Alderaan - Love and Intrigue

Returning to the Spring Palace, Kat felt her mind working too much still to head to bed, and she opted instead to walk through the gardens and this time all the way to the shrine of the saint.

A patron of romance and love wasn't exactly someone she looked to very often, but maybe the saint would take pity on someone who was lost in general. Sighing, she stood there in silence, looking up at the figure as if she was waiting for an answer.

Gaul looked up at the statue and said, “Well here we are once again old friend… you know I want you to know that I think you are the worst saint. I have been here, six times… seven times and I am still here alone, and moderately unhappy. So I just want you to know that, and where were you when… well we both know where I was, trying not to die on Ziost cooling my heels.”

“Cooling is a relative term, but I am thankful that I survived so I could come back here to tell you, go get kriffed, saintly… jerk.”

With that Gaul took a seat and sighed.

Kat looked at Gaul. Then the statue, eyes narrowed; you have a sick sense of humor, saint. At least she regained her cool quickly enough, returning her gaze to the prince.

"You sound like you have a lot to say to the saint, your highness," she remarked. "... I didn't know you had visited her so often."

“Master Jedi,” he said rising once more.

“And yes I am aware not all Jedi are masters, it’s just a thing. Get used to it. And yes, I did live here, for most of my thirty-seven years of life. Like twenty-five-ish, give or take. Not consecutive though. And I forgot the question, perhaps too much wine,” he replied.

"Master Jedi, miss, my lady... people call me many different things, I rarely concern myself with what they choose to call me," she chuckled, seeing his state. Yeah, he probably had too much wine.

"Feel free to sit though. Seems like would do you good." She moved over to assist him, if it was needed. "What makes you so unhappy that you're here?"

“See that’s the beauty of Panteer, being unhappy is baked in our DNA. That includes Unther, but instead of sadness he was born without a sense of humor. Thankfully his wife is a riot. Anyway,” he said switching gears, “Why are you here Lady Ulgo? This place is for romance and last I checked the Jedi Order got twisted into knots if your robes came up above the knee.”

"Wow, I must've scandalised the Order a few times then since I've often ditched the robe when working in the field," she delivered in deadpan humor. "... To avoid it getting dirty that is. You won't believe how muddy some worlds are."

"As for why I'm here... just because Jedi should not have attachments doesn't mean we don't feel love. Or even celebrate it. Or curse it. We're people too, after all. Besides, some Jedi can marry!" Kat protested a bit. "Alysele Organa is a Jedi and married to Captain Al-- I mean, Major Niall Organa."

“Yes, Major Organa and his blushing Jedi, may they have many children. If you love someone Lady Jedi, tell them, life is short and then they die and you keep living. Then your planet falls into civil war, but… and this is important, we still have wine.”

“If you want to talk muddy worlds, never visit Drommund Kaas, it is the worst on clothing. It’s 30 degrees constantly and raining almost constantly. Steamy jungles. That was the worst two weeks of my life… and then the worst day of my entire life… but that was Ziost. Oh and Taris, if Senator Leontyne Saresh ever invites you to Taris, politely decline. Close that account, delete the password… burn the computer and never come back to that office.”

“Taris sucks.”

“I apologize this isn’t very princely of me, but well I am on vacation,” he said.

"No need to apologise," she assured him while sitting down herself, as it seemed like he needed to get it all out. "As you say, you're on vacation and... I'm not a gossip. I think the saint's going to keep your secret too."

"... You sound like you lost someone? Someone you didn't get a chance to tell you liked them?"

Gaul shrugged and said, “Well they said it, I… didn’t at the time. Unther tried to warn me, his most annoying trait is that he is usually right, when it comes to my decisions. It is what it is. What is the Jedi saying? There is no Death , there is the Force. Comforting thought I suppose.”

“And then there is Yulastranza, now there is a woman who deserves better. I mean not better than me, just better that whatever she has now because she does not have Joran. We talked about it, when I heard of this whole affair and she said it’s like dating your little brother… step-brother.”

“Which is trending right now… weird,” he said.

“Anyway, it’s amusing watching her posture for appearances,” he finished.

"I'm sorry for your loss." Perhaps that was why he had called it off with Yula at the time. Too hurt from the loss perhaps?

"I don't really find it amusing to watch, so I'll disagree with you there. She's a good woman, and I wish for her to be happy. I don't wish for her all... that's happening now." Kat shook her head. "To be honest, I kind of envy you a bit - the way you do and say what you want. You're so... kriffin' honest about yourself, in that regard."

"After this festival, you're going to go off to the galaxy to pursue whatever you want then, if you're not still the crown prince?"

“I am going to go off and keep working for Alderaan and the Republic, but your point is taken,” he said.

“Perhaps it does not sound as good for Yula as I imagined in my head.”

"... Yeah. You're right. Sorry. I was a bit too harsh there, I think," she said, a slight grimace as she realised she might've been a bit too direct.

Thinking of Yula made her sigh. "She's in a difficult position. One I don't really know how I can make any easier for her, yet my cousins ask me for my jedi-wisdom, as if I'm the expert on Alderaanian nobles and politics, matters of the heart, and overall soothsayer."

"Kriff, you didn't bring that wine with you, did you? It's been a long day."

“Oh master Jedi, I’m the Crown prince,” he said with a smile. “Droid, more wine please.”

A droid floats out from the hedge and holds a bottle for the Jedi. Gaul continued, “It’s good to be almost King. Now, Yula is tough, though I do wish for her to be happy. I am assume she would say she is but well, I don’t think this is where she wanted her life to be at this age.”

“Or maybe I am just projecting.”

"Thank you," she said as much to the droid as she did to Gaul, taking the bottle and an empty glass, pouring one for herself... then remembering her manners she held it out to Gaul in case he wanted more as well.

"Maybe a bit projecting, but probably hitting the nail on the head too. Where did you see yourself at this age before? Married with a couple of kids already, preparing to be crowned King Gaul Panteer, Lord Protector and Sovereign of Alderaan?"

She took a pretty deep drink of the glass of wine. As expected, it was of course excellent wine. Was there really any other kind to be found on Alderaan that wasn't imported, she idly wondered, remembering the few times she'd been treated to local wines and spirits in small hamlets and towns, where the taste made you think the beverage was meant for cleaning a speeder's exhaust ports.

"Something like that, but life and poor decisions intervened. It is the way that things are," he said waving away the wine.

"So, what does the wisdom of the Jedi Order provide?"

"In general, or for your current round of melancholy, your highness?" she asked with a slightly amused tone, half-smirking as she took another drink of the wine.

"My mood will pass, in general?" he asked.

Another drink from the glass emptied it of wine. She knew she shouldn't be drinking it so fast, but kriff it. She was on 'vacation' too.

"Don't dwell on the past, but learn from it as you move forward. Be considerate of how your actions affect others. Be kind, compassionate, and respectful. Make informed decisions, and learn to trust yourself. Be honest, not only with others but also yourself." Kat let the empty glass rest in the palm of her hand. "Be loving, but don't be tethered by it."

Kat chuckled awkwardly. "I could go on all night, really... there's so much we're told in our years of training, not to mention all the lessons we get from our individual masters as they help us be the best Jedi we can be. Each padawan's path to Knighthood is different after all."

OOC: Charm versus Hard, get a boost die for the speech, boost die for wine.