Private The Wild Youth

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

Acier Moonbound

Truthfully, seeing Ace like this brought about the beginnings of a smile that tugged at the corner of Sibylla's lips before she gave a small shake of her head, a bittersweet chuckle escaping her.

"No, you do not have to tell me everything." She answered him, leaning back lightly on her heels as she relented to his obvious flutter of embarrassment. And while it was an adorable sentiment, even Sibylla could tell the difference in how he spoke of this young woman compared to how he had looked at Sibylla before when he said he had his crush.

Which meant this was real.

"Only what you are comfortable telling me." she clarified, giving a slight encouraging gesture with her hand. A few more seconds passed before she asked in a curious query.

"So what is her name?" There it was. Sibylla could practically feel his inevitable look before it even arrived, but curiosity had already taken hold. A von Ascania narrowed matters only marginally. The last Sibylla recalled, there were seven siblings.

"And before you accuse me of interrogating you, that is a perfectly reasonable question." Her brow pinched thoughtfully, wondering if the woman who had stirred Ace's heart was also Force Sensitive.

And what she thought of all of this if they had kept communicating even while he was embedded within the Covenant.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Republic Space - [REDACTED]

Equipment:
Inmate Jumpsuit | Cybernetic Arm

Acier had made a huge mistake. He realized that now. He knew Sibylla well enough to know that underneath the politics, diplomacy, and increasingly exhausting amount of responsibility she'd accumulated over the years, she was a romantic at heart. Telling her that he'd apparently fallen for someone while they'd been apart was probably like spice to her.

"Only what you are comfortable telling me."

Yeah, that sounded like a trap. And, exactly as Sibylla had apparently anticipated, Ace immediately gave her a look when she asked for a name. His eyes narrowed slightly, mouth flattening as though silently reminding her that she'd just said he didn't have to tell her everything. Then she defended herself before he could even say it.

Ace stared at her for another second, and his expression softened.

"Her name's Fatine."

The name left him more quietly than everything else had. There was a longing there he couldn't quite hide. Saying her name aloud brought with it a dozen memories at once, most of them better than the ones he'd been allowing himself to dwell on lately.

A small smile gradually returned. "She's an actress." His gaze wandered away from Sibylla as he pictured her. "Louder than life. Funny. Silly. And she..."

Ace paused. There were probably a hundred ways he could've described Fatine. Dramatic would've been one. Stubborn, definitely. Occasionally infuriating. Beautiful, though he wasn't about to volunteer that with Sibylla already looking far too interested in this conversation. But none of those felt quite right.

"...she's just unapologetically her." His smile lingered. "You'd like her."

He didn't need to say the three words, Sibylla would be able to see how much Ace adored her.

For a few seconds, Ace simply sat there with that thought. Sibylla and Fatine in the same room. Actually... maybe that was a terrifying prospect.

The silence stretched briefly before Ace's attention returned fully to the woman standing beyond the barrier. His brow furrowed as another thought occurred to him. He hadn't exactly been the only one with developments in his personal life.

An almost disgusted laugh escaped through his nose. "You still with that nerfherder?"

Sibylla Abrantes​

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

Acier Moonbound

Fatine.

Sibylla quietly committed the name to memory as Ace continued, and the fondness with which he described her brought another small smile to her face. Hearing that she was louder than life, funny, silly and inevitably unapologetically her.

"I think I would like her," Sibylla mused aloud with an upward quirk of her lips in humor as she thought of just what sort of woman this could be. When she thought of the von Ascanias, her mind went to Cora, to Lysander, to little Lucy. So many different facets to that family that had gone through so much.

However more importantly, it made Sibylla consider why Ace had fallen in love with such a woman. For someone who had gone through so much throughout his childhood, who hadn't been able to really enjoy a measure of fun, silly, lighthearted joy, that sort of personality would be a draw to him.

Of course, she should have expected that, just as she was curious about Fatine, Ace would be regarding Aurelian Veruna -- the nerfherder. Sibylla's brows rose because there was absolutely no question who he meant.

"He is not..." she began automatically, only to stop herself. Actually, no. She was not going to defend him from nerfherder. The man had earned that particular title on several occasions, Sibylla mused as her lips gave a slight twitch. Besides, Ace had already discovered her recovering at the Rainspire under Aurelian's care.

"I am." The admission was quiet, but honest. It was strange hearing herself say it aloud. Outside of her immediate family, Sibylla had never actually admitted what existed between herself and Aurelian. There had been no formal courtship, no betrothal, nothing neatly packaged for Naboo nobility to dissect over dinner -- but there was an us now.

What that meant publicly was considerably more complicated when that us consisted of the King and Voice of Naboo, both holding positions whose decisions affected far more than themselves.

"We are together." She admitted as she gave a slight incline of his head, adding dryly. "I will have to use that term next time he acts up. I am sure he will take offense at it." Or state that he is by far better dressed, smells better, and his skin is far too well moisturized to be a Nerfherder at all.

A pause and then a thought came to her.

"Have you spoken with Aether?" Because she was going to have to address the matter with the man not just as a friend, but as Mand'alor in her position as Ambassador for the Mandalorian Empire. Acier was his brother. There was no avoiding that.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Republic Space - [REDACTED]

Equipment:
Inmate Jumpsuit | Cybernetic Arm

Ace's mouth curled into an almost mischievous smile when Sibylla started to defend Aurelian, only to stop herself. That said quite a lot, actually.

If even Sibylla wasn't willing to immediately object to nerfherder, then Veruna had definitely earned it at least a few times. More than that, though, there was something strangely nice about seeing her relaxed enough that she didn't feel the need to launch into some dignified defense of the King of Naboo. She could love the man and apparently still acknowledge that he could be an unbelievable tool.

When she finally confirmed it, the teasing gave way to something warmer. Truthfully, Ace still didn't understand what she saw in Aurelian. Probably never would. But the way Sibylla said it made him realize just as quickly that he didn't need to. Whatever existed between them belonged to the two of them. There were probably things about Aurelian that Sibylla knew which Ace never would.

And she seemed happy. That was enough.

When she threatened to use his insult against Aurelian in the future, Ace leaned back and folded his hands comfortably behind his head, looking almost insufferably pleased with himself.

"Record it."

He would've paid good credits to see the man's face.

For a little while, this had actually started feeling almost normal. Then Sibylla mentioned Aether. Ace's arms lowered from behind his head and he sat upright again, turning more fully toward her.

"No." He shook his head once. "I haven't spoken to him."

His gaze dropped, eyes shifting subtly as he considered the question. He hadn't seen Aether since before all of this.

"Our father came to see me, though." He thought back to the visit. "He respected my decision for turning myself in. Eventually."

That had surprised Ace more than he'd expected. There had initially been a grand attempt to pull him free or convince him that being a Verd placed him above whatever consequences were coming. But then his father had simply understood that this was something Ace believed he needed to do.

"Then my nephew came. Isley." There was still something faintly strange about saying that. His family tree had become increasingly ridiculous the more of it he'd actually met. "I think he's a Senator?"

His eyebrows lifted toward Sibylla as if she might somehow be able to explain when exactly that had happened.

"He said he'd keep the family in check and make sure they don't do anything crazy 'cause I'm in here."

Ace paused. Considering the family in question, that might've been the most ambitious promise anyone had made to him since his arrest.

Sibylla Abrantes​

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

Acier Moonbound

Sibylla's brows rose a bit at that news.

So Ace already had family members visit him. Senator Isley was known to Sibylla during her time as a Junior Representative. Sibylla gave a small nod of recognition, although the notion of anyone promising to keep the Moonbound family from doing anything crazy earned the faintest twitch at the corner of her mouth.

"That is an ambitious undertaking." However it was the news that his father had come that gave her a double take. She knew the relationship between Ace and his father, which immediately made her ask.

"Are you okay? With the visit from your father?" and just as much, Sibylla's thoughts returned to Aether.

"I am worried about your brother, Ace." She added quietly. There was no accusation in it, only concern, thinking of everything that the Mandalorian Leader had to face and decide over the past several years within her Ambassadorship. Her duties as Voice had significantly limited her ability to travel to Mandalorian Empire territory, but the partnership with Adelle had greatly eased those constraints.

"He should hear what has happened from someone he trusts before this reaches him through official channels." She turned to him, her brow pinching slightly. "And unfortunately, there will be official channels."

That was the complication Sibylla could not simply wish away. Acier was Aether's brother, but he was also a Mandalorian citizen. Sibylla could not keep what had happened from Adelle as Mandalore's Ambassador, nor could she allow Aether to discover it buried within some sterile diplomatic report.

"What would you like me to do about Aether?" she asked gently. "Would you like me to bring him here? Call him? I can speak with him first, if that would make this easier."

She gave a pause and then added.

"I will have to inform Ambassador Iron Lord Adelle Bastiel of what has happened, and Aether as well." Sibylla's expression softened as she tried to ease the news. "But how they learn about it does not have to be entirely beyond your control."

Sibylla studied him for a moment.

"So tell me, Ace," she began, before adding, "Is there anything you would like me to do?"

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Republic Space - [REDACTED]

Equipment:
Inmate Jumpsuit | Cybernetic Arm

Ace chuckled once. Keeping the Verds from doing anything crazy was definitely an ambitious undertaking. Still, from the five seconds Ace had actually known Senator Isley, he seemed reasonably equipped for the job. Or at least confident enough to volunteer for it.

Then Sibylla asked about the other Isley, his father, and the amusement faded.

"Yeah. We, uh, we talked a while back." Ace shifted slightly. "We're... civil now, I guess? But I wouldn't go around calling us best friends or anything."

That was probably the simplest way of putting it. They'd cleared the bad blood between them on Ilum months ago. Enough that Ace no longer carried the same anger toward his father that he'd once held onto. But resolving nineteen years of resentment didn't magically create a relationship where there hadn't been one before.

Especially after a first meeting that had been... less than stellar. A duel wasn't exactly the strongest foundation for father-son bonding.

Ace shook his head slightly, pushing the thought aside just in time to hear Sibylla admit her concern for Aether. Something in him softened. Aether was Mand'alor. Burden practically came written into the job description. Ace understood that much. But the last time they'd seen each other on Bonadan, he'd started noticing what that burden was actually doing to his brother.

"He's got a lot going on. More than usual, last I heard..." He said quietly.

Ace listened as Sibylla continued. Official channels. Adelle. Aether finding out one way or another. None of that particularly surprised him. He'd surrendered himself to the Republic after serving openly as a Sith Knight. There was never going to be a version of this where nobody noticed.

He leaned forward, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah. I wasn't expecting this to stay quiet forever." His hand dropped as he looked back toward her. "It's better he hears it from a friend."

That much he was certain of. Better Sibylla than some sterile report crossing Aether's desk with Acier Moonbound reduced to names, charges, dates and whatever else the Republic decided belonged in the file.

"And if he wants to visit..." Ace nodded once. "That's his right."

He wasn't going to ask Sibylla to keep Aether away. What his brother did with the news was his decision.

Then he noticed her studying him afterward but said nothing. He simply waited until she finally asked whether there was anything he wanted her to do.

A faint half-smirk tugged at his mouth. "Yeah. Don't drown yourself, alright?"

The humor remained, but his voice softened beneath it.

"I know you've got a lot on your plate, but..." Ace gave a small shrug. "Take it easy."

Typical Sibylla. She'd come all this way to check whether he was okay, argue with him about whether he deserved to keep living, offer to handle his family, and somehow find several more responsibilities to carry out of the room with her.

Someone had to remind her that she was allowed to stop occasionally, too.

Sibylla Abrantes​