Whispers of the Future

[Razielle Alastor]

It was the day before her wedding. Princess Razielle would have lazed about in her canopied bed for another few hours, had she not determined to have breakfast with the Queen this morning. They needed to talk. Not as a ward to her monarch. Not even as fellow students of their dark master..

Razielle needed Adraudia. Not the Sith, or the Queen.. Just the friend she'd had since childhood. The one who was as close as a sister to her. It was only fitting that she know the truth.

At the appointed hour, a queasy looking Razielle left her rooms, making her way to the Queen's side.

Lira had offered to accompany her, but rather than have servants they did nto really need lurking about she suggested maybe taking some free time to herself that morning, and possibly inviting Jaynie along as well...

[Adraudia Basillie]

Her Majesty, Queen Adraudia, sat waiting patiently for her dear friend to arrive. Gently she sipped at her morning coffee as she browsed the Iziz Gazette in the adjoining office attached to her personal chambers. The Princess' marriage to Prince Triston and the festival were the topics of note that managed to pepper every page. Nothing really was out of the ordinary, mostly speculations and concerns of what this alliance with the Hapen Consortium will produce. Most of her citizens welcomed it, especially in these dark times when the Empire was most restless...

Her persona office was often void of her presence, but with all the political intrigue created by the Queen Mother, Adraudia had found herself seeking solitude to gain a simple moment's peace.

The coffee table had a wonderful spread of tea, coffee, bagels, muffins, fruits, cooked meats and eggs brought in by Jaynie. Adraudia had thought a more comfortable setting would be appreciated since the two of them had to remain formal as of late.

[Razielle Alastor]

"Majesty...", Razielle smiled stepping into the room.

The smell of coffee hit her and she barely managed to keep the smile in place. Stepping into the room she closed the doors behind her.

"Finally.. a moment of privacy! I despair of ever having it again..", she said this dramatically sinking at once into a couch.

She stepped out of her heels and tucked her feet up beside her, not daring to brave eating quite yet, but still please to spend soem time with the Queen.

"How are you this morning..?", she tried an attempt at cheerful..

[Adraudia Basillie]

"I'm well," she fibbed and threw the gazette into Razielle's lap. "I was just catching up on the latest gossip before you arrived. Rumors run rampant through Iziz like a plague. But they are mostly content."

Adraudia saw that her friend was rather pale, and a subtle disgruntled look creased the Princess' face as it cast down at breakfast.

[Razielle Alastor]

Razielle gave the gazette a disgusted look and set it aside like it was crawling with bugs. "Oh, that.. I live it, no need to read it.."

Plucking a bagel from the table, Razielle tore a small piece off and popped it in her mouth forcing herself to chew. When she could swallow, she smiled - a genuine smile - the first Adraudia had probably seen since the sudden decree from Chume Ishara about the marriage to Prince Tristan..

"I expect that things will quiet down after the ceremony tomorrow, at any rate..", she tore free another piece of bagel and chewed..

[Adraudia Basillie]

"I'm glad you're in better spirits today," Adraudia commented, "You've been a walking bundle of nerves about ready to crack on a moment's notice. Only recently have you ... relaxed."

The Queen's eyes narrowed and noticed that Razielle was hiding something from her. The was a genuine glow about her that penetrated the pallor of skin. Knowing her old friend too well, Adraudia recognized that her friend was hiding something from her. She could feel it. This concealed truth definitely was the source of her strange contentment.

[Razielle Alastor]

She was watching the minute the Queen's attention picked up on the fact that there was something new going on. She didn't miss thing. It was an admirable trait for a monarch, and a Sith apprentice. Razielle beamed a grin her way..

"Maybe I'm just resigned to my fate?", she suggested, munching on a piece of melon, with a teasing look in her eyes.

[Adraudia Basillie]

The Queen chuckled and sipped her at coffee before firing back. "If that's the case, I'm throwing you in the dungeon on grounds of kidnapping the real Princess Shadana and impersonating her."

[Razielle Alastor]

Razielle smiled deepened considerably. "The dungeons! How quaint! I don't believe I've had the pleasure of touring them before. I was far too frightened of them as a child.."

Stretching out with her feelings, she made sure that no one was around before she said anything else. No one was...

"Though, I'm not sure someone in my condition should be touring them now, anyways...", she said, popping a berry into her mouth and chewing.

[Adraudia Basillie]

Adraudia's face grew grim momentarily, but the Princess' jovial mood could only conclude that her condition was not serious. In fact her usual mask of mischief was magnified twice fold and Razielle was practically glowing.

Creases of realization lined the Queen's face and her eyes bulged from disbelief. "No!"

[Razielle Alastor]

It was perfectly entertaining watching Adraudia put it together and then react. Razielle smiled, scooting closer to the Queen, to reach out and take her hands.

"Yes..", she nodded.

Now the only thing Razielle needed to figure out was how receptive her Queen would be to the rest of it. Until she knew that, she would tread very carefully..

"This is a very good thing.."

[Adraudia Basillie]

Adraudia was stunned. How could Razielle think that this was a very good situation! How were they going to explain the pregnancy? It was their Master's child and now Razielle was going to be wed to Tristan!

The answer was right there before her eyes. A simple solution that the fates had given them to continue to hide the true nature of this child's origins.

"They will think it's the Princes' child." Adraudia squeezed her friend's hand and couldn't help but laugh. "You are both so lucky that this didn't happen sooner. It would be far more difficult to pull this off."

There was a twinge of jealously - to be able to share such closeness with the one you love.

[Razielle Alastor]

"The Queen Mother will believe the child is of her lineage, and that is all that concerns us for now.", she said quietly, so quietly.. A subtle hint of anger in her voice, but it was softened now.. fading because she knew what the future held.

"I could not keep this from you...", Razielle smiled, running the pad of her thumb over the Queen's hand.

She could sense the feeling of jealously running through Adraudia. Her chin tilted to the side, thoughtfully. What had happened during her visitation with Salem? Had she divulged her interest in Victer? Razielle was just dying to ask, but knew better than to pry... well, not too much.

"I suspect this court would be more pleased with a royal child from your lines though, Majesty...", she grinned, saying no more...

[Adraudia Basillie]

Adraudia snorted in contempt. "Yes they would. Even with the whispers of Captain Dejan and I becoming close, it has not stop the courts from pressuring me."

The Court had look favorably on Victer because of his strong negotiations that had enriched Onderon with imported and exported goods. The thought of a simple off-worlder as consort to the Queen had not sit as well. They would prefer a commoner from Iziz or a marriage off-world from someone on influence and power. Victer had none.

She clutched Razielle's hands and sighed. "The look of disappointment on their faces when Tristan was to marry you instead of I was infuriating. Especially considering the circumstances."

[Razielle Alastor]

Razielle gritted her teeth. "You are quite sure you don't want him?", she teased..

"I'll even give him to you at a great discount.", she barely refrained from snorting, knowing that it was all talk, but still, it felt good to exchange snippish remarks with Adraudia, as sisters.

"So....", she seized upon the opportunity since it was presented.

"Tell me about you and the oh-so-dashing Captain..."

[Adraudia Basillie]

Her head lifted in thought as to what to say. Nothing really had been happening between them lately. The festival and the wedding preparations had made personal contact with Victer minimal at best. Adraudia also if wondered if subconsciously she was avoiding him to postpone their conversation.

"I haven't seen much of him as of late. We've all been quite busy since finding the key." Her face hardened then. "I haven't had a chance to talk with him about ... us."

[Razielle Alastor]

"Well... that's a sorry excuse." Razielle concluded with a dainty sniff, continuing to pillage bits of breakfast from the table.

Swallowing down a sip of coffee from a mug, which she instantly regretted and set back down, she weilded a bit of bagel at the Queen. "You, are the Queen. Tell people to shoo and order him here!"

She was seeing things, all things differently now. It was as if someone, (Salem to be precise) had lifted the veil from her eyes. Whatever her ambitions and personal desires had been before, there would be no stopping her from having them now. It seemed to her that her closest friend should have a similar frame of mind..

[Adraudia Basillie]

"Right this instant?" Adraudia queried after taking another sip of her coffee. "We're supposed to be having time to ourselves. You really want Victer crashing in on our party."

The Queen wasn't at all surprised at Razielle's response. She had always been a firm supporter of having Adraudia and Victer spend as much time together as was humanly possible.

[Razielle Alastor]

"Well, I already told you 'the big news' so super secret correspondence time is concluded."

They really sounded like a pair of little girls with scraped and banged knees plotting the doings of their club in a tree house, rather than the royal pair they were discussing matters that would in time alter the fate of their systems, if not have an impact on the galaxy at large... Anything was possible, she was finding.

"I.. don't mind sharing you with Victer..", she grinned, though also gently voicing her fears that someone else might...

[Adraudia Basillie]

Anyone else would have gotten the wrong impression implied by the Princess' statement. Adraudia was quite used to the crude remarks she made. It was all in good jest.

The Queen's face turned sour and she broke apart a bit of muffin with a sigh. "I've spoken to Salem about Victer."

She returned to eating, lost in thought as to how she was going to tackle speaking to her dear Captain. His Force potential already had shaken him to a degree, and Victer was now fearfully mindful of Salem's presence. He feared the Prime Minister and it could prove difficult if they two men did not get along.

[Razielle Alastor]

Leaning over, Razielle ran a fingertip over the Adraudia's furrowed brow. "Don't frown so, Majesty. You'll wrinkle your fair skin..", she teased.

She understood the tension of the subject. It was a dangerous game they played, even moreso by the addition of new players to the gameboard. Razielle had liked Victer instantly though, and although she wouldn't go so far as to say she trusted him, she presently had no reason to believe he would upset their plans. He made the Queen happy, and had been of significant use to the search for some of the relics of Adraudia's lineage.

Patting the Queen's hand, she smiled. "It will be ok. Everything will be as it should be, you'll see. Today, nothing stops us from having what we want."

[Adraudia Basillie]

"But perhaps Victer's reaction to what we talk about." Adraudia couldn't find her friend's words comforting, but she felt terrible at ignoring Razielle's needs. Regardless of the wonderful outcome of the pregnancy, the Princess still had to go through the process of marrying Alastor.

She closed her eyes briefly and let the Force take over. Adraudia felt that Razielle's words rang true, but there was a distant ebb in the flow of the Force that left the Queen cold. The source of that coldness was shielded from her.

"Perhaps you are right," she relented, opening her eyes. "Though I remain skeptical."

[Razielle Alastor]

"So you have not yet told him the rest then..", Razielle concluded.

It was a fair bit of information to absorb, that the Prime Minister was in fact a Sith Lord, training both the Queen and the Princess, and also had acquired Mandalore as his student. That not all was as it seemed within the picture-perfect palace walls. If the information was not recieved favorably.. things could get very dangerous, for them all.

[Adraudia Basillie]

"I haven't told him a thing yet..." She frowned. "I fear how things will turn out if he does not take the news well, even only a portion of it."

[Razielle Alastor]

Nodding in understanding, Razielle almost pitied the Queen. she would not want to be in such a position, and was more than greatful she would never have to be.

"It's too big a secret to hide from someone who loves you. He made need to warm to the idea is all..", she suggested.

They each had very vehement reasons for their positions in this life. Conquest, power, love.. None were any less than the other, in fact they would up benig quite complementary, she was finding..

"It will be alright.", she repeated, hoping that it would...

[Adraudia Basillie]

"I hope so too. I promised our Master that he would be dealt with accordingly if not." Adraudia's tone became bitter at the cold reality of that promise. She hadn't felt the grip of fear touch her heart since the day her Father, King Kelrune, went into battle for the last time.

[Razielle Alastor]

Even Razielle lost a bit of color at that. Even when Victer had first arrived to Iziz, so long ago now, strutting about with his shades just-so like he was the hottest thing this side of Mustafar, she had liked him. She hadn't even told him she was part of the royal house at first because she'd wanted to get to know him without station getting in the way..

The thought that Creas might have to...

No. She shook her head. Emphatically believing that Victer had yet to fail them. This he would pass too. He had to. For Adraudia.. Razielle believed that.

"I'll do anything I can, my sister. You know that." she said softly.

It was going to be a very private talk, but in the end, they were all involved. She could do her part to make the situation less.... perilous.

[Adraudia Basillie]

"I know I'm acting irrational, but ..." Adraudia turned away, scolding herself for the lack of control in regards to her feelings. She felt so helpless and vulnerable, "... I cannot help but worry. My feelings for Victer have run far deeper then I had thought capable of me."

A loving Queen to her people and close advisers only, Adraudia had sequestered her feelings deep within to avoid having to loose anyone she cared for. It worked well until Razielle had returned into her life. Quickly the fell into old habits after the air had been cleared between them about their mutual Master, and now they were the Sisters they never had.

Then Victer had shown up, devilishly handsome, intelligent and quite creative in his negotiation skills ... she had grown to admire his ability and eventually fall for his roguish charms.

As Adraudia returned her gaze to Razielle, there was a bit of a twinkle in her eye that tired to mire some of the sadness. "I blame you for all of this."

[Razielle Alastor]

Razielle looked guilty. She had plotted, but only a little bit! In the end, it hadn't really taken more than an introduction. Well, and maybe reminding the Queen that there was more to life than ruling. What was the point if you didn't have something that made you blissfully happy?

"Yes, I can see your point. All my fault. Would you like to flog me? Oh, I'm afraid you'll have to wait on the beating...", she patted her perfectly flat tummy, no evidence of what lay beneath yet present.

[Adraudia Basillie]

"I'm going to hold you to that," she smirked, but her features grew into a thankful expression. "I appreciate you cheering me up. You always did know how to be so silly."

Adraudia was always so serious because of the throne that waited for her. Razielle made it her mission to break the young Princess' sour demeanor since they first laid eyes upon each other; and did it brilliantly! They had gotten into trouble all the time as children, scolded more often together then apart, and Razielle managed to find a way to cause her to laugh, no matter how dreadful the day had been.

[Razielle Alastor]

Smiling a little, Razielle looked down quickly at her lap. Being clever and amusing was one of the many masks she wore. It was something she'd learned to do at a young age, an attempt to fit in with everyone else and seem less of an oddity. If they were amused with her, generally people didn't look too closely at the other, less seemly facets of her peronality...

With Adraudia it had come more natually though, and over time she'd even learned it was okay to drop her guard sometimes. Habits were hard to break though and masks that were worn all the time felt...almost comfortable in their familiarity.

"Oh, I do what I can..", she smiled back up at her Queen. "Besides... this is more fun."