Log:Swords, Suitors, and Mystery Noblemen

Swords, Suitors, and Mystery Noblemen

OOC Date: June 25, 2019
Location: New Alderaan
Participants: Hex, Kasia Ashkuri, Aryn Cole

Morning on D'Qar was often humid and wet. Fresh dew coated the grasslands and vineyards and sparkled when Jaqall came into view. Today was threatening overcast weather but the air did not have a chill to it at least. Lady Aryn Cole had been seen by the small valley river to the west, just outside the estate wall.

The river was not deep, but it was cooooooold. Its current was strong, and given the rains, the water was slightly higher than normal. In a place like this, it was difficult to hear over the sound of rushing river rapids. Mist danced about everywhere and trees stood tall enough to reveal the young woman's presence. She sat at the bank with her bare feet in the water. Laid back lazily, her gaze was oriented up toward the trees and the small pockets of sky she could see through the tree canopy.

A sword, ornate in design, was propped against a rock nearby, its belt and baldric wrapped around the protective scabbard.

The Ashkuris are here! Not a totally uncommon sight; they've taken up the offer to visit a time or two before. Or at least, Hex is here; wife and baby probably are as well. And possibly their nanny, a young Twi'lek lady of good sense and infinite patience who is probably paid pretty well to handle the hazards and eccentricities of the Ashkuri lifestyle. But for now, it's just Hex, with a long Twi'lek polearm weapon he seems to be using as a walking stick as he makes his way to the river valley where Aryn is rumored to be currently located.

And locate her he does! At a consistent but not hurried pace of travel and no particular attempt to be stealthy, she probably knows he is approaching before he actually gets there. Even so, as she's leaning back and looking upward, eventually interfering with the view of the trees is the sudden appearance of a green face and familiar tattooed lekku. "Kassurra, Arynco'le," Hex greets, bashing her name into a Rylothy format. It's probably a sign of affection or respect, given Hex's somewhat Twi-centric view of the universe. "What're you doing lying out here in the damp like that, you'll catch your death of cold!"

There was a familiar presence. Aryn had been meditating for a while, channeling her influence over the force to extend her conscience. Her perception expanded like a bubble around her, allowing the environment and everything within proximity to be felt like it were merely an extension of herself. His approach made her eyes open, and when he was within range, they came to focus and she blinked.

"Hex!" The young woman scrambled up to her feet and hugged the big Twi'lek firmly, dancing a bit on her tip-toes before stepping back. "I didn't expect to see you so early. I come here a lot.. it helps me.. umm, center." She nods her head, managing a small smile. Her hands come to her front and they begin to fidget a bit. "How is Kasia after our visit to Gaavros? Well, I hope?"

Hex twitches his lekku and looks bemused when she says that she is here to 'center,' as though he's heard language like this before but never quite grasped it, either now or in times previous. His own presence speaks to both stability and chaos when read in the strange perceptions of the force, like a piece of metal twisted by accident or trauma. Stable now, but perhaps not in the shape it might have been through a simpler life. He doesn't ask what 'centering' is all about though, he just returns the hug, smelling like tabac smoke and space curry. "She didn't say a lot but she was trying to convince me to spar with her and mentioned she kicked somebody off a wall," he grins. "Sorry I couldn't make it. Sometimes we have Dia Doneeta, the nanny, but other times one of us has got to stay back with the baby. That a new sword from Gaavros?"

Aryn nods and turns back to look at the exotic weapon. "No, it's an artifact I picked up from an enthusiast a few days ago. Ramishi crystal sword. It's a dangerous weapon but beautiful to look upon. I have been using it to strengthen my off-hand balance." Aryn lifts her left arm, the wrapping around the wrist indicative of its swelling. "I hurt it a week ago practicing against a friend of mine. I don't quite understand how I should hit someone with a fist." She looks down sheepishly. "I've never wanted to hurt anyone before."

Hex has tromped off to go accost Aryn, disrupting her meditation and solitude near the edge of a forest river. "I'd offer to spar with you, but it's a bad idea if you're coming off an injury. Don't want to make it worse," he replies. Injuries, injuries. His whole body is a testament to them, in particular the cybernetic arm and leg and the lek that seems to have suffered a recent partial amputation. "Practicing balance is good, though, balance and strength, you'll be right as rain again in no time. Just don't go at it too much, too fast, or could be as it gets worse. And talk to a doctor! I know you are a doctor, but doctors can't be trusted with their own selves, ok ka. You're all very cavalier about your own selves."

In response to her sheepish admission, Hex studies her for a long moment, comfortable with the silence that fills a space in conversation. His expression is hard to read, but maybe wistful or bittersweet - this experience is completely alien to him, and perhaps he wishes it wasn't. "Never ever?"

Aryn nods her head respectfully, taking a moment to lock her hands at her lower back once more. She stood before Hex wearing a green tunic, looking studiously at him while standing barefoot in the cold river water. It's morning, dew is everywhere, and they are outside the protective walls of the estate. There's enough of a clearing beneath the shelter of tall trees that the pair can be seen by the rushing river bank.

Aryn shook her head no. "Never. I've only wanted to help people. Why make enemies when you can be friends?" Aryn manages a small smile again. "But I understand that violence cannot be avoided. Not in our galaxy. So learning to defend myself has become a new priority for me. So far, my progress has been pathetic. But, there's hope for improvement. One instructor said I couldn't get any worse. That's good, right?"

Hex tromped off, and Kasia stayed behind to finish... something on board the ship, where she remained up until about now. Now she roams the estate in search of her spouse and his latest victim of... whatever it is he's up to now. She has no idea, but it's probably something. It usually is. It doesn't take that long for her to find them, it might've been faster if she'd found someone to ask, but honestly it's a lovely place and she didn't mind wandering around it enjoying a rare moment of peace and quiet.

"Sometimes I don't think you can make friends with a person," Hex replies, "Sometimes they hurt you first, and they hurt you bad enough, that there's nothing you can do but fight back. Like the supreme leader, ka? That psycho calling himself such, anyway?" Hex pauses a moment t cup his hands around a cigarette, shortly polluting the fresh forest air with a puff of smoke. But such are the hazards of hanging out with Hex, if he's not smoking something already, he will be shortly! "Believe it or not that's how I lost my arm and my leg. The Resistance fought the Order on Sullust and they kicked us to pieces. I was just some no name nobody infantry Corporal and Kylo Ren took me apart with a lightsaber. I've been hurt and angry for a long time, maybe as long as I can remember, at someone that was stepping on my neck. I just wanted to watch the galaxy burn, for years. Now... I think I can see it, at least? I can sort of see that notion that -- it would be better to make friends instead of enemies. It would be better not to fight, not to hurt. But damned if I know how we get from here to there. I really don't. I probably never will." He smiles a little, fondly. "That's up to people like you, maybe."

Kasia appears and he lets the subject lighten some, pleased to see her, and he leans himself and his polearm/walking stick against a tree. "Kass kass, nonna! Come here and tell Aryn that it's not hopeless to learn to defend herself and others. You did, ka!" He confides to Aryn, "She still doesn't like to break a nail though."

There's moments where Aryn can detect the passion in his voice. She can feel his pain, and it makes her stomach hurt. Being a healer did not make one immune to such instances, it expanded her susceptibility to it. She wanted to hug him again but she refrained. Instead, she directed her gaze toward the ground and tried to imagine what this Supreme Leader might look like. She tried to imagine what his presence felt like. She couldn't fathom that kind of darkness and cruelty, it made her knees weak.

Hex's smile helped ease this tension some, and as a result he drew one from her too. Kasia did not go unnoticed, in fact it was Aryn who had detected her approach first. Aryn was familiar with Kasia and had learned enough about her to know when she was close. The young noble remains quiet, but she steps free of the water and closes to Kasia to hug her. "It's true. I'm fond of my nails." She says, parting from the other woman.

Kasia's already wearing a vague hint of a smile that comes of being at such a pleasant, peaceful place, but the sight of those two familiar faces helps to craft it into the real thing, which only warms further at the greeting from Hex. "It's true," she steps closer to Aryn, returning the hug with an extra little squeeze there at the end. She relaxes her arms and steps back again. "I didn't know how to fight at all when I first met Hex. Aside from cutting remarks and the occasional slap, most of my fighting was done by paid guards. I'd barely even held a blaster up to that point, except for this one time when a client decided the sexiest thing in the world was showing off his weapon collection and then have me shoot poorly at targets." It's all shared casually, as if that's the most normal thing in the world to have experienced. "But now I'm an alright shot when I need to be, and I might not be the best in a brawl, but I've gotten a lot better at avoiding being hit." Except when it's Hex, and he's shooting at her butt. HEX. #neverforget. "So no, it's not hopeless, it just takes time to get your body used to that sort of thing so you don't trip over your own feet and knock yourself out."

Kasia is on the list of people Aryn admires. Similar to when Hex speaks, Kasia commands an equal respect from Aryn, and it's absent any sort of judgement, even if her cheeks get a little red. "I have elected to hire people to train me. I'm not very good, but the past few weeks have been enlightening. I find that the movements are taxing on the muscles and I've observed myself becoming stronger as a result."

"There's still the matter of actually hitting someone. I'm still not good at that." She holds up a wrapped wrist on her left arm to showcase that. "Though I suspect it will also come with time." To Hex now, "And I have seen another doctor about my wrist. It's much better than it was. Sprains just take longer to settle down. It was he who suggested doing balance exercises, though I'll admit.. he left using a sword out of his instructions." A sheepish look turns into an easy laugh.

"Just like I'm sure you weren't immediately amazing at being a doctor," Kasia points out with a smile. "Because it takes time, and training, and lots of practice. You're always going to be bad at something when you first start, but that's just the first steps in becoming better. Also hitting people hurts a lot more than you'd think, so it takes time to figure out how to do it, and also how to od it without injuring yourself. You'll get there though, I have absolute faith in that." Kasia pulls a smile from Aryn. "You're right, of course. Come, I wish to show you something I'm working on." A hand, her /good/ hand is offered to Kasia with the intent to take the woman closer to the bank. The area around there is wide open with a clear vantage of the river's rapids. The sound of rushing water is louder, but not overbearing.

Aryn reaches out to collect the sword from the ground. It resides within a protective scabbard, its belt and baldric wrapped casually around it. The sword has an ornate handle and a crystalline blade. "Go ahead.. pull it free."

Kasia's hand is easily taken, and she willingly follows along after Aryn to the edge of the water, eyes moving first to those rapids that churn, and then to the sword that is offered to her. She takes hold of the hilt and gently tugs the crystal sword free of the scabbard, eyes moving over the blade curiously. "It's... lovely," she admits, watching the way the light glints off the edges of the crystal and shows off the blueish hue. "Where did you get this?" she asks, sounding curious as she tests the weight and balance of the sword like she knows what she's doing. She really doesn't, not with this particular weapon, but she is admiring it. It's crystal, and pretty, she might want it as a necklace.

"I was a keynote speaker on Kerideph. It concerned my experiences dealing with natives, culture, and archaeology. An enthusiast approached me after my presentation. I think he was of Coruscant, definitely noble. He was looking for a buyer who would appreciate the weapon." She thumbs back at herself, grinning a bit. "I guess I fit the part. Do you like it?"

"A Coruscanti nobleman with a sword like this?" Kasia asks as she turns the thing over in her hand. "Do you recall which nobleman? I'm familiar with several families there." She's admired the sword, and honestly now she's just admiring the way the light catches it and how it goes from looking silver, to being slightly transparent. "It's a lovely weapon, I can see why it would have drawn you in. I think I'd be afraid of cutting myself while trying to use it, but that would be because I have absolutely no practice in using a sword like this." The admission comes with a momentary grin, then she turns the weapon over veeeery carefully and offers it hilt first to Aryn.

Where is Aryn's dad? Deceased, or off attending Cole family business? No, wrong, her dad is right here. Did she know she has a Twi'lek dad? She does now, because Hex is peering back and forth between the two ladies with suspicious dad look. "What were his intentions? This enthusiast?" he asks, all suspicious. "Just selling a sword, or trying to buy your attention? Probably the second one, ka? You can't trust a man like that! It's a good blade, I like it. But the man, no, I don't like him." Hex hasn't even met the guy, doesn't matter, he heard 'Coruscanti nobleman' and he's vetoing. "No, no." Cigarette briefly between his lips, he fishes out a datapad from a duster pocket. "Listen though, ai'jou, I have for your consideration some -- hm, just come here. Just come here, I'll show you."

"I looked up the banner after our conversation. He's old money." Aryn says, accepting the sword back from her and sliding it back in place. There's a practiced grace in this action, something that betrays the usual awkwardness that accompanies the young girl. The weapon is set against the rock she had left it before, and her attention goes to Hex. It doesn't take long for her cheeks to go red.

Aryn unclips her own datapad and pulls up the search, displaying the family banner more for Kasia, who mentioned being familiar with the aristocracy of that region. Aryn's attention goes to Hex and she draws near him after surrendering her datapad.

Kasia leans in closer to Aryn as she pulls up the image on her datapad, eyeing the banner for a few moments before she exhales a quiet little laugh. "I am familiar with that family." How she's familiar she doesn't say yet, because Hex is bringing up something to show Aryn, and she's just as curious what he's up to.

Hex studies Aryn's command of and growing confidence with the sword for a couple swishes, then approves with a practiced eye toward practitioners and weaponry, "It suits you." He considers, "Also, I've seen those crystal swords before, and they're so sharp that in a pinch you can probably use it to do surgery. Win-win." Terrifyingly, he seems to genuinely trust that you could totally perform crystal-sword-surgery if scalpels are unavailable.

But moving on, when Aryn comes over, he shows her his own datapad. It's pretty beat up but it's extremely hard to tell whether that's because of Hex or his almost four year old toddler. Even odds on Hex and Boon there, but give it another year and Boon will definitely be better with technology. On the screen is... maybe hard to tell because none of it is in basic, but it looks suspiciously like a Twi'lek dating holo-site or advert. Men are posed with their speeders or weapons or fish they caught, because they're not so different from human men in the aspect that they have no idea what women want to see them doing. "Look," Hex insists. "Nice men, Twi'lek men. I can introduce you to one of these, ka? Look at him, Elav Dyroma. Dyroma is a good family! Little bit on the night side of the planet, I'm a brightlander myself, but that's okay, we won't hold it against him. 22, he's a comms technician... see, good job, good. Or, how about this one, Pol Pra'tari! Oh see he's had his teeth done." They're pointy. Hex has pointy teeth too, but only the canines and lateral incisors, which is probably all Kasia let him get away with. "That's you know, it's good, it's a very attractive thing, very proud. 23 from Lessu. In 'pharmaceuticals'... well, okay, he's definitely involved with the Ryll spice industry, but it does have medicinal properties! He seems nice!"

Poor Aryn. Maybe Kasia will save her.

Aryn looks up at Kasia's face briefly when she admits knowing the banner and the family tied to it. There's no judgement in her expression. Hex's steals their attention though and Aryn takes her datapad back, clipping it back on her belt after turning it to standby. "A dating site?" So starts the laughter. "Hex, you're very funny." A hand comes up to tuck her hair back and she looks between them. "They all look like eligible bachelors, honestly.. but I won't know love like you do."

They may expect some sort of philosophical speech to follow but Aryn's gaze turns toward the estate, the very same that his grace, the Duke resides (Daddy Cole). "I'm to be arranged for, I guess. Someone from another of the Alderaanian colonies, maybe the Ash worlds.. who knows. My parents want expansion of trade, expansion for our people, and that only happens when families bridge interests." She weaves her fingers together as if to display the complexity of the situation.

"It's one reason why I'm here, actually. My father has arranged a match. I'm to meet them within the week." They can tell by her tone and the way she's a bit withdrawn, that she's uncertain and anxious.

There might be a little bit of judgment in Kasia's expression, but the judgment appears aimed at the banner and the family that it's attached to, rather than Aryn. Her thoughts -- those not conveyed via expression -- are otherwise kept to herself, because what's happening with Hex is way too entertaining to interrupt. No, it appears she's going to make no effort to save Aryn from Hex's matchmaking attempts, because it's sweet. And funny. Instead she steps over to his side and leans a little closer, unable to really discern too much of what is written on the screen, but she does point to the first prospect he presents, and says, "He's cute, too." Is he? Kasia's taste might be a bit suspect. "Maybe Hex can uncover a wealthy Twi'lek that's involved in trade." Selling spice is sort of trade, right? Hahaha. "Like textiles, or something?"

Hex is warming to his subject matter. "How about this one, Guzerre Ro.... oh, Ryma'at, no, his lekku are way too short," he scrolls, before looking up in alarm. "What! A match? Matched to who, a human?" Like somehow that's the most alarming thing about this is that Aryn is not, in fact, going to end up with a nice Twi'lek boy from a Good Family with a Good Job (and/or money from the drug trade) on Ryloth. Hex has dreams here, man, dreams, and the preservation of the Alderaanian aristocracy matchmaking among its own -- totally not part of the happy future he has constructed in the strange world between his ears.

"You can't marry a man you just met," he insists, dryly. "No Coruscanti sword enthusiasts, and no strangers.... and no jerks, no old-ass men, no swoop racers, no fighter pilots, no boys who have abs instead of personalities..." He's getting distracted. "But most importantly no strangers! I was promised to marry a particular girl when I was a child, but we also didn't have electricity or medicine, ok ka. This kind of thing is archaic, it's not for humans in the modern time. If your father wants to join the assets of the families or something, tell him to open a joint bank account or mutually invest in a start-up. That's just like getting married. Start-ups are a big responsibility."

Aryn shrinks back a bit as Hex's words put her in conflict with her father's wishes. She takes on a thoughtful expression though and looks down. "He has made some compromises, and he recognizes that... things are not what they were when he grew up on Alderaan." Aryn nods. "I'm being given the final say on the matter on the condition that I /try/." What /try/ meant is left up to interpretation.

She fidgets with her hands a bit more and let's out a surprised huff of anxiety. "I'm scared. I've fought Tusken Raiders, been around Grom, and survived a big Chistori battle but the idea of... well, all of this.. frightens, no.. terrifies me. I just want to do the right thing, but I don't know what that is." Aryn suddenly seems like she's on the verge of tears.

"There's nothing wrong with being married to a human, Hex," Kasia's tone is just a little dry, but she's been married to the space racist long enough to know what he actually means here. "I agree on not getting married to someone you've just met though." A pause. "Though having abs shouldn't disqualify someone." Hex had those once upon a time! He still does, but in that once upon a time, they were also visible and defined. Her expression gentles as Aryn starts to get worked up, stepping closer to the young woman to try and put an arm around her. "You said you have final say, which is good. That's a good thing. Use that say and don't marry someone unless you actually want to. Not because you've got some obligation to continue on some tradition, or familial lines, or... any of it. Find someone that you enjoy being around, someone that makes you feel good about yourself. I know how messy it can get when noble titles are involved, but you were given a choice so hold firm to that."

"A human /dude/? Have you met human dudes?" Hex protests to Kasia, "I'm gonna say two words that make my point for me. No wait. Four. TARION TAVERS." He raises his brow to let that sink in and then drops the other two. "ZHU YAN." Confident he's made his point, the demonstrably alien man looks back to Aryn, dropping his cigarette and extinguishing it under a boot. "Oh, ai'jou." It is not without sympathy, and it is sincere. He knows she's in a hard spot. Kasia is there with the hugs though, and he allows her to offer them, the tip of his left lek curling back and forth in concern. "Kasia is right. You can go on some dates with this fellow and give him a shot in order to give it a chance and make your kapi relax, but this is your life, not his. If you marry because of pressure then the pressure is never going to get better after you do, and you'll just be tired and sad. I don't want tired and sad for you. I'm sure your kapi doesn't either, really, he is just sort of hoping a magical prince appears with exactly the right social and economic connections who you like really, really well and everything magically goes into place. But what you like might be different than that, in the end. You can stand up for different."

Crying comes easy to a girl whose biggest hardship in life (presently) was marriage. Being noble had its draw backs, as they saw. Aryn rests against Kasia for support and allowed a tear or two escape down her cheek, but their words eased some confidence back into her and she took a quiet, shaky breath. "M.. maybe it won't be all that bad." She wipes her eyes with her good hand and manages a crooked smile.

"Maybe he'll be Twi'lek." For Hex's benefit. She managed to laugh a bit and managed to regain some of her conviction. "Time will tell, I suppose." She recalled Hex saying what they shouldn't be, and yet according to her father, this noble was a few of those things. "My father says he's a soldier and pilot." She wipes her eyes again. "I hope he's funny."

Different life experiences do that, and Kasia seems understanding of that fact as she embraces the noblewoman in need of support. "I have met a few human males, yes," she confirms to Hex, not offering aaaany arguments to the questionable quality of both Tarion and Yan. It is known. "Some soldiers are funny, some aren't, they're just like everyone else. Aryn, my dear, try not to put too much weight on this, because that just makes it more pressure on yourself. Meet this person with an open mind, and the intent of making a new friend. If he's a person that you want to be friends with, that is a good start. Go from there, alright? But understand that Hex is going to keep looking for a nice man for you, because there are few forces in this galaxy that can stop him when he's determined."

"I know a lot of nice men," Hex insists, like he didn't just throw two of his friends directly under the hoverbus. But if anyone's met those two friends, that's fair. "But Kasia is right, ai'jou! Just treat it like a blind date - a chance to make a friend - and like Kasia says, take it from there. See what happens. Maybe it is a good story, if nothing else." He's not very touchy, almost ever, so he reaches over to give Aryn a little awkward pat, pat to one of her shoulders. Pat, pat. "Why don't you tell us his name? We can look him up on the holo net and judg-- see if he has any notable accomplishments."

"I will endeavor to remain positive. It is a looming storm cloud, sure, but you don't know if a cloud has rain in it till it pours." Another idle swipe of her hand clears her eyes of anymore tears. "Unfortunately, I do not know his name. This is intentional. They do not want me to have any misconceptions about who he is. They know I am a researcher, and that I surround myself with resourceful people."

"My only question is: What is he a soldier of? If not the New Republic? Then what?" He couldn't be Resistance. She would've spotted him out by now. Aristocracy could sniff out their own. Aryn leaves Kasia's side after Hex gently pat her shoulder. It was awkward but she knew he meant well. Careful footing delivers Aryn to her boots. A quick brush to the bottom of her foot and she pulls a boot on. The other is quick to follow, and the last thing she collects is the sword from the mysterious Coruscanti noble.

"Perhaps a late breakfast will chase away this feeling, hmm? Please, I'd be delighted if you both joined me."

"You should send us a message as soon as you learn it, that way we can research while you get to know him," Kasia suggests, because honestly this is fascinating from an outside perspective, and also she nosey af. "That's a good question though. I couldn't begin to guess, because there is just so much out there I don't know about, but once you find out what kind of soldier he is, I want to know." So she can judge from a distance. Aryn is given one last quick squeeze before she's allowed to pull away. "Breakfast is always welcome. I only had some caf on the ship, so I'm ready to eat. Hex?" It's silly to even ask, unless something is very wrong, she knows what the answer is.

"Local systems still have militaries in some cases. Like the Hapans," Hex points out. "And there are also still some systems who hold remnants of the Republic, and they see themselves as Republic still, even in the face of the Order's domination. It could be either of those thing!" He leaves off saying that it could be of all thing some bougie person who is both aristocrat and First Order - GROSS - in favor of happier subjects, such as eating. He smiles and plucks up his polearm-walkingstick. "You don't have to ask me twice," he promises, and then heads up the path, scattering a little flock of pleasingly rotund avians as he heads up the path and away.