A/N: I don't own Star vs. the Forces of Evil or Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Chapter Two: The Princess and I
It had only been two hours since Marco was ordered by his master to personally safeguard the princess and in that short time frame wanted to put his own lightsaber through his chest. He knew that Star didn't like his orders anymore then he did and that very clear to him by shooting him glares and telling him to keep his distance away from her. Currently, the Padawan was standing outside of the princess's bedroom after she literally slammed the door in his face and locked it behind her.
"Princess Star, please unlock door" he asked in the calmest voice he could possible use right now
"You're not coming in here!" she shot back through the door "Go be with your master or something—just get away from me!"
"Trust me; I'd rather be doing anything else other then this!" Marco replied in harsher tone then he meant it to be
"Well now I'm differently not letting you in, you jerk!" Star argued back
"What? No—wait that's not that I meant—Argh!" the Padawan was fumbling through his words at this point
It was right about now that the teenager wanted to bang his head against the wall. It had been some time since he had some social interaction with someone his age and it goes without saying that he was rusty at it. He was more at himself then he was at the princess—though she wasn't helping his mood much right now either. There was a time when he would hang out with several other members of the militia that were around his age when he wasn't training with his teacher. Even though some of the soldiers that enlisted into the militia where still teens, Kota gave them a chance to serve in his army, saying that they had a right to fight as much as adults did. While Marco enjoyed having fun with his friends and fighting alongside them in the heat of battle, sadly in the end it only amounted to the Padawan burying them on some distant world and far from their homes.
As the Jedi in training was reliving painful memories, he suddenly sensed that something was wrong within the princess's room. It wasn't like a life or death experience he was feeling, but he did sense a shift of moods within the girl's bedroom. Marco then reached out through the Force and began to tinker with the lock on the door, turning the gears and mechanisms within it until he managed to unlock it. He then stepped inside to find the girl he was ordered to protect half way out of the bedroom window.
"Oh no you don't!" the Padawan proclaimed
"Oh yes I do!" Star answered as she tried to climb out of the window
Calling on the Force once more, Marco reached out and pulled the princess back and held her in place while he closed the window and locked it. Once he did, he released his hold on the girl—who was rather displeased at being foiled at her escape attempt.
"You're a real nerf-herder, you know that?" she scolded him as she marched up to him "You're just like everyone else!"
"Now wait a second princess I—"the Padawan attempted to explain his actions
"You think that just because I'm a princess that I shouldn't go run off on adventures!" Star continued, jabbing a finger at his chest as she did
"Well no I—"
"Well let me tell you something mister Jedi!" she declared, putting sarcasm into those last two words "I can take care of myself!"
"I know!" her bodyguard nearly shouted "I know you can protect yourself. I saw how you took out that commando droid earlier—it was amazing! I knew from that moment that you didn't need me to watch out for you, because you can clearly do that yourself! In fact the only real reason I stopped you just now was because I panicked!"
Once Marco's outburst was over, he saw that the princess was looking back at him with wide-eyes and had a shocked expression on her face. Obviously aware that he had embarrassed himself, he made the attempt to apologize to Star.
"Forgive me, princess" he said in a flustered voice as he bowed "I was speaking out of tone I shouldn't have—"
"No has ever said that about me. Like ever" Star said, still stunned by his words "Thank you"
"Uh…your welcome, I guess" the Jedi in training answered, a tad confused by her reaction
The young girl then turned away from the Jedi and sat down on her bed. She then gestured for Marco to sit next to her, which he compiled.
"Look, I'm sorry I was giving you a hard time. I know you had nothing to do with this" Star apologized "I'm just so sick of everyone thinking I'm some weak little princes—it's so cliché!"
"I know how that feels" Marco agreed with a sigh "Most people take one look at me and either see just some kid or some weak little Padawan. Aside from Master Kota—everyone else just underestimates me. They just don't think I can be more then this"
Marco then stood up from the bed and turned to face the princess with a gently expression on his face. He then held out a hand to her as her, giving her a small yet still warm smile as he did.
"Maybe you don't need a hero, princess" he said warmly "But how about a friend?"
Star looked at him in amazement for several seconds before reaching out and gently taking his hand in hers before he pulled her up from the bed and to her feet. As he did, she leaned a bit too far and bumped her nose with the young Jedi's nose by accident. Marco instinctively jerked his head backwards in order to keep his lips from touching hers as well. His heart raced at the chance of being this close to the girl, but his Jedi training shot down any wild thoughts he had of the princess; for love was forbidden among the Knights of the ancient Order. Instead he took several steps back away from Star, holding down a blush as he did. He then noticed a hint of disappointment in the young girl's eyes, as if she was slightly saddened by not being closer to him.
"I think I'd like that, Master Jedi" she finally said with a gracious smile "But please, just call me Star, ok?"
"Only if you to just call me Marco" the young Jedi agreed with a small chuckle
"I can live with that" the princess responded, her smile growing wider as she did
Marco couldn't help but share his new friends infectious smile, but on the inside his mind couldn't help but feel worried over what might happened to the girl as the war for Mewni would continue, for now he would just like to feel happy until such moments arose.
Ludo's eyes narrowed in Suspicion at the warrior Dooku had sent to him. The would-be king didn't like the idea of a former Jedi (and the fear of being Force-choked again) hanging over his head around the clock. Ever since he started this rebellion on Mewni, he had a vision that only he and he alone would rule the planet, but it after several defeats at the hands of the Mewnin military it became clear to him that he needed help with his campaign. So against his better judgment, he allied himself with the Separatists for the support of their droid army, however in doing so, he had to begrudgingly come to terms that he was going to have to report to higher authorities for the rest of his rule. So when the Sith Lord sent a fallen Jedi to assist him to win the war for planet, he couldn't help but suspect that this may be the start of Separatists undermining his rule.
"Let me make something very clear to you, Jedi" Ludo began, his words becoming icy at the last words "Count Dooku may have sent you here, but as long as you live under my castle you will follow my orders, understand?"
"I do" Toffee acknowledged in a monotone voice
"Well you had better because I'll have you thrown—whaaaat?" the short tyrant babbled in confusion
"Dooku only sent me here to deal with the two Jedi—whom I have personal a history with—and the royal family then leave Mewni once the planet is yours to control" the fallen Jedi continued on "once the war is won, you will have free reign over the planet and be recognized as a high-ranking member in the Separatist council"
"Really? Oh I like the sound of that!" Ludo cheered before eyeing Toffee with annoyance again "So what are you waiting for? I want those Jedi dead!"
"I'm afraid it's not that simple" Toffee causally countered "You see, I faked my death on Mygeeto and if I am to stay hidden from the Jedi Order, then I must work in secret. For if I'm discovered before my task is done then it might prove…problematic, for all of us"
"So how are you going to complete your mission and stay hidden? Seems a bit counter-intuitive if you ask me" Ludo argued
"Oh don't worry, I have my ways" the fallen Jedi answered "But for now, I require a room. I wish to meditate in private"
"Of course" the would-be king said before looking over to his right-hand man "Buff Frog, take our…guest, to one of our rooms"
The man-frog nodded in understanding before gesturing to Toffee to follow him to his new room, however just as they where about to exit the throne room, the former Jedi turned around to face Ludo's direction one more.
"Oh, there is one more thing I forgot to mention" he said before his voice became colder "If you ever call me a Jedi again…I'll kill you"
Ludo went pale upon hearing that, but before could apologize; Toffee had already left the throne room. In truth, the new servant of the Sith could care less what might happen to to Ludo and his little rebellion, Lord Tyrannous had sent him to Mewni for another reason altogether; the task of killing Rahm Kota and his pupil was merely a cover story so that the short tyrant would not suspect his true intentions of coming here, through it was fortuitous that Marco had come to the planet, for Toffee had plans for him, but until then, he would work in the shadows and in the service of the Sith.
...
A/N: sorry for the short chapter, but I hope you guys liked it regardless
