Sometime on Boukun...

[amandanoon]

Noon stood still as the teleport beam coalesced around her, she looked around the room and nodded. Scans had been correct, there was no-one here, she let her hearing increase and listened she could hear the soft sounds of someone sleeping and in the distance what sounded like someone sorting dishes. Did that man never sleep? Checking with Thing

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[civ_barbarian]

As befitted the emperor, Hsu's quarters in the palace were not on a small scale. As it was, he had two bedrooms, both were very much his (except when visiting space tramps decided to use Boukun as a rest station). One, the one he was currently fast asleep in, was the more public of the two. It was the room he used when he entertained girls from Silk and Velvet, or another casual bedmate. They rarely stayed the entire night, but Hsu wouldn't be bothered to move into his larger and far more private bedroom. That was was round and decorated much like a ger with hanging silks and pillows along with ancient weapons hanging on the walls, a reminder of a much distant time and a much needed retreat for a man who always had demands on his time

[amandanoon]

Noon’s eyes flicked open the moment he stepped onto the tiled floor, and then quickly closed. She smiled to herself as she heard his footsteps go back out and then he returned. She waited for him to speak, knowing that he wouldn’t until he was ready and while she didn’t mind popping in to surprise him, even she knew there were limits, it was why they had remained friends for so long.

“Obviously not enough!” she replied, her quick response indicating that she was already awake.

She sat up and grinned up at him, “I always follow the old rule, let sleeping dogs lie, and you were fast asleep when I arrived last night. Besides, I was in no fit state to be seen by anyone, I’m going to have to put my ship in for some repairs the warp drive failed and dropped me out in deadspace, I’ve been crawling back for two months.” She gave a big heaving sigh and added “Thing made me clean the ship!”

She looked around spotted her clothes freshly laundered, ironed and piled neatly by the sofa and asked “Is it breakfast time?”

[civ_barbarian]

"Obviously," he replied dryly. And it wasn't lost on him that she must have already been awake, but didn't care to think about what she had seen, if anything. The thing was, he wasn't normally so self-conscious, but there was something about Noon and his relationship with her that they just didn't go there. Neither of them

[amandanoon]

Noon shook her head, how the secrecy of her visits had begun was a mystery to her, at first they had just met to discuss business but eventually as Hsu became more settled Noon popped in to see him in his private rooms, teleports being invented had helped with that. The fact that he hadn't made a big thing of introducing her to the rest of his "family" was probably the key factor. It had gone on so long that eventually Noon had felt it would just be too awkward and now there were political reasons

[civ_barbarian]

"And you know me well enough that I wouldn't care if they shit bricks, that in fact, I'd rather enjoy their apprehension should such an alliance be known." So much of what they had done and accomplished over the last several years had done both their businesses and interests a great deal of good. "We can't let them think that there is what amounts to a near monopoly running such a large expanse of the galaxy, and if Boukun expands too rapidly, that will only provoke suspicion." it wasn't as if Hsu had any great objection to their covert business dealings, only that she insisted on such nighttime surprises when she chose to visit

[amandanoon]

Noon grinned a wicked smile “Exactly, at least not until we’re ready, it’s always the fiddly little bits at the end of a big project that drive you nuts. Just need my mother to step down and then... my life ends.” Noon let out a loud sigh and shook her head at him “Don’t lecture me on the joys of being the leader today, I’m still adjusting back to being around living beings

[civ_barbarian]

"I find the fiddly bits are often the most interesting details." Oh, it was tempting to once again state his opinions on Noon's birthright and why she shouldn't be so reluctant to accept it. But he couldn't resist from saying nothing. "Or you might find life begins. Okay, I'll say no more....at least for a while

[amandanoon]

“Sometimes you have to stand back and let them fail. Be ready to pick up the pieces and let them figure out where it went wrong.” Noon said quietly as she poured herself another cup of tea, adding sugar and clinking the spoon on the china as she stirred. “But you and I will never agree on the best way to raise our own children, and I refuse to fall out with you over it. Besides, Daniel is lovely so your methods can’t be all bad.” She added with a grin

[civ_barbarian]

"And I have done that many times with him. He has to see that these projects are more than just fun and games, and that failure should bring real consequences. And Tabar is a huge undertaking, but he is more than old enough to not need my support.." He sat back, watching her, and knowing that this was a very old discussion. Yes, he had spoilt and sheltered Daniel back on Earth, but Noon also knew the very real reasons for him doing so. "No, I doubt that we will. nor shall we fall out over it." There was a slight glint of pride in his blue eyes at her praise. "Daniel and I may fight and disagree, but he knows that I love him

[amandanoon]

Noon shivered and shook herself, rubbing hard at her temples.

"Stop it, you're giving me a headache, rotten tease." she grinned at him, despite the pain she was obviously fending off.
"I'll let her know as soon as I get home. Fortunately for you, she thought to sweeten the deal and sent a shipment of your favourites with me. I nearly ate them during the trip, but I value my life more." Noon said, not letting on who she feared more Hsu or Marie.

"The Almighty Emperor Hsu has been decorating? Oh how the mighty have fallen..." she quipped as she got up, but kept her distance as she grinned at him "Attilla's Interior Design Service? No?" she added.

But she didn't keep her distance for long and fell into step with him, although she occasionally needed to add a tiny skip to keep up as his long legs out paced her at times.

[civ_barbarian]

"That's very wise of you." LIkewise, Hsu didn't give any hint as to whether he meant himself or Marie. "I will enjoy them. Please send her my thanks and my regards, and I will be in touch with her soon

[amandanoon]

"Oh no, don't lose the hedges, they attract the birds." Noon said in horror, as she loved to sit in the little garden and watch the local birds flit about, drinking out of the fountains. After months in space it was a relief sometimes to sit and commune with nature.

"Those are new," she said pointing at the pedestals, just as he began to explain his plans for them. "Ahh, so when should I expect my sitting for my portrait?" she asked and grinned at him. As the girl who managed to dodge cameras and kept her true appearance hidden from the newshounds back home it was unlikely she'd ever sit for a portrait willingly.

Noon stopped still and stared upwards and smiled "Well he's a fine looking fellow, who is it? Genghis Khan?" she asked "Shouldn't he have his foot on someone's neck?"

[civ_barbarian]

It was clear from the look he gave her, that he did not agree about the birds. "I find the hedges make it all too enclosed. In fact, you've just helped me to decide. I do not want bird shit all over here...the hedges will go. I knew I could rely on your opinion." No, Hsu was not exactly environmentally minded.

"You, sit for a portrait?" He looked at her dubiously. "I'll make you a deal, when you claim your inheritance and make a public appearance, I will commission a sculpture of you for here. Agreed?" He knew there would be little chance of that.

"You should be careful that you don't find my foot on your neck. I thought your eyesight was exceptional, perhaps you should look a little more carefully." His voice had dropped to a nice quiet tone, which was a very good indicator that she was pushing on the boundaries of his temper. "And although Genghis Khan was a great warrior and ruler, as were his brothers, he was far from 'fine-looking'."

[amandanoon]

Noon sighed "I knew I shouldn't have said anything, but it is a valid point, birds and sculpture do not go well together. Would you at least commission replacement hedgerows somewhere else in the palace gardens, grounds, uh surrounding parklands?" she looked up at him and added "Please?"

Noon shuddered in horror "Most definitely not, I'm not sure I could actually sit still for that long anyways. How about a piece of conceptual art instead, representing the relationship between our two empires?"

Noon tilted her head to one side and peered at the statue and then at him "I went too far didn't I?"

"It's actually a very good likeness, if I ever travel back in time I know who to keep my eye out for." she stepped back a step and took a more serious look at the statue, "Oh it has those eyes that follow you, how do they do that, it's unnerving." she said as she swayed from side to side on her feet. "Although I have to ask, why hide it away here? Surely you would want everyone to see it?"

[civ_barbarian]

Hsu looked down at her, seeing how she was almost pleading with him. "I'll consider it. There will be other gardens, as well as there is already parkland to the northeast, but that is set aside for hunting small game

[amandanoon]

"Well hedges are good for jumping over, if you're hunting on horseback, so that sort of works." Noon frowned "Uh do you hunt small animals on horseback?" she didn't have a clue, as she could never get close enough to a horse to even try riding one