Chapter 5

Hoping To Know You

"Excuse me, princess Leia, but would you happen to know the name of the young lady who was sitting in the courtyard yesterday evening, she had long dark hair glasses, about this tall?" Tyan asked Leia.

"Oh, her name's Tana Madine." Leia said, "She's a very sweet girl, why do you ask."

"What is she like, what does she like to do?" Tyan asked.

"Whoa, slow down, why don't you go ask her, she's right over there." Leia said with a slight smile as Tyan made his way towards Tana.

"Hello May I join you?" Tyan asked.

"Uh, sure if you want, My name's Tana, Tana Madine. " Tana said as Tyan sat at the table next to her

"I'm Tyan, I, uh, I over heard you singing last night, you are very talented, if I may ask why where you sitting all alone outside?" Tyan asked.

"Oh, the council told me to stay out of sight, or as General Fal'lya so bluntly put it, 'we don't want the prince or any of our guests to see we have a spice head here in the new republic, so stay outside.'." Tana said as she pushed her breakfast around the plate, not feeling very hungry anymore.

"A spice head?" Tyan asked puzzled.

"Someone who uses spice, someone like me. I only used it for a little bit, after my mom and dad died, I've been treated though, I haven't used for three months, but Fal'lya still thinks of me as a spice head, I'm sorry, I'm rambling." Tana said blushing.

"That's alright." Tyan said smiling shyly at Tana.

"So how do you like Coruscant so far?" Tana asked.

"Actually I haven't really seen a lot of it since arriving here, but I would love to see more of it though." Tyan said, if he wasn't covered in fur Tana would have seen that he was blushing furiously.

"Oh, well if you aren't busy maybe I could show you around." Tana said tugging at a loose strand of hair.

"That would be wonderful, can we go now?" Tyan asked.

"Sure if you want." Tana said.

-six hours later-

"So what do you think?" Tana asked as they walked out of the theater.

"That was fun, I've never been to a movie theater, this day has been the best day I've ever had, I got to ride in a monorail, eat ice cream in the park, and the best part is I got to spend time with you." Tyan said just as a speeder pulled up. "Oh no."

"What?" Tana asked.

"The nanny squad." Tyan groaned, as two bothans got out of the speeder.

"Your highness, thank the gods we found you, we've been searching everywhere for you!" one said.

"Hayden I'm fine, I was just..." Tyan began when Corbin cut him off.

"And you, leading the prince away from us, you should be..." Corbin said raising his arm to hit Tana.

"Corbin, she did not lead me away, she was showing me the city, I asked her to." Tyan said, taking hold of Corbin's upraised arm.

"Come along it's time you returned home." Hayden said ushering Tyan into the speeder, then driving off, leaving Tana on the side of the road.

The next day Tyan sat in the window seat of his guest rooms looking down at the bustling city. I hope she isn't upset that I didn't tell her I'm the prince, and I hope she didn't get into trouble. Tyan thought to himself.

Hayden walked down the skyway back to the guest rooms, when he spotted Tana.

"Excuse me, you're Tana, aren't you?" Hayden asked, noticing the light bruising around her cheek.

"Yes." Tana murmured, lowering her gaze to the floor.

"What happened, did Corbin do that?" Hayden asked as he tilted her head up.

"Fal'lya." Tana murmured, "I'm sorry, please excuse me."

Tana moved to leave.

"For what it's worth I've never seen the prince look happier than he did yesterday." Hayden said.