Leia's Royal Performance: Chapter 10 - A Solo Act

Leia followed Krisia back into the hall, clenching her hands into fists as the adrenaline took effect, eliciting a level of excitement that she hadn't felt since she first took to the debauched stage. Her nerves plagued her with each step she made, becoming more and more prominent when she found herself walking through a section of the club that largely remained a mystery to her up to that point. Doubt still swirled in her mind, even as the Zeltron reached an encouraging hand out for her to take, one that would lead her to the location that could have very well played a part in changing her life in ways she couldn't foresee.

Despite her body being adorned in clothing that left little to anyone's imagination, Leia still knew that there was a small window open for her to change her mind. She knew about the bootleg vids that had spread far and wide across the galaxy, reaching the furthest reaches of the Outer Rim, having caught one or two copies popping up on some of the sites she had visited on the HoloNet.

It should have shocked her, to realise just how easily her activities in the slums of Coruscant could make their way to the wider galaxy. At that moment in particular, it should have been a wake-up call for the Princess, a warning glaring enough to convince her to give up her illicit double life for good, to get it out of her system once and for all. Yet, it had the opposite effect entirely, pushing her further into the depths of depravity she had embraced body and soul.

Even when she was tucked away in her resplendent penthouse in the Federal District, with her undivided attention meant to be focused on her work with the Apprentice Legislature programme, Leia instead found herself spending hours at a time watching the shaky footage of her extended performances on stage, watching the crowd as they cheered her on, driven to madness by her provocative movements. Watching the vid felt completely different to how it did on stage, it gave her an almost voyeuristic view of herself as she writhed and pirouetted.

For the first time, she was able to see only Regalia, the intoxicating woman that left all those fortunate enough to see her live spellbound, hanging off every sway of her hips, driven to lustful madness by the presence that commanded. There wasn't a trace of royalty in Regalia, no sign of the many lessons in ettiquette that Leia had been subjected to by her tutors and governess. Even Leia's preference for a somewhat tomboyish style was missing. Leia saw Regalia as a different woman, completely separate from herself, viewing her in the exact same way as the many patrons of the Den did; as a woman who lived to be desired.

Princess Leia Organa did everything she could to not be seen, preferring the refuge of the forest surrounding her family's palace instead of being forced into feminine gowns before appearing in front of crowds of the galaxy's ruling classes beside her parents. She regularly refused to wear gowns and formal dresses, favouring durable and practical wear.

Regalia lived to be the center of attention, deliberately drawing the watchful eyes of the countless species that frequented the shabby club. She wouldn't dare to be seen in any form of clothing that concealed her mouth watering body, always opting to clothe herself in the most risque outfits she could find buried in the exotic wardrobes in the dressing room. She openly flirted with the sorts of men who stood against Leia's sense of morality, allowing herself to be fondled and caressed by spice dealers and bounty hunters alike.

It was only upon viewing the illegally filmed vids that Leia finally came to terms with her persistent desire to return to the seedy district, finally realising why she couldn't tear herself away from her need to throw caution to the wind and wrap her body around the durasteel pole whenever she had the chance. She needed it, like a spice addict seeking their next fix. The revelation was that Leia wasn't sure if she was capable of going back to her life of duty and service to Alderaan, she had to find a sense of freedom from her gilded cage. She knew that people like Kev'as had every intention of exploiting that desire, but Leia found herself willing to be exploited. It was with that desire in mind that resulted in Leia reaching out and grabbing Krisia's hand in determination, listening to the clicking of her tall heels as they counted down her deepest dive into her licentious lifestyle.

Krisia brought them to a sudden halt in front of a slightly worn door, not quite in the same level of disrepair as the rest of the establishment. The Zeltron gave Leia a final look, shooting a sincere expression as she gave her a short amount of time to decide whether she wanted to change her mind. But when no such change came, Krisia smiled and tapped her hand against the door, which opened with a sharp hiss, revealing the room within to Leia.

Having expected a sordid recreation of a cheap motel room or a hastily thrown together set that tended to be the common setting for a majority of the studio made holopornos, Leia was left surprised by what met her instead. A recreation of a palatial bedroom took up the majority of the space on the wall opposite her, surrounded by a variety of filming equipment and light rigging to enhance the set decorations. It looked like a room that wouldn't have appeared out of place on Hapes, with a large bed sat upon a balcony facing towards a surprisingly well-made backdrop, depicting a calm ocean view, complete with clear skies and a shining city in the distance. A group of six white pillars extended up to a non-existent ceiling, covered in green vines winding along the outer edge. A fake animal hide rug was placed in front of the bed, meant to add to the level of luxury the designer had hoped to achieve. A small grin appeared on Leia's face when she looked down, realising just how out of place she looked compared to the classy scene before her.

"And speaking of the beauty," Kev'as spoke up, breaking from his conversation with the Balosar Leia assumed was the director of her debut, "this'll be the easiest shoot of your career, Rushill. She has a natural charisma, just keep the cam fixed on her and let her work her magic."

"It's not that easy, Kev'as!" Rushill's antennae bristled as the Twi'lek carelessly tapped the end of his cheap cigar, letting the ash fall to the studio floor. "I don't care how confident she might be out in the club, that doesn't mean she can perform on the cam at a drop of a credit. It takes time to build up the confidence of first timers, time to train with the more experienced performers so she can work the cam in the way the customers expect."

The Dance of the Twi'lek Slave Girl during her first ever show," Kev'as spoke wistfully, again sending a few ashes to the ground, forcing Rushill to stamp out any embers he spotted, "didn't even screw up a single move. Did you see that? You ever see a human do it?"

"I did," Rushill conceded, staring at Leia with an impressed look, though his eyes still gave away his doubts about her abilities off stage, "it was all anyone here could talk about. But that still doesn't necessarily mean that she can translate that into a passable cam shoot. Hell, most of the degenerates that frequent the club are so hopped up on spice and cheap liquor that they would lose their minds over a Jawa if it knew how to move like her."

"If it hadn't been for the hair and skin colour, I would have believed without a doubt that she had spent her life training on Ryloth," Kev'as continued, brushing off Rushill's concerns altogether. "No, a human like Regalia is a one in a million find. She'll take to the cam like a Pelikki to water, isn't that right, Regalia?"

"Of course, Bossban," Leia offered the grubby Twi'lek a seductive smile, releasing Krisia's hand as she strode into the room, magnetically drawing every available pair of eyes towards her, "I promise that I'm ready for this. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I let you all down."

"See?" Kev'as jabbed an elbow into Rushill's side, flashing a crooked smile when the Balosar snapped his gaze away from Leia. "Even you can't resist staring, got your antennae standing to attention as well. She's got that special something that you just can't ignore. Like I said, just keep the cam rolling and let her do what comes natural. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be in my office if you need me, I have a 'performance meeting' with Ishira."

Kev'as tossed his cigar away and chuckled when he stalked towards the door, but not before taking a final appreciative look at Leia's scantily clad body, with Krisia following him out, leaving the Princess alone with a crew that were complete strangers to her. She wasn't uncomfortable with the idea of working with individuals unknown to her, having become adept at handling such a scenario both in the Den and the Senate. But there was something entirely different about the scenario compared to even her most erotic encounters in the VIP rooms, it would require her to be at her most vulnerable, her most sexually charged. But Leia would never shy away from such a challenge, aware that it had been a now or never moment for her fantasy.

"So, how do we begin?" Leia asked politely, moving past the line separating the studio from the set. "Kev'as was right, this is all new to me, but I'm a quick learner."

"I'm sure you are," Rushill said, snapping his fingers towards the small crew, getting them into position as quickly as he could. At a speed that could only be achieved by a repetitive filming schedule, the crew took their places at each station, activating the blinding lights above, which provided Leia's skin with an attractive glow. "But we're on a tight schedule at the moment. So you'll have be one hell of a quick learner. Alright, let's start with you on the rug, I want to capture some small segments, just to see what you can do."

"Excellent," Leia replied enthusiastically, immediately lowering herself down onto the rug. She rolled onto her stomach and propped her head up by the palms of her hands, lifting her legs up and crossing them at the ankles. Tapping a finger against her cheek, Leia stared directly into the blinking red light of the holocam, holding her pose perfectly. "How's this?"

"Good. Good," Rushill nodded, squinting as he stared through the lens, clearly impressed by what he saw, "treat the rug like your stage. Try and switch from pose to pose, and keep that expression going, treat the holocam in the same way you would treat one of your private clients."

"I'll do my best," Leia said, shifting around on the spot to provide of view from every side, placing her index finger between her ivory teeth, closing her eyes to produce her best come hither look.

She placed her forearms flat against the surface of the rug and dropped her head onto them, letting her brunette hair spread out around her, sliding her long, sculpted legs against the fake fur. Her lips morphed into a playful smile, watching as Rushill went from sceptical of her potential to being downright enthusiastic, capturing her every move, zooming in on the radiant expressions she displayed. Unlike many of the girls that had been filmed in the various sets spread out across the club's basement -- with a number either coerced by contracts designed to entrap them or forced to take part by their masters -- Leia displayed a true desire to be there, putting her everything into each and every position she assumed, many of which had taken the director by surprise compared to the typical first timer.

Leia even went as far as caressing her body when she became a little more daring with the more time that passed. She flipped over onto her back and subtly pumped her hips, biting her lips as she stimulated being softly taken by an invisible lover, grabbing a chunk of the fur beneath her. Her legs rose up slightly, allowing her to hook her heels through the metal frame of the bed, giving her enough purchase to hoist her body up even higher. Adding to the effect, Leia emitted a series of low moans, selling the simulation to the fullest as she sank her hand beneath the strap of her skirt. Her back formed a perfect arch when she brought herself to a fake orgasm, tossing her head back to wink suggestively at the hovering holocam, showing off her pink collar as it strained against her throat. Just a quick glance at the all male crew who surrounded her was enough to inform her that she had proven herself completely.

"That was... fantastic!" Rushill admitted, tugging his collar to disguise his clearly flustered state. He motioned for the camera to pull back slightly, once again focusing on the wider set rather than the teasing Princess reclining on the floor. "You really do have something. Would you be alright with some standing shots? Kev'as would grab me by my antennae if I didn't at least try to include one of your famed dances."

"Anything for my Bossban," Leia purred, quickly rising back to her feet, turning to the side to show off the profile of her body.

Even without a music track to follow, Leia easily slipped herself back into her stage persona. She rotated and crouched, aware of how the tight fitting clothes she had picked out would show off the parts of her body that remained concealed from sight. Leia grabbed the bed frame and bent over at the waist, making sure to keep her face looking over her shoulder, giving an unwavering stare at the countless life forms that would be watching the finished product. Kicking a leg back into the air, Leia gently rotated from side to side, pushing the flexibility of the synthex material to its limit, almost testing how much the straps could take before giving out.

Again, Leia's motions went from being simple and graceful to intricate and enticing. She undulated her hips and ran her closed hands suggestively along the smooth gold bedpost, rotating her hands in a way she knew from experience would leave the eventual viewers hooked. Turning so her entire body faced towards the holocam, Leia sat herself against the bed frame and brought her hands back to rest against her pale thighs. Running her painted nails upwards, Leia brought them up to the hem of the skirt, lifting at a sedate pace until it made an agonisingly slow ascent. She kept going for almost a minute, only stopping just when it threatened to reveal her chosen underwear.

"Alright, we'll cut it there for now," Rushill choked out, shifting his legs to conceal the hard-on that painfully pressed against his tight pants. "Now we move onto the fun stuff. Regalia, would you mind getting onto the bed and giving the holocam a real show?"

"With pleasure," Leia walked towards the edge of the bed and guided herself onto it, crawling towards the center, again turning to face towards Rushill on her knees. She ran her tongue across her painted lips and gazed at the holocam in anticipation. "Will anyone be joining me for the rest of the shoot?"

"I'm afraid not," Rushill replied with genuine regret, desperately wishing that he could have seen her in action with another performer, just to see how adaptable she truly was, "Kev'as barely gave me enough time to get the equipment set up. Most of my male performers are off for the week, and the twins have been summoned back by their master. So it's just going to be you, if you're still up for it?"

"I've made a name for myself through my solo acts, this one will just be a little more revealing," Leia nodded, disappointed that she wouldn't get the chance to fully live out her fantasy just yet.

"Great," Rushill crouched back down to look through the lens, "just do what comes natural. Remember, you've already got their attention, now you need 'em to reach their climax. And if you need a little help, you'll find a useful tool hidden beneath the pillow."

Rushill silently pointed towards Leia, giving her the cue to start. Complying dutifully, Leia ran her hands across her synthex clad form, cocking her hip to the side to enhance the look of her narrow waist. She lifted her hands and threaded them through her hair, deliberately teasing her tresses to provide them with a touch more volume, creating a dishevelled look that added to her increasingly racy appearance.

Once she became comfortable enough, Leia finally lifted a hand to her back and traced a finger down the thin seam holding the straps together, separating them from the dress. Leia lifted the garment up and pulled it off, dangling it for the cam between her finger and thumb, letting it drop out of shot. She ran a hand up to the gold bra cupping her breasts, tugging it as she fell back against the bed, snapping it off once her upper back made contact with the layer of pillows. She ran her thumbs across her exposed nipples, hardening them as she moved her legs across the silk sheets, skating her heels across the surface.

A small moan poured from her full lips, produced by the circular motion of her thumbs as they continued circling her areolas. She moved her other hand across her flat stomach, pushing it far enough to allow her fingers to sneak under the band of her thong, where they brushed against the opening of her soaking wet nethers. She dipped a pair of fingers inside, rolling her upper body when she plunged them in and out, caressing her sensitive walls with her fingertips, hitting the area that never failed to get her in the right mood.

Rising off the bed slightly, Leia eventually decided to discard the last shred of clothing that hid her most sacred area from sight. She lifted her lower body up and moved both hands to her gold thong, gliding it away from her hips and down her legs, letting them settle against the plateau of her plastex heel, where she promptly sent the thong flying with the slightest flick of her foot. Spreading her legs wide across the bed, Leia didn't hold back when it came to showing off her body, having become far bolder than she ever could have expected during the period following her initial visit.

Leia let her eyes wander over to the pillows, curious as to what Rushill had planted beneath them. She kept her act going as she snuck her hand beneath the pillow next to her, grinning when she felt a thick, cylindrical object knock against her palm. Pulling it out to inspect it further, Leia found herself staring in amusement at what she immediately recognised as the appendage of a Wookie, complete with an ominous vein running along the shaft and a flared tip. It felt heavy in her hand, a sign of it at least being of a reasonably good quality, with a texture that only made her wetter as she rolled it between her fingers.

"Hmm, if only I had a real Wookie to play with instead," Leia spoke for the first time into the mic hovering above, oozing sensuality whilst trying her best to disguise her aristocratic accent to distance herself further from her alter ego, "but this little toy will have to do."

Leia couldn't stop herself from connecting her lips with the spongy outer layer, trailing them along the base of the synthetic member and up to the conical head. She propped the head against her lips and let her saliva roll across it, making it easy to slot it into her mouth with the first attempt, moaning when she pushed it against her inner cheek, leaving a visible bulge. Leia slid her free hand beneath her breast and kneaded it delicately, sliding the shaft even further into her mouth, prolonging its journey despite being more than capable of engulfing it without a struggle. She opened her throat wide and sent the cock sliding in and out as fast as her wrist would allow, driving it deep into her throat without any hesitancy.

Lost in her own world -- almost forgetting about the crew and holocams around her -- Leia managed to bring herself back to reality when she withdrew the sex toy from her mouth, blushing when it departed with an audible 'pop'. She set her back against the pillows and brought her legs up at an angle, creating the perfect conditions for her next and final act. Bringing the tip of the saliva covered toy to her opening, Leia gasped when she eased it inside, taking sharp breaths with each inch she slotted home.

Twisting and thrusting the replica cock as fast as she could, Leia couldn't help but truly wish that the shaft had an owner on the other end of it. She had no issues when it came to self pleasuring, having become incredibly adept at doing so whenever she had time to herself when she wasn't at the club. A sly grin appeared on her beautiful face when she recalled a moment during a particularly grating session in the Senate, where she decided to vent her frustrations by sneaking into a disused refresher and hiking up her flowing white skirt to finger herself, imagining being rutted in the VIP booth of The Den until her legs became too weak to carry her weight. It hadn't been the most productive use of her time in the Senate, but she reasoned that it had been a long time since the Senate itself was a productive entity.

"Jee seel gushu lo oeep!" Leia hissed, utilising some of the Huttese she had picked up from her encounters with the Outer Rim travellers who visited the club during one of their illegal delivery runs. Speaking the rough language of the Hutts always had a profound impact on her, the sheer taboo of being ideologically opposed to the Hutts and their repugnant views and activities and allowing their harsh syllables to run off of her tongue always sent her into a frenzy.

Leia could feel her legs start to bow when her pace reached a speed she could only maintain for a short amount of time, with the muscles in her arm already beginning to feel the strain. Her moans only grew louder with each thrust, earned every time she buried the toy to the hilt, displaying just how easily she could envelop the formidable appendage of a Wookie. A violent orgasm wasn't too far behind, striking as soon as she pistoned the cock for the final time. Her toes curled and her body convulsed, with Leia letting the cock go in favour of letting her hands roam across her body, teasing her sensitive skin when her climax reached its apex.

When she came down from her self-induced high Leia could feel her body settling back down, letting a post orgasmic sense bliss take over. She purred when she pulled the synthetic shaft free from her depths, gasping loudly once the flared head was wrenched out, causing her to fall limply against the soothing sheets. Making sure to lick the toy clean, humming as the taste of her nectar washed over her tongue, Leia promptly tossed the toy aside and grinned peacefully.

"Cut!" Rushill ordered, tapping a switch on the side of his holocam to shut it off, which was followed by the deactivation of the overhead lights. "That was... I don't even know how to describe it. If this doesn't end up being a smash hit, then I don't know anything about this industry."

"I'm hoping that it makes a splash," Leia swept off of the bed and retrieved each article of discarded clothing, putting them back on one by one, hiding her stunning body once again to the visible disappoint of the crew members, "maybe if ends up being popular enough I'll be able to appear in another scene with a real co-star. Do you need me for anything else?"

"Hmm? No, Kev'as wants me to get this edited and ready to send off to to his investors as soon as possible. I know that Tegikk will want this ready for him before anyone else can lay eyes on it," Rushill replied, already setting to work extracting the footage, downloading it onto a pair of data cards. "You'd best get ready to go back on stage, the crowd's been pretty rowdy tonight."

~•~•~•~•~•~

Her return to the stage was met by deafening cheers and the clamouring of the regulars of the club. Leia relished the applause when she walked across the familiar stage, amazing herself by how easily she was able to slip back into the role. It wasn't a chore in the way her appearances in the Senate were, she never felt drained as she did when she was forced to argue over trade embargoes between the Quarrens and Mon Calamari, or listen to a self-important Moff making his case for the occupation of a largely undeveloped world. She never felt more alive than she did when she was swinging her lithe form around the durasteel pole, and no stuck up would-be suitor ever came close to eliciting the the sort of heart racing excitement she felt when she listened to multilingual clamouring of the crowds that came to see her and the other girls.

Her performance was one of her best to date, and her new outfit happened to be one of her most enticing. She wondered to herself just how the crowd would have reacted if they had any idea as to what she had gotten up to while wearing it prior to her shift.

When her time on the stage came to an end, giving way to a newly hired turquoise skinned Nautolan, Leia moved onto her off-stage duties, making the rounds as she meeted and greeted the occupants of the VIP section, paying special attention to those she knew had direct ties to the real ownership of the club. She could never shake off the giddy feeling it gave her whenever she flirted with those beings in particular, aware of how she had become a representative of sorts for the image of The Den.

By the time the night had come to an end Leia was about ready to drop, the excitement had drained her over the course of a few hours. Before she could head back to the main changing room where her civilian clothing had kindly been dropped off for her by Krisia, she again found herself inside of Kev'as's cramped office, directed there by a concerned Ishira. Even her near naked body wasn't enough to pull the Twi'lek out of his irritated state.

"Bossban? You wanted to see me?" Leia broke the silence. "Was there something about the film you didn't like?"

"No, it turned out better than I anticipated," Kev'as dropped his data pad onto his desk with a huff, "far better. I sent Tegikk a crudely edited version of it, I don't think I've ever heard the fat slug so elated."

"What do you mean?" Leia inquired, watching the Twi'lek repeatedly declining the various invites on his com-link, wincing when he ripped the cord out altogether.

"It means that the slug is going to release it within the week. And then he wants you to travel to Nar Shaddaa to promote it, to appear at his own club so his sycophants and business partners can witness the human that's caused caused such a stir on Coruscant in action!" Kev'as snapped. "I knew this would happen, I just didn't think he'd pull this poodoo so fast!"

"Nar Shaddaa?" Leia paled, quickly recalling one of the conversations she had engaged in with the Hutt. As far as she had been concerned, it was just an example of light banter, a not-so-serious promise made when she was caught in a lustful mood. "I can't travel to Nar Shaddaa, I can't leave Coruscant to begin with without anyone noticing."

"I might have been willing to let you balance your shifts at the club around your life up there," Kev'as pointed derisively at the ceiling, clearly aiming a degree of frustration at the levels far above, "but Tegikk won't. You should have realised that this would happen when you started to gain a profile, most girls that come here do it either in search of quick credits or get sent by their owners. But you fit into neither category, you like the danger, you hate the safety of your privileged little life. Few humans have ever achieved the sort of fame you have. Whether you wanted it or not, you're in this life until people start losing interest. Ain't that what you wanted?"

"You don't understand, a person of my status can't just leave and take a personal trip to Nar Shadda," Leia tried to reason with the Twi'lek, but his expression made any argument futile, "it's impossible."

"Well, my little aristocrat, you're going to have to make it possible," Kev'as shrugged, "besides, this is going to impact me far worse than it will you. Losing my best performer for an unknown amount of time is going to hit my profits hard. I'm gonna have to start smuggling glitterstim again just to make up for it."

"Then let me help make up for it, Bossban," Leia said, making her way to the other side of the desk, dropping to her knees between the legs of the suddenly smug Twi'lek, an offer she made more for her sake than his. It helped to distract her from the panic that rapidly started to set in, even if it was just a temporary distraction. Without a further word, the Princess once again lowered her lips across the shaft of the vile Twi'lek.

~•~•~•~•~•~

Leia made her return to the Federal District in a dazed condition, her mind fluctuated from thought to thought that left her teetering on the brink of a panic attack. She changed for a second time during her journey, back, into a conservative gown far more befitting of her role as the Princess of Alderaan.

Her mind kept going over the events of the evening, from her shooting a holoporno, to the shocking request that had been made by the Hutt. It was the first true sign of the danger that came with the life she secret led, the first time where the sabacc cards were no longer in her hands alone. It was one thing to have her fun on stage and in the private booths, but there was a legitimate risk when it came to becoming an infatuation of a Hutt. The species possessed little in the way of scruples, always ones to take what they wanted whether they were allowed to or not. She knew the Chiss slave girl chained to Tegikk should have been a warning, an indication of the Hutt's desire for exotic women, as well as his ability to enslave a member of a species that rarely ventured into the larger galaxy.

The idea of even travelling to a world as lawless as Nar Shaddaa was something that Leia could scarcely entertain. Taking infrequent trips down to The Den was something only achievable through Leia's determination and talents. She could create a fake entourage by manipulating Sabé's data pad, but going off world wouldn't be so simple, not without both her parents and the Empire keeping a close eye on her attempted departure.

At the same time, those familiar feelings started to appear again the closer she got to her penthouse. Slipping off to The Den was one thing, with the Senate and the comforts that came with her role always within reach, just a transport ride away. But Nar Shaddaa would be different altogether, she would effectively be trapped throughout the duration of her stay -- if she could even get there in the first place. Unlike her trips to the Lower Levels, Leia wouldn't be able to return to her normal life until the trip was at an end, she would just be 'Regalia'. It shouldn't have excited her, and it definitely shouldn't have left her thighs rubbing together at the thought of being her insatiable alter ego non-stop. Yet it did.

There was little time for Leia to make a decision, whether to finally cut herself off from her escape for good and never look back, or devise yet another plan and give the corpulent Hutt what he wanted. But a decision would need to come soon, that was clear to the Princess.

Leia arrived home in record time, feeling her eyelids growing heavy as her thoughts turned towards her bed, completely drained from the chaotic few hours away. Just as she prepared to slide the reflective silver door open, it opened before her hand could connect with the digital lock, revealing a deeply unimpressed Breha Organa, clad in a formal blue and white gown, with dazzling silver heels adding a few extra inches to her height. Even with the stern expression on her beautiful face, Breha Organa was still the very picture of effortless Alderaanian beauty.

"Mother?" Leia gasped, with guilt painted in her face.

"Correct," Breha replied, motioning for Leia to step inside, leading the way into the grand living space, which provided a majestic view of the cityscape that twinkled against the dark sky, "I arrived almost an hour ago. You can imagine my disappointment when I discovered the only ones here to great me were TooVee and Sabé."

"I don't understand, is something wrong?" Leia asked in a near grave tone. "Has something happened?"

"Yes," Breha nodded, letting a warm smile appear as she approached Leia, enveloping her in an affectionate hug, kissing her daughter on the cheek, "I realised that it's been far too long since I've visited my beloved daughter in person. Business on Alderaan has been a little slow recently, so I decided to take a few days away to be with you."

"Oh," Leia smiled weakly, returning the hug and the kiss, shamefully remembering just where her lips had been less than an hour ago, "I was just afraid that something serious had occurred to draw you here."

"Don't worry, I won't be staying for more than a couple of days," Breha promised, thanking TooVee when the droid delivered her a glass of sparkling Toniray wine, "I don't want to intrude. The last thing a young woman needs are her parents inviting themselves into her home unannounced constantly. But speaking of alone time for yourself, would you mind telling me where you were tonight?"

"I... I... " Leia stammered, trying her best to come up with any sort of reasonable excuse, a difficult ask when staring into the loving eyes of her mother, "I just decided to take a trip to Warp, it's a club not too far from here. The other members of the Legislature Programme recommended it, just to relieve the stress that comes with working in the Senate."

"Don't fret, Leia, I did the same when I was your age whenever I could. The life of a royal isn't an easy one, the weight of responsibility can sometimes feel so burdensome that you just have to find a means of relieving the stress," Breha replied understandingly, "just as long as you have your guards with you, I have no problems with it. And I hope you don't consided it to intrusive if I ask where you got that choker?"

Leia's hand snapped up to her neck, panicking internally when she felt the pink choker still resting against her throat. In her haste to get back, Leia realised that she had forgotten to remove it with the rest of the illicit clothing.

"Ah, one of the girls in the programme gave it to me. I think it's a fashion trend of sorts," Leia blurted out, "I though the colour looked quite appealing."

"It's definitely a good colour on you," Breha agreed, taking a seat on one of the expensive couches that sat within an oval shaped recess in the floor, crossing her legs as she invited Leia to join her. "'Seduction', such a strange phrase to write on it."

Leia's eyes widened when she realised that her mother not only recognised the language written upon it, but could also understand it. "You can read Huttese?"

"Read it and speak it. Darling, being an effective politician requires you to be wordly, especially when you're forced to deal with a species as arrogant as the Hutts, it takes them by surprise when they realise they can't hide behind their protocol droids. I learned the language from a Hutt, one who had retired from the crime world a few centuries prior, he was quite an eager tutor," Breha recalled fondly, idly stroking her thigh, letting her silver heel dangle from her toes as she took a small sip from her crystal flute, temporarily lost in thought. "I wasn't always a Queen, Leia, I certainly had a few adventures of my own when I was your age, time to explore who I was before the crown came to rest on my head. Duty always beckons."

"And it will be the same for me one day," Leia added, thinking ahead to a time where any form of escape would be impossible. The life of a Queen was one of constant duty and service to Alderaan and its people.

"Not for a long time yet," Breha ammended, "but now that you mention it, you do seem a little worn out."

"It's just the Senate," Leia lied, feeling another pang of guilt for doing so, "it has a way of taking you by surprise. You feel like you have everything under control, then you get a demand that leaves you shaken."

"You work far too hard, Leia," Breha reached out and clasped Leia's hand, "and making you take that diplomatic tour certainly didn't help. I think you might be in need of a trip away from Coruscant, a chance to find yourself again, just as I once did."

"I think you might be right," Leia responded with an unreadable smile, "a trip off world might just be what I need."