The Party (continued) and afterwards

"This place feels so strange" Leia confided with a sigh.

"You'll get used to it" Teldyr said, reassuringly, hoping she wouldn't.

"But what if I become as fake as everyone here?" Leia asked the question that had been plaguing her since she had been briefed on Coruscant's inhabitants. Many of them had been started out with good intentions, and had been corrupted.

"That won't happen" Teldyr said firmly. He looked at her and explained "You never behave the way I expect you to, Leia", Teldyr said earnestly "You're not quite what I expected to find in Lord Vader's daughter".

Leia smiled. "How so, Your highness?" she asked playfully. "Am I not lady-like enough, graceful enough, beautiful enough, to be the daughter of my Father?" 

"Don't call me that" Teldyr snapped in mock irritation, happy that the conversation had become lighter. "And, to answer your question, you are not serious enough".

"Girls" Leia said with a superior smile "are not expected to be serious".

Teldyr laughed, teased out of his black mood. "Tonight," he said seriously "you look dangerously like a woman". It was amazing, he reflected, to see how the girl he remembered had changed. The planes of her face had sharpened, but had not yet lost the slight softness of childhood, and her brown eyes were no longer so trusting or innocent.

"Oh, the dress" Leia said, with a sigh. "I hate it. The Emperor had it sent to me".

"Leia" Teldyr said, his voice low and serious "it's dangerous to criticize the Emperor's taste".

"Than why do you do it, Teldyr?" she asked exasperated. "Your recent statements to the press border dangerously on treason".

"I'll be careful, if you'll be careful" he said with a smile, inordinately pleased to learn that Leia had bothered to keep tabs on him.

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Released from his post by the wave of the Emperor's gnarled hand, Vader found himself free to circulate. He moved through the room, going the opposite direction as Leia and the Prince. It would not do too seem too concerned about her. The crowd parted before him as he went to greet an acquaintance of his.

Vader talked briefly with some military men he knew, keeping one eye out for Leia and Teldyr all the time. The boy seemed well enough, but he couldn't bring himself to relinquish Leia entirely to his care. Meanwhile, though, he had a job to do. It would be important to be popular among the military in the event of Palpatine's untimely demise.  He could sense his companion's curiosity about Leia but none of the men dared to comment. Finally, one of the braver Admirals, Narvolk, said, "Your daughter is quite lovely. Congratulations."  

"You are some 14 years late, Admiral" Vader rumbled, and, with a nod, walked away. He left a very confused group of men behind. As he moved away he heard one of them exclaim, "Was that a joke?"

Vader moved aimlessly through the room for a while. He never felt quite at home at these gatherings, with minor nobles trying to curry favor, and important nobles playing power games.  He should be cultivating courtiers, he knew, but couldn't quite bring himself to play the petty power games he so despised As he strode through the room, trying to look like he had a purpose, he caught sight of a familiar blond head. He extended his senses, confirming her identity. It was definitely Jayelle. And the person she was conversing with seemed to be causing her distress. Prompted by some concern, as well as need of a distraction, Vader quickened his stride and moved towards his daughter's governess.

She was dressed in white, he noticed as he drew closer. Very symbolic, he thought ironically. She had on some simple gold jewelry and her pale skin was flushed. She looked lovely; her blond hair was done up and she had let as few curls dangle near her face. She looked, he thought, not much older than his daughter, and almost as innocent. Her innocence, though, was that of a person who has experienced temptation and rejected it, rather than Leia's lack of knowledge.

As he got closer to her he saw her companion. Tarkin. It was common knowledge that Jayelle had rejected Tarkin and been disinherited for it. Maybe that was why she was uncomfortable.

Vader shifted his approach so that he was behind Tarkin. Tarkin was holding Jayelle's wrist and talking to her intently. He was close enough to hear the conversation now

"If you had married me, pretty girl, you wouldn't have to work for Vader" Tarkin said, sneering at Jayelle. Jayelle struggled, trying to pull away from Tarkin without causing a scene. Her eyes widened with relief as she saw Vader looming behind Tarkin, dwarfing him. She felt a flash of savage satisfaction as Vader's hands gripped Tarkin's shoulders in a manner that was undoubtedly painful. He flinched and dropped her hand. Vader used his grip on Tarkin to swing him around.

"If I ever catch you harassing a member of my staff again, Tarkin…" he threatened darkly, his voice ominous. The aura of raw menace radiating from Vader was frightening and Governor Tarkin bowed and walked off, too shaken to try to save face.

Jayelle forced herself to breathe normally. Vader in a rage was not a calming sight. It was barely relevant that his anger wasn't directed at her. Vader turned towards her, and seeming to regain his composure, offered her his arm. "Shall we check up on Leia?" he asked, offering her his arm, not sure why he had lost his temper to such an extreme degree. .

"Please" said Jayelle, hoping to avoid discussion of the scene he had interrupted. She put her hand on Vader's arm and allowed him to steer her towards Leia.

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The loud ringing noise was becoming irritating. Leia turned sleepily around and hit the snooze button on the alarm clock. The alarm had rung before, Leia sleepily recalled. In fact the alarm had rung several times, but Leia was too sleepy to count them. She yawned and stretched. The gathering last night had gone on really late and she had been introduced to a large number of people. She hadn't met everyone in the room, but Teldyr had introduced her to a large number of people.

Leia had recognized most of them from the holographs which accompanied the dossiers she had memorized. It was going to be difficult, she reflected, to remember which people she'd met and which she knew because of the dossiers.

The alarm rang again and with a muffled groan, Leia turned the alarm off and rolled out of bed. She washed her face and got dressed, wearing sensible pants and a shirt with a hint of lace around the neck and sleeves. She sat down at the dressing table to brush her hair and looked at her room in the mirror. She hadn't been here for some months and last night she'd been too tired to do anything but drop into her bed and sleep. She frowned. The room was too little-girly, she decided, with it's small bed and pink sheets. She'd have to change the furniture, get rid of the child sized dressing table and get a plant or two for decoration, she decided. Maybe she could take Mara shopping with her, she thought.

Reminded that her friend would be visiting in an hour or so, Leia left her room to go get some breakfast.

She found Jayelle in the dining room, looking sleepy and watching the news. Attracted by the sharp sound of Leia's footsteps, Jayelle looked up at her and smiled. "You slept in too, huh?" she asked in a voice which husky and slightly tired.

Leia nodded.

"How did you enjoy the party?" Jayelle asked.

"It was very" Leia stopped and searched for a positive word "…glittery". She put her cereal bowl on the table with more force than necessary.

"I didn't like it, either" Jayelle confided with a smile. She was silent for a moment before she pointed to the holo-cast "Isn't that Prince Teldyr?"

Leia looked at the image of her friend. He was saying passionately "The Empire takes over planets, destroys them and leaves a mess which takes generations to sort out". The Holo-cast was cut off abruptly.

"Censored" Jayelle said.

Leia sighed. "I wish he'd be more careful. It isn't safe to say things like that". 

"Is he usually reckless, Leia?" Jayelle asked, with some concern.

"He's taking losing Hapes very badly" Leia confided with a sigh.

Jayelle smiled somewhat sadly "He'll get over it".

"I hope so" Leia said.

"So" said Jayelle over-cheerfully "What are your plans for the day?"

"Well…" said Leia "Mara will be visiting".

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Mara walked into Castle Vader somewhat apprehensively. It was her first time in her friend's house. Always, before, Leia had visited her. Now, though, as a full agent of the Emperor, she had a little more freedom to go outside the palace. Her mood darkened, remembering the price she had to pay for her greater freedom. Mara knew that what she did was right; after all, the Emperor did have in mind the larger picture. And it was a privilege to be allowed to keep the Empire strong.

Mara's thoughts were interrupted by a security officer. "Miss Jade?" he asked. When she nodded he said "Allow me to escort you to Lady Vader".

Leia turned from the window when Mara came in. She dismissed the security officer with a regal nod and a "Thank you, that will be all Lieutenant". She stood silent while the door closed and then, walking over to her friend, she hugged her. "Oh, Mara, it's been so long". Mara stood motionless for a minuet and then hugged Leia back. "Yes it has" she said, touched by her friends demonstrativeness.

Leia was the only person who had ever hugged her, Mara reflected somewhat somberly. The only person who had ever shown her affection. Oh, she knew the Emperor cared for her, he had made her his Hand after all, but he had never indicated in any way that she was special to him. Mara shook off the treasonous thought, feeling faintly guilty.

"So" said Leia brightly "What have you been up to?"

"I've been busy" Mara said matter of factly. "I have had several missions over the past few months".

"What kind of missions?" Leia asked, curious. She remembered Mara's first mission, in which she'd had to kill someone. Mara had cried afterwards. Leia remembered.

"Classified" said Mara shortly. "Look, Leia, can we talk about you?" Mara asked, feeling uncomfortable. She couldn't tell Leia about the things she did, Mara realized. If she did, she'd lose her only friend.

"There's not much to tell" Leia said, feeling slightly hurt that Mara wouldn't talk to her.

"Well" asked Mara "How do you know Prince Teldyr?"

Leia was puzzled by the tone of the question. "Well, I met him during the Hapes mess" she said cautiously.

"What do you mean, mess!" Mara asked hotly.

"I didn't like the way we threatened a defenseless world, that's all" Leia said. In fact, she reflected, she had been so upset that it had taken her a while to forgive her father, even though she knew he was acting under orders.

"Are you saying the Emperor was wrong?" Mara asked angrily.

Oops, Leia thought. Her Father had told her to never criticize the Emperor in front of Jade. "That's not what I'm saying Mara" she said placatingly, her heart aching at the distance that had grown between her and her best friend. "I'm just saying that maybe his advisors could have found a better way."

Mara nodded, not looking very convinced.

"Shall we go see the gardens?" Leia asked, trying to change the topic.

Mara nodded.

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Well, thought the nameless man in the bowels of Coruscant, that conversation was certainly interesting. Lady Vader hadn't said anything treasonous, but she had expressed disapproval of the Empire's actions.

But…, her sentiments could simply be those of a delicately nurtured girl who disapproved of violence.

At least he could assure the Emperor that his Hand was loyal.

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"I was thinking of redesigning my room" Leia told Mara. "Would you like to go shopping with me?"

"Not today", Mara said, genuinely regretful. She had never "gone shopping" the way most girls of her age did. "I have a mission to prepare for."

"Tomorrow, then" Leia said, happy that Mara still seemed to want to spend time with her.

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Leia was woken next morning by someone gently shaking her. She yawned and turned to lie on her back looking at Jayelle sleepily. Then she heard the steady sound of her father's respirator. She sat up to see him standing at the foot of the bed.

"What's wrong?" Leia asked with an instinctive sense of dread.

Jayelle and Vader looked at each other. Despite the long discussion of how to handle this, neither of them was willing to speak.

Jayelle glared at Vader. He was Leia's father, he ought to tell her  

He stood there, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.

"Tell me…" Leia said, her voice shaking. Whatever it was, it was very bad. She could sense her father and Jayelle's concern very strongly.

Jayelle leaned towards her and hugged her. "Leia," she said , her voice gentle, "Teldyr was in an accident. He's dying".

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On Tatooine, a blond young man dropped his model tie fighter, hit by a sudden, unexplainable feeling of anguish.

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A/N: As promised, there's Luke. Who wants me to kill Teldyr? J

I'd like to thank Teekoness for reviewing the last chapter

Next chapter: Vader corrupts his daughter and Leia faces a moral dilemma.