Private roses are red, violets are blue

[Ariana du Couteau]

Ariana Du Couteau, Jedi Padawan
Location: Star-port, Cinnagar, Empress Teta
Outfit

|| Colette | Shan Pavond ||
​

Ariana smiled widely, her eyes even wider as she prepared herself for the visit of her new Padawan friends. After meeting them first during the Knighting of Corazona, she had made an offer for them to join her on a trip to Empress Teta. The Royal Gardens have been just maintained by the groundskeepers, and the guards told me that it was a rather slow day. Ariana had made sure to pick the perfect time to see the Royal Gardens. She currently waited at the Star-port in Cinnagar, the transport ship was due shortly and Ariana wanted them to not wait a single moment without an escort. Unlike myself I guess, but that's totally different than this and I'm heading towards the Royal District anyhow.

Her own hovercraft waited near the entrance and the guard acting as the pilot was quite annoyed but Ariana blamed the Captain. I hardly need security in my home-world. She heard from her brother that while the Maw had effectively been removed from the planet, But I best keep an eye out and maybe let a guard or two keep an eye out as well. But Ariana didn’t want either Colette or Shan to feel as if guards were necessary on a planet so nestled within the Core. After everything that had transpired since, the long period of peace was more than a needed respite for the people of Core worlds.

“Today is going to be a peaceful and enjoyable day.” Ariana said to herself quietly, as if attempting to speak into existence her demands for the day. The Galaxy never listened, but Ariana hoped the Force wasn’t as inconsiderate. With that thought bouncing around her mind, she shook her head and focused on looking for her friends. I hope they didn’t travel too long to reach Teta. Ariana wanted their first impression of Teta to be perfect like the gardens they were going to visit.
​

 

[Shan Pavond]

Shan had doublechecked everything before they had gotten onto the transport. It would be his luck that he was going to forget something important but after his fourth doublecheck, Shan was sure he had everything that he was going to need. The only thing that was the most important thing that he could forget was Colette...but she was going to be right by his side in the transport for the entire journey. There was a part of him that was also grateful that he and Colette had their important conversation before this day out. Otherwise, he'd be worried that Colette would get jealous all over again. But now she knew how important she was to him.

"Remember, you need to apologise to Ariana today. Don't worry though, I can be somewhere else whilst you talk to her in case having me be there makes it more awkward. I just...I want you both to get along. Ariana seems like a great person. I mean, look. She's invited us here which she didn't have to. And...By the Force, I should really stop talking before I start digging myself into a hole again." The Mirialan let out a sigh at that, rubbing his eyes as he tried to wrap his head around all of this. It was more stressful than he was expecting but it was going to be fine. They were going to be there sooner or later either way.

Ariana du Couteau Colette

 

[Colette]

Shan Pavond / Ariana du Couteau

Roses were red,
Violets weren't blue,
They were actually purple,
That much was true.

"I don't want that." Colette said and rubbed at the back of her neck. "You should be there too, it's an apology to both of you even if I already apologized to you in private."

Besides that Shan was also a good support pillar in case Colette managed to somehow flounder her way through the apology. She had gone over it in her head about a hundred times already which meant that more than anything she was worried that it would seem insincere.

The nerves in her body felt especially present today and built up an uneasy sense of queasiness within her throat and stomach that did very little to help her already lacking 'sea legs' as the duo pierced through the dead empty void of space. It wasn't really until the ship touched down on the Tetan soil that Colette would realize how much of the nausea seemed to come from her nerves more than the usual suspect on trips like these.

She exhaled as the ramp began to open and lower and the fresh air began to pour in.

"Sorry for the thing, I am sorry that I—" She whispered under her breath and tugged at the bag that hung from her shoulder. It was a surprisingly light bag, perhaps, but Colette had never really been one to value 'having things' and she would most likely not start to do so now either. She lived quite comfortably out of a suitcase after all.

And as that ramp touched down, Colette turned to look at Shan and gave him a slow nod before they descended.

 

[Ariana du Couteau]

Ariana Du Couteau, Jedi Padawan
Location: Star-port, Cinnagar, Empress Teta
Outfit

|| Colette | Shan Pavond ||
​

Ariana rocked back forth on her feet, her impatience getting the better of her, her intrusive thoughts running rampant. Maybe I should have gotten them a personal transport for a much faster and private journey. . . I mean it probably wouldn’t be weird of me? She kept herself busy by scanning the crowd around the star-port and before finally her eyes spotted a familiar couple. It took quite a monumental effort on her part to simply sprint across the large lobby towards them. Instead Ariana settled for a simple walking speed, a bit faster than her normal walking speed.

Carefully maneuvering past a few groups, Ariana waved at both Colette and Shan, her smile wide and her walking speed quickly growing as she finally approached them. The young Du Couteau scion almost bowed but jerked herself back as she remembered their conversation from the Jedi Temple.

“Welcome to Empress Teta, Colette-” Ariana inclined her head to both of them, “-Shan, I hope your trip here was comfortable.” She outstretched her hand towards them.

“I have a vehicle waiting for us, but we can head back to my home if the two of you want to rest and freshen up for a few minutes.” Ariana offered.
​

 

[Shan Pavond]

"Yeah, but I don't want the focus on me." Shan tried to reassure Colette, even as she said it was an apology for both him and Ariana. But if she wanted him to be there, he was going to be there either way. "You don't need to apologise for anything right now though. At least not to me. I hope you understand that." The Mirialan kept a small smile on his face at that, trying to reassure his partner as they landed and finally started to head off and out of the shuttle.

"Our trip was most definitely comfortable. At least it was fine for me." Shan lowered his head to Ariana slightly, making sure not to bow himself. He was always looking to be more respectful to others, but never wanted people to show him the same respect. It was strange to say the least but it was how he was. Either way, Shan just brought his head back up, glancing between the two.

"I don't need to rest up, but if Colette needs to, I don't mind going to your home."

Ariana du Couteau Colette

 

[Colette]

Ariana du Couteau / Shan Pavond

"Oh, no, of course not." She nodded. "I've already given you the full story, I just… You know."

She turned her attention back to Ariana and gave a small bow.

"Yes. The trip was bearable for the most part." The nausea aside and all that. "I think most of what we would do in a garden is already relaxing in itself, hmm? I am okay to head out already."

With that she fired a nervous glance at Shan and then back at Ariana. Then Shan again…

… And then to Ariana…

"H-hey, uh—" Colette exhaled a stifled chuckle. "I want to say sorry."

"For how I acted before."

…

"At the uh, knighting."

 

[Ariana du Couteau]

Ariana Du Couteau, Jedi Padawan
Location: Star-port, Cinnagar, Empress Teta
Outfit

|| Colette | Shan Pavond ||​

Ariana returned the smile, her eyes glancing between the two as she waited and listened to their response. Neither seemed interested in avoiding the gardens for longer than necessary, Especially if that’s why I invited them here, best to not waste time. It was a bit of a relief, Ariana hadn’t expected to bring anyone to her home, as it stood neither her brother or herself spent any time on Teta. It would have been quite a sorry excuse for a home in its current state, Desolate.

Colette though began to voice something to Ariana, their eyes briefly meeting and the young Du Couteau heir could feel the difficulty of Colette’s words. An apology? Ariana thought back to when they had first met and with a thoughtful expression she smiled and bowed her head.

“Oh, that!” Ariana began, “-You really shouldn’t, but I’ll accept your apology with full gratitude.” She responded with a larger smile and a quick head bow.

It’s rude to not accept apologies when offered, even if I feel they’re unwarranted. Ariana wasn’t always the most clever when it came to social norms, she usually tended to rely on habits built from countless hours of practice. And if Colette felt strongly about their first meeting, I shouldn’t appear as if belittling her apology, accept it in the spirit that it was given in.

“Our vehicle is nearby,” Ariana explained as she walked quickly and avoided the larger crowds in order to keep them all together.

As they approached the large exit of the star-port, Ariana waved for the Guard turned Pilot and with a quick nod the hovercraft opened its door and the repulsor engines slowly powered on. With a smile and a small hand gesture Ariana beckoned both Colette and Shan to get in first.

“Unfortunately the City-view isn’t too different from Coruscant, but the Royal Palace and the Gardens does give Teta something to stand apart from our millennia old rival.” Ariana spoke before getting in after them.

“Coruscant influences so much of the Core, it’s a surprise we don’t see more Planet-Cities.” Ariana added with a small laugh.
​