The ballroom in the Thul palace was packed with fine ladies in large ball gowns and royal sirs in fine suits. A quartet played on gold and white strings, filling the room with the pleasant notes of traditional waltzes and other Alderaanian dances.

Every year, Alderaan's ruling house hosted a gigantic ball, inviting the nobility of dozens of planet systems for the purpose of making friends and settling peace. Often, some of the Alderaanian houses tried to marry their heirs to wealthy foreign nobles at the event. Raal's heart thudded with the knowledge that Elsie and Thieron Cortess had already started arrangements with Daimar's prince-senator Rondar Sifas. They'd have Freneá married by the end of the standard month. Raal couldn't watch that happen to her. It was an odd kind of protectiveness that controlled Raal when it came to the young woman; Freneá was right- he didn't need nor want to be her big brother of a guardian. The way he wanted to be her protector went far beyond that. He loved her, as a man loves a woman. So Freneá was a bit naïve, young in spirit but it was what he loved so much about her. She wasn't so much younger than him but she was carefree as a child but nevertheless held the maturity of an adult, somehow. Others thought her guileless, or even stupid, but Raal envied her innocence and wished he could wear such a genuine, bright smile in a dark world like she did.

The affair had started months ago. Considering it, Raal realized it had been much longer than he'd thought. What felt like maybe half a year had really been just over a year. Two annual Equinox Days ago, he remembered with a fond smile. Han and Leia had hosted a party at the Organa palace and it had been that night that this had begun. Both had known how well the Cortess parents would take it- they despised half the Noble Houses since Houses Organa, Thul, Ulgo, Alde, Baliss, Killesa and Panteer had confronted Elsie and Thieron for their try at an extreme power grab. The Cortess couple doubly hated House Panteer out of envy for their long-held high position of power over Alderaan. Therefore, the two had decided to let their relationship remain a secret. In his utmost honesty, Raal hadn't predicted that their relationship would continue this long but he had surprised himself every day when he fell just a little bit more in love with her. He hadn't wanted it to end. He'd come to love and cherish her so that the day had come when he had first brought up the subject of marriage a few months before now. He'd been working to assemble a proper dowry since.

Raal was searching for her in the ballroom amid a hundred other women adorned in glittering jewels and makeup and poofy dresses. He'd been looking for half an hour, however, and he still hadn't found her. Spotting her parents nearby, Raal forced his way through the crowd and across the floor. He bowed to the patriarch of the House Cortess, then Elsie. "Good evening, my lord and lady."

"Prince Raal," Thieron said responded with only a nod. "Enjoying the festivities?"

"I am. I don't mean to bother, but, sir, I was looking for your daughter. I'd heard she just returned from her trip to Bakura and I wanted to welcome and congratulate her myself. Perhaps, you've seen her?"

Elsie frowned. "I'm sorry, boy, but she isn't here. The girl claimed she wasn't feeling well. She stayed home."

"Oh." He tried not to sound as disappointed as he was. "Well, excuse me, then. I'll just be on my way."

The servant at the door shook her head. "Prince Raal, I'm sorry, but the princess isn't feeling well."

"I understand that and I heard. I wanted to see her for just a moment. Please. I'll leave shortly-"

"I can't allow that."

"Who is it?"

Raal glanced behind the servant to see Freneá's gray-haired handmaiden Yisa approaching. "Prince Raal," she greeted him, surprised. "May we help you?"

"I was hoping to speak with the princess," he told her. "I haven't seen her since she left for Bakura."

Yisa smiled. "Come in, my prince. Princess Freneá is upstairs in her room. I'm sure she would love your company."

Raal hurried in and followed the aging woman up a staircase and to a room at the end of a corridor. Freneá's name was spelt on the door in bright paint and a child's messy font of handwriting. Yisa nodded and left him there. He took a measured breath, then knocked softly on the door. "Freneá? It's me. Look, I- I'm sorry for the other day. You were right. Please, I don't want to fight with you. I didn't think you would get this upset-"

He stopped when the door opened and she stood before him, her face red and wet with tears. Makeup was running down her face in a black river. She was wearing what Raal assumed to be her dress meant for the gala- a scarlet ball gown that expanded a wide radius around her waist and a second layered skirt with a floral pattern framed by the outer red layer. She looked stunning, irresistible. "I'm not mad at you," she assured him.

"Well. Then why aren't you at the gala?"

Freneá bit her lip and stepped back. "Come in."

Her room looked like that of a teenaged girl's. While it wasn't decked out in holodrama actors posters, the paint, decor and furniture were all bright, cheery, hopeful. The walls were painted in a pure white with black flowers but her bedsheets and furniture consisted mostly of a sunny yellow and orange. It was almost as bright as her.

Freneá retreated to her bed where her sheets were rumpled up and a mess of tissues was scattered. "I don't understand; if you aren't upset with me, then what's wrong? Why didn't you come?" He sat with her, trying to give her a confident smile. "I thought we were going to sneak in a few dances? . . . Are you actually sick?"

She shook her head.

Raal didn't know what to make of her distress but his alarm was increasing by the second. His protective side became anxious, desperately searching for a way to calm Freneá. His eyes darted over her once, twice, over and over again, searching for answers. He reached out to touch her, brushed her ebony locks behind her ear, stroked her rosy cheek. She leaned into the touch, closing her eyes. "Freneá. Angel, talk to me. What's the matter?"

Instead of words, however, only cries erupted from the young woman's mouth and Raal could take it no longer. He abruptly pulled her into his lap and cuddled her like a child, rocking her, hushing her. "Tell me, heaven," he urged her. "Tell me so I can make it better. What's wrong? Why are you crying? I don't like it when you cry. Why, Fren?"

She rested her head on his shoulder and whispered in his ear, hysterically, "Raal! I'm pregnant!"

Those two words hit him like a ton of bricks. His heart both stopped and began pounding violently. There was no way, he thought. It couldn't be-! But Freneá's tears told him everything he needed to know. He stood up quickly and Freneá jumped to the other side of her bed. He looked at her, trying to make sense- trying to imagine- Beautiful, young Freneá, pregnant with his child. Their child.

Their child.

"When did you find out?"

"This morning I took a test. My cycle was late."

He was out of words, out of sanity. He grabbed his head, pulled on his hair, just staring back at Freneá. She was going to have his child, and something about that made him very happy. Although, his anxiety wouldn't let him focus on that happiness for long.

"Raal!" she cried. "Raal, what are we going to do?"

"We're going to do this," he muttered. His demeanor brightened just a bit and he rushed forward to sweep Freneá into his arms. "I'm sorry, angel. I'm so sorry, but we'll get through this. I'll be here. I'll be right here. I'll support you and the baby. I'll pay for everything out of my pocket. I'll-" He cut off, joining her in bawling. "Fierfek, Freneá! I'll do whatever you need!"

She calmed herself, exhaling evenly. "We'll figure this out," she agreed, nodding. "I'll tell my parents and . . ." She looked to him, seemed to be asking, 'and what?' I don't know, angel.

He rubbed his knuckles along her back where the gown permitted exposed skin. She was stunning. She was the epitome of beauty. She had his heart. He brushed his other thumb down her stomach. She had his child.

Freneá bounced on her toes to kiss him before pushing him back. "You need to leave."

"What?"

She wiped at her eyes. "You need to go. The gala will be wrapping up soon, don't you think? They'll start serving dinner. Now, go!"

"When will I see you again? What are we going to do?"

"I'll tell my parents tomorrow, I swear. We'll talk after." She kissed him again. "Now, go!"