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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[twelve_not_fourteen]

The postponement of their talk, however revealing it turns out to be, offers him a much appreciated chance to get his overracer back to the Millennium Falcon and grants him an opportunity to clean himself up.

An opportunity he's thankful to have, because he was shampooing rust out of his hair by the time he hit the shower. Han is dressed in what qualifies as 'nice' among his very utilitarian wardrobe. Navy jacket and the matching pants. Boots that were shined fairly recently. Just enough to make him feel like he tried a little harder without making him feel 'dressed up'.

Han, lacking for things to do of late and knowing the value of timeliness, is there right around when he should be. As far as he can tell, this is the kind of place that you order from a counter and take things back to your seat. He opts to skip that in lieu of keeping the princess waiting any longer.

"Iphigenia." He says with a faint smile as he approaches the table. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting long."

[bornstrong]

When she sees him, she grins.

"Not at all," she replies, gesturing for him to take a seat. "Come, sit."

She notices that he cleaned up a bit. Interesting.

[twelve_not_fourteen]

His past did have him blending in with high society once in a while. Even then, he can't say he had ever spent any time around a princess. It just seemed like ... he should be trying to smooth out some of the coarseness that he knows is in him.

He's not even all that sure why he feels that way. Perhaps in time, he'll feel a bit differently.

At her request, he sits.

[bornstrong]

For what it's worth, Iphigenia doesn't mind. He's been kind to her, and that's what counts.

"So," she says, folding her hands neatly in front of her, "What shall we talk about?"

[twelve_not_fourteen]

"A lot of the most ..." Oh, he doesn't even know what word to settle on here, "... unique things about me are kind of hard to talk about and not always things I'm proud of."

That's not especially descriptive, but it is deeply honest, which is not always something people get out of him.

"I get the feeling we're from very different places and not just because you're a princess and I was raised in a den of thieves."

[bornstrong]

She nods, listening carefully.

"Maybe. But even princesses have their struggles to face."

Iphigenia knows it sounds silly. But he doesn't know, she thinks. And maybe he won't know her story for quite some time.

"Please don't feel alone. That's all."

[twelve_not_fourteen]

She certainly found a flaw in his armor right away, didn't she? It's only the discipline of many years of looking people right in the eyes while lying to them and years of playing cards with hooligans that save him here.

Though it comes so surprisingly sudden that she might catch a flicker of something in his eyes. Barely enough of a glimpse to really interpret it significantly.

"It's funny that you should say that." The words in quiet murmur. "In a lot of languages where I come from, my surname means 'alone'."

[bornstrong]

"Well, if it helps any, there are people here, myself included, who would want to be friends with you," she replies. "So you don't have to live up to your name."

Iphigenia smiles softly.

"I was alone at first here as well. I don't mind it always, but sometimes I miss home."

[twelve_not_fourteen]

"I find that I miss my stars badly." He says, somewhat thankful that she brought about a change of subject. To look up and see them arranged in a pattern that he's not used to seeing disorients him. Makes him feel lost.

"... and my best friend." Pursing his lips, he asks her, "what do you miss from home?"

[bornstrong]

"I miss my mother," she says, the words coming out almost immediately. "And my brother. He was just a baby."

"Who was your best friend?"

[twelve_not_fourteen]

He notices that she didn't say family or mention her father, which he finds a bit interesting. Though, it's not as if he's got any idea what the man was like. She might have a whole lot of good reasons not to include him.

"My co-pilot and partner." He says with a thoughtful scratch of his head. "He's tall and strong. Loyal as the day is long. Saved my life more than once. Quiet sometimes, but in that thoughtful sort of way."

[bornstrong]

"I'm sure you must miss him dearly," she says sympathetically, taking a sip of her tea. "But who knows? People from everyone's homelands seem to show up here, so maybe he'll arrive soon."

[twelve_not_fourteen]

"I don't know. He might be better off at home." He says with a shrug. "At least right now, he's with his family."

There's always a certain amount guilt he feels for keeping Chewbacca away from people who care about him. Life debt or not.

"What was your ... kingdom like?"

[bornstrong]

She sighs.

"It was everything you would probably expect it to be," she replies. "A large, well-fortified palace with a grand entrance, guards, courtyards...it would have seemed perfect to some, probably."

And it was for her, for a time.

"I miss it mainly because I miss the past, not because--" She pauses, trying to find the words. "Not because I actually liked it. Or would like it, knowing what I know now."

[twelve_not_fourteen]

Han is, of course, picturing everything she says in the retro-futuristic terms of his galaxy because ... that's all he knows. He's never been to Earth of any era, but the era she's talking about specifically? The closest things that compares are sparsely civilized planets outside of the core.

In his mind her palace looks something like this.

"I guess I don't ..." Han scratches his head. "Why do you say it was bad? I think all us poor folk ever dream about is that kind of wealth."

[bornstrong]

"It wasn't a happy home, necessarily--though I didn't realize that until it was too late," she says simply.

Iphigenia takes a sip of her tea.

"I don't know if you would want to hear my story."

[twelve_not_fourteen]

"I'll listen to whatever people tell me, Princess."

Via the lips or facial expression, he was well trained in the arts of taking advantage of people and those old habits haven't yet died in him. He's constantly evaluating people and trying to figure out how he could manipulate them.

"Only if you feel like telling it, though. I'm just ... enjoying the company more than anything."

[bornstrong]

She frowns a little, though it's not really directed at him.

"My company?" Cue an eyebrow raise. "Well, thank you."

Flattered princess is flattered!

[twelve_not_fourteen]

Han can be quite gifted when it comes to flattery.

The truth is, it's only because he's stuck here in the Nexus that he gets to actually meet and get to know people. At home it was always hopping from one planet to the next, never staying in one place for very long.

It's kind of ... nice.

"You're welcome."

[bornstrong]

Now her little frown turns into a smile.

"See? One can meet people and make friends here. I like that."

[twelve_not_fourteen]

"When you put it that way, you make it seem like that was a challenge for you previously. Or that you think it was for me."

And he's curious to know which of those she means. If it's the judgment about him, she's absolutely right, of course, but he's not going to own up to it so soon. He has a self concept to maintain and an image that he likes to protect.

[bornstrong]

"Maybe both are true," she points out. "Princesses don't really get to have true 'friends', you know. Just servants that you can only half-trust."

[twelve_not_fourteen]

"I haven't ever been a princess." He teases. "I guess I can kind of imagine that, though, and that it probably extends to male royalty too."

"The closest I've ever come to being rich was pretending to be. There were these races I would compete in sometimes for ... my guardian at the time. I'd get enrolled under false names at boarding schools and rub elbows with the well to do when I wasn't competing."

[bornstrong]

She laughs a little at his teasing. Iphigenia doesn't mind it, really--it's nice to not have to be so serious all the time. That was the worst part about being royalty, she thinks.

"What sorts of races?" Oh, this is intriguing.

[twelve_not_fourteen]

"Remember that rusty thing I was pushing around?"

He imagines she does because she caught him pretty messy and quite exhausted at the time. Surely that made some sort of impression, though he can't imagine an especially good one.

"I raced one of those. They called them swoops or speeder bikes depending on your locale."