A Pilot: A Poe Dameron Story

My Darling Pilot

Months had gone by when Poe landed discreetly in the back field of yet another safe house which had agreed to shelter Arraii. He had brought his black X-wing that night, since it had been a while since he had taken it for a spin. As he approached the house, he saw something that looked like the queen's silhouette at a window on the second floor, near a balcony, and changed his direction with a mischievous grin.

A few minutes of climbing later, Poe brushed himself off and knocked on the tall balcony windows of Arraii's room. He laughed out loud as she pushed aside a curtain to investigate the noise, reacted with wide eyes to his presence, then quietly pushed open the door. "Poe," the queen sighed with a smile, "I don't know why I expected you to use the front door." Her voice was stronger after access to the seed pods, and Poe loved its persistent raspiness. The fact that she had become used to him as "Poe", not "Commander Dameron," was also one of his favorite things about their conversations.

"Good evening, Your Highness," Poe bowed quickly, still grinning. "I have your things..." He passed her five satchels, all full of seed pods. When Arraii looked at him, wordlessly questioning the amount, he assured her, "Just in case."

"You...might not come here for a while?"

Poe straightened up and stood a respectful distance from the queen as he told her, "Leia says she needs me for a raid next week." As Arraii's eyes fell – only slightly, she had a good poker face – Poe quickly reminded her, "This is the last one before Theed. She promised."

"I understand." Arraii backed away and into her quarters, compelling Poe with a gesture to follow her. Poe stepped inside a room with clothing flung everywhere – it didn't seem to all be the queen's, as there were options of various sizes laid out on chairs and the bed and almost nothing in the standing closet. As Poe took in the scene, Arraii explained, "My hosts were assisting me in finding some new clothing. I did not intend to be away from the capitol for so long."

Poe knew her comment wasn't pointed at him, or any loss of faith in his ability to retake the city, but he still felt a sting on her behalf. Arraii had been uncomplaining throughout her time as a transient resident of Naboo, but it occurred to Poe that it was something she was probably very unused to doing as queen. Changing the topic – and also checking on the status of things where the war effort was concerned – Poe asked, "Has there been any news?"

"Nothing from Theed." Arraii tucked the seed packets into a long satchel and slung it across her back. At Poe's questioning look, she explained, "I always wear this now. My last safe house was evacuated rather abruptly, and I was out of the seeds for a few days."

Poe, who had been idly staring out a window, turned to her in concern. "You said that that damages your lungs. You can't possibly afford to have more damage now, Arraii –" Poe caught himself and growled, "Your Highness." The emotion behind the words was directed half at himself for being so clumsy, and half at the queen herself, in worry.

Arraii narrowed her eyes at him in silence for a moment. Then she took a step towards him, and Poe's heart nearly stopped. She took another step. Then another.

Finally, Poe and Arraii were less than an arm's length away from each other. Quietly, she asked him, "Why do you care so much?"

Poe's heart pounded. He told himself he could say anything but what he felt, absolutely anything but what he felt.

He said, "I love –"

And Arraii took him by the cheeks and kissed him before he could finish, confirming everything Poe had dared to hope for the past few months.

Poe kissed her back, winding his arms down around her back and holding her close, loving how the shape of her was so much more alive now. He swayed after her as she unexpectedly pulled away and whispered, "I want you to be my consort, Poe Dameron."

Poe nodded, kissing her behind the ear in ecstasy. "Well, I've been waiting for you to ask."

"Not for Naboo," Arraii continued, whispering it to him with half-closed eyes, "though I know you would protect my kingdom."

"I would," Poe swore, kissing her forehead. "You know I would."

"Not because of Ramsey," she told him, "though I know you would make sure he would never take the throne and bring darkness back to Naboo."

Poe kissed her fiercely. "Never."

Arraii pulled away again, tilting her head against his and looking him dead in the eyes with the same piercing gaze that had caught his heart from the beginning. "I want you for my consort because I have grown to love you, Poe." And then she kissed him very slowly, very sincerely, and all Poe could do was nod back in agreement.

He learned that the house in which she was staying that night was her mother's. After Arraii's family learned who he was, Poe was swiftly educated about Naboo unions. Since they required minimal witnesses and officiants, the three members of her family present would be sufficient. Her mother resurrected a very old family heirloom from the depth of an old trunk and shook out the ornately beaded white lace piece for Arraii to wear. Poe was joined to the Queen of Naboo in his orange flight suit.

During the ceremony, Arraii slipped a thin silver ring over Poe's finger. He held it up for a closer look and recognized the flash of silver he had seen the queen pull from the very first satchel he had delivered to her at the lake palace. He looked at Arraii in question, something dawning on him, and she explained, "Leia intended this from the beginning. She sent me a family ring from her collection with...you."

Poe blinked sleepily, too happy to care that the General had apparently decided to put him forth for marriage without his knowledge. "I guess things worked out, then." Then he thought a bit more. "When you told me that you knew what Leia wanted you to do, but you didn't know if you could do it..." He tilted his head at her and raised an eyebrow skeptically. "What, you couldn't resist me from the beginning?"

Arraii laughed, the sound gusty and gritty from her damaged lungs but still sweet. "I didn't want to take a consort unless I meant it. And I do."

"So I'm the king of Naboo now?" Poe teased, dodging a kiss and sweeping Arraii into his arms. "Is that what I am?"

"You're my pilot," Arraii laughed, pressing her nose to his and sighing deeply, happily. "You're my darling pilot."

And Poe was equally happy about this.

***

When Poe flew back to Yavin IV, he wore a chain under his flight suit with a silver ring from the queen of Naboo. He didn't tell Leia the good news, but knew from her beam at him that she knew anyway. And he still couldn't be mad at her. As he walked past her on his way to change and catch some sleep in his bunk, he pulled the silver ring on a chain from beneath his collar and told her, "We're family now."

The General quietly smiled. "Weren't we always, Commander Naberrie?"

Poe stopped in his tracks and stared at her. "What?"

"Didn't you know that Naboo is a matriarchical society, Poe?" General Leia Organa patted Poe on the shoulder and assured him, "We can have your flight suit modified in no time," then swept away with a broad grin.