Public Winter Solstice Festival | Eshan

[Valery Noble]

Eshan

​

Outfit: Winter Coat | Wedding Ring
Tag: Kahlil Noble

Valery took his hand and leaned into his side with a happy smile, "It'll mean a lot to me when I hear it if you're away on missions. Those are the hardest days, but knowing you're thinking about me..." She blushed and looked down at the snow crunching underneath her boots while she kept her smile.

Yeah, she'd love that a lot.

"Now...we dance." There was a dangerous sparkle in her eyes, as she pulled him along to an open area where large bonfires were burning. Other people were in their Echani dances too, all scarcely clothed and focused on their partners alone.

Valery grinned and slowly removed the belt around her coat, so she could let it fall and reveal what she was wearing underneath. She then kicked off her shoes, toes settling in the snow, and flicked her hair over her shoulder.

"Shoes off, and no shirt, babe." She bit her lower lip in anticipation and rolled her shoulders. "Now we fight or dance. It's...pretty much the same here."

Vera blinked when she noticed bubbles around Aris, and felt his warmth reaching out through the water. While she regulated her body heat, it seemed he bad his own fiery way of Keeping himself warm - something Mom had undoubtedly taught him. Vers grinned a little because of it, but looked at Kina when she noticed her friend struggling a little.

<We got this.> Vera reached out to take Kina's hand, and held it while she continued to swim down.

They would get each other through this.

<Aris? I feel it down there. The warmth...I can almost see it.>

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Right, dance."

So that's what she was so excited about. Kahlil could only chuckle as she threw off her cloak. Anything else she'd have to feel through their bond, cause he certainly wasn't going to let his thoughts reach his expression here among so many other people. Instead he just casually took off his own jacket, stripped down much like her before raising up his hands and curled them into fists.

They both knew which they were going to pick.

"Shall we, then?"

Valery Noble

 

[Aris Noble]

They were close now.

Aris hadn't looked back to the other two, more focused on trying to track the heat he'd felt earlier for the stone they were searching for. They were close. Even Vera felt that. Though, he blinked once as he realized they weren't keeping up with him as well as he'd thought. He slowed his swim, glancing to the other two before smiling just a little and offered his own hands. He could swim faster than them, so maybe he could help pull them along to the stone.

Or at least have Vera guide them closer to it.

Kina Ropal | Vera Noble

 

[Atin Tracinya]

Zark San Tekka​

"Perhaps," San Tekka said, "Perhaps not. I hear nothing."
Either more Jedi trickery or the man was telling the truth. The Master had yet to lie to Atin though, and so the Mandalorian was inclined to believe him, despite his reservations.

The outstretched hand beckoned for Atin to hand over the whistle, and the Mandalorian did with little hesitation. What followed puzzled Atin more than the nature of the whistle. No sound could be heard as the Jedi blew into the small whistle. Again, either some strange trick or just the whistle's own nature...which was some strange trickery in and of itself, but at least Atin had been told as much. It was the easier of the two truths to believe in, and so when the Jedi returned the whistle to Atin, the man gave it a curious look once more, eyes half-narrowed with a shadow of skepticism. A moment, and he decided to hang the chain around his neck anyways, tucking it out of sight beneath his shirt.

"Echani handmaidens?" Atin echoed back to the Jedi. "Nothing. I know the Echani are talented warriors, but that's all." That and they had some distant cousins they always warred with or something, but that was neither here nor there. "Why?"

 

[Cato Harth]

Inanna Harth​

Inanna seemed to panic for a moment, which made Cato blink. But then as if it mere presence soothed, she calmed down and swam closer, wrapping her arms around him. Confusedly he did the same, then tried to clarify his game of charades, pointing down towards the rocks, then raising his palms upward in a questioning manner. The miscommunication was enough to make him laugh, even underwater, a few bubbles spilling from his mouth.

 

[Valery Noble]

Eshan

​

Outfit: Winter Coat | Wedding Ring
Tag: Kahlil Noble

"Don't get too distracted, babe," Valery said after she felt his emotions spike through their bond... only to then get very distracted herself when he took off his own layers. She blushed, bit her lip and coughed to clear her throat a little. Despite the ice and snow around her, it was getting pretty warm all of a sudden.

Now, it was time for a Noble classic.

"Just like last time we were here." With a grin on her face, Valery raised her fists and started inching closer, whilst at the same time circling around him like a predator stalking its prey. "They say it's all about displaying emotion and learning more about each other. From the smallest flex of muscles, to the punches that are thrown."

She smirked.

"I like the idea of showing how much I love you, by kicking your butt~"

They hadn't covered any rules, so without warning, Valery flicked up a bunch of snow against his bare back, hoping to shock him with the cold while she stepped forward and threw several jabs and quicker punches to test his guard.

 

[Inanna Harth]

Cato hugged her back, but there still seemed to be some confusion. She watched his gestures closely, then gave him a funny look. Did he really want to do it on the rocks?

No. No, he was asking… about the rock? Oh. He must want to know if she had found it yet. She swayed her hand back and forth, the universal gesture for sort of, and pointed in a vague direction off to her right. Then she pulled him closer.

Cato Harth​

 

[Celeste Varanin]

Ball

“Merioooon,” Celeste protested, following the youngest as he strode into ball. She had not let up since their mother first assigned her on his tail, and she wasn’t often known to.

“Please don’t do this- you don’t have to make a statement out of everything; this isn’t the time or place!”

She had been forced to leave Aldric unescorted. She’d simply have to trust he’d come out of the dressing room somewhat normal.

Honestly Merion had set the bar rather low.

She grabbed at his robes and tried to hold him to her without drawing attention, genuinely distressed.

“Please, it’s the solstice.”

Merion Oreno Aldric Varanin

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Solstice
Objective: Reflect on the past
Tags: Corazona von Ascania

"I guess we have come here for the same reason. We're both here to think of our past choices..."

Finally looking up to Cora, Silas briefly offered her a fabricated smile "In all honesty, No Cora. It's hard to not think about Thelma during times like this" he said with a lowered tone, a small sigh escaping his lips when he looked back to the lake "While everyone I know are with loved ones, I'm just by myself with no one at my side..." Silas didn't have any family to visit, any that were still living. He was the last Westgard standing, and sometimes it was hard to accept even after so many years.

"I know one day it probably won't be like this, but right now I can't help feeling alone"

That wasn't entirely true, he still had friends who cared for him. Silas didn't want them to worry about him though, they deserved to be happy with their families. In due time, the force would ease him of this pain. No matter how long it took, he'd be grateful for when it arrived. ​

 

[Aldric Varanin]

It was so great to be with his siblings. That only had half the lie that it needed. He didn’t mind being home. Sure, he knew there was going to be some punishment for him dodging the ball at the beginning. That was the real concern.

Well, until he got to the ball. He did take a moment to change and put on the appropriate garb. It wasn’t anything too flashy but definitely not the JC Penney catalog. Or whatever the Eshan equal was. What he hadn’t expected was the compliance of Merion.

And well, that compliance was merely an illusion. At least he was cleaned up?

Aldric followed Celeste out and rolled his eyes. “I’ll intercept mom? I guess?”

Merion Oreno Celeste Varanin

 

[Ibaris Varanin]

It was then that the woman arrived at the palace, shed her coat to thereafter enter the ballroom, and in short order happened upon the surreptitious exchange between a finely dressed girl and... an isopter? Even she knew the girl was wasting her time, but... that whine. Just as Ibaris paused in her paces, another boy joined the first two children. The woman only gave this one a cursory glance before cutting in, but she gathered enough to surmise a few things.

"A word of advice, girl: leaving them to become intimately familiar with the rope they are fashioning their own noose out of," a thin smile, as she interrupted with an air of half-disinterest, "so to speak, may yield better results."

Then she turned her head away and swept her gaze over and across the ballroom, and began pulling off her gloves.

"Now, as for your mother... where might I find her?"

It wouldn't do to not say hello.

Celeste Varanin Aldric Varanin Merion Oreno

 

[Merion Oreno]

“Please don’t do this- you don’t have to make a statement out of everything; this isn’t the time or place!”

“Please, it’s the solstice.”

“I’ll intercept mom? I guess?”

"A word of advice, girl: leaving them to become intimately familiar with the rope they are fashioning their own noose out of," a thin smile, as she interrupted with an air of half-disinterest, "so to speak, may yield better results."

"Now, as for your mother... where might I find her?"

Merion's combination of resentment, guilt that they were both some degree of upset or at least inconvenienced, and general glee failed to congeal into a coherent response. He stuffed hors d'oeuvres up under his mask with one hand while keeping his robe closed with the other.

He stopped chewing as the one, the only, Aunt Ibbie made herself known. Crumbs showered from beneath the mask. The kids had never met their aunt. Merion's hero worship of the previous generation's wandering black sheep was entirely at range. He didn't really understand what she was saying.

"Hail Consecrai," he squeaked out.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil kept mostly still, just turning little by little to keep his eyes on Valery as she circled around him. He already knew she was going to strike first. That was how she fought. And just like how she'd always try to strike first, he was big on countering and defending. Even their spars showed how they complimented each other. Though, this time, he was going to bring his own surprises to her.

She was already trying to distract him.

So while she stepped forward to throw a testing set of punches for him, he stepped forward to catch her first punch and immediately reply with his own. Fast and heavy, and not just as a counter. If she thought he was going to only defend this year, she was in for quite the surprise as he pressed the offence to set the pace and take control of their spar.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Eshan

​

Outfit: Winter Coat | Wedding Ring
Tag: Kahlil Noble

Valery blinked and quickly tilted her head aside, as he lashed out with an unexpected strike. It still brushed against her cheek bone, but a few months ago, that would have been a direct hit. This time, even though the distraction of his bare chest, Valery was able to focus and tune into their bond. She was going to have to thank Aris for it, just without mentioning any details about the fight. This was Mom and Dad time.

"Alright, I see how it is."

She squinted and decided to take a step back, while she raised their guard, "Role reversal, always fun." She waggled her brows and wiggled her fingers at him with her palm up, to challenge him to come at her. But this time, as he approached to be on the more aggressive side for once, Valery decided to test him.

She waited for his bare foot to switch places, and ignite the ground underneath him. Not enough to cause a serious burn, but it'd hurt and it would hopefully catch him off-guard for her follow-up punch to his gut.

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Silas Westgard

There it was, that fake smile she knew all too well. The same one she'd worn for the duration of her engagement and marriage. An expression of pain.

"Were they choices that we made, or things that happened to us?"

A little of both, she supposed. Cora looked out towards the lake, watching the gentle ripples created by those further away. It was quiet here, yet there was the distant din of celebration in the background.

The holidays were bright, but they could cast dark shadows over what you lacked. A family, a home, a love. She knew that Thelma had left the Jedi, but hadn't known that it meant the end of her relationship with Silas.

"Can I ask…what happened with you and Thelma? I know that the trial acquitted her of wrongdoing, but I don't know why she left the Jedi.”

The little vampiress had made Cora's wedding dress and visited her when she was imprisoned on Ukatis. Suddenly, she felt a pang of regret for not better keeping up with her friend.

 

[Cato Harth]

Inanna finally seemed to register what he was saying, but it didn't dissuade her from her current objective. Cato shook his head, and raised a hand <I'm tellin' ya right now whatever you're thinking, it ain't gonna be fun down here,> He finally opted to just speak telepathically, rather than manage this game of charades.

<Let's find these dang rocks already, and then we can think about what's next on tonight's itinerary.> Cato smirked.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

Cato Harth
​

Finally Cato gave up and resorted to telepathy. Inanna blinked in surprise upon hearing his voice in her head, then beamed at him, feigning innocence. <What do you mean? I'm just hugging up to you for warmth.>

Her tone turned serious. <It's difficult for me to multitask. Between the temperature regulation and trying to sense the rock, I can't seem to focus on one without neglecting the other.>

A lengthy pause followed, during which she came to a strange realization.

<How come I can do telepathy and stay warm at the same time, then?>

Probably because she wasn't overthinking or stressing out about it. She just did it, calmly and without troubling herself over whether or not she could do it.

Water whooshed by her hand as she smacked her forehead. <Okay, okay, I think it's over... there.> She pointed, then swam in the direction of the rock. It turned out to not even be that far away; she reached down and plucked it from the bottom of the lake. Returning to Cato, she pressed it against his arm so he could feel its inexplicable warmth. <Did you find yours yet?>

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Loomi

Braze perked up slightly hearing the soft chime and looked at Loomi with a smile. " Well I definitely heard something. " He offered gently. "I'm glad you're my friend Loomi. " Braze added gently and moved to offer her a handful of spiced sweets. "Is there anything you've been wanting to talk about with any one?" Braze asked contemplating the idea of if he had been a very good friend himself and decided he could do better.

 

[Loomi]

Eshan
Tags: Braze

"Is there anything you've been wanting to talk about with any one?"

"Golly, I... I don't know..." Loomi began, taking the sweets that Braze had offered.

There were so many things that she wanted to say, things that she didn't understand or even know to begin with. How did she put anything into words when so much was floating around her mind? Formless and sloppy, slamming into competing thoughts and reducing them to dust, only for these ideas to rematerialize and repeat the cycle. It was like napkins in the wind crashing into each other, unclear what was to emerge on the other side.

Could a cohesive thought come out of that?

"There's a lot I think I want to tell you," she admitted, "But I don't think I know how to say those things yet. They're... new. And confusing. I think its one of those things I'm supposed to understand when I'm older." That was a good way to put it. Even still, the air around her swelled with compassion. "I know that you mean a lot to me," the Godoan decided. "For now I think that's good enough."

Yeah. Good enough was okay for now. There was lots of time in the future it seemed. She had time to figure things out.

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Loomi

Braze's attention was fully on Loomi as she spoke, his expression one of understanding and empathy. "I think I get what you're saying. I feel similarly about a lot of things too," he said gently. "But let's set aside those thoughts for now. How about we try dancing together?" he suggested with a hopeful smile. Braze knew he'd have to remove his boots for the dance, but he thought Loomi's 'feet' were perfect as they were. He believed a dance might just be the thing to infuse a bit of joy back into their evening.