THALIA
Once the door to the hospital room slid shut, Thalia opened her eyes and raised her fingertips to her cheek, feeling the remnants of the tear and where Obi-Wan had kissed her. Without warning, the door slid open again and she pulled her hand away from her face in case it was one of the Jedi.
"Hello, Thalia." Padme said from the doorway, a pained expression on her face. Thalia smiled at her as the Queen took the seat Obi-Wan had just vacated and gently squeezed her shoulder.
"Thank you for taking me in. Again." Thalia said and Padme immediately shook her head.
"Don't ever say that." She insisted and Thalia smiled appreciatively before closing her eyes and sighing. "Is there anything you need or want?"
"I'm…I'm going back to Troska, I've decided." Thalia nodded. "I want to go home."
"Should I get Master…" Padme began but Thalia shook her head.
"No. My safety is no longer their concern." She said adamantly.
"Okay. I'll get your droid." Padme nodded.
A short time later, Thalia sat beside C-6 in the cockpit of the Falcon as it carefully left the landing platform.
"I know I said he was gorgeous, but for the record, I never really liked those Jedi." C-6 said reasonably. Thalia brought one of her feet up to rest on the chair and wrapped her arms around her knee. She watched Naboo's scenery disappear from view as they shot into lightspeed.
A small blue, flashing light appeared on the control panel in front of her.
"Communication from Obi-Wan Kenobi. Shall I patch…" C-6 began but Thalia leaned forward and switched it off.
. . .
Thalia sat on her throne at the end of the long, sandstone room. The colours from the stain glass windows cast kaleidoscopic patterns on the floor. She was still weak but it was good to be home. She'd been back on Troska for mere hours when she'd been told the Jedi were on their way and she was going to need her strength for what she was about to do.
Even though she was exhausted, Thalia sat resolutely as the throne room doors were pulled open to reveal not just Qui-Gonn and Obi-Wan, but also Masters Mace Windu and Yoda. Why they were needed, she didn't know but it was of little concern.
Beside her, C-6 stood as a comforting presence. At least Thalia would always be able to trust her droid.
"Your highness." Windu greeted as the group bowed having reached the base of the steps leading up to the throne.
"We understand, given the circumstances your desire to return to Troska. However, it would have been wise to let us escort you, rather than heading off on your own accord." Qui-Gonn began, but seeing Thalia's stony expression, he paused.
"This was actually your great trial. You should see that. The force works in mysterious ways." Mace took over and Thalia couldn't believe what she was hearing. "And because of this trial you have become stronger."
"My great trial?" Thalia burst out. "I was thinking more along the lines of your great incompetence. I didn't know it was customary for the Jedi to pass off their mistakes as simply the will of the force."
Thalia looked down at the men who had remarkably been reduced to silence.
"Your highness, the fault is our own and we will endeavor to improve our efforts to keep you safe." Qui-Gonn said quietly.
"There is no need." Thalia replied. "I no longer require the assistance of the Jedi. I was safer here, on Troska than I was being hauled around the galaxy, following the Jedi on their missions. No matter how many times my safety was abandoned for the sake of the Republic, I was constantly told that my protection was your number one priority. Over the past year I have discovered that so many close to me had other agendas, I really hoped the Jedi would be the acceptation. Cleary my faith was misplaced."
"Your highness, please. Suffered greatly, you have. Grave mistakes we have made." Yoda nodded.
"Well, I'm glad you've at least accepted the fact that you were at fault." Thalia replied tersely. She was so angry now that she could feel the force building up inside her. "How could you have possibly hoped to keep me safe when you can't even protect a holocron from being stolen from your Jedi Temple. Now the Separatists know of my force sensitivity." And seeing Obi-Wan's glance up at Qui-Gonn she added. "Yes, I do know about that, thanks to Count Dooku. I see now that you were trying to spare yourselves the embarrassment of having to tell me you once again failed in your mission."
A rumbling sound met her ears and the glass in the windows began to rattle. The Jedi looked nervously at each other before Qui-Gonn tried one final attempt to negotiate with her.
"Thalia. We are deeply sorry for our deception and lack of care for our mission to protect you." He began. Sorry? Sorry wasn't going to replace what she'd lost. "We will do everything we can to make it right. However, we do believe that the safest hands are still our own…"
"What you think no longer concerns me." Thalia interrupted. "I have lost too much because of your selfishness and disloyalty." Her knuckles turned white as her grip around the arms of the throne intensified. "I no longer require your protection, your council or your services. You will leave Troska and if I ever see so much as a Republic cruiser on the horizon I will use your precious force to blow it to pieces."
"Your highness…" Mace Windu began.
"Get out!" Thalia shouted, rising suddenly from her throne. No sooner had the words left her mouth, the tall, stain glass windows exploded into tiny pieces of coloured glass and all around the hall, they tinkled gently as they hit the stone floor.
Slowly, the Jedi bowed their heads and Thalia made a point to maintain eye contact with them as they turned and walked back, through the door. However, she didn't dare look at Obi-Wan.
The second the doors closed, Thalia's façade broke and her face crumpled as she fell back into the chair. She took a few deep breaths, but as C-6 placed a comforting hand on her shoulder she began to cry.