Private There's a Pun Here Somewhere

[Corazona von Ascania]

After a cup of tea and a bout of meditation, Cora was feeling more like herself. Time helped, too. As did the debrief with Master Noble. The Padawan couldn't untangle everything in the space of a few hours, but at least the she was less frazzled.

"Huh?"

Cora paused before taking a fresh sip of her second tea, staring dumbly at Valery with an open mouth. Did The Sword of the Jedi just offer to take her on as a Padawan?

"I…" Her throat was suddenly parched. Master Noble's other words began to fill in, complements meant to uplift her after a struggling performance. She thinks that I have that sort of potential?

"Yes! Yes, of course!" Cora blurted out with the most exuberant serious face she'd ever worn. Both hands gripped the mug of tea tightly, and a bit of amber liquid splashed onto her sleeve when she'd lurched forward suddenly.

Frozen in place for a few moments while her head tried to wrap around Valery's offer, Cora struggle to contain her apprehension and joy. As pleased as she was that the Jedi Master had seen something in her and thought her worthy of guidance, she immediately wondered if she'd be able to live up to expectations. "Ah," She'd been standing on her tiptoes, and now Cora shifted back down.

"Excuse me." Clearing her throat, Cora continued with a much more refined manner. "It would truly be an honor to be your Padawan Learner, Master Noble. I will do my utmost to meet your expectations." Ever courtly, she bowed with a deep bend at the waist.

Still, Cora couldn't allow herself to smother the tingles of joy that danced in her chest and stomach. She genuinely liked Valery, and was estatic at the thought of being able to spend more time with her and learn from one of the galaxy's foremost Jedi.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

NJO Temple

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Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Corazona von Ascania

"Yes! Yes, of course!"

The rush of excitement and the way Cora lunged forward a little almost startled Valery, but she quickly began to chuckle more loudly than before. Cora seemed a little embarrassed about it, but Valery hoped to show with a warm smile that there was no need to be ashamed, "It's alright to be excited. I was too when my Master asked me to become his Padawan," she said, her smile now somehow brightening as fond memories flashed through her mind.

"And I'm sure you'll do just fine. Be yourself, work hard and ask for help when you need it. Then everything is going to be alright," Valery tried to assure her, but she knew how difficult it could be. She had been quite a stubborn Padawan and after she began to distinguish herself, she got a little arrogant and overconfident too.

Until she was punished for it and forced to carry a scar that still lingered.

"But I'm happy that you accept my offer," Valery continued, as they began making their way up the Temple's large staircase. "We'll get everything sorted out and I'll have a proper Padawan braid made for you too. You don't have to wear it all the time, but it's a small traditional thing I'd like to keep doing, especially with-" She couldn't finish her sentence as a loud, but very familiar voice echoed through the hallway and was followed by little footsteps rapidly approaching.

"Mommy!" Vera called out, as she sprinted over and wrapped herself around her mother's leg with a big, tight hug.

"Hey little star," Valery said with the brightest, most loving smile possible now that she saw her daughter again. "How was your day?" she asked as she lowered herself for a hug.

"We did Lightsaber training!"

"Oh yeah? Did it go well?"

"I kicked his butt!" Valery blinked and chuckled nervously now, as she patted the girl's head.

"Who is that?" Vera then asked, her eyes shifting to Cora.

"That's Cora," Valery began before looking at the young woman with a smirk. "My new Padawan."

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora nodded eagerly, hanging on Valery's every word. The trepidation she'd felt at dealing with the Terentatek and nearly losing herself to a painful memory seemed to fade into the background, replaced by elation. Master Noble was known not only for her prowess as a Jedi, but for producing many capable Jedi Knights under her tutelage.

Father would be pleased to hear that she'd been selected as a student by The Sword of the Jedi as well. Cora could imagine his grunt of approval.

As they ascended the staircase and Valery explained some of the finer details that came with being her student, a child bolted down the hall and latched onto the Jedi Master's leg. Cora blinked in surprise.

Mommy? Is this…

She watched the exchange between mother and daughter passively. Right, she'd known that Master Noble had a child—it was not forbidden for those in the New Jedi Order to marry and have families. Some of the more traditional Jedi may have side-eyed that notion, but to Cora it was the most natural thing in the world.

The interaction between Valery and her daughter seemed so...genuine and loving. Cora couldn't remember her own mother being anything but distant and exhausted much of the time. It made sense given that she'd borne eight children—those siblings were Cora's solace. The eldest of a large brood, Cora loved interacting with children.

"Huh?-" Shaken from her thoughts, Cora met Valery's smirk with wide eyes.

My new Padawan.

Her stomach leaped in excitement, and Cora found herself again. She knelt down to Vera's level, elbow propped up on one knee and gave the girl a charming grin.

"Hello there," Hand to her heart, she bowed her head. "It is as your mother says; my name is Cora. And you must be...a little princess, are you not?" She raised her head with a smile and a wink.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

NJO Temple

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Corazona von Ascania

"Hello, Cora! It's nice to meet you!" She exclaimed with a lot of energy and excitement before she looked up at her mother for approval of her greeting. Valery just dipped her head and smiled to encourage her little girl to talk more with her new Padawan. While she'd never force any of them to interact a lot with her daughter, knowing how tough it could be for some, she wanted them to have at least met her. And judging by the way Cora looked and talked to Vera, she was definitely the type to like and get along with kids.

At the question about being a princess, Vera suddenly shook her head, "Nuh-uh, I'm a Jedi. Like mom!" she said passionately while she tried to show off her fitted Jedi robes. She only lacked a braid, which showed she was only still an Initiate, and not yet a Padawan. "Vera..." Valery said with a chuckle, "You're also my little princess."

"Star..." Vera corrected, mostly because that nickname was first given to her by her father, and both he and her mom had always kept using it.

"That too, sweetie." Valery patted her on the head and turned to Cora, "Vera will have more classes but I'm sure you two will meet again if you'd like. For now, why don't we get all the paperwork sorted out and grab something to eat right after? Make it all official and celebrate a little."

"I'm hungry too..." Vera chimed in because she didn't want to be left out.

Valery blinked and turned to her daughter with a chuckle, "Well, maybe you can eat with us too after class, alright?"

"Okay!"

"What do you say, Cora?"

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora's smile only grew into something more genuine as the interaction between Vera and Valery continued. It was clear that Vera adored her mother, and Valery gave her that adoration in turn. It was an aspect that had been missing from Cora's own relationship with her mother, and while she felt some some longing, watching them also inspired warmth.

"Who says that you can't be a Jedi and a Princess, hmm?"

With a soft chuckle, Cora rose to meet Valery with a nod. Her head was still spinning from the emotional rollercoaster of the day, and she hoped that some quiet desk work and a meal would help settle her.

"I think that sounds like a plan." Cora responded when prompted.

Straightening, Cora pressed her right hand over the left side of her chest and bowed in a courtly manner towards Vera.

"It was an honor to meet you, young Jedi. I hope that we can continue this discussion soon…perhaps over tea?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

NJO Temple

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Corazona von Ascania

She could be a Jedi and a princess? Vera grinned widely at the idea and began happily hopping up and down a little where she stood. The little Noble always had a ton of energy but when she felt happy, there was no stopping it. Valery looked at it with the overwhelming love and adoration of a mother and dipped her head to Cora as a form of gratitude. It was harder these days to find joy sometimes, so anything that helped make her little girl happy was appreciated.

"Alright, we'll get going then and see you soon, Vera," Valery said before she watched Cora step forward to bow to Vera. The young Noble looked at it, blinked, and began to imitate Cora by placing a hand over her chest and bowing as well. It wasn't as elegant and she dipped a little wildly, but it was enough to get Valery to chuckle again.

"Okay!" Vera then said in response to the offer Cora made. "May the.. uh... Force be with you!" She grinned, knowing that was the right thing to say from classes and observing other Jedi.

Valery then crouched down and pressed a quick kiss against Vera's cheek, which got an excited squeal out of her. "See you soon, little star," Valery said and with that, the young Noble sprinted back down the hallway to reach her last class of the day. A soft sigh escaped Valery's lips once she was out of sight, and she turned back to Cora.

"Let's get everything sorted, and then the real training begins. I'm looking forward to it."