Populate Where the Light Gathers | THR Populate of Siskeen

[Colette]

A friend who was shorter than Colette. Past tense. Spoken with ease unlikely for a fresh memory. Old wound. Was the friend dead? Preferred jumpsuits and workwear. Smart, allowed flexibility. Very—

The room got warm for a moment once more. Her cheeks flushed, lips curling into a sheepish smile. Colette could count on a single hand the amount of people who had ever seen her blush. Stoicism, that stubborn adherence to formality in all things Jedi, was only her thing because she knew that was what others expected of her.

So to be met with this rare chance to simply be herself, in good company, at an event she despised for people she couldn’t stand…

“Thank you.” She spoke through a smile. “If you wouldn’t mind leading, I’d appreciate that.”

She tried to carefully get into stance. No, wait, that was fighting. Colette got herself into position. Into stance.

… She made herself ready to be led by wrapping one arm around Adelle’s back and grabbed a free hand with the other.

“Ready when you are.” She stated and gave a careful nod, and as the dance began she felt her feet start to slowly but surely follow along with the directions she was being provided with. It wasn’t perfect by any means but there was no denying that Colette put her heart into it and at the very least tried to be more than a cinder block on wheels.

Most of it was in the rhythm, and Colette knew enough about that from her time with the guitar. 1-2-3-and left and then 1-2-3-and right. Sometimes less counts, sometimes more, but it didn’t matter once you found the swing and rhythm.

 

[Adelle Bastiel]

Objective II - The Grand Ballroom
Tags: Colette

The faint blush that crept up Colette’s cheeks was satisfying but even better was that it didn’t seem to raise up that initial shield she had. Restrained mischief played around her smile, but Adelle didn’t press. She did laugh when Colette tried to adopt the appropriate dancing position and instead did the opposite one.

“Not quite,” Adelle said gently, moving the hand in her hand to rest on her shoulder and taking the hand on her back in her left hand. “When you lead, you support your partner like that.”

She had to step in a little closer, not quite having the reach Colette did, to place her hand on the Knight’s spine, just below the shoulders.

“When you follow, you listen to what my hands and arms tell you.” Adelle applied pressure to Colette’s back and pulled gently on her hand right before stepping back into the first part of a Coruscanti waltz.

Colette began counting and Adelle laughed softly. “If it makes you feel better, I have it on good authority that the King of Naboo also has to count his steps.”

She paused, letting the moment settle for a moment. “You are also a Jedi. Feel where I’m leading you, but try not to anticipate. Breathe. Relax. Listen to my hands. And enjoy the dance.”

 

[Colette]

Adelle Bastiel

"Oh." Colette interjected and followed along with the pointers provided. For a moment it felt just like a spar or a lesson of sorts. Probably because it was to some extent, but the way that Adelle spoke still felt like it carried that same kind of air that a lesson did. There was something in her tone. Kind, guiding, but firm.

Feel the dance, sort of. Trust that Adelle would lead as she had promised. It took a bit of effort on Colette's end. Although the counting stop, it was clear that there were still times when she began to lose track — or perhaps it was more accurate to say she began to keep track — of herself and the flow was lost for a moment before she fell back into it again.

And there it was. That small spark of joy of learning something new. Each step was like another shot of trust built between the two. Thoughts that would have demanded a front seat were pushed into the back, and with it her nerves simmered into a mute hiss.

"Like listening to the whisper in the trees." Colette whispered between them. "Following your gut, finding the hidden beauty of a dark forest."

The knight had let her guard down completely. Whichever way she was directed would be the way she would move. If Adelle saw fit to throw her off of a cliff, now would have been the time to do so.

"I think I am getting a feeling for this."

 

[Aileni Ifor Xeraic]

Objective: BYOO - Teen Chaos!
Outfit: Suit
Tag: Pari Sylune

Aileni shrugged his shoulders, "I dunno, they all seem a little weird and too put up. Like they have a mask on. You don't, I like that far more." He scratched the back of his head, he knew that it was common for adults to wear different faces, or have a facade to ensure that they did not cause offence or create a scene. But the earnestness from Pari felt all too refreshing and reminded him of how the Dathomiri rarely beat around the bush. Delivering their truths as bluntly as possible.

The young teenager was struggling to figure out the line of flirting, complimenting someone or just trying to be friendly and nice. There was a balance to it all and most of all, Aileni was still trying to figure out what he was interesting in, and who he was interested in. It was all things too confusing and he was far more keen on making sure Pari was comfortable and was keen on being his friend if nothing else.

Following Pari's lead through the crowd, they arrived at the food section and saw different tables of many styles of food. Aileni's eyes and nose examined everything around them. He was a halfway decent cook and baker. Having discerned some skills over the years. It helped with the very large appetite he had. Growing as a Zorren and having one for a mother, calories and types of food were rare issues.

"Well, if you are looking for what should be good, I would recommend these. I think they are a little safer but unlikely to be overdone or overstimulating in sweetness or flavour profile. These savoury dishes should be fun as well." Aileni pointed out several items, then gave a sheepish grin, "I...erm...I am part of a race that needs to consume a lot of calories a day otherwise we can't function. High metabolism I believe... Anyways, means I have tried a lot of food and made plenty more."

Hoping that Pari wouldn't think he was a weird, food greedy guy.

 

[Adelle Bastiel]

Objective II - The Grand Ballroom
Tags: Colette

Adelle could feel when Colette relaxed into the dance, when she stopped worrying about 'how to' and began to feel it. During their next step, Adelle pulled Colette into a half-turn, the waltz now blending in seamlessly with the other dancers as they danced in circles. She might have coached Colette through a spin but the height difference would have made that incredibly challenging. And while she lacked Yvarro's skill at incorporating mistakes into the steps—damn the woman—she was deft enough to avoid when Colette would have stepped on her toes.

Precognition also helped.

Colette whispered softly, the comparison honest and unguarded. Vulnerable. Adelle watched her face, mismatched eyes tracing the softness there. She was struck again by how young Colette was. Young and already so guarded.

“You learn fast,” Adelle said. “A more experienced partner could have taken you for a spin but I’m a little out of practice.”

A beat.

“I did mean what I said earlier,” she said. “About making it up to you. Another dance, maybe. A drink perhaps. Or you might have your own ideas?”

 

[Mykel Dawson]

___________________________________________________________________​

Formal Wear

There was a certain wisdom to her words; letting all her baggage hang out in the open so there was no scandal for her enemies to uncover. To be charitable, she was quite the eccentric character, but her side antics would be tolerated by her constituents so long as she kept bringing the pork back home by the wagonload.

Now he had just provided her with the whole farm.

Leaning back in silence for a few moments, he took in the sights and sounds of ballroom floor before him, the energy mostly jubilant. There had been a time when he felt that same current in the Galactic Alliance, when the Knight had first been able to stand among the heroes of the Hyperspace Wars as a green Padawan. The future for the Alliance looked bright with the Dark Empire's hold over the core shattered and the Maw but a distant memory. At least in naive eyes. Now with the scales removed he could see the rot that had festered under a gilded veneer.

"It's true, your position will be secured with Denon. But what of the Republic in general? What is your vision for this nation?"

Ayumi Pallopides , Melanie Sato​

 

[Ulysses Renoux]

H O U S E • R E N O U X​

Wearing: xxx
Tag: Sibylla Abrantes

Ulysses listened as she spoke of introductions, of the Scientific Outbound Fleet, and of Naboo’s preference for careful foundations. He did not interrupt her thoughts with quick agreement. The offer settled where it belonged, somewhere between possibility and patience, and he weighed it in silence while the fountain carried its quiet rhythm beside them. The gardens softened the sharpness of the gala behind them, though lanternlight still flickered against polished stone and the faint hum of music reached them in passing waves.

“That sounds worthwhile,” he said after a moment. “If your fleet finds something close to what my House once mined, I would hear of it. I have not found a world yet that carries the same veins, but I have learned not to assume absence means impossibility.”

The warmth that followed his earlier compliment did not go unnoticed. He caught the hint of teasing in her reply and answered it with a faint shift of expression, more acknowledgement than amusement. People often mistook composure for distance, and he let the misunderstanding remain.

“You carry it well,” he said, the words simple and unadorned. “Balance takes work. Anyone who claims otherwise has never held responsibility long.”

Her gaze returned toward the doors, and he followed it briefly. Through the archway, silhouettes moved in and out of golden light, laughter rising and falling like tidewater against stone. He recognized the way duty settled back over her shoulders, the way the private ease of the gardens gave way to the expectations waiting beyond the threshold.

“I understand,” he said when she spoke of returning. “Nights like this borrow us for a time, but they never let us keep the quiet parts.”

He stepped back half a pace, giving her the path toward the gala without crowding it. The moment between them shifted from shared conversation back into courtly distance, and he allowed that change without resistance.

“Thank you for the candor, Lady Sibylla,” he said as he inclined his head in a measured bow. “I hope the rest of your evening treats you kindly.”

He straightened and remained where he was long enough to watch her return toward the light of the hall. The music grew louder as the doors opened for her, then softened again when they closed. Ulysses lingered beside the fountain for a breath longer, observing how quickly the gardens reclaimed their stillness, before turning his attention back toward the world that waited beyond it.

 

[Ayumi Pallopides]

Mykel Dawson Dominique Vexx

She kept her eyebrow up while she sat there and took a sip of the water in the glass. She presented it like she was drinking for others but would let her be clear headed. "Oh I don't have ambitions that far yet, others in my family did and it didn't go well for anyone. So I am just focusing on helping people for now. If Denon can serve as a model of what can be done, of what can come then that will be more then enough for me for now." She wasn't going to dismiss ambition but she wasn't going to rush it. Much better to be patient, to be good about it and establish much of what she could do. Proving Denon as a strong model would go a long way towards what they wanted to develop. "Plus Chancellor Vexx is so far doing well.,,, and trust me she is always a sight to follow."

 

[Colette]

Adelle Bastiel

Adelle was selling herself short. Colette was only as good as her teacher, and as far as she was concerned she had a good one. Dance wasn’t supposed to be about rigid adherence to rules, it was an expression of freedom, and that was exactly what Colette was getting in some way or the other.

“That sounds great, and I meant what I said, too.” Colette murmured with a softness that continued to surprise her. “This whole building is a forest filled with rotten, corrupt trees made of gold. Which makes you a spot of warmth in a morally desolate place. I would be honored to get to know you better.”

She broke the rules of the dance and began to twirl, clumsily leaning down to get herself under Adelle’s arm. Colette laughed at herself for a moment before she fell back in line and let herself get swept with the dance.

See? Her eyes said. You gave me a spin.

Eventually the dance came to an end. Both women stood face to face with one another as Colette gently squeezed the hands that held her own.

“I don’t say that with any sort of expectation. I don’t have many friends, and while…” That nervous system was starting to re-engage. “I- I- I... like to keep people at a distance. You seem like a good person. The kind of person that I would like to surround myself with.”

“If you are okay with it, I would love to go hunting with you sometime.”

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

Objective II - The Grand Ballroom


Sibylla inclined her head to Duke Ulysses Renoux in grateful appreciation.

"Thank you, Your Grace." She smiled, tipping her head up with faint knowing, "It is always a pleasure to have a clever partner when navigating the room."

Then she turned back toward the lights of the inauguration gala. Sibylla paused just long enough to draw a steady breath, letting the cool of the garden go, before crossing the carved threshold of the stained glass doors. The ballroom welcomed her with a swell of delicate music and the low, pleased drone of revelers and politicians alike, the clink of glass, laughter, and ambition, all resuming their careful orbit.

The Voice of Naboo moved smoothly into it, offering cordial smiles and gentle greetings as hands reached for hers and names called softly. Yet even as she spoke, those hazel eyes of hers swept the room, searching for a particular mop of dark, inky curls set upon an incorrigible man.

She found Aurelian Veruna by the bar, surprisingly alone save for the bartender, and Sibylla slowed half a step, those delicate brown brows lifting faintly in surprise.

Oh, lost the blonde already? Sibylla couldn't help but huff out to herself in her mind, dry wry thoughts continuing.

Had the game lost its charm already, or had he simply finished and chosen to linger with his drink? Internally, she gave the smallest shake of her head, equal parts amused and resigned as she gave a slight huff to herself.

Very well. Best to check on him before they continue the expected rounds.

With a polite excuse offered to a Senator of Rimos and a brief incline of her head, Sibylla turned towards the bar's direction, her full skirts whispering as she wove through the crowd toward Aurelian. Yet it was his rather grumpy, quiet murmur that caught her ear, prompting a puzzled twist of her expression.

Was he… mumbling?

She came to a stop beside him, the faint scent of Naboo waterlilies following in her wake, that infamous composure seemingly in place despite the curiosity arching her right brow.

"Your Majesty," Sibylla said lightly, half amused and perhaps still a bit huffy as she set her attention upon him. "I see the bar has survived your attentions. A promising sign."

Her attention flicked to the glass in his hand, then to the one already waiting beside it.

"I must say, I admire your commitment to thorough refreshment," but the dry note faltered as she took him in properly. He was leaning far too heavily against the bar, shoulders slouched in a way that suggested gravity had become a personal enemy. His curls, usually styled with infuriating precision, had begun to revolt, escaping in dark, unruly arcs around his temples.

Wait.. was he... no. He would not, she told herself, thinking that even he knew better to indulge in overdrinking in Dominque's inauguration.

"Strategic loitering," Sibylla continued instead, her tone regaining its wry, dry if slightly bemused edge as one brow arched.

"A classic maneuver." Her eyes drifted towards the bartender, then back to Aurelian, "I hope I have not interrupted anything… profound."

 

[Shan]

Objective 2
Tags: Lily Decoria
----------------------

"Any dress you're in would do it's job. Let's be real for a minute here."

Shan broke out into a slightly cheeky grin at that as they danced. Whilst Lily might have been dwelling on commitments and promises that were conflicting with each other, Shan for once didn't seem to have much of a care in the world. Of course he did at the end of the day, there were people who needed his help, who needed life saving help, but he couldn't do anything about that here nor was this the kind of place for him to think about that. It would ruin the date.

"I mean, was it a lie? I said I might. After all, I'm not sure how much Soresu translates to dancing."

He might not have been much of a fighter or a combat master, but Soresu had been the main style that Shan had put his time and energy into mastering when he had worked as a Jedi. It fit him to a T. Endurance was one of the things he had in spades. Both from practising Soresu and from healing. It was one of the traits he was proud of, with being able to easily use the Force to keep his health and endurance high.

"Hm...I suppose giving Colette space is a good idea. Sometimes I feel like she dwells on things more than I used to. And that's saying a lot."

Either way, his only response to the statement was to give a shrug of his shoulders. Shan wasn't going to try and get involved with that. It wasn't his place. Lily and Colette were far closer than Shan and Colette were in his opinion, especially with everything at the end of the day. Fortunately for him, he didn't have to think about that, as Lily mentioned something about a family.

"...I mean...Maybe? I don't want to push anything. I'm not sure how good of a parent I would actually be. I haven't been the greatest master for Zaiya."

Sure, it didn't really translate, but Shan wasn't sure how much of a good father figure he'd be, considering his own father hadn't been...the best of people.

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Tags: Sibylla Abrantes

Aurelian was halfway into a story when it happened. One hand braced on the bar, the other waving grandly as if the bartender were a captive audience to legend.

"And there I am," he was saying, voice thick with confidence and alcohol, "in a lift. Stuck. Alarm blaring. Very dramatic. And the Princess is there, panicking, obviously, because she is actively having a baby. In a lift. So naturally I take charge. Breathing exercises. Orders. Heroics." He nodded solemnly. "I caught the child. Bare hands. Saved the day. Whole planet applauded. Someone cried. Might have been me."

He paused, squinting. Something felt different. "Oh," he said suddenly, turning. "There she is." The bartender did not respond. Aurelian did not notice.

He giggled at her words, an unguarded sound that surprised even him. "Strategic loitering," he repeated, delighted. "This is my palace. I can loiter wherever I want." He leaned closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "I might loiter forever. I might loiter with you..."

He waved a hand between her and the bar. "You have interrupted me and my new friend…" Aurelian paused, staring hard at the bartender's face. "…you." His attention drifted, snagged immediately back on Sibylla. Focus was overrated anyway.

He smiled at her, loose and crooked. Too bright. "So. How was your private time with the charming Mister Renoux?" His brows lifted, eyes glassy but sharp with something underneath. "Did he fawn all over the beautiful Abrantes? I imagine he did. Everyone does."

Aurelian took another drink he did not need. "Seems awfully inconsiderate, leaving your friends and the King to go dance with a random man," he continued, warming up. "But that's fine. You get so much attention. Left. Right. Suitors lining up to take your hand." He scoffed softly. "What a joke. As if any of them could measure up to the kind of woman you are."

His chest felt tight again. He ignored it.

"That's okay though," he said quickly. "You abandoned me. Adelle abandoned me for some older woman to dance with. You left me with Bastila, for Shiraya's sake." He shook his head, curls falling into his eyes. "Everyone loves leaving the King. Even though they can't stop talking about him."

He leaned back against the bar, blinking at her. "Rude, really."

Then, quieter, almost to himself, "I was just getting you a drink."

​

 

[Adelle Bastiel]

Objective II - The Grand Ballroom
Tags: Colette | Aurelian Veruna | Sibylla Abrantes

She had meant the comparison about her. Adelle had assumed the dark forest was a metaphor for finding the rhythm of the dance. It struck her in a way she didn’t expect and couldn’t name. The Force flowed as Colette began to try for a spin and Adelle adjusted accordingly. It wasn’t the most graceful turns she’d led but it wasn’t the worst, even if she did say so herself. The song ended and Adelle led Colette off the dance floor as the young woman spoke, the nervousness starting to flare again as she stammered through her words.

“A hunt sounds fine,” Adelle said. “My clanmates have only taken me on a couple so I can’t promise I’ll be much help. But if you’ll give me your contact details, I can get in touch when things are less… busy.”

More than just Aether’s broadcast and the commands coming through to the Iron Wolves, she’d had to take longer and longer shifts at the hospital she did rotations at. Her jaw clenched at the thought of the Wildfire spice epidemic plaguing Mandalorian worlds now. Adelle forced herself to relax and gave Colette a smile, inclining her head.

“Thank you for the dance, Colette,” she said. “It was fun.”

One she received the preferred method to contact Colette, Adelle made her way back to the alcove bar. The Grand Vizier had paid for all her drinks, after all, and who was she to ignore such a gift?

Aurelian was still there, slouched in a way she’d seen far too often in the dives she’d been to, now with Sibylla by his side. Adelle worked her jaw before huffing and continuing her approach. What he’d said hurt more than she wanted to admit.

"And you," he said, turning on Adelle now, pointing with the hand still holding the flute. "You are supposed to help me out.”

“You do as I say when I say.”

Adelle cracked her knuckles painfully just to interrupt the memnii. She ordered another Whyren’s Reserve on the rocks and waited for it to be served before she walked up behind Aurelian.

“Has he apologized to you yet?” she asked Sibylla.

 

[Orestyn Carda]

Clémence D'Asterra

She seemed to have been alerted to his sudden insight and her mind closed off from him.

It was always more difficult to do this sort of light reading, when your target was aware of your intentions. Orestyn could have still pushed through but it would have defeated the point. There would be nothing subtle about it and would be a true breach of trust, whereas what had come before was a mere... flirting with it.

"I will do what I can, Tessa." Orestyn murmured politely, inclining his head towards Clém's mother. "But as you know, I have been absent for a very long time, before I returned."

He glanced to the crowd.

Trying to recognize the figures of his youth, but coming up empty even now. Were any of them still alive, still here?

"It might become a learning exercise for us both."

Then a smile towards the D'Asterra daughter.

"But there is nothing wrong with learning as we go, is there?" Implying that on two sides. Yes, the obvious part, but also... that them getting to know each other would be a lesson in itself. How they'd approach one another, how they'd be able to fit together, if at all.

 

[Clémence D'Asterra]

​

"Not at all," Clémence said with an enthusiasm that had all but gone out of her. She had intended to invite the Duke to dance, but he looked at her as if he was worried he might break her if he touched her, so she demurred. Tessa, on the other hand, had no such worries.

"Maybe you two ought to take a turn around the dance floor," said her mother. "Get some blood pumping, hm?"

"You go," Clémence said, in a tone that did not suggest that she was hoping to get out of it -- rather the opposite. "I'm afraid I'm not used to the heat and I'm feeling a bit stuffy. I thought I'd get a breath of fresh air. Perhaps after. With your leave, Your Grace?" It was true; the ballroom had become somewhat stuffy with all the people, and the alcohol didn't help. A flush had been creeping up her chest and neck to her cheeks. It looked uncomfortable.

She inclined her head briefly, ignoring the look her mother was giving, and brushed past the two nobles toward the doors out to the garden. Tessa looked after her daughter. "Poor dear," she murmured. "I had thought she was looking a bit peaky before you arrived. Some fresh air will do her good." She allowed her head to tilt and then offered her free hand. "What about it, Orestyn?Shall we show them how it's done?"

Orestyn Carda
​

 

[Colette]

Smooth.

Her nerves were stilled with a deep breath. Cautious hands patted against her pockets until they found her comms unit. A message was sent from one device to the other with a flick and a switch. A message, something simple: Hi.

A small feeling rumbled beneath her skin: joy.

The message gave enough information so that Adelle wouldn't have to write it down. All she had to do was add a name to a number, but she'd manage that, surely. And with their business concluded, leisurely as they were, Colette bowed her head in farewell to her dance partner.

Adelle left and Colette remained standing at the spot, eyes scanning through her 'Hi' message over and over until the other woman disappeared from view, at which point she finally allowed herself to let the tension in her bones loose.

"Yes!" She gleefully hissed and pumped her fists. A happy laugh parted her lips into a grin. "Alright. Hell yeah."

The tribal regained her footing and began to let out a few more happy laughs. This evening had started as something so incredibly shit, and yet here she was. The rest of the whole goddamned palace could burn for all she cared at this point. Colette had actually managed to step even further outside of her comfort zone again.

There was no denying the happiness in her eyes, and this was despite her best efforts to rebuild her usual facade of authority and cautious indifference. Colette dragged her hands across her face to breathe deep in the evening breeze.

It felt so good to be alive right now.

Adelle Bastiel

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

Objective II - The Grand Ballroom
Location: Oh for the love of...
Aurelian Veruna Adelle Bastiel


Oh.

Oh no.

Sibylla's gaze flicked to the bartender and then back to Aurelian, cataloguing the damage with ruthless efficiency. The slouch. The glassy brightness in his amber eyes. The way his curls had fully defected into his line of sight, as if even they had resigned from duty. Whatever mild, huffy amusement she had carried with her evaporated on the spot, replaced by a dawning horror that settled somewhere between alarm and exasperation.

Especially as he kept talking.

The Duke had fawned. She received too much attention. There were suitors everywhere. She had abandoned him. Truly abandoned him. Left him defenseless with Bastila and a bartender.

Shiraya preserve her.

Part of Sibylla wanted to gape at him in incredulous disbelief. This, from the same man who had earlier staged an entire performance of strategic proximity with two well known artists and one suspiciously tall blonde, all executed with deliberate precision. And for what? To provoke her? To make a point? Because he could?

And yet --

Goddess help her.

It was the wounded look beneath the bravado that tugged at her heart. The sulky little pout. The quiet, earnest insistence: I was just getting you a drink.

Sibylla felt her heart give a small, traitorous squeeze as she took in the too-bright smile, the way his focus slid and snapped back as if it were working far harder than it should, and the curls tumbling into his eyes in open rebellion.

No. No, Sibylla. Absolutely not. Do not let the man distract you. Not after all the tomfoolery he had unleashed with his maddening, brazen self and not a single apology in sight. He had started this -- vanished on her, played games to ruffle her composure, and now had the audacity to look wounded about it. Truly, the nerve.

And as the scent of whiskey floated over with each of his words, there was no denying it now. For all intents and purposes, the blasted fool of a man had drunk far too much at Dominique's inauguration as the new High Chancellor.

"That is enough whiskey for now," Sibylla announced with the seemingly calm authority of someone who had accepted her fate. She turned her head just enough to give the bartender a pointed look that suggested this was no longer a suggestion. The second glass vanished promptly. Honestly, the bartender should have known better!

As if he could say no to Aurelian.

Nonetheless, Sibylla returned her attention to the would-be inebriated King.

"And for the record, Duke Renoux did not fawn. He conversed politely. Admirably so. Much like the perfectly professional conversations you had tonight, no doubt."

Seeing the glass in his hand, Sibylla stepped closer and gently intercepted the remaining glass before it could make another heroic ascent, fingers closing around his wrist with practiced ease.

"I did not abandon you," Sibylla continued, one brow arching with dry emphasis. "I stepped away no differently than you do whenever conversation fails to amuse you. You, meanwhile, declared a personal alliance with two artists, a leggy blonde, and the bartender… and then launched open hostilities against sobriety."

Yet when his voice softened, the bravado collapsing into something quieter and hurt, her expression softened despite herself. She stepped closer and answered gently but firmly.

"I chose you," she said simply, just low enough for him to hear. "I am still choosing you...but at this precise moment, I am also choosing discretion."

A pause, then her delicate brow furrowed for a moment before she gave a wry tilt of her head, adding, "And possibly water. Quite a lot of water."

It was then that Sibylla caught Adelle's eye as the woman drew near, her expression already asking the question before the words followed -- had Aurelian apologized yet?

Sibylla answered with a faint, knowing smile and a soft huff of dry amusement. Her dark head tipped in a small, regretful shake before she leaned in just enough to offer a quiet reply.

"Regrettably, His Majesty is being detained by matters requiring an urgent… private consultation involving water and self-reflection."

 

[Dominique Vexx]

Dominique was mildly taken by Feridade Parthi 's interest in remaining in the wake of his Queen's departure. True, it was the mandate of the diplomat, but the galaxy had a way of subverting your expectations at times. Not without his own concerns, however. A curious development that explained the lack of interest by Quinn. Were the Mandalorians a means to an end rather than a desire, then? Something to kind in mind for future engagements.

"Yes, in fact, I do enjoy an opportunity to meet so many people without assistants worried about overbooked schedules. It even affords us a chance to interact in ways we might not consider under formal circumstances." Perhaps even combining different parties together that would never have agreed to meet given the comfort of declining from their office. Nothing was free in life. Certainly not an elaborate gathering like this one. They should all be thankful her speech was as short as it had been.

"Though I can't forget the pressing matters scattered throughout the galaxy. Even the opportunities a gathering such as this cannot be overlooked. For instance, I might not have had the pleasure of making your acquaintance without the demands of State weighing on both of us." One hardly forgot the Echani, but they were a fair distance away and with the Mandalorians patrolling their borders might not be at the top of the Republic's diplomatic core's list. But here? There was no list.

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Tags: Sibylla Abrantes | Adelle Bastiel

Aurelian yelped when the glass vanished from his hand.

"Hey!" he shouted, loud enough to earn at least three scandalized looks from nearby nobles. He pointed at Sibylla, indignant. "That was mine."

He considered, briefly, scolding the bartender for the betrayal. Absolute dereliction of duty. But then Sibylla started in on him, calm and precise and devastating, listing his crimes of the evening with surgical grace. His brows crept higher with every sentence. Somewhere between "professional conversation" and "open hostilities against sobriety," something warm and treacherous stirred in his chest.

Shiraya, she was hot.

He lifted his remaining glass with intent to finish it out of spite, dignity, and principle. She snagged it mid-arc. Aurelian stared at her. Slowly. Like she'd just revealed herself to be someone else entirely.

Who was this woman and why did he like her so much?

"I don't want water," he mumbled, leaning back against the bar as if it might side with him. "Water is for cowards. And plants." He squinted at her.

He waved a hand, nearly smacking a passing server. "And I only spoke to those two artists because you were clearly taken with your own conversation," he slurred. "Very intense. Very private. Very… courtly"

He folded his arms with effort. The bar won. He sagged.

Then Adelle reappeared, carrying her huff like a weapon. Aurelian turned his head slowly toward her voice. "Have I apologized to who yet?" he asked, blinking hard. "I don't owe anyone an apology." He frowned, thinking. "Actually no. Have you apologized to me yet?"

He pointed accusingly. "You left me with…" he shuddered dramatically. "…Bastila." Full-body shivers. He hugged himself.

Sibylla spoke again, something about detainment and consultation. Aurelian burst out laughing, the sound too loud, too bright. He held his wrists up together as if already bound. "Yes," he announced cheerfully, "she's detaining me. Very serious. Very official."

He leaned toward Adelle and winked obnoxiously. "Private consultation," he stage-whispered. "Involving water. And self-reflection." He snorted. "Among other things..."

He looked back at Sibylla then, smile slipping just a fraction, something softer wobbling underneath the bravado. His voice dropped, less theatrical. "I was just getting you a drink," he said again, stubborn as a child. "I swear. That's how this started."

He blinked. Once. Twice.

"…I think," he added.

​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Objective: 2
Outfit: Dress
Tag: Shan

Lily giggled and shook her head, "that is not true. I am very sure that there would be some very ugly dresses that would be so poorly fitting that it would be embarrassing to be around." Lily ensured that anything she wore was tailored to her figure, even if she found it while wandering stores. It was important that any dress fitted her figure as well as looking captivating.

She did place a kiss on his cheek, "I do appreciate the compliment though." Giving a wide, warm smile as she danced with Shan. Enjoying the close presence that he had.

There was a teasing narrowing of her eyes, "sure. That's why you downplayed your skills. Well, still, learning some Echani fighting styles, that could help. Many see our movements in a very dance like fashion." It was part of the reason that Lily took dance lessons since she knew it would only enhance her skills and movement abilities when performing Echani martial arts.

Nodding her head, "I understand and I will make sure to get in touch as soon as I can. But I just think it is important to enjoy our time and I want to ensure she has the time to process whatever the conversation was." Lily mentioned as she did want to enjoy this date with Shan. There was always going to be time to take care of the situation surrounding her friends and the bonds that she held. However, right now, Lily needed to know that she could enjoy her time with someone she cared about. Making sure that she didn't have to share that time with others and ruin their relationship time.

Placing a hand on Shan's cheek, looking into his eyes, "don't be so harsh on yourself. Life has been rough for you, for everyone. It took a lot out of you to be a Jedi and you had no idea that things would go the way they did when you took things on with Zaiya." Her thumb gently caressed his cheek slowly. "More importantly, you won't be doing anything with a family alone. I will be there as well. But that doesn't have to be anything we decide or plan for right now."

Leaning in to kiss Shan, Lily was just glad to be spending this time together and really hoped that he wouldn't stress too much about any potential future plans.