Finally, the big day has come. The coronation day ceremony of currently Crown Prince Qui-Gon Jinn of the lost kingdom of Solaris.
Reporters stood outside the church as guests, dignitaries, and royals from all across the Republic Senate and the most powerful kingdoms in Enchantra turned out to honor and witness the first coronation of a Solaris ruler in over a century. And of course, the EHC was in attendance to heed performance of the ceremony as well.
It was the lead story on so many magazines, newspapers, and televised reports that the royal family of Solaris had been in hiding all these years, and even a majority of the family themselves were unaware until now.
Security was excessively tight for this once-in-a-lifetime event. Not even a rat could get in undetected.
In the most beautiful carriages of them all sat members of the royal family.
Gabby, Boba, and their parents sat in a pink carriage, Lamenta and her parents were in a blue one, and Qui-Gon rode in a gold colored one with Obi-Wan, Kara, and some of the royal guards accompanying him. Just because Kara couldn't tell anyone she was a princess didn't mean she wasn't still going to be there for her father's special day.
Obi-Wan insisted he be there to protect his old master. He felt he'd already failed to protect his master once, the man he considered his father for as long as he could remember, and he wasn't going to let that happen a second time.
Qui-Gon sat tall and waved to the people just like he practiced with the others. And the outfit Roya designed to him was pretty amazing too. Robes of orange, yellow, and red like a sunrise in light of the kingdom's revival like a sun rising after a lifetime of darkness. And he wore a maroon sash with a shiny gold brooch that looked like the sun shaped like a heart.
"You look great, Master." Obi-Wan said.
"You are not too bad yourself, Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon smiled.
Of course, Roya wouldn't neglect to make Obi-Wan a nice outfit, being the king-to-be's escort and surrogate son after all.
"Are you nervous at all?"
"Of course not." Qui-Gon said. "Okay, maybe a little."
Of course, Gabby and Anakin both felt the need to show off by growing flowers as they exited their carriage first, and tossed flowers to crowd members in the form of bouquets, showers of flowers and petals, or flower crowns landing on people's heads.
Carmine encouraged Lamenta to really show her sparkle to the crowd, so she grew some pretty flowers too. Stargazer flowers that sparkled like stars.
And finally came the last carriage with the man of the hour coming out with his escorts as cameras flashed all around them Qui-Gon stood tall and walked with poise and grace just like he practiced.
Inside the church, music began to play as every member of the royal family began the entrance, starting with Anakin and Padme since the former was the eldest child (that everyone knew of, anyway) and therefore Qui-Gon's natural heir. Then Carmine and Caroline entered together, and the children entered.
Gabby and Boba walked together, and Lamenta walked by herself. It took a lot of strength for her not to turn invisible. With all the people looking at her, it made her a bit nervous. Kara and Obi-Wan entered as well as Qui-Gon's attendants, and coming by the youngest princess' side, which calmed her down.
Everyone stood at the altar together. The Chairwoman of the EHC arrived last and stood by a pillow with a gold crown with a sun symbol engraved onto it.
"Crown Prince Qui-Gon Starling Jinn. Please come forward." said the chairwoman.
The doors opened once more as people stood up as Qui-Gon made his way down the aisle. Royal guards stood by the doors and people bowed as the man of the hour walked by.
Qui-Gon took his place at the altar and everyone sat down. The Chairwoman then gave a speech.
"For more than a century, the kingdom of Solaris had been thought to be lost forever. Long ago, it was one of the most thriving, powerful, magical, and beautiful kingdoms in all of known Enchantra. The last rulers fought to protect their people to their last moments, sacrificing themselves to allow their people to carry on their bloodlines, and sent out their only child as a beacon of hope that one day their once beautiful home would be restored. And at last, the remains of the royal family have been found, and with time and proper leadership, that hope will not be in vain. Today, we not only welcome and celebrate a new king, but honor the memory of the ancestral leaders of the Starling Family."
The chairwoman then picked up a beautiful scepter and held it to Qui-Gon.
"Do you solemnly promise to uphold the laws and customs of Solaris, and to protect and defend its honor for as long as you shall reign?"
"I do." Qui-Gon said, accepting the scepter.
In Solaran tradition of coronation ceremonies, one ritual was that a poinsunna flower was brought out, and some of its pollen was sprinkled on the heads of the one being crowned as well as his or her heirs. It was believed that by doing this blessing with the pollen, it would ensure that the kingdom would blossom brightly like a new flower on a sunny spring day, and like the sun, no matter how dark it became, the kingdom's strength would rise again.
A poinsunna flower was taken out from the crystal vase and some of the pollen was sprinkled on the head of every blood member of the royal family. But Anakin, unfortunately, accidentally breathed some in.
Anakin had a hard time keeping himself poised as the coronation continued.
Another tradition was that a special poem was said before the crown was placed on the new ruler's head. Anakin began to hold his nose as he started wheezing.
The time has set on another day
And upon another the crown shall rise
The royal member before us tonight
We hope and pray shines a brighter light
We crown you now and through your reign
You will learn
The light and power of which a true sun burns
And so, the crown was placed on the new king's head.
"The time of King Reginald Starling has set. His grandson Qui-Gon kneels before us. Rise a king."
People stood up and clapped as Qui-Gon stood tall, officially crowned Solaris' newest and first ruler for the first time in a century.
The family was so happy for Qui-Gon, but one was happy it was over for a second reason.
ACHOOO!
And a bunch of beautiful flowers grew after Anakin sneezed, petals falling and flying everywhere like confetti. The little girls found it very pretty.
"Bless you." Padme chuckled, wiping her husband's nose with a handkerchief.
"Thanks." Anakin said, sniffling a bit.
"Good thing you held it in long enough for the ceremony to finish." Obi-Wan teased.
Music played in the ballroom at the Naboo palace. People were dancing in celebration.
Then a fanfare played as the royal family made their way into the ball.
"King Qui-Gon of Solaris." announced a royal guard as the new king was first to make his entrance. Everyone bowed or curtsied in his presence.
"Prince Anakin and Princess Padme of Solaris."
Each royal family member came in as they were called. Anakin held his wife close as they entered and took their place beside Qui-Gon.
"Prince Carmine and Princess Caroline of Solaris."
Caroline held her husband's hand as they entered together. And then the children were called to enter.
"Prince Boba of Solaris."
Boba walked in as confidently as he had when he was his parents' ring bearer at their wedding
"Princess Lamenta of Solaris."
Lamenta walked in a little faster than the others, and got to her parents' side, not wanting to be all alone.
"Princess Gabriella of Naboo and Solaris."
Gabby made her entrance last because she was the only one who was a royal of two different kingdoms.
And as the royal family was now all together, the people clapped seeing the royal family of Solaris was officially here.
Everything had gone totally according to plan where the ceremony was concerned. The ball looked beautiful too.
"Padme, my princess. Would you allow me the honor of a dance?" Anakin asked with a gallant smile.
"I'd be delighted." Padme smiled, letting her husband escort her to the dance floor.
"Caroline, my love?" Carmine offered his hand to Caroline.
"Come here." Caroline smiled, taking Carmine's hand and practically yanking him to the dance floor like when they were in high school.
The kids laughed seeing their parents so excited to dance at the ball.
Qui-Gon smiled at his grandchildren and decided it would be rude of him not to join in on dancing at his own coronation party. And he knew just who he wanted to dance with.
He knelt down to his eldest granddaughter and said, "Gabriella, would you honor me with the first dance?"
Gabby was incredibly touched by her grandfather's question. She was the whole reason he was here tonight, ao it only made sense he would choose her for the first dance. And so, she accepted.
Boba looked at Lamenta and said, "I guess it's you and me now." He offered his hand. "Care to dance?"
"Sure." Lamenta said, taking her cousin's hand and walking to the dance floor with him.
Qui-Gon walked with Gabby to the floor. And beautiful music played as the royal family began their first official dance as a family.
It was a beautiful time tonight. Carousella and Crescent even came to each other's side and danced together amongst their humans.
Qui-Gon lifted Gabby up in a spin, the little girl happily enjoying the little flight as she danced with her grandfather.
Obi-Wan approached a certain duchess in attendance too.
"Duchess, if I may..." Obi-Wan smiled.
"How kind of you." Satine smiled, taking Obi-Wan's hand.
Harmony happily conducted the beautiful music that was played for everyone to dance. But then, a certain gray blue musicorn got some ideas.
"Let's pump things up here." Remix said, scratching a turntable with his hoof. "Yo, partygoers, it's DJ Remix in the castle!"
People froze for a bit as they'd not been expecting this.
"Who says when you're at a ball, you can't have a ball and shake it up?"
Remix started to play some upbeat music from Shake it Up.
The kids, of course, were first to start dancing to the upbeat music. And the twins, being a pop star and one who didn't stick with tradition, joined in the fun. And so did their father.
Carousella jumped in to bust a move too. And before they knew it, the ball dance floor quickly turned from a sophisticated waltz to a pop dance party.
Most would expect a royal family to discourage such behavior at a royal ball, but this was no ordinary royal family. This was the Skywalker-Jinn family, the royal family of Solaris.
But this coronation ceremony was just the start of a very exciting year for the family