Clone Wars Reign Chapter 2 Meeting


Rae were in the flowery garden of the Palace, kneeling with a five year old girl playing in front of her. The little girl had short red hair and red eyes. Little Maya had been called because of her appearance little devil. Upon hearing about that Rae executed seven random members of the palace servants as a deterrent. Queen Rae Mary II is far different from the picture the Ranni common man knows.

Twenty metes away stand three palace guards in there blue armor. An older woman in her fifties or late forties come walking from an entrance to the palace. She's wearing a red long dress and have brown hair and grey eyes. She had a long and slim figure. Two guards in blue armor follow the woman. They have a yellow dragon of their chest plate. It symbolizes that they serve under the house of the woman.

Rae herself wear a long blue dress without sleeves. A golden crown covered the top of her head.

"Rae", the woman said as she came closer.

Rae turned around and stood up. A smile covered her lips. Though it was half fake.

"Mother", she smiled. "I'm so pleased you've returned".

They gave each other a gentle hug.

"We arrived only hours ago but I wanted to get settled in first", Catharine explained.

Rae covered up her surprised expression from her mother by the mention of "we". Who were we? She hadn't brought who'd she thought she had brought to the court… had she? Before she could continue on that thought or say anything more a little voice called.

"Hi grandma", little Maya said from behind her mother's dress.

"Hello little sweet. You look bigger every time I see you. Have you grown again"? Catharine asked.

Maya simply shrugged before tugging at Rae's dress.

"Mommy I'm bored", she explained.

"Already"? Rae asked. "No more monsters to kill"?

Maya shook her head.

"Well I might have two new friends you might like to meet", Catharine said bending down.

"Really"? Maya asked in disbelief.

"Oh, yes", Catharine smiled. "Why don't I take you to meet them"?

"Hmmm, okay", Maya said smiling while going after Catharine.

Rae glared after Catharine. Kael came walking towards her in high pace. He bowed before Rae.

"My Queen", Kael said.

"What do you want"? Rae asked irritated.

"I thought you'd like to know some of the people your mother brought back from her trip to her house in the mountains", Kael explained. "I don't think you'll like it".

Rae didn't take her eyes off Catharine walking towards the palace.

"Her lover I'd imagine", Rae assumed. "I can stand him".

Kael could see Rae's anger rising. Maybe he knew what his next words would be.

"Your mother also brought her sons to your court", Kael continued. "Pascel and Gonjo might not be sons of the dead King or legitimate. But as being sons they could gain many nobles to support just for being sons and not daughters".

He took a pause.

"Many might not like the thought of another Queen's reign after yours", Kael finished.

Rae looked right at Kael. Into his deep blue eyes.

"There is only one reason she would bring them to my court", she said. "Legitimize them as members of the royal family and"… her voice died off and she stared at Kael. It had just hit her.

He nodded.

"And change the line of succession", he finished for her. "I think increasing the guards would be agreeable at this point".

Rae didn't hear him. She cursed with venom in every word.

"She just had to bring them here", she said finally. "Why can't she be happy with the way things are".

"Your grace", Kael said. "Increasing the palace guards"?

She nodded.

"Do it", she ordered.

He walked by her side as they walked towards the palace. She was quiet. Holding her anger inside of her. Catharine knew she couldn't send them away. Without a doubt Catharine was already planning on a way to have them both legitimized. That would mean the end of Rae's reign and her life. Maybe even Maya's too. She would forever be a threat to the two brothers.

Of course both Pascal and Gonjo is far too little to understand any of what is going on around them yet. Pascal is twelve and Gonjo only seven. This far they were innocent children in a political game that all too often ended with someone dying.

A few hours later Rae sit upon her throne in the throne room with important members of the court gathered. Advisers, Jarls and other lords of importance. Jarl, it was a title given to Noble lords that was given extra military authority. They govern colonies and lead militia forces. The actually military was led by the military officers that's gone through the military academy or worked themselves up through the ranks.

Catharine and her young boys wasn't anywhere is sight. Entering the throne room, followed by a few guards are Obi-wan, Anakin, Ahsoka and Padme. Rae looks very unhappy, though she keeps it too herself. It would seem the senators from the Confederacy of Independent Systems have something better to do. Rae is rather inpatient and don't like at all to be kept waiting in her own palace. Not at all.

A guard stopped in front of the group.

"Your grace", he greeted. "Here are jedi master Obi-wan Kenobi, Jedi knight Anakin Skywalker, Padawan Ahsoka Tano and Republic senator Padme Amidala from Naboo".

He bowed and stepped to the side. They all bowed before Rae.

"I present to you, Queen Rae Mary II, glorious ruler of the Ranni Empire", a man exclaimed, standing by the side of the throne.

"It is an honor to meet you your grace", obi-wan said curtly.

"And I am honored by your presence", Rae said.

"Your grace"? Obi-wan asked. "I'm afraid I don't understand what"…

"Did you see the CIS cruiser in orbit when you arrived master jedi"? Rae asked, seemingly ignoring his question.

"Yes, we did", Obi-wan nodded.

"Do you see them"? Rae asked with a smug smile.

"No, I must say I do not", Obi-wan said.

Rae's eyes switched to Padme.

"Senator Amidala", she said. "You're here to convince me to allow your ships the pass our territory, are you not"?

Padme stepped forward and nodded.

"That's correct your grace", Padme said. "If not we"…

Rae raised her hand and smiled a smug smile at her.

"That seems to be in your favor", Rae said. The Republican's expressions told her they didn't understand. She gestured outward over the room with her hands. "You haven't kept me waiting".

Anakin kept his smug smile back. This seemed to start off well. The Separatist emissaries started off by keeping the queen waiting in her own throne room on them. Maybe this would be easier then he thought at first.

"I am tired of waiting so we'll start without them", Rae said.

Mumbled erupted from the men and women around the walls of the throne room. Rae ignored the mumbling with an annoyed gaze around the room.

A guard entered the room suddenly. Anakin cursed after seeing it was two CIS senators and another man. One was a green skinned black haired woman named Adela and the other was a human man named Cornelius Brutus. He was actually a Ranni noble that moved to a Separatist core world and quickly worked himself up to a senator position. He has promised Dooku to deliver the Ranni Empire into his hands.

The third man was a grey skinned and bold Yugian military officer. A Commandant. He wore a black Elite Guard uniform.

"My Queen", the guard in blue armor speak. "I present to you Senator Adela from Fondor and… Senator Cornelius Brutus born of Carthage Prime".

Cornelius wasn't happy over the presentation he was given.

"Your grace", Adela bowed.

"Thank you for joining us", Rae said with a venomous tone.

"You must excuse us, we were held up", Adela apologized. "But now we are here".

Upon hearing the doors open again Rae sighed in annoyance. Her annoyance turned into anger when her mother with her two sons walked in.

"Excuse us you being late, my Queen", Catharine apologized.

Rae smiled and nodded. Her eyes quickly watched the two boys walking towards the right side of the throne room. She'd nether seen them before. Strangely enough the oldest, the twelve year old Pascel had red hair. Neither his mother nor her father, Jansen who was Catharine's lover had red hair. They had brown hair both. The other, seven year old Gonjo had brown hair like his mother. Could it be Pascel wasn't Jansen's child but her fathers?

She broke from her thoughts and leaned forward to her left, where the boys stood in front of Catharine. Rae had decided to unto in an easy was the threat posed from the two brothers. But, if Pascel could be her brother, that knowledge might end her reign if her mother would prove it. If it was even true.

Rae smiled at the boys and waved them forward. If Catharine would take them to court she'd pay the price my watching them grow closer to her.

"Come on", Rae said waving them to her. She spoke in a friendly voice. The friendly tone made the youngest, Gonjo stepped forward and walk towards her. Pascel looked at Gonjo and followed him. Rae saw that Catharine didn't want them to go to her but obviously she couldn't do anything. Furthermore, in a subtle way she's showing the Separatists who insulted her by coming late that this, this is her backyard.

Everyone in her court knew who these boys were and there official relation with the queen. She was showing her kindness to her court. That her kindness stretched to those who deserved it.

Rae stepped off the throne and kneeled down beside it. When Gonjo comes to her she turns him around and lets him sit down in her lap. Holding his hands gently she leans her head to his side and whispers to him.

"Hi, Gonjo", she whispered in his ear while still smiling.

Being shy he mumbled something she couldn't make out.

"Have you ever met a queen Gonjo"? She whispered.

Gonjo shook his head in a shy manner. But he liked her. She could tell he liked sitting in her lap. Looking up she smiled at Pascel who finally dared to stand in front of her. Rae surprised everyone by gesturing him to sit on her throne. Surprised he seemed to pull himself together from the shock and slowly while not taking his eyes off Rae he sat down on the throne. She nodded encouraging.

"Have you ever sitting on a real throne"? Rae inquired.

"My Queen", Adela raised her voice. "If we were to move on to important matters".

Rae looked up from talking in a low voice to Pascel and Gonjo.

"You find my little half-brothers annoying and unimportant"? Rae asked.

Anakin couldn't hold himself from smiling a smug smile. It felt like the Separatist senators were continuously digging themselves further into the earth.

"I-I didn't mean that", Adela tried to assured.

Cornelius stepped forward with his hands locked behind his back.

"I apologize for any insult laid by accident by my friend", he apologized curtly.

Rae nodded and asked something to Gonjo. Nobody heard the question and barely saw the little shy nod. She then turned back to them.

"Speak", Rae said.

Cornelius cleared his throat and threw an eye at the Republic emissaries. The Yugian had remained silent through all this.

"We are all here for the same reason so if you would grant us passage through your territory we'd offer your people our protection against any external threat. We are willing to offer you the Feunla system", Cornelius explained.

Rae didn't look very impressed by the proposal.