{{ simply being loved - chapter 03
Queen Mother Tenel Ka Chume Djo was standing outside with her entourage, greeting each ship as it arrived. The Millennium Falcon was the next and last to dock and taking a deep breath, she stepped forward as it landed. As she did, she felt people rush by her.
Medics. Towards the Falcon.
Hm.
One of the Queen Mother's closest and most loyal handmaidens, Anhaje, who was following the medics, stepped up beside her, "Your highness."
"What is going on?"
"The Falcon called for medical help during their landing. Someone inside is hurt."
For almost months, Tenel Ka had not been very open in the Force. She had too many things to focus on, with her political standing and her people. But now, like many other random times, she opened herself up, feeling around for the answers she wanted.
Who were the medics here for?
Jacen...
A fist clenched around her heart.
"Why was I not notified? I do have a comlink, you know."
Anhaje directed her gaze towards the ground and fell into a lapse of silence.
The Queen Mother inhaled deeply and started to follow the medics down the walkway to the open shell of the docking bay. The breeze blew her soft purple dress around her ankles; it was a casual dress... for a queen anyways. Her hair was up in a loose bun, with random strands of copper falling from it and framing her tan face. She felt calm, cool and collected.
Then the Falcon's hatch opened. And those feelings drained from her when she saw the medics and their new cargo.
Shuffling down the bay was a group of them, no time to put the injured on a carrier. Two of them were holding the body, one by the ankles and one by the arms. The rest of the medics were busy checking his vitals, grouping around him like a nexu jumping it's prey.
One stopped to fall in line with the medic holding his wrists and they begun to speak about his condition. That space that he fell out of gave Tenel Ka a perfect view of just who was hurt.
No.
She had felt something from him in the Force when she opened up, but she pleaded for her life that it wasn't him.
And there he was, being whisked away by medics. Messy brown hair, matted down with sweat, closed eyes, pale skin. He looked like the little boy she lost on Cloud City. Not the one she thought she lost on Myrkr.
"Where are the rest of the Solos?" Tenel Ka looked to Anhaje.
"They're on the ship, shutting it down... since they haven't had a chance to."
Tenel Ka nodded as the medics passed with Jacen's limp form. She was oddly delighted that the Solo family trusted the Hapan medics with their son. The feeling vanished after a few moments.
I have to see if he is alright.
"Wait here and tell the Solos I am going to check on their son. Tell them I apologize for leaving so quickly and that I will see them later, when I get the chance," Tenel Ka nodded to her entourage.
They turned and waited for the rest of the Solo family.
The Queen Mother began to follow the medics, which led to Anhaje trailing her. Tenel Ka was determined to see what was wrong and make sure Jacen was nursed back to health. She would stay cramped up in the medical bay all day, if that's what it took.
The medics passed through the huge durasteel door into Fountain Palace and turned towards the medical bay.
Just as Tenel Ka was turning to follow them down the hall, a tall figure stepped in front of her.
"Where are you going in such a hurry, your highness?"
The Queen Mother let out an annoyed sigh as she looked up into a pair of icy blue eyes, "I am not in the mood to see you right now, not after what you did. Now move. I am going find out if my friend is alright."
"He will be fine. You know Hapan medics are the best in the galaxy," the man put a gloved finger up to her face and trailed it down her jawline.
She smacked his hand away, scowling, and tried to pass him.
"Ah ah ah," the man pursed his lips, "the medics need time. Leave them be."
"Gadell," Tenel Ka stood up straight and let a smirk cross her usually unreadable face, "I could take you down right here. But I do not think you would like that."
"Take me down and do what?" He let a trace of emotion into his deep voice, taunting her.
The Queen Mother let out a growl and spun around, walking in the opposite direction.
He was the commander of the Hapan fleet. The only male allowed that high of a position. His mother was the previous commander; she died in one of the battles during the war. And having no one lined up behind her to take her position, her son had to do it. Which ended very well, considering the fact that the entrance of the Hapan fleet was a turning point in the war against the Yuuzhan Vong.
If Tenel Ka so much as even touched him in any type of violent way, the people would revolt.
They loved him.
Gadell chased after her and grabbed her shoulders, spinning her around. "Listen to me. I was kidding. I know how bad you are with jokes."
Jokes. ...jokes. Jacen.
She tried to push past him again, towards the medical bay. He continued to keep her from passing.
"You need to go get ready, your highness. The ceremonies can't begin without you."
"They do not begin for another two hours!"
"Oh my!" Gadell's voice was filled to the brim with sarcasm. "And you still have to get your hair done." His eyes narrowed as he began herding the Queen Mother along, towards her quarters.
"Gadell," Tenel Ka shook his hands away from her and shot a glare at him, turning the tables, "Oh? We only have two hours before the ceremonies...? You are looking pretty shabby. I think you should be using this time to spruce up a bit." She reached up and viciously flicked a random strand of shoulder-length black hair out of Gadell's face, causing a sneer to form. "Do you think not?"
Gadell drew in a deep breath and shook his head. He pushed by the Queen Mother and started off to his own quarters, his hands clasped behind his back and his walk quickening with every step.
"I'll deal with you later, your highness," Gadell exclaimed, his voice fading as he vanished down the hallway.
Tenel Ka ignored the comment and turned towards the medical bay. "Anhaje, I will return to my quarters to prepare soon. Please, wait there for me."
Anhaje nodded, observing the Queen Mother tread down the clearly regal hallway, heels clicking and hair waving wildly down her back.
Entering the medical bay, Tenel Ka watched as medics and their assistants hovered around Jacen. The lead medic approached the Queen Mother with a concerned look on her own face.
"Your highness. General Jacen Solo should be fine soon. He has just fallen into a deep sleep at the moment. Something caused him to faint and we are not entirely sure what it was. I am sure he will be able to tell us when he wakes up."
The Queen Mother tilted her head, "Can you please excuse us then?"
The medic called to her team and they shuffled out behind her, all nodding to their Queen Mother on the way out.
Alone. In a room with Jacen Solo.
She couldn't remember the last time it happened.
Pulling up a chair beside the bed, she sat down in it and just stared. Her posture was straight, uncomfortable... partly because that was how she was taught to sit as royalty...
And partly because her nerves were getting the better of her.
She was in a room alone with Jacen Solo.
Tenel Ka leaned forward and reached up with her right hand, brushing a strand of Jacen's shaggy brown hair out of his eyes. It caused him to stir a bit, which led to Tenel Ka slamming herself back into the chair. Her nerves were biting at her, gnawing at her. She noted every little subtle movement he made.
She let her hand fall into her lap as she began to use a relaxation technique, she learned so many years ago on Yavin 4.
The Queen Mother would wait.
Slow motion. He observed.
An elaborate hallway, dark blue, lush carpets, high vaulted ceilings. Jacen knew it as one of the numerous hallways in the Fountain Palace.
He saw Tenel Ka, in a violet dress that didn't look as intricate as her usual royal wear.
And a man. Tall. Shoulder-length black hair. Cold blue eyes that were currently locked on the copper-haired female in front of him.
Who is that?
The man's lips were twisted into a slight smirk as his mouth moved soundlessly. He was speaking to the Queen Mother, but Jacen couldn't hear what was being said.
Wait. That's Gadell Vessau. The commander of the Hapan fleet. I've seen him on the holos before. Never personally met him... seems like a nice guy, from what I've seen.
Slow motion. Instantly.
Gadell lunged forward and shoved Tenel Ka back against the wall of the corridor, silently hissing something, his face inches away from hers. His black suit blocking out the comforting purple of the Queen Mother's dress.
Her gray eyes widened. Jacen could see the storm clouds forming in them. She was angry. She spoke calmly back to him, trying to keep her composure. It wasn't working. She was very angry.
Jacen couldn't feel himself. He couldn't do anything.
He wasn't even there.
But he could see. And he watched as Tenel Ka reached up and planted a fist across the left side of Gadell's pale face.
He stumbled back and ran the back of his hand across his bleeding mouth. He raised a pointer finger inches away from Tenel Ka's face and spat some vicious words in her direction then he turned and stalked off, away from the scene.
Tenel Ka yelled something after him and shook her head.
Seems like a nice guy? Yeah kriffing right.
It all happened in slow motion.
Tenel Ka's eyes opened as she was ripped from her trance by a crash.
Jacen Solo was sitting on the bed, eyes wide, hair a mess, chest heaving. He had knocked a water glass off of the stand beside him as he bolted awake, and now he was staring at it.
"Jacen," Tenel Ka whispered.
His head snapped up and his eyes locked with Tenel Ka's. They were filled with a sick hybrid of shock, fear and nervousness. He knew that couldn't have been a dream.
Jacen's voice was hoarse. "What did he do to you?"
Silence.
Awkward silence.
How did he know that something happened?
She swallowed, her throat was dry, "I do not know what you are talking about, my friend."
A few moments passed and Jacen rested his hands on his lap, still staring at his old friend. He knew something had happened. That was the reason he was in this medical bay.
I felt her anger. I felt her get shoved... that's why I fainted. That wasn't a dream I just had...
"Tenel Ka, are you okay?"
Her eyes trailed towards the ground and she affixed them on some invisible object, "I am fine."
He watched her, sitting upright in the chair on his right side.
She's more incredible than I remember.
Last time he had seen her, they were being knighted. It was after he returned from Yuuzhan'tar. It seemed so long ago. She had been clad in her long non-descript Jedi robes, like everyone else who took part in the ceremony. Jacen regretted not speaking to her then, but whenever he tried to approach her, he would find some excuse to turn away.
He had never seen her on her planet. In her element.
Until this moment. Here she was. Queen Mother Tenel Ka Chume Djo.
Her crown rested atop her head like a silver halo floating in a sea of fire. She was wearing a purple dress, the same one she was wearing in Jacen's dream, and a silver armband around the end of her left arm. Her face had a new look of maturity and elegance.
She was busy staring at the floor, so Jacen knew he could afford to admire her a bit longer.
And that was when he noticed the discoloration on her left shoulder.
A bruise.
"Tenel Ka."
Their gaze met.
"Where were you before you came out to the docking bay?"
"She was with me. We were on our way out to greet the Falcon, after we spoke with some of the guards about security for the famous Solo family."
Jacen plastered a fake smile on his face, as he looked to the doorway.
Tenel Ka arose from her seat, scowling inwardly to herself, "Jacen Solo, this is Commander Gadell Vessau."
She turned to the Commander.
"Gadell, meet General Jacen Solo."
Gadell nodded to him, reaching across the bed to shake Jacen's hand. Clad in black pants and a deep blue Hapan silk jacket, Jacen thought Gadell looked pretty snappy.
A bit too snappy.
"It is very nice to meet you, General Solo. I hope everything is well with your health. We wouldn't want you missing the banquet tonight. There's supposed to be lots of dancing, drinking and all around fun."
"I wouldn't miss it for the galaxy," Jacen brushed his hands through his hair.
"Your highness," Gadell looked over to Tenel Ka, "We should get going. You still have to get ready."
"Fact." She nodded her head to Jacen, "All of your luggage has been moved to your quarters, you may leave whenever you want to go get ready."
Tenel Ka knew the medics would be a little angry that she overrode their decision to keep him there until they found out what happened. But she knew what happened, so he didn't need to be there any longer.
He felt my anger. I left his Force connection open... and he felt it worse than I did.
She could feel Jacen's imploring brandy-brown eyes locked on her.
"I'll be going to get ready in a few minutes. Thank you, your highness," Jacen used her formal title which caused her cringe a bit.
Gadell's eyes narrowed as he turned and walked away from the awkward scene. He knew the Solo family was staying at the Palace for their two weeks here, in fact, he was the one who suggested the idea. He had suggested that a number of guests stay for an extended period.
He had his reasons.
Back in the room of the medical bay, Jacen slid out of the comfortable bed and stepped into his boots. He glanced up to the Queen Mother, who was absently staring at the doorway.
"You would tell me if something was wrong, right?"
She looked over to him, quickly looking back to the door. Her face was flushed from the sight of Jacen attempting to pull his white undershirt over his head.
"I would," she replied, looking back over to him. He was still tangled in the undershirt and Tenel Ka couldn't stand it any longer.
She walked over to him, grabbed the bottom of the shirt with her right hand and yanked it down over his head.
His cheeks were red.
"Thanks Tenel Ka. I guess I'm a bit out of it right now," he flashed that lopsided Solo grin and shook his head quickly to get his hair back to it's normal rugged state.
As she turned away to exit the room, Jacen could've sworn he saw a small smile cross the Queen Mother's face.
"Tenel Ka..."
She spun around.
And he was right. The slightest hint of a smile danced across her lips.
"Nevermind, go on... we don't want you late for that banquet. I expect at least ONE dance with you."
Tenel Ka arched a slender eyebrow, looking back at the General, "You need to get ready also, friend Jacen. I am not going to dance with someone who is looking as shoddy as you."
Jacen grasped the railing on the medical bed and used the other hand to clutch as his chest, comically, "Did Queen Mother Tenel Ka just make a joke?"
Jacen saw her eyes sparkle, "I do not know what you are talking about."
Using the hand he was clutching his chest with, he waved her away, laughing.
She began to leave the room again, to go to her quarters and prepare for the festivities...
"Tenel Ka..."
She turned around again, tucking a strand of loose copper hair that was falling from it's place behind her ear.
"You promise you'd tell me if something was wrong?"
She nodded, "I promise."
"Alright. Thank you again." He pulled his jacket on and watched her vanish from the doorway. If there was no such thing as time, Jacen would've gladly kept calling the Queen Mother back into the room, just to steal another glance at her, or even pull one of those jokes out of the recesses of his mind...
As Tenel Ka traipsed down the corridor she could feel the bruise on her shoulder ache. She knew Jacen could feel that something was wrong.
I have to tell him. I have to tell him what I am being forced to do...
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