A little cafe talk (for Han).

[bornstrong]

 At 7 o'clock, Iphigenia is waiting in Sophia's Cafe, waiting for someone who may just turn out to be a new friend. She's glad to talk to him, even if he's maybe a bit reluctant.

She understands, and so she's sitting quietly at a table by the window, people-watching as she waits. She's got a small chamomile tea and a chocolate croissant in front of her, though she really hasn't eaten much of it yet.

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[bornstrong]

"Oh, I certainly couldn't, not at all," she admits, shaking her head. "I had to do what was proper."

[twelve_not_fourteen]

"You'll have to forgive me." He says by way of a thoughtful murmur. "I have no idea what that means."

For a princess anyway. He supposes he has some idea of what's expected in everyday polite society in his galaxy, for the most part.

[bornstrong]

"Oh, you know," she says dismissively, as if it's obvious. "I had to behave. That's all it comes down to."

[twelve_not_fourteen]

It is so not obvious to Han. Not even a little bit. Perhaps this question would help him understand a bit better ...

"Well, what sorts of things have you wanted to do that you couldn't?"

[bornstrong]

She blushes. Iphigenia's almost a little embarrassed.

"I--I guess I just always wanted to be free, if that makes sense," the princess replies. "I wanted to be able to go where I wanted, when I wanted. I could never do that, back home."

[twelve_not_fourteen]

Well, on some level he supposes he gets what she's saying. Only now he's tremendously curious as to what it is that she wanted to do that she felt like she couldn't. Sneaking out after dark? Meeting new people? Seeing new places?

Having conversations with scoundrels?

"I'm going to ask you a terribly impolite question that you can feel free to ignore." He says as a preface. "How old are you, Iphigenia?"

[bornstrong]

She doesn't think it's terribly impolite, Han. It just seems out of the blue for her.

"I'm twenty," she replies, looking at him quizzically. "Why do you ask?"

[twelve_not_fourteen]

Perhaps it's the kind of thing that becomes impolite when the lady in question gets a little older. He just knows he's been slapped for asking that, so, he figures there are some people where he comes from that find it rude ...

"I'm trying to imagine what someone your age would want to be free from royal decree to do." Partially. "Also interested to see how your age compared to mine."

[bornstrong]

"I see," she replies, smiling a little. "Do you think I'm young?"

Because, she wants to say, she's not. She's seen far too much for someone her age.

[twelve_not_fourteen]

"A couple of years younger than I." He says with a shrug. "But I don't think that means all that much in the grand scheme of things."

Han himself had grown up in the kind of life that packed a lot of living into the first 20 of his years. He wouldn't necessarily expect the same in the life of a princess, but he wouldn't rule it out either.

"Do you think you're old, sweetheart?"

[bornstrong]

She purses her lips for a moment, considering the question.

"I think I have seen more than the average young woman has," she says quietly. "That's all."

She doesn't mean to get dark on you, Han--you just reminded her of something from her past.

[twelve_not_fourteen]

Turn about is fair play. He doesn't think he's unleashed the moodier side of himself on her yet, but he does it often enough to other people that he's not in a position to complain. Not to mention there aren't a shortage of subjects than can make his disposition sour.

"Fair enough." He says, though he has no intention to pry further. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry that you did."

[bornstrong]

That apology makes her pause.

"Thank you," she replies. "I'm here now, and that's what matters to me."

She's happy she's alive, Han.

[twelve_not_fourteen]

Oh, this man can certainly empathize with being nearly killed dozens of times over. Well before he started smuggling and pissing off crime lords, as a matter of fact, but it's not as if he wants to turn it into a competition.

Frankly, he wouldn't wish a near death experience on someone under the age of twenty no matter how badly they pissed him off.

"You know I don't really tell people this ..." Han glances around, in fact, to make sure nobody but Iphigenia is going to hear him. "I wasn't raised by my own parents. I was fortunate that someone who didn't have to, took it upon herself to watch over me. Whenever I think about how lucky I am to be somewhere ... I'm always thinking of her."

[bornstrong]

Iphigenia listens carefully to what he says, because she knows it's important for him to tell her.

"I'm glad you had somebody, though," she replies, nodding. "It's better than being alone. I think that must be the worst feeling in the world."

[twelve_not_fourteen]

"Yeah." He says with a thoughtful frown. Han remembers how often he's felt that way in his own life, by himself, that is. Hell, even his name in more than a couple of languages where he's from means 'alone'.

"I hope that's not a feeling you're all too familiar with, princess."

[bornstrong]

"I have felt alone before," she admits. "But here, it's a little better. I can make friends more easily."

[twelve_not_fourteen]

Ah. Making friends more easily kind of makes sense with the way he imagine's a princess' life to be, but really, he's only guessing at what that could be like.

"If you could get born again and choose rags or royalty ..." He murmurs thoughtfully. "What would you pick?"

[bornstrong]

"...Truthfully, I'd be a coward and go with what I knew--but with some exceptions," the princess replies. "I'd want more say in any decisions involving me, for one thing. But yes, I'd choose royalty."

[twelve_not_fourteen]

"You want to be rich and free." He murmurs with a bit of a lopsided smile. "Can't blame you for that. I think that's what everyone wants."

[bornstrong]

She laughs lightly.

"You're probably right," Iphigenia replies. "Is that what you'd want, too?"

[twelve_not_fourteen]

"Free is the most important part." He says, still smiling but a little bit of the brightness has left his eyes.

"I've been getting by without being rich all my life, though I'd love to find out what that feels like, believe me ... I don't know if I could take someone else telling me what to do for very long."

[bornstrong]

"You do seem like a free spirit," she agrees. "And I've seen servants treated rudely at times, so I can understand your concern."

[twelve_not_fourteen]

Oh, the Princess might have some idea that it's lousy to feel like your freedom is infringed upon. But that's one thing. Knowing what it's like to grow up as the human chattel of a bounty hunter turned captain of a ship full of criminals is something else entirely.

He keeps reminding himself that it's a very good thing that most people can't relate to his upbringing. And he can't be mad at people for not knowing all the things he's resolute not to talk about.

"Were you guilty of treating the help poorly?"

[bornstrong]

"No," she replies softly. "But my father was. He was not always kind."

Iphigenia frowns then, remembering.