Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and settings used in this story (If I do then Beth wouldn't have died and Bethyl would have lived happily ever after in that funeral home).
Summary: Resistance Commander Daryl Dixon was tasked by General Leia Organa to escort the present Queen of Naboo to Hosnian Prime safely. However the shock wave brought by the explosion caused by the The First Order's destruction of the Republic Capital had pushed their ship off course and forced them to land on an inhabitable planet filled with man-eating humanoids. Together they must survive until someone receives their distress signal and rescue them.
Commander Daryl Dixon watched Naboo's setting sun casting a soft orange at the vast garden surrounding the palace. Naboo is such a beautiful planet, he has no idea how it spawned one of the most evil creature in the galaxy. The Empire's tyranny maybe over but the scars it left will always remain.
He's currently at a palace terrace waiting for the Queen. He was tasked by General Organa to escort Queen Faè, current monarch of Naboo, to Hospian to meet with senator and officially introduce him to the New Republic Senate. Since Naboo is one of the Resistance biggest supporters and its Queen being a good friend of the General makes her a potential target of the First Order.
Daryl believed that his skills are being wasted playing chauffeur to a child queen. He's the Resistance's best fighter and sharp shooter he should be on the frontline battling the First Order. Hearing footsteps he dragged one last puff of smoke from his cigarra and threw the stub away. At last the revered Queen has finally summoned for him, she sure is taking her sweet damn time. Daryl is itching to finish this mission so that he can go back to the base and do something more useful with his time.
"Commander Dixon I am Captain Rhee, Head of Security, it is a pleasure to welcome you to Naboo." A man in uniform came up and greeted him with a short bow. "If you please follow me, I would like to formally introduce you to her royal highness."
He followed the man to what seemed like the throne room. Like every other room he'd seen in this palace, this room is just as majestic as the other room he'd seen, if not more so. There is grand crystal chandelier hanging on the ceiling and the walls were highly decorated with murals. In front was a golden throne where the revered Queen was seated.
Queen Faè's face was painted white, red dots on each cheeks and a mark of remembrance on her lower lip. She was donning an elaborate robes and a large headpiece that looks heavier than her. Beside her were a handful of handmaidens.
"Your majesty" Captain Rhee bowed down his head in respect to his monarch "I present to you Commander Daryl Dixon of the Resistance. He shall be escorting you through your journey to Hospian and back." Daryl followed Captain Rhee's example and bowed down, albeit more clumsily. He has never met a royal before in his life and he's lost on what to do.
Hearing a soft giggle, he looked up to find its source and see mirthful blue-eyes of one of the Queen's hand-maidens. The Queen was known in the galaxy for her beauty, wisdom, grace and kindness, but what caught his attention was not the Queen's regal looks but the soft kind smile of the hand-maiden standing on the Queen's right side.
"Commander Dixon, I, and the whole of Naboo, thank you for your service." The voice of the Queen brought him out of the trance. "... I hope you had a pleasant journey." The queen addressed him.
"Yes your majesty." He answered her awkwardly, peering every now and then at the beautiful handmaiden.
"If I may your majesty." The blue-eyed angel spoke to her sovereign, her voice sounding bell-chimes. "I believe it to be more prudent to let our gallant escort to rest for the night. I'm sure he's exhausted from interstellar travel."
"I agree your highness." Captain Rhee seconded the suggestion "it would also be much safer for you to start your journey with the aid of the day's light."
"Then we shall set off in the morn. No later than 0700 standard time. Would that be alright with you, Commander?"
He nodded, knowing that it would be useless to argue. Although he would much rather complete this mission, staying for the night would at least allow him to rest his aching bones.
"Very well then, Beth shall accompany you to your chambers. I bid you good night." The Queen dismissed him to which he bowed down once more.
The Blue eyed beauty walked gracefully and stood in-front of him. Her height barely reached past his shoulders. But despite her small stature and lean figure, she still cast a commanding aura; strong and confident.
Beth. So that is her name.
"If you please follow me, I shall accompany you to your chambers." Beth smiled at him before leading the way around the maze like halls of the palace.
"This is where you shall be staying for the night." She told him as she opened the double doors that lead to a bedroom that is 4 times the size of his own back in The Resistance Base. The walls are decorated with large oil paintings, sculptures and other artefacts. The bed is so big that 2 Wookies can comfortably sleep on it.
"This is one of our VIP room. The Queen insist for you to stay here as a sign of her gratitude for your service. I hope it's to your liking." She asked him amused by his awed expression.
"It's too much." He told her honestly. He's used to living in small tight spaces. He's never seen, much less slept at a room as grand as this.
Sensing his discomfort Beth asked, "If it's not of your taste, I'm sure we can find you a more suitable suite?"
Daryl shook his head "Nah, I-I appreciate her Majesty's generosity but…" Daryl doesn't know how to explain it without seeming ungrateful to Beth and the Queen "But, I'd be much more comfortable on my own bunk back at my ship. The wide open space makes me uncomfortable." Daryl explained.
Beth nodded and smiled in understanding. "Well, I guess I should escort you back to the palace hangar then."
Daryl sighed in relief, happy for the lack of judgment in Beth's eyes.
"It seems that you have captured Commander Dixon's eye, your Grace." Amy, Beth's Hand-maiden and decoy, teased as Beth helped undress her decoy off of her ceremonial robe. As per the advice of Captain Glenn Rhee, for added protection, Beth was told to switch roles with Amy for the entire journey to Hospian.
Beth understood where Glenn was coming from since he himself cannot oversee her safety himself. Beth had ordered Glenn to stay and protect Naboo during her absence. But that's not the entire reason why she ordered for him to stay behind. Her sister, Maggie, who also happened to be Glenn's wife is about to give birth soon and Beth cannot, in her good conscience, let him miss the wondrous occasion.
Of course both Maggie and Glenn argued against Beth's decision, especially with the ongoing war with the First Order. But Beth was adamant, which was why Maggie contacted General Leia, behind her sister's back, asking her to spare a fighter to oversee Beth's safety. Beth was initially livid by her sister's interference but soon acquiesced just to appease her sister's worry. Beth had learned the hard way that it's best not to argue with a stubborn pregnant woman.
"Oh hush. It wasn't like that." Beth can't help but blush at her friends' teasing.
"And it seems that the feeling is mutual." Rosita observed the reddening face of their monarch.
"I can't blame you, Your Majesty; Commander Dixon is rather handsome, in a dirty roguish way. I wonder if he's as wild in bed as he is in the battlefield." Tara, another one of Beth's handmaiden teased which spurred more giggles at Beth's expense.
Beth cannot lie to her own self; she is attracted to the Resistance Fighter. But there is more to him than his roguish good looks. Behind his aloofness, she can see a kind, caring and selfless man. She observed that he's mostly silent and would only speak when spoken to. But his eyes say more than what mere words can convey.
Leia had told her that Daryl Dixon was one of the Resistance's best fighter; strong, intuitive, loyal and trustworthy. He was handpicked by Leia herself to oversee her protection and Beth has utmost trust on her aunt's judgement. Unknown to most people, Beth's a distant relative of the Skywalker twins; her maternal great grandmother Sola Naberrie was Padmè Amidala's sister.
Beth had always admired Padmè Amidala and has aspired to follow her footsteps. Beth's ideals on her reign on Naboo were founded on the same beliefs of the revered Queen and Senator herself.
Beth was brought out of her trance when her heavily pregnant sister and best friend entered her chambers. "Enough with the teasing ladies, my sister will be having an eventful day and is in need of her rest. You all should rest too, seeing as you'll all have a long journey ahad of you." Maggie's authoritative tone silenced everyone in the room.
Beth silently thanked her sister and dismissed her handmaidens. They all bowed down respectfully and dutifully left her chambers leaving the two sisters alone.
"So, what is this I hear about a handsome Resistance Commander gaining the attention of Naboo's beloved Queen?" Maggie inquired as soon as the last of Beth's handmaidens left the room.
"Oh no, not you too." Beth groaned; how naïve was she to believe that her sister came here to rescue her from the onslaught of teasing.
"Humor the pregnant lady, Bethy. It's not every day that someone manage to capture my sister's eye. With your love and loyalty towards our people, I thought for sure you'd become an old maid." Maggie laughed as she waddled to her sister's bed and sat down to rest her aching feet.
Beth scoffed at her sister, "I have plenty of suitors, thank you very much." It's not entirely false…she did have two or three suitors who all grew tired of being placed second. It's not her fault that her first love is her people and it's her duty as their appointed Queen to put them first before her own personal interest.
"That's hardly the point. You've immersed yourself into too much work you hardly had time for yourself. I just want you to be happy." Maggie fretted. Since being elected, first as the princess of Theed, and eventually as Queen of Naboo, she rarely took care of her own self. She usually stays up late at night, sometimes until dawn, working herself to death. Without Maggie's constant intervention, Beth would have had.
As a matter of fact she did, back when she was still the Princess of Theed. She had worked herself to exhaustion that she collapsed. Since then Maggie joined her sister to ensure that she would eat her meals on time, get enough sleep and not drown herself with more work than she can take.
"I am happy Maggie. Serving the people of Naboo makes me happy." Beth took hold of her sister's hand in reassurance.
Maggie squeezed her sister's hand, smiling sadly, "Beth, You know I just want you to find the same happiness that I have found in Glenn."
"If it's the deities will for me to find a someone who loves me enough to understands my duty towards my people is my main priority then I will." Beth assured her sister. Maggie silently prayed to all the deities that her sister would find such a man. Beth had spent most of her life taking care of others; she needs someone to take care of her for once.
"Very well then, I shall leave you to rest. I will see you tomorrow when you leave." Maggie said as Beth helped her stand up and walked her out.
"You don't have to." Beth insisted.
"You may be the queen but I'm still your big sister. You can't boss me around." She quickly closed the door not allowing her sister an opportunity to respond.