The Legend of the Jedi Queen

17. Coronation

From a hidden precipice within the Imperial Palace, Nellith glanced down at the throne room. Already, nobility from around the galaxy had arrived, and were chatting with another. Topics of Andromeda Hux and her traitors— which now branded themselves as 'the Second Order'— and the possible war coming up, as well as the previously secret marriage between Ben Solo and Rey Qel-Droma floated around the room.

Nellith knew she should be getting ready to enter the ballroom, but her legs felt frozen to the ground of the precipice, underneath all the layers of the lacy golden gown she was wearing.

She glanced back down to the ballroom. Already, she could see Amilyn flittering about, talking the ear off of several diplomats who were entranced by her charm. A smile broke out on her face, especially as she saw Amilyn drag Sam along. However reluctant he might've seemed, he practically melted for Amilyn Dameron.

There was also Tallis down there, lurking about the corners, not seeming to fit in, even with much nicer clothes.

Then there was her parents— already down there, and as happy as they had been at that first breakfast. Sure, there was a little bickering here or there, but they were happy. Nellith knew all too well how they completed one another— she was the result of that.

It was supposed to be a happy night, but she was still uneasy.

"Hey, Nel, are you back there?"

Nellith turned her head to see Jaina walking towards her. Her mentor pulled up the thin black silk skirt of her dress, and sat down beside Nellith, in a very unladylike manner.

"Mom used to have us attend balls and stuff, too, when I was your age," Jaina said. "I hated them. So did she, for that matter— some people always thought she was this girly girl, because of all the fancy dresses and hairstyles, but she really wasn't. Sometimes, if she could get away for a minute, she and I would sit in places like these, and just watch. Well, and maybe make up some stories about the people we didn't know."

"It sounds like you and your mom were close," Nellith said.

Jaina laughed. "No, Mom and I fought all the time— about everything."

The two fell into silence and looked down to the ballroom.

"But I take it it's not the Ball you mind, or the fancy dress," Jaina said. "It's something else."

Nellith hesitated. She couldn't even look Jaina in the eye. "I'm not ready to be a princess."

Jaina said nothing, only giving her a sympathetic smile and her hand, covered in the elegant silk black gloves she'd been outfitted with. Nellith accepted it, liking the texture and feel of it all.

The silence was broken by the sound of footsteps, and down the hidden corridor came Rey. She appeared to be floating with her green floral dress, unlike the usual earthiness Nellith associated with her mother. She plopped down next to Jaina and in front of Nellith, her well-worn short boots peaking out of the end of the gown. Nellith's lip quirked up into a smile at that.

"Is everything alright?" Rey glanced from Nellith to Jaina, who shook her head ever so slightly.

"I'm not ready to be a princess," Nellith repeated, as she traced the design of the floor tiles with her free hand. Her face was contemplative, as if she already knew the burdens she was destined to carry— cloaked half in shadow, half in light.

"Oh, Nellith," Rey murmured, and she reached a hand out to her daughter's face, caressing it. Nellith jumped a little, looking back to her mother. Hazel to hazel. "I'm not really about all this either, to be honest? I mean, does this dress really look like something I'd want to wear?"

She nodded towards her more practical footwear for emphasis.

"I never wanted to be Empress," Rey added. "I came from nothing— my parents were poor drunkards, for Force's sake! How could I possibly be some great ruler? Or live in a palace?"

"And I was the daughter of a princess, but I'm as gritty as it gets," Jaina added. "Neither of us were exactly made for royal life."

"But I promise, you are," Rey said. "Before you were born, I saw it in your future. You have a great destiny, Nellith. We'll be here to guide and support you, every step of the way— I promise."

"So do I."

The three females looked to see Ben Solo in deep blue regalia standing over them. He crouched down beside Rey, looking to his daughter.

"It won't be easy," Ben said. "I don't expect this to be. But tonight is only a beginning. It's supposed to be fun. Besides, the royalty part won't be important to you for a while. I don't want you rushing into it all, like I did. You have plenty of time to be a Jedi Knight, to have a childhood. This isn't all going to change in one night."

"It won't?"

It felt silly and stupid to admit it, but she honestly had thought things would change that dramatically. It felt as if a heavy weight had been removed from her chest to hear the opposite.

"Of course it won't," Rey said.

Nellith smiled, tears and laughter spilling out in equal capacity. Her mother reached out and hugged her, and then her father and Jaina, until everyone was in a group hug.

After a moment, they all broke away, and Rey and Jaina rose to their feet. Ben offered a helping hand. Without any hesitation this time, Nellith took it, and followed her family out to the ballroom.

"Announcing," began the intercom worker, "Empress Rey of Jakku, and Princess Nellith Solo of the First Order!"

All heads turned and the room went quiet as the Royal Family of the First Order descended the steps to the main floor. Nellith gave a nervous smile to all of them, especially as the music started. She stepped away to see her mother and father in positions to begin a more formal dance.

She turned to see Tallis on the wall, and outstretched her hand to him. Her hazel eyes found his lilac-gray ones, and locked onto them. He left the wall, and accepted her hand. They began to sway and glide to the best of the music played, swiftly dodging other, more elegant dancers in the ball, such as Nellith's parents.

Out of the corner of her eye, Nellith noted that Amilyn had dragged Sam onto the dance floor, but he seemed more than happy to dance with her. Meanwhile, Jaina and Kyp stood by the drinks table, downing shots of Corellian champagne and refraining from the dance.

Nellith looked back to Tallis.

"So, for you, what happens now?" Nellith asked.

"Your mother agreed to teach me the ways of the Jedi," Tallis said. "She'll officially take me on as an apprentice."

"Good luck then," Nellith said, with a grin reminiscent of Han Solo on her face. "You're going to need it."

"Thanks," he said, narrowly missing stepping on her toes. "Sorry, not much good at any of this formal stuff. Should be, being the bloody Emperor's great-great grandson, but here we are."

"It's alright," Nellith said, turning a little red in her cheeks. "I'm not, either."

Tallis smiled back. "Well, it's nice to know that."

Nellith glanced over her shoulder, just in time to see that she was about to step into Sam and Amilyn. She and Tallis quickly stepped back. When Nellith looked again, she saw the two doing a spectacular, flashy spin lift that caught the eye of several cultured dignitaries, who applauded.

"Show-offs," Tallis murmured.

"To be fair, it is nice not to have everyone looking at us," Nellith pointed out. She could hear the music starting to slow, to reach its final end, and she knew the dance would be over soon. Then the party would continue, full of festivity and celebration.

After that, would come responsibilities for both a Jedi and a Princess, befitting of the great-granddaughter of Anakin Skywalker. Perhaps a destiny to go with it.

But here, and now, she was simply Nellith Hanna Solo, dancing with a boy in fancy clothes, her family all together—what was alive of it, anyway. And Nellith would enjoy it, for the time being.