Outfit: x x x x x |
Equipment: x x x x x x | Weapons: x x x
Interacting with:
Mahsa
Zaiya exchanged a quick glance with Mahsa, relieved that at least
she seemed equally puzzled by Knight von Ascania's odd use of 'together.' Did it mean
Corazona von Ascania
and
Makko Vyres
weren't mated? Or maybe they were just in the beginning stages of… whatever humans called that.
Romantic relationships were baffling. Every species had its own customs, its own way of signaling interest. Trying to keep track of what each gesture meant could make Zaiya's head spin. But right now, she was trying to keep her wing forward, and not get distracted by her own confusion. She waited, hoping
Azurine Varek
would give her some kind of clue as to what was going on.
She didn't need her empathy to sense that something was bothering Azurine; it was clear in the girl's expression, the way she began to search the room as if to escape. Guilt pinched at Zaiya, even though it wasn't Azurine's fault that she was tangled up in this mess of feelings. But when Azurine somehow noticed that Zaiya had raised her shields, it startled her.
Wait, was Azurine an empath too?
A ripple of silver-flecked tawny hues darted over her skin as Zaiya's heart pounded. She fidgeted with her hands, brushing off the flush rising in her cheeks.
"Oh!" she stammered, pushing a shaky smile across her face.
"Yeah, I can show you -- I mean,
Braze Kai'el
and
Loomi
taught me to raise shields. Eventually, it becomes automatic… I'm still, you know, working on that." She forced herself to hold steady, feeling her colors brighten with interest as she added,
"And… I'd like that, to learn some moves from you." Maybe she could pick up techniques that
Aris Noble
hadn't seen yet.
But then, just as she'd started feeling like things might be okay, Azurine excused herself, saying Jonyna and her Master had arrived, then headed off -- straight for the Jedi Masters.
"Oh okay..." Zaiya tracked her with a glint of curiosity… until she realized where she was headed; to Master
Jonyna Si
and --
wait. The navpoints immediately began to connect in Zaiya's mind.
Azurine's Master was
Master
Valery Noble
. Aris's mother.
Shock blanched Zaiya's face, her colors dimming as her mind went into overdrive.
Oh no. No, no, no. That meant that Azurine would be around the Noble family to a greater extent than Zaiya would ever be; around
Aris. A wave of anxious colors rippled across her skin, colliding in a chaotic swirl of grays and pale yellows.
"Uh, Mahsa? I think -- I need a drink. Now." Zaiya mumbled, trying to regain her balance as she veered toward the buffet table with determined steps. Finding the drinks, she scanned the rotating selection, though she barely registered any of the names. Pointing to one at random, she blurted,
"I'll have this, please."
Moments later, she was handed a glass of Sangria.