(no subject)

[eiattu_pride]

It's not that Rial's not used to being without Plourr, not at all. And it's not that he's lonely. It's just that she's going off to a meeting with people that he doesn't trust at all, and he's not there with her.

But life goes on, so Rial Pernon is sitting in the living quarters, surrounded by work, chewing his lip in lieu of his stylus as he examines a datapad.

Comments

[sw-npc.livejournal.com]

The comm sounds.

[eiattu_pride]

Rial answers with a brisk "Pernon," glancing up from his datawork with a slight frown.

[sw-npc.livejournal.com]

A holo shimmers into place. It's the face of Count Ribenn Hilunda. His eye is black and purple and swollen shut; his lower lip is puffy and there are trails of blood trickling from his nose and his mouth. The holo is focused close on his pale face, curly hair matted to his head, and the background is a blank gray wall.

"C-Count Pernon." His voice is desperate and low, purposely so; his eyes flick from side to side constantly. "Sir, sir, we're in so much trouble."

[eiattu_pride]

...kriff.

And that draws his attention, draws his eye and he's standing before he realizes it, big hands clenching into fists. "What's happened? Is Plo- the princess safe?"

[sw-npc.livejournal.com]

Hilunda shakes his head and immediately winces hard, pressing a hand to his temple. "They got the drop on us in the negotiating room. One of the guards got the princess with a, an injection, a drug or something, 'cause she was fighting but she hit the ground hard, sir, and they killed the two guards in the room and they hit me, but I played dead, sir, and--" A choked noise escapes him but he muffles it, holds it back, looking every which way.

"I should have done something but I, I don't know how to fight and they carried the princess out and left the dead alone a minute and I ran, sir, and now the whole place is--" He freezes, head whipping to one side, and it's a long moment before he goes on. "They're all looking for me."

[eiattu_pride]

Kriff. Kriff. Kriff.

Plourr...

He doesn't realize that his nails are biting into his palms until he feels the sting, unclenches his hands and stares at the wall. "Have you any more information? What they plan to do with the princess?"

[sw-npc.livejournal.com]

"I don't- I don't know, sir." He swipes at the blood oozing from his nostril with his forearm. His arm comes up bloody even before he swipes, which might serve to explain his pallor. "I'm in Count Saume's personal landspeeder, trying to, I don't know, to hotwire it or something. I'm just lucky it's got a holo unit." It's easy to remember now that Hilunda is young; hasn't seen a day of fighting with his own eyes in his life, and he's terrified out of his mind.

[eiattu_pride]

The blood grounds Rial in reality, away from thinking of Plourr, returning him to the here and now. "If you can get away in the 'speeder, do so. I'll try and get a team to get you out of there anyway, though. Are you badly injured?"

[sw-npc.livejournal.com]

"N-no, sir. I just took a couple of blows to the face. I'm alright. I just--"

A male voice in the background; a distant shout. Hilunda hisses a shrill curse and dives out of view.

The holo is simply of a blank wall for a moment, and then it goes black.

[eiattu_pride]

...oh. Oh. Oh, kriff.

Rial is frozen for a long moment, hands clenched into fists at his side and shoulders tight, tense, mind racing and whirling and giving him the same thought over and over and over: Plourr is gone.

So it's a few minutes before he drags himself back to the present, relaxing his shoulders and taking a deep breath before leaving the room. He's gone to rescue her the only way he knows, through meetings and conferences and information and stuffy bureaucrats who don't understand that it's not just the princess who's missing, it's his wife.

So he's not exactly a knight in shining armour, perched on a white steed.

But Count Rial Pernon is going to rescue his princess all the same.