Hey! Wow, I haven't been on here in like a year! I'm in college now and it is tres tres boring as I am stuck on campus all alone this weekend with no car. : ( Oh well. I have a lot of time on my hand so I figured I'd get going with the story again. It was a pretty good one. And people are still reading it and commenting on it and well I can't leave the fans wanting more now can I? Please forgive any spelling mistakes cause this is the only writing I've done in like forever that isn't being graded and I feel like being lazy.
Chapter 5
Tenel Ka's eyes snapped open. A moment of confusion swept over her as she realized she was not in her room on Yavin 4. With a sign she relaxed and settled back into her pillow. With the fog of sleep lifted she remembered where she was. A knock came from the thick wood door. "Come in," she called as she pulled the thick hide blanket up over her naked chest. A small girl entered, carrying a tray.
"Your morning meal, your highness." The girl had long black hair and skin the color of a sun bleached stone. She could not be more than twelve years old. She timidly walked over to Tenel Ka and placed the tray on the small table near the head of the bed.
Tenel Ka could not help but smile at the girl. "What is your name child?" she asked as warmly as she could.
"Larame, your highness." She stared at the floor.
"Larame, you may not address me that way. I would like you to call me by my name please." The girl's gaze finally met Tenel Ka's eyes. Larame's eyes were a deep emerald green. There was something about this girl, something that made Tenel Ka want to make her smile.
"Of course, your highn..., I mean Tenel Ka, mam." The girl fought back a smile, knowing that what she was breaking some rule. "I shall fetch your dress for the day." She bowed and walked stiffly from the room.
Tenel Ka lifted a small bowl off of the tray. It was full of a warm soupy liquid. She inhaled deeply, the early herbal scent. She recognized it as the traditional morning drink of her mother's people. It was thought to give the women energy after a long night with their lovers. She drank it quickly, feeling the warmth in her belly. She picked up the piece of fruit and bit into it gingerly. She wiped the juice from her chin as Larame walked back in, a beautiful dress made of some kind of purple reptile skin in her arms.
"You are expected in the Great Room, miss."
Tenel Ka rose from the bed. "Thank you Larame." The girl laid the garment on the bed. Her eyes were drawn to Tenel Ka's right arm, or what was left of it. Tenel Ka noticed the direction of the young girl's gaze. "It was lost while sparring at the academy."
"Then I am sure your opponent suffered greatly for the pain they caused you." Larame smoothed out the fabric.
Tenel Ka was taken aback by her bluntness. She considered scolding the girl but remembered where she was. "No. The fault belongs to me completly." The girl looked at Tenel Ka with some confusion in her eyes. Tenel Ka told her about her faulty lightsaber and the accident on Yavin 4, how her grandmother had insisted she be fitted with a protstesis. Before she knew it, Tenel Ka had told Larame her entire life story. The young girl was sitting next to Tenel Ka on the bed, eyes wide with excitement.
"You have lived the most interesting life so far, miss."
Tenel Ka could not help but smile at the girl. "Well, Larame, I am sure that by the time you are my age you will have had plenty adventures of your own."
"Oh, it is very kind of you to suggest that but I believe that fate will not take me farther than these fortress walls." Tenel Ka saw a shadow flash over Larame's eyes. "Now miss, if you require no more of me, I shall allow you to dress. I shall return when you are called to the Great Room." Larame bowed and exited.
Tenel Ka stood and pulled her night gown over her head. She walked over to the gown that was waiting for her. She recognized the scales as those of a native raptile. She thought of Jacen, how much he would enjoy all the the indigenous creatures on her planet. But the reality was she may never see him again. She knew why she had been called to her mother's home world. They wished her to be the next leader of their clan. That would make her virtually grounded on Dathomir. And even if she was not to be the next leader, it was unlikely she would return to Yavin 4. She had left the academy without getting permission from Master Skywalker, which was grounds for expulsion. She slipped the gown over her head, letting it settle onto her shoulders. The strapless sheath hugged every curve of her body. She admired herself in the mirror. This is what a queen should look like, she thought to herself. She had always felt that her Hapan gowns were too showy, made of expensive fabrics and adorned with jewels. This was earthy and natural. She felt like a true woman. She blushed, recalling her encounter with Jacen a few nights ago. As soon as the thought crossed her mind she shut it out. It would do her no good to think of him now. She had felt him feeling for her throught the Force but had closed herself off to their connection. She sighed and through the shall that matched her dress over her shoulders. She sighed and sat down on the bench at the foot of the bed. She tried to meditate, calm her mind.
There was a knock on the chamber door. "Come in," she called.
"The elders await you, miss." Larame bowed.
Tenel Ka pulled her thigh holster up and strapped her lightsaber to it. She pulled the gown over it, concealing her Jedi weapon. She smiled when she looked up at Larame. "Perhaps later I shall show you my weapon."
"Oh, miss, I would be honored." A wide smile spread across the girl's face. The began to walk down the stone corridor. Tenel Ka was not sure what awaited her in the Great Room, but she tried to ready herself for it.
"Jacen, are you going to help me land this hunk of junk or what?" Jaina pulled the Millenium Falcon out of hyperdrive.
Her brother jumped. "Wha-what?"
"Help me."
He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. The planet of Dathomir came into view. As approached the planted the ship made a violent jerk.
"What was that?" Jacen's eyes scanned the various meters but did not understand what the readings meant.
"That was not good."
"Not good? How not good?"
"It's, umm, pretty bad." She began frantically pulling levers, pressing buttons.
"Like on a scale of one to ten Jaina."
"About a nine and a half." Tree tops dangerously grazed the bottom of the ship. "You're going to want to hold on to something solid." She strapped herself into the pilot's seat.
The Falcon skidded to a stop in the middle of the dense forrest. "Woah." Jacen shook his head. "What was that?"
"That was a jammed thruster."
"Right." He stood and streched. "Well, let's go find Tenel Ka."
"Umm, that might be a problem. I have no idea where we are."
"No idea."
"Nope. We are probably pretty close to where her people live. I'm sure they'll send some one out soon to investigate the crash."
The ship suddenly lurched. "What was that?" Jacen held on to his chair as it learched again.
"I don't know. But I say we find out before the ship falls apart." Jaina opened the hatch and walked into the clearing the crash had created. A huge rancor stood, pushing the ship with its huge claws. "Jacen, you might want to get out here."
Suddenly, a tall, muscular woman jumped down from the rancor's head. "Identify yourself." She held a long staff in her right hand. Jaina recognized her armor as that of the Singing Mountain Clan.
"I am Jacen Solo and this is my sister, Jaina. We're here to speak with Tenel Ka Djo." Jacen walked down the ramp and stood next to his sister.
"You are decendants of Han Solo?" A look of curiosity came over her face.
"Yes," Jacen answered. "He is our father."
The girl swung her staff, hitting Jacen on the side of the head. He fell to the ground, unconscious. Jaina quickly ignited her lightsaber. The warrior closed her eyes and began chanting. Jaina watched as her weapon floated from her hands and came to rest in the hand of the other girl. "I do not wish you harm, daughter of Solo." She turned off the lightsaber and placed it in the pouch that hung on her belt.
"Really? You could've fooled me." Jaina knelt on the ground to see if Jacen was seriously injured.
"Your brother makes a very valuable mate." The girl began binding Jacen's wrists and ankles.
"I'm not sure he would agree." Jaina stood.
"Why? Has he already been claimed by a woman?" The girl looked at Jaina questioningly.
"Well, no, not exactly. He does have feelings for someone though."
"His feelings do not worry me. Soon he will be my mate and will give me many children." She signaled the rancor to lift Jacen. The beast gently cradled him it its claw. "And now daughter of Solo, I must return to my clan. I expect you wish to accompany me?" She offered Jaina her hand. Unsure of what to do next, Jaina took the girls hand and soon they were climbing up to the saddle on top of the rancor's huge head. "I am called Arealia."
"Well, it's nice to meet you Arealia." Jaina held tightly to the sadle as the rancor carried her quickly through the forrest.