Private The Crown and the Cause

[Valery Noble]

Outfit: Combat Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

The jungle broke open as her shuttle descended toward the Royal Palace of Iziz, sunlight flashing across the sleek hull. Valery stood near the viewport, arms folded, eyes fixed on the city as it came into view. Even after everything, Onderon still held its natural beauty. Wild, untamed, but stubbornly alive, much like the people who called it home.

She had always respected that about this world.

And now, after all the battles they had fought, after the fall of the Core and the painful decision to leave the New Jedi Order behind, she had returned. Not as Grandmaster. Not with formal titles or military orders. Just herself. But she wasn't here to stir speeches or demand loyalty. This visit was personal. Vince had shown his support for the Hidden Path. He was a monarch with a strong will, a warrior who had seen the worst of the war and still chose to fight. But more than that, he was a friend.

And after everything, she needed to see him. The shuttle touched down just outside the palace grounds. As the ramp lowered and the humid Onderonian air swept inside, Valery stepped forward.

Hoping to find her friend, waiting for her.

Vince ​

 

[Vince]

The Crown and the Cause
Reuniting with Valery Noble ​

When they had first met on Onderon, the palace was tranquil, peaceful and orderly. When they last met on Onderon, the palace was partially destoyed as it served as the tragic center of a brutal Mandalorian attack. This time was different too. Scaffoldings and construction cranes littered both the Royal Palace and the rest of Iziz. It was noisy, not only from the busy construction crews, but also what appeared to be ad hoc training grounds for the defence force and the Royal Guard. Despite the new King's reputation of being passive and doing little more than the bare minimum, it would appear that things ran smoothly - and the Onderonian defences seemed to have improved.

In addition to the humid Onderonian air swweping inside the Jedi's ship came the clatter of steel, instructors barking commands at their troops and blasters bolts hitting their mark at a temporary firing range. Somethings may very well have stood out to the keen observer: Numerous circles were drawn on the grounds where soldiers dueled against each other. Many of the troops carried jet packs and compared to last time, remarkably many wore heavy armour. Clearly, the Onderonians had not shied away from anything Mandalorian - it could even be said that they were leaning into it.

Vince found himself inside the cirle nearest the landing pad. The elegant whites and golds which had formerly decorated his apparel had now been replaced. The black robes he now wore, while regal in their own right, looked simple. Wherever the royal funds were going, it certainly was not to the King's wardrobe. Vince had changed too: Although he retained the athletic appearance of the past, rigorous training had made his steps heavier and his strength considerably more pronounced.

He was locked in combat with one of the Royal Guards. Both seemed to have been fighting for a while already. The Monarch's blue eyes were quickly drawn to the guest as she descended down the ramp. It was an opportunity which his foe pounced on with a charge. Vince grunted in pain as his foe's side hit him - but he was quick to shift his footing: From loosing balance, he now leaned into the new momentum whilst grabbing the Royal Guard by the belt. With one switft motion, he produced enough strength to thrust his foe out of the circle. The price he had to pay was that he fell down too - but at least he remained inside.

Victorious, he bowed his head to his guard whilst standing back up. It had only been a few moments since she stepped off of the ramp but he still walked with hurried steps to greet her. "Master Noble" he said, approaching her with long strides and a warm gaze. "We are so glad to see you" he did not quite smile - but it was the closest he had been to letting one form in a very long time.

"We hope your journey here was safe. Things have been unstable lately. These are perilous times."

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Combat Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery caught the end of the sparring match as she stepped off the ramp, her eyes following the sudden movement of bodies colliding. The way Vince moved drew her attention. Not just the precision of the throw, but the power behind it. He had always been a capable fighter, but this was different. The strength in his form, the way his body moved, even the tone beneath his robes. He was not just a King on a throne, but a warrior.

Her gaze lingered for just a second longer than it needed to, before she shifted it back to his eyes and smiled.

She dipped her head respectfully, hands resting loosely at her sides. "Valery is fine," she said, the warmth in her voice soft but sincere. "I'm no Grandmaster anymore, and this is no official visit. I'm here as just... myself."

Her eyes drifted briefly across the training grounds again, taking in the drills, the changes to the palace, and the signs of preparation. "The journey was safe, thankfully. You've clearly taken that kind of thing seriously." She looked back to him. "That's part of why I came. I know you're supporting my new cause. But more than that, I came to see an old friend."

Vince ​

 

[Vince]

The Crown and the Cause
Reuniting with Valery Noble ​

A grateful nod was offered "We are aware. It.." he trailed off for a moment, allowing his gaze to drift past her before returning to meet her eyes "It has just been so long" The voice carried the words with a warmth and depth which few had heard since the eulogy shortly after the Assault on Iziz. The King's chest and broad shoulders fell as he let out a heavy breath. "Your visit is highly appreciated."

He took half a step to position himself by her side, looking out over the ad hoc training grounds. Soldiers were sparring in rows upon rows of battle circles with firing ranges and jet-pack testing areas farther away. She had picked up on the added security and the vigorous training regimen of the troops. The young monarch nodded once "If there is one thing my cousin proved, it is that we were far too weak." Sig would likely offer a victorious gloat if he could have heard those words. "Our conclusion was that we had much to learn. The fate of Onderon has been tied to that of the Mandalorians for as far as I can remember. Perhaps our first lesson should be from them."

The King took a step forward before looking back. The glance he gave her was almost as playful as the ones they used to exchange in the past "Or from you" Hints of a smirk could be seen across his features as he moved towards the circle nearest to them. "Would you care to join us? You could tell us of how you came to found this cause as we spar." he said, turning around to face her once inside the circle and waiting for her to, potentially, decide the rules of their engagement.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Combat Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery's brow perked at his playful remark, and the beginnings of a smirk tugged at her lips. "Learn from me, huh?" she asked, clearly amused, but not dismissive of the idea. There was something about the way he looked at her, that glint of challenge in his eyes, that brought her right back to older days.

As he moved into the circle, she stepped forward as well, her shoulders rolling while her fingers worked loose the remaining tension in her arms. "So you want to spar with a Jedi," she said, her tone light but laced with something a little sharper, "Alright then."

Her eyes scanned the training area briefly, and she tilted her head.

"Are we talking weapons? Hand-to-hand? Can I use the Force?" She looked at him again and grinned, arms folding across her chest. "Because if it's hand-to-hand and I'm not allowed to cheat, well... you've clearly put on a lot of muscle since I last saw you. Bigger than I remember," she added with a wink, her voice a touch flirty and playful.

Then she stepped into the circle opposite him and lowered her stance ever so slightly, just enough to show she was ready.

"You set the terms, Your Highness. I'll play along."

Vince ​

 

[Vince]

The Crown and the Cause
Reuniting with Valery Noble ​

"Not just any Jedi" he remarked, nodding toward her. While most Jedi would make for valuable sparring partners, Valery was likely one of those who could teach him the most.

After the two of them had stepped into the circle and turned to face each other, Vince's brows rose a little, revealing a slight sense of surprise. But the two of them knew each other well enough for him to not be all too surprised. His head shook lightly "Very well, we shall decide on the rules" he said whilst methodically removing his utility belt.

He then removed his mantle and gently folded it once before handing it to an aide who had been waiting in attendance at a respectable distance. Underneath, his physique was strong—well-rounded shoulders, thick arms, and a solid chest, all covered in dark fabric suited to the humid climate. Elegant, yet subdued, brocades adorned the apparel which had a rather toned down look in general. The warrior king then glanced up at her, eyes hiding a familiar enthusiastic shimmer that she would recognise from before his ascension to the throne. "We needed to be prepared to hold the Mandalorians at bay. The Mandalorians, and you, it would seem."

"We believe this would be a rather futile exercise should you use the force - but we trust you wholeheartedly. Practice swords, hand-to-hand and the force shall all be allowed. If the battle ends too quickly, we can amend the rules." A Mandalorian would likely scoff at the Royal's sentiment but then, Vince was no Mandalorian.

With a swift move, he grabbed two practice swords from the rack and tossed her one of them. With that, he started approaching with measured steps "So, care to tell us of this cause you have started?" he asked whilst starting off the duel with a simple attack, first with a hard swing to hopefully smash her blade away followed by a quick thrust towards her chest.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Combat Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery caught the motion of his hands as he removed his mantle, and for a moment, she stopped. Her eyes swept over him, lingering on the shape of his chest and the way the fabric framed his shoulders. He had always carried himself with confidence, but this was something else.

She felt the warmth creep into her cheeks, and her smirk returned with just a hint of blush behind it. "You really are full of surprises these days," she said under her breath, then caught his eyes again. That glimmer, that enthusiasm beneath all the formality. It pulled something familiar out of her, too.

When the sword came flying her way, she caught it and gave it a single test swing, the weight comfortable in her grip. "Sounds like a deal to me," she said, stepping lightly to the side and bringing her body into motion. Her stance shifted, knees bent slightly as she tapped into the Force. Not to throw him across the yard or pin him with some unseen grip, but to strengthen her own limbs. She moved quicker and steadier, with a sharpness she didn't bother hiding.

His first strike came in hard. She caught it with both hands gripping the hilt, her blade locking with his in a clash that rang through the circle. Then, without missing a beat, she pivoted her back foot and twisted her body, sliding the blade around in an arcing counter-strike aimed for his ribs.

"You want to hear about the Hidden Path?" she asked with a grin, voice level even through the clash. "Then try to keep up, first. Your distractions won't get to me~"

Vince ​

 

[Vince]

The Crown and the Cause
Sparring with Valery Noble ​

She was agile and strong. The initial attack had been blocked. Vince's brows furrowed in surprise as his eyes quickly scanned her arms and then his own. The difference in size and mass was immense, yet she still stood strong against him.

His lips were about to form a low 'Impressive' but stopped as soon as he noticed the counter attack. Quickly, he took a step back whilst desperately angling his own blade to block the tip of her sword from hitting his ribs. For a moment, it looked like the Warrior King was about to loose balance until he took another step back and allowed the foot to plant itself onto the sand-coloured floor tile with a heavy thud.

A charming glance broke through his barriers for a brief moment. "We may need to keep your mind preoccupied" There was even a hint of a smile spreading across his lips before the gloomy walls he had maintained since his ascension to the throne, rose back up.

"Tell us, how did it all start?" The question came with an attack. Instead of committing to a simple attack aimed to end the fight quickly, the Monarch would now commence a measured flurry of attacks to exploit his advantage in reach. While he avoided committing to any single swing too hard, he would instead try to be just close enough to pose a bit of a threat. During that time, his eyes linger on her being, carefully scanning for any opening to be revealed.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Combat Jumpsuit
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery met his flurry head-on. There was no retreat, only movements forward. Her blade danced against his with a rhythm born of experience and instinct. She ducked low beneath a wide swing, rolled her wrist to redirect another strike off to the side, and stepped into the next exchange with a sharp clack of wood against wood.

"It started with a vision," she said, her voice calm as she blocked another swing and pivoted around his reach. "One I didn't ask for, but one I couldn't ignore." Another clash. She stepped inside his guard for just a heartbeat before pulling back again.

"It came right after the Core fell. I'd already seen the signs, but that moment made it all crystal clear. There was a path forming through the chaos. Something beyond the Jedi Council, beyond the Senate, beyond the endless cycle of reaction." She pushed forward this time, her blade angling toward his shoulder in a feint before spinning to strike toward his side again, her footwork keeping pace with every shift in his stance.

"A Hidden Path. For those who still want to fight, not just to defend systems, but to protect people. To give them hope when all the old promises break." She paused between strikes just long enough to smirk.

"I had to follow what I saw."

Vince ​

 

[Vince]

The Crown and the Cause
Sparring with Valery Noble ​

While Valery was talking, Vince was silent. His eyes moved rapidly as he scanned her movements - trying to predict her next attack whilst also attempting to find weaknesses to exploit. While the former was still somewhat manageable, the latter was nigh on impossible. With focused eyes and a clenched jaw, he managed to maintain a good posture as they duelled.

As she stepped inside his guard, his free arm instinctively shot out to grab her by the waist but she managed to slip away quickly enough for the effort to be futile. Her next attack, however, was far from futile. Vince saw the strike to his shoulder early on. That should have been enough of a warning. It was only when he positioned his blade to block it that he saw her true intentions. Too late, he pushed a powerful leg into the ground to shoot himself backwards - still, had he been even a little slower, the consequences could have been worse. The wooden blade tore through his shirt and slashed the very surface of his skin. He immediately entered a defensive position with his free hand grasping his, now exposed, abs "That might bruise" he quipped lightheartedly, looking down at his core and then back up to the Jedi.

A pause soon ensued as she noted that she had to follow what she saw. He leaned his head to the side in recognition of her having a point in what she had been saying. "From what we have seen, you are off to a good start." He spoke with a slightly strained voice as he removed his hand from his abdomen. While it wasn't audible from when he spoke, it could be seen in the way his shoulders and chest rose and fell with every breath and how the torn shirt shifted with the movement of his core, that he was starting to get a little winded.

Keeping his distance for a little while, he kept his blade pointed to her in preparation for any sudden attacks. Perhaps he wanted a little bit of time to recover - perhaps he wanted to talk to her when he wasn't concentrating too hard on getting by. Sparring with someone of Valery Noble's calibre was no easy task. "What about the network? We trust you Valery, you know that. But if this wide net you are casting is going to work, each unit - each knot holding the net together - will need operational freedom." From the way the Monarch spoke, it was becoming abundantly clear that he spoke from experience. While he had never been very good at scheming or managing the realm, he had always had a good mind for military operations. "It will be hard to keep these operations clean. To make sure that the funds we assemble accomplish something good."

Vince would then wait for her to answer the question. Or, at least begin to answer the question. As soon as she began speaking and thinking, he would dash forward with a sudden burst of speed. What may first have looked like an awkward slash turned out to be an attempt to bring his saber-wielding hand close to hers in order to grab her by the wrist - or at least lock their blades tight enough for him to commit to the next sequence. If successful, he would then try to use his free arm to grab her by her thigh to hoist her up over his head and to then toss her out of the circle.