Ask Royal Visit

[Clove Vanhoop]

Against all odds, Clove found herself in front of the Eiattu fortress. It was her second time leaving her sanctuary, the first being Huttball. And she only went to Huttball because her therapist practically forced her to. But this time she wasn't forced to go, no. She went because she couldn't stop thinking about that Tiefling since that day at Huttball. His violet eyes... She needed to see him and speak with him. Even if everything went wrong, even if the worst-case scenario happened, he had to know. And that desire was strong enough to overcome the fears that had kept her from re-exploring the galaxy.

For the most part, anyway.

Despite her desire to see Altair, Clove traveled in the same disguise she used during the Huttball match. Glasses to cover her hallowed eyes, a thin layer of concealer to conceal her markings, and her hair cut short and dyed a dark brown. To top it all off, she was dressed in a heavy, large black coat that covered her belly and metallic spine. It gave her a sense of security as she traveled through the fields of Eiattu and up the steps of the fortress, a place she'd visited quite a few times for the Star Guardians. Now she was a stranger there, a stranger who knew the way like the back of her hand.

Although, truth be told, Clove was unsure of whether Altair would even be at the Fortress, let alone whether there would be any guards stationed close to the throne room. But she pushed on, tired feet carrying her across the stone floor and deeper into the building, because even if he wasn't there, it'd be a good starting point for her search. Thankfully, the fortress was somewhat quiet, quiet enough that she was able to move relatively easily toward the impressive doors that lead to the throne.

Her body froze at the sight of those doors and the guards stationed next to them. Was she supposed to knock on the door and ignore the guards? Request entry? Well... Requesting entry might've been a good idea. Still, the prospect of having to speak with them made her skin crawl. But she fought on, approaching the guard on the left. "Excuse me, is the King available to receive visitors?"

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tag@Sreeya ​

 

[The Storyteller]

Most of the Southern Imperial territories were ‘liberated’ by the ISC. This meant that the banners in place were Altair's own and technically there could be no Imperial presence. Regardless, many of his loyal soldiers transitioned to become the King's Royal Guard. They were fewer in number, but they were elite. The fortress was still in the process of hiring new perimeter soldiers and lookouts.

As Clove approached, the guards stiffened. One of them held out a palm, “Halt,” He said curtly, “How did you get in here?” He asked brusquely, drawing out a stun baton. He eyed her suspiciously through his helmet visor, taking note of the bulky clothing and informal attire, “The King is not in the business of entertaining every beggar that comes by with a problem,” The guard said icily, “You would be wise to turn and leave before you are thrown in a cell for trespassing.”

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

Beggar? Did she look like a beggar? At the very least, it meant she was no longer recognizable as her old self. But it just made things more complicated than she had anticipated. Especially since the Force knew she wasn't good at sneaking in, out, or lying her way out of trouble. That left her with only one option: to be somewhat honest.

"My apologies." Clove's lips formed a tiny smile. "I'm an old friend of the King, which is why I know my way around the fortress." It was the most straightforward way to explain their relationship. She had no idea if Altair would even acknowledge her now, but they had been friends in the past. "I had no idea I wasn't allowed to be here. But I'm not here to see the king about a problem..."
Clove chewed the inside of her cheek.

Here goes nothing.

"You see, I'm expecting." She lowered her hands to rest on top of her bump, the fabric of her coat deforming just enough to reveal the silhouette. "And, since the king is an old friend, I'd love to tell him. I understand the King has more important things to do and you have your orders, so it's okay if you won't let me through. But could you at least let him know, please? I'll leave after that, I mean no trouble." Despite the hollowness that had taken over her mind since the incident, she tried her best to act at least somewhat happy.

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tag @Sreeya ​

 

[Altair Din]

The guard scoffed, “Do you know how many times we’ve heard ‘I’m a friend of the King’s’?” He chuckled, the other guard joining in. They weren’t remotely amused when she mentioned she was expecting, “We’re not messengers. This is 156 ABY. If you’re such a good ‘friend’ of the King, you can just comm him, can’t you?”

The guards were clearly used to countless civilians trying to gain an audience with the King. As the planet’s liberator, Altair had grown exceedingly popular.

Moments later, the doors behind the guards opened. The two soldiers quickly straightened up, one of them hastily grabbing Clove by the arm to move her out of the way. There was no time to really hide her, so the guards did their best to stand at attention and simply hope that she wouldn’t be noticed.

The Warmaster strode out of his chambers, adorned in formal garb and a crown over his head. He carried himself with dignity and grace. There was a slender, tall woman that walked next to him, quickly rifling through things on her datapad.

“My King, you really ought to meet with Princess Miala again. She would be such a suitable match and you even said she was beautiful!”

Altair said nothing, giving a breezy wave of his hand as he kept walking. He didn’t notice the guards or Clove, not unless the latter would do something to get his attention.

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

Ugh. They were obedient to the rules. Any other day, she'd admire it and respect how much they were protecting their king. But there was no time for admiration right now, and she didn't let their chuckles bother her. She was already thinking of a new plan to get in. Maybe she could start a commotion and make a loud enough noise to attract Altair's attention. In the worst case scenario, she would go to jail, but that would greatly increase the likelihood of seeing the Tiefling.

The sound of the door unlocking and opening caught Clove's attention as she was about to open her mouth. Her large eyes widened in response to the sound, and every muscle in her body froze yet again. She'd hardly noticed the guard who grabbed her arm and dragged her to the side, or even the passage of time; everything slowed down. Altair, who looked more graceful than ever before, walked past her with another woman, who was engaged in some sort of conversation. But she heard no voices and saw no woman. For a moment there was nothing but him. And yet, she felt nothing; the feeling of a campfire in a snowy forest that was Altair's aura wasn't there. Just like everything else, there was nothing but distant whispers.

Yet another stark reminder of what she had lost that day.

But it was that reminder that jolted Clove back into the present, the world returning to life, the sounds rushing back to her ears. "Wait..." Her voice was quiet at first as she watched Altair walk by. "Wait! King Din!" The half-Annfyn tried to take a step forward, but was stopped by the hand that was holding her arm. "Let go of me!" She hissed and yanked her arm with all the strength she could muster.

"Altair!"

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tag @Sreeya ​

 

[Altair Din]

Altair was used to people attempting to get his attention. Every now and then some poor civilian climbed into the fortress to try and gain an audience with him. However, he froze when the woman called him out by his first name. There was something about the way she said. Something about her voice. The guards were in the process of taking her away, but he raised a hand. At once, they stopped moving, all of them mortified.

The woman next to Altair looked over and grimaced at the sight of Clove, wondering what drama they would have to deal with now. She rubbed her temples and shook her head, “I will be waiting at our lunch appointment,” She said before she walked away, her tall heels clicking loudly.

Altair walked towards the girl that had called out his name. She looked incredibly familiar. His amethyst eyes narrowed slightly. His heart almost skipped a bit, but he quelled his thoughts. His tail swished back and forth erratically.

“Who are you?” He asked curiously. It couldn’t possibly be who he thought it was. Destiny had a cruel way of playing tricks on him. Now bringing a girl to his doors that looked so much like her.

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

Clove simply wasn't strong enough to yank herself free from the guards, no matter how hard she tried. She felt them dragging her away, away from Altair and away from the reason she had left her safe haven. But right as she felt her hope vanish, the guards suddenly stopped when an ashy grey hand rose into the air. There was silence in the hallway for a moment, and Clove could've sworn her heart beat so loudly that everyone could've hear it.

Then he approached her. And the closer he got, the faster her heart beat. Look at him. His amethyst eyes had barely changed. She'd feared they'd be gold by now, but they weren't. The Tiefling had truly managed to avoid succumbing to the Darkside. The stories she had read on the Holonet were true. He had truly exiled the Sith and ruled as the Empire. Honoring the Imperials, as he always promised.

Then came the question Clove had expected but dreaded with every fiber of her being. She'd vowed never to use her name outside of the safety of her own home again. She couldn't risk Vahl finding out she was still alive, let alone pregnant. And, while she trusted Altair enough to tell him and only him, the presence of these two guards was not part of her plan. But this wasn't the time to fool around and try her luck.

The half-Annfyn sighed and reached for her glasses with her free hand. She rubbed the side of her thumb against the concealer, smearing it to reveal one of the purple marks on her cheek, as she grasped and removed her glasses. Large chocolate brown eyes, hollowed and dull but unmistakably recognizable, met curious violets. "It's me. Clove."

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[Altair Din]

Clove.

It was as if everything came crashing down at once. He was transported back in time. He thought of the days he spent agonizing. He thought of how he looked - his face gaunt, facial hair, unkempt hair. He thought of the unimaginable sorrow and the weight of her loss. He felt her absence in the Force and he knew she was gone forever. He had mourned her. He had grieved for her. And here she was in the flesh, standing before as a ghost of his past. She had existed this entire time and purposely kept it hidden from him. Had allowed him to suffer for months.

At one point, he would have broken down crying. He would have been crushed and shattered all over again. Yet none of that happened. Clove had built him up and tore him down enough times to where there was nothing left to destroy anymore.

Externally, his face did not change, and he kept his regal and dignified air about him. Altair gave a jut of his chin for the guards to return to their posts. The tiefling crossed his arms over his chest, suddenly appearing far taller and more confident than she had ever seen him. The warmth and goofy demeanor was entirely gone. Most importantly, his endearing accent was absent.

“What do you want, Clove?”

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

No, she hadn't expected a hug or a "Hello! Glad to see you're still alive!" She wasn't an idiot; the Tiefling had to be at least somewhat annoyed by her sudden appearance. The fact that he hadn't walked away right away had already exceeded her expectations. Because, while she had no idea how much he had suffered, if he truly loved her as much as he claimed, it wasn't difficult to imagine the pain he must've felt at the loss he believed he had suffered.

But in some ways, it was obvious that this feeling of having lost her was somewhat accurate.

Because, while Altair looked taller, more dignified, and more confident than ever, Clove looked anything but. She seemed shorter and thinner, both literally and metaphorically, a mere shell of the woman she once was. Yet despite how different they looked at the moment, they shared one thing: Clove's warmth and happiness, which made up her very essence, were all gone too. If his aloof demeanor had hurt her, there was no indication of it in her eyes or face. All she did was stare at him.

What did she want again? Even now, when she was feeling so little, his eyes managed to keep her hostage. Right. The reason why she came here. There was no pretty way around it. "I'm pregnant. And you're the only person I've ever slept with." The half-Annfyn's voice was flat and direct, her usual accent barely audible thanks to the monotone delivery. "And I thought you should know so you can decide whether or not you want to be in her life."

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tag @Sreeya ​

 

[Altair Din]

Altair felt as if he took a solid Matukai punch to the chest. His gut reaction was to laugh, because this possibly couldn’t be true. It had been over a year. But then he looked into her eyes - those same chocolate eyes he fell in love with years ago, the eyes he thought shut forever - and he knew she wasn’t lying.

He was silent, emotions whirling within him. He always envisioned a life for himself - one with a beautiful wife, children, a perfect farm and animals to take care of. It was a mirror to the life his parents led and the happiness they shared. For a while he thought it would be Clove. She would be his wife and they would have several children and he could leave wars and combat behind. He thought of years ago when he was ready to run away with her and leave behind the Empire.

She was here today - in the flesh and now carrying his child. The galaxy always saw fit to be cruel and twisted to him. Each time he stumbled to stand, fate knocked the wind out of him all over again.

Altair exhaled softly as he looked at her. He had been raised a certain way and it wasn’t so easy to shed those principles. He ran an Empire now, but he had survived by keeping himself from falling entirely to the Dark Side. But there had been changes. In his circumstances, in him, and in the ways he navigated relationships with others.

“I will be in her life,” He declared, his eyes lingering on Clove’s belly. After a moment, his gaze flicked up to meet hers, “But I will not be in yours,” He stated firmly.

This was the first time in his life that not even Mama Din could sway his opinions. She had raised her sons to be strong, and Altair refusing to enter a marriage or pursuing a relationship with Clove, who was once the love of his life, was the toughest move he would make yet.

“You both will be taken care of and we can formalize visitation and care,” He said, “I will set up quarters for you here in the palace.”

He felt sick. His knees felt like they would buckle. But he maintained his calm resolve. This should have been the happiest moment of his life, but he felt nothing but deep seeded pain. But while pain was inevitable for him, suffering was optional. And he would choose not to let Clove cause him more harm than she already had. He made a promise to himself that he would be a father to the child no matter what. He did not need to be with Clove for that.

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

He hadn't run yet, for some reason. There was no anger in his body language as he watched her in silence, clearly eyeing her belly and exhaling softly. Which... took her by surprise... No, surprised was not the right word. It irked her. Not by much, but she had expected rage. Deep down, a distant voice, the only whisper that kept her somewhat grounded, told her she deserved it. And yet it never came.

It got even better when the Tiefling agreed to be a part of the baby's life. And he drew a line that she, too, knew was necessary. After all, it was the only way to stop her from hurting him. She had already caused enough chaos and pain. Nonetheless, hearing him say those words while looking her in the eyes caused a small spark of pain in her chest. One she didn't quite grasp. Wasn't this what she desired? Wasn't it the best way to protect both Altair and the child? But, like the Tiefling, the situation reminded Clove of the life they could've had. The life she was so certain she'd have with Altair.

If only they had run away that day.

Well. It didn't matter; she had chosen for it to be this way. And no emotion lingered on her face or in her eyes as he said those words.

"I understand. I won't intervene in your life any more than is absolutely necessary." Clove couldn't completely shut the door; after all, she'd have to visit to bring the girl to him or take her back home, and there were things like birthdays to consider. Shared custody... If her mother had found out, she would have disowned her. But she was no longer alive, and thus it was no longer her concern. "I'll have my own place on Yavin 8. But I'm glad there's a place for me to stay if I need to be with her in the palace for a longer period of time."

It wouldn't be much, but Clove still had her little cottage on Yavin 8. All it needed was another room built against it for the girl and some farmland. She also had a plan for work; a veterinarian apprenticeship would solve all of her problems. In some ways, it mirrored the life she could've had. And above all, it was normalcy. A safe haven for the little girl in the midst of the galaxy's madness.

"Formalizing visitations and ironing out the custody details sounds good. I haven't decided on a name for her or how to handle her surname." Her gaze never wavered or shifted, remaining fixed on his. "I worry deeply that my past will cause her harm as well. It's killed all my family after all. That's why..." She gestured to her hair and her coat for a moment. "And, I imagine that surnames matter for you too." He was a king after all. And monarchies were... tricky.

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