King of Naboo
Location: Theed Concert Hall
Tags:
Lysander von Ascania
Aurelian swirled the amber liquid in his glass, the condensation cooling his palm while the heat of the crowded suite pressed against his back. The air was thick with the scent of roasted game and the syrupy perfumes of the Naboo elite. He ignored the mindless chatter of the delegates behind him. To them, this was an evening of culture; to Aurelian, it was a tedious exercise in staying awake. He leaned his chin on his hand, eyes scanning the sea of faces in the hall below like a predator watching a watering hole.
A flash of pale gold caught his eye. It was a specific, stubborn shade of blonde that belonged to the von Ascania line. Aurelian straightened, his smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. Lysander. The name felt like a coin flipping in his mind. Rumor said the man had crawled back from the Trinity with Chancellor Vexx, yet here he was, drifting through the crowd like a ghost. For a moment, he looked solitary, but a shadowed figure lingered just a step behind him. An escort, or perhaps a leash.
"How dull to be kept on such a short string," Aurelian murmured to the glass.
Aurelian simply raised two fingers, a sharp, silent command that cut through the social noise. The Kingsguard materialized at his shoulder, a silent extension of his own will. Aurelian's gaze never left the blonde head in the distance.
"Him," Aurelian said, his voice low. "Bring him here. Invite him to share the royal view. Ensure his shadow stays exactly where they are. I want him alone."
He watched from his high perch as the black-cloaked guards descended into the crowd. They moved with a terrifying politeness, intercepting the Sith delegate and his companion. There was a brief, tense exchange, the kind that made the air around them go cold. Then, the escort was peeled away, left standing amongst the common guests while Lysander was led toward the private lift.
