Note: It has been a long time coming. Thanks everyone for your support while I was away. And an extra special thanks to Lauriana for continuing with me on this journey after so many years away! Anyway, here you go:
"Of course. I'd be delighted to join you for dinner," Mara replied to the image on her holo-screen, fluttering soft dark lashes over her sharp green eyes and hoping the man on the other end of the screen couldn't see the beads of perspiration at her temples.
"Ah, wonderful," Prince Phialo smiled back at her greedily, "I'd love to go over your proposal free of, ahh… unnecessary distractions,"
Mara bit her tongue and hid a grimace.
"And since I'm not quite as familiar with the area, I would be ever so grateful if you were to choose the venue, My Dear."
"How does Tres Envioux sound?" Mara suggested the first place that came to mind, then paused a moment and tried to ignore the nagging feeling that she was forgetting something.
"Sounds perfect. Shall I pick you up at eight?"
Mara frowned, "…Eight?"
"Miss Jade, is something wrong?" The Prince asked concernedly, raising one eyebrow.
With a light shake of her red hair, Mara attempted to steady her swimming thoughts and dismissed the feeling as déjà vu, "No Your Highness, I'll be ready for you at eight." She chose to display her most disarming smile as she cut the connection with Phialo. Tonight she would have the Prince eating out of her hand. The deal would be signed and gift-wrapped for Karrde before morning, she was sure of it. That is, if she could just settle her stomach and clear her head. Speaking of which...
Mara sighed and plopped unceremoniously onto the couch behind her, then grimaced in pain as her headache surged. She swore to herself that she would make Skywalker sorry for his behavior at the party last night. In fact, she had meant to go to his place afterwards and confront him, but she must have just been too exhausted – or drunk – because she remembered leaving the venue and that was it; she must have only barely made it home before passing out.
With a fresh surge of determination, Mara stood with every intention of going to tell off that nosey Jedi, but a wave of nausea changed her destination to the 'fresher unit where she spent the next several hours.
And then it was time to get ready for dinner…
Luke Skywalker looked at the wall chrono and spoke the numbers aloud to himself, "Six forty-five."
Thinking it would be a good idea to start getting ready a bit earlier that he usually did since Mara specifically warned him not to be late, the Jedi hung the black suit he would wear on a hook near the 'fresher, then hopped into the shower for a quick scrub. Ten minutes later he was toweling himself off, a smile slowly forming on his lips.
The more he thought about it, the more he couldn't believe his luck! He'd been trying to gather his courage for weeks to ask Mara out. Ever since she stopped trying to kill him (even before, probably), he had wondered what it would feel like to hold her close. For her to gaze deeply into his eyes as he drowned in hers.
He was snapped out of his fantasy when the door chime sounded. Luke stretched out with his senses and was surprised at who he found waiting outside his apartment. Quickly, Luke secured the last fasteners on his dress tunic as he made his way to the entrance and opened his door.
"Hey, Lando!" Luke pulled the rakish gambler into a friendly embrace, "Come in, come in! What's going on?"
Lando grinned widely and clasped Luke's shoulder, "Hey, Kid, its good to see you! Sorry to show up unannounced, I was just in the area and was wondering if you could help me with a small problem I'm having,"
Luke glanced at his wrist chrono and saw that he still had an hour before meeting Mara, "Sure, I've got a few minutes, Lando. What seems to be the problem?"
Impossibly, Lando's grin widened, "I knew I could count on you, Buddy! It would actually be quicker if I just showed you, and it will really only take a minute..."
Luke glanced at his wrist chrono again and swore. He was nearly twenty minutes late to pick up Mara and he was sure she would be furious. Lando had been right about the favor only taking a minute, he just underplayed how long it would take to get there... and back, "Just in the area, my boot," Luke said under his breath as he sounded the door chime at Mara's apartment.
After only a moment, Luke inhaled slowly and gave the door an odd look; he couldn't sense anyone inside. His brow furrowed in concern as he rapped several times on the door, "Mara?" He called, knowing he wouldn't get an answer.
"Mister, are you looking for the pretty red-haired lady that lives there?" A young girl of about four or five years was staring at him from down the hall, holding a red ball under one arm and ignoring the younger girl at her feet who was lightly kicking her shins.
"Um, yeah," Luke replied, caught somewhat off guard.
"She left a while ago in a beautiful blue dress! It was the most beautiful dress I've ever seen! I asked her if she was going to a ball, but she said she was just meeting someone for dinner," the girl seemed quite disappointed that the beautiful dress hadn't been meant for a magical ball, but seemed interested in the occasion anyway, "What's your name, Mister?"
"I'm Luke. What's your name?" He was thankful for the girl's observations and took this as good news. Maybe she assumed that he was meeting her there instead of picking her up.
"I'm Bekkah and this is Kymmie," she patted the head of the little blonde girl still kicking away at Bekkah's legs, and ignoring Luke, "Are you going to dinner with that lady? You look fancy, too."
"Yes, Bekkah. I'm meeting the pretty lady for a fancy dinner. Tell me, how did she look when she left. Was she happy or sad? Or maybe mad?"
"Oh! She looked happy! And she winked at me when she left! When I get big I want to wear a dress like that and go to a ball, though. Not to a dinner, that sounds boring."
Luke chuckled, relieved. Though, her good mood probably wouldn't last if he left her waiting at the restaurant much longer. He gave the little girl a grin, "Well, Bekkah. When you're big enough to wear a dress like that maybe I'll take you to a ball,"
Bekkah's eyes lit up with delight and she squealed, "Oh wow! I'm going to go tell my friend! She's not going to believe this! Thanks Mister Luke!" And with that she took off running down the hall, tiny Kymmie scrambling to keep up.
Luke smiled again as he made his way back to his transport. This evening might not be a total bust after all...
Prince Phialo arrived at precicely eight o'clock in the lobby of Mara Jade's building, but had to take a moment to collect himself when he first caught sight of her. The cut of her dress was simple, yet astounding. It was halter style, in that there was a string of glittering diamonds which held the front panels up by curving around the base of her neck from one side to the other, but the center V of the neckline plunged low enough that her navel was exposed, revealing a painstakingly toned abdomen. The back (of which there wasn't much) consisted solely of another string of diamonds connecting the string at her neck with the royal blue silk below her waist, falling delicately to her ankle. The provocative slit nearly up to the top of Mara's right thigh seemed mild and almost adolescent compared to the rest of the gown. The dress was a tailored masterpiece, obviously made specifically for its current wearer, and left very little to the imagination. Phialo wasn't completely sure he was going to be able to make it through the entire evening before taking her.
"My Lady, there are simply no words to describe your beauty this evening," He drank in the sight of her, admiring her coppery locks swept up from her neck in an intricate twist only to cascade back down in soft waves ending just above the sparkling gemstones of her dress. His eyes traveled down the rest of her, pausing briefly to admire each curve and every inch of flesh, "Simply divine," he murmured as he took her hand and gently kissed her fingers.
Mara blushed innocently and lowered her eyes, "Thank you, Your Highness. Shall we go?" With her last word, she looked the Prince directly in the eyes and gave him a knowing smile.
Prince Phialo nodded an agreement as he offered his arm, which she took, and led her to the door. Quickly glancing about, The Prince took note that while every set of eyes in the lobby were gaping at the gorgeous specimen on his arm, her crisp green gaze never left his face.
Yes, he decided, this was going to be quite an evening.