could recognize the faults, but what could she do?

"It is my duty as a Noble to safeguard my people. If I must marry a man that I do not love in order to ensure that they have beds to sleep in and food to eat then…"

She shrugged.

Like a true Noble, she talked around the subject and still hadn't really answered Colette's question. Perhaps she hoped that offering some more insight would soothe her guest's curiosity.

Perhaps not.

Colette

 

[Colette]

Corazona von Ascania

And here Colette thought that she was the savage one, the one stripped of grace and poise as if it was the backbone that this house of cards called ‘galactic society’ was built upon. And yet to her it all seemed so backwards to be so resigned to ‘fate’ when ‘fate’ in reality was the will and whim of someone else’s machinations and the opposite of what you, the living person, desired.

Would the girl pretend to understand this nonsensical, dehumanizing way of supposed nobility? Not a chance. It was the right of all creatures to make their own choices and pave their own path through life. To strip that away from someone in any shape of form was tyranny. Moreover, it was outright slavery; not just slavery to a cruel, cold, and calculated master but slavery to a society that didn’t deserve the individual’s sacrifice.

Although Colette tried to keep from shuffling around too much and hide her almost scowling grimace, it didn’t work out quite as well as she’d hoped. Cora patted her down with some sort of paste that reminded her a bit too much of yogurt mixed with cocoa that chilled her cheeks right up. Which, for the record, was a horrid combination given the bitterness of cocoa. The real stuff. Not the sugared chit Vera got from the store.

At least it smelled kind of nice. Clearly a bit more chemical than the packaging claimed it to be, but still kind of nice.

“You speak about yourself like you are an object or trophy that only serves one purpose.” Colette said and frowned. “... I don’t think we will change that today, but…”

“You matter to people around here, too.” Colette sighed and shook her head. “I won’t pretend to understand the cruelty of your people, but the fact that you are so willing to go that far for them... I respect that, but won't pretend to understand it.”

“Do you think it is a kindness that they will repay you?”

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora did her best to hold back a frown. Her lips still twitched, but she stilled them from showing her displeasure. A life of suppressing your combative emotions in court came in handy at times.

Perhaps there existed a wider gap between notability and the common people than she'd previously thought.

"Colette."

Two hands placed on either of the Padawan's shoulders, gentle but firm. Cora looked at the other through the mirror earnestly.

"It is an honor to have the ability to serve my people, even if I must complete some…unpleasant tasks."

It was a genuine sentiment, straight from Cora's heart. She did not appreciate being compared to an object or a trophy, even if that was closer to the truth than she'd like.

Cora still had her dignity.

"As for my people…they have nothing to repay to me. They tend to their work, and so must I."

Cora removed her hands from Colette's shoulders and set about rifling through her cosmetics drawer again. A bit of rouge would perk that complexion up.

"I understand that we don't see eye to eye on this. And I don't expect you to—we've been raised among…vastly different circumstances."

A circular contained with gold trim settled into the palm of her hand, and Cora clicked the compact open while turning back to Colette. Her thumb dipped into the deep red paste, which she took her time working into Colette's cheek.

"Still, your candor is appreciated. On some level, at least."

Colette

 

[Colette]

Corazona von Ascania

It never really felt good to arrive at an impasse like this. Colette had the desire to snap this stupid idea out of Corazona, but she clearly wasn't going to be able to. It was a game she lost from the start. In part because she had the charisma of a nexu in a deli shop, but also because Corazona was just… More proficient at these things.

Not to mention that anyone who changed their mind on a dime was most likely not that stable.

Nothing to repay, just tend to the work, and so would Corazona do too. It was a pragmatic view if anything. It did little to validate any sort of power that Cora would have. Being 'born' into power was a load of crap, and Corazona was full of it herself if she truly believed that birth meant obligation. The frustration at how blind the blonde was flared up with the pointed 'you' that Corazona used as if to say that Colette couldn't "possibly understand what the sad little aristocrat wanted because she was just born too stupid" was enough for Colette to take a deep breath and let out a sharp exhale as if to put a hole on the topic and drop it.

Instead, Colette looked at herself in the mirror. She felt silly, like a cake of grease and powders that just didn't speak for who she was. Naturally she could see that she had been prettied up, but the person she saw in the mirror was not quite 'her' no matter how she twisted and turned her mind around the idea.

"So," She said and changed the topic rather abruptly. The frustration was evident in her voice. "Valery hounding you too?"

"She seems to enjoy strict regimens."

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

An uncomfortable silence settled between the two young women. Cora and Colette were gazing at eachother from opposite edges off a cliff, staring at the deep chasm between them.

What more was there to say?

The change in topic was a welcome one. Tension eased from Cora's features, her polite smile becoming a touch wry.

"Master Noble has high expectations, but I've no doubt her methods prove fruitful."

Uncapping a bottle of setting spray, she turned back towards Colette.

"That being said, I have yet to grow accustomed to the…kale smoothies. Those I will not miss. Oh, close your eyes."

The canister hissed as Cora misted the concoction over Colette's face.

"This will ensure that your makeup does not run or smudge. When you wish to remove it—at the end of the day—come and see me."

An expensive cleansing balm would be used to dissolve the cosmetics Cora had applied, but not before the evening hours.

"There."

Cora placed a hand on Colette's shoulder, grinning at her through the mirror.

"How lovely you look!" The blonde seemed positively pleased with her work despite her guest’s apprehension. "Since you've been such a gracious canvas, it is only fair that I partake in an activity of your choosing."

Colette

 

[Colette]

Corazona von Ascania

"Wait. You… Don't like the kale smoothies?" Colette raised her brow at Cora. "I think they have a kind of interesting taste."

And then, Colette was sprayed with the last piece of the puzzle that had been put together on her face. The girl looked at herself in the mirror yet again to take in the view and assess it. While she was undoubtedly very pretty in comparison to the disheveled, perhaps-a-little-too-au-naturale mess she was comfortable with, this still felt really weird to her.

Wait, hold up.

"I… Have to UNDO all of this too at the end of the day?" She asked in horror and Cora seemed to smile and nod at her. "Ay ay, no…"

They had a few words, and agreed that although it was odd for Colette to look 'pretty' it was somewhat welcome at the very least. But when the topic eventually moved on to Colette's choice of activity the mood took somewhat of a turn. A lopsided grin spread on her lips, her eyes gleaming with devilish delight as she turned to ask Corazona:

"Have you ever gone hunting?"

It was something that Valery had to sign off on, but something that Colette very much had practically begged for. There was some agreement reached. Nothing big, preferably in a group of other hunters. Colette would have preferred they go it alone, but she supposed that it was best to start off easy for Cora.

—--------------------------------------------------------

The day was eventually upon them and Colette could barely contain herself. Lipstick and powder was changed for fatigues and small game bait. It was smelly, it was practically packed with a whole lot of men and a sparse handful of women — the two jedi included. They had run a comms check, they had ensured they all hunted on equal grounds, and once everyone went out on their own trails, Colette turned to Corazona.

"Okay!" She said and shuffled the rifle on her shoulder. "Have you ever used a rifle before, or do you want me to get you up-to-speed on the basics?"

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

As Colette turned towards her, Cora's grimace snapped into a polite smile.

"I used to go hunting with my father, but I would not say no to a tutorial."

At the very least, they were outside and away from the dreadful scent of unwashed hunters and their bait. Cora had not been particularly enthused by the concept of hunting, but she had agreed to partake in an activity of Colette's choosing.

She just hoped that it would be less…smelly.

"Do you hunt for sport or for necessity?" Cora asked as she inched her way around a puddle of mud. The young noblewoman had borrowed a set of spare hunting fatigues from Colette, and despite the fact that they were worn, she was grateful that they were clean.

Colette's origins fascinated her to some degree. Cora was well aware that not everyone lived a lavish aristocratic lifestyle—in fact most did not—but never had she encountered someone so tribal.

At least the sun was shining. Which reminded her—

Resting the rifle against her leg, Cora dug through her bag and retrieved a bottle of sunscreen. The fair, delicate maiden would not return to the temple smelling of muck, sweat, and covered in sun burns.

Colette

 

[Colette]

Corazona von Ascania

"Alright, good." Colette said and pulled the rifle from her shoulder to hold it in a firm grip. She gestured for Cora to do the same. "Only a fool hunts for sport." She said and gave the blonde a very serious look. "You hunt what you need, not what you can."

Actually, the rifle's butt found her boot for a moment as she figured this was a good point to start her lecture with. She asked Cora to do the same. Yes, the blonde was busy with her smelly sunscreen, but the lecture on the importance of smell and just how well certain animals could sniff them out would come later.

The tribal cleared her throat for a moment to catch Cora's attention.

"Our scouts and hunters always say that to go on a hunt is to decide that you want to take an innocent life for the sake of your own." Colette said. "That means you owe respect to not just your prey but the nature surrounding it. A nexu only feeds when it is hungry. So be like the nexu."

"Meaning," She then raised her rifle. "Check your claws and fangs. Keep your finger off the trigger unless you have the shot lined up and ready." How did she relate this to Cora? Colette took a moment to think. "Basically, try to think of your finger as a pen, and the trigger as the line where you sign your name."

"Only write your name on the line if you know exactly what it is that you are signing." Colette nodded in approval of her own analogy. "Is this making sense so far, or am I going a little too basic?"