Royal Palace, Hapes

Jacen slowly awoke; he blinked his eyes open allowing them to focus on the gold plated ceiling of Tenel Ka's sleeping chamber. He was always amazed by lavishness of the Hapan palace and Tenel Ka's bedroom was no exception with its richly patterned walls, cream colored draperies and filled with outrageously expensive furniture that had been handed down through the royal family for generations. There were marbled bedside tables and dressers, vintage velvet chairs and hand crafted Corellian lamps. The contents of this room alone, if sold, could buy Jacen a Hapan Battle Dragon.

He rolled over in bed to gaze at his sleeping lover. He enjoyed watching her slumber. It was a time when she could escape the stress and pressure of leadership and simply dream. Her face was lean and strong, her silken golden hair splayed out over her pillow like a halo of color. Jacen smiled at her beauty. Their daughter Allana took after her mother so much that sometimes it was like looking an an old Holo of Tenel Ka in her youth.

He glanced over to the bedside chrono and frowned upon realizing it was time to wake up. He reached over and pulled his beautiful bed companion into his arms. Tenel Ka opened her eyes and smiled at Jacen. "Good morning," she said softly.

Jacen gave her a warm, lingering kiss. He smiled tenderly as he broke away, his face filled with love. "Every morning that I wake up next to you is a good morning," there was a slight hesitation. "We should do this more often…like everyday."

She gave him a wane smile. "Jacen we've talked about this before. My grandmother already hates the fact that a Force-user sits on the throne. If she had any idea that a Jedi knight fathered our daughter Allana, she would go to no end to kill us all. We are Jedi, but there are limits as to what we can do to protect ourselves, especially when there are dozens of assassins hunting our blood."

Jacen's face fell as a pang of bitter disappointment and sadness filled his heart. "I spent years scouring the galaxy for every different type of Force knowledge and power out there just so I can keep you safe…and now to keep our daughter safe. What's the use of having the knowledge of the ancients—the Jensaarai, Sunesi, Aing-Tii, the Theran Listeners and the Fallanassi—if I still have to hide in the shadows!"

Tenel Ka averted her eyes and shook her head sadly. "Jacen, it is the way of my people. The assassinations, deceit, deception are part of the Royal Hapan life. You knew this since we were children."

Jacen reached out tenderly and pushed a lock of red hair off her forehead. "We can change things," he whispered. He leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips and then pulled back to look into her grey eyes. "I want what my brother Anakin has—a wife and kids and the ability to bring them to family dinners. He doesn't have to sneak into his wife's bed and then sneak out unnoticed. He doesn't have to plan rendezvous weeks in advance and need a mission plan just to be able to kiss his daughter and son good night. He has children who know he's the father. Tahiri doesn't tell the kids that Anakin is just an old friend from the Academy!" Jacen's voiced raised a bit at the end of the sentence. He closed his eyes and composed himself. "Sorry."

She gave an audible sigh. "I wish things were different Jacen, but I am sure my grandmother was the one responsible for my mother's assassination and I doubt she would hesitate to kill Allana if she had an inkling as to who the father is. As far as they know you were across the galaxy during the time of conception. They think I took a consort or had a dalliance with a Hapan Nobleman. The only reason all the houses of Hapes are not trying to assassinate our daughter is because the leaders of the various royal houses secretly hope that one of their sons is actually the father."

Jacen frowned. "I know that is a sound strategy for survival, but it doesn't make me feel any better that a dozen males from the royal houses claim they slept with you."

"You know the truth," she said softly.

Jacen rubbed the back of his neck in frustration. "Tenel Ka, I love you. I've loved you since the day we met. I know I said I would want to be with you any way possible, but I didn't know how difficult this would be for me. My parents don't know I have a wife or a child. I would love to see my father bounce Allana on his knee as he teaches her how to fly the Falcon like he did with me as a boy. I want to see my mother's eyes light up when her granddaughter comes to visit. There has to be a way. I've learned so much already about the Force. I am sure I am equal to Uncle Luke in ability…but…maybe I need to learn more. There has to be a way to make things right."

"Jacen," Tenel Ka whispered. "The members of the Royal House will not listen to reason. You would have to kill each and every one to keep us safe…and that is not the way of a Jedi."

Jacen gave her an earnest look. "Then send Allana to the Academy. She'd be much safer there surrounded with Jedi. I can oversee her training and look after her. If I can't openly be her father then let me be her Jedi Master."

She gave a frustrated moan. "Jacen her identity would be revealed. She feels too much like you in the Force. Plus, the Royals would protest the daughter of the Queen Mother training to be a Jedi. After my…accident, they are convinced that the training is far too dangerous and now that your Uncle has formally placed the Jedi under the command of the Galactic Alliance…politically it cannot happen without major pushback from the Royal houses."

He gazed at her sadly. "So this is my life? I have to crawl through grime ridden escape tunnels or sewers just for the chance to hold my wife in my arms? How about Allana? Will she ever know I am her father?"

"Yes, as soon as she is old enough to understand why the secret must be maintained…perhaps in one or two years."

"How about my parents, my brother and sister, or my Uncle Luke? Can we ever tell them?"

A pained expression crossed her face. "The more people that know the more likely the identity of her father is discovered. Even if they keep quiet people will wonder why the daughter of the Queen of Hapes is visiting the Solo family."

"What if she wasn't the daughter of the Queen Mother?"

Tenel Ka frowned. "But she is."

Jacen pulled her closer. "Abdicate," Jacen whispered to Tenel Ka. "It's not like you have an overly strong bond with Hapes. You identify with Dathomir much more. Abdicate and we can live together as a family on Coruscant. We can leave all the drama and assassination attempts behind us. Let your grandmother reclaim the throne if she wants. Your father is still alive and well. Let him take another wife to be Queen."

She was silent for a long pause. "I cannot just think about myself. I must look out for the welfare of my people…I am entrusted with the welfare of trillions of people. It would be selfish of me to walk away and leave them in my grandmother's treacherous hands."

Jacen sighed deeply and started at the ceiling. "This is becoming unbearable."

She gave him a sad smile. "I know, but this is our fate." She was silent for a moment, deep in thought. "Jacen, you do know our wedding ceremony on Dathomir was purely ceremonial. If you are not happy…" She didn't finish the sentence, but let the inference hang in the air. She was offering him an out, but the anxiety and worry etched on her face revealed her underlying fear that he would leave.

Jacen put his hands over his eyes in frustration. "I'm not happy because I want to be with my family. I want a change in the situation, not to leave it." He turned to her and smiled warmly. "I love you."

"And I love you, Jacen." She gazed at him with adoring eyes as she reached out and caressed his cheek. "I will think about what you have said."

"Thank you. " He gently took her hand in his and kissed the palm of her hand. "I love you, Tenel Ka. Now and forever."

"You are such a romantic, Jacen Solo," she said as she maneuvered herself so she was straddling her lover. "Unfortunately, the morning meal will arrive within an hour. It saddens me greatly, but you must be gone by then." She leaned down and kissed him heatedly. "Let's not have wasted moments."

He smiled and pulled her nude body to his. "That is one thing we can agree on."