AN: I think this is another one of my very favorite ALS snippets! Freneá's dress is posted on my Tumblr page as well as her and Raal's song in a playlist I made for them. These posts are under the tag #RaalxFreneá. Please enjoy!


Gram Cortess hardly recognized his sister when he came into the dressing room. He saw a woman there, standing before the vanity while Leia Solo and Stila Panteer straightened out her dress. Her hair hung in thick, ebony waves flowing down her back and over her shoulders, two small, almost hidden braids pulling her hair away from her face. Her pale complexion worked well for her, inevitably pointing attention to her sapphire eyes and trademark stunning red lipstick. The dress was delicate and beautiful; it hung loose, flowing around her pregnant figure. The material- rather than conforming to the shape of her belly- simply and comfortably draped over her shape, the material free. There were two layers to the dress and the inside plain one fitted her form slightly, but the outer layer of lace and motif flowers hung where it fell about her curves and baby bump. It was his sister, Gram was aware, but he was always amazed at how mature she could make herself look when she was so young in mind and at heart. And physically. His little sister was so young. Yet, here she was, getting ready for her wedding, carrying her first child in her belly.

"What are you doing here?" Freneá gasped, her gaze flicking to the chrono hanging on the wall. "It can't be time already!"

Gram shook his head. "Just about, though. I wanted to see you. You look amazing, by the way."

"Thank you, dear brother." She grabbed fistfuls of her skirt and shrugged, asking him, "Do you like my dress?"

Gram nodded. "You look-" He stopped short, realizing he was about to say 'amazing' again. "Gorgeous," he decided, trying to find the words to explain the odd sensation of realizing his baby sister . . . had grown up. She was still so young but she'd grown enough that Gram was beginning to notice how much she looked like their mother.

Freneá blushed. "Something the matter, Gram? You seem speechless."

"Speechless is right!" Leia saved him, stepping back from the bride and looking over her work. "Raal won't be able to keep his hands off of you. Now, I was thinking about our little problem with the dress . . ."

"There's a problem with the dress?"

Leia smirked at Gram and Freneá explained, "I was showing my dress to some of the Noble House matriarchs. They thought it wasn't appropriate for me to wear a traditional dress since white stands for purity."

Leia burst into guffaws, digging through a makeup kit. She hurried back to Freneá's side with a scarlet ribbon and she tied it just above Freneá's baby bump. Lady Panteer practically gasped and the other three just laughed. "Leia," Stila shook her head. "You have such a subtle way of being so vulgar."

"Too much?"

"Oh, no," the older woman shook her head. "I have a feeling my son will appreciate the jest." She grabbed her handbag from the vanity and looked to Leia. "I suppose we should be making our way out and let these two have a moment before it's time to get started."

"Thank you, Leia and Lady Panteer!" Freneá called after them.

"It's 'Mom'!" Stila corrected on her way out.

Freneá chuckled.

Gram came to her side. "So, you're fitting into the family well already?"

She shrugged. "I guess. Raal's parents are very kind. But I miss you."

"Fré, I can't always be two doors down the hall."

"I know. It's just- strange. I'm used to having you two doors down the hall from me."

"Freneá, I believe it is called 'growing up'. Now, you get to sleep in bed with another guy. Oh, stars! Please don't tell me Raal slept in your bed and I had no clue."

"No. I always went to his room. Or-"

"No, Freneá! Never mind!"

She wrinkled her nose at him, smirking.

"Are you happy with Raal?"

"The happiest."

"And he takes care of you?"

"He loves taking care of me. He's my guardian."

"Do you think he'll be a good father?"

Freneá gave a smile that truly revealed her newfound maturity and it nearly broke Gram's heart. She told him, "He already is."

It was too much for Gram. This was his baby sister whom he'd been looking after since she was first brought home. He had always tucked her into bed when their father forgot to leave her a kiss. He was the one who had taught her to tie laces on shoes even though she always wore sandals anyway. He explained to her how to properly multiply the big numbers when their father had lost patience. He'd comforted her when their mother hadn't. He was the one who defended her, stood up for her when she didn't see she'd been put down. She was his little sister and he had always looked out for her. But it wasn't his job anymore. And his baby sister didn't need him to take care of her anymore.

"He can't wait to be a father," she went on. "He gets so excited over the baby. And when Raal starts, Stila and Casso can get just as excited! It's so funny!" One second she was laughing, but then even her smile vanished. She swallowed and her demeanor dimmed to a fraction of her usual brightness.

"What is it, Freneá?"

She shook her head. "This wasn't the way I'd always dreamed today would go."

Gram chuckled shortly. "No, I never imagined you walking down the aisle, already pre-"

"No. I don't mean the baby. I mean . . . Ever since I was a little girl, I always imagined Father walking me down the aisle on his arm, putting my hand in my fiancé's. And the Cortess tiara. I always thought Mother looked so beautiful in that tiara and I couldn't wait for my turn to wear it. She should be crowning me with it tonight. But she won't be."

"Aw, Freneá, forget about them. Today, you're getting a new family, a better family. Today, you're getting new parents that love you and are thrilled to have you join their family."

"Family," she echoed, dropping her chin and turning a radiant smile to her bulging belly. Her cheeks flinched and Gram stepped closer to see tears beginning to drip down her face. "Freneá?"

She sniffled, laughing. "I'm sorry. I don't think I was ready for today."

He smiled at her with amusement and took her arm. "Then, I might be worried, little sis. You've got a few exciting months ahead of you."

She smiled, letting him lead her to the door. "Sometimes, I just have to wonder if I'm ready for it."

"You are."

She looked at him. "How can you know?"

Gram shrugged. "I just do. You and Raal- you two make a good pair. You'll be just fine as long as you have him with you. About that." He let her through the door. "I believe it's time for you to marry him." Time to give my baby sister away, he thought with both sadness for himself and joy for the glowing woman standing at his side.


Gram Cortess came walking down the yellow and green-eyed carpeted aisle to the Panteer anthem with Princess Freneá Cortess on his arm. Of course, Raal Panteer's eyes were drawn to his lover, his angel who always looked so magically beautiful. But this afternoon, she was mesmeric with her hair left to hang around her shoulders in those long curls and her dress-! She took his breath away with her pure beauty and tears came to his eyes at the sight of her, beaming, staring back at him with her own tears, her free arm carrying a hanging bouquet of red and orange arralutes. She carried them over her protruding belly and it was when he took in that beautiful sight of its own that his tears could no longer be contained. He wiped them away and caught Freneá gently laughing at him.

When his bride, on the arm of her brother, arrived to the arbor set up in the Organa gardens where Raal waited with Bail Organa- who was officiating- and his own father, Freneá turned to Casso and handed him her bouquet. Normally, the bride would now before her new father in-law as she offered her bouquet representing her birth house, but Freneá was unable and a few friendly chuckles ran through the gathered crowd. Casso accepted the bouquet, nodding once, and joined his wife in the front row.

Then, Gram turned to face Raal. It was then that Raal saw the tears in the man's eyes, the small shaking of his jaw. "I'll take care of her," he swore to his new brother.

"I know you will." Gram delivered Freneá's delicate hand to Raal's. "That's what makes this so hard." He kissed his sister's forehead and took his seat.