Fate, So Beautifully
A Star Wars Romance
Written by: Nehru_Amidala
Inspirations: the myth of Hades and Persephone, Sailor Moon, Edward Scissorhands, The Nutcracker, The Thrawn Trilogy, Neil Gaiman's Stardust, Downton Abbey
Pairings: Thrawn/Jaina (Main!), Luke/Mara, Han/Leia, Jacen/Tenel Ka, Anakin/Tahiri, Ar'alani/Paelleon, Thooraki/Thurfian, Eli/Vah'nya
Author's note: Please do not nitpick with the ideas presented here. I will not change my stories to make you happy. Also, big thanks to Darth Bernael for suggesting the idea for the ops mission. Minor references to Monty Python: Life of Brian and Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall.
Tropes used in this story and trigger warnings: time travel, true love conquers all, earning a happy ending, grey vs gray morality, miscarriage, premature birth, abandonment, redemption, rising to meet your fate, to see with eyes unclouded
Timeline: Mix of Legends and Canon
Voice cast list: Thrawn- Benedict Cumberbatch, Jaina- Anne Hathaway, Luke- Mark Hamill, Mara- Karen Gillam, Han- Harrison Ford, Leia- Carrie Fisher, Jacen- Elijah Wood, Tenel Ka- Renee Felice Smith, Ar'alani- Angie Harmon, Paelleon- Joe Spano, Thooraki- Hugh Bonneville, Thurfian- Elizabeth McGovern, Eli- David Tennant, Vah'nya- Stephanie Sheh, Ochi of Bestoon- John DeLancie, Justinian Konstantin (OC)- Peter Capaldi, Theodora Konstantin (OC)- Catherine Tate, Cassandra Konstantin (OC)- Michelle Dockery
Author's note: I claim nothing, except this is probably the VERY FIRST fan fiction is Star Wars fandom history to pair Thrawn with Jaina Solo. Having read all the Legends books, I can say for certainty that everyone will be in character. Any naysayers will be fed to Moro no Kimi.
(Tales from the Vienna Woods- Strauss)
Stave 8: Undercover on Berchest, Part 4
Berchestian boars were about one- and one-half times the size of the average puffer pig, standing about two feet at the shoulder, muscular and covered in wiry, grey fur. The tusks were three inches long, yellow and smelling of undergrowth and rot. Thrawn noticed this particular boar had ingrown hooves, and the way it snarled and pranced over the fallen leaves indicated this creature was not long for life. If he could just graze it, it would make for a fine dinner.
However, the boar had lived through many hunting seasons, and when it smelled the humans mounted on the faithers, it squealed loudly like a dying balloon, darting wildly in between the bushes and the faithers' legs, shooting the damned this was next to impossible. There were several close calls, and Thrawn got off a few shots, and as the chase continued, he and Eli agreed it was a fine day for a hunt, even if the skies were overcast.
As the men continued down the path, Eli caught up with Thrawn, the wind tousling his brown hair. "Woooohooo," he hollered in a manner most unbecoming of an Imperial officer, but then again how often could one really let their guard down. Thrawn shook his head and grinned at his human brother's antics, Eli could be such a child sometimes. Pulling at the reins, he pulled up alongside and commented, "Having fun?" Eli nodded; it had been too long since he had been able to cut loose like this. It was about now that Konstantin caught up with them. His face was red, he was panting, and his trousers were covered with mulch and mud.
"I am so done with boar hunts! I have no idea what my inane idiot of an uncle is doing, but we need to get evidence of spice manufacturing," Konstantin complained. The three of them rode along as Justinian eagerly running his faither hard, shooting at everything that had four legs. Thrawn raised his hand in order to stop the argument. "As random as this seems, your uncle is showboating, and the longer he keeps this up, he will let his guard down. Once he does that, the rest will follow." The others agreed, this seemed like the best course of action.
Justinian caught up to them, laughing. "There you are, you sorry sods. Lost the little bugger in the bushes, and I think it's time we made for the hunting lodge. Come on, let's get to in then." The other men nodded, what else was there to see? The path led up a rocky incline and towards a luxury cabin advertised on the Holonet. It was the size of a house, hardly the rustic hunting lodge they had all been imagining.
There was a chandelier made entire of antlers hanging from the blood red ceiling, a grand staircase leading to at least four rooms on the second floor, two on either side of the cabin. They were large rooms, and upstairs was a billiards room, a library, a home office, and a bedroom. Justinian locked himself in the office, Konstantin poured himself some scotch and began shooting some pool.
Eli and Thrawn wandered down the basement, where they found a full sauna. Thrawn hadn't seen a sauna in years, at least not he left Csilla. Ten minutes later, the men were wearing towels around their waists, discussing the case and the lack of evidence.
"If you ask me, the soil here can barely grow grass year-round, and there have been reports of active geologic schisms within the last millennia, and the soil content has only changed within the last year or two. I mean, how much of the local economy is wrapped up in exports. Could we be looking something akin to Delta Source," Eli inquired.
Thrawn stared into the coals, and he poured more water onto the them, steam rising in tendrils from the crate. Staring into the steam, Thrawn collected his thoughts. When he brought Jaina back with him to Csilla, they would sit together in the sauna, swapping stories. "Justinian did surveillance work for the Republic in its waning years when Finis Vallorum was newly elected Chancellor. If he is smuggling spice, as we suspect, it would be via an unusual method law enforcement would not think to check otherwise when it passes for smuggling checks at the local spaceports."
Eli agreed, it would be difficult to prosecute a case without any solid physical evidence. It was here Konstantin joined them on one of the wooden benches running around the wall. "Well, if it isn't Biggus Dickus and Commander Littleprick, move over." He was a little unsteady on his feet, and as Kassius sat with them, Thrawn updated him with what they had so far. Konstantin was annoyed they had so little to go on. They would have to wait, as that was all they could do.
In the two weeks that followed the sauna powwow, Jaina had taken up riding around the lush grounds and surrounding trails, when she wasn't exploring every nook and cranny of Bishkek she could, being a young, single woman armed with only a holdout blaster. From what she could gather, the locals had no loyalty to the landed gentry, and why should they? Just another rich family in a big, drafty house who were lazy about the local economy, and were more concerned with currying favor with the planetary governor. They liked him, so it was plain to see while they were salt of the earth Imperial citizens, they had no love the Konstantins.
She was riding in the back garden on sultry afternoon, musing about Delta Source and how Konstantin's family was smuggling out spice. There had to be some way, maybe the crops? When she had gone into the to explore the kitchen garden, she had been chased away by the kitchen servants. This was their domain, not hers. After a week, she gave up when a butcher knife was thrown at her and thankfully missed. Thrawn, being her white knight, insisted the assailant be sacked and arrested for assault with a deadly weapon. Justinian refused on both ends, gardening was such a bourgeois pastime.
That evening, she and Thrawn were cuddling on the window seat, looking at reports taken for seized crops that had been injected with glitterstim spice. From what they were reading, the crops rotted internally before reaching their destinations. Jaina was in her nightgown and sitting in his lap. Thrawn's tunic was off, and his arms were around her shoulders. Jaina put down her datapad, her head hurt from reading scholarly papers.
Putting it down, she gazed out the window, she needed a break. Thrawn kissed her softly and asked if she was all right. Jaina groused, "We have to be missing something. We know, at least we suspect that the Konstantin family is producing, much less shipping it out…Wait a second, none of those reports mentioned fungi- mushrooms!"
Thrawn looked up, mushrooms? Berchestian mushroom season would be beginning soon, and he kissed her again. "Heart's half- you are brilliant!" The next day, Eli and Konstantin were brought up to date and they brainstormed, not letting their hosts know the sharks were circling.
The week passed, and with it Midsummer's Day came closer, and with it a great ball was to be held in order to celebrate the successful harvests. This would be Thrawn and Jaina's first public event as a couple. Jaina really didn't have anything to wear, so Cassandra and Theodora decided to take Jaina to spend the day at a spa and have a dress fitted for the event.
The last time Jaina had visited a spa was before her Uncle Luke married Mara Jade, and that had been when she was 13. She took care of her nails with an emery board and clippers, but a full spa day? The spa her hostesses dragged her two was in a well-kept stone building. It was unlike anything Jaina had experienced.
To start, Jaina spent half an hour in a hot bath of bantha milk so her skin would soften, and her hair was given an herbal rinse, combed and brushed until it shined. Once she was wiped down with hot towels, she was given a fluffy robe and got a facial, complete with mud mask and cucumbers over the eyes. Jaina was so relaxed she fell asleep on the massage table. It was too bad she couldn't eat the cucumbers.
When the arrived at the dress shop, Jaina was poked and prodded- gown after gown given to her and torn off, until they found a bone white Regency gown and a petal pink sateen sash. It fit like a glove, and her hair was carefully braided into a bun. Jaina stared at her reflection in a mirror, was that really her?
The hour grew late, and Thrawn arrived back at the bedroom, to escort Jaina downstairs, and when he saw her, oh gods! He bowed and kissed her hands, "May I have the honour of having you as my date tonight, heart's half?" Jaina curtseyed and blushed.
As they walked down the circular staircase, all eyes turned to the young couple. Unlike many of the other young women who had their marriages arranged, the amount of love, affection and mutual respect and friendship Thrawn and Jaina. Those two were destined for a fairy tale wedding at some point. They made their way onto the dance floor.
Justinian and Theodora waved to the crowd, and the hired musicians played the Imperial Anthem, and Jaina wasn't sure to laugh or cry, as she was used to hearing the Army theme her whole life. As the crowds cheered, Thrawn pulled Jaina closer. A waltz started, and Thrawn led her onto the dance floor.
Thrawn gently held her close as they danced over the tiled floors, loosing themselves in the moment. As they danced together, Konstantin found himself gagging, all that love was making his teeth rot. Eli was handed from one young woman to another, and he was grinning at Thrawn and Jaina. He could already hear wedding bells.
The waltz ended, and Thrawn gently kissed Jaina, and she happily returned it. A perfect Midsummer's Eve. Eli nudged Konstantin, "You owe me 50 credits, I said they would come out as couple during this outing, come on- pay out El Cheapo." Grumbling about it, Konstantin paid up.
What an evening!