Alderaan - Love and Intrigue

There was something needing being said.

Something that she hoped would help solidify the all too tempting vision Bryson shared with her one day. In the wake of yesterdays events, she could find some ability toward solace in his death accepting the fact that she was in a position to push toward that dreamy future, to hold the peace they found themselves with today. All of Alderaan could focus more on the good they could bring to the galaxy, to the people, and forget some of the trappings of the past.

Just a couple steps, a focus, they could solidify that base.

Riss was dressed in what at first might appear her usual getup, simple shirt, ratty jacket, and the whole ordeal. However, in the time of getting her House proclaimed and in order she put in the effort to get a few other things tidied up as well. Plenty was given toward dresses for the occassions, not just the one's she brought with her. Now it was time to up her casual attire. A sleek, fancy looking jacket rested over her shoulders accented with the original colors related to her House.

Approaching the estates, she found someone who would be able to seek her a meeting with Yulastranza and followed them to wherever she currently was.

Yulastranza was watching soldiers drill, giving instruction as needed. It seemed her way of dealing with things was hard work and more training. Upon seeing Riss she gave command to an officer and said, “Countess Lanar, welcome.”

"Thank you, and thank you for meeting with me too," she says, striding up nearer Yulastranza's side. Hand resting passively on the back of her blaster in that comfortable position as she usually left it. the other simple on her hip. Looking out over the field a moment she knew she'd never quite have something like this but it was still something that sparked that feeling.

"Hoping to steal some of your attention. Have a few things I wanted to say, and at least one I feel I have to say," she says, returning her attention to Yulastranza herself.

“Well, you have my attention,” she said sternly.

"What I have to say first then," she says, turning to more fully face Yulastranza. "Your father's a good man. I tried warning him the morning before, yesterday. Guess I didn't really expect much to come of it but I had the hope and need to try and give him a chance. Bryson was like that. Mislead into action believing he was serving the better cause of Alderaan. I was too, at a time, in some way. I'm only lucky I was able to fix mine before it ruined my life completely. Your father faces.. a lot, for this, and it's regrettable because we only have ourselves to punish while the one behind it all gets away. Was never even really here to be gotten," she looks down. "And Bryson.. Bryson lost everything," she inhales deeply, letting out a long slow sigh.

"We have a lot of work to do soon. As a people.. and not just separately. You've certainly got your share here cut out for you," she gives a glance across the field. Focusing back on Yula, "But I hope you'll consider, if not the Lanar, me to be a friend, if you ever have a need?"

“I am not sure I will ever make friends easy, especially after this Countess, but you have an ally as long as you serve Alderaan,” she said.

"I understand," she nods. Taking in the air a moment, "I'll just have to work at it then," she says, an easy smirk flashed in Yulastranza's direction.

"That's.. what I hope to do with the Lanar. Make that dream Bryson, your father, I.. and a whole lotta other people have a little more possible than it was before. A lot of work, but so is getting Duchess Yulastranza Ulgo to call me her friend someday. I'm willing to try and tackle those. Few years, maybe even a couple decades, I'll get it done," she says with that ease of voice and tone, something returned of her usual self with a bit more to it. Confidence? Earned or otherwise.

"And what is this dream you see for Alderaan?" she asked.

"Less killing one another is a good start," she starts with a lighter tone on a serious truth. Looking away from Yulastranza her brow furrows, giving her the space of time to focus on her answer. "I would like to see us more involved in doing what is right. Less expending our energies on more.. frivolous things, or things that harm us. The people that were whipped up into a frenzy? Everyone.. even that.. the man who was on the float? Even he believed he was doing the right thing for Alderaan."

"Bryson said some things that resonated with me, less focus on parties. More on the people, on doing what is right."

"I hope you live up to your standard," she said kindly. "Maybe that example will catch on."

"I'm gonna give it most everything I got-" she chuckles, shaking her head. A soft sigh as that emotion settles she says more seriously, with more determination, "No. I'm.. I ran away from Alderaan when I was younger because I wasn't the type who really took half-measures, mm? I didn't wanna be here, so I wasn't. Now I wanna be here, I want this. It'll get done," she says, that certainty to her tone. Riss states, giving some time before she focuses once more on Yulastranza with an entirely different look in her eye.

"But.. there is something else. Maybe.. something you can help me with, but I need to gauge something first. When I saw you on the cruise you were talking to Bryson. How much of what he was involved in do you know?" she asks, a raise to her brow.

"I barely knew him, not closely," she admitted. "Nice enough."

"He was good. Loyal to family so.. if I've got a good read on you, and I usually do," she adds with a light smirk which quickly fades, "you woulda liked him if you did," she says, that melancholy warmth to the way she spoke. A slight shake of her head she refocuses herself again. "But more seriously then. Bryson told me your father wasn't directly involved, just manipulated into position. Which means he wouldn't have, but do you know anything about the Cunning Man? Is that name.. familiar at all?"

"Heard it used in passing in the last few days, but no not familiar with it directly," she admitted. "Believe I heard Prince Gaul mention it at the peace summit."

"Gotten around a bit then.." she chuckles, half awkwardly. "I'll tell you everything you want to know, if you want to know how. It's.. a little all over the place, and I've had to piece it together, but what's most important for you to know is he's the one responsible for your father being mislead into what he did. Just as he was responsible for Bryson being mislead into being party to this whole.. uprising, and just as he was responsible... for Bryson's death, because he trusted me," she has to pause a moment, inhaling and letting the hurt settle again.

"All of this so they could try and destabilize Alderaan, to hurt the Republic, and to try and eventually hurt the Jedi Order. I.. know how that sounds, but it's true as crazy as it is. I've had a lot of people tell me how they couldn't tell me more, because of how dangerous it was or how it might damage what needed to get done. I- I don't know how any of that helped. What I do know? You deserve to know as much as I do who hurt the people we care about. He's dangerous.. if it's a group? They're dangerous. Willing to kill people just cause they talk but.. well, you deserve to know. Can take care of yourself, I'm sure."

"I thank you for the warning," she said. "I won't absolve my father of blame though, he chose to act as he did even if he was possibly manipulated."

"He was, but yea, you are right. Even if he wasn't warned prior, it was still a choice he made," she says, taking a moment to inhale, exhale, and sigh.

"Still.. it's good to know who the villain is in all this. End of the story, they're the one who has to get what's coming to 'em, mm?" she suggests with a slight rise to her smirk.

“It’s never that simple, even if they pushed people to do certain things people made those decisions. You decided to go against them they could have too. It’s easy to think there was one villain, but it was never that simple. This conspiracy is at fault, but they did not storm the Palaces or try to murder people, my father and his cronies that followed him did,” she said honestly.

“House Ulgo has to understand their role in this, or we might repeat it.”

Riss stands with that a moment, a slight furrow to her brow, a click of her tongue. "Sorry," she offers, simply. "You're right, of course," she says, a light smile rising. "Think I meant to give.. direction? Ease?" she shakes her head. "Honest, more I think about it I'm not quite sure. Think I like having the villain because it's a place I can better put the anger for.. everything. Let's me put it somewhere while we focus on not repeating our same mistakes?" she says, more thinking aloud than anything.

A shake of her head, "What's important though? You're right."

"No two people or Houses will see this the same way, and that's fine as long as we pledge to not repeat it," she said.