Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun.
It had been some time since she'd last seen the capital, what with her recent duties pulling her beyond the borders to the forested lands of the Treedweller clans. The sight of the golden city, glistening in the morning sun touched a tender spot in her heart. Some of her happiest, and saddest, memories were made here, and she treasured the great citadel of Stavo unlike any other place in the world.
From the gardens climbing along side the cliff walls, to the breathtaking waterfalls lining them, Stavo was a glistening jewel unlike any other on Advorosia. And she was it's princess.
The ships were swift to make port, lowering the landing ramps with mechanical clanging and banging. She maneuvered round the massive columns that served as feet meant to balance the grand structures. Each ship had been large enough to house twenty land-crawlers maximum, though her entourage only required three amongst the variety of smaller weapons stored inside.
Full capacity seemed a tad overzealous for dealing with the indigenous, despite their status as an empire.
Crossing a great courtyard of decorative gold beams and gray stone, the woman moved proudly in her regal attire. Consisting of a teal tunic with leather shift and gold belt, she felt beautiful. Yet, her dark harem pants and traveling boots gave her the freedom of feeling mobile. Her father always said she crossed too many paths in her day, so she made sure to be ready for any of those turns when they came for her.
With light brown eyes sparkling in the suns light, and wavy chestnut hair pulled back into twin braids, she marched directly into the castle with good news. The castle itself was rather contemporary looking, compared to the stone halls she'd dwelled in whilst in the deep woods. Steel comprised the walls, keeping the dirt from hiding in the crevices that mortar often left wide in stone construction.
Her great, great, great grandfather, Ranali the first had been the one to construct such a space, re-emphasizing the importance of the technology brought to Advorosia by the Drajdai millenia ago. His vast infatuation with technology was only rivaled by her own, unquenchable thirst to understand the inner workings of any given thing.
Such as the gears that turned her beloved father's court.
She entered the grand doors, each laden with forged images of the great wars between clans, and stepped into the amphitheater styled hall that was her father's throne room. He sat before her, a little heavier than the last, but still as unshakable as he'd always been. His beard and mane now resembled his father at that age, lined with streaks of gray and white as they fought to overtake his scalp. Slight creases lined his eyes as fatigue ate away at his youth. Yet his green eyes shown bright, much like his reverent mother's always had.
With a great grin on his full lips, Demantis, Lord of Stavo, Chief of the Tribe Skywalker, the Erdgos Mountains and the Windrider Provinces, welcomed her home. And he did so unconventionally.
"Shmi!" He cried out, standing to cross the hall past a dignitary prostrating himself on the floor. She smiled widely, leaping into his embrace. She could barely utter the words father amongst his jubilee, "How was your trip?" The man demanded of her merrily, to which she shrugged, "More so, how was the peace talks with the Treedwellers?"
Stepping back to report properly as the merchant on the floor stood back up, Shmi nodded to her father and admitted, "Lord Mikos of Searing Forest has promised his undying commitment to the alliance of the Seven Tribes, namely to that of the acting chief of the Skywalkers." She presented to him the HoloDocument to prove it, along side a ceremonial dagger for her father to wear.
It was carved from the tusk of a Gargatapir, large beasts that dwelled within Searing Forest. Lord Mikos himself had hunted the beast, providing his home with ample food and supply for the feast of peace that preceded her receiving this bejeweled gift. With great pride, her father took the piece of art from her small hands and admired the handiwork involved in its design. With a great nod, he gave her his approval, signaling that his break from protocol was over for the day.
"You serve our lands well, princess." He told her, applause raining down on both of them before turning about to return to his duties with the merchants guild of Stavo Castle Town. She could see in his eyes that a feast all her own was soon to be planned that evening, one he announced as he returned to his chair. A feast met with as much applause as she'd garnered.
Shmi grinned to herself, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear as attention fell from her back to the issue at hand. She roamed the edges of the amphitheater with her hands laced behind her back. Well, in her mind she felt as though she was swimming through a crowd of open-mouthed fish. Each and every step she took was met with curious onlookers, firing off 'respectful' questions as she made her way. Polite and kind, she did her best to answer every query, growing more exhausted with each step.
It took her nearly half an hour to reach the ones she sought, her two, twin uncles, Gerali and Uthias. They both stood considerably taller than her. Even her father did not meet their chins without some assistance. Yet, they were an odd pair all on their own, without others to compare to.
Gerali kept his curling hair long and tied back, a slight beard lining his jaw and brows that should be nearly as manicured, but were not. He wore the robes of a scholar, being one of the best in the land. Many found his constant gusto for life entertaining, if not distracting. Rarely silent, save for when he read, he was one of the few talkers that her father stomached patience to listen to. He was considered a Silver warrior, having mastered three of the seven sacred lights. All feared him, save for the one man who outshined his talent.
Uthias was more conservative in his appearance, wearing slacks and minimal jewels. He worked primarily in the city, serving as liaison between the Merchant Council and her father's council. This meeting before them had been at his orchestration. A beard all his own, and a permanent slight smile, he was sage-like. And the man seemed quite comfortable listening. He rarely spoke unless he felt necessary and was believed to carry the strongest voice in the land. Her father, not once, ever doubted him.
Though she desired to hug them, her father's break in protocol had already been one taboo for the day. The cold distance between people founded by the Drajdai when they'd first arrived continued to taint the courts of all their descendants, something which frustrated Shmi. She sensed a warmth in people and waited patiently for her chance to ignite the flames of their spirits.
"Uncle Gerali." She nodded, addressing the oldest first, "Uncle Uthias." They each nodded to her in kind, "It is so good to see you! Tell me, how are my little cousins?"
Grinning wildly, Gerali pronounced, "All well, save for one." He paused and frowned deeply, "Your cousin Kayala was married while you were gone to a Stonebreaker." Stunned, Shmi's jaw dropped. She could almost picture the buffoon her cousin had been harping to her about prior to her departure. "Your father was so mad, he put a bounty on her."
Uthias shook his head at that unfriendly reminder while Shmi shook her head, "That seems a bit steep."
Shrugging, her uncle reminded her, "Has there ever been a day your father didn't follow through on his word?" She sighed at that, recalling the threat the minute the buffoon had been mentioned. "Queen Brida was especially displeased, which I think fueled the snap."
Frowning, Shmi turned directly to the one in question, now seated on the throne beside her father, half-brother on her lap. Brida.
Shmi had no enemies, but she did have people she was wary of. Since the day her father took the Cloudrunner woman as his second wife, the entire court went from cold to frozen. It seemed that every dictation, every political step was her tactic, a strategy played through her willing father. More edicts had passed through this hall assisting the Cloudrunner nation than those protecting the Skywalker Clan in the past seven years, something that irked the ever level Shmi. Especially when at least two of those edicts left her people hungry through a cold winter.
She loved her father tremendously, but feared what would become of her people should he continue to have this wife.
"Is there anything that can be done for Kayala?" She inquired of Gerali and Uthias quietly. Both shrugged.
"Stay out of it." Uthias told her firmly, "Time might sooner save her than you." She nodded, understanding as she watched the wicked woman, who sat with beaded hair pulled back tightly into an oversized bun while her child sat in her lap, playing with her fingers.
Shmi never understood why Sarantis was made to sit through these long meetings. His red locks were always cut tight to his head, to keep him from toying with them while bored, and his clothes as intricate and uncomfortable as possible. A child was best at play in her mind. It seemed her half-brother would likely agree.
Unable to bear the pleading in her brother's eyes any longer, she excused herself from her uncles and tiptoed up the throne's steps to whisper in her father's ear. Brida likely did not see her, for the angle by which she moved was shielded by a great pillar. Her father, however, seemed unsurprised that she was already on the move with requests.
"Father?" She inquired, as his eyes continued to mind the merchant, "Poor Sarantis looks ready to die of boredom..." She noticed how his eyes darted over towards the boy, his only son, "Perhaps I might learn all I'd missed these past few months from him."
Grinning a little, Demantis leaned towards Brida, "Go with your sister boy." He ordered, bringing a frown to his beautiful queen's face.
"The boy must learn." She told him, her cold voice low.
Chuckling, Demantis shook his head, "Hardly... He'll not rule before Shmi, and she'll keep a peace that will spare him that agony." Shmi smiled with pride and watched as her step-mother scowled wickedly her way. It took a great deal not to smile directly at her.
With a worried glance towards his mother, and a second bark from his father, Sarantis soon jumped free of his mother's clutches and took the offered hand of his half-sister. "Hello, Sara." She greeted him in a sing-song way.
"Hi Mimi!" he giggled, using his pet name for her, since his stutter constantly prevented proper pronunciation of her name. The consonant cluster was just too much for his trembling tongue. It was for that reason only that she began to call him Sara, offering him an easier way to identify himself and a chance to be confident in what he could do. His mother constantly reminded him of what he could not. Shmi was convinced that only perpetuated the issue.
Wanting desperately to carry the five-year-old out of the court the way her father did when she was a child, Shmi fought the inclination... So long as she was in front of Brida. They walked together, grinning, towards the grand doors, passing through the smaller entrances inside them easily.
Walking down the halls, she finally was able to snatch her little brother up, spinning wildly with him for a moment, despite the fact that a few maids passed them by. She knew those maids were loyal to the Skywalkers. It was the Cloudrunner maids she had to be wary of.
As her brother giggled away, she pulled him close once more and asked, "So... what is new in the life of the young prince?"
He smirked up at her, a smile she recognized from her father and answered, "Mama told me it was time to learn writing. I can make my name now on HoloDocs." She raised a brow at both the accomplishment of his perfect sentence and his new skill. There was even an air of confidence in him that filled her with pride.
"You will have to show me." She sang to him, tapping the tip of his nose. Another trait she'd learned from her mother... she made touching someone's nose the sweetest gesture on the planet. As Sara giggled at the prospect, they reached the main doors of the castle, passing by them to head to the gardens.
As they neared the foyer before the door, the creaking and screeching of the turning gears alerted them both to a large party entering the palace. Pausing in the hall, they observed as a team of soldiers entered the space, soldiers belonging to the Goldenwind.
Anakin Windrider followed them, frustration etched into his face beneath a brand new scar that lined his brow. Dressed still in his mail and leather armors, each enhanced in the scholars halls using old and new technology, the man looked fierce. He was half a head taller than most of his men, just barely shorter than her uncles, and built with muscle like her father had been in his prime. His gait was that of a man who knew power. The power of a Golden Warrior. A master of four sacred lights.
Hence the name 'Goldenwind.'
Shmi didn't bother greeting him and his men as they passed, despite the fact that all his commanders bowed to her as appropriate before continuing. He didn't even glance her way, too busy planning his next battle with the chief turned king. A bad habit of his.
She only prayed that this time he'd still his tongue before being sentence to the mines again.
Apparently Sara was also worried about this, "Is Ani going to fight with daddy again?" he asked her, all concern in his green eyes. She sighed, unsure of how to answer that question as she turned to resume her path to the gardens.
No force in existence could get her back into the throne room knowing both Demantis Skywalker and Anakin Windrider were there. That was like watching two stars collide in the night sky. Nothing good ever came from it.
As the grand doors parted, Anakin spied his prey. Many would have believed it was the great lord himself, but there was never a day he plotted betrayal to the bearded man. No... his bitch of a wife though: a completely different story.
As the crowd parted for what they knew would be another death match, he spied his quarry. Seated on the throne, her puppet son out of sight. Thank the Gods. The last thing he wanted to do was scare Sara again. The poor boy had witnessed one of his prior matches with Demantis and avoided him for two months. That had been painful.
Though not nearly as painful as this was about to be. He was going to say it. Spit it out. End this pointless game.
"Windrider." Demantis growled, standing from his throne, "What brings you to this place? You were to be handling the rebelling Cloudrunners to the east!" When Anakin offered no answer, Demantis descended the steps into the pit with him, "Did your cowardliness turn your tail?"
Taking a deep breath, Anakin outright said, "Hardly... I merely realized it was fool-hearty spending six months taking orders from a Cloudrunner bitch." He sensed it in the crowd, Gerali and Uthias had looked away. They had warned him against this action the last time he'd threatened to state his opinions before the court.
"How dare you!" Demantis roared, striking him across the face. Anakin's conditioning, however, allowed him to stand strong. "To speak out against your queen, my wife!"
Cocking his head to the side, Anakin pointed out, "If she is my queen, then whey do her decisions thin the numbers of my men for her former people?"
She stood, shouting at the top of her lungs, "We have alliances with those people! Treaties which must be protected during both their and our time of need!" Spitting at her, the one move that always managed to infuriate his brother in its insult, Anakin turned away from her and addressed his king.
"I just came from a battlefield where nearly two thirds my men fell... and nearly all her people escaped unscathed, hiding their numbers in the forests to make it appear they were harmed!" He shouted, "And you are telling me we need be concerned with alliances? We need be concerned with the serpent dwelling within our walls, tipping the scales against us!" A crack sounded as Demantis's knuckles met with his jaw, but Anakin was swift enough to dodge most of the blow.
Though it was tempting to fight the man again, his last bout with his brother landed him inconveniently out of commission for three months. Instead, he attempted to cool his head and took to one knee. "I request that Lord Gerali's scholars investigate this observed phenomenon and will not heed command until I know my men are not to be betrayed."
Hissing, Demantis fought the urge to kick him, realizing that letting his temper go at the one person he truly hated would not bode well for the merchant's community. His mind worked swiftly, attempting to find some means to punish him once more for his insolent behavior. "Very well." Demantis sighed, "Gerali's men will investigate your allegations... But you, during this time, will continue your service to the east. You will replenish supply and leave tomorrow before the first morning light... or forfeit your head." He noticed how Anakin flinched at the threat, knowing all too well that Demantis meant it.
But just as the man was about to turn about, their mother stepped into the circle. Though she was older and more frail, she still held the authority that even made Brida tremble. "You will take that threat back Demantis." She commanded.
Pausing mid-step, the man exhaled an exhausted sigh before addressing that comment, "The man has insulted both myself and my wife... I see this compromise as sufficient, given the crime."
Lilina, now haggard with white hair, scowled at him, "And you forget your place, Demantis. This title of king you boast is nothing more than a formality. You rule as chief-regent at my discretion. I'll not permit a son of mine to be in power while threatening his brothers. Recant the threat."
It was always painful when she did this, utilizing her right as executive ruler to weaken his word. Demantis had already figured Anakin to be his mother's favorite, and in her old age, this fact was pressed against his nose far more than any other. So, to maintain his good graces with the woman, he nodded and acquiesced.
So long as Lilina died with him in power, what did it matter if he had to appease the old woman a little more.
Yet still, he noticed how cocky Anakin got. He withheld no frustration from the courts and outright embarrassed Demantis to get what he wanted. If Lilina was present, his way prevailed. If not, Anakin's gamble often suffered a sufficient loss. Something pleasurable to Demantis.
So, knowing when to pick his battles, Demantis snarled and nodded his surrender, watching his mother's face light up. He also noticed how Anakin seemed to sigh in relief. "Gerali will lead the investigation." he informed them, "Now get out of my sight!"
Nodding, bowing, whatever he did, as Demantis turned round, Anakin left the hall. The door slammed hard, echoing fiercely for those who remained.
Author's Note: I confess, I am really enjoying this, as it is so different from Promise. Whereas I normally attempt to stay in line with the rules of the world, this environment is mine and so I feel a lot more freedom. Conversely, I also have to explain a lot more about the places we go to. Hopefully the world seems clear to you all. Please let me know what you think in a review! Could you see this world in hiding away at the edge of the galaxy?
Thanks for reading!