Author's Note: First attempt at a DS9 story. This is meant to take place post-Unity and post-Warpath, with some artistic-license-taking thrown in for good measure. Please, if you see something wrong grammar-wise, let me know. Grammar is not my strong suit. If something regarding the monarchy structure of Caldos II is confusing, don't worry. My faithful beta Sylver and I discussed it, and it's going to be cleared up in the second chapter. That's already been decided, so that should eliminate any flames complaining about my screwing-up of the monarchy system. Additionally, the last name is pronounced "Dew-PRAY," just so you know. Oh, and mad props to my ever-faithful beta reader Sylver, who provides me with picky attention to detail, randomly hilarious DS9 crew-related jokes, and any DS9 info that I'm missing.
Disclamer: Paramount owns all but the Royal Family. I own them, I created them, and if you steal them, you face the almighty wrath of my beta Sylver. Anything else that you recognize from elsewhere is not mine. Oh, and because in-jokes come up in here, Dark Shadows is owned by the estate of Dan Curtis. I offer cookies to anyone who gets any of the in-jokes.
Chapter One
The view from the balcony was breathtaking. Never before had so much fanfare been made for a dignitary's visit to Bajor, but this was no ordinary politician. The streamers and floral garlands had been hung throughout the capital city in honor of the royal family of Caldos II, come on a diplomatic visit to cement a trade agreement between themselves and Bajor. Hours before, the Crown Prince of Caldos II had arrived with his wife and daughters, & the people of Bajor were gathering excitedly on the streets of the capital, hoping to catch sight of the royal family as they made their way to the home of the First Minister for an official reception.
"Tess, come back inside," Lady Kendra DuPres called to her sister, who was standing on the balcony of the home where the royal family was staying during their visit. At 24, Kendra was the oldest of the two DuPres children, and after her father, the heir to the throne of Caldos II. "Tess, do you want me to help you with your hair or not?"
Tess sighed and walked back inside the room she was sharing with her older sister, her dark red hair concealed by a towel & her silk dressing gown trailing the floor behind her. She removed the towel from her head, sending her semi-dried hair cascading down until it stopped nearly three-quarters of the way down her back. She sat down in front of the mirrored vanity table and sighed with resignation.
"I owe you, Kendra," she said as her sister began to brush her hair. "I never know what to do with it, especially when it needs to be done for something as important as this!" She winced slightly yet visibly as the brush was pulled through a tangle of hair.
Kendra smiled gently at her 20 year old sister and patted her shoulder. "You can repay me by not screaming when I start to put your hair up. What I have in mind for your hair today will require the use of quite a few pins."
"I'll do my best," Tess said, adjusting the neck of the dressing gown so it better shielded the dress she planned on wearing to the reception from the wetness of her hair. "So, dearest older sister of mine, have your ears heard anything regarding who, apart from our kind and generous hosts, will be attending said reception?"
"Well, dearest younger sister of mine," Kendra said, putting down the brush and motioning for Tess to pick up an open box of hair pins on the vanity table and hold it for her. "As I have heard it, the Emissary of the Bajoran Prophets will be in attendance. He is also the captain of the space station we saw during our approach, you know. Pin please."
Tess handed Kendra one of the pins. "I wasn't aware that Captain Sisko would be coming. I would think that after the war and the arrival of his daughter, interplanetary trade agreements and official receptions not aboard his own space station would be the last things on his mind."
"Apparently, the Bajoran First Minister thinks that an intermediate would be a vital part of the talks. Pin," Kendra said, using the pin that Tess gave her to hold a large strand of hair in place. "Father agreed with the First Minister, so Captain Sisko has been brought in to be the intermediate between our world and Bajor. Pin."
Tess handed Kendra another pin. "And let me guess. You know all of this classified information from…let's see…ah, I've got it! You've gotten this information from eavesdropping on Mother and Father's conversations!"
"It's truly amazing what you can learn when people assume that you are not there," Kendra laughed, taking a few more pins from the box with her free hand and pinning up a few more sections of hair.
"Where did you hide this time?" Tess grinned, knowing her sister's preference was a statue or a large curtain.
"Behind a statue, near a very large set of curtains," Kendra said, now able to grab the pins on her own. "Where else would I hide, Tess? Now, anyways, enough talk. We've got exactly 10 minutes until we have to leave for the Ministry Building, and I'm only halfway finished with your hair!"
Tessa laughed. The way she saw it, the evening was certainly shaping up to be an interesting one.
The carriage ride through Bajor's capital city was a short one, but an exhilarating ride nonetheless. The cheers of the people as the carriage bearing the royal family to the ministry passed them by were loud and plentiful. The Crown Prince disembarked from the carriage first to give aid to his wife and daughters. He escorted his wife up the stairs to the doors of the ministry, and then went back to the carriage for his daughters.
Crown Princess Sadira DuPres stood at the top of the stairs, looking on her family with pride as her husband helped their daughters-Kendra first, then Tess-out of the carriage. Her loving husband, her beautiful children, the pride and joy of her life: her family. As her daughters began their climb up the stairs, Sadira's eyes began to mist over. For a split second, she saw her daughters as small girls, climbing the steps of the government building on Caldos II at the tender ages of 4 and 8 years old. As fast as it came, the image dissipated, and before Sadira were her two grown daughters on the arms of their father.
Andrew DuPres, the Crown Prince of Caldos II, smiled fondly at his daughters, then offered his arm to his wife. The four were led inside the ministry building by a member of the Bajoran guard. Through statue and art-filled hallways and corridors they walked until they reached the doors of the main reception hall, guarded by two more members of the Bajoran guard and a man announcing the guests as they entered the reception.
Tess nervously looked around and squeezed Kendra's hand. "I'm nervous, Kendra. There's going to be so many people here, not to mention the Emissary. You're not going to let me mess anything up, are you?"
"Don't worry about it, sis," Kendra said with a small wink as they got in line behind their parents. "Everything's going to be fine. I'm not going to let you mess anything up." They moved up to the door, and as their names were announced, they entered the hall.
"His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince of Caldos II, Andrew DuPres; his wife Sadira, Crown Princess of Caldos II; and their daughters, the ladies Kendra and Tess."
At the announcement of the royal family's entrance, every head in the room-including those of Captain Benjamin Sisko and his son Jake-looked up. As the royal family moved deeper into the room, audible gasps and whispers followed them; all in awe, and many regarding their appearances.
Andrew had seen to it that he and his family were dressed accordingly for an official reception. As his father before him, Andrew wore the dress uniform of the Caldonian Guard, adorned with insignia bearing his rank and various medals he had earned through his years of service to the guard. Sadira's hair had been curled and piled atop her head, and her gown was floor-length, strapless, and made from lilac silk. Kendra and Tess also wore strapless gowns, but of different styles than that of their mother. Kendra's gown was floor-length blue silk, her blonde hair pulled up into a full bun, while Tess wore a floor-length gown of green silk, with half her hair pulled into a bun and the rest flowing down her shoulders.
They walked through the crowd, Kendra squeezing Tess's hand, until they reached the Bajoran First Minister, Opaka Sulan. Newly elected, Opaka had opened her peoples' minds to the idea of trade with Caldos II, and the people had responded with open arms and open minds to the proposition.
"First Minister Opaka, my family and I would like to extend our deepest thanks to you for even considering talks with Caldos II," Andrew said, shaking hands with her. "I sincerely believe that the trade agreement will be good for both our worlds."
Opaka smiled and nodded. "As do I, your Highness. As do I. Now, if you would follow me, I would like to introduce you to the man who has been chosen to be the mediator during the talks, Captain Benjamin Sisko." Kendra and Tess followed their mother and father and the First Minister over to where Captain Sisko was standing.
"Emissary, I would like to introduce Andrew DuPres, the Crown Prince of Caldos II," Opaka said. "Your Highness, this is the Emissary of the Prophets."
"Also known as Captain Benjamin Sisko," he said with a laugh, shaking hands with Andrew. "Unfortunately, my daughter Rebecca is sick, so my wife stayed behind. This is my son, Jake." Jake bowed slightly, then shook Andrew's hand too.
"A pleasure to meet the both of you," Andrew said. "I would like to introduce my wife, Sadira, and my daughters Kendra and Tess." Sadira and Kendra shook hands with Benjamin and Jake immediately, but Tess stood still for a second until Kendra nudged her forward to shake their hands as well.
"Apologies, Captain," she said. "I am a little shy in even the most casual of situations when I am meeting people with reputations as stellar as yours and your son's are." She stared at the floor; not looking up until, with nodded permission from Andrew, Sisko put his hand under her chin and gently lifted her head, smiling at the shy young woman.
"If you've heard as much as I think you have, then you may have heard too much!" Sisko laughed. "Tell me, Lady Tess, have you and your sister ever been on a space station before?"
"No, Captain, we haven't," Tess replied quickly. She stopped and corrected herself. "Actually, my sister might have. She's traveled with my parents a lot more than I have. I've been away at school, but I've taken a leave of absence to travel with my parents. Seeing as how she has been many more places than I have, she may well have been on a space station before. Why is it that you ask?"
"I was thinking, and forgive any presumptuousness on my part, Your Highness," Sisko said, addressing Andrew. "That your family may want a tour of Deep Space Nine. The decision, of course, is up to you, Your Highness, but the offer stands until the end of your visit."
Andrew appeared in deep thought for a moment or two, then nodded. "I am thinking that it would be a very interesting tour, Captain. At what time would it be convenient for you and your crew to host a visit?"
"Convenience is not a problem for us, Your Highness," Sisko replied. "We could be ready for you tomorrow, before the talks begin, if that is a good time for you."
"That would be a very good time for us," Andrew said with a smile. "We look forward to visiting Deep Space Nine in the near future."
The conversation eventually turned to other things, and then, in time, to other people. After dinner, there was dancing, and after the dancing, it was over. The DuPres family returned to their lodging, to sleep and await the beginning of the trade talks and their trip to the station.
Author's Note Deux: Roses are red, violets are blue, if you review this chapter, you'll get chapter two! Oh, and please remind me never to rhyme like that again...
