The Taste of Blood

[Feena]

The truth was, she only heard a rumor. She was working off of blind guesswork here. And his reaction was enough to tell her that her little theory was right. Nobody got that worked up over nothing.

"So many questions, boy. One at a time. I'm such a slow old woman, you know."

She held her hands behind her back, slowly walking past him to examine the flowering hedge just behind him.

"Not a threat. I don't threaten. I don't have to. I am the Queen of Naboo. I have eyes and ears everywhere. I doesn't matter who told me anymore. The fact of the matter is, you just showed me your hand."

She smiled, leaning in to breath in the fresh scent of the pink petals. Well, he did ask her what her 'game' was.

"Her choice, you say? She is not even fifteen yet. When she shows the maturity of a grown woman, then she can do what she wants with no comment from me. Until then...." she dug her nail through the stem, plucking the fresh pink blossom from the hedge, "My planet, my rules."

[member="Owain"]

 

[Owain]

Owain watched the woman as she walked. So confident, so sure. So infuriating. So much like Felicity. He laughed and shook his head. "I have merely shown you something you already knew. At most, I've sped up our little chat to the actual point. I am a busy man after all," the youth countered, tearing off another chunk of bread and chewing on it. "And maturity is not cultivated like your pretty flowers. Being kept in a cage just makes you more fragile," he pointed out, leaning agast the table, fingers idly sliding across the plates laid out. Her last words made him laugh uproariously. "Are you sure you're not a Sith? Becuase you're certainly sounding like one."

And Sith, he knew how to handle.

[member="Feena Mason"]

 

[Feena]

She almost reacted to the Sith comment. Almost. It was no secret anymore than she once belonged with them. She preferred honesty when it came to dealing in politics. Her past was an open book... mostly.

"Sith? Aren't you clever. But, no I'm not. Not anymore. Now I'm just a mother... who also happens to be Queen of the Naboo System."

She turned back around, twirling the short stem of the flower between her long pale fingers.

"So. You want to see my little bird freed then? Is that it? Afraid she won't learn to fly if she's not given a push?"

[member="Owain"]

 

[Owain]

Owain faced the Queen, rocking on his heels, a plate clutched in his hands behind his back. Just in case. "I think she should know it's an option. Whether she wants to fly or not is her call, your highness," he answered with a shrug.

[member="Feena Mason"]

 

[Feena]

Hm. Interesting. This entire conversation had been more enlightening than she expected. She held the stem tight in her finger, looking directly at the milky white center.

"That is... not unreasonable," she admitted, "But if she falls, I won't be able to help her. Who will catch her then? Her little boyfriend? You?"

[member="Owain"]

 

[Owain]

"That IS the purpose of a boyfriend," Owain said, rolling his eyes. "Then she has her friends. Her sister. You. Her father," he idly listed off from the top of his mind. "And her bodyguards if she lets you send some along with her," he shrugged, idly toying with the plate in his hands. "Then again she may want to stay. Why not speak to her about it rather than me? I don't know what she's going to do!"

[member="Feena Mason"]

 

[Feena]

Feena shook her head slowly. He didn't get it.

"I didn't ask who will protect her. I didn't ask who will pick her up. I asked, who will catch her before she hits the ground? There is a difference."

Anybody can help clean up the aftermath, but it took a very special somebody to prevent disaster in the first place. Could he ever understand that this was what she was trying to do?

"And you don't think I haven't tried talking to her first? She's my daughter. Why would I go to some boy for answers if she was willing to speak to me on the subject freely? The fact of the matter is, I don't think she wants to tell me what she wants to do."

[member="Owain"]

 

[Owain]

Owain shrugged. "I have no idea your highness," he answered. "Why not speak to her about it?" he suggested before the Queen spoke again. He couldn't help but smile. "Aaaah, youthful rebellion. So...you want me to be your spy in regards to your daughter?" the youth asked. "I mean, we're rivals, so of course I'd keep an eye on her," Owain declared, folding his arms across his chest. "ANd for the record, I'm not too fond of her boyfriend either," he continued conspirationally. "Far too up and down from what I've gathered. No sense of advneture."

[member="Feena Mason"]

 

[Feena]

The queen crossed back over to the table as the boy spoke, still twirling the bruised flower stem in her fingers.

"So he's boring is what you're saying?"

That was interesting. And rivals, not friends? It seemed she had gotten the wrong idea.
Or had she? She wasn't quite convinced yet.

@Owain.

 

[Owain]

"Seems like that to me at least, your highness," Owain answered, twirling the plate in his fingers once more. This conversation was coming to an end, he could feel it. "I mean, sure, he took on a krayt dragon for her, but was his task ever to actually kill one or did he just want to show off? And anyway, he's scared of you. You're still his boss. He wouldn't dare be adventurous."

[member="Feena Mason"]

 

[Feena]

Krayt dragon? Ah, yes. The task her husband sent him on. So he succeeded? She'd been far too busy to pay much attention to be honest. She found the whole thing revoltingly barbaric anyway. And stupid. The boy actually killed one? Just for it's head?

"He sounds like a show off. But yes. I am glad he is afraid of me. The more afraid he is, the less likely he is to... try something with my daughter."

She didn't need to spell out exactly what she was afraid of here. She knew it was fairly obvious.

"...Just how adventurous are you, mister Barnabus?"

[member="Owain"]

 

[Owain]

Owain sighed. He could sense the motherness coming from Feena. The woman exuded calm and control. It would be smothering to live under her rule, he realized suddenly, feeling something akin to empathy to Felicity's situation. The boy looked up at the Queen with a smile. "If you're propositioning me, your highness, I'm afraid I'm not interested," he countered wryly. That was certain to get him in trouble, but he was bored now. This little lunch was an amusing little interrogation sure, but he had other things to do. Like continue trying to drink every last drop of alcohol in Theed.

Or at least find out what places were relatively nice. Then he could suggest them to Felicity as good locations. For what? Well, that was up to her.

[member="Feena Mason"]

 

[Feena]

"You are a disgusting boy. But that's all you are. A boy. Just a little boy."
She crushed the flower in her palm, but her voice was sweet, like a mother cooing to a child. Her smile never left, never faded.
"You're lucky my husband isn't here. He might really hurt you if he heard you talk like that to me. Well! We're both lucky he's not here then. You know what I expect from you. You may go now."

[member="Owain"]

 

[Owain]

Owain laughed and nodded. Ahh, there it was, the real face beneath the mask. A Sith through and through. Oh this felt really familiar. "You expect me to keep to myself, right, your highness?" he asked with a grin and a shrug. "Shouldn't prove to hard. Thanks for the lunch, it was lovely," he said with an exaggerated bow, heading out of the garden. "I can see myself out," he said to the handmaiden.

[member="Feena Mason"]