I don't own Star Wars or its characters, but Nadia Aomori and my other OCs I own only.
Enjoy!
Fire of the Rebellion
Chapter 11: Rise of a Queen
(7 BBY)
At the Naberrie Family Home, Lisa was on her bed while Ferus sat on a nearby chair next to her.
The twelve year old girl wore a white nightgown with a sapphire blue ribbon on the collar and her dark blonde hair was styled into a ringlet ponytail.
Her bedroom was actually Padmé's old bedroom.
But since her mother passed away, it rightfully belonged to her.
"You like it even better when other people spoil you."Ferus complemented.
"Does that make me a bad person, Uncle Ferus?"Lisa asked with a hint of worry.
Ferus smiled and shook his head in respond.
"The good and bad people have one thing in common, Lisa. They both make mistakes."Ferus exclaimed and then remembered the bad choices that the Jedi Council did."Just…the good people admit their mistakes and learn from them."
Lisa looked down in thought before glancing at Ferus.
"Were the Jedi Council in Coruscant really that bad as Aunt Nadia said they were?"Lisa asked with a hint of curiosity.
Ferus let out a sigh before he continued speaking to his niece.
"Well, sunstone, I can tell you that the Jedi Council were pretty too much into following a corrupted Jedi Code that actually brought them to do more harm than good."Ferus admitted and let out a scoff."They were so arrogant, they couldn't even take responsibility for driving your Aunt Ahsoka away. Though Ahsoka's judgement was very clear. The Jedi in Coruscant were the ones with clouded judgement."
"So the Force didn't guide them to do the right decisions?"Lisa assumed.
A frown appeared on Ferus' face.
"There's a difference in letting the Force guide you in a challenge like other Jedi in the past did more self discovery and what not, Lisa."Ferus exclaimed."But what happened to your Aunt Ahsoka was totally different. Even though Ahsoka was one of the very people that was close to them and fought for the Jedi Order numerous times, she was nearly sentenced to death for a crime she had nothing to do with and in the end it wasn't herself that proved her innocence. So Anakin and Nadia had to help her out. If those two had listened to the Council and left Ahsoka alone, she would've died. So the Jedi Council were clearly fools. I was fond of Master Yoda and Obi-Wan. But there were times that they messed up big time which easily annoyed me. When Ahsoka left the Order, neither Anakin or Nadia didn't accept it too well."
Lisa bit her lip at her uncle's respond.
In the Clone Wars, her uncle was one of the Jedi Knights that fought in the conflict.
As a little girl, Lisa had thrilled to his stories of adventure and as she matured, she heard some of the darker and sadder stories that formed the largest part of any great war.
But there had been no major wars in a generation.
The galaxy was unified in the worst possible way, under the tyranny of Emperor Palpatine.
"It sounds like daddy felt in losing Aunt Ahsoka, he lost a very close friend, a sister-in-arms and someone dear to his heart."Lisa complemented."He needed more comfort and understanding. Just like Aunt Nadia. She and Aunt Ahsoka were best of friends even before they even joined daddy and Obi-Wan in their fights in the Clone Wars. But…"
Ferus noticed a troubled expression growing on Lisa's face.
"What is it, sunstone?"Ferus questioned.
Lisa looked at Ferus.
"But also that Barriss Offee was wrong about a lot of things. She let her anger cloud her judgment and she tried to justify her actions without considering their wider effects. She was afraid of the war and she didn't trust people she should have listened to, Uncle Ferus."Lisa stated with a small frown."And yet, she had a point about the Republic and the Jedi in Coruscant. There was something wrong with them. They were too locked into their hypocrisy and corrupted traditions to see what it was or discover that a Sith Lord was actually in their circle. Barriss should have done something else. She shouldn't have bombed the Temple and she definitely shouldn't have framed Aunt Ahsoka for it. But if the Jedi Council listened to her. I mean really listened, they might've been able to stop Palpatine before he took power. At least that's what I think and you always said I should think for myself."
Ferus nodded at Lisa in approval.
"Well said, Lisa. The Chancellor played his hand very well."Ferus answered."He kept us so busy jumping at shadows that we didn't notice which of the shadows were real. Though luckily, Nadia realised that and got out of his web before it was too late."
The Jedi Knight spoke the word 'Chancellor' with some venom, and Lisa knew it gave her uncle great satisfaction not to say 'Emperor' when they were in private.
Lisa covered her mouth to yawn before resting back on her bed.
"I don't suppose there is time to hear a story from the Clone Wars?"Lisa suggested.
Ferus chuckled as he placed the blanket over Lisa's body.
"I'm afraid not tonight, sunstone."Ferus commented as he placed a kiss on his niece's forehead."Even future princesses need to relax."
Lisa turned to the other side of her bed as Ferus prepared to head out of her bedroom.
"Uncle Ferus?"Lisa spoke up.
"Yes, Lisa?"Ferus asked.
"I've been thinking. It's disappointing that the Jedi Order in Coruscant was failing."Lisa admitted while resting her head on the pillow."Even Obi-Wan failed to see how the Jedi Order sacrificed its principles in regards to one of its own. No wonder daddy ended up despising it so much and was making plans to leave it before Order 66 was issued."
Ferus suddenly felt a bit uneasy inside at hearing Lisa's respond, but just gave her a comforting smile.
"Which is why it will be our job as well as other Jedi to bring back up a Republic with rules that is far better after the Empire is defeated in the future, Lisa."Ferus informed.
Lisa nodded and smiled at her uncle before closing her eyes to get some sleep.
"Good night, Uncle Ferus."Lisa declared.
"Sweet dreams, sunstone."Ferus replied.
Ferus placed off the light and quietly then closed the door of Lisa's bedroom before he rubbed his forehead a bit to lower his anxiousness.
He didn't tell Lisa that Anakin was still alive or that he fell to the Dark Side as well as helping Darth Sidious terrorise the whole Galaxy in a grip of fear and evil.
Especially, that Anakin was no longer the Jedi Knight he grew up to see as an older brother figure and the great hero in the Clone Wars whose tales that Lisa was always so excited to hear about, but a being trapped in a form of a being wearing a mask that made him see nothing but darkness.
It was clearer to say, Anakin Skywalker was actually no more.
The replacement from his demise was a twisted and evil being known as Darth Vader, the apprentice and right hand of Darth Sidious.
But that is the last thing he would ever wanted Lisa to learn about.
(5 BBY)
Inside the Theed Royal Academy, Lisa, Dalné and the other students at school were listening to their history teacher, Mr Wavlud talk about the Clone Wars.
"The Clone Wars."Mr Wavlud addressed with a carefully monotone voice of a funeral guest.
Behind him, a flat screen showed images of thousands of Clone Troopers marching in lockstep across rugged terrain.
"A tragedy such as has rarely been seen before, and thankfully never will again."Mr Wavlud continued.
Lisa flinched, then glanced around her, hoping no one had noticed.
Nobody had.
Most of her classmates were visibly, profoundly bored while Dalné, who stood by her side, was of course completely engrossed in the images playing before them.
Real footage.
False history.
"Count Dooku of Serenno led the Separatist faction away from the faltering Republic."Mr Wavlud continued."Although he acted out of craven ambition, with disregard for the billions of lives that would be lost. Dooku was correct about one thing. The Republic had indeed become rotten at its core, no longer governed by law, order, and discipline. Had the Senate chosen a different chancellor after the deposition of the weak, ineffectual Valorum, galactic order itself might have fallen apart. But the times we live through create the heroes we need."
The inaugural portrait of Palpatine filled the screen until it seemed as if the Emperor himself was smiling down at them with kindly eyes.
Lisa frowned, wondering how much digital manipulation had been necessary to create that illusion of kindness.
Either way, she couldn't see the point of projecting a benevolent image while doing everything necessary to prove himself a cruel man and a warmonger.
The Clone Wars was engineered by Darth Sidious to facilitate his own rise to power and the formation of the Galactic Empire.
As the docent led them into the display about Palpatine's childhood (titled "From Humble Beginnings," like Naboo was poverty-stricken), Lisa trailed behind.
Dalné glanced at Lisa, noticing how troubled her best friend was.
"Are you all right?"Dalné murmured."You've been quiet all day."
"I guess, Dalné."Lisa answered."It's all just so-"
The blonde haired girl made a hand gesture instead of outright saying the word fake.
"My mother told me different stories of the Clone Wars."Dalné admitted quietly."But it's nothing compared to the things that we are being taught."
"You should talk to my Uncle Fairy sometime."Lisa whispered, her voice firm yet quiet at the same time so that her best friend could hear."He could tell you stories you wouldn't believe. Like the time bounty hunters took my mother and several other senators hostage in the heart of the Senate itself."
"Would he tell me about it?"Dalné asked.
Lisa smiled. "Yeah. My family adores you by the way."
Both Lisa and Dalné then brought their attention back on the images shown by the flat screen.
But what had drawn her and Dalné's attention were a group of Gamorreans, grunting and shoving, herding shivering humans onto a transport, with the humans packed together so tightly it was difficult to see the binders on their wrists.
Slavers.
The thought alone could turn Lisa's stomach.
Watching it happen was harder.
But what did her discomfort matter compared to what the poor slaves were enduring and had yet to endure?
The young teenage girl had learned that her late father, Anakin Skywalker had been a slave in Tatooine before becoming a Jedi Knight.
And it disgusted her a lot that the Empire allowed slavery to happen in the galaxy.
"The strong preying over the weak."Lisa thought coldly."No one should ever do something like that."
Soon the classes within the Theed Royal Academy were done for the day and it was time for all the students to go home.
Lisa, however, was not heading back home.
Neither was Dalné.
Both the two girls were making their way to the Theed Royal Palace.
Dalné led Lisa to the changing chamber to get changed.
Then a couple of handmaidens went up to Lisa to help her out of her school uniform and put her into a robe.
Lisa wore a bright red robe that was simple wide garment that fell to her feet with wide sleeves dressed with two white stripes near the end. Over this she wore a tabard of a slightly lighter red, made of stiffer fabric. It went up and over her shoulders, flaring them, met at her neck, then traversed the length of her robe. The high collar of the garment was white with a pattern of traditional Naboo symbols stitched in gold around it. Her dark blonde hair was styled in a half-up braid with a red bow keeping it tied together in the back.
Why?
Because Lisa was the Princess of Theed.
Princess of Theed was a title on the planet of Naboo.
It was the equivalent of being the mayor of Theed, the capital of the planet.
She had held that title for two years upon earning the love of the people in Naboo.
But it wouldn't be long until the Princess of Theed would be formally crowned and invested as Queen of Naboo.
Her coronation was a less month away.
However, upon being elected Naboo's new princess two years ago, Lisa went under the regnal name of Costil.
So no one except her friends knew she was related to the Naberries.
Once she was ready, Princess Lisa made her way to the throne room to meet Queen Kylantha.
Queen Kylantha was a woman in her late 30s with blonde hair styled in a ring ponytail and greyish blue eyes. She wore a sleek white gown with puffs on both of her shoulders with long fitted sleeves.
But didn't wear the traditional make-up that all the Queens of Naboo usually wear.
Kylantha succeeded Queen Apailana after the latter was executed by the Galactic Empire for harbouring Jedi survivors of Order 66.
Although Kylantha was the democratically-elected head of state of the Naboo system, her action as a monarch was overseen by Imperial supervisors.
Hence, her elections restored Naboo's allegiance to the the Empire and Queen Kylantha was soon considered as a puppet monarch.
In reality, Kylantha's loyalty to the Empire was much more ambiguous.
After her accession to the throne, Kylantha was supposed to reform the Naboo institutions inherited from the Galactic Republic.
However, although the Queen was outwardly loyal to the Empire, she refused to dissolve the Naboo Royal Advisory Council and had only implemented a few changes to Naboo's democratic system.
Upon arriving to the Throne Room, Princess Lisa curtsied at Queen Kylantha.
"You have another assignment for me, Your Highness?"Princess Lisa assumed.
"Yes, Lisa. I do. It's another mercy mission for you."Queen Kylantha declared."I would like you to visit Dee'ja Peak. There are several farmers that are in need of supplies. Without them, they can't grow their crops."
"As you wish, Queen Kylantha."Princess Lisa answered with a nod.
Without any second thoughts, the Princess of Theed made her way to the Theed Hangar with the Royal Naboo Guards and three of her handmaidens; Dalné, Altah and Jaanie to head to the Royal Starship to head to Dee'ja Peak.
Dee'ja Peak was a secluded town nestled deep within a mountain valley.
The city catered to those who wanted to get away from it all and many residents of Dee'ja Peak chose to live there because of the independent lifestyle. Its inhabitants were highly welcoming as it used to be a long way to reach the city.
In addition, the city was built close to a great waterfall and was famed for its stunning views. The waterfall of Dee'ja Peak was famous and considered one of the most beautiful in the galaxy.
The Royal Starship landed in the mountain village before the ramp lowered to allow Princess Lisa and her handmaidens to come out.
The Royal Naboo Guards brought out the crates that contained supplies that the farmers needed to help their farms grow.
Princess Lisa smiled at the civilians, who approached her
"Besides farmer supplies, Queen Kylantha was kind enough to give free food to all of you."Princess Lisa informed with a firm yet kind voice."So please enjoy."
Dalné, Altah and Jaanie opened two crates to reveal food which they give away for free to the locals.
A male farmer smiled at Princess Lisa.
"Thank you."the male farmer declared as he held three millaflowers."We're awful lucky to have a princess like you."
"I am the one that's lucky to able to help the people of our planet."Princess Lisa remarked.
Princess Lisa handed an old woman two shuura fruits.
"You're an angel."the old woman stated gratefully.
The old woman walked away with two young children as Princess Lisa shared a smile with Dalné.
Princess Lisa kept a small smile on her face when she caught of Grand Moff Panaka approaching with a few stormtroopers at his side.
Grand Moff Panaka bowed at the Princess of Theed.
"Princess Lisa."Grand Moff Panaka said.
"Grand Moff Panaka."Princess Lisa replied as she walked up to the former head of the Royal Naboo Security Forces."What brings you to Dee'ja Peak?"
"To see you, Your Highness."Grand Moff Panaka answered."I assume Queen Kylantha was the one who gave you this assignment?"
"Yes. That's correct."Princess Lisa agreed."The Queen is much concerned about the wellbeing of the people in Naboo as I am. Surely, you agree that the civilians living in the Emperor's home planet deserve better?"
Grand Moff Panaka simply nodded at the young princess.
"Yes. But the murmurs of rising threats and insurgency are more than rumours."Grand Moff Panaka exclaimed."Since you'll be crowned queen in less than a month, I hope you are aware of the responsibilities that are head of you."
"I am strongly aware, Grand Moff Panaka."Princess Lisa assured firmly."I won't tolerate any rebels setting foot on the Emperor's planet and make the people suffer."
A slight smile appeared on Grand Moff Panaka's face.
"Very well, your highness."Grand Moff Panaka replied."I bid you good day."
Grand Moff Panaka then walked away with his stormtroopers as Lisa avoided herself from rolling her eyes as she went back to her handmaidens.
"I honestly disgusted that Grand Moff Panaka has such big admiration for the Emperor."Princess Lisa thought irritatedly."To think he was one of the people that helped my mother during the invasion of Naboo."
Princess Lisa returned to help her handmaidens give foodstuff to the civilians, only to see they have finished their work.
"Are you alright, my lady?"Altah asked gently.
"I heard from my Uncle Ferus that farmers who had been dispossessed by the Empire and were left living in poverty somewhere in the Planet Lothal."Princess Lisa complemented with a hint of disgust."It's some home to impoverished farmers of many species whose homes such as in Tangletown had been taken by the Galactic Empire when it needed the land they were built on. Any who attempted to fight back were arrested for treason, and the rest left with nothing. The residents named their settlement after Grand Moff Tarkin, the Imperial in control of the Outer Rim Territories and the man responsible for the dispossession of the farmers."
"What do you suggest to do?"Jaanie questioned.
"All I can do now is now help the people in Naboo. They're my responsibility."Princess Lisa admitted quietly and glanced at Dalné."But that doesn't mean I don't attend to see the rest of the galaxy."
Dalné nodded at the Princess of Theed, understanding what her best friend meant.
"I, Dalné Anzianni, swear to you my life and my death."Dalné vowed firmly."I will serve you ever faithfully, and protect you, until my death, or yours, which will not happen as long as it is in my power to prevent it."
Princess Lisa smiled at Dalné with a grateful smile.
"Thank you, Dalné."Princess Lisa answered.
Outside the Theed Royal Palace, numerous civilians gathered outside to see the new ruler of Naboo.
The special day had arrived at last and the entire city of Theed was bustling with excitement.
But no one (except the Naberries and their friends) realised that the coronation was actually of the daughter of Naboo's much beloved late Queen and Senator, Padmé Amidala.
Inside a private chamber, Dalné and the other handmaidens were helping Lisa out of her princess gown with her back to the wide window.
Kylantha had stepped down and it was time for Lisa to be crowned as the new Queen of Naboo.
Lisa sat down wearing her white undergarments and closed her eyes as Altah began putting her the traditional make-up of the Naboo queens on her face.
The fourteen year old girl was given a white face paint, the red scar of remembrance and then two stylised beauty marks.
The new Queen of Naboo was then being fitted in her coronation gown by Dalné and Jaanie.
Lisa was now dressed in a long bright green dress with paler green and pink accents. Large green and pink shoulder blades poke out from the sides as her green sleeves become large, puffy and lighter in colour around her elbows. Their buffs were bound to her wrist by two pink jewels. The torso of the dress consisted of a pink corset bodice with dark pinkish-purple patterns on the front as the rest of the dress flowed from there and past her feet, keeping them concealed. She also wore a small gold necklace with a large pinkish-purple gemstone to match the ones on her cuffs. Lastly, an elegant pale pink fur cape flowed from behind her down to the ground as it curlled inward. It also doubled as a boa of sort as it split off into two slimmer stands at the front the flow down to just above her feet.
Vatié then walked forward holding a wig that was dark blonde as Lisa's hair colour.
Lastly, Lisa was given a large updo wig adorned with a ring of pearls and a three-pointed gold crown as long curled tendrils cascade down the sides of her face, neck and back.
As soon as the handmaidens were done with their work, Lisa made her way to the cheval full-length mirror to look at her new appearance.
From seeing herself in the mirror, she saw that she was now Queen Costil.
The new Ruler of Naboo.
It was hard to believe she was only fourteen years old.
But Lisa knew she wasn't the youngest queen to be ever elected to rule Naboo before.
Then Farinaé, one of the handmaidens, walked up to her queen.
"Your highness, are you ready?"Farinaé asked.
Queen Costil nodded at Farinaé.
"Yes, Farinaé."Queen Costil agreed with a nod."Let's go."
The Queen of Naboo headed out of her private chamber followed by her handmaidens to make their way to the balcony, where the civilians were eagerly waiting to see their new ruler.
As they walked through the hallway, Queen Costil stopped at her tracks to look at the portrait that hung on the wall that she was passing by.
The portrait of Queen Padmé Amidala.
Her late mother.
Queen Amidala wore a wide-shouldered bright-red robe adorned with gold embroideries, a hem of potolli fur and a series of illuminated sein jewels. She also bore the traditional make-up of the Naboo queens: a white face paint, the red scar of remembrance and two stylized beauty marks. On her head was a elaborate dark chocolate brown wig adorned with a gold face frame and the precious Jewel of Zenda.
Despite the various emotions growing inside her, Queen Costil kept wearing a brave face.
It was her turn now to rule Naboo.
Just like her late mother and her other predecessors.
Queen Costil then continued walking her way to the balcony of the Theed Royal Palace as the loud cheering of the civilians were heard in the background.
See you all in the next chapter and have a wonderful day!