Private The Gathering Storm

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

Theed Pavellion, Royal Palace
After the events of The People v. Lysander von Asacania and The Least of These Monsters
Interacting with: Aurelian Veruna
Items: x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x

By the time Sibylla returned to the Royal Palace that evening, the events of the day had become an exhausting tangle of consequences she had barely begun to unravel.

The court session alone would have been enough to deal with.

Yet instead in the hours since she left Aurelian behind in that negotiation chamber, every moment had been consumed by Corde feeding her every scrap of information she could uncover regarding Knight Reingard, Acier, and precisely what had transpired that night at the Jedi Order detention center.

The Jedi Order remained a stand-alone organization recognized within the Republic. Their intelligence was not automatically relayed to the Senate or the High Chancellor, and ordinarily Sibylla understood the necessity of that separation.

Except the detention center had been on Naboo.

Now the High Chancellor had been informed and even more importantly, it meant questions would follow. Questions of jurisdiction. Questions of oversight. Questions concerning what the Jedi had known, what the Republic had known about Acier's activities within the Covenant, and precisely how a dangerous Force User had escaped confinement with the apparent assistance of a Jedi Knight.

Who was it that they had become accomplices with in breaking out!? Why did the blasted pair even do so? All that and more questions Sibylla was far too infuriated and frustrated to properly make heads or tails of in the handful of hours she had been afforded.

And, Shiraya help her, there was still Aurelian. What precisely had he been doing in that conference room?

That was another blasted matter percolating in her thoughts, because everything suddenly seemed interconnected. Lysander's trial and Acier's circumstances might have been separate, but how the Senate and Republic chose to approach one would inevitably raise questions regarding the other. What happened when someone surrendered willingly? What consideration should be given to cooperation or intelligence provided? How did that differ from someone apprehended? What did restitution look like when lives had already been lost?

Every answer threatened to establish precedent for the next question.

There was simply too much at play. Every passing hour left Sibylla feeling as though she were slowly drowning beneath the consequences of choices she had not made but nevertheless found herself responsible for navigating. What they meant for Naboo. For the Republic. For its relationship with the Jedi and the galaxy beyond its borders.

And, painfully, what they meant for those she held dear.

The sharp click-click-click of her heels carried through the polished corridors of the Royal Palace, Corde and her escort keeping pace beside her as the Voice of Naboo made her way deeper into the governmental wing.

Then another entourage crossed the adjoining corridor ahead. The slight melodic jingle of her headdress sang as her head gave a slight turn towards the direction at the familiar clipped stride. The circlet of gold resting against inky black curls and the impeccable uniforms of the Royal Naboo Kingsguard told her who it was.

Aurelian.

Sibylla's lips immediately pursed, and there was no avoiding how her course changed immediately towards his direction. To anyone watching, there was nothing improper about her approach. Her shoulders remained squared, chin lifted, every measured step carrying the impeccable composure expected of the Voice of Naboo.

Unfortunately for him, Aurelian knew her far too well.

He would recognize the rolling tension gathered across her shoulders and the almost unbendable straightness of her back. He would know that particular stillness in her expression for precisely what it was. She was angry, frustrated, and barely holding her composure together through sheer force of will.

"Your Majesty." Sibylla's came to a stop several feet before the King of Naboo and inclined her head with impeccable public courtesy. By every measure, she observed the proper decorum between the Voice and her sovereign. But even then, it did absolutely nothing to prevent several nearby eyes from flickering between Sibylla and Aurelian before quickly finding somewhere else to look.

"If I may have a word in private."

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Tags: Sibylla Abrantes

A long, exhausting day was finally nearing its end, and escape felt tantalizingly close. Kept in tight formation, the Kingsguard formed a protective barrier around the young monarch, shielding him from any wandering senators or opportunistic ambassadors looking to steal a few more minutes of his time. The only thing on his mind was a heavy glass of Corellian whiskey and a lounge chair in the private garden to catch the last light of the fading Naboo sun.

Then a familiar voice echoed down the corridor.

Your Majesty.

The words brought him to a sudden halt. Aurelian turned, meeting the fierce, controlled burn in Sibylla's eyes. A subtle flick of his hand signaled his guard to step back and grant them room. He fell into a leisurely stride toward his private flat, offering her a quiet nod to join his side.

Gilded halls gave way to watchful glances as courtiers noted the sudden shift in course, though Aurelian maintained his composure, hands resting calmly behind his back. The tension radiating off the Voice of Naboo could have cut through durasteel, but he kept his expression thoroughly inscrutable, tempered with that characteristic hint of mischief.

"Can it wait until tomorrow?" he asked softly, offering a faint, hopeful smirk as they walked. "Or am I about to lose my evening to whatever mess Corde just dropped in your lap?"

​

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

Theed Gardens
Interacting with: Aurelian Veruna
Items: x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x

Aurelian's hopeful little quip did absolutely nothing to soothe her.

If anything, Sibylla's stride quickened beside him, heels striking the polished floor with increasing purpose while the delicate filigree chains of her headdress swayed more sharply with every clipped step.

"No. It cannot wait until tomorrow." Sibylla replied curtly, and perhaps the answer came a tad too quickly. Part of her wanted to vent. Another wanted to make sense of things. A third wanted a stiff drink.

Strange how some habits grow under the pressure of what the galaxy decided to throw at her, she mused, her lips pursing even as those delicate brown brows pinched together in her frustration. Sibylla drew a slow breath through her nose, reminding herself that there were Handmaidens, Kingsguard, and attendants like around them. This was the Palace. The walls had enough attentive ears that whatever desperately wanted to spill from her mouth would undoubtedly find its way through half the Palace before morning if she allowed frustration to overcome discretion.

So she swallowed it -- barely.

"I received the notice as you were busy conducting other matters," a side glance over at his direction was pointed enough to say that she still had questions for him about that. Questions that will require answers.

"A situation occurred at a Jedi detention center." normally this would be relayed to him first, but as he had been detained -- and Corde knew it revolved around Ace -- it had come to her. Anything important that happened on Naboo was relayed to the monarch.

"There was another breakout." There was an unmistakable edge to that.

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Tags: Sibylla Abrantes

A heavy sigh slipped past Aurelian's lips as he slowed his stride to match her brisk pace. Whispers traveled fast through the palace corridors, and with eyes tracking their every move, discretion was paramount. He listened quietly as she delivered the news, though his expression remained remarkably untroubled.

Behind the calm facade, the timing caught him off guard. A breakout was bound to happen, yet Acier and his Vanguard had moved far faster than expected. The sheer efficiency was almost impressive.

Turning his head slightly, Aurelian raised an inquiring eyebrow toward the Voice of Naboo. The whirlwind of his schedule had kept him insulated from the latest intelligence updates, leaving a few crucial details in the dark.

"Were the intruders detained?" he asked, genuine curiosity lacing his quiet tone.

​

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

Theed Inner Palace
Interacting with: Aurelian Veruna
Items: x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x

The gilded governmental corridors gradually gave way to the quieter reaches of the Palace reserved for the Monarch of Naboo and his private apartments. Here, the passing courtiers became fewer, the halls increasingly absent of curious eyes, but even then, Sibylla did not answer immediately.

Instead, those hazel eyes of hers flickered briefly behind them to where the Kingsguard, Handmaidens, and attendants walked behind them. While they had listened to Aurelian on keeping some space,

All trusted, certainly, but trust did not mean they needed to hear what Sibylla needed to say. With a small motion of her hand, Sibylla signaled for her own escort to fall farther back. It was subtle enough not to draw attention, but deliberate enough that Corde understood immediately. The brunette slowed, allowing several additional paces to open between them as Aurelian's Kingsguard followed suit.

Only when Sibylla was satisfied that the cadence of their footsteps would swallow anything spoken quietly between them did she continue.

"No." She replied. The one word was clipped in tone and even with her lowered voice, emphatic, lips tightening as she added."They escaped."

The delicate chains framing her face gave another faint jingle as she walked beside him.

"And that is somehow not the worst of it." Sibylla continued as she slowly exhaled through her nose. She had spent hours attempting to organize the details into something resembling sense and had somehow emerged with more questions.

"From what Corde has been able to determine, the individual being held was considered dangerous enough to warrant confinement within a Jedi facility. There was an altercation, the detention cell was breached, and the prisoner escaped." A brief glance flicked over towards Aurelian, and even saying it aloud made her jaw clench, "With assistance from Knight Lorn Reingard and Acier."

Her attention shot forward, lips pursing anew as her steps grew clipped again.

"They are being treated as accomplices to the escape. Both are now fugitives." For several steps, only the sharp rhythm of her heels betrayed the anger she was fighting to keep from her voice.

"I do not understand it, Aurelian." There it was beneath the frustration. Something far more vulnerable than anger.

"Acier surrendered. Willingly. He had finally placed himself in a position where the Republic could begin sorting through everything he had done, what intelligence he provided, what responsibility he carried, and what consideration any of that warranted." the clash of her emotions made her curl her fingers against her palm.

"And then he does this."

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Tags: Sibylla Abrantes

A casual backward wave of Aurelian's hand sent his guard retreating several paces further, matching the buffer Sibylla had created. He listened to her detailed breakdown in silence, though none of the revelation truly surprised him. His thoughts remained stubbornly anchored to the escalating mess of the trial they had just endured: an escaped Sith, a security breach forcing a palace evacuation, and a particularly insufferable senator who had pushed his patience to the absolute limit.

Crossing the threshold into his private flat, the heavy doors slid shut behind them, sealing off the outside world. Aurelian unclasped his heavy royal overcoat and let it drop carelessly to the floor. Walking directly past the seating area, he headed straight for the bar to pour a long-overdue glass of whiskey, refusing to engage in conversation until the amber liquid burned down his throat.

"I am not surprised a Sith did a bad thing, Sibylla," he said, setting the glass down with a heavy sigh. "What did we expect? For him to play along after the crimes he committed?"

Sauntering over to the center of the room, Aurelian flung himself onto the soft cushions of the couch. "He is just like that von Ascania out there. They feel the guilt, but they will never stick around to actually answer for their wrongdoings."

​

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

Theed Inner Palace - Monarch's Inner Flat
Interacting with: Aurelian Veruna
Items: x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x

Oh he was in a temper.

That much was clear by how he went straight for the whiskey, drank deep, and then sprawled onto the repulsor couch as if the very plush cushions would float away his onery frustrations.

Not that it did.

So for a moment, Sibylla simply stared at Aurelian sprawled across the couch, his tousled curls slipping from his typical slick-back styling to fall over his brow, her expression caught somewhere between disbelief and mounting frustration.

Alright, yes. He was right. Sith, as a whole, did terrible things. Certainly Acier had done terrible things and should face those consequences. That was hardly up for discussion, but that was not the point. Acier had not only broken out of his own detention, but now, with Knight Reingard's assistance, had apparently helped another detained individual escape Jedi custody.

"And yes, Acier told me himself that he wanted to answer for what he had done. To make amends for it." Emotion slipped increasingly into her voice. "You were not there when I spoke to him, Aurelian. You did not see him when he told me. He meant it."

And that was what made this so infuriating.

Both hands rose to the golden headdress pinned within her hair, her fingers working more impatiently than necessary at its fastenings. The delicate piece finally came free with a soft metallic jingle, and Sibylla deposited it upon the nearest table before turning back toward him.

"And before you begin comparing him to Lysander, might I remind you that you spent the better part of this afternoon inserting yourself into Lysander's plea negotiations?"

The look she gave him made it abundantly clear that she knew him well enough to recognize that whatever he had done in that conference room went considerably beyond anything Aurelian would typically bother involving himself in. And as such, one delicate brow lifted pointedly.

"So perhaps we might temporarily ration the hypocrisy." It was then that her eyes fell toward the whiskey in his hand. And without further ado, she took the three steps to draw closer, bending to pluck the glass from his hand to take her own deep drink of it.

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Tags: Sibylla Abrantes

Aurelian sank deeper into the couch, listening to her lecture. The night was veering sharply away from the peaceful evening he had envisioned, and exhaustion weighed heavy on his eyelids. Tracking her movements with a steady gaze, a low grunt escaped his chest as she reached down and swiped the glass directly from his hand.

An amused laugh cut through the quiet room at her mention of hypocrisy. "Need I remind you that I have told both you and Corazona that those mystics are bad news?" he asked, tilting his head up toward her. "Quite a number of times, if I recall."

When she took her own drink, Aurelian leaned forward to reclaim his whiskey, only for her to pull the glass just out of reach. Huffing, he threw his shoulders back against the cushions with exaggerated drama and rolled his eyes at the ceiling.

"I keep sticking my neck out for both of you with these tragic charity cases, and they keep proving my point over and over again," he muttered, resting an arm over his forehead. Sitting up slightly, he pinned her with a calculating gaze. "In the interest of suspending the hypocrisy, would you like me to bring him in myself? That way he can actually face his judgment, instead of just telling you whatever sweet words you want to hear."

​

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

Aurelian Veruna

Sibylla took another drink, swallowing the smooth whiskey as its warmth settled pleasantly into her chest. At least some measure of the tension wound through her shoulders was finally beginning to loosen. Then Aurelian reminded her, once again, that he had warned both her and Cora about Force Users and precisely what they were capable of.

Oh Shiraya, Sibylla thought as she rolled her eyes, quipping back:

"Need I remind you that Cora and Adelle are both capable of using the Force, and you count them among your friends?" She stepped away from him, glass still in hand. "It is not all black and white, Aurelian. You know this."

There were considerably more shades of grey between Jedi and Sith than Aurelian liked to acknowledge. Yet even Sibylla could not ignore that those shades seemed to be narrowing with every passing month. War crept ever closer to Republic borders, while the Holonet brought fresh images of destruction wrought by the Sith with alarming regularity. Eventually, something was going to break.

Perhaps, had Sibylla known what awaited her on Thyferra, she might have regarded this conversation very differently.

"I am not asking you to stick your neck out for anyone, Aurelian!" she cried, whirling back toward him with an exasperated sweep of her arm, and unfortunately, the whiskey very nearly went with it.

Aurelian's eyes widened, and whatever argument he had been preparing was immediately abandoned in favor of rescuing the endangered glass. He surged upright and caught it before Sibylla could commit the unforgivable crime of spilling perfectly good whiskey across his floor. Then with absolutely no shame whatsoever, he took a swig himself.

Of all the --- wait, bring him in himself?

Whatever indignation she intended to unleash was promptly derailed by what he said. Slowly, Sibylla's exasperation transformed into one of utter bewilderment.

"You will bring him in yourself?" Her eyes narrowed as she looked up at him with half exasperated, frustrated amusement. "As though you could simply call him up and ask where he is?"

Sibylla tilted her head, another hand sweeping in emphasis as she gestured. But it was his expression that suddenly had Sibylla studying him with growing suspicion.

"...Aurelian?"

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Tags: Sibylla Abrantes

She was partially right. Nothing was entirely black and white, but when it came to those two, the distinction was blindingly clear. They never failed to let people down. Adelle and Cora knew how to wield the Force without losing control, or at least they had so far. Acier and Lysander were far younger, far more foolish, and had already lost themselves to selfish whims.

Setting his weight back against the sofa, Aurelian kept the glass tucked securely in his grip, resting an arm along the cushions. A quick glance caught her eyeing the whiskey, but he had no intention of surrendering it a second time. Yet as her expression shifted and she caught the slip in his phrasing, he tipped the glass back, downing the remaining liquid in one long burn to buy himself a few precious seconds.

The weariness of the day had finally caught up with him, making his sharp tongue slip. Honesty was the only route left, even if it meant stepping into a trap of his own making.

"I may have an idea of where he is," Aurelian admitted quietly, setting the empty glass onto the end table.

Her face immediately scrunched into a look of pure, unadulterated fury. He met her gaze. "You never asked, Sibylla. I was honestly hoping you were over that fool by now."

​

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

Aurelian Veruna

Sibylla watched him finish the whiskey. All of it. Gulped it down as the line along his jaw twitched and his amber eyes glinted at the tumultuous thoughts that percolated within their depths.

That alone made something twist unpleasantly in her stomach. She knew Aurelian too well by now. Far too intimately than anyone else. Than Tona, perhaps. It was there in the hesitation, in the quiet, carefully chosen words, the way he was drinking to buy himself time.

"You may have an idea where he is?" Sibylla echoed flatly. Then her eyes narrowed. By this point Sibylla firmly planted one hand upon her hip, weight cocking sharply to one side in the unmistakable posture of a woman who knew she was being fed bantha shit... but before Sibylla could press him further, Aurelian's temper snapped.

"You may?!" She echoed in disbelief, a flush immediately tinting her cheeks pink with growing frustration as fury carved over the bronze chilsed features of his face, his amber eyes gliting like burning embers as he declared that she should have been over Acier by now. But Sibylla wasn't afraid. Even as he was right now, he'd never hurt her. But they were certainly now in the thick of it.

"He is my friend, Aurelian! I cannot simply get over him! I care about him and his well-being, even when he is being a damnable idiot about his choices. That does not mean I simply stop caring!"

Shiraya knew Aurelian himself had tested that principle often enough. She had not stopped caring about him when his temper had nearly gotten Cassian killed. She had forgiven him and he had sworn he would do better. Be better.

How could he not see the similarities here?

Ugh, for blasts sake... Sibylla turned away with an aggravated huff and managed precisely half a step.... only to stop.

You never asked.

Wait, something about his words finally caught up with her anger, and then, ever so slowly, she turned back. Her anger gave way to apprehension as hazel eyes searched every familiar nuance of his beloved chiseled expression.

"Aurelian." This time, she spoke his name in a considerably quieter tone.

"No. Explain yourself." Sibylla took a step toward him, apprehension beginning to coil beneath her ribs.

"What do you mean...I never asked?"

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Tags: Sibylla Abrantes

Remaining seated, Aurelian forced his posture to stay loose and unbothered, ignoring the urge to stand up and reassert control over the room. He knew that stance with her hands on her hips all too well. It was the classic Abrantes posture, and it usually meant he was backed into a corner. Keeping her in the dark had felt like the right call, a necessary shield to stop her from chasing after a self-destructive outlaw.

A quiet turn of his head sent his gaze floating toward the balcony, briefly searching for an easy exit from the impending explosion. Explain himself? As far as he was concerned, his actions spoke for themselves. Everything he did was meant to protect her, even if he never bothered asking for her permission.

"I know where he is," Aurelian said, turning back to meet her eyes, his arms crossing firmly over his chest in a defensive posture. "I have been in contact with his little renegade group, and I chose not to tell you."

The truth hung heavily in the air between them. He held her gaze, refusing to apologize for playing his hand close to his chest to keep her safe.

"You would have thrown yourself right into the fire to save a friend who is already far beyond saving," he added, his voice steady despite the rising heat in the room. "I was not about to let you burn alongside him."

​

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

Aurelian Veruna

For several seconds, Sibylla said nothing.

She simply stared at him with growing shock and incredulity.

I know where he is. I chose not to tell you.

Those words sank in one after another until the full meaning finally struck.

"You knew." The quiver in her voice from the shock made the words scarcely more than a breath. Then her expression changed, hardened, twisted into a scowl of utter disbelief. He knew? And just like that, the anger came swiftly.

"You knew where he was, you were in contact with him, and you deliberately kept that from me?!" He'd known why this was important. He had seen her worried all those months about Acier while he was buried within the Covenant. All the conversations about what his actions could mean for Naboo, the Republic, Mandalore. Acier was not merely her friend. He was Aether's brother. A Mandalorian citizen. She had been the Republic's Ambassador to Mandalore... and Aurelian had known.

Sibylla took a step toward him before something else caught up with her.

"And you knew about that renegade group already?" For Shiraya's sake, was that another blasted piece of information he apparently possessed while she had been stumbling about in the dark?

"How long have you known about that?" She exclaimed as her voice rose before she caught herself, drawing a sharp breath that did absolutely nothing to calm her. She was furious. Infuriated. Because the fact that he had hidden this from her hurt considerably more than the secret itself.

"You promised me we would communicate, Aurelian. That if something important affected us, you would tell me. "

How many times did they have to go over this?! She began to pace and took a few steps, only to spin and turn back towards him sitting on the couch, her hand gesturing wildly as she continued, Aurelian's jaw clenching further as each word struck their mark in a way only Sibylla could, the mounting tension of their fight spreading as they both desperately needed another drink.

"You knew how worried I was about him. You knew everything his situation meant beyond merely my friendship with him, and you decided I simply did not need to know?"

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Tags: Sibylla Abrantes

Aurelian remained perfectly still on the cushions, barely daring to breathe. Silence seemed like his only defense against a full-blown war, though deep down he knew he was in the wrong. Still, enduring her temporary fury was a small price to pay for keeping her alive and out of the crosshairs of a rogue Sith. Acier's chaotic crusade was a death trap, and Aurelian intended to keep her far away from it.

Tracking her movements as she finally abandoned her pacing and dropped onto the sofa beside him, he turned his head slowly to meet her gaze.

"You would have gone right to him," Aurelian said, his voice flat with certainty. "No matter what information I gave you, you would have run straight to him. I know it, and you know it. It was better that you didn't know. I cannot protect you out there, Sibylla."

Rising from the couch, he walked back to the bar to pour two heavy glasses of whiskey, leaving her sitting with her flushed face buried in her hands. Returning to the living room, he lowered himself back down beside her and extended a glass. She snatched it from his grip and downed the contents in one aggressive gulp, her jaw tight with indignation.

Knowing better than to push his luck, Aurelian handed over his own full glass and traded it for her empty one.

"Put yourself in my position," he offered quietly, fully aware it was a risky angle, but needing her to see the logic behind his silence. "I had it under control. I know exactly where they are and what they are doing. He is safe, for now."

​

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

Aurelian Veruna

By the GODS, just hearing him, with his audacity, with the assurance that he knew what was right for her, was enough to get her blood boiling again.

His constant need to control everything was rearing its head again.

The severe glare that was shot his way was full blown daggers at this point, and she shot to her feet just to get some space from him before the temptation to toss the damn whiskey at his face grew too overpowering.

"Put myself in your position, Aurelian?!" She whipped out as she turned towards him," Oh how many times do I do that already? How many times do I consider your thoughts, your concerns, your worries... oh the only difference is that I talk to you about it!"

She spun on her heel, the thick lengths of her skirts swirling about her legs as she paced her way towards the fireplace, her hand gripping the lowball glass so tightly she swore she was going to crack the very glass itself.

Breathe. Just breathe... just...

Yet she couldn't help but shake her head as she swirled back to face him.

"You just do not get it, do you? You decided he was beyond saving. You decided I would throw myself into the fire. You decided I should be 'over him.' You decided you needed to control every bloody piece of a supposed game of chess you are the only one playing, trying to control everything!"

Sibylla stared at him incredulously, hazel eyes flashing with flecks of molten gold. Tousled waves of dark hair framed her face where the discarded headdress had left them free, the warm light catching against her features until even her anger possessed an almost beatific splendor as she gestured towards him in emphasis.

"Apparently you have been judge, jury, and executioner of the entire matter without ever once considering that whether I remained his friend or whatever I chose to do was my choice to make!" She cried out, bringing her hand to tap pointedly against her chest.

"Mine, Aurelian. Not yours."

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Tags: Sibylla Abrantes

Exhaustion and irritation flared through Aurelian's chest as her voice echoed off the high ceiling. He had been yelled at and talked down to enough for one day, and his dwindling patience finally snapped. Hunched forward on the couch, he buried his face in his hands, teeth grinding as the sting of her words sank in.

What else was he supposed to do? Sit back and do nothing when he had the power to protect her? The memory of Corellia flashed unbidden in his mind, the sickening helplessness of being unable to reach her, forced to rely on strangers to keep her alive. It had taken months to pull her back from that trauma and rebuild her confidence. The thought of watching her tumble back into danger for the sake of a rogue Sith made his blood run cold.

The Abrantes stubbornness was an absolute nightmare to contend with. Once they decided they were in the right, nothing in the galaxy could alter their course.

"He is a Sith, Sibylla!" Aurelian snapped, surging to his feet to face her head-on, all quiet restraint vanishing. "He is not your friend, your little Ace, anymore! He does not have your best interest at heart! I do!"

​

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

Aurelian Veruna


For a moment, Sibylla simply stared at Aurelian.

At the way he had surged to his feet so abruptly, and every bit of composure stripped away. At how his shoulders were rigid beneath his tunic, chest rising and falling harder than it should have been. The way his jaw was clenched so tight that it sharpened every angle of his bronzed face, his hands curling at his sides as if bracing himself against whatever nightmare he had concocted would befall her because Ace had indeed succumbed to the Dark Side of the Force in his rogue state to make the galaxy right.

And it was then that Sibylla felt her anger falter.

Because she knew those hands. Knew each of those restless fingers that tapped when his mind was moving too quickly, knew the careless confidence with which they normally reached for a whiskey glass, for the comforting warmth of her hand when he wrapped them around hers.

Yet there was none of that now. Instead, there was only Aurelian standing across from her, looking furious and exhausted and terribly afraid.

"Aurelian..." This time, his name fell more quietly as she called out to him. And while those amber eyes of his were still hard, she still caught the tension around them. The way his gaze remained fixed upon her with an intensity that felt less like anger now and more like he needed to keep her there, standing safely in front of him where he could see her.

Ever so slowly, Sibylla's fingers slowly loosened around her own glass and she took a deep breath.

"I know." The words were quiet compared to how she had shouted before. "I know you have my best interests at heart." she continued, throat tightening as she watched him, noticing all the tension still holding every inch of him taut.

"You love me. You want to protect me. I know that, Aurelian." Her throat tightened. "But you keep using that love to justify deciding what I am permitted to know, what risks I am permitted to take, or who I am permitted to care about."

She shook her head, hazel eyes glistening despite the stubborn set of her jaw.

"And you cannot see what that does to me." The utter weariness touched her tone as a breath trembled from her.

"I am not asking you to trust Ace." Her gaze held his, her hand bringing the amber whiskey glass up to her lips as she chose then to down the rest of it. The burn of the liquor seemed to do little to soothe the ache in her heart.

"I am asking you to trust me."

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Tags: Sibylla Abrantes

Regret struck him instantly as the echo of his raised voice faded into the quiet room. Aurelian hated that fiery, unpredictable temper in himself, recognizing the ugly trace of his father that he fought so desperately to suppress. The days when fatigue wore his defenses thin were always the hardest, allowing that dark inheritance to break through. Seeing the shift in her stance and the sudden softness in her eyes completely dismantled him, leaving a hollow ache in his chest.

Where had the line blurred between keeping her safe and robbing her of her agency? Trusting Sibylla was second nature to him, yet trusting her judgment regarding a volatile Sith felt like an impossible gamble. Her compassionate heart was her greatest strength, but when it came to Acier, emotion consistently blinded her to cold logic. Sitting back down heavily on the couch, he rested his head against the high cushions, closing his eyes to rein in his frayed nerves.

In truth, he was hypocritically doing the exact same thing, letting his possessive terror drive his actions instead of reason. They were far too similar in that regard, two stubborn souls clashing over people they refused to lose. Holding onto this secret was only destroying the trust they had built, and he could not afford to lose her.

"He is on D'Qar," Aurelian admitted quietly, breaking the silence as his gaze drifted back to her.

Taking a slow breath, he laid his cards on the table. "I had nothing to do with his escape from custody, but I did send their little group to break that other Sith out of the detention center. She possesses a way through the Black Wall, and the Jedi would have let that strategic opportunity rot in a cell."

​

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

Theed Palace
Interacting with: Aurelian Veruna
Items: x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x


D'Qar.

So he had known. Aurelian already had that information in hand, and through all her worrying, all the questions and frustration over Acier, he had watched her struggle with it and simply... said nothing.

At least he had not been responsible for Acier's original escape. It was a small token of relief at least until the rest registered. That he had been the one to send their group to break that other Sith out of the detention center.

It was at that moment that Sibylla's gaze fell from him. Her free hand rose slowly to her forehead, fingers trembling faintly as she rubbed against the ache building behind her eyes. The anger seemed to drain from her all at once, leaving an emotion with considerably more weight behind it -- disappointment.

"...You sent them to break out the Sith." The words were so softly spoken, and it was honestly barely a question. Those hazel eyes rose to meet his again but there were no daggers in them now. Only exhaustion and a quiet hurt that somehow seemed worse.

There were so many questions on top of questions. But thinking hurt. No, it wasn't just thinking. It was the deception of it all.

Another slow deep breath and then Sibylla swallowed hard. Shiraya, she was tired.

"Do you mean you had something to do with the incident Corde told me about earlier? Is that what all of this is about?"

Gods she just wanted the whole truth of it. No more piece meal information.

"Just tell me everything."

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Tags: Sibylla Abrantes

Unspoken words hung heavily between them, and Aurelian searched for the right way to frame the brutal reality without stoking the flames. Nothing he said was going to soften the sting of her disappointment, yet he refused to apologize for playing the long game and for protecting her. Strategically, every piece he moved was designed to keep Naboo standing and keep Sibylla alive.

"I have just as much information as you do about the actual prison incident," Aurelian admitted, his tone subdued as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Some time ago, I met with a person of interest. Someone capable of causing serious disruption among our enemies. I made a deal with her to track Imperial movements and dismantle Black Sun operations in exchange for citizenship."

The absolute drain in her expression cut deeper than any of her shouting had. Guilt twisted in his chest, seeing the profound hurt replacing her fiery anger, but he forced himself to keep going.

"Then the Jedi dragged her into custody," he continued, holding her tired gaze. "They would have let her rot in that facility. I visited her cell, and while she pleaded for a way out, she dropped the one piece of intelligence we have been hunting for months. She is a Sith servant to a higher Lord, and she holds the key to bypassing the Black Wall."

A deliberate silence settled over the room before he made his final confession.

"I contacted Acier and his little renegade crew. I told them if they wanted their location to remain a secret from the Senate, they were going to break her out and extract those coordinates for our war effort." Aurelian offered a faint, fleeting smirk, trying to inject a desperate sliver of levity into the suffocating atmosphere. "The only real losers here are the Jedi, who are too blinded by their precious dogmas to use the assets sitting right in front of them."

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