Alderaan - Love and Intrigue

It was a little strange being back in the Rimma for the night. Having spent a lot of her time in someone else's bed since she'd arrived to Alderaan she spent precious little time here, which usually meant the kid had free access to everything for multiple nights in a row. Not that she seemed to mind as her ship was always in a state of disorder, messy but not disgusting. Having come right from the waltz, she gave Aurilie a call considering all the good news she just had to share. By the time she'd arrived Riss was out of her dress that she set aside specially as it belonged to Kat. Dressed up in loose fitting, baggy, comfortable clothing she invited Aurilie in, set up a holo-projector to watch something, and then sent herself off into the galley.

Low-light given the time of day she moved about the galley trying to make sense of things enough to get some food for a nice little viewing session of some stupid movie she'd seen a thousand times. It was.. wonderfully nostalgic.

A slumber party now? At her ship? While Riss might not have used that word, Aurilie thought that it might have been very likely the case if she planned on having a meeting this late at night. It had been ages since she attended one and she found herself overthinking what exactly to do in this situation, including what to wear.

After much fussing, she showed up at the entrance of her ship, wondering if she had the right ship. She reminded herself that she shouldn't be expecting much, as per Riss's forewarning. Her outfit of the night would be a set of royal blue traditional pyjamas complete with a buttons up shirt, just going as she would normally, as normal as she could for the circumstance. She had her coat was casually draped over her shoulders and carried a bag of her things.

She knocked on the door of the ship, making her arrival known.

Clanging metal in the distant bowels of the ship could be heard. Faint stepping through metal halls, a sudden stop, a thud. Silence, soft groan, and then some scrambling before more footsteps getting louder with every moment, closer.

As the ship door flies open Riss is stood there in pretty casual evening wear, more comfoy casual clothes than anything. Wearing a bright smile even if strands of her hair were all over in a mess as if she'd fallen, or something like that. Though the rest of her demeanor didn't convey this as she opens up with a big warm, "Aurie!" and steps out, the patter of bare feet against the metal as she takes Aurilie into a big warm hug.

Aurie could only give a big blink at Riss's appearance, wondering if she had come at a bad time...despite her inviting her over tonight. Before she could offer to come back later, she was wrapped in a big hug. She dropped her bag on the floor and put her arms around her in return with a surprised giggle. "Oh! Riss! Good to see you again!"

She gave her an affection squeeze with her arms before letting her go, although her hand slid down her arms and took her hands into her own, looking back at her with bemusement. It didn't look like Riss was in trouble, although it was hard to know for sure now. "You look...busy. I mean, you look great. You look great. Thank you very much for the invite."

Returning the affectionate squeeze right after she sighs warmly. Stepping the half-step back from the hug, welcoming Aurilie's hands into her own. Laughing at the comment, shaking her head, "Busy?" she repeats with clearly mocked offense. "Okay, okay, I'll remember that," she chuckles.

"Thanks for coming though, I've got good news, and a way old holo-movie set up with some food.. uh, being made. I.. think," she glances away a moment at that. Stepping back she uses the hand hold to guide Aurilie further inside a few steps, "Soo, how've you been?" she asks casually, but laughs at the amusing nature of leading her back inside this way.

Aurilie gave an embarrassed chuckle and tried to explain herself. Her head tilted side to side a little as she tried to say something about her hair but perhaps stopped short before she could start. "Ah, well...you're fine, really."

"Ooh, that's very good news. A movie and food, that's hospitality." She smirked and stepped inside the ship with her lead. "I've been doing good. Put down a nasty beast in the morning...got to play volleyball in the afternoon, then a date in the evening. It feels like I've had three days already. It's been a long day, short in the good parts, of course."

As she took more steps, she found herself looking side to side, as if trying to get an idea of what was around the corner, as well as above, and below as well. She was sure to step in carefully and avoiding anything that was not meant to be stepped on.

"Seems like we've both been plenty busy," she says with a warmth to her tone, a bright smile. "I.. just came back from a dinner with Joran and the queen, dances with him.." she dims a little at that thought, but swallows it for the moment and puts on her smile.

Continuing to lead the way backwards into her ship Riss was managing fairly well despite not looking where she was going. However, perhaps to Aurilie's perspective that might be the only thing she was managing well. Inside the ship it was the scene of what Riss would claim to be organized chaos. Items were just tossed about and left to lay where they were, or simply placed down where it was most convenient without much regard to any sensibility for neatness. This did, however, seem to get better as they got closer and closer to the spot she'd set up the holo-movie.

"Anyway," she says, having dropped one hand so she might lead her easier forward. Into the room where she could see the holo-projector Riss let her hand go and hop-walked over toward the small galley area, "I'm off the hook, by the way!" she calls back, as she starts to gain a little distance. Checking on the bits of food she'd stuck on an instant cooker of sorts.

Admittedly, Aurilie was thinking it was going at the range of 'a little messy', which was what most people would say about their abodes. She perhaps wasn't expecting it at this magnitude. However, she was going to remind herself that she wasn't going to make a big deal out of it. There was the temptation of enlisting some servants to go through the ship and help her out.

"Oh, you too?" Her eyes lit up at the mention of Joran, recalling that Cynella was going toward the same thing after their date. Riss wasn't a suitor-suitor but this must have meant some sort of progress. "You make it sound so simple. I'm going to be surprised if you're going to be able to sleep at all tonight."

After a beat, she found herself leaning forward slightly. "...Well? Do you think you'll be able to share some details?"

Aurilie laid down her bag and walked over to see what Riss had prepared, sparing a glance at the holo-projector. It was like her own little den or cave. Maybe a step down from the summer cottage but a vast upgrade from that tent that they had shared from several years ago. "...Off the hook from trouble, I take it?"

"Off the hook from the trouble," she says, half distracted as she opens up the instant cooker and pulls out a very large bowl of something with a cover over it. Removing the cover steam rises from within, a caramel scent permeating the room and overpowering almost. Riss pauses a moment to inhale, taking it in, "Found a way through someone to get the price taken off my head without having to do anything.. bad. Did something good even," she stops for a moment, there's a weight to that for her as her hands settle on the bowl.

Right back into it she turns around with the large bowl, top now removed, and holds it out in between her and Aurilie. Inside is some kind of food with a heavy glaze resting over it, "I've got all the fun little details on the dinner though. Enough to be interesting for a little while, at least," she adds with a brief smile.

"That's good news, indeed! It can't be a small feat and to sound so casual about it just doesn't seem befitting. A price? Do I even want to ask why there's a price on your head, to begin with?" She let the question linger before shaking her head. "It must be like a large weight lifted off of your shoulders now." A weight lifted for some of us too.

After removing her coat, Aurilie narrowed her eyes at the offering and carefully took one of them with her fingers to snack on. It was perhaps a good thing that she didn't fill up on carnie fair food earlier with Cynella.

She looked around and found somewhere to sit, or at least back on for a bit. After brushing some hair from her forehead, she looked at her curiously. "Interesting in a good way? I'm getting the feeling that there's a lot of promise after tonight. How was dancing with Prince Joran like? And the Queen?"

What was nearest, by the set up holoprojector, was Riss' couch. "Price was the Thul, assassin family, you die in five days thing that I had to take care of. I think I told you about that? Not really a price but," she shrugs, "someone woulda gotten paid for it," she says. Following along behind her Riss sits down at her side, curling her legs up underneath her and facing Aurilie. Elbow rested on the back of the couch, and bent so that her hand could rest against her palm, "It was.. nice, sorta. Prince Joran is good when it comes to dancing but when I got out there.." she sighs, "you remember. My dad was the one who taught me how to dance properly. Wanted to make sure I'd do well when it came toward impressing suitors," she retched a little at that thought. Shaking her head, "But that part was," she closes her eyes a second, "it was an unexpected distraction that stole me away from the moment a bit."

Aurilie found herself casting a sidelong glance at Riss, perhaps a mix of a glare of disapproval and a look of concern. "I don't think you went into the specifics about, in fact, you kept it very vague...probably for good reason," she sighed, a part of her wanted to be upset over this but it seemed like that ship had long sailed and found its way to port before she could involve herself.

Nevertheless, she begrudgingly her arm around Riss's side to give her a hug. She was just glad that she was all right, at least. "Oh no, that...that must have complicated things with the prince." She frowned softly.

"But then, it got better, right?" she asked on a hopeful note.

An awkward laugh, wrapping her free arm around Aurilie as she leaned in for the hug. Resting her head against her for a moment, "Sorry," she said with a little sheepishness to it. Leaning back from it she looks back to her, a slight smile, "Thought I did.. but, well. Didn't wanna worry you, mm?" she says, free hand coming up to nudge Aurilie's shoulder. Food bowl sat between them on the couch she grabs a bite from it and chews. Slowly nodding her head.

A swallow, "Mmm, mhm," another quick swallow. "It got better. Turns out, when I was talking to the queen, I found out that it was him who put me on the list. So.. him walking out on me after that shooting thing, not a deal breaker. Normally it is when folk walk out on you like that," she chuckles, taking another little handful. Taking the time to lick her fingers clean again.

"Well, your past self was much more clever than you might give her credit for." She smirked at her before reaching to plunk some snacked into her hand, cradling some on her palm as to keep a few for herself to save her some trips back to the bowl.

After chewing down the first one, she would nudge her back. "Now that it's over and done with and the manka cat is out of the bag. I think I get to worry as freely as I want. Not that it does anyone any good anymore. However, true to your word, you'd handle it and you did handle it. I never doubted you. That's what I'm saying now, of course." She giggled.

"Ah, so a glimmer of hope!" She nodded eagerly on that tidbit. "No that I ever got the chance to talk to him directly, he does sound like he would be reasonable. I don't think a few words are enough for him to shut the door on you permanently, especially if you've managed to get some hook into his thoughts. Clearly, he was still thinking about you. I hope you've managed to end this evening on an amicable note at least."

Riss smiles warmly at the mention of how she kept to her word. Toying with one piece of food for a moment, getting the caramel all over the tips of her thumb and index as she rolled it around. Eyes coming back to focus she looks to Aurilie again, a smile before she pops it into her mouth and eats it, "Mmm, hmm. Like I said, I always handle it," she chuckles.

"Like Cynella said.. if he was, speaks more about him than anything, mm? Still.." she reaches out with an uncaramalized hand and starts playing with the edge of the fabric of Aurilie's pajama top sleeve. "Still.. looking forward to the chance at getting to talk to him again. See if I can figure things out more. What he's really like and all," she laughs, shaking her head. "I've been swept in by plenty of guys and gals for less but.." she makes a small wishful sound. "It's.. fun. Figuring it out."

Aurilie had her gaze on the holo-projected screen before looking down at her sleeve and following that hand to Riss. She supposed she should remember that Riss was always a little fidgety.

"Should be only fair that you're still figuring him out when he's likely figuring you out and probably half a dozen people. There seems to be plenty of opportunities, considering he does make a lot of public appearances. It might be hard to get a good grasp of him when he's with his mother or siblings. When do you suppose we'll get to sit down and really talk to him?" She looked at her curiously.

"I'm.. not sure," she admits, a bright smile rising as she shakes her head a little bit. "I'd like to. Got a couple ideas on how I might even manage it," she chuckles, shaking her head again. "Now don't toss out the idea right away alright? But I've got another drinking game in mind that I think'll be perfect for it. All nice getting to know you kinda kriff," she laughs, warmly at the idea of it herself.

"I promise it'll go better than the last time. Can't be much worse than that, right?" she says, raising a brow.

Aurilie finished the last bit of snacks she had in her hands and found a napkin to wipe her hands with. She gentle shifted her arm from Riss's reach but used it to hook it around hers to bring herself closer to Riss. She looked at her with a bit of concern. "...Riss. Are you sure that you'd want to do another drinking game so soon? Considering how the last drinking game went? I don't think you had the first of intentions. It was a good one but perhaps something you shouldn't have pulled on the prince in public. That was probably one a bit close to the chest on both sides. Alcohol is great but I don't know if it's a crutch you need exactly."

"Yea.. I've realized that," she shakes her head a bit, glancing down. "Might have also misrepresented my words a bit," she chuckles awkwardly. Inhaling, holding it, exhaling slow and steady she looks back to Aurilie and cozies up a little toward her a bit more, "Drinking games are fun though, and it's a festival mm? Festival's are meant for having fun, getting drunk, and having more fun," she chuckles. "But.. if you're worried about it, like I think you are. I still wanna do the drinking game but I'll work on drinking less until then?"

"Besides, this one will hopefully be more private with less risk of embarrassing myself like I did the other day."

Aurilie looked up in consideration and she bobbed her head from side to side in consideration. "I'm not doing to disagree with you on the drinking, although you have to remember that this is a Festival on Alderaan. There are obviously some exceptions, certainly how Prince Gaul is managing things on his end. I don't think we'll ever see him without a drink and he seems to be enjoying a completely different festival. Well, maybe you can save your drinking game when around friends?"

"I hope the opportunity presents itself and you probably won't even need a silly drinking game to hide behind when the time comes." She nodded in encouragement.