Alderaan - Love and Intrigue

After she was escorted out of the palace proper, Aurilie took the time to vent her frustrations with a stroll around the grounds. There was really nobody else to be upset about but herself after the embarrassing blunder. She supposed she might have been too complacent or her mind had slipped to enable such a blunder. By all rights, she could get on the first ship back home if she wanted but running away from her troubles wasn't something she did. A bit overly dramatic if she did. However, it was going to take some careful recomposing before she stepped foot in the next social event.

Her walk would eventually bring her to the foot of the shrine in the gardens. In her early youth, she always thought of the statue as perhaps a great warrior or defender of the people. It perhaps came as a surprise that she represented romance and love.

Standing at the base of the statue with her hands resting behind her back was Lady Massacre, she did not turn as she contemplated the statue as well. There were few people out at the statue, a rarity.

Among the hedges were frequent flashes of light from green and crimson fire bugs flitting about.

Few, which includes Riss apparently as she strolled into the space. Glancing around at the faces she didn't quite recognize she first took her time for what she originally came here for, looking upon the statue itself. Folk thought a lot of things about her, luck in romance wasn't quite the thing she needed. Still.. thoughts inevitably surrounded the complications circling her, all of which entangled with the domain of the statue here.

After a little while she starts to notice Aurilie a bit more, and then even more as her brow furrows a little.

Aurilie raised her brows when she saw Lady Massacre close to the statue. It was hard overlooking her presence and reputation. However, perhaps her presence had a sobering effect on the prince at the very least and Aurilie quickly recomposed herself, adopting a stoic mask when she found herself in the presence of potential opposition. It would be too presumptuous to consider her an enemy but the House of her employ was controversial, to say the least. She merely inclined her head once in a wordless greeting.

While on the defensive, she perhaps took note of Riss who walked into the scene. Some guest at the festival, she assumed. She didn't really know for sure, considering she didn't stick around at the reception. At the moment, she couldn't exactly consider her friend or foe. Perhaps, she was an associate of Lady Massacre and making a rendezvous. Or maybe she was just here to make out with someone. Either way, she gave her a cautious nod of acknowledgement as well.

Riss' gaze followed Aurilie's in the moment, noting on Lady Massacre at the same time. Shewas imposing.. but it wasn't as exciting as the other face here. When she was acknowledged Riss quickly moved over to Aurilie's side, a small smile worn passively. Still wearing her blue dress from the party, a little old but looking well enough thanks to the cascader on her wrist more than anything. "Hey," she says, reaching out with a hand a little into the space between them. Not reaching for Aurilie, but more just something to grab and direct her attention more. A brow quirks as she reads the woman's expression, a warm smile growing, "I uh.. I'm pretty sure we've met before," she says humor infecting her tone, a brief chuckle.

Aurilie narrowed her eyes when the other woman approached her directly. It perhaps wouldn't have been so unusual if Lady Massacre's presence hadn't set her on edge at first. She gave a glance at the hand at first before giving her another nod in greeting, looking a bit wary by her body language even as she straightened the fancy coat she wore this evening.

"Good evening, miss..." Her tone trailed off slightly but she wasn't really waiting for her to fill in the blanks with her own name, especially when she so boldly suggested that they've met already.

With her smouldering gaze on her, she maintained her proud demeanour but was still on the defensive. Aurilie wasn't so sure if they actually met but she could be wrong, even if she doubted that. "I'm not so sure about that but we did come from the same event just earlier, sort of. Perhaps, not long enough to make formal introductions. I am Aurilie Alde, Prince of Mount Joral."

She nodded in greeting but did not say anything since she was not addressed.

"Riss, Captain of the Rimma Roundabout," she smiles, there's an ease in her smile which is undeniable. Stepping back she opens her arms up a little to show herself off, "Probably don't look the part though," she laughs, hand coming up to cover her mouth as she shakes her head a bit. Meeting Aurilies eyes to grab her attention she turns a little to the side, collecting her hair together with one hand.

"It used to be a darker brown.. yikes, ten or so years ago? Might start ringing a bell?" she asks with a raise to her brow, and a bolstered smile again.

Aurilie found herself a bit bemused by the game of identity charades that she found herself in with Riss. She narrowed her eyes on her as she crossed her arms, her patience was a bit in short supply at the moment. She supposed that she should consider it flattering to have one of the tourists try to conjure some relationship out of thin air. Her gaze would go to Lady Massacre once more, wondering if her odds were better off dealing with her.

"...the Rimma Roundabout? You must be mistaken, I don't think I've had dealings with such a ship. However, if there is an outstanding expense that you're looking to resolve with me, I'm sure my estate will be more than happ..." She stopped midway in her words and frowned pensively. "Ten years ago? It's quite a lot of time, Miss...Riss?"

There was something almost dismissive about the name at first as it rolled off her tongue, wondering if she merely picked that name because it rhymed with 'Miss'. However, Riss, there was admittedly a Riss in her life. She took a step closer to her as she wasn't entirely sure. It couldn't be her, right?

"Riss?!" She said almost accusingly.

Riss' holds the position as she's scrutinized a bit. Aurilie focusing on the ship captain part notably diminishing her smile a bit but she still holds it strong, almost like when it diminished enough she got stuck in a freeze frame. Deer in the headlights style. Slowly, the mid stop first, the focusing on her name, Riss' smile grew again and she let her hair back down. Fiddling with her cascader band on her wrist that was still worn to turn it off but.. she hadn't actually set it to edit her face with any holoprojections so it didn't help any.

Not that Aurilie needed it as the pieces to the puzzle came more and more together.at the final utterance of her name she opens her arms wide as to out herself on display, "Aurie!!" she exclaims with a brightness to the tone.

"Riss!" Aurilie said in return at the exclamation. Her eyes widened at the realization. With those open arms, how could she not take that as an invitation to hug her? She approached her with open arms of her own and gave her a close hug.

Heavens, how long was she gone for? Riss had disappeared from her life for quite a while. There were a number of things that preoccupied Aurilie's life during that time to not know the full extent of why she was gone, though she had a few guesses. She had assumed the worst and filed it in the back of her thought for years and then suddenly... "You're back... You're actually back, now?"

Riss' only too happily accepted Aurilie into the hug, arms wrapping around her sides under her arms. Making a happy sound which quickly formed into a small bit of cheerful laughter. Squeezing her warmly in the hug, "Mm- hmm, kinda!" she says, the words settling the brief cheerful laugh.

"Things are.. complicated, but yea. Yea, I'm back," she says, pulling back enough to look to her, a bright smile worn. "Well- not back, back. Probably. I don't know. I don't think that far ahead but I'm here," she says on a brief ramble. "And you're here!"

When Riss pulled back from the hug, it was perhaps when Aurilie realized the slight rather un-royal display that just happened. Her excitement simmered down slightly but the small and earnest smile still remained on her lips. She gave a look around the area before returning her gaze to Riss. "Complicated sounds like the least of it. Especially, if you're not planning on staying here..."

"Yes, we are both here now. Clearly, not something I've conjured out of my imagination. It's so good to see you again, Riss" Her gaze turned a bit stern but perhaps one out of concern. Aurilie's tone went hush, almost on a conspiratory level. "There's something obviously keeping you away still if you're so unsure."

"Don't have a home here anymore Aurie," she says, her voice seems outwardly mirthful but there's a tinge, a slight tint of the color of her words that seems mournful on that fact. Something she reasserts herself over, hands still on Aurilie's side from the hug she brings one up and places it against her cheek to get a good look at her old friend. A brief smile, "You're looking good though.. little rigid, but good," she chuckles, letting her hand fall back down.

"Have a few matters I have to settle here before I.. do anything else, but-" she laughs, shaking her head. "Life's been a whole lot more complicated since I left, but it's been good. To me. Mostly," she finishes the suspended laugh.

Riss disappear before her home disappeared but it was perhaps a bit forgetful of Aurilie to overlook that fact. She gave her a small apologetic smile on the matter, imagining it must have been tough to return to not exactly much. The smile returned into a small laugh when she felt the hand on her cheek. While Aurilie wouldn't admit that she was ticklish in the slightest, she did feel those nerves prickling up. "...Thank you, Riss. You do too, of course. So much has changed since you were gone and this is me now. The me before is also me. Well, needless to say, everything is different."

Aurilie's smile faded once more and she gave a few nods, her expression turning determined. "If you need any help, I'd be more than willing to aid you however I can. Settling everything here is the least you deserve."

Riss' bright eyes dim a bit at the suggestion of helping, a glance down and she reasserts herself with a smile. Hands coming up, resting onto Aurilie's arms. "And here I just got more me," she chuckles, shaking her head a little. "Crazy to think.." she shakes her head, swallowing a thought. Smiling again she brushes Aurilie's arms a little. Glancing over her shoulder at Lady Massacre, considering she'd given the nod before, but focuses back on Aurilie.

"Yea.. maybe you can," she half-chuckles, "Got.. trouble from coming home. Maybe we should talk about it later? For now, tell me about yourself? How's everyone?" she asks, looking to gauge her.

Aurilie's mouth opened at first and her eyes widened in an expression that seemed to say that she just went through a whole decade's history. It was perhaps hard to know where to begin and perhaps wouldn't do it justice.

"Hah, well," she said at first with an exasperated breath. "Mum and dad are doing fine, I suppose. Allister managed to get himself into the Royal Officer Academy and stay there, some reason hasn't exactly gotten smaller despite that, if you know what I mean. Wren is in another world now, helping managing political affairs and diplomacy...but I get the feeling that she's probably parting on most weeks, just does a good job of hiding it from our parents, so she's their perfect angel. Of course."

"I'm," she said at first before a smirk appeared on the corner of her lip. "here, as you can obviously see. Well, as Mount Joral, anyway. The Royal Officer Academy didn't quite pan out but that's fine. Not too heartbroken about that. Most of the time, I do my bit of travelling and making no secret at disappointing my parents while I collect the heads of animals. Hunting is my pastime and duty now. That, and being the prince."

Her gaze went down and she looked a bit as she thought about a sibling that she hadn't mentioned yet. "Alten is gone."

Riss keeps her hands on Aurilie's arms as she speaks through the list. A passive smile resting on her lips she gives a little affectionate squeeze of the arm at her comments, "I know what you mean," she chuckles, briefly and warmly. "Of course," another chuckle. A nod at the mention of her being here, a little extra squeeze at the arms to confirm that with a teasing smile. A soothing brush along her arms when she mentions the academy not working out, a down turn and dimming of her smile a bit.

When Alten was mentioned Riss doesn't quite hesitate as much as make sure it's alright. Bringing a hand to her cheek she turns her head up a bit to look her in the eye, an empathizing look worn. Slipping up into Aurilie and wrapping her arms around her. Giving her a big, warm hug and not saying anything for at least ten seconds or so, "I'm sorry," she says quietly, softly. Giving reassuring little brushes to Aurilie's back in the hug.

The squeezes to her arm came a bit as a surprise to Aurilie. Even among friends, the affectionate touches were something that she felt she had to make some small effort in peeling back her defenses. Was Riss always this affectionate or was Aurilie just so aloof as of late?

Aurilie fell into the hug easily enough she was brought in by Riss. She sighed softly and was fine with the silence as she placed her arms around her back. It felt a bit silly at first, considering what happened to Alten was more than several years ago. The years spend mourning and coping as passed, too. However, Riss did bring her back to the past, recalling how things used to be...and how things now were so different. Some things unfortunately were just going to stay lost. She gave a few small nods and gave her a hug back.

Riss held her for a little while, half a minute or a minute or so. When she finally let go she puts her hands on her arms again and brushes them once more. Meeting her eye with a brief warm smile. Letting her hands fall she puts them on her hips in a comfortable position, it's not super comfortable to do so in her dress though and she then elects to just let one fall lax and leaning more onto the opposite foot so she stood at a bit of a lean.

For a few seconds she just regarded Aurilie like this, warm smile remaining but turning passive. Enjoying the sense of finding her again she lets out a soft sigh, "It's really good to see you, Aurie."