Chapter Eleven: Orphean Wing
The doubt that madness breeds,
Feeds this eternity,
Perhaps the promises were not intended,
To endure.
The scars that life has carved
Fell deepest on your heart
And the strength to overcome
Has left you waiting here.
But though the phantoms of this place
Want to steal away your grace
I'll sleep beside through the cold,
I will not leave you here
And in this silence I can hear,
All the fury and the fear,
But I promise you my love,
I will not leave you here,
For I will bury you
Where they bury me
But the emptiness is filled
And the hatred reconciled
With a daily struggle
To forget
Beyond frustration and contempt
Is the pain of heaven spent
By those ignorant and cold;
At your expense
I see, I see, I see we move with the water
I feel, I feel, I feel this darkness receding
I see, I see, I see we flow like the ocean
I feel I feel…
Oh God I don't think I'm breathing.
The petulant knock at the door was one of the many that would sound that night, and her unwelcome guests the first in a long series of visits that would have her up till the latest hours.
"Please answer that Aniva," Tenel Ka commanded gently, seating herself in a chair that was slightly higher and more elaborate than the other three at the antique table set.
Aniva, always fearful of royalty's wrath, moved swiftly towards the double doors and opened them meekly, bowing to the three officers that stepped inside. The leader was a tall, brunette woman, who was beautiful even by Hapan standards, wearing the formal uniform of the Hapan Justice Wing. She had a serious, intelligent look to her, with deep brown eyes and an assessing gaze. The two men that stood behind her seemed to be little more than muscle in comparison to her calm, calculating demeanor.
She strode coolly towards the table where Tenel Ka sat patiently and dropped down on one knee, bowing her head. Her followers respectfully did the same.
"Your Majesty," she addressed Tenel Ka, "I am Lieutenant Litara Rué. It is an honor to serve you."
Tenel Ka nodded, a signal for her to stand and she did, then took a seat without fuss.
"First, I will say that I have every confidence in your Majesty's character and I only hope that this foolish display will be over promptly. However, in the meantime, I have a duty to uphold."
"I understand that completely," Tenel Ka conceded truthfully.
"Then I hope you will understand my orders, which I am instructed to set upon you," Litara said with a hint of regret. "The procedure is this: You are under a loose form of house arrest. You can go where you choose in Fountain Palace, however, you must take an escort of the Hapan Justice Wing, not the Royal Guard, with you wherever you go outside of these walls. Failure to comply with this will meet with greater restrictions to your freedom. You are to appear in the Hapan Senate tomorrow at nine hundred hours. The Hapan Royal Court will also be in session."
"So that is to be my trial?" Tenel Ka asked wearily.
"Yes, your Majesty," Litara replied, "You will hear the charges against you. You have the right to a lawyer, after which point the court will gather again."
Tenel Ka closed her eyes briefly, imagining all the fresh work this would give her to do, all the tedious paperwork, speeches, and careful plotting it would take to escape this trap.
"The rules are clear now," Tenel Ka assured them, "Is there anything else?"
"No, your Majesty."
"Then I must ask you to leave me to rest."
"Of course, your Majesty." Litara stood up and bowed again, very deeply, then went out with the same subtle determination she'd walked in with, the two men trailing behind her silently. Tahiri slipped in just as Aniva was about to close the door.
"Ugh," she said decidedly, wrinkling her nose, as Aniva shut the door soundly, "Who were they?"
"Police," Tenel Ka muttered by way of an answer, already trying to undo the zipper of her gown. By the gods she hated wearing dresses.
"What's the news?" Tahiri asked, flopping down on the huge bed.
With a sigh, Tenel Ka explained all of the accusations she had put up with and the case against her for the moment. Tahiri listened with wider and wider eyes, clenching her fists in angry balls at her sides.
"That's ridiculous!" Tahiri exclaimed.
"It's politics," Tenel Ka replied regretfully, with a vague shrug.
Tahiri muttered something explicit under her breath, then asked, "What happens now?
Tenel Ka began to take of the hateful shoes she was wearing. "House arrest. I can not leave Fountain Palace without an escort."
"That sounds pretty tame," Tahiri commented with a shrug.
"Of course," Tenel Ka answered with a touch of sarcasm, "But then there is the trial, with my grandmother and other relatives present."
"Oh. Vrelts."
Tenel Ka hid a smile. "That was my opinion on the matter too."
She ducked into the large, rather luxurious looking refresher adjoined to her room. Shunning the overly elaborate gown, she slipped into a soft silk robe. The garment was so long that it fell past her feet and trailed a few feet behind her, and its pattern was a pale-yellow with exquisite pink blossoms.
"I know I can find a way out of this, Tahiri," Tenel Ka continued, stepping out of the refresher and sitting down on the bed, then staring out the window as she spoke, "I just need to find someone righteous enough to defend me at the trial. The lawyers that my accusers produce will need an able competitor."
"Hmmm…" Tahiri pondered, "I'd have to say I'm out of my league with this royalty game, but I'll see what I can-"
Her sentence was cut off by a brisk knock at the door.
"Who could that be?" Tenel Ka wondered aloud, and slipped warily over to the door, tightening her silk robe around her waist before cautiously opening the door.
The young man standing there was exquisitely beautiful, with a fine, aristocratic bone structure that shaped his face into something undeniably proud, debonair, and clever all at the same time. His raven black hair fell in wisps to shade the glowing, entrancing black coals of his eyes. He was, for lack of a better word, gorgeous.
Tenel Ka knew him in an instant. Here was the young, and limitlessly rich, son of the Royal Vizier that her grandmother had been prodding her to marry. His father was a right-wing man, a tad mired in the old traditions, but Tenel Ka had never had reason to suspect any of their family of treachery or side-dealings. However, she definitely had no interest in marrying the person before her.
"Lord Danik," she commented, meeting his gaze without flinching as so many others must have, "It is a surprise to see you here."
"Your Majesty," he greeted with a low, courtly voice, a whisper of a smile crossing his features as he made an obligatory bow of his head, not a millimeter lower than was required of his station. "I had hoped to eat dinner with you… Who's this?"
Tahiri had stepped up beside Tenel Ka and was looking curiously at the unexpected visitor. In return, Danik was staring at her with undisguised interest.
Tenel Ka placed her hand on Tahiri's shoulder, and smiled, "This is my good friend, Tahiri Veila. She is visiting me at the moment."
Danik smiled suavely.
"It is an extreme pleasure to meet you, Lady Veila."
Tahiri looked vaguely flustered, as if she didn't know what to say to this presumptuous treatment.
"An honour, Lord Danik," she replied, holding out her hand with the intention of shaking his. Instead, he scooped it up in his palm and delicately laid a kiss on her smooth knuckles.
Tenel Ka could feel the amusement rolling of Tahiri through the Force, along with a certain degree of annoyance, and she utilized her practiced skill of being in control of her expressions to hide a smile.
"I regret, Lord Danik," Tenel Ka said kindly, "That I can not entertain you tonight. I am sure you have heard of the rumours in the Palace, and I have many arrangements to make."
He nodded curtly, "As you wish, your Majesty."
Tahiri turned to Tenel Ka, "I guess I should be going as well, you'll probably need your space."
Tenel Ka felt a rush of gratitude towards Tahiri for understanding the restlessness she felt without having to voice it. Entertaining nobles and a fancy meal was not something she looked forward to after a day like this.
"That would be much appreciated, Tahiri, thank-you."
Lord Danik raised an eyebrow, and held out his hand, "Perhaps I may make myself useful by escorting Lady Veila back to her chambers?"
Tenel Ka winked at Tahiri, "I am not opposed. Good-night."
I'll get you for this! Tahiri thought to Tenel Ka.
And when you do you will already have endured the company of an extremely pompous nobleman for over fifteen minutes! Tenel Ka answered gleefully.
You are EVIL!
Tenel Ka smiled sweetly. "Good-night, Tahiri!"
"Night," Tahiri said shortly with a scowl.
Tenel Ka closed the door behind them and dusted off her hands in a satisfied manner. She waltzed over to her favourite cushion chair, and sunk into it, reveling in the feeling of being off her feet for a second. She closed her eyes and used the Force to slowly and leisurely unwind all the tense, stiffened muscles in her body. Each knot that came undone was like a gulp of cool water on a scorching desert day.
"Aniva?" she called softly in the direction of the dressing room, where Aniva would be arranging gowns, "Could you please bring me something to drink? Just water, thank-you."
She knew she should get up now, maybe eat a supper and get something done, for it had only been awhile since her last sleep, due to the different lengths for rotations on Dreena and Hapes. Where it was midday on Dreena, here on Hapes, the sun was just setting.
"Ah…" Tenel Ka breathed slowly, letting the Force soothe her worries and its gentle rhythm to wash away her stress.
The effort it would take to get out of the comfortable chair and into bed seemed too immense and she had just resigned herself to sleeping in the chair for the night when a knock sounded at her door.
Again.
This was turning out to be a long night.
* * *
"Go away," she groaned from behind the closed doors.
Jacen grinned, she sounded exasperated.
"Tenel Ka, it's Jacen," he explained loudly so she could hear him.
"Tell him to go away," she said, still sounding exasperated.
He opened the door instead, stepping in silently and closing the heavy wooden portal behind him.
"Very funny," he said indignantly, then his face changed to form a devilish smile, "But you'll not be rid of me so easily this time, your majesty."
Tenel Ka seemed to wake up at the tone in his voice and opened her eyes to regard him suspiciously.
"I suppose I may have a moment or two to spare," she admitted thoughtfully, then winked almost imperceptibly at him.
"Only a moment?" he asked with a mock-pout.
She smiled wickedly, a glint of amusement coming into those limitless grey eyes of hers. "Oh, just sit down, Jacen."
Still smiling, he walked over and casually seated himself in the chair beside hers.
"Long night?" he estimated.
"You have no idea," Tenel Ka remarked decidedly.
"I might," Jacen said ruefully, allowing a note of seriousness to enter his voice.
Tenel Ka's eyes met his, concerned and suspicious.
"What happened Jacen?" she asked bluntly.
He sighed. "You first."
She closed her eyes. "I have been accused of collaborating with the Yuuzhan Vong and am facing a conspiracy charge. I am under house arrest, my trial is tomorrow morning, and I have no idea where to look for a lawyer. I would sincerely like sleep."
Jacen whistled. "I give up. There's no way to win an self-pity contest with you, is there?"
Tenel Ka gave him an outraged look.
"Self-pity?!" she seethed.
Jacen was already laughing, his eyes twinkling in delight at her anger.
She let out an angry breath and shook her head, the red-gold hair swishing in annoyance.
"Oh, Tenel Ka," Jacen pleaded, "It was only a joke."
She raised an eyebrow at him. "Ha."
Jacen broke into a grin, before his face became serious again, remembering why he had come to talk to her.
Sensing his change of mood, Tenel Ka faced him inquiringly.
"Now," she asked, "What was your news?"
He did his best to keep the sinking, twisting feeling in his stomach from showing on his face, but Tenel Ka apparently sensed his emotions and her body became tense, rigid.
"Vergere had a little talk with me today," Jacen began, "Though I suppose you could call it more of a lecture."
Tenel Ka's eyes showed the slightest trace of fear.
He sighed inwardly. He couldn't really beat around the bush in this instance, there was nothing to do but come straight out with it.
"She doesn't think I should consider marriage at this point in my life," Jacen said softly, not meeting her eyes, but looking at the arm of her chair, where her hand was rested demurely. Her hand clenched tightly at his words, then quickly relaxed as his own was placed gently over it.
"Tenel Ka," he whispered, running his thumb delicately over her skin, "I'm not going to obey her on this. What she says doesn't even make sense. If I'm supposed to lead the Jedi Order to some sort of destiny, then I don't see why I shouldn't have a woman that I love more than anything, with the strongest spirit in the galaxy, right there beside me while I'm doing it."
When he looked at her face, her eyes were closed and her mouth was set in a straight line. She seemed to be concentrating very hard on keeping her face controlled.
"Tenel Ka," he whispered again, bringing his hand up to brush her cheek slightly, "C'mon, look at me."
She turned her head towards him, and Jacen saw that her eyes were sparkling with conspicuous drops of moisture, kept from falling from her sheer strength of will.
"It's alright Jacen," she answered hoarsely, "You should obey your teacher."
"No!" he exclaimed angrily, "Not in a billion years. You deserve more than that Tenel Ka."
He leaned closer, he face intense.
"Listen, Tenel Ka. You are strong, incredibly and unbelievably strong. Look at yourself, look at what you've come through. Your mother, your planet, your last mission for the Jedi… You've been a pillar of sanity and stability for everyone you know for the longest time, but I don't want you to have to be anymore. You don't have to bear everything alone, you don't have to put everyone else's needs before yours…"
Tenel Ka's mouth broke from its firm line for a moment, quivered, then reasserted itself. Jacen saw it though, and pulled her towards him, the disrupted chair scrapping against the exquisite marble floor.
To his surprise she didn't stiffen or pull back like she would have done when she was younger, but rested her head on his chest, not crying, but with her breath coming in pained shudders. Automatically his hands found their way into her hair and onto her back, gently comforting her.
"Just because you're Queen doesn't mean you're not human," he continued softly, "I know if you had to, you could hold everything together, because you've got that much strength. But what I'm saying is that I don't want you to have to do that by yourself anymore. I just want to help you Tenel Ka. I want to make sure you don't have to be strong all by yourself anymore."
A silence ensued, full of decisions, memories, and promises to be kept. The brave young queen he enfolded in his arms appeared to be thinking carefully about how to answer his proposals. After a moment, she shifted slightly and craned her neck so that her mouth and eyes were even with his. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips, while the streaks of tears that had finally descended made salty imprints on her face.
"I love you, Jacen," she murmured forcefully, before tilting her head forward to kiss him.
It was as reassuring answer as any.
When she pulled away, and hugged him tightly, he finally found the breath and the wits to ask about the near future.
"Tenel Ka, if you're going to be at the trial tomorrow, then Tahiri and I can do some snooping around and see what this scandal is actually about. We see if we can find some information about the people who have decided to accuse you of collaborating with the Vong."
Tenel Ka nodded appreciatively, and answered in her very Queen-like voice, "That will do nicely."
Jacen grinned slightly, "In any case, I suppose I should give you some time to regenerate."
Tenel Ka smiled in return, "Most definitely. Away with you, ruffian!"
Laughing slightly, Jacen and Tenel Ka stood up. He kissed her hand once before slowly exiting the room.
