Dark Paradise

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After that...eventful evening, I was getting an earful from my mother. "Alya how long?!"

"Three years," I admitted, hanging my head in shame. My mother looked heartbroken to learn I was lying to her. "But why Alya?"

"If you knew you would've told on me, then they'd take me away," I sniffled. "We need to take a sample of Alya's blood," Qui-Gon sighed, not thrilled with the situation. "None of us have midchlorians in our blood," Mother pointed out.

"Why is Alya afraid?" Qui-Gon asked my mother. "She believes the Jedi Order takes children away against their will," she told him.

Qui-Gon came up to me and knelt down beside me. "Alya...you don't have to come if you don't want to," he reassured me. "She should go," Father spoke up and Mother looked horrified at what he was suggesting. "We would never see her again, Draxon!"

"It's her destiny, Sersi, she was born for this," Father argued. "Shouldn't Alya get a say in this?" Qui-Gon argued. "NO!" they both shouted, making me flinch. "Are they taking Alya away?!" Malakai gasped.

"We'd still have an heir to the throne, Sersi..."

"She's our daughter! She doesn't have to go if she doesn't want to!"

"We can view our options," Qui-Gon interrupted them. "Alya can stay if you wish her too, she'll still be sensitive to the Force but if she comes with us, she'll be both a Jedi and a Princess."

"But she wouldn't be able to rule?" Father wondered. "Only if your son has no heir or abdicates. She'll be trained in the ways of the Jedi, I'll look out for her personally."

I wasn't sure what I wanted anymore.

***

They did take a sample of blood and I sat outside the hall, listening to the Jedi and my parents talk. "How many?!"

"Around eighteen thousand, more than the average Jedi," I heard Qui-Gon say.

I blocked out the rest. I just hugged my knees to my chest, waiting for the final decision. I took my tiara off and began to count the amount of gold leaves on it just to pass the time. "A hundred and fourteen," Qui-Gon spoke up as he sat down next to me. "Hmm?"

"That's how many leaves are on your tiara," he said. "It is a bit big for an eight year old to wear, were you next in line? For the throne?"

"Malakai is older, I'm second in line," I told him. "It's just...my whole life, I've been a princess, who goes to dances, kind of like...a fairytale. I just don't want it to end."

"I understand that," Qui-Gon sighed. "You'd be sacrificing a lot."

"How old were you? When you joined?" I asked him. "A lot younger than you are, Princess," he told me. "Usually the Jedi Masters could find Force sensitive children...but not you, I think, somehow, even if you weren't aware you were doing it, you hid yourself."

"I guess...I was too scared to leave," I murmured. "It's okay Princess," he reassured me. "Alya," I corrected him.

He looked at me, confused. "I'm not gonna be a princess on Coruscant, so you may as well call me by my first name."

He caught on. Finally.

I may not want to be a Jedi but rule number one of being a royal. Take the moral high ground. Do the right thing over the convenient thing.

***

I handed my tiara back to my mother. "I will make up stupid diplomatic reasons to check in on you, Alya, I won't abandon you."

"Thank you, Mama," I sniffled and she hugged me goodbye. I walked up to Malakai and he had tears in his eyes. "It'll be okay," I reassured him.

The two of us did our secret handshake before I gave him a big hug. "Don't forget me."

"Of course I won't, only if you don't forget me," Malakai sniffled. "I won't, you're very hard to forget," I said as I was escorted into the ship by Qui-Gon.

"Wait!" my mother called and Art rolled out beside her. "Take R2 with you."

"Are you sure?" I asked her. "Very sure," she smiled at me. "Just so you have some company."

I looked up at Qui-Gon and he let me bring Art with me. The landing bay door closed behind me and I looked back at the palace. "It's going to be alright," Qui-Gon attempted to comfort me. "I'm scared," I admitted as I put my seatbelt on. "I've never left Alderaan."

Qui-Gon looked saddened. "So, you taking me to the temple then?" I asked them. "No, Princess," Qui-Gon told me. "I need to go to Naboo and rendezvous with my Padawan, I have no choice but to bring you with me."

Art beeped nervously and I petted his dome. "He serves the Anduvol?" Qui-Gon asked me. "He was built when Malakai was born, he likes me better," I said and Art beeped in agreement.

A/N

I am current working on the Phantom Menace storyline so the original time jump to Attack of the clones is temporary, it'll be fixed ASAP