Knight-Errantly Chapter Four
Senator Leia Organa watches from her island as Armitage shuffles wearily to the table like he's suffering the worst hangover in the galaxy. He pulls out a chair and sits, further rumpling his clothes. He buries his cowl-head into his arms, wanting to block out the morning's light.
Ben saunters in, letting the sun catch him by the Cyrene silk ends of his chiton. His wavy black hair is held back by a golden circlet gifted to him by Senator Pooja last Life Day. He gives her a small, polite smile.
"Good morning, Mother." Armitage lifts his head up and squints momentarily at Ben as though he's been blinded by the light.
"Oh, I didn't see you. Morning, Senator." Armitage says without a hint of affection to her, but then he smiles at Ben. "Good morrow, Prince."
"Morrow?" Ben asks with bemusement as he takes a seat right next to him.
"It's an archaic word for morning. Although, I don't think the playwrights realized that yet."
"But why address me so archaically? Am I that backwards?" Her son lightly teases, but Armitage takes him seriously.
"N-No! You just look like one of those beautiful boys that would get stolen by the gods."
"Gods? Which ones?"
"Any of them, really. Who would reject you?" This takes Ben's breath away, and Leia feels it through their bond. A bond that's been tightly closed off since his return from the Sith tomb. He still hasn't given her all the details.
And Armitage won't. He's still mad at me. But why? What have I done to offend him? I'd rather not prod him in front of Ben, then I'll have two angry little boys to deal with.
"Are you two hungry for breakfast?" She asks, and Armitage looks in her direction but keeps his mouth shut. She hears the tiny groan erupting from his belly since tea was his dinner.
"I am. Where is father and Chewie?"
"At Dex's Donuts." Ben's eyes light up with a childish glee that she hasn't seen in so long.
"With extra dark matter sprinkles?" His voice warbles, and she nods with a grin.
"What's a donut?" Armitage immediately asks. Ben looks back at him with wide brown eyes.
"A donut is a round cake with a hole in its center; it's usually glazed or frosted." Ben quickly explains, but Armitage still looks confused.
"But why eat it for breakfast? That sounds more like a dessert."
"It can be a dessert, but it tastes better as a breakfast item, especially with vine-coffee." Armitage's green eyes sparkle like shining emeralds.
"It's nearly impossible to get that in the Unknown Regions. It was one of those crops that didn't grow so well like strawberries."
"….You've never had strawberries?" Ben says slowly as though he cannot comprehend reality. Leia nearly laughs aloud.
"Well, no, that would have to be imported or smuggled in like the vine-coffee. I only know about vine-coffee since the Commandant and the rest of the Council would have that at their meetings and he would sneak me back a cup." Armitage flushes with pleasure at his nostalgia, while Ben burns with determination.
"Mother, Armitage will have the strawberry-filled ones." Those were her favorite, but worth the sacrifice since Ben is conversing with her again. But then Armitage imagines a strawberry in the hole like a planet with a ring. Ben bursts into laughter, while she covers her mouth to prevent herself from doing the same.
"Laugh now, but I shall be laughing when you get to Nagi!" He throws in an evil cackle more suited for the wicked stepsister in a Wynssa Starflare holodrama.
"It can't possibly be that different."
"Oh, Mothma's mantle would turn black if she went there."
"Really?" Ben looks back at her with a conspiring look. "Mother could introduce you to her."
"Me? I doubt she would see someone like me." Armitage scoffs.
"She would squeeze you in her schedule." Leia suggests.
"Only because she won't say no to you."
"She's said no to me plenty of times as she would tell you."
"….Okay, I'm willing to meet the Good Chancellor."
"Ah, I have the outfit in mind."
"Prince, you can pick out my clothes for the rest of my life."
Ben's eyes twinkle just like Han's when he's met with an exciting prospect.
Like marrying her.
Desolous needed a break after Brendol's and Luke's bonding session. He thought about seeing Kanan and sparring with him, but he couldn't locate him in his favorite dojos or his room. He did, however, found his former boss: Cin Drallig. Even in the afterlife, Master Drallig is one of the most formidable Battlemasters amongst the Jedi. He's also quite willing to spend nearly twelve hours straight sparring with the only caveat that Desolous had to make their session interesting.
Fighting on Utapau was one way. Using forms that they're rather reluctant to use was another. But really doing all of that blindfolded cinched it.
"I'm finished." Desolous admits defeat at the bottom of a sinkhole.
"Come now, this is the first time you've sunk. I've done that five times and I still managed to defeat you."
"I'm not a master of sokan like you are."
"That was more like reverse-sokan."
"You were the master of using the sinkholes, but your Djem So still needs work."
"I try not to let my passions rule me unlike Knight Skywalker."
"Ah, so he's been harassing you again?"
"Did Xanatos and his Padawan tell everyone?"
"No, I can read. Skywalker's posters are still up on many salles. He even left a few in the copy room, such a litterbug…"
"He was harassing me at first, and then we came to…a concord."
"Uh-huh, so is he going to try break the Afterlife again anytime soon? Whie nearly had my head because of that."
"I hope not." Desolous sighs deeply. "Let's hope that the children don't get kidnapped by space pirates."
"It depends. What kind of children are they?"
"Ben, Skywalker's grandson from the daughter, is manipulative and possessive over Armitage, a sweet and resilient lad that deserves better than being the boy's Sith sacrifice."
"I know you hate children, but surely you're exaggerating about the boy." Drallig snorts at such hyperbole.
"Ben mind-controlled a Battle Hydra, one of the few left in the galaxy, and was going to sacrifice it to bring him and Armitage closer. Fortunately for the hydra, Armitage used the power of electric guitar to soothe the beast in Padawan clothing."
"That's not a reassuring sign."
"The child has a bright future in the Dark Side if he goes down such a path."
"And the other one is just destined to be a corpse?"
"Far worse. His husband."
I shouldn't have eaten that last strawberry-filled donut! If it weren't for the blue sash around my waist, my belly would be popping out. Thank goodness I ate before the Prince dressed me; I would've felt so bad if I got jelly on any of this! Armitage thinks as he looks down at his garments. His entire tunic is made of red shimmersilk with a deep V-neckline and long sleeves. The sleeves hug closely to his upper arms, but they widen and wrinkle below the elbows. The synthsilk trousers are red and white split down the middle by protruding black lines. He looks down at his shoes, not certain if he likes the golden discs that decorate the tops of his brown sandals.
At least my feet look good in these and don't require me to wear socks. Oh man, the Prince would've had a stroke if I wore socks with sandals! He nods absentmindedly at his own thought, causing his crown of artificial jade roses to slip over his eyes.
"Perhaps, we should've made a quick trip to salon and have your hair lengthened." The Prince states as he fixes the crown.
"With a quick pedicure?" He wiggles his toes like piano keys.
"Yes, your feet could use a good paraffin waxing."
"I don't have hair on my feet."
"No, it's a form of pedicure. Your feet would be encased in wax and the wax softens them."
"Oh! So is the wax like candle?"
"I doubt so, considering how soft the wax is, it would make a terrible candle."
"Huh, I wonder if Jacen knows about that kind of pedicure."
"Jacen?"
Holy shit, I haven't contacted them in almost a month! Force knows what Jaina has been up to, probably pod-racing again! And Jacen…he's a good boy.
"He did pedicures on his mum's ship to make credits since she didn't believe in allowances. He did all the beauty stuff, while Jaina would help with fueling up the ships or repairing the old droids. She'd rather be covered in Hutt fat than give anyone a pedicure!"
"Jaina?"
"Jacen's twin."
Should I tell him the whole truth about them? Like they're his cousins because Luke is a virile arse who can't be bother to break up with someone in person. I know Mara would probably kill Luke if she ever saw him again. And I know Jacen wouldn't mind helping in the fratricide. Only Jaina would be against it, but she idolizes him far too much that he can only ever break her heart. So I should keep it to myself…
"Who are they exactly?"
"The Jade Twins."
"Jade?" Fear clenches his heart. "Just like the roses."
"Yes!" Armitage smiles with utter relief and changes the subject. "Are we there yet, Senator?"
"Right about…now!" The Senator announces when she finally secures her parking spot. The doors swerve up and the passengers hop out. They make their way into a 'lift and head straight up to Mothma's office. The first thing Armitage notices is that nearly every piece of furniture, wall, and even the smooth floor are white, making him question his own favoritism towards the color.
The former Rebellion Commander-in-Chief and New Republic Chancellor is at her long, white desk in her formal yet understated robes. Half her red hair has gone gray, while wrinkles scratch at the edge of her sharp blue eyes. She puts down the datapad and sets her crescent-shaped glasses on top of it.
"Senator Organa and Ben, I see you've brought a guest."
"You know damn well who I am." Armitage cuts off the Organas' pleasantries before they could utter a syllable.
"Oh, really?"
"I saw you reading my file from the reflection on your glasses. If you're going to be rude like that, then the least you can do is take off the glasses and crank up the font, so I won't catch it."
"Are you always disrespectful to your elders?" Her lips are curled into a bemused smirk, but her eyes are hard.
"Only to those who deserve it. And you're not that old, Sloane's older than you." I hate it when adults go self-deprecating; Commandant does that too much!
"Really?"
He narrows his eyes.
"She's like 56 or 57; she's older than the Commandant."
"She's kept herself well."
"She has to. No one's supposed to go soft in the First Order, unless you're a high-ranking officer with a death wish. Or a staff that is too damn afraid of saying no. It's really hard to create a better world when the new one is being crippled by the old one." He looks directly down at the New Republic symbol on her desk.
"You're very sapient for being fourteen."
He furrows his brows and frowns deeply.
"I'll be fourteen in a couple of months; I'm thirteen now."
"No, you were born in 0 ABY. It is the tenth month of 15 ABY, so you would be fourteen since your life day doesn't happen until the twelfth standard month."
Oh Force, she's completely right! We must've skipped my life day because the Commandant was still depressed about father. I don't even look thirteen! When will I ever hit my growth spurt!? Armitage's face turns as red as his tunic at the prospect of being stuck in a child's body.
"Consultant Mothma, I was under the impression that my mother, Armitage, and you were supposed to discuss Nagi, not destroy a young man's self-worth!" The Prince says sharply, making Armitage stare at him. The Prince's brown eyes shine with bits of gold like Dead-Star's about to take over and burn the building down. Armitage tackles the Prince to the ground.
"Hu–" Dead-Star nearly gives himself away, but Armitage presses his mouth against his like he's resuscitating a drowned lizard. He doesn't stop until the Prince's eyes return to their pure brown state. Armitage breaks free, but a thin line of spit still connects them. He turns around and sees the shared look of horror between the two mothers.
"In Nagi…expect the unexpected!"
"In Nagi, do children molest each other!?" Bruck demands from the viewscreen, while the rest of Yoda's Line, minus Yoda and Anakin, remain glued to their mats.
Qui-Gon finally recovers and turns to Xanatos.
"Does Anakin know about this?"
"If he did, pretty certain we'd have another earthquake."
"Let's keep him in the dark."
He is met with nods and sounds of agreement, while Bruck tries to scratch the viewscreen to death.
Author's Comments: No links this time.
Wynssa Starflare is the alter ego of Wynssa Antilles, sister to Wedge Antilles. In Legends/EU, she's famous for her holodramas and being the mother to Jagged "Jag" Fel, Jaina Solo's future husband and forefather of the Fel Empire in the Star Wars: Legacy comics.
Also, I got around reading Claudia Gray's Master and Apprentice novel and I'm really enjoying her take on Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. Oh, and this version of the Council would've most likely kicked Qui-Gon Jinn out of the Order if he treated Obi-Wan as horribly as he did in Legends, which means I like this Council and Yoda better. Also found out that "dojos" is an acceptable term for Jedi training area. Oh yeah, Xanatos has a foil in the novel. Am I going to incorporate the foil? Most likely not.
Cin Drallig doesn't have much to offer in New Canon yet, so I'm primarily using Legends for his character. And even then, there's still not a terrible lot to work with, but at least they give him a personality description.
Sokan pretty much translates to "I have the high ground" and it's supposed to be about using your terrain against your opponent to get the upper hand.
Hey, anyone remember the Solo Twins? Two out of three of Leia's and Han's children from Legends? I'd imagined some of you have since Kylo and Rey share some similarities with them, but thankfully missing the blood connection. I'd argue that Kylo is an amalgamation of Jacen Solo, Anakin Solo, and Ben Skywalker, but all of their worst traits. My money is on Rey killing Kylo by the end of the next movie, echoing Jaina killing Jacen. Aside from all that, Jacen and Jaina get to be brought back as the Jade Twins in all of my Star Wars stories. Will they share the same fate as their past lives? No because they aren't cursed with the Force like their cousin is; okay, only one of them is cursed with the Force, but not as badly as in Legends.
Also, guess who finally fixed her age flub of this series! Back when I was writing the first part of this series, I thought there was like a four year age gap between Hux and Kylo and I'm terrible at math. So now they are five years apart, and we're each other's first kiss….maybe I really should've aged them to teenagers. There wasn't any tongue, so I think they're fine. But you bet this is going to go straight to Ben's and Dead-Star's shared head.
Next chapter: the fallout of the previous chapter, and exploring some locations in Chandrila.
