[Day 1 - EE] Suitor's Mixer RP Thread

[Count Serenno]

The Princess' swift departure left the Count wondering, but she accepted her reasons on face value. He accepted a drink and strolled around.

[Azura Mora]

"Oh, you were at the protests earlier? What did you hear exactly? I didn't catch most of it unfortunately." She smiled, then took a sip.

"Something like that. Trying to figure out the next step in my life, so to say, and might as well spend it at home. The Festival just adds some extra spice to it. Are you running, so to say? To marry?"

"Really it was pretty tame as protests go. Panteer is Imperial, Republic is just the empire Ulgo is great blah blah. Just got a lil more heated with a bit of stuff bein' thrown. I thought it might break into a full on fight but the guard was pretty good at steppin' in quickly before anyone got seriously hurt."

Azura tried to not sound disappointed.

"Gotta give the princess a lil credit, she actually stood an' took most of it without her makeup runnin' from tears. Don't know if she'll learn to listen or not, she got a lot of repairs to do."

At the question on marriage, Azuras eyes widened and she shook her head.

"Me? Kriff no! Imagine me being a princess? I ain't that walk of life, I'll leave that to the Lyseils and Jameelas of the world. Ain't my style. Plus I kinda have my partner in business, we been together for five years and neither of us died yet so it's a positive. You here to marry then? Houses get together an' marry to get closer right."

[Zeno Thul]

Obviously she was not the type to play quite as nice with words as he was. Hers were a little more direct.

"I doubt you'd *ever* truly consider it. Selflessness never struck me as something you're capable of. Personally, I learned it after cleaning up the mess you left behind. Do you even remember what you did to Gerald, Zeno? How *is* Zash by the way? Last time I saw her I was cutting off the arm of the apprentice she replaced you with."

She frowned for a moment, then snapped her finger as if she just remembered something else. "No wait, I met her after that, on Yavin, along with a few other noteables. Making sure your emperor was going to stay dead instead of simply come back after getting betrayed by some other old classmates of ours. Because Sith never really think these things through, right? Man, imagine missing out on being part of all that important sort of stuff. No offense to our hosts, but Alderaan is a bit of a boring place to retire, don't you think?"

"I do remember what happened to Gerald. I made a terrible decision that tormented and destroyed the life of a kind boy I had liked and who didn't deserve it," he admits. He didn't retort with any attempts at being clever. "I watched as a monster devoured him, and I did so with no remorse. I was as much a monster in the moment for not stopping it. You may think I don't understand this, but you'd be wrong."

[Layne Hoshin]

"I do remember what happened to Gerald. I made a terrible decision that tormented and destroyed the life of a kind boy I had liked and who didn't deserve it," he admits. He didn't retort with any attempts at being clever. "I watched as a monster devoured him, and I did so with no remorse. I was as much a monster in the moment for not stopping it. You may think I don't understand this, but you'd be wrong."

"Uhuh," she remained her skeptical self. Words were cheap, after all. "You did more than just not stopping it. Do you even know he went on existing after that, for a while? What *truly* happened to him?"

There was a shrug. "At least you remember who he was, I suppose."

[Katarzyna Ulgo]

Katarzyna considered it for a moment, then nodded. "A good idea. Knight Tethys or Knight Tarlia would be good for this I think, as peaceful jedi who are also not affiliated with Alderaan. Do you wish to speak with them, or shall I?"

"I do not know them, so--" he's interrupted as...

As she parts away from Omandri Riss makes her way around folk as they spoke and chatted. Half a minute or so she wanders around looking for someone who looked like they could use a little company- but in the meantime she manages to spot Kat out from the group and zeroes in on her. Approaching with a bit of a smile as she overhears the 'shall I?' she swoops into the middle of the pair and smiles to both, "Hey," before stepping close to and leaning in by Kat. Bringing her cheek to hers, "Lookin' gorgeous," she mentions in the quick moment an arm on Kat's bicep to steady herself in the exchange.

"Er." Bran looks to Kat for her reaction, not knowing what to make of Riss.

If there was an impromptu competition for being a statue this evening, then Kat would be in the running for top spot.

"Riss." She said with a carefully neutral tone. "Thank you for the compliment. You look well too."

She cleared her throat and indicated Brannis. "Riss, this is my cousin Brannis Ulgo, a member of Parliment. Bran, this is Captain Riss, someone who doesn't understand personal space."

[Ziandra Thul]

"Uhuh," she remained her skeptical self. Words were cheap, after all. "You did more than just not stopping it. Do you even know he went on existing after that, for a while? What *truly* happened to him?"

There was a shrug. "At least you remember who he was, I suppose."

“Remember who was,” said a woman wearing a long black and red gown with plunging back and necklines. “Oh my and this must be the famous Layne Hoshin, late of the Sith and redeemed by the Jedi. My, your career has been circuitous to say the least.”

She kissed Zeno on the cheek and then followed suit by embracing Layne, touching her cheek to Layne’s and then repeating with the other cheek before pulling back and saying, “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

“Duchess Ziandra Thul,” she added with a playful smile.

[Zeno Thul]

"Uhuh," she remained her skeptical self. Words were cheap, after all. "You did more than just not stopping it. Do you even know he went on existing after that, for a while? What *truly* happened to him?"

There was a shrug. "At least you remember who he was, I suppose."

“Remember who was,” said a woman wearing a long black and red gown with plunging back and necklines. “Oh my and this must be the famous Layne Hoshin, late of the Sith and redeemed by the Jedi. My, your career has been circuitous to say the least.”

She kissed Zeno on the cheek and then followed suit by embracing Layne, touching her cheek to Layne’s and then repeating with the other cheek before pulling back and saying, “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

“Duchess Ziandra Thul,” she added with a playful smile.

"Someone from our past," Zeno replies, returning the kiss on Ziandra's cheek. "That I betrayed and caused to suffer even in death. It was a much darker time for me when I was seeking power for it's own sake. There is another redeemed Jedi attending, Baesal Zyn, that was present for it. She can attest that I was a prick and probably don't deserve the happiness I've found. But I have, and I am thankful."

He smiles warmly at his wife.

[Layne Hoshin]

"Uhuh," she remained her skeptical self. Words were cheap, after all. "You did more than just not stopping it. Do you even know he went on existing after that, for a while? What *truly* happened to him?"

There was a shrug. "At least you remember who he was, I suppose."

“Remember who was,” said a woman wearing a long black and red gown with plunging back and necklines. “Oh my and this must be the famous Layne Hoshin, late of the Sith and redeemed by the Jedi. My, your career has been circuitous to say the least.”

She kissed Zeno on the cheek and then followed suit by embracing Layne, touching her cheek to Layne’s and then repeating with the other cheek before pulling back and saying, “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

“Duchess Ziandra Thul,” she added with a playful smile.

"Someone from our past," Zeno replies, returning the kiss on Ziandra's cheek. "That I betrayed and caused to suffer even in death. It was a much darker time for me when I was seeking power for it's own sake. There is another redeemed Jedi attending, Baesal Zyn, that was present for it. She can attest that I was a prick and probably don't deserve the happiness I've found. But I have, and I am thankful."

He smiles warmly at his wife.

Layne was certainly not inclined to do the whole cheek kissing thing; but thankfully it happened so fast and it was so unexpected that she didn't even have time to unthinkingly react with a punch to the woman's gut. Similarly, and possibly to her credit, she kept herself from making a *face* at the words and smiles that followed.

Still, she couldn't help but be herself, looking between the two.

"As opposed to seeking power for other reasons? You know Zeno, the whole bit about how the dark times are behind you would feel a lot more convincing if you didn't name your minions the 'blackguard' and let its officer pick names like Lady Murderdeathkill for themselves. Or was that name your idea?"

[Riss]

"Er." Bran looks to Kat for her reaction, not knowing what to make of Riss.

If there was an impromptu competition for being a statue this evening, then Kat would be in the running for top spot.

"Riss." She said with a carefully neutral tone. "Thank you for the compliment. You look well too."

She cleared her throat and indicated Brannis. "Riss, this is my cousin Brannis Ulgo, a member of Parliment. Bran, this is Captain Riss, someone who doesn't understand personal space."

"Don't look at me like that," she gives a very gentle shove as she leans back. "Acting like you've never been greeted like that at a party before.. though, yikes. Maybe you really have never gone to parties that.. aren't this," she grimaces, chuckles, and shakes her head. Looking over her shoulder and following with it to Brannis, extending a hand toward him, "Pleasure."

[Ziandra Thul]

“How quaint… she thinks you created the Blackguard, no my dear and supremely handsome Zeno assisted their training but they named themselves. The name goes back a long way on Alderaan, I scarcely even heard of it, but it comes from a term of loyalty beyond death. Taking on the black was a sign that a knight had unfinished business due to their late master.”

“It’s all rather romantic, and yes the names are dramatic but, it proves a point. It divorces one from their old self, they become a symbol of terror for justice. Or so Lady Massacre has explained to me on many occasions.”


“Oh and there watching the queen is Ser Villainess,” she gestured to a woman standing near the Queen.

[Zeno Thul]

Layne was certainly not inclined to do the whole cheek kissing thing; but thankfully it happened so fast and it was so unexpected that she didn't even have time to unthinkingly react with a punch to the woman's gut. Similarly, and possibly to her credit, she kept herself from making a *face* at the words and smiles that followed.

Still, she couldn't help but be herself, looking between the two.

"As opposed to seeking power for other reasons? You know Zeno, the whole bit about how the dark times are behind you would feel a lot more convincing if you didn't name your minions the 'blackguard' and let its officer pick names like Lady Murderdeathkill for themselves. Or was that name your idea?"

“How quaint… she thinks you created the Blackguard, no my dear and supremely handsome Zeno assisted their training but they named themselves. The name goes back a long way on Alderaan, I scarcely even heard of it, but it comes from a term of loyalty beyond death. Taking on the black was a sign that a knight had unfinished business due to their late master.”

“It’s all rather romantic, and yes the names are dramatic but, it proves a point. It divorces one from their old self, they become a symbol of terror for justice. Or so Lady Massacre has explained to me on many occasions.”

“Oh and there watching the queen is Ser Villainess,” she gestured to a woman standing near the Queen.

"Everybody seeks power for different reasons. Even the Jedi seek to strengthen their connection to the light so they have the power to fight the dark. I seek it to protect my family," he says with a shrug.

"And it is as my wife says," he replied with a nod. "Using fear and shock is not something that is out of place for the Republic. The Eagle can attest to that, I believe. I was honestly very surprised to learn all of the interesting history on the subject. I went out and read up on it after meeting the Blackguard."

[Layne Hoshin]

Layne was certainly not inclined to do the whole cheek kissing thing; but thankfully it happened so fast and it was so unexpected that she didn't even have time to unthinkingly react with a punch to the woman's gut. Similarly, and possibly to her credit, she kept herself from making a *face* at the words and smiles that followed.

Still, she couldn't help but be herself, looking between the two.

"As opposed to seeking power for other reasons? You know Zeno, the whole bit about how the dark times are behind you would feel a lot more convincing if you didn't name your minions the 'blackguard' and let its officer pick names like Lady Murderdeathkill for themselves. Or was that name your idea?"

“How quaint… she thinks you created the Blackguard, no my dear and supremely handsome Zeno assisted their training but they named themselves. The name goes back a long way on Alderaan, I scarcely even heard of it, but it comes from a term of loyalty beyond death. Taking on the black was a sign that a knight had unfinished business due to their late master.”

“It’s all rather romantic, and yes the names are dramatic but, it proves a point. It divorces one from their old self, they become a symbol of terror for justice. Or so Lady Massacre has explained to me on many occasions.”

“Oh and there watching the queen is Ser Villainess,” she gestured to a woman standing near the Queen.

"Everybody seeks power for different reasons. Even the Jedi seek to strengthen their connection to the light so they have the power to fight the dark. I seek it to protect my family," he says with a shrug.

"And it is as my wife says," he replied with a nod. "Using fear and shock is not something that is out of place for the Republic. The Eagle can attest to that, I believe. I was honestly very surprised to learn all of the interesting history on the subject. I went out and read up on it after meeting the Blackguard."

"Please," Layne held up a hand, as if she was talking to a child rather than a duchess. "There's no such thing as being a symbol of terror for the sake of justice. That is the kind of justification a lunatic would use; the kind of lunatic that would call herself 'lady Massacre'. Or 'Ser Villainess'. Listen, I know how it goes from here. They're just 'metaphors', say the apologists and people that directly benefit from the lunatics they employ. 'You just don't understand them'. 'You're just prejudiced and can't see the truth.' But the simple truth is that when people are being very in your face about how evil they are... it's not because they're being subtle or making clever word play. It's because they're actually evil."

She grabbed a drink from a nearby waiter's tray and downed it without bothering to check what was in it. Might as well lean into it.

"Then again, if inspiring fear is the point... wearing black armor and calling yourself stupid names isn't really what inspires fear."

[Zeno Thul]

"Please," Layne held up a hand, as if she was talking to a child rather than a duchess. "There's no such thing as being a symbol of terror for the sake of justice. That is the kind of justification a lunatic would use; the kind of lunatic that would call herself 'lady Massacre'. Or 'Ser Villainess'. Listen, I know how it goes from here. They're just 'metaphors', say the apologists and people that directly benefit from the lunatics they employ. 'You just don't understand them'. 'You're just prejudiced and can't see the truth.' But the simple truth is that when people are being very in your face about how evil they are... it's not because they're being subtle or making clever word play. It's because they're actually evil."

She grabbed a drink from a nearby waiter's tray and downed it without bothering to check what was in it. Might as well lean into it.

"Then again, if inspiring fear is the point... wearing black armor and calling yourself stupid names isn't really what inspires fear."

"A lot of groups like to try and symbolize ideas. The Jedi promote themselves as symbols of peace and protection, but like the Sith they carry around 3 foot blades of plasma that cut through flesh and bone with impunity. Not really what inspires peace," he replies with a shrug. "But just because one person doesn't find certain imagery compelling doesn't mean that it's true for everyone."

[Ziandra Thul]

Ziandra laughed at the response.

“For someone with a history of murdering Alderaan nobility, you know nothing about our customs or traditions. Symbols on Alderaan mean everything. Warfare is terror, and the fact you feel they are evil just by their names proves their point, you fear them… or have a concern,” she responded.

“Not my concern, they are not your enemy little Jedi, unless you go on another House Rist killing spree.”

[Nudimsu]

"Not that it's any of your business, but I'm here to help someone prevent a war from starting. Apparently all this pacifism this planet and their people professes to exhibit has its limits. I saw such a display earlier in the day with the princess while I was inspecting my ship. Rather large anti-Empire sentiments, it seems."

Her fun ended swiftly. The honesty was sobering. "Yeah... I was there." She looks off towards the Queen in thought. "Apparently dissent, even light dissent, is quickly and brutally crushed here." She took a swig of ale and turned toward the bar. "Let me ask you something Nudimisu. You're suffering under oppression every day. Then a chance comes for you to say enough is enough. And if you survive throwing off the yoke of oppression, the future is unsure, and the chances that your world will come under assault by a much more ruthless oppressor are high. Would you do it? Or would you suffer, day in and day out, as the whip falls, as the anger swells within you?"

That question was rather deep from the Cathar than he was expecting. Almost taken back from it. "I can understand the need to crush those who seek to make a move against you during important, but stressful times. The Empire could come in and take over this place easily. Who knows if that is what they are doing right now, in fact. However, one must determine if the leadership is capable of maintaining order in this troubling time to begin with. If they are not, perhaps what you may think would be the worst case may not be as bad as you think? What is oppression when compared to, say, annihilation? Not that such actions here would lead to such a worst-case scenario, but it's important to realize that things could be so much worse than some simple loss of freedoms and some overeager guardsmen accosting some fool. Seeing a single action, wrong as it is, should not bring one to the point of risking the safety of those around the planet. There has to be a proper risk-reward determination before one just goes siding up with some foolish children who think they know better and who may may be manipulated by some unseen hand."

He stares at her, nodding his head. "There's no such thing as a easy fix, especially with this situation. So, to put it bluntly, I would never do any action without understanding the consequences of it; unknown elements put everyone at risk. If the whip must continue to crack at my back for the safety of many, then it may do so until I am sure that none would suffer from my rash actions."

[Layne Hoshin]

Ziandra laughed at the response.

“For someone with a history of murdering Alderaan nobility, you know nothing about our customs or traditions. Symbols on Alderaan mean everything. Warfare is terror, and the fact you feel they are evil just by their names proves their point, you fear them… or have a concern,” she responded.

“Not my concern, they are not your enemy little Jedi, unless you go on another House Rist killing spree.”

"No," she seemed utterly unimpressed by the woman, "there is a difference between recognizing evil and *fearing* it, something that the kinds of small people who find themselves attracted to such impoverished displays of 'power' will never understand. In the first place, they are only attracted to such things because *they* are the ones who are afraid. And it is that fear that compels them to puff up their chests, don silly costumes and names, and pretend that inspiring that same fear in others somehow makes them strong enough to no longer have to experience that fear themselves."

She turned briefly to Zeno. "Which of course never works, as you well know. Because the Dark Side does not take away one's own fears, it only amplifies them."

Layne then turned back to the Duchess. "Point in case... you've got your scary guards so you won't have to know fear of others anymore, yet still you're so afraid of one little Jedi that you can't even keep yourself from insulting House Rist by publically implying they can't handle me themselves."

"Anyway, thanks for this Zeno," she said, half turning from the duo, "I needed to remember who I used to be. See you around."

And then she walked off.

[Ziandra Thul]

"I liked her," Ziandra said with a sweet smile.

[Blai Frayus]

After presenting his gift to Jameela, Blai kept mostly observing from the fringes of the crowd. He seemed less used to all of this than even many of the non-nobles, but he tried to at least look decent. His expression, though, suggested his mind was elsewhere... although he did steal some looks at the prince and princess and some of the other guests from time to time.

OOC:
Please PM or Quote if approached!

[Breela Po]

That question was rather deep from the Cathar than he was expecting. Almost taken back from it. "I can understand the need to crush those who seek to make a move against you during important, but stressful times. The Empire could come in and take over this place easily. Who knows if that is what they are doing right now, in fact. However, one must determine if the leadership is capable of maintaining order in this troubling time to begin with. If they are not, perhaps what you may think would be the worst case may not be as bad as you think? What is oppression when compared to, say, annihilation? Not that such actions here would lead to such a worst-case scenario, but it's important to realize that things could be so much worse than some simple loss of freedoms and some overeager guardsmen accosting some fool. Seeing a single action, wrong as it is, should not bring one to the point of risking the safety of those around the planet. There has to be a proper risk-reward determination before one just goes siding up with some foolish children who think they know better and who may may be manipulated by some unseen hand."

He stares at her, nodding his head. "There's no such thing as a easy fix, especially with this situation. So, to put it bluntly, I would never do any action without understanding the consequences of it; unknown elements put everyone at risk. If the whip must continue to crack at my back for the safety of many, then it may do so until I am sure that none would suffer from my rash actions."

She raised an eyebrow at Nudimisu. Slowly as he spoke a smile formed, "I like you Nudi... You're a badass who sees all and says little. But when you do speak you cut to the heart of the matter. I like that."

She keeps her own council for a moment. The simple fact was that sometimes a bloodletting was needed, or at the very least inevitable. People were going to die - the question hanging in the air was who. The coming days could go a multitude of ways, and the decisions that needed making were beyond daunting. She couldn't give voice to her methods. To do so would betray her intentions. After all the people, those little people who grow tired of the overbearing aristocracy, they needed to trust her. Even if she might have to betray their trust.

She turns her back to the bar and examines the crowd. "None of this should even be my business." She says taking a swig of beer. "But I've always had a foolish habit of facing injustice head on. Alderaan and me, are destined to disagree." She catches sight of Layne Hoshin talking with a dapper Sith and some noble woman with a stupid laugh. "Hey listen," she turns to Nudimisu, "thanks for talking to me. If you ever need a headstrong cat lady for muscle," she takes a pen and writes her contact info down, "don't hesitate to reach out."

Then she walks towards Layne.

Layne then turned back to the Duchess. "Point in case... you've got your scary guards so you won't have to know fear of others anymore, yet still you're so afraid of one little Jedi that you can't even keep yourself from insulting House Rist by publically implying they can't handle me themselves."

"Anyway, thanks for this Zeno," she said, half turning from the duo, "I needed to remember who I used to be. See you around."

And then she walked off.

Catching her as she walks away and hearing only that much of the conversation.

"Hey there! I was hoping I'd run into a sympathetic party."

[Layne Hoshin]

Catching her as she walks away and hearing only that much of the conversation.

"Hey there! I was hoping I'd run into a sympathetic party."

Layne was in mid 'annoyed-looking' stride when the cat-person placed herself in Layne's path, who then stopped... looking a little confused for a moment or two.

"...weren't you at... brunch?"

The word 'brunch' was still so difficult to actually *say*.