A/N: Whoops, forgot to do this before. This statement hereby applies to all previous chapters and all chapters following: I do not own any of the characters, places, or names of Star Wars.
The only exception to this is that I did 'invent' the character of Valterra. Valterra means "Strong earth" and other than that, I just happen to like the name. I have never read of her in any Star Wars book.
Also, I am using this as a test-run for this story, as I'll be majorly editing it and reposting on when it is finished. Hope you enjoy, thanks to DathomiranAuthorRoamer, Gaerwen, Master Solo, Monkey Hood, smeagol's princess, Jedi Master Aurlee Kenobi, Tara, lala, and LilRedHeadGirl for all the reviews! You guys are awesome. Also, if anyone happens to be on TFN boards, my user name is castag, so feel free to PM me. I'm trying to get my feet wet there on the boards before posting a story. Thanks again!
A light breeze and the first rays of light from the window awoke Tenel Ka from her fitful sleep. She threw off her covers and walked to the end of her bedchamber. The rising sun over the palace gardens cast a strange light over the morning mist, and came in her window softly. She stood out on the balcony, hand on the stone rail. Something felt different to her about this day, different than the many other she had spent on Hapes since her arrival.
It had been about two weeks since Valterra's last visit, and about three since the other Jedi left the planet to return to the war. As Ta'a Chume had suggested, she had taken over her mother's duties, attending daily tactical meetings, audiences, diplomatic conferences, and royal meals. Teneniel Djo's health was improving, slowly but steadily, though she was certainly not healthy enough to return to her obligations as Queen.
Every day Tenel Ka searched for Jacen through the Force during her morning meditation. Every day, nothing. Every day, the gap he left in her heart felt wider and less hopeful. Perhaps Valterra had only been a figment of her not-oft used imagination. In the Force, she felt Jaina's smoldering anger at the alien invaders, Tahiri's confusion, Leia's solid determination, and the countless other Jedi nearby in the galaxy. She felt most closely her mother's presence, yet something was different. Her mother had been quiet and withdrawn the past few days, and Tenel Ka did not intend to disturb her rest, for it was well needed. After living her quiet, backwater life on Dathomir, the intrigue and politics of Hapes had simply tired her mother's mind and spirit.
The sun rose higher on the balcony, and there was a knock at the front door to Tenel Ka's chambers. She reluctantly left the balcony and pulled on a robe to cover her nightgown. She opened the door, only to find a girl of about fifteen standing in the frame, holding an armful of what looked to be dress boxes. She was positively shaking, and Tenel Ka did not help matters by saying in her usual blunt manner, "What is it?"
The girl bowed unsteadily and responded in Hapan, stuttering, "Princess, I...I... was sent to...to...give you these." She held out the long, flat boxes to indicate of what she spoke.
Tenel Ka opened the door wider and beckoned her to enter. "My grandmother sent these, I assume?"
"Y-yes." The Tenel Ka took the boxes from her with one arm, and walked into her bedroom. The girl simply stood in the middle sitting room.
"You may come in." She set the boxes on her bed and opened the first one. The first thing that caught her eye was a note, clearly from Ta'a Chume. It read, "These were your mother's dresses when she first arrived here. I have no use for them; perhaps you will wear them instead of your usual rustic attire?"
Tenel Ka raised one eyebrow in disdain of her grandmother's very blatant note. Under the note was a green dress of Hapan design, but looked much more comfortable and conservative than the others her grandmother had attempted to force her to wear. She laid it carefully on the bed, then pulled out the next dress from the box under it, and found that it was much the same material and style, though this one was gray in color. She usually did not like dresses of any kind, yet these she found acceptable, especially since they belonged to her own mother.
Speaking of her mother, it had been a few days since her last visit, so she told the quaking maid to inform Teneniel Djo that she would be receiving a visit from her daughter tonight. But first, there was an important meeting on the refugee situation that Tenel Ka had to attend.
Tenel Ka sat in the meeting at the head of a long and elaborately carved table filled with diplomats, senators, and various royalties from the worlds of Hapes. She sat straight-backed in her chair, and wore her hair in her traditional Dathomiri braids. Today, though, she had donned the green dress of her mother's and she could tell some of the dignitaries were pleasantly surprised, though they said nothing. Around her neck was the pink shell Jacen had given her from Nicta's hatching. She wore it every day, though it was usually not exposed from under her high-necked reptile hides.
She listened patiently to all sides of every story, never allowing the meeting to get out of hand in any way, though it centered on a stressful topic- the war. News from the NRI was that a major victory was won for the New Republic and the war seemed to be ending. Tenel Ka stood up to make a closing speech to the meeting.
"We wish to express our gratitude to all of you for attending, and..." Suddenly, a wash of warmth came at her through the Force, like a wave of joy crashing over her head. Then, the wave subsided, and it felt as though she had just been yanked out of the water and was now gasping for precious breath.
She sat down and took a few gulps of air, the two guards flanking her chair moving in closer. Murmurs grew to outright chaos in the room. Standing up shakily, she waved away help, running from the room. Her soft boots made soft thumping noises as she ran, and she could hear more footsteps running behind her as her female guards pursued. She knew they would never catch her, and she continued to run to her chambers, where she shut and locked the door quickly. She slowly leaned against it and sunk to the floor. Jacen was back...Her heart swelled with love and emotion, and she realized just how lonely she had been in his absence.
She felt exactly the opposite of the screaming rage and pain of the day he "died." Every memory of him came crashing back, every feeling of happiness, friendship, love. She had felt it the hardest when he left, but she knew that she would not be the only one feeling this now. Tears leaked from her eyes, and she realized... it was time.