Alderaan - Love and Intrigue

Zeno sat at the table next to his daughters, smiling as he played with them. He dabbed a bit of whipped cream on Kasha's nose and laughed when Opila put some on her own nose to match.

"Now that we've got some toppings on there, it looks like your noses became breakfast. I'm gonna have to gobble them up," he joked in a playful tone.

They replied with giggling and Kasha let out a delighted, "Nooo!" as he leaned in and pretended like he was going to eat her nose.

Ziandra entered not long after still wearing a robe, fresh out of the refresher. An assistant handed her a data pad as she listened to Zeno with the children. It was charming even if her attentions were being drawn elsewhere. She finally said to the assistant, “Cancel my morning appointment, but make it last minute, tell them I am with the Queen.”

The assistant took the datapad as Ziandra took a seat and said, “One hundred-forty-two thousand guests this year; Panteer will bankrupt themselves for love of appearances. And drag us right along with them,” she said while peeling and then slicing a fruit for the children.

“I will be glad when this Festival is over and I can find sleep at a decent hour,” she finished as a way of greeting before rising and kissing his cheek. Back on her feet she knelt and kissed each of their crimson cheeks before saying to Zeno, “I hope you didn’t let them stay up late.”

He watches as she walks in and listens as she vents a little. Smiling when she gives out good morning kisses, he returns one of his own.

"Of course I didn't let them," he says as he smirks at the twins. "Didn't I tell you girls that it was bed time and tuck you in? Right at bedtime too," he says with a nod.

They giggle conspiratorially, knowing that he was lying. Opila then speaks up, "And after daddy tucked us in he watched a movie with us!", blowing the secret wide open, probably on purpose. They liked getting daddy in trouble with mommy lately.

Zeno opens his mouth in feigned shock at being sold out. "Well, I still count it. Both of you fell asleep before the movie was over. Now eat your breakfast before you get me in trouble for letting you play with your food," he says smiling at them.

He then stood to giver her his chair next to the girls, offering a shoulder and neck massage while they talked.

"I think everyone involved will be glad when the Festival is over. I'm pretty sure the only people that enjoy it are the common citizens, off-world guests, and the vendors. And even they get tired after ten days."

“Of course he did,” she said laughing lightly at their reply.

“Ten days, don’t remind me,” she said wearily. “It’s tradition, and tradition matters even if we hate it. I was thinking after the Queen’s speech we could actually spend time at the festival as a family, I might as well enjoy the fruits of my many labors.”

“Unless you have other plans,” she offered, finding her seat and placing sliced fruit on the childrens’ plates.

As he massages her neck, he lets his mind reach out and touch hers so that he can feel any knots or tension without her having to let him know. He can also feel the stress she's dealing with.

"I was thinking the same thing actually. I've already cleared most of my training and practice schedule with the Blackguard, and rearranged their duty schedules to match, so that I can be more available to spend time with your or provide any support you need during the festival. With the importance of this years politicking I wanted to be available to do what I can," he explains.

"Also, try the whipped cream. It was made fresh this morning so it's not the sugar loaded junk."

The girls ate their fruit, dipping it in little dishes of whipped cream that Zeno had brought out to go with some fluffy breakfast pastries. With mommy there, they were trying to show off the table manner protocols they'd been practicing, using fork and knife. They smiled as they exhibited their improving skills.

Ziandra did as he requested and was pleased with the flavor of the cream. She smiled at him and said, "That was good. Your father spoils us."

"Oh before I forget, we have a potential guest, a Delmi Koor, Republic war hero. I will be busy but do make it a point to give her my best. Think her mother was related to the family... it's not a huge concern of mine, yet."

"I think he does so because of the twins. He's a pretty austere man, but they probably remind him of Alecta," he says with a smile.

The image of his baby sister assassinated in the crib had driven him to be very protective of his daughters. It was why he had refused to sleep in a separate room from them until they were two. He had known the fear was a bit irrational in Republic space, but he couldn't help it.

"I think it was probably mother's idea though. She sent a couple new dresses and a few other gifts for the girls. They're by some independent designer that I never heard of, but apparently kind of famous."

At the news of gifts from grandma, the twins perk up and smile at each other, likely forming a plot to find them.

She listened as she ate her breakfast and then responded, “I’ll write a thank you letter, later.”

She gave her digital personal assistant a note to remind her later and then said to Zeno, “What about the Republic hero, Delmi? Thoughts?”

"Like you say, I'll give her your best when I see her. If her mother helped out the family then she'll be extended the proper respect earned by her mother's service," he confirms. "I'll also be greeting the arriving Princess from House Girard this afternoon. I've scheduled a small private lunch so that I can get to know her a little and try to make her feel welcome."

"And I've put extra security on our spaceport with Tera here, though it will hopefully be unnecessary. She'll likely try to pull me into some scheme and I'll end up going along with it, but I'll try to make sure it doesn't cause any political issues. We may be able to put her independent connections to use in the future."

"Oh... your sister, how is she?" she asked.

"Cousin, but we were as close as siblings back during pilot training," he replied. "She crashed on planet and lost her ship. She's probably going to try and steal one so she can get back out there. I'll see if I can guide her towards commandeering a pirate or smuggler vessel. But otherwise, she's her chipper and pleasant self."

“It’s a wonder she survived,” she said in reply.

“We don’t get many pirates in this sector if at all, or so I was told. She sounds like she would have fit in just fine on Nar Shaddaa. Just keep her out of trouble and she will be welcome here, she’s family after all.”

She turned her eyes to the girls and added, “Family stands by each other.”

Zeno shrugs. "It was probably a controlled crash. Probably bailed out in an escape pod before impact," he replies. "But there's a good chance she'll know of any criminals in the sector. But I'll definitely do what I can to keep her out of trouble."

The two girls nodded, taking a break from planning how to get grandma's gifts. They nod at Ziandra's words and repeat them in unison, "Family stands by each other."

"When do we get to meet aunt Tera?" Kasha asked.

"You'll get to meet her soon. Maybe you two can help me convince her to live with the family rather than going on adventures by herself. What do you think?" he asks with a smile.

They nod eagerly at that, but Zeno suspects that Tera's adventurous nature won't actually let that happen. But maybe with two cute little nieces providing back-up firepower...

“Oh?” Ziandra said hearing the news.

“Well how could she say no to two wonderful advocates and my dear husband,” she mused lightly.

"More like troublemakers than advocates I say," he says at the girls, with a wide smile.

While he continues the shoulder massage, he kisses Ziandra on the top of her head before leaning in to whisper in her ear. "Maybe we could have more little troublemakers. Should we discuss it later?"

She chuckled and kissed the top of the children’s heads before having the droid servant take them to their studies with some trepidation. Once that was settled she said to Zeno, “So you want to ask Tera to stay, and what if she says yes?”

"Be good." He smiles at the girls as they head out for their studies, then takes a seat next to Ziandra so they can talk face to face.

"I suspect that she'll say no," he says with a shrug. "All I've heard of her since I left for the academy suggests she developed an even fiercer independent spirit than she already had. But at the same time, while I might ask her to stay with the house, that doesn't mean she'll necessarily have to stay in the house. We can gauge it with time, but she might be worth investing in for potential contacts in the Outer Rim if the hearsay is true."

"I see what you mean, I'll trust your judgment on this matter," she responded after her thought.

"And what do you think about more children?" he asks. "With the girls in formal education, there will be more time for it."

“I like the process but let us address this after the festival. I am not opposed on the surface, but I need to consider what I want to do with my time over the coming year and recovery,” she offered.

“But I will hear your case in the meanwhile.”