That Night on Terephon

[Lira Terranova]

It was night on Terephon.

Although this system was further removed from the various other stars and nebulae of the Cluster, nonetheless it too remained in perpetual twilight. Still, Lira Terranova noted as she looked out from one of the Villa Solis' fortified windows, it was dim enough for the stars to make an appearance among so many other brilliant points of light. Maybe if she tried, she could find Onderon out there? Serious eyes squinted, but did not find the world of her birth hiding among the scattering of destinations beyond the Mist. In fact, what she was seeing was probably within the Cluster itself.

Sighing, she made to turn from the window, but something held her attention. Something that made her spine stiffen.

Beatrix had noticed it as well. The child was abed now, but earlier she had noticed Lira's discomfort and had held her hand, giving her grown caretaker comfort for a change. She smiled at the memory and left the window, smoothing a hand over the dampened front of her gown. Bath time with Queen Bea left no one unscathed it would seem..

Stopping at a sideboard, Lira turned her attention toward preparing a pot of tea, carefully measuring out the proper amount with her back to the room. "Is it me, or did Her Grace seem a bit...energetic this evening?"

[Renart Al'Gray]

Renart's answer was one he barely had to think about, it was so often called upon.

"As befits ereneda."

In Hapan culture, the norms and expectations of society were largely set by the monarchy. Whatever the Chume did was considered good and right and proper. She would never be late, for instance, rather everyone else would simply be early. These were simply facts of Hapan life. That being true, Lira's observation could only have one retort: everyone elses behaviour had simply become less energetic than Beatrix's, which was in fact that ideal amount of energy that any good Hapan should exhibit.

All of this twisted inside of Renart, who remained outwardly stoic, playing his own part as the good Hapan man: seen and rarely heard.

"It appears that she is happy here," was all he added.

[Lira Terranova]

Still facing away from the room, there was no one to catch the wry turn of Lira's lips. That was almost exactly what she had expected him to say, word for word. Apart from the further observation that their queen was in fact happy on Terephon, despite the odds. Beatrix was taking it as an adventure and setting a good example for everyone else, as a good ruler should. He was not wrong.

"Well, Ereneda may have boundless energy, but I do not." Lira simply stated, turning and bringing with her a gilded tray set with the stately tea service. Setting it down carefully, she too lowered herself to a chair, grateful for the moment of rest.

Somewhere out on the moors, there was a flash low in the sky. Some might have mistook the phenomena as silent lightning, the kind absent of the accompanying storm. It all depended on ones definition of a storm, she supposed.

Capable hands lifted the pot, not a tremor to be seen.

"Why don't you tell me another story, captain? Like the one about that Lafleche scoundrel.", she invited, pouring not one but two cups of the floral Hapan tea.

[Renart Al'Gray]

Though he could not keep his eyes from straying to the window, drawn by the flash of light, Renart accepted Lira's invitation and sat. The act of sitting was much easier without the ornate armour the captain ordinarily wore, though there was a stiffness in his movements regardless, where centuries of custom and tradition hung like weights around his neck and limbs.

"What kind of story would you like hear, tadin?"

[Lira Terranova]

Chume'la was a bad influence.

That was all there was to it. Lira's experience with men was extremely limited. Most of her knowledge having come from observing then Princess Razielle and her obvious infatuation with the former Prime Minister of Onderon - and that could not possibly be a wise course to follow. For a time, Lira had indulged a brief crush on the handsome Arkanian, the same as her lady. That was all it had been though, a girlish crush that had faded as quickly as it had come. Actually, that was putting it politely. Her crush on Salem Ave had withered and died the moment Captain Renart Al'Gray's lips had parted and he had spoken to her. Since then she'd born a terrible compulsion to get him to keep talking. The truth was, Renart could read from a Hapan fishing guide and Lira would find it to be the most stimulating thing she'd ever heard...

"Hmm, tell me something about yourself."

Lifting one of the two cups, she turned the handle away from herself and offered it to the Chume'nor captain, just for the pleasure of watching him decide what would be worse, taking her offering, or not taking it.

Yes, Razielle was a terrible influence..

"How about something from before you became one of Her Majesty's Select Commandos? Did you have a favorite subject in your education?"

[Renart Al'Gray]

It was not the first time that Lira had asked about the Captain's life and past, and experience told Renart it would not be the last. He was grateful, then, for the teacup, as lifting it to his lips and blowing on the steaming liquid gave him the time to think on her request.

"We begin training to join the Chume'nor at a young age, when we are still boys. Before that, most of my education was in piloting, the history of the Consortium, and other, necessary... compete'n entretien-"

Renart paused, seemingly struggling for the right words. His command of Basic was stronger than it had been when they had first met, but Renart wasn't sure that there actually was a term comparable to the Hapan in this case.

"Skills and... manners... expected of me."

[Lira Terranova]

Cerulean eyes watched attentively as the captain took the cup from her without any fuss, before proceeding to cool the steaming liquid with parted lips. Lira congratulated herself on her ability to appear unaffected, while simultaneously wishing for nothing so much as to be a cup of tea just then.

One eyebrow arched upward at the unfamiliar Hapan term. Clearly Beatrix had not been tutored in compete'n'en.... whatever the fanciful sounding word was. Which meant Lira had not been appraised of it either, as she took her lessons with the little queen and learned at the same pace.

"A pilot! Now see? That I did not know.", she sipped her tea, licking a bit of honey from her upper lip where it had caught upon the rim of her cup.

"Skills and manners? Like... the right kind of bow for Ereneda? Or the proper way to address an Archon rather than a Count? That sort of thing?"

[Renart Al'Gray]

"The Cluster is vast. It's important that we are able to travel from planet to planet - and, there is every chance that, in times of war, we might be called upon by the Royal Navy. Though, that is unlikely now, given my position."

He folded his hands around the teacup, enjoying the warmth radiating from within. Tea was not a common feature of Hapan cuisine but Renart was beginning to understand the appeal. When he ventured a sip - the liquid hot but not scalding - there was something calming about the taste.

"The skills and manners are more... the social and familial duties that are expected of men, by their wives. It involves knowing how to address our betters but also more personal interactions."

[Lira Terranova]

Lira could not fault the logic in being prepared for anything, while in the service of Chume Beatrix. Perhaps she should take some piloting lessons herself! It was not an altogether bad idea, but when would she have the time? Not until Queen Bea was much older and she wanted such lessons for herself. The queen's lady sipped her tea, not bothered by her fate. Her fingertips held the tea cup away from her face, about to set it down it seemed when she paused.

Renart's next words '..social and familial duties expected of men by their wives.' and 'personal interactions' lost Lira for a moment. A frown wrinkled across her brow as she attempted to riddle it all out without having to ask and risk appearing the inferior foreigner even more so than usual. What did he mean? Like... Hapan men making their ladies appear to be delicate graceful flowers at all times, rather than the thorny, potentially poisonous, lovely blooms they were? Or knowing just when to hand them a handkerchief? Fetch their wine glass?

"Sounds gripping.", she allowed. "Were you.. good at that sort of thing?"

[Renart Al'Gray]

"One of the best," Renart said without the faintest hint of bravado, his expression as cool and implacable as the Transitory Mists.

"My mother commissioned a kurh'n'ta'a who was - is still, in fact - widely respected to tutor me," the Captain added, after pausing long enough to wet his lips with another sip of tea.

When Renart's teacup was halfway between his lips and the table, some thought seemed to freeze his movement for an instant.

"Is it... common for men to attend a finishing school on Onderon too?"

[Lira Terranova]

It was obvious when Lira figured out what they discussing.

One moment she was imagining all of the tedious sort of tasks he must have had to learn. Then that one word 'kurh'n'ta'a' changed everything. She had heard the term before. It was not exactly part of Beatrix's curriculum just yet, but considering how very... tolerant Hapan's were about pleasure, there was no telling when it would come up. Fifth something, Lira felt certain on the translation. As she understood it, he was speaking of a sex worker. Renart Al'Gray was talking to her about sex.

And he was one of the best.

Her cup began to rattle, right around the same time her heartbeat attempted to match it's tempo.

Lira did the only dignified thing she could think of and sipped her tea, to stop it's knocking about, and stall for time to recover. There was nothing she could do about the rosy stain creeping over her skin though. Self directed headfirst into a situation she was not prepared to deal with, all because she had to go asking questions. She should know better. Feeling like she might squirm, she set the tea down before she spilled it.

He had asked her something. Something about men attending finishing school on Onderon.

She managed to shake her head slowly. "Not that I'm aware of.."

No more questions? What had happened to all her curiosity? Her better judgement advised her to stop right now.

[Renart Al'Gray]

Renart's eyes shifted from the teacup to Lira's face, all flush with colour. Had he offended her, by showing his ignorance of Onderon's customs?

"Is.. something wrong, ta'din?"

[Lira Terranova]

"Not at all.." She did not sound very reassuring, even she could hear that, but explaining would be far worse.

Lira became temporarily fascinated with smoothing the crisp white fabric of her gown where it draped over her knees. Anything to give her time to cool her cheeks and find a way to redirect the conversation.

"Actually it is, or has been, the custom on Onderon for the ladies to better themselves to seek the attention of a suitable partner. I'm sure that sounds quite backward to you."

She risked a glance upward.

"Although there does seem to be a growing trend of equality under Queen Adraudia's rule."

[Renart Al'Gray]

He tried to picture it: a world where women deferred to men. The thought stirred some dim memory of something he’d heard a rumour of during his early training, whispers that there were cadets circulating a fantastical and frankly heretical novel that told the tale of a Mists-born male whose strength and intellect were unsurpassed even by females and before whom all women fell to their knees in desire and obedience. Renart hadn’t read the book, but the premise seemed absurd even now.

Then again, that wasn’t the world Lira spoke of. Onderon wasn’t just Hapes, but inverted, with males ruling over females. Lira had served a Queen of her own, yet was equally at ease deferring to Salem Ave, the politician who was both male and not human. It was puzzling, enough to make a little thoughtful dimple in the middle of Renart's brows.

“I would like to know more about Onderon - about your life before joining the Consortium.”

[Lira Terranova]

She had been correct, if the intriguing little wrinkle in Renart's brow was any indication. He definitely seemed to struggle with the notion of submissive women. Lira supposed she should be flattered by the lofty position females enjoyed in this part of the galaxy. Still, she found it just as bizarre as Renart would find Onderon, no doubt. It was just how they had been raised. Lira was getting an opportunity to experience the other side of the spectrum, perhaps one day Captain Al'Gray would as well?

That he wanted to know more about Onderon didn't necessarily surprise Lira, she did make mention of the world with some frequency. That he was curious about her life stunned her enough that she glanced askance, hatted head tipping at a jaunty angle, to see if he was serious. It seemed he was.

"About me? There is not much to tell."

Deciding that she had fidgeted enough for the present, Lira rose, placing her already cooling cup of tea upon a sideboard to be cleaned away by the staff of the Royal House.

[Renart Al'Gray]

Renart stood, as protocol dictated he should, mere moments after Lira rose from her chair. His gaze followed her as she moved about the sitting room, not surprised in the least to see the respect she afforded both the room and the household staff in tidying away her cup.

“I would be.. honoured if you would share even a little.”

[Lira Terranova]

And just like that an armada of butterflies took wing inside Lira's tummy. Though outwardly she appeared as unswerving as ever, within she felt quite deliciously, disturbingly, unstable. She stood quite still to manage the sensation.

"How could I refuse that.?", she pondered quietly. She wasn't sure herself if she had meant for it to be out loud.

Fingers linked together before her, Lira nodded. "Very well, though I fear it is not a glamorous tale."

"Like Princess Razielle, when she came to live on Onderon, I too was a royal ward. Although in my own case, it was more for charity. My parents both died when I was very young. I do not remember my mother really, but I do recall my father. I remember missing him very much." There was a softening of Lira's features as she pondered the past, one reserved for when she was speaking fondly of Beatrix typically. The association could be made that it was an expression she wore when speaking of someone she loved.

"Iziz had been under attack by Mandalorians from beyond it's walls. My father and the other Beast Rider's went out to defend the city. Many did not return. My father was one.", Lira explained. "I'm told he was quite valiant, and respected. His sacrifice secured my upbringing and education."

[Renart Al'Gray]

His cup of tea now forgotten, Renart stood in place as he listened to Lira’s tale, ensuring that she had his full attention. When Lira lapsed into silence, it was not the image of Beast Riders and Mandalorian's skirmishing outside the walls of Iziz that seemed the most unfamiliar part of her story.

“Do you have no other family?”

[Lira Terranova]

"Not that I'm aware of." Lira shook her head, mouth turned down at the corners for the smallest of moments. "None that stepped forward to claim me, at any rate."

"It's all worked out rather well. I was of an age with the princess when she arrived, and so was given the opportunity to serve her. Which has been such a blessing, really. I have learned much in her service, seen parts of the greater galaxy that I would otherwise not have. I have been bestowed with a great position in Ereneda's household. I have no cause to be unhappy."

There was another disturbing event outside. Not another flash, like the last one. Something seismic seem to roll, not through the ground, but through the air itself. Lira would have sworn she felt it move through her.

[Renart Al'Gray]

Whatever strangeness was at work outside, Renart felt it too. The sensation was sudden and peculiar enough that his hand drifted to his weapon belt, though there was nothing there for him to grasp, and he could not help but look toward the window.

“I…” he started, puzzled for a long moment before he pushed his focus back to Lira.

“I am glad, that you’re happy. I understand how rewarding it is, to serve, to... be of service.”