Private The Crown and Her Voice

[Sibylla Abrantes]

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C I T Y O F T H E E D
N A B O O
ROYAL STABLES

The air outside the Royal Stables smelled of sun-warmed hay and polished leather. It was one of those golden Naboo afternoons that begged to be spent outdoors, the kind where the light breeze carried laughter and birdsong over the meadows.

Sibylla had let herself indulge in a touch of rebellion, accepting Aurelian Veruna 's offer for an afternoon Guarlara ride. It had been years since she'd last ridden anything larger than a Gualama, and though she was raised in the noble tradition of horsemanship, the towering Guarlara were another matter entirely. The Monarch's herd shimmered in the sun beyond the stables, their sleek hides glinting like living ink.

Dressed for practicality rather than politics, she wore a white blouse of light fabric, fitted tan riding pants, and well-worn Shaak leather boots. Her hair was tied back in a thick braid to keep it from whipping into her face once they reached the open fields.

Now, if only the man of the hour would appear.

She panned her gaze over the busy stable yard until one of the stable hands noticed her. The tall redhead approached with an easy smile, recognizing her at once.

"May I be of assistance, m'lady?"

Sibylla returned the smile, her tone pleasant but precise despite the sparks of gold flashing in her hazel eyes.

"I'm looking for His Majesty. I've a few updates to provide him."

That, at least, wasn't a lie. Corde's latest report still lingered fresh in her mind, the one detailing Aurelian's apparent involvement in a certain Hapan wedding between a pirate warlord and a self-proclaimed queen -- in Black Sun territory. While there was still an active six-hundred-thousand-credit assassination bounty on his head.

Truly, the man's recklessness knew no bounds.

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Location: Royal Stables
Tags: Sibylla Abrantes

The royal stables, vaulted and quiet, smelled of oiled tack and fresh hay. Sunlight filtered through the slatted roof, casting warm, dappled bars across the floor. Aurelian stood beside a towering Guarlara, the creature's sleek, obsidian hide rippling with each slow breath. He rolled up the sleeves of his linen shirt, cream and subtly embroidered with gold thread at the collar. Its fine edges seemed a bit out of place for the stable's dust, but he'd left his jeweled cape behind today for practicality. Riding gloves hung from his belt, alongside a coiled whip and a single polished riding crop that gleamed like ivory.

He hummed softly as he worked, fastening the last strap on Sheev's saddle with methodical precision. Padmé waited nearby, pawing the ground with restrained impatience. These powerful, temperamental beasts had been his companions since his adolescent escapades across the Naboo countryside. They tolerated only a handful of riders.

A stable hand entered quietly and inclined his head. "Your Majesty, Lady Sibylla has arrived."

Aurelian didn't look up at first, tightening the cinch strap. His voice carried with lazy amusement. "Of course she has. Punctual as ever. Tell her to come in before Sheev decides he's the only royalty here." The young man smiled faintly and stepped aside, gesturing toward the open stable door.

When Sibylla stepped into the light-struck corridor, Aurelian finally looked up. The moment his eyes met hers, something in his posture shifted. His trademark half-smile came easily enough, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

He took her in from head to toe, his gaze flicking from the braid over her shoulder to the clean lines of her riding attire, and then back to her face. He noticed the set of her jaw, the quiet focus behind her composure. Her calm seemed too deliberate.

"Careful, Sibylla," he drawled, resting a hand against Sheev's neck as if to steady the Guarlara, or perhaps himself. "You look as though you've come to deliver judgment. Is this about our ride, or something else entirely? Should I be worried?"

​

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

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C I T Y O F T H E E D
N A B O O
ROYAL STABLES
Aurelian Veruna

Sibylla's boots clicked softly over the stone floor, the sound swallowed by the warm breath of the stables and the rustle of hay. The stable hand's polite bow had barely faded before Aurelian's gaze caught hers, and it was far too perceptive for her liking.

Blast him.

That look alone made her spine straighten and her patience thin. He had a way of seeing right through her composure, and the worst part was that he knew it.

The Guarlara at his side was magnificent, an obsidian colossus rippling with restrained power. For a moment, Sibylla forgot her irritation, caught in the sheer beauty of the creature. Then she caught sight of the second mount, Padme, pawing the ground impatiently as if sharing her own mood. That coaxed a quiet exhale through Sibylla's nose, half in amusement and half exasperation that drew a reluctant smile to her lips.

The sight softened her irritation only slightly. But when her attention returned to Aurelian, her lips pursed once more. The gold in her eyes flickered as she stepped closer, ensuring they were alone before speaking.

Sibylla had never been one for guessing games. She preferred clarity over cleverness. There was no hesitation in her tone, only the steady rise of temper laced with disbelief.

"The wedding of Hasuras Na-Gerra and Queen Mother Aurellia of House Revali," she began, each name cutting like a measured blade. "In Black Sun territory. While you have an active six hundred thousand credit assassination bounty on your head."

Then her voice fell an octave, low and incredulous in her growing anger and worry. "What were you thinking, Aurelian?! You could have been killed!”

Especially in the wake of the High Chancellor's kidnapping.

For a heartbeat, the air hung still between them, taut as a bowstring. The Guarlara huffed beside him, breaking the silence with a rumbling breath. Sibylla's fingers flexed at her side, every inch of her posture attempting to maintain her bearing but barely.

"I swear to the Shiraya, Aurelian," she murmured low, golden eyes flashing as she took another step forward, tipping her head back to meet his amber gaze, "if you weren't holding onto that creature, I might strangle you myself."

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Location: Royal Stables
Tags: Sibylla Abrantes

Aurelian's brow arched slowly as Sibylla's words struck, sharp and precise. He didn't interrupt, didn't even flinch. He only listened, a faint smirk ghosting across his lips, more reflex than mockery. When she finished, the silence stretched, broken only by the deep, steady breathing of the Guarlara.

He moved then. Two measured steps closed the distance, the dust on the stable floor shifting beneath his boots. He looked down at her, his eyes bright with that familiar, infuriating blend of amusement and calculation.

"Well," he said at last, voice low and calm. "I'm doing rather well. Having a wonderful day, in fact." The corner of his mouth tilted upward. "And you, Sibylla?"

Before she could answer, he reached out and took her hand. Gently, yet without asking, he guided it to rest against the warm, sleek flank of Padmé. The Guarlara shifted beneath her touch, a low rumbling sound rising from its chest. "This is Padmé," he said quietly. "Your ride for the afternoon." His thumb brushed briefly against Sibylla's knuckles before he withdrew his hand. "I had her and Sheev brought here when I was crowned. I raised her from a foal. She's proud, headstrong, and doesn't take to strangers easily."

"But if she lets you touch her first, it means she's decided you're worth trusting." Padmé's massive head turned slightly, dark eyes glinting with intelligence, nostrils flaring as if in agreement. Aurelian's smile softened, just for a moment. "She doesn't tolerate recklessness," he added, his tone edged with quiet irony. "You two should get along famously."

​

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

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C I T Y O F T H E E D
N A B O O
ROYAL STABLES

Sibylla had been ready, more than ready, to point out that even the Sith Princess who had nearly killed him last time had also attended that same blasted wedding. But whatever sharp retort she had prepared vanished the moment she felt her hand gently taken and placed against the warm flank of the enormous Guarlara.

"I…" Whatever words she had died on her lips as her eyes went wide. Her mind emptied, overtaken by the sensation beneath her palm -- the heat of living muscle, the slow and steady rise and fall of breath, the quiet strength of the creature before her.

Sibylla's mouth comically opened, then closed again. She blinked several times, unable to look away, her expression shifting into something softer, caught between awe and admiration.

"Padme?"

It took her a moment to process the name.

"You named her Padme? As in Padme Amidala?" she asked, more bewildered than incredulous, still studying the Guarlara rather than the man beside her. Blast him. He had completely stolen the wind from her sails, her frustration dissolving into reluctant fascination.

She tried to remember everything he had just told her about Padme in conjunction with every other creature she'd ridden before. She was an experienced rider who knew how the Gualama chose their riders carefully, how trust had to be earned. Guarlara, being much larger, would be no different, and they would be able to sense her emotional state better than anyone else. A flicker of nerves mixed with anticipation raced through her, but she told herself to focus on Padme, not on Aurelian or the remnants of her temper.

"Hello there, Padme," she began gently, her tone turning warm and genuine. "It's a pleasure to meet you. You really are beautiful."

Her hand moved slowly across the sleek hide, reading the subtle shifts of muscle beneath her touch, searching for any sign of discomfort.

"So, you don't tolerate recklessness, hmm?" she murmured, her voice taking on a quiet, teasing lilt. "Then tell me your secret for tolerating your master when he's being reckless, hmm?"

The wry note in her tone made it clear her anger had ebbed, exactly as Aurelian had intended.

"Not fair, you know...I was -- am, still worried for you," she added, glancing briefly in his direction before softening further. "But I am glad you're doing rather well."

A sigh slipped past her lips as she gave Padme's flank one last gentle pat.

"She's beautiful," she said sincerely, then turned her gaze to the other Guarlara. "They both are."

A dark elegant brow arched faintly. "Sheev? Really?"

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Location: Royal Stables
Tags: Sibylla Abrantes

Aurelian's mouth curved into a knowing grin at her remark. "Worried for me, were you?" he murmured, stepping closer until their hands still rested together against Padmé's flank. His palm pressed lightly over hers, fingers warm and sure. Padmé gave a soft huff, tossing her head as if amused by the exchange.

Aurelian chuckled low in his throat. "I think she likes you," he said, gaze cutting sidelong toward Sibylla. "Must be the way you spoke to me. Firm and disapproving, yet far too gentle to truly mean it."

He released her hand at last, reaching for the reins and looping them neatly into her grasp. "There," he said, his voice slipping into something faintly instructive but still edged with charm. "Let's see if you two get along."

With easy confidence, he guided her toward the mounting steps. His hand rested briefly at the small of her back, steadying her, yet unmistakably deliberate. Padmé stood still beneath Sibylla's approach, calm under Aurelian's quiet command. Once she was securely in the saddle, he stepped back, a flicker of pride ghosting across his expression before turning toward his own mount.

He swung up onto Sheev in one fluid motion, the Guarlara rumbling low as if greeting its rider. He looked over at Sibylla then, sunlight catching in her braid as she sat astride Padmé. Poised, steady, entirely in her element, she seemed a natural, graceful atop such a noble beast. He felt the faintest tug of something he refused to name.

"Sheev is a common enough name," he said lightly, his grin flashing again. "Don't overthink it."

With a deft tug of the reins, his Guarlara began to move, powerful strides carrying them toward the open countryside bathed in gold. Aurelian glanced back once over his shoulder, that dangerous smile returning.

​

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

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C I T Y O F T H E E D
N A B O O
Countryside

Aurelian Veruna was a test of patience personally designed by the gods. Insufferable and incorrigible, yes, but far too charming for his own good.

The thought accompanied her as she followed him out of the stables, the warmth of the sun spilling across them as they headed out towards the open countryside, in the direction of the meadow trails. Worried? Of course. Overthink? When didn't she? Too gentle to truly mean it? Perhaps it was time for another spar to test just how gentle she was. The thoughts abounded even as Sibylla felt Padme move beneath her with such a natural grace that made even her irritation difficult to maintain.

Sibylla had to hand it to Aurelian, the difference in gait and strength she felt on top of Padme compared to a Gualama was leagues different. While it took a few moments, Sibylla instinctively adjusted her posture as she rode, feeling herself falling into rhythm, her back straight and her hands light upon the reins.

"Well, Padme," she murmured under her breath, "we mustn't let Aurelian and Sheev think they've cornered the market on grandeur."

The Guarlara snorted as if in agreement, and Sibylla's lips curved despite herself. Of course, that was precisely when Aurelian turned to glance over his shoulder, wind catching in those dark curls, and that self-satisfied, maddening grin spread across his face. The sight of it, along with the deliberate ease in his posture, sparked an additional flicker of rebellion.

So, she urged Padme forward until they were side by side.

"You wear that grin as though you've already won some sort of unspoken contest, Aurelian," she said airily, the faintest glint of amusement in her eyes. "Tell me, do you always declare victory before the competition begins?"

The breeze caught the hem of her blouse as they rode, her braid swaying in time with Padme's movement. Then, glancing at him sidelong, Sibylla added wrly, "Though I will grant that your gift for provocation seems to have survived both politics and pirate weddings intact. How fortunate for me."

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Location: Countryside
Tags: Sibylla Abrantes

Aurelian watched with open amusement as Sibylla urged Padmé up alongside him. Sunlight glinted off her braid and the breeze tugged at her blouse. When she spoke, her tone laced with teasing challenge, his smile deepened, lazy, knowing, and entirely unrepentant.

"A competition?" he echoed lightly. "I was under the impression we were merely enjoying a pleasant afternoon ride."

His gaze lingered on her a moment longer than politeness allowed. Shiraya, she looked the part: poised, radiant, and utterly regal astride the Guarlara. The creature moved as though it knew she belonged there. Every line of her posture spoke of control and quiet grace, and for a heartbeat, Aurelian almost forgot his game entirely.

"You look like a natural," he said finally, his tone softer, genuine despite himself. "Padmé seems to agree. I suspect she likes you better than she's ever liked me."

He didn't mention the wedding, nor did he acknowledge her jab about politics or pirates. Instead, his grin returned, sharp and bright as a blade drawn in sunlight. "Though, six hundred thousand?" he mused, feigning affront. "Insulting, really. You'd think I was worth at least double that."

Before she could muster a reply, his heels pressed lightly into Sheev's flanks. The Guarlara lunged forward with explosive power, tearing across the golden meadow in a thunder of hooves and wind. Aurelian's laughter carried back over his shoulder, low and reckless.

"If it's competition you want," he called, his voice fading as the distance grew, "you'll have to catch me first!"

​

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

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C I T Y O F T H E E D
N A B O O
Countryside

It was, to her reluctant amusement, a rather pleasant afternoon ride.

Padme's stride matched Sheev's with effortless rhythm as they moved through the rolling green fields of Theed's outskirts. The air was fresh, carrying the scent of spring grass and warm soil. In the distance, a herd of bulbous Shaak grazed lazily under the sun while their shepherds called to one another in idle tones. It was so beautifully mundane that for a moment, Sibylla almost forgot why she had been cross with him to begin with.

Almost.

Honestly, his compliment should not have affected her as much as it did, yet she found herself wearing the faintest smile of pride as she adjusted to Padme's powerful gait. The Guarlara was unlike any creature she had ever ridden, majestic, massive, and spirited. She could certainly see why only Monarchs and Royal Crusaders were permitted to ride them.

And yet, here she was.

Rebellious for breaking royal tradition, yes, but the feeling of freedom made her heart quicken. The rush of wind, the rhythm of hoofbeats, the sheer thrill of doing something she absolutely was not supposed to, it all wove together into something intoxicating.

What was anyone going to do? Tell the King?

No, worse. Should anyone dare report her, Aurelian would probably smirk, tilt his head thoughtfully, and pretend to weigh what punishment might fit her terrible audacity. Just as he had when he claimed that the bounty on his head should really be worth double.

Her lips pursed at the thought, the gall of him.

Sibylla had barely begun forming the cutting remark that would have put him properly in his place when Aurelian suddenly bolted forward with a shout of laughter. She blinked, realizing far too late that the Aurelian Veruna had no intention of continuing their conversation.

"Oh, you little," she muttered under her breath, unable to finish before the sound of his laughter carried over the wind, rich and bright and completely unrepentant.

The sight of him, dark curls whipping, linen shirt glowing gold in the sun, was infuriating. Infuriating, and entirely too compelling.

Hazel eyes narrowed but the impish grin that followed was utterly defiant.

"Well, Padme," she murmured, leaning forward, her tone alive with challenge, "we cannot let him think charm outrides sense. That would set a dangerous precedent."

Padme snorted as if in agreement, and Sibylla urged her onward. The Guarlara responded instantly, launching into a full gallop that thundered through the open fields. Wind tore through her braid and filled her lungs with exhilaration. The world became a blur of green and gold, her laughter spilling free as the thrill surged through her veins.

They flew down the trail, the countryside unfolding like a painting in motion, Shaak farmers pausing mid call to watch the royal pair race by, the rhythm of hooves startling flocks of grazing birds into the air. A Gungan fisherman, crouched by the riverbank, looked up just in time for the shockwave of their passing to send his wide straw hat tumbling into the water.

"Apologies!" Sibylla called over her shoulder, her voice half laughter and half breathless delight, before she turned her focus forward again. The wind stung her cheeks and sent color to her face as she leaned low over Padme's neck, closing the distance between them and the man ahead.

"You may hold the Crown, Aurelian!" she shouted when she drew close enough for him to hear, her tone bright with teasing triumph, "but I will have the glory!"