Ask Royal Pains

Altair Din

Character
Empire
Rank
Grand Marshal

Character Profile
Link
OOC
Sreeya
Joined
Jan 3, 2022
Messages
1,534
Reaction score
1,301

King.

He still hadn’t processed it entirely. Altair was no longer a farm boy from Bandomeer like his family had been for generations. He had elevated them all to royalty and he was crowned King. And yet he couldn’t help but visit several different sites that helped shape who he was in some way or had an impact on him. He had even visited Zakuul for nothing other than to remember Cairo. Onderon wasn’t a planet he ever considered revisiting, but he couldn’t deny it held significance to him.

The Sith had lost that day and they were repelled. Altair had succeeded in his mission, but he barely made it out alive. He was under collapsed debris and considered himself dead if not for a Jedi that helped him.

Altair stood before the site of that collapsed diplomatic building, a place that still had caution tapes all around it. There was word it would be turned into a memorial one day. It was night and pitch black out and he was there by himself. Altair was wearing a hoodie and some baggy pants, his hands in his pockets. No one in a billion years would guess that he was royalty, let alone King.

It was surreal gazing upon a place that still brought hints of anxiety in him. He could remember the collapsed tunnel, losing air, believing that he would die here. Being helped by a Jedi. He wondered where she was, that grouchy Jedi that was always in a mood and despised him. Altair couldn’t help but smile at the memory, briefly glancing down to where his hand was in one of his deep pants pockets. A saberhilt was tucked away there, his fingers grazing over the metallic surface. He wondered where she was and if he would ever get the chance to give it back to her. Or why he even held onto it in the first place.

Altair sighed and drew his hands out again, preparing to leave to continue his little visits.

@llamallove
 

Reyna Vernize

Character
Independent
Rank
Princess of Onderon

Character Profile
Link
OOC
llamallove
Joined
Oct 31, 2022
Messages
98
Reaction score
80

Sneaking out was easy. Cassian had taught her how to do that, years ago when they'd been young and in love. Now she had mastered it. She had the Royal Guard's schedule and routine memorized. She knew just which window to slip out of and which lattice to crawl down. She knew just the right pathways to cut through and bushes to hide behind to avoid being spotted from the second floor balconies of the palace.

Father had never been the wiser, and neither was Weylin in his passing.

Coming here—to this place that called to mind so many memories of better times—that was the hard part. Night after night. Allowing the grief to wash over her, and when it threatened to drown her, allowing herself to cry. No one ever recognized her. Not under the blanket of night, with the hood of her cape pulled over her chestnut hair. Not that it mattered. No one ever came here anymore, and the unexplainable draw she felt toward this place grew more faint with every passing day. These days she preferred Cassian's apartment when she wanted to wallow in self-pity, when she wanted to break away from the strict routine she had forced herself to adhere to ever since his passing.

At least there she could curl up by the fire and stare out the window rather than kicking around rubble and debris that had yet to be cleared away. She didn't know why she kept coming back here. It was senseless. Stupid. Foolish, even. What did she hope to gain? Did she think she would stumble across some belonging of his? Some left over memento?

Tonight was the last night. It had to be. This couldn't be healthy. Exhaling sharply, she kicked a loose rock with her boot. @Sreeya

 

Altair Din

Character
Empire
Rank
Grand Marshal

Character Profile
Link
OOC
Sreeya
Joined
Jan 3, 2022
Messages
1,534
Reaction score
1,301

Altair paused when he heard a noise. King or no king, he was definitely the type to spook easy. He almost jumped when he saw a figure nearby. The tiefling blinked and eyed the figure suspiciously, staring at the wavy outfit and hood that hid the face. It had to be a homeless person. As someone that came from borderline poor means, he could always sympathize. And he realized it was probably a girl.

He walked towards the figure, tilting his head, “Hey, you all right?” Altair asked quietly, “You need some credits? Too cold out here, why don’t you get some shelter and a hot meal?” He asked, reaching into his pocket to draw out some cash. Altair half expected her to bolt at the sight of him, but he would do his due diligence.

@llamallove
 

Reyna Vernize

Character
Independent
Rank
Princess of Onderon

Character Profile
Link
OOC
llamallove
Joined
Oct 31, 2022
Messages
98
Reaction score
80

The night was cold. The senate building abandoned and remote. This section of the city had been entirely leveled—if not by the Sith, then by the construction crews that had rolled in days later to begin clean up. Reyna hadn't run into another soul for weeks, so when one stone grated against another, the unmistakable sound of gravel and debris shifting underfoot, she stopped dead in her tracks. Pointed ears stood straight up, straining to listen and discern each approaching movement.

A figure appeared at the top of a rock pile before descending, making their way toward her. Probably just another teenager, she told herself, looking to get into trouble. But just in case... Dark eyes searched for something to grab—a heavy rock or a scrap piece of metal that she might defend herself. Before her hands could find purchase, the figure spoke. It was a man, with long, sloping horns that stuck out from the hoodie he had pulled over his head.

The sky was pitch black—the moon hidden from view, and the stars middling. She couldn't make out his features, not from a distance and not when he came to a stop directly in front of her. "I'm alright," she answered automatically, ears turned sideways. That was the last question she had expected. Once he offered her credits, there was a prolonged pause. Both of them standing there in the darkness, blinking but not able to make the other out, and neither of them saying a word. Only the sound of their breathing.

"Do you... do you think I'm a vagrant?" she finally said. Did she look like she had nowhere to lay her head at night? No fire to warm herself by when the nights were cold? This was the first time anyone had ever offered her credits, and she wasn't sure how she ought to respond. Then she thought to answer, "Thank you, but my funds are sufficient. Are you in need of credits?" Was that how this worked? One exchange for another? @Sreeya

 
Last edited:

Altair Din

Character
Empire
Rank
Grand Marshal

Character Profile
Link
OOC
Sreeya
Joined
Jan 3, 2022
Messages
1,534
Reaction score
1,301

Vagrant? Between that term instead of ‘hobo’ and her posh accent, he knew right away he completely messed up. His eyes went wide and he chuckled awkwardly, “I… my bad, I assumed… that was stupid..” He fumbled his words a bit, “Have a good night, m’am,” Altair said with a warm smile before he quickly shuffled off awkwardly. Well that was the last time he would proactively offer money until he completely confirmed someone was a hobo…

It was just a few minutes after he left that a few other figures emerged. By now Reyna was left alone, three large, burly and slightly drunk men half stumbling over towards the ruins. One of them took a moment to pee over the caution tapes and the other started spraying graffiti. The third was standing around laughing before he spotted Reyna. The man whistled as he walked over, this one more sober than the others.

“Hey girl, what’re you doing here all by yourself?”

By now, the others took notice and started walking towards her.

“Aww let’s get a better look at you,” One of the men said as he reached to pull down her hood. They were much larger than her and had her surrounded.

@llamallove
 

Reyna Vernize

Character
Independent
Rank
Princess of Onderon

Character Profile
Link
OOC
llamallove
Joined
Oct 31, 2022
Messages
98
Reaction score
80

"Oh. Alright," the half-Sephi's voice trailed off, unsure what she ought to say or do. This had never happened to her before. She watched the stranger shuffle away, blinking, before adding, "Have a lovely night."
Alone again. Alone with her thoughts and the memories this place elicited. She milled around until another sound drew her attention, and she turned, expecting to find the stranger standing there again, but it was three men walking toward her. They teetered and stumbled, evidently not in control of their faculties. Drunk and looking for trouble.

Reyna couldn't see their eyes in the darkness, but she knew the uncomfortable feeling that settled in her stomach all too well. They were giving her the one-over, or—to put it more crudely—undressing her with their eyes. This was nothing new, unfortunately, but she'd never encountered the problem alone. She'd always been with someone else, at a banquet or a party, where she could easily fend off the unwelcome advances of a drunken Arch Duke or Earl that probably hadn't experienced the touch of a woman for the better part of a decade. Here, the princess was painfully aware of the fact that she was alone. Helpless. And it scared her.

"You're drunk," she said without thinking, turning up her nose as they approached. They reeked of cheap alcohol, of every two-bit bar and gambling establishment on Zeltros. When she tried to slip between them, they shoved her back, crowding around her as if she was an animal on exhibit rather than a human being.


"You're not going anywhere," one of them laughed, while the other pulled her hood down. Chestnut hair tumbled free, falling over her shoulders and framing her face.

"Saaaaay, she's pretty," their ringleader hiccupped, the one that had first spotted her. He was a dark blue Zabrak of colossal size with black facial tattoos. The others were just as large, if less intimidating as they hung back.


One of them, a human with long, unkempt black hair and a glass eye reached out to touch her hair, but Reyna drew back and snarled, with all the venom she possessed, "Don't touch me!"

It only made them snicker, and the Zabrak seized her by the arms before she could try to escape. "I said let go of me!" Reyna screamed, panic evident in her voice as she struggled against his unassailable grip. Struggle was useless, she realized, against three burly men three times her size, but that didn't stop her. Even as her blood ran cold, and her heart pounded in her chest, her breath coming out in short, panicked rasps. Even as the Zabrak, unsteady on his feet, drug her down to the ground with him. @Sreeya

 

Altair Din

Character
Empire
Rank
Grand Marshal

Character Profile
Link
OOC
Sreeya
Joined
Jan 3, 2022
Messages
1,534
Reaction score
1,301

Altair was normally the type to live and let live. He didn’t think girls usually wanted help, and he had enough instances where anyone he tried to help was more terrified of his appearance than the danger. So he stopped playing the hero type. He heard noises and his brows furrowed. He almost considered just walking off. Not his problem. Altair kept walking when he heard another scream followed by a thud. Damn, this girl really couldn’t get herself out of this. He tilted his head from side to side, cracking his neck and then his knuckles.

“Come on, don’t make me beg for a smooch,” The Zabrak chortled after he dropped her to the ground and loomed atop her. He kept her pinned there, any struggling entirely useless. The other two were laughing and hiccuping.


The Zabrak’s hand began to travel to her chest when he was abruptly yanked off. From her vantage point, she would simply see that tiefling from earlier. The Zabrak took a swing at him, but Altair grabbed that wrist, yanking the arm towards himself as his other hand came in to slam into it. There was a sick crunch as the arm broke. By then, one of his buddies rushed at Altair, the tiefling whirling around to slam the Zabrak into the human like a battering ram. He had grabbed the Zabrak by the head, the result being the man getting slammed by his horns.

The tiefling was a blur of motions, effortlessly weaving through the men. He threw fists, he swept them off their feet, he broke bones. They yelled, they cursed, they flailed and tried to hit him, calling him a plethora of racial slurs and everything they could think of. None of it helped, they continued to drop like rocks to the ground each time they tried to stand. At the end of it, one was out cold and the other two were sobbing and rolling around on the ground nursing broken bones and heavy bleeding.

Altair stood among them, tail swishing from side to side. He reached up to adjust his hoodie and fix up disheveled hair. He hadn’t used the Force the entire time, having actually enjoyed a good old fashioned slugfest. The tiefling sported a black eye and a busted lip, but he was otherwise all right. Altair walked over to extend a hand down to the girl to help her up if she was still stuck on the ground.

“Are you all-”

“I’m…gonna fuck…you up.. You-" Thud! Altair struck the man’s head with the back of his heel without ever taking his eyes off the girl’s. The action knocked him out instantly.

“Are you all right?” He repeated casually as if the interruption hadn’t happened, “Maybe you should call a space taxi. I’ll wait here with ya.”

@llamallove
 

Reyna Vernize

Character
Independent
Rank
Princess of Onderon

Character Profile
Link
OOC
llamallove
Joined
Oct 31, 2022
Messages
98
Reaction score
80

Reyna bit her lip, drawing blood as she stared up into the face of the Zabrak, his eyes sodden and his grin wicked and carefree. No matter where she turned, no matter how hard she struggled, there he was—pressing his lips towards hers. It was a face she would never forget, not for as long as she lived. Ears pressed back against her skull, she dug her nails into his chest in vain, her pulse racing and her head dizzy.

Then, out of nowhere, a hand clasped the Zabrak on the shoulder and pulled him away. The Tiefling stood there, and all three men lunged at him. He battled them all, outnumbered and outsized. Reyna was sure that he was fighting a losing battle, that at any moment he'd be tossed to the ground just as she had been. Even in their drunken conditions, they were strong, and the alcohol in their system only made them braver. But one by one, they were the ones tossed to the ground, as if they weighed no more than a sack of potatoes—bones cracking and blood splattering.

Only the Tiefling remained standing.

Reyna watched the entire fight from the dirt, too paralyzed with fear to move a muscle until the Tiefling—her savior—extended a hand to her. Her trembling hand accepted, slipping into his as she stood, shaking. "I... think so," she answered in a faraway voice, unable to pry her eyes away from the three men on the ground. Two of them were unconscious, and the other still writhed, moaning and whimpering, tears streaming down his face. There was blood everywhere.

The princess turned, backing away from him with quick, jerky steps. There was a harried, wild look in her eyes—a look that few had ever seen, and never under circumstances such as these. Brunette strands of hair, tousled when she'd fallen and been pawed by the Zabrak, hung over her face. Pointed ears drooped. Her arms slipped around herself, as if she was trying to give herself a hug. She stood there in silence, resisting the overwhelming urge to crumple to the ground and bury her head in her hands. She squeezed her eyes shut and didn't open them until the Tiefling spoke again.

"No," she spoke immediately, her voice much stronger than she felt at that moment. "No taxis." She couldn't be seen. Not like this. @Sreeya


 

Altair Din

Character
Empire
Rank
Grand Marshal

Character Profile
Link
OOC
Sreeya
Joined
Jan 3, 2022
Messages
1,534
Reaction score
1,301

Altair looked at the woman. There was something slightly familiar about her appearance, but he couldn’t quite place it. However, he had been around enough Anfynn or Sephi to be able to tell their mood from their ears. If she weren't so freaked out, he'd even think about how beautiful she was. The tiefling didn’t take any steps towards her as she hugged herself, watching her almost tremble from what happened.

“You’re okay,” He said calmly, “Ain’t nothin’ gonna happen to you,” He reassured her. She would notice he wasn’t looking at her, but at her ears. She didn’t have to say anything for him to be able to tell she was terrified. However, he was visibly surprised when she refused a taxi or a way home. Altair shifted where he stood, looking around. Every path was dark and shady, this particular area largely abandoned these days.

“Can I at least walk you somewhere safe, then?” Altair asked quietly after a long moment. He still kept a respectable distance away from her, not wanting to spook her in any way. He wanted to make it abundantly clear he wasn’t like one of those goons he just dropped.

@llamallove
 

Reyna Vernize

Character
Independent
Rank
Princess of Onderon

Character Profile
Link
OOC
llamallove
Joined
Oct 31, 2022
Messages
98
Reaction score
80

The Tiefling's voice was soothing and calm as he spoke to her, in stark contrast to the brute force he'd used on her attackers. There was an accent, too, and one that she was not familiar with. That meant he probably wasn't from Onderon. That was a good thing.

"Walk me somewhere?" she repeated, gathering her thoughts. Under any other circumstances, she would never be so incoherent and disorganized. It went against her nature, but these were no ordinary circumstances. Was that a good idea? To leave together? Every moment they spent together, every time they passed under a street light increased the risk of being recognized, not only by him but by other passersby. Yet, she couldn't deny her shaking hands and drooping ears. The idea of walking home alone now, after what had just happened, scared her.

Still, she couldn't just waltz up the palace steps with the Tiefling in tow. There would be no question in his mind about her identity then, and there would be no end to the questions her elder brother would ask. Why had she snuck out, and even worse—how often.

"The Hog's Hock." She didn't know why she'd said it, or why that establishment in particular was the first that came to mind. A tavern in a sleepy little village outside of Iziz. It was dark, lit only by candle and firelight. There, perhaps, she would go unrecognized. She'd been there before, after all, when she needed a stiff drink to get her through the night. "It's a tavern just outside of Iziz," she explained to her rescuer, in case he didn't know. If he wasn't a local, he probably didn't. It was an out of the way place.


Now he would assume that she lived in a tavern, but even that assumption was better than the realization that she lived in the palace. "If you don't mind, that is." She wouldn't make him walk with her, and she certainly wasn't going to ask him. She still had her pride, tattered and stained as it was at the moment, and he'd already gone above and beyond the line of duty tonight. But she didn't want to be alone, and she hoped the offer still stood. @Sreeya

 

Altair Din

Character
Empire
Rank
Grand Marshal

Character Profile
Link
OOC
Sreeya
Joined
Jan 3, 2022
Messages
1,534
Reaction score
1,301

Altair stared at the girl. Why was she acting like this was the first time she ever walked anywhere by herself? He wouldn’t voice any of this aloud, but he couldn’t help but be surprised by how she refused to order any kind of taxi service to take her home. The tiefling was about to rescind his offer when she threw out a tavern name. This was the second time she shocked him - he was there the night prior to score some spice. The place was shady as all hell and the way she carried herself suggested she was going to be way out of her element again. Was she having a rebellious night sneaking out from her parents’ house or something? Or maybe she actually did live there…

“Aight,” He said simply as wiped some more of his blood off his lips, “I know where that is…as of yesterday,” He said with a grin. Altair started walking, his tail still swishing back and forth from the great mood he was in from all the fighting.

“You didn’t seem lost,” Altair said as he glanced over his shoulder back towards the ruins, “Payin’ respects?”

@llamallove
 

Reyna Vernize

Character
Independent
Rank
Princess of Onderon

Character Profile
Link
OOC
llamallove
Joined
Oct 31, 2022
Messages
98
Reaction score
80

"I'm surprised," she said, making polite conversation as her breeding demanded, no matter how shaken up she was. After twenty-five years, it was second nature to her. Another woman might have broken down in tears or rushed into her rescuer's arms, and both reactions would have been understandable, but Reyna did neither. The Tiefing had been a perfect gentleman from the moment he'd offered her credits to now, when he kept his distance. She had to assume it was so she didn't feel threatened by his presence, and silently, she appreciated the gesture. Perhaps chivalry wasn't dead after all, though the three assailants lying at their feet were certainly no recommendation.
Wrinkling her nose, Reyna reached her hand into the lining of each man's jackets, pulling out their IDs and stowing them in her pocket. She didn't hesitate to take them, but the disgust was evident by the way her ears curled backward when she drew near. She couldn't turn them over to authorities now, not without filing a report and getting the media involved. They could smell a royal scandal a mile away. She could and would, however, use her connections to discreetly see to it that each were brought to justice by whatever means necessary. She wouldn't let them walk the streets freely. Not after tonight.

"I lost someone. I come here sometimes, just to indulge in their memory," was her hedged response, not wanting to reveal too much. It was doubtful that he would connect the dots, but she wasn't going to take any chances. Dark eyes flicked over to him, wandering the length of his horns—in the darkness his most striking feature. She recalled how easily he'd struck her attackers with those horns but tried not to dwell on the thought, as much as its memory brought satisfaction. She wished that that moment was seared into her memory for all eternity and not the hot breath and groping hands of the Zabrak.


She dared to ask, "And you?" supposing it wasn't an untoward question, considering he had asked it of her. "What were you doing there? Or do you spend all your evening coming to the rescue of damsels in distress?" She hated to think of herself as a damsel in distress, no more beneficial than an actress in an old holofilm, but she would give credit where credit was due. If he hadn't come along when he did...well, she couldn't dwell on that without infinite pain. She fell silent after that, walking a respectful distance away from him except for when a noise would startle her, and their shoulders would brush briefly.


3874b97ebced03dd97739224de6e389a.jpg

The Hog's Hock was dark, just as it was every night, lit only by candlelight and the fire at the center of the room. Over the fire pit stood a spit, with a suckling pig spinning over the flickering flames. A wooden bar wrapped around the length of the fire pit, with booths lining the walls. It was like stepping back into time, and the smell of bitter ale and smoked meats hung heavy on the air.

Stopping in the threshold of the tavern and allowing the warmth of the tavern to wash over her skin, she said in a low voice, "Let me buy you a drink." It was the least she could do to say thank you. Then, without hesitating or asking where he would like to sit, she made a beeline for a booth in the remotest corner of the tavern—where she was less likely to be spotted. @Sreeya


 
Last edited:

Altair Din

Character
Empire
Rank
Grand Marshal

Character Profile
Link
OOC
Sreeya
Joined
Jan 3, 2022
Messages
1,534
Reaction score
1,301

Altair knew the question would be turned on him, and it still didn’t help any. He was visibly caught off guard, his tail suddenly twitching. He knew she would notice, and he was in no real mood to obviously bullshit, “I was in the area that day,” He said truthfully, “Was caught in some of the debris. Was real scary. Someone helped me out,” His mind again wandered to that insufferable Jedi. He wasn’t even sure why he was curious about seeing her again - she was nothing but a major pain in his ass, “So I came back to think about what I almost lost, I guess,” Altair shrugged, “Sorry for your loss though,” he said as he looked at her. No doubt he was a direct contributor to her loss, “And I hardly call that being a damsel,” He said with a smile, “Those dudes were like three times your size each!”

The tiefling opened the door for her as they walked in, following behind her to take in sight of the tavern.

“Horns!” A regular patron called out cheerfully, “You’re back!”

Altair waved happily as the man nudged the owner, an elderly woman who then looked up, “Awwww you’re back! I was just telling my customers about the sweetest tiefling we ever met. Want me to cook you a nice hot meal? Millie wouldn’t shut up about you last night-”

“Mom!” A younger girl in her early twenties holding a tray of drinks hissed, her face beet red as she looked away.

“Ehehe maybe later,” Altair said as he shuffled in the opposite direction, which put him on the same path as Reyna. His face was burning hot and he was thankfully distracted when the girl he rescued spoke up. He nodded vigorously and walked over to sit across from her in the booth. While the tavern may have had rough and seedy characters pass through, it was clear no one messed with the elderly female owner.

Altair ran his fingers through his hair, smiling sheepishly, “Guess I made a bit of an impression here,” In truth, he had a severe case of the munchies and offered to make a delicious meat pie for everyone which scored him a tremendous amount of points here. That and of course a bit of flirting with the owner's daughter, “I appreciate the drink, though you ain’t gotta thank me,” He said with a shrug, “I just did what any dude with half a brain woulda done,” Altair said, “So, what’s your name?”

@llamallove
 

Reyna Vernize

Character
Independent
Rank
Princess of Onderon

Character Profile
Link
OOC
llamallove
Joined
Oct 31, 2022
Messages
98
Reaction score
80

The Tiefling was fortunate. More fortunate, in fact, than most. Not many had survived the destruction of the senate building. "Then it was fate that you survived," the princess declared, regaining some of her old confidence now that she was in a crowded, familiar place, surrounded by people laughing and having a good time. Now that the danger was past. "Perhaps it was the gods that spared you and led you to this place, so that you might help me in my hour of need."
Now that they were in the light, the half-Sephi could see him clearly, and she stared at him unabashedly. She was accustomed to staring at or speaking to whomever she pleased with little to no consequences. She had no self-inflicted social inhibitions or unease that arose from self-doubt. Dark eyes passed over his horns first—still one of his most striking features, but now that he was in the light, it was his eyes that were spellbinding. They were violet in color, glowing in the firelight as the melting candle at the center of the table danced across his pupils. He was young, younger than her judging by the youthful lines across his charcoal face, but there was experience in every line. Black, wavy tufts of hair stuck out from around his horns, tousled from the fight.

"You're handsome," she said candidly, her tone as passionless as a remark about the weather or the tavern's atmosphere.
The tavern was warm and welcoming, with families gathered around tables and revelers dispersed across the bar. The room was filled with live music and vapor from the long, wooden pipes of old men tapping their feet to the rhythm. "And popular." This she added, inclining her head toward the tavern owner's daughter, cheeks still flushed as she wiped beer glasses at the bar, her bright green eyes wandering to Altair every few seconds. Perhaps he'd rescued her, too, although Reyna had a feeling it was something else entirely.

"It's the least I can do," she said more seriously. Then he asked her name, and she paused, her face unreadable as she considered how she ought to answer. Was there any harm in telling him her name? Probably not. He was an off-worlder, after all, and if he hadn't recognized her by now, he probably wasn't going to, but she didn't want to take the risk. Nor did she want to lie to him, not after he'd saved her life. "My father always called me his gazelle. You may call me Zelle, if you'd like." She stared at him then, expecting him to give her his name in turn.

The own's daughter wandered over to their table after much deliberation, wiping away strands of her long, golden hair. "What can I get you?" @Sreeya

 

Altair Din

Character
Empire
Rank
Grand Marshal

Character Profile
Link
OOC
Sreeya
Joined
Jan 3, 2022
Messages
1,534
Reaction score
1,301

Altair was a bit busy glancing over to see if the drug dealers from a few nights prior were still around to notice her checking him out. He finally looked back at her when she completed her appraisal, his brows raising as she told him he was handsome. Oh, this was not an Annfyn, she was Sephi. Old Altair may have turned into a puddle, new Altair simply grinned at her, “I am. Glad you noticed,” He stated just as matter of factly as he leaned back into his seat, one of his arms resting on the spine of the seat, “And you ain’t so bad yourself.”

He didn’t miss that she paused when he asked her name. While her face betrayed nothing, there was a definite moment of silence before she answered. He didn’t think much of it, “Zelle,” He repeated, “Pretty name. Though you may need to become Lioness if you keep gettin’ jumped like that,” Altair shook his head, “Not sure the fates will align everytime you take a midnight stroll.”

Altair looked at Millie when she walked over. The girl smiled shyly as she looked at him, “It’s good to see you again,” She added before gasping, "Oh you look hurt!" She said, almost reaching out before drawing her hand back.

“Naw, ain't nothin'. Hook us up with some stiff bahkata pours,” Altair said, “We bin’ through a rough night.”

Millie’s smile disappeared a bit as her gaze flicked over to Zelle, “Oh.. I..didn’t know you were with…” Her face turned pink, “I’ll be right back with the drinks!” She quickly shuffled away.

It took a moment for it to register what Millie assumed and Altair opened his mouth, “Wait, no, we aint-” But she already walked off by then. He shook his head and looked back at Zelle.

“Altair,” He said. It wasn’t exactly an uncommon name, so he didn’t same the harm in sharing.

@llamallove
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Reyna Vernize

Character
Independent
Rank
Princess of Onderon

Character Profile
Link
OOC
llamallove
Joined
Oct 31, 2022
Messages
98
Reaction score
80

"Thank you," Reyna replied with a gradual, building smile that showed no sign of practice. Her voice was not rich with emotion, but she was genuine. She received half a dozen compliments a day regarding her appearance, from buoyant suitors to politicians that wanted to win her favor, thinking that would give them some foothold within the royal family. As a young girl, they had turned her head, but now they hardly fazed her. One compliment was just like the next, although "you ain't so bad yourself" was a first, and one she wasn't likely to hear again. Not in the circles she moved in.
The attractive waitress—Millie, by name—dashed away, ducking behind the bar, emerald eyes on her work but her mind obviously still on Altair by the way her hands fumbled. Altair. "Is that a family name?"

Then she added, referring to Millie, "You may go after her if you wish," forgetting that he did not require her permission to do anything. She wasn't a princess. Not tonight. Not here, and certainly not with him. "Explain that we're not together. She's very disappointed."

Should he stay, she would lean forward on the table and stare at him, dark eyes never straying from his violet. "What you did back there—with those men—it was incredible." She tucked a strand of chestnut hair behind her pointed ear, bent forward slightly. The only sign that she was excited as she recalled the brawl. "I'm very curious, so please spare no details. How did you do it?" @Sreeya

 

Altair Din

Character
Empire
Rank
Grand Marshal

Character Profile
Link
OOC
Sreeya
Joined
Jan 3, 2022
Messages
1,534
Reaction score
1,301

Altair quirked a brow. Family name? Who the hell talked like that? Duh, it was a name given to him by his family. No, there were people that talked like that. Some of the people from the Priamsta and other nobles referred to it by family name instead of plain old last name. Again he didn’t think much of it - life was easier when you took things at face value, “Just my first name,” He said with a grin, “You’d have to earn the rest.”

His gaze flicked over to Millie, not missing the many glances she cast his way. Altair looked back at Zelle with a shrug, “She’ll spot another cute guy and forget all about me by tomorrow,” He said cheerfully, “Besides, I’m givin’ all my attention to the beautiful lady in front of me right now,” Altair took the proffered drinks, noticing that it was a different person that came over to hand them off, Millie still moody. He clicked his glass against hers, “Cheers,” He said before he took a drink. It was a local alcohol, but very strong. As a tiefling, he could handle his liquor, but he couldn’t deny this one was a punch to the gut.

Altair blinked at her curiously when she asked about the fight. He took another sip of his drink, “Uhh, well..” He normally blurted out about his Matukai origin, but he already invited enough bullshit with Samara when he spoke about his past or revealed what he was. He would probably never see this chick again and it wasn’t worth the drama of divulging anything whatsoever, “I took a lot of martial arts growin’ up. Used to get picked on a lot, so learned to fight,” A lot of that was true. He was quite overweight as a child and the subject of tons of bullying back on Bandomeer, “As for how…it’s just practice. You practice enough and it becomes second nature to ya. Why do you ask?” He quirked a brow, “I think you’d be fine if you avoid shady ass places at 1 in the morning and don't announce how much credits you got,” Altair grinned.

@llamallove
 

Reyna Vernize

Character
Independent
Rank
Princess of Onderon

Character Profile
Link
OOC
llamallove
Joined
Oct 31, 2022
Messages
98
Reaction score
80

Reyna stared at the Tiefling. There was nothing ordinary about him, as much as he might have suggested otherwise with his comment about "any dude with half a brain would have done the same." The half-Sephi realized that not just any man would have performed the great service he had for her tonight. Not for a woman they had no personal connection with. A stranger.

"Cheers," she echoed, picking up her own mug. Ordinarily, as the Princess of Onderon with a spotless reputation to protect, she didn't drink with just anyone. "There is an old tradition here on Onderon—that the clinking of two glasses amongst friends wards off any bad spirits that might be lingering nearby." She inclined her head toward him and waited, smiling a little as she said, "We're both still here."

The mug was lifted to her lips, but she only swallowed three sips before she started choking. "Is this bahkata?" she managed to ask as the warm, robust ale slid down her throat. The booth was more comfortable than it had been before, the tavern's air more sultry and suffocating than the burning fires permitted. Millie, still lingering by the bar, looked on with an excited gleam in her eye.

Bahkata. She'd tried it once before—years ago with Cassian—and swore she never would again. "I usually drink cocktails." Spoken like a true lightweight. "Are you flirting with me?" The question came out of nowhere, but that was the second compliment he'd given her since they'd sat down. She really didn't mind either way. She was just curious.

Slender fingers reached up to steady her bobbing head. She was definitely buzzed, and after only three sips. Still, she was determined, and continued their conversation. "Is that... is it something you can teach?"

Reyna was truly desperate to be turning a stranger she'd only met that night to train her, but she was running out of options. The Royal Guard and the Untamed were out of the question. The Jedi had turned her down. He had the training, the know how, and she'd seen the application first hand. Tonight, the Tiefling sitting in front of her felt like her last hope. @Sreeya

 

Altair Din

Character
Empire
Rank
Grand Marshal

Character Profile
Link
OOC
Sreeya
Joined
Jan 3, 2022
Messages
1,534
Reaction score
1,301

Altair smiled as she told him about the tradition. His gaze fell from hers briefly to rest on his drink, pondering about the tradition. Wasn’t he the bad spirit in this case? Wasn’t he considered poison to the galaxy for the way he wielded the Force? For the way he came to the violent defense of a woman that faced a horrible outcome otherwise? Wasn’t he an evil spirit because he broke bones and left them bleeding instead of using his words first? Wasn’t he the bad spirit because people like Clove or Samara decided he was that before he was Altair? No, the bad spirit never left because- “We’re both still here,” He repeated her words as he took his sip, washing away his toxic thoughts.

“It is bahkata,” Altair said as he drank a bit more. It wasn’t the best taste, but it began to grow on him. Plus, he liked drinks that actually put a dent in him. When she outright asked if he was flirting, he couldn’t help but chuckle. It was a genuine, lighthearted laugh, one he hadn’t had in a while. He wasn’t used to women outside of his family being so blunt and speaking their mind and this was refreshing.

“That depends,” He said with a smile, “Is it working?” Altair asked before he threw the entire drink back.

Altair was caught off guard again when she asked him to teach her to fight. Damn, this girl was all over the place. Then again, he couldn’t blame her. If he were her, he would want to learn self defense as well. Relying on someone else all the time sounded miserable. Altair pondered her question for a moment, his fingers absentmindedly drumming on the table from the change in music.

“It takes time and dedication,” Altair said to her. He couldn’t teach her Matukai, but he could certainly teach her some basics. He glanced over, slightly distracted by the music picking up as several patrons began to dance and move on the open tavern floor. It looked like a complicated local dance involving lots of footwork and spinning around. But it looked very fun to try and the patrons were laughing and cheering as they did it. Altair stared that way for a moment with a grin.

“I’ll teach you if you teach me how to do that,” He jerked his head towards the dance floor.

@llamallove
 

Reyna Vernize

Character
Independent
Rank
Princess of Onderon

Character Profile
Link
OOC
llamallove
Joined
Oct 31, 2022
Messages
98
Reaction score
80

"That depends," she answered similarly, staring at him intently. She never said what it depended upon, leaving that up to his imagination. For now.
A king's ransom. That was what Reyna Vernize was willing to pay to the man or woman that agreed to train her. To fight. To survive on the streets. To defend herself, her family, and her homeworld. She would do whatever it took, pay whatever it cost. The sky was the limit, and Altair asked for a dance.

A dance. "That? You want to learn that?" she pointed toward the dance floor, as if she couldn't accept that that was all he wanted. It was an opening. A chance. An opportunity unlike any she'd been provided thus far, and she would seize it. His motivation and his reasoning was a mystery to her, but did it really matter? Not right now. Perhaps it was the alcohol talking, or perhaps this was what she'd been waiting for. She wouldn't wait to find out which. "Alright, Altair. Let's dance."


Slender fingers seized his beneath the table without warning, and she pulled him up from his seat. Millie's eyes followed them all the way to the dance floor, but Reyna didn't even bother to glance her way. All that mattered was the dance and her dance partner. "This dance is called the King's Crown around here," she explained, manicured nails barely digging into the palm of his hand in her haste to join the others. Her mother had taught her the steps years ago, as a young girl. There was nothing elegant about the dance, its movements choppy and unrefined, but it was lively and fun. She wouldn't get into the origins of the dance, as she had a feeling Altair cared less about its history than the steps. More traditional versions of the song started with the men bowing at the waist and the women curtseying, but no one at the Hog's Head adhered to that. They were here to have a good time, and that was it.

Likewise, Reyna didn't waste time on formalities. "Place your hands on my hips," was her first instruction, said naturally and without much thought. She guided both of his hands, should he hesitate, positioning them at her waist, before sliding hers onto his shoulders. Intrinsically, there was something intimate about the motion, but she was all business. She was teaching him how to dance. "Just follow my lead."

Staring up at the Tiefling, her dark eyes sparkled. After three sips of bahkata, she could almost forget the unfortunate circumstances surrounding their first meeting. Her skin was warm from the alcohol in her system and the fires burning, and her ears swiveled forward. "I've seen how well you can throw a punch. Now let's see how well you can dance."

The dancers formed two concentric circles, and as the beat began, Reyna pulled Altair to his right, galloping with the rest of the group in a clockwise direction. As soon as they'd made a full circle, they kicked out her feet, jumped, and hollered. Reyna did the same, watching Altair the entire time to see if he followed suit. This was only the beginning. @Sreeya

 
Top