From Scratch
Chapter 6
For the next hour the celebration was the mingling of everyone involved. Jacen spoke to few people on his own, dancing attendance on Tenel Ka as if he was already her consort. Nobody commented, but they drew more and one appreciative, envious gaze as they worked their way around the room.
From a secluded corner where the fighter pilots seemed to be congregating, Jaina Solo watched her brother. She'd never seen him so solicitous. She nudged Jag, who stood at her side and nodded to the couple. "Are you watching this?"
Jag followed her gaze and favored her with a smile. "They make quite the couple, don't you think?"
Jaina nodded, taking a sip of her drink. "They do. Jacen looks put out though. Want to cause some mischief?" she asked suddenly, her eyes sparkling.
"Is that wise? He still outranks you."
She made a face, looking back to where her brother was placing a possessive hand in the small of Tenel Ka's back to guide her to the next group. He'd never been subtle and she supposed he wasn't about to start now. "I forgot about that. I just feel like I should do something to help them along, the air is fairly crackling around them."
"I can see that," he slung an arm around her shoulders, hugging her before letting it drop. "I don't think they'd appreciate our interference, though."
"Sure, spoil all my fun. I guess I'll just have to wait until he resigns to make a nuisance of myself."
Jag chuckled but said nothing as they continued to watch the tense couple.
The band was beginning to set up, tuning their instruments carefully as couples began to separate and crowd closer to the empty dance floor.
Jacen turned to Tenel Ka. "May I have the honor of the first dance?" he asked softly, remembering that she was supposed to do the asking, but unable to help himself. He wanted to let everyone know exactly what his intentions were towards her and if communicating it by monopolizing her was the only way, so be it.
Tenel Ka looked around once, feigning disinterest. It didn't last long though and her eyes finally met his. She nodded once, sharply, the motion looking more like she was tossing her head as she held her hand out to him. The music began, a soft, sweeping melody that was almost haunting in its purity. Tenel Ka stepped into Jacen's arms and his went around her, one settling on her waist, the other capturing her hand in his. She didn't even think as she placed the upper half of her left arm against his shoulder.
Jacen looked into her gray eyes, noticing how they began to lose their focus as he swept her onto the dance floor. The world seemed to drop away from them, becoming an indistinct blur as the melody bound them together. Thei legs brushed as they moved, the friction of their clothing almost sexual in nature despite the innocence inherent in the move.
Tenel Ka found she couldn't pull her gaze away from his, and didn't want to. Something about him had always drawn her, always called to her spirit. Now, here in his arms surrounded by thousands of spectators, she found it difficult to resist his allure. But resist she did. She refused to let herself give into this weakness.
Jacen leaned his head forward and she almost ducked away in surprise before his soft word caressed her ear. "Easy, I promised to behave myself, remember?"
She was tense in his arms, their faces pressed cheek to cheek, his breath feathering across the heated skin of her neck and sending her pulse into an unsteady race. She forced her muscles to relax, feeling his hands on her as clearly as if no fabric separated them. She was in trouble and she knew it. What would happen if she ever gave into the promise in his touch? Could she be burnt by the passion and walk away intact? She doubted it. Whatever she and Jacen would share - did share - it was something she'd never be able to control. The thought terrified her and she tried to pull away from him.
Jacen's hands tensed on her, keeping her in position as he led her about the floor. "What is it?" he asked concerned, pulling back to look at her.
"Let me go."
Jacen stopped moving, his features solemn. "I can't."
"You must." She didn't dare look around to see if anyone was staring.
"Why?"
"I have commanded it."
"Enough with your commands tonight, Tenel Ka. I'm not a servant, I thought I made that perfectly clear."
"I do not wish to hurt you."
"You already have by refusing me. Physical pain will mean little after that."
"Jacen."
Her tone held a warning, but Jacen could hear a note of something else underneath it. Desperation? "Why should I let you go?" he asked, leading her unerringly towards the most populated side of the room. The dance floor was huge, covering most of the room and extended from wall to wall, including some of the balconies. People parted as they neared, giving them a wide berth. The two Jedi looked to be in an intense discussion and nobody wanted to intrude on them. Jacen silently counted his blessings.
"Because I wish it."
"Not good enough," he murmured. He swung her around by the hand, twirling her in place before catching her close to his body as the music changed. "I should challenge you to a duel for insulting me."
"Insulting you?" she blinked. "I have not."
"Oh but you have my lovely lady," he stopped their progress by the main entrance way leading up to the next level. "By intending to seek another man as your consort you've wounded me. I don't know if I'll ever recover."
"I do not find this funny."
"Me either, but you'd better play by the rules, Tenel Ka, or else I might be tempted to kidnap you."
"And risk war?" she demanded.
"If necessary."
She gaped, she couldn't help it. Jacen was willing to risk a war between the New Republic and the Hapan Consortium over -her-? If she hadn't been so shocked, she might have been flattered. She followed his movements as he led her out of the hall, her mind spinning briefly. "I will not allow it."
"You won't have much choice." He grinned, sweeping her up in his arms for a turn around a group of people, the music slowly dying off. When he put her down, they were standing in front of General Antilles. "General Antilles!"
Wedge looked up. "Jacen?"
He pulled the stars off his shoulder. "I have already explained my last military act as General to the Chief of State and now resign my commission."
Wedge blinked once. "Pardon?"
Jacen handed his stars to Wedge. "You heard me sir. I am no longer a part of the military. Good luck Wedge."
Wedge looked after him shocked as Jacen swept Tenel Ka away.
"Now you have done it."
"What?" He looked down at her, keeping her focused on him as he danced her up the staircase. She didn't seem to notice, so focused she was on scolding him.
"As a General my people would have accepted you for your military prowess."
"As a General I would have been thought a spy," he replied quickly, "your consortium is made up of pirates, your Highness, I haven't forgotten that. They'd always be looking for some way to discredit me."
"But why resign?"
"I never wanted it in the first place. Besides, this way if I do what I think of doing and steal you away, I'm an independent citizen."
"You are joking."
He grinned down at her and Tenel Ka noticed for the first time that the music they'd been moving too was distant. Too distant. She stopped, planting her feet and refusing to move as she took in her surroundings again. They were in the main hall, close to the entry way for lesser dignitaries. Below her security cordon. "What are you doing?"
"I thought it was obvious." Jacen planted his feet and swept her into his arms, drawing a shocked gasp from her. "I'm kidnapping you."
Chapter 6
For the next hour the celebration was the mingling of everyone involved. Jacen spoke to few people on his own, dancing attendance on Tenel Ka as if he was already her consort. Nobody commented, but they drew more and one appreciative, envious gaze as they worked their way around the room.
From a secluded corner where the fighter pilots seemed to be congregating, Jaina Solo watched her brother. She'd never seen him so solicitous. She nudged Jag, who stood at her side and nodded to the couple. "Are you watching this?"
Jag followed her gaze and favored her with a smile. "They make quite the couple, don't you think?"
Jaina nodded, taking a sip of her drink. "They do. Jacen looks put out though. Want to cause some mischief?" she asked suddenly, her eyes sparkling.
"Is that wise? He still outranks you."
She made a face, looking back to where her brother was placing a possessive hand in the small of Tenel Ka's back to guide her to the next group. He'd never been subtle and she supposed he wasn't about to start now. "I forgot about that. I just feel like I should do something to help them along, the air is fairly crackling around them."
"I can see that," he slung an arm around her shoulders, hugging her before letting it drop. "I don't think they'd appreciate our interference, though."
"Sure, spoil all my fun. I guess I'll just have to wait until he resigns to make a nuisance of myself."
Jag chuckled but said nothing as they continued to watch the tense couple.
The band was beginning to set up, tuning their instruments carefully as couples began to separate and crowd closer to the empty dance floor.
Jacen turned to Tenel Ka. "May I have the honor of the first dance?" he asked softly, remembering that she was supposed to do the asking, but unable to help himself. He wanted to let everyone know exactly what his intentions were towards her and if communicating it by monopolizing her was the only way, so be it.
Tenel Ka looked around once, feigning disinterest. It didn't last long though and her eyes finally met his. She nodded once, sharply, the motion looking more like she was tossing her head as she held her hand out to him. The music began, a soft, sweeping melody that was almost haunting in its purity. Tenel Ka stepped into Jacen's arms and his went around her, one settling on her waist, the other capturing her hand in his. She didn't even think as she placed the upper half of her left arm against his shoulder.
Jacen looked into her gray eyes, noticing how they began to lose their focus as he swept her onto the dance floor. The world seemed to drop away from them, becoming an indistinct blur as the melody bound them together. Thei legs brushed as they moved, the friction of their clothing almost sexual in nature despite the innocence inherent in the move.
Tenel Ka found she couldn't pull her gaze away from his, and didn't want to. Something about him had always drawn her, always called to her spirit. Now, here in his arms surrounded by thousands of spectators, she found it difficult to resist his allure. But resist she did. She refused to let herself give into this weakness.
Jacen leaned his head forward and she almost ducked away in surprise before his soft word caressed her ear. "Easy, I promised to behave myself, remember?"
She was tense in his arms, their faces pressed cheek to cheek, his breath feathering across the heated skin of her neck and sending her pulse into an unsteady race. She forced her muscles to relax, feeling his hands on her as clearly as if no fabric separated them. She was in trouble and she knew it. What would happen if she ever gave into the promise in his touch? Could she be burnt by the passion and walk away intact? She doubted it. Whatever she and Jacen would share - did share - it was something she'd never be able to control. The thought terrified her and she tried to pull away from him.
Jacen's hands tensed on her, keeping her in position as he led her about the floor. "What is it?" he asked concerned, pulling back to look at her.
"Let me go."
Jacen stopped moving, his features solemn. "I can't."
"You must." She didn't dare look around to see if anyone was staring.
"Why?"
"I have commanded it."
"Enough with your commands tonight, Tenel Ka. I'm not a servant, I thought I made that perfectly clear."
"I do not wish to hurt you."
"You already have by refusing me. Physical pain will mean little after that."
"Jacen."
Her tone held a warning, but Jacen could hear a note of something else underneath it. Desperation? "Why should I let you go?" he asked, leading her unerringly towards the most populated side of the room. The dance floor was huge, covering most of the room and extended from wall to wall, including some of the balconies. People parted as they neared, giving them a wide berth. The two Jedi looked to be in an intense discussion and nobody wanted to intrude on them. Jacen silently counted his blessings.
"Because I wish it."
"Not good enough," he murmured. He swung her around by the hand, twirling her in place before catching her close to his body as the music changed. "I should challenge you to a duel for insulting me."
"Insulting you?" she blinked. "I have not."
"Oh but you have my lovely lady," he stopped their progress by the main entrance way leading up to the next level. "By intending to seek another man as your consort you've wounded me. I don't know if I'll ever recover."
"I do not find this funny."
"Me either, but you'd better play by the rules, Tenel Ka, or else I might be tempted to kidnap you."
"And risk war?" she demanded.
"If necessary."
She gaped, she couldn't help it. Jacen was willing to risk a war between the New Republic and the Hapan Consortium over -her-? If she hadn't been so shocked, she might have been flattered. She followed his movements as he led her out of the hall, her mind spinning briefly. "I will not allow it."
"You won't have much choice." He grinned, sweeping her up in his arms for a turn around a group of people, the music slowly dying off. When he put her down, they were standing in front of General Antilles. "General Antilles!"
Wedge looked up. "Jacen?"
He pulled the stars off his shoulder. "I have already explained my last military act as General to the Chief of State and now resign my commission."
Wedge blinked once. "Pardon?"
Jacen handed his stars to Wedge. "You heard me sir. I am no longer a part of the military. Good luck Wedge."
Wedge looked after him shocked as Jacen swept Tenel Ka away.
"Now you have done it."
"What?" He looked down at her, keeping her focused on him as he danced her up the staircase. She didn't seem to notice, so focused she was on scolding him.
"As a General my people would have accepted you for your military prowess."
"As a General I would have been thought a spy," he replied quickly, "your consortium is made up of pirates, your Highness, I haven't forgotten that. They'd always be looking for some way to discredit me."
"But why resign?"
"I never wanted it in the first place. Besides, this way if I do what I think of doing and steal you away, I'm an independent citizen."
"You are joking."
He grinned down at her and Tenel Ka noticed for the first time that the music they'd been moving too was distant. Too distant. She stopped, planting her feet and refusing to move as she took in her surroundings again. They were in the main hall, close to the entry way for lesser dignitaries. Below her security cordon. "What are you doing?"
"I thought it was obvious." Jacen planted his feet and swept her into his arms, drawing a shocked gasp from her. "I'm kidnapping you."