Ask Burden Of A Crown

[Altair Din]

It hadn’t been too long since Altair killed the current king of Eiattu. He was discovering that there were several other planets within the cluster that Asminys had commanded. Upon killing him, Altair was named the new king and a formal coronation would happen soon. He had been severely injured during his fight, his torso badly bruised and his right arm almost taken off. However, he had been in a bacta tank for many hours a day to recover. Even then, his recovery would take a while.

By now, different humanitarian groups were on the planet to help clean up and feed the people that were left in squalor thanks to Asminys. It would be a road to recovery, but already changes began to take place. Groups of acolytes were also sent over from other Imperial worlds to help with the locals. Shelters were set up along with medical tents to offer immediate care to those that needed it.

A group of Sith were sent to the royal spire and citadel to work there. A lot of it had been in disrepair and more junior acolytes were sent to quickly be brought up to speed to serve as liaisons to the local people. Once he saw Celeste’s name on the roster, Altair authorized for her to have clearance to enter the citadel and be assigned to reform a king’s guard with the soldiers there.

The tiefling wore armorweave, his injured arm still heavily bandaged and largely useless. He also had several women attempting to dress him, but he largely waved them off. They had served kings in the past and had been imprisoned during Asminys’ reign.

Altair was standing inside a grand library that looked as if it hadn’t been used in years. Celeste would have clearance to get where she needed, but she would still need to show a badge before entering the room guarded by Imperials. It was apparent his soldiers were extremely protective of him, eyeing her with suspicion at every step.

 

[Celeste Stythani]

News spread fast within Imperial space and Celeste was not only paying special attention to everything Altair was up to anyway, but the Demon Prince of Korriban was regularly in the midst of the spotlight after his rank up anyway. Celeste was happy that he was doing so well, but she wasn't too happy about not seeing him this often anymore. Success came with responsibility and he had plenty of that now while she was still in the process of starting all anew.

Of course rumors had traveled over as soon as Altair had made his way towards Eiattu. Soon, the rumors were confirmed, and so Celeste had to only learnt that Altair had challenged Asminys, but that he had won. And still, he had been severely injured and while she had picked up that he was doing okay, she was still extremely worried. Of course she had been excited to hear that he had managed to dethroned him, but again, a lot had happened again...

And now a damn coronation. Celeste almost found that a but ironic, but in a very positive way. The farmer boy of Bandomeer was now getting crowned and honestly, she had seen it coming back on Rattatak. Altair was born to rule and he seemed absolutely fit to rule like Asminys...and he'd do it better. She was absolutely convinced of that. But there was plenty of work ahead of them...She had learnt how long it had taken to build up a planet when she had reformed Rattatak and she was happy to be able to get the chance to help him, however she was much more happy to see him for starters, especially because she was still extremely worried about his injuries and so once she had been informed that she was called to Eiattu, she had gotten quite excited, obviously without letting any of her true emotions shine through.

She had quickly grabbed a bag and boarded the ship to the system, not only happy for the change of scenery, but just wanting to see him so bad. There were still not many faces she was happy to see, but he was definitely one of them and once she set foot on Eriattu, she was immediately summoned. After having received a badge, she got the clearance to be allowed to enter the grand citadel and her fast steps were accompanied by a definite assertiveness. She patiently passed the security checkpoints, behaving all respectfully like she was supposed to while simultaneously skillfully ignoring the Imperials' alerted glares.

She caught herself almost holding her breath while she was let through the last door, her gaze immediately landing on the tall Tiefling who looked slightly...contemplative? As soon as the doors closed behind her, her true emotions reflected in her expressions.

He looked hurt...and she was truly worried about the severity of his injuries and so she approached him quickly with furrowed brows. "Oh my...what did you do...I mean...uh congrats? Or..." It was very unusual for her to lose composure like that, but her emotions were all stirred up. She was worried, yet proud and impressed, overly happy to finally see him again after weeks.

Once she had walked up to him in the library, she stopped rather close to him, first carefully reaching out but immediately stopping and pulling back in order not to hurt him. She had ensured that they were alone, but wasn't fully sure about his current mood, so she didn't immediately leaned in to kiss him, even if she badly wanted to. "I can't believe it...I mean I can, but...I'm just glad you're alright". With the excitement slowly fading, her worrying was replaced with a warm softness. Her eyes were glowing as she now carefully did close the distance between them to softy plant a kiss on his lips. She had missed him...It was hard to deny that, but she hadn't assumed they would meet under such interesting circumstances.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

He was rifling through different books, mainly about the history and stories about the planet. He was even looking at logistics books, things he would have snored through in class normally. Altair glanced up when Celeste walked in, his brows raising when she began to sputter through her introduction, “Good to see you too,” He said with a grin. Altair turned back to the book he was eyeing, pulling it out to walk towards her and a table nearby. He was both surprised and pleased when she leaned in for a kiss, and he returned it at once. His usable arm briefly wrapped around her to pull her into a hug before he released her.

“I didn’t expect things to go this way,” Altair explained as he set the book down. It was a historical account of the planet and this citadel in particular, “I came here trying to get Asminys to support me, but realized he’s been a tyrant. It escalated from there and he fucked up my arm real bad,” Though it was nothing compared to what Altair had done to Asminys with his horns.

“Truthfully…” He began as he collapsed down to sit on a chair, “I dunno what I’m doin’. I feel way out of my element,” Altair glanced up at her, “How did you do it? How did you rule Rattatak and get an entire people to follow you?” He glanced over towards one of the massive windows that overlooked the cities in the distance. There were countless people on this planet and other planets in the system that now looked to him to lead.

“Becoming king was the easy part…how do I keep these planets from gettin’ worse and collapsing like Asminys allowed?”

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

While Celeste noticed how contemplative he seemed, it also looked like he was searching for something and she was curious about what he was looking for. Before she asked, however, she was relieved when he reciprocated the kiss and the smirk that followed soothed her. The inner tension faded, yet she was shocked to see that his second arm was seemingly not fully functional yet. As he explained what happened with Asminys, her eyes widened. As a Matukai, she knew how important his physical integrity was and she already assumed that taking a break from his strict training routine was tough. "I hope you're taking it easy for now...no matter how hard that might be. Did they say anything about how long the recovery will take?" she inquired carefully, softly running her fingertips along the side of his face after she had taken a seat next to him. There was empathy and softness in her eyes, yet she couldn't fully hide the frustration over what Asminys had done here. She hadn't heard much about him before, yet she had done her research on her way over and was convinced that it had been a good riddance, yet seeing him hurt like this hurt her.

As he entrusted her with his worries, a slight smile crossed her lips. "I'm happy you managed to get me here", she was absolutely convinced that this was no pure coincidence. He had known of her arrival and she was glad that he had managed to give her the badge she needed. At the same time, she felt almost honored that he was actually asking for her advice, because this obviously hadn't happened for quite some time now in regards to her official position here. She let out a slight sigh as she followed his glance towards the huge window across from them, before her light blue eyes found their way back to him. "I...well to be fair, it wasn't easy at all. In the end, call myself a senator because I was elected and won the definite majority over, but the road was rocky. I gained their support because I was strong and fearless and because I started improving conditions everywhere I could, but it took my a while to get there", she began to explain. He already knew quite a few details about her journey, yet as he was actively asking for further advice, she elaborated.

"I actively dethroned the tyrants...by force, admittedly. The more influence and support I gained, the more just bend the knee voluntarily. I abolished slavery by dealing with the tyrannical warlords, so that the civilians agreed with my doings, but in order to satisfy the needs of the still rather influential warlords, I had to hurry when it came to strengthening the economy. My personal financial assets helped, that's for sure, but winning their favor wasn't easy. I was challenged a lot and while I tried to be a good and just ruler in a way, I had to be frightening too in some regards. I was known as the 'dark sorceress' in a few tribes, because they had seen me command the Force, yet they also knew I was just trying to help...".

Reforming existing systems was never easy, unless there was a common discontent. "The people here probably assume the Empire is to blame for the existing tyranny, because that is what Asminys taught them. It's a good thing to Empire has send help for the locals, so this in an excellent time for you to step in and openly prove you're here to improve the current state. I've learnt that demonstrating strength isn't everything. You need to seem approachable too. Words will spread quickly. I remember how I spent days trying to solve a farming problem for a tribe eldest...I was rewarded with the trust of the whole region". She moved her chair closer to his and planted a affectionate kiss against his cheek. "They will love you...even though justice is subjective, I know that you've got what it takes to rule this world". She was not offering empty words of encouragement, but she really meant what she said. Altair was excellent at giving orders and being in charge, so she really had to doubt. Sure, it would take its time, but she was not actually worried.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair gave her a smirk, “Of course I was able to get you here, I’m a King,” He flashed her a wink. It was still surreal to think about it - how he went from being a farm boy to now being made a ruler over not only this planet, but several more within what Asminys called his Kingdom. The tiefling carefully listened to her every word as she spoke of her journey on Rattatak. She had always made it look effortless because of how skilled she was, but in truth it sounded like there were many hidden chapters and struggles to get there.

A lot of her perspective made sense - especially the perception that the Empire had caused this chaos on the planet to begin with. He had to differentiate himself from Asminys or the people would consider him no different. Altair sighed at her suggestion of being approachable, “That… will be difficult. The galaxy already doesn’t trust tieflings, a tiefling king after a tyrant? I’ll have a tough time,” He grimaced as he stared at the book.

“And this isn’t where I want to stop,” Altair admitted, “This is one of many kingdoms I intend to conquer. I want the leaders of those kingdoms to swear loyalty to me. That’ll help me build my powerbase for what I wanna do,” It was going to be a long journey and full of conquest, but he knew it was what he wanted. His ambitions were far beyond that of a King - he wanted to become an Emperor. A true Emperor like Andraste during her time.

Altair gave her a tired smile when she mentioned having faith in him. These days he mostly had the burden of expectations on him, especially since Korriban and then Mustafar where he killed a Jedi Councilor. He rarely had the chance to worry about whether he would do a good job or not.

“Wanna see the citadel?” Altair asked her as he slowly rose to stand again, “I’m still figuring this place out,” He said as he began to walk out of the library, gesturing to her to come with. Celeste would get a few curious glances as they exited together, the corridors leading them down past other large halls and chambers in the stronghold.

The structure was more militaristic in nature, though it still had grand dining halls and places to entertain. After a bit of walking, they arrived at a courtyard with a garden and fountains. It felt oddly out of place, but it was obviously the work of a prior monarch that had different tastes.

“I just hope I never forget who I am as I keep going through all this,” Altair mused as he fiddled with a blue flower that was local only to here. After a moment, he plucked it and offered it to Celeste. He gave her a smile before gazing out ahead, "My coronation will be held here," He explained. The courtyard opened up to a large platform that had a long staircase leading down towards the city where the citizens could gather.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

The way in which he so confidently proclaimed that he was the king now made her smile. The grin wasn't smug, but charming as always and Celeste knew how much he had deserved to come that far. Still, he seemed a bit worried after everything she had explained and he soon laid his doubts open. "Altair..." she immediately began, softly and supportively playing her hand onto his healthy arm again."Such journeys are never easy, but I have no doubts. Racial prejudices or not, you'll immediately convince them". Still, her encouragement wasn't empty or meaningless. There was a clear certainty in her voice and in her eyes was that strong-willed, ambitious spark. Especially when he explained that he wouldn't just stop here, her eyes almost seemed to glow with excitement."I'll support you as best as I can". She would stand behind him, that was for sure. If there was a way to help him, she would do it.

It was then when he suddenly rose, apparently tired of the library after all. She immediately followed, curious to explore more of this new place."Of course. Show me your kingdom" she replied happily, a sweet smile on her lips when they left the huge library. "That's all very impressive" she remarked while she was still taking the whole scenery in. The courtyard stood in obvious contrast to the rest of the stronghold, but it was just as impressive as the rest. "This place is surely the most beautiful so far". She gratefully took the flower from him, however ignoring the urge to kiss him as they were in public again. What she had seen of Eiattu so far differed strongly from what she had on Rattatak, yet if she would have to choose, she would have even prefered this place regardless of the still existing influence of the prior monarch. "I'll do my best to remind you...but you know what? You seem much more yourself now. You've been a bit different on Raxus, but a lot had happened there anyway". She glanced around, however no one was close enough to overhear their conversation. "I know you've gained even more responsibility with your new rank, but you seem more yourself now. The king title suits you, too". She flashed him a happy smile. "I can't wait for that...". It was really hard not to kiss him...She felt this urge to be close to him, however the circumstances didn't allow it. For now, they could still only fully be themselves behind closed doors, which was a pity, but she had almost gotten used to it. "Are you nervous?". It was obvious, that she was expecting a honest reply, however she wasn't fully sure whether this was the best place to open up.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair gazed out throughout the courtyard. He spotted Imperials marching around here and there with some of the aides putting together scaffolding and preparations for the ceremony that would happen. The tiefling was silent for a moment as Celeste spoke about Raxus, a smirk appearing on his face, “Make no mistake,” He case her sideways glance and a teasing grin, “I’m still that man,” He illustrated his point by shamelessly smacking her rear with his tail, out of sight of anyone standing there.

“Yeah, I’m nervous, but I think I’ll figure it out,” He stated as he continued to walk through the courtyard. Two beautiful women wearing flowy dresses walked over and bowed.

“My King, you should be resting,” One of them said urgently, eyeing Celeste curiously. There were some questions there, but none were said out loud. She looked back at Altair, “Would you like to relax on the balcony with refreshments?” He simply shrugged as the women led both he and Celeste over to the location. It was a balcony that overlooked the sea on a cliff in the distance. The breeze was warm and the sunlight spilled in nicely through the terrace.

Altair took a seat and gestured for Celeste to do the same. She was certainly getting a lot of curious looks by now but he appeared to either miss it or ignore it entirely. The women brought over wine and local cheeses, smiling prettily at him and attempting to catch this attention. Altair raised a brow as they walked off.

“I wonder what kind of serving they did for the King before Asminys…” He watched them with amusement as they left before he took a sip of wine. For snacks there were honey roasted figs, cheeses and other delicious offerings. The sun was looming in the horizon, the natural light always giving his purple eyes a vibrant hue.

“Have you thought about what you wanna do?” He asked after a moment, “I…checked in while you’ve been in Imperial space. There is civil unrest on Rattatak. In your absence, some of the warlords are vying to invalidate your position,” Altair admitted. He knew this would bother her, but there was nothing she could do at this time and he couldn’t exactly let her go take over a planet again as just an acolyte.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

She wasn't necessarily nervous, but also not fully calm. Her muscle were a little tense and her mind a bit on edge, because she knew she still had to watch her steps. She ignored the overly curious looks and raised brows of several Imperials because she was technically only doing what the king asked and so she didn't worry about that too much, however, she would have loved to simply be alone with him again. The smirk he gave her was infectious, however she wasn't prepared for the shameless smack that followed. Out of surprise, a gasp escaped her and she instinctively glanced around, however as she had the certainty that no one had watched him, she shook her head with a grin, her cheeks, however, slightly blushed. "Yeah...no doubts now. I don't even want to imagine what else could have happened in the library..." she teased, throwing him a seductive grin before she turner to follow him. It was truly a shame that they were immediately joined by two women, who Celeste welcomed with a slightly raised brow.

It seemed like he hadn't just 'inherited' the property, but the cortege, too. The women had obviously served Asminys and they now tried to serve Altair, however Celeste was rather mistrusting in nature. Who said they would be loyal? Sure, they didn't have fk fear much from those two, but what about the rest of the servants? She decided to stay attentive nonetheless. She followed the trio to the said balcony and took her seat, briefly observing the breathtaking scenery. "Wow...I could get used to that view" she remarked with a smile after the two were left alone again, immediately shifting her gaze back to him as he expressed his thoughts. "Oh...I'm not sure whether I want to know" she then said to him, letting out a slight sigh. Whatever he had done to them, she doubted he had treated them appropriately and she still hoped that the current peace her wasn't deceptive.

She took a sip after him, the sweet, dark, chilly liquid filling her mouth while the soft breeze danced in her hair. The air was pleasantly mild and there was still a smile on her lips as she just admired him for a moment. However right then, he posed a series of rather complicated, yet utterly important questions and she knew she had to deal with all of them sooner or later. "Yes...Unfortunately, I've heard that too. Unrest is never good, however I'm confident to be able to contain in if I'm allowed to leave within the next few weeks. I've been absent for too long and my trusted allies won't be able to control the situation much longer...Once I return, I'll immediately assert myself and my position, that's for sure" Maybe even more...maybe staying the senator, govenor or whatsoever wasn't enough and Altair was right. There were more fitting titles. "Maybe I'll enter royalty, too. Crown myself and marry the handsome King of Eiattu...I had ambitions to expand my influence there anyway. Technically, a commomwealth would be possible. There are a few neutral, still rather isolated planets in the system, and alliances are always a good idea, too" she mused aloud. She hadn't elaborated on her own ambitions for quite some time, but she had had those thoughts when she had still been on Rattatak. The marriage proposal was obviously said jokingly, yet she threw him a wink nonetheless.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair was taught a lot of courses in etiquette and class at the Ziost military academy. There was an entire curriculum around being a gentleman with modules on table manners, wines and other diplomacy skills. At first he felt silly doing all of it and he was made fun of by his human classmates. However, he proved himself over time in his military leadership skills to where those lessons became essential. If he was going to be King, he needed to act with poise and dignity.

The tiefling swirled his wine before he sipped from it, the crisp and earthy mixture surprisingly pleasant to his tastes. He reached for a fig when Celeste spoke of Rattatak. In truth even he didn’t have the jurisdiction to allow her to venture back there on her own. It was still an Alliance planet and no acolytes could technically hold planets, “Acolytes can’t hold territories. Your best bet is to relinquish power temporarily to your Master or…you can let things continue as is and start your ascension from scratch again,” It was a fact of life. She couldn’t have her cake and eat it too. She wouldn’t have any luxuries of being any kind of planetary ruler as an acolyte.

Altair grinned at her joke. The Altair from a year or less ago would have been flustered or fumbled at it. Not this Altair, “Was that a marriage proposal? Because that was awful,” He said as he poured them both each a glass of wine. The tiefling’s smile lingered, “May work on the King, but you will have to do far better for the Emperor,” He raised his glass in cheers before he eased back in his seat and took a drink, returning her wink.

His gaze panned out over the horizon, the sun glinting against his eyes and reflecting on his charcoal skin. He knew his worth and soon the galaxy would know the same. He had been named Prince before. Today he was King. Tomorrow he would be more. Already his gaze looked to the territories to the East. He started a movement both for himself and those that followed him. And he wouldn’t stop until he reached the heights he sought.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

With her legs elegantly crossed, a delicious wine in her hand and a wonderful view right in front of her, life wasn't too bad. For a moment, everything seemed to be like it used to. It was as if they were back on Rattatak and everything was all right. She was not that acolyte that had to gain all the trust again first...But he had a point. "If I hand official command over to a Sith, rumors would spread quickly. Maybe it's better if the appearance can be kept up. It can never hurt to stay up to date with FWA stuff after all...Trust me, I'm working on a solution. I have many loyal people on Rattatak and some have actual influence. I haven't given up hope yet. Of course those rather rebellious warlords are testing the waters, but maybe I'm allowed to reestablish order soon myself anyway...". To be honest, she had no idea how long it would take until they would allow her to carry a higher rank again...

So far, she had fulfilled every task she was given without any complaints, she was making herself useful wherever she can and Vahliri had seen that she was being serious about what she said. Her retraining was in process and it was not like she started from scratch. She had been a champion for quite some time, she had fought under the banner of the Empire and she had fully given herself to the dark side again. He'd ambitions were stronger than ever and she was enthusiastic to continue her journey. Still, a slight sigh escaped her while she reached for some assorted nuts, however she immediately had to chuckle as he replied to her cheeky remark. "Good thing I'm talking to the King right now..." she playfully teased back, seductively wiggling her brows, but only because she was absolutely sure they were still alone on that balcony and out of earshot. "But noted...next time I'll go down on one knee or something". She really enjoyed being able to be playful with him again, even more grateful to be herself.

There was something extraordinarily majestic about the way he glanced into the distance, and it was as if she could see his ambitions glistening in his eyes right where the sun reflected itself. She could actually see it coming. He had already come a long way and she knew he wouldn't stop. Neither would she, and she was actually excited about what the future would hold for the two of them. "I can't wait to see your gown. I bet it's breathtaking...Is there anything I can do before the coronation though?". She did not pose this question because she was supposed to work here, but because she wanted to help him feel comfortable. The ceremony would definitely be grande, she was absolutely certain about that, and she remembered the festivities on Rattatak well. It had been good to have some actual friends there and she was glad to be here with him.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

The coronation loomed on his head like a hovering storm. It was going to be a step into a life he never thought he would know. How would his family back home understand? How could they even comprehend what this meant? A part of him mourned the life he was leaving behind, but the greater part of him knew this was where he was intended to be. He was always different from his siblings, he always knew he would amount to more. And most of all, he remembered the promise he had made his master on becoming one of the greatest Sith of all time.

Altair pondered on Celeste’s question for a moment, “There is something here called the Priamsta,” He began to explain, “It’s a council composed of some of the ruling families here. Asminys had the heads of those families executed, but I have called for their heirs to serve in their family name and swear fealty to me,” This all sounded surreal, but he knew he would be facing it soon, “Study them. If you can, let me know if you sense any… deception or plots,” As an acolyte she could easily slip into some common role and gain much better insight from people than his uniformed men.

“I’m still a stranger to these people and Asminys ruled with fear,” Altair explained, “It’ll be a while before they are honest around me,” He despised the thought, but there was nothing he could do to change it.

“But it does mean we can’t be seen together too frequently,” He said as he turned to gaze towards where some of the palace servants were working and shooting glances over every now and then, “I can’t publicly show any kind of favoritism towards anyone,” He wasn’t happy about it, but he knew she would understand. His path was venturing into politics and diplomacy as well as leadership, and he couldn’t afford to let anything threaten any perceptions.

"But after the sun sets, I will be able to step away from my duties here," Altair said, "Maybe venture out throughout the cities to see what it's like."

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Again, Altair seemed rather contemplative all of a sudden, but she was confident that he would share what troubled him. She was still more than thankful for their connections and that he was one of the very few people who were actually still there for her and she would always do the same for him. He had her full support, and if she could help him with whatsoever, she was willing to do it.

When he started explained, she attentively listened to what he said. From the very moment he mentioned the Priamsta, she raised an eyebrow in curiosity, because now things were getting super interesting. "Look at you...I'm really impressed. It seems like you've got it all figured out already", she genuinely smiled at him. His career had been stellar for sure, but she sometimes forgot how young he actually still was. "You can count on me...You've actually asked just the right person" She was admittedly good when it came to things and she was definitely used to such deceptions and spy tasks.

"But yes...I believe you. Most warlords were ruthless tyrants too. They ruled through fright and the civilians were intimidated. They were completely suprised when I started helping them, but the more they realized I was just trying to improve conditions, the more they trusted me and so I achieved stability...it isn't easy", her final words of warning were honest, yet she had to emphasize that. It had taken months...more than a few year even and the recent developments proved that the stability was threatened as soon as she couldn't keep an eye on it. Yet, he would manage to bring the planet under his control.

When he started talking about how difficult it was for them to see each other, she let out a soft sigh. "I know...I'm still hoping my situation will approve soon, but I know what you mean. I'll report to you in public and nothing more. We'll find our ways for sure though" she added with a other wink, actually confident that they would find sneaky ways to make it work. What he said next, however, immediately let her eyes widened in excitement, because it was actually a fantastic idea. "Sneaking into the city sounds awesome. You know I'm always down for adventures". She finished with a sweet last smile before she dutifully got up. "Then I'd say I meet you after sunset and I'll see how much information I can retrieve until then" She was rather optimistic to pick up interesting details from the nobility, however she also knew that she had to be careful to avoid raising suspicions. Still, she was ready for such a task and already enthusiastic about their possible, nightly escape.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Unfortunately Altair had too much attention on him to allow him any time with Celeste between then and when it turned to night. He had asked her to meet him in an alley around the Eastern exit of the citadel. It was further out from the royal palace and had less people manning the area. It was something he would rectify soon, but he didn’t mind the gap in security for now. Altair was leaning against a wall already waiting for her, flipping through his comlink. She almost wouldn’t recognize him right away due to his casual, but flattering attire. He was almost always in a uniform of some sort around her…or with no clothes at all.

The tiefling flashed her a grin as he put his comlink away. The stars were glinting above and this alley opened up to one of the poorer districts in the city. He didn’t want to show his face anywhere with nobility for fear of being recognized.

For her time in the citadel, Celeste would have been privy to some curious gossip and chatter. There was a lot of talk about Asminys and how he ruled prior. It was suggested that he was insane and had most of the servants locked up or outright killed. He favored men, but he never participated in any carnal activities, keeping himself locked up in the tower almost all hours of the day. He had no regard for his people and was constantly suspicious of everyone.

She would also have heard a lot of curious chatter about Altair, mostly wondering about what kind of person he was. There were derogatory comments about him being a tiefling and the devil, so he may be worse than Asminys. However, others expected him to be a good ruler because he promptly provisioned the people. And, of course, there was lots of excited and giggly chatter among the women on who could become his mistress. There was speculation on whether he would marry or take a Queen from one of the noble houses. Altair was oblivious to all of this talk as everyone behaved around him.

“No Lords or Ladies or King or Senator or Acolyte for the rest of the night,” He said with a smile, “Just Altair and Celeste.”

With that he began to walk through the alley and towards the poorer district. He could already smell the stench of sewage and open food markets. However, he could also hear cheery singing and laughter that sounded more human instead of the prim and proper silence from nobles.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

After they had parted ways, Celeste had immediately returned to her duties. She was not expected to be somewhere at a set location as most acolytes were supposed to make themselves useful wherever it was needed, so it was actually rather easy for her to slip away unnoticed and to start picking up her work close to various noble families and their servants.

Throughout the day, she was sent around a couple of times, but in the end she was able to witness some interesting conversations. Seemingly away from prying eyes, it seemed like the families where discussing the new king quite openly...little did they know that Celeste was absorbing information like a sponge just the report to the one they were talking about, but in the end she wasn't sure whether they were withholding certain parts of information because they knew Imperial acolytes were in the room, or whether there was actually nothing too big going on.

She remained sceptical nonetheless, but in the end she was mostly annoyed by the prejudices they had against the Tiefling because of his race. While some seemed opened, others already sounded biased, but this was even more the reason for Altair to prove he would become a strong and just ruler.

Celeste changed out of her acolyte uniform and hopped into a perfectly casual outfit for a mild night and ensured that no one saw her leave. Admittedly, she was a no one here and it wasn't likely that people would recognize the senator of Rattatak here, however she didn't need any questions on whom she was meeting at night time.

It took her a little while to spot the horns of the familiar Tiefling, but seeing him in casual wear again almost threw her. "Hey stranger..." she greeted him with a happy grin, now not wasting any time before leaning in and pressing a passionate kiss against his lips.

What he then said was exactly what she wanted to hear and so her smile grew even wider. "That sounds absolutely perfect. It's been a while since we could be just ourselves" she then replied softly, before she hooked arms with him. They were far enough off the stronghold and it was already past dusk, so there was literally no one expecting them here. The rather unpleasant smell mingled with seemingly a thousand, vibrant sounds and she couldn't wait to explore the life down there. The closer they got, the louder the various noises and soon the smell of the sewage was replaced by interesting, truly foreign flavors of food stands that could already be spotted from a distance. "I hope you're ready to explore your new realm" she said to him with a smirk, glancing up at him. Not a second later a group of cheerful kids ran past them, one stopping for a moment to actually admired Altair's horns with wide, curious eyes before he tried to catch up with his friends. In this moment, the city seemed unbelievably peaceful despite all the hustle and the bustle.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair grinned at her, returning the kiss when she leaned in for it. He drew back afterwards and looked at her, “You’ve been quite affectionate lately,” He said as he grasped her a bit tighter, “What brought this on?” Altair didn’t hesitate to let his gaze drift to her rear in those tight pants, his eyes lingering there as she spoke, “Hmm what?” He blurted before clearing his throat and hooking their arms.

He was surprised at the kids marveling at his horns instead gazing upon him with fear. Historically the planet had been almost exclusively human, but over the years more races began to emigrate. The sewage smell was soon replaced with the delicious aroma of roasts and greasy foods cooking. The locals were happily chatting away, most of them thankful about the provisions brought from off world services.

“Are you gonna go to the coronation?”

“Hell yeah!” A person said while they ate roasted meat off a stick.

It felt odd hearing about his own ceremony. He almost stepped away, but he saw several other races around that reminded him that he likely wouldn’t stick out. Altair eyed an open market with questionable foods on sticks. This district was impoverished and it looked like rats or other critters on sticks. Altair grinned at the sight, pointing to the stall.

“Brave enough to try?” He asked as he led the way over. To his pleasant surprise, people cheered at the sight of his horns.

“Heyyyyy,” A drunk man slurred, “You loook how they describedddd the next king,” He said as he pointed towards Altair with his mug of ale.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Altair quipped back with a grin as he ordered two of the mystery rodents on sticks.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

His comment surpised her a little, because she hadn't noticed a difference herself at first, but now that he was mentioning it, she was obviously reflecting on it once more. Yeah, she was absolutely grateful for each and every moment with him, especially because their time was rather short these days, but it was something else. "Is that a bad thing?" she playfully returned, smirking up at him, before she actually elaborated."First of all, I really missed this. Secondly, I'm really trying to savor the uninterrupted moments with you"...and well, I like you quite a lot, same as time spent with you" she softly told him, before they started walking. She obviously didn't miss the cheeky glance he then stole and slightly shook her head in a amused way. "You're a damn snack yourself" she said to him before holding his arm a little tighter, the moonlight reflecting in her excited, light blue eyes.

They steered towards one of the good stands where all sorts of curiosities were offered. "Oh of course" she answered confidently, as the meat reminded her quite a bit of the delicacies usually offered on Rattatak. Of course, the food offered here strongly deviated from the meals usually offered at political or business related meetings, but she was always rather adventurous. She then gratefully took one of the meat sticks after Altair had bought them and chuckled at the drunkards comment. "He definitely has something royal upon him" she amusedly added, while the man happily swayed from left to right, his gaze slowly growing more and more absent.

With the rodent in their hands, the pair moved forward into the vibrant night life, so Celeste used the opportunity to inform him about what insights she had gained while no one was close enough go them. She still lowered her voice and stepped closer while they continued their walk. "By the way, I don't expect any major troubles at the coronation" she began, ensuring that no one was eavesdropping. "I mean, there is at least no one you need to be particularly wary off...You'll still have to prove yourself though. I assume those first days will be especially important, because first impressions always matter a lot. You can easily use that as an advantage though". She was still very confident about it and so her words were meant to sound encouraging. However, before he would get the chance to answer, an apparent Togruate prostitute walked up to the pair, twinkling her Lekku inbetween her fingers. "Oooo how exotic! You two wanna have some fun?", she lilted voluptuously, leaning closer to Altair. It was right then, when someone else called for their attention: "Hey! Wanna gamble? That's your chance to impress the lady!", the showman yelled over, wiggling his brows before he jutted his chin towards his table. In front of him laid three cups and he held a violet marble in his hand while he flashed Altair a smug grin.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair’s face flushed slightly at her words, his tail moving eagerly to betray the impact of her words. His gaze lingered on hers for a moment, taking in sight of how beautiful her eyes looked with that spark of life in them. They had almost been dulled when she first arrived in Sith space, but this was right back to her vibrant self.

He smirked at her confidence at trying the food. He confidently took a bite and almost gagged. He had interesting foods before, but this tasted downright awful to where even Celeste would find it unpleasant. Altair grimaced at the stick, “What..the hell is this?” The butcher began to explain but Altair held his hand up, “Never mind, I don’t wanna know.”

“No, ya don’t, city boy,” The butcher said with a wide, toothless grin.

Instead, Altair bought a mug of ale for them each to chase down the awful taste. He turned to Celeste when she spoke about not expecting trouble at the coronation. He sipped from his mug of ale, “It’s the noble houses I’m worried about,” He explained with a grimace, “They’ll be pissed when I don’t wanna marry one of the daughters.”

Altair didn’t even bother glancing at the Togruta that called for him, gaze flicking over to the man with the cups and marble. In truth, he could have easily cheated with Force Sight, but he decided to play, forking over some credits. The man rapidly moved the cups around and the tiefling attempted to keep up.

After it was done, Altair stared at the cup options, pointing to the one on the right. The man flipped it and his eyes widened, “Whoa, you got it!” He said, “Lucky guess,” He snickered.

“Maybe I’m just that good,” Altair grinned as the man gestured to the ‘prizes’. As this wasn’t an expensive fair or anything the prizes were all modest and simple things. The tiefling scanned over the options and picked out a straw woven bracelet with a few colored beads on it. He turned and offered it to Celeste with a smile, “So, did I impress you like the guy suggested?” He said with a playful smile.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Celeste had to hold back a slight chuckle when she saw another sign of the old Aktair breaking through: He was blushing. She had managed to fluster Commander Din and this was truly a bit amusing, yet she rather kept that to herself for now. Celeste had always been honest with him and so speaking her mind hadn't been hard, however now it seemed like it was making him slightly nervous after all. He didn't said another word about it and so they moved on, especially because the rodent tasting was about to begin.

Despite her initial confidence she only took a careful bit and as she chewed the weird tasting, stringy meat for a few moments, she was trying not to grimace, which was, however, only partly successful. "Yeah...now that we've tried it, we can't say we haven't, but I'll pass". Despite the urge to spit it out, she took it humorously and just swallowed that part before she gratefully flushed it down with some good old street ale and focused onto Altair again afterwards. "They might be...they might try to pressure you, but there's no need to rush. You're the king, you decide. Alliances are definitely important, especially because the noble houses would strengthen your claim, but they'll understand that you need to get settled first...". Well, even after he would have it all figured out, the question of whether or not he would marry a noble daughter was definitely an important one. Celeste didn't quite see him doing that in the near future, but she knew well that paths could sometimes change quicker than expected. "Maybe one of them will wrap you around her finger and you'll fall for her head over heels". It was completely obvious that she was joking, because she amusedly chuckled as she explained her idea, however she couldn't deny that even thinking about that triggered an emotion she hadn't felt in a long time deep inside her.

Luckily, the pair was distracted by the man with the cups and obviously, Altair was not skipping that opportunity. She watched curiously, wondering whether he would try something to slightly bend the luck in his favor, but no - Altair impressively won the game fair and square. As he offered her the bracelet, her heart slightly began to melt at that cute gesture and she took it with a soft, warm smile before she glanced up to him. "Oh of course. You keep surprising me with new talents ...". After fastening the bracelet around her wrist, she took his arm again, because there was a whole bunch of different musical instruments resounding through a passage between houses nearby. What sounded like chaos at first, was oddly harmonic as she led him a bit closer, so that first bystanders dancers could already be stopped. Apparently, there was a group of musicians performing right in the middle of the street and cheerful bystanders tried their best to keep up with the fas rhythm. "Brave enough to try dancing to that?" she playfully asked him, now that they were already approaching the crowd.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair hadn’t given much thought to marrying a noble. In fact, he expected more proposals to come from other planets once he took the mantle of King. There were various other planets that would look to strengthen economical and military alliances through marriage. It was completely different from the life he had prior and how he thought he would live. His parents were modest people that got married young for love. Now he looked towards a future that meant his entire family’s status would change and he would have considerations other than just his feelings for marriage. But then again, as Celeste said, he would be King so he could make his own rules.

The tiefling gave her a half smile at her suggestion of him falling for a princess, “Why, are you worried?” He asked with a teasing tone to her joke.

He looked at the bracelet on her wrist, the sight bringing out another smile, “It looks good on you,” Altair said as he admired it for a moment. He allowed her to lead him to their next destination, music echoing throughout the streets. Crowds gathered and were cheering and laughing, some dancing while others clapped to the beat.

MUSIC​

Altair looked visibly intimidated by the dance moves, “I dunno…looks complicated,” He stared as he watched the way people moved their feet, danced in circles, switched off arms and hands. However, he couldn’t deny that the upbeat song made him want to get moving.

“Fuck it, let’s go,” He said with a big grin as he grabbed Celeste by the hand and took her out into the area where everyone was dance. He linked his arm with hers and began to skip around in a circle to the beat like the others. Altair was looking at the crowds to see how they moved, copying their gestures. Celeste stepped on his foot a few times and he accidentally did the same to her, the instances causing him to burst out laughing. He glanced at her as switched from one arm to the other, the wind rushing against them as they spun really fast.

It was a perfect getaway from everything. No one batted an eye at him, everyone enjoyed themselves and celebrated in their own way.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Again, Altair seemed rather contemplative about what she said, but she couldn't blame him as he was approaching his own coronation ceremony and there were many things to consider and choices to make. Still, she didn't let his cheeky comment uncommented. "Pff...If those nobles try to woo you, I need to step up my game too" she playfully teased back, cheekily giving her brows a seductive wiggle before she started chuckling to herself.

When he admired the bracelet on her wrist, her smile widened yet again, before she softly replied, "Thanks...I like it very much". No matter what else would happen tonight, she would always remember that wonderful evening when just looking at it. However, there was not much time to admire the sight any further, as they were already too close to the dancers and she was eager to join.

She was a good dancer, but this was a whole different level. Following that quick beat with all the twists, turns and kicks was almost impossible, but after bumping against one another and stepping on each other's feet every now and then, it seemed like they were slowly getting the hang of it. It still felt great to fully give herself in and let the rhythm same as all the high-spirited people carry her. Just like he said, they were just a pair of commoners here and nothing of their complicated backgrounds mattered, which was an actual relief. It all felt like a short vacation, or simply the perfect getaway from all the usual business and struggle and she couldn't even recall the last she had had fun like that...

The song, however, soon ended and the people were all applauding one another and so she joined in, still immensely amused. It seemed like the musicians were in need of a break after having given their everything in that last song. The cheerful crowd was slowly dissolving and the participants seemed to were in desperate need of a drink, so Celeste quickly retrieved their two mugs of ale as well. Jutting her chin in the direction of an abandoned balcony overlooking a small park down below, she had an idea: "You want to catch your breath over there? It looks lovely" she asked him softly, a genuinely happy smile still on her lips.

@Sreeya