(Star Wars) ~ Alice

XVIII

"DakDak! Come on!"

Luke and Leia ran through the courtyard, their uncle and his girlfriend on their tails. Mara and Ben were playing with Fjer and Asta; Hayden and Kara were with them, playing some hand game next to the animals. The two adults laughed at the twins as Alice snagged Leia and Dak caught Luke, both tickling the children until they squealed. "Bunny! Can we play hide and seek?" Ben ran over to them, Mara and the toddlers following after him. "Of course! Who wants to be 'it'?" She asked brighty, really in her element with the little ones. "Bunny it!" Little Kara yelled, running along with Hayden with their hands locked. To both Dak and his girlfriend's surprise, the twins broke off differently; Luke went with Mara while Ben and Leia raced away.

Alice chuckled and leaned up against a tree. "That means you're 'it' too, Dak." She reminded him with a smile. He chuckled, leaned forward wih a hand resting above her head on the trunk. "Nope, Kara said you're it. I'm hiding with the children..." Dak pressed his lips to hers, grabbing her waist with his free hand. "You're not going to find me." With a final peck on her forehead, he turned and ran straight into the palace. Alice counted to twenty slowly, saying each number out loud, before she pulled away and began her hunt.

"Ready or not! Here I come!" She raced inside, heading to the right. She came upon one of the large corridors, one of which had a black-marble fountain in the center of it. Hayden and Kara were laying on the far side, both belly down on the floor. Alice laid out on the marble fountain's edge, right over the toddlers. "Why are we hiding?"

"We're hiding from Aunt Bunny!" Hayden answered, sounding serious as ever even with his slight lisp. "Really? Where is she?" It took all of her willpower not to laugh and blow her own cover. "Lookin' for us... Kara, shhh!" he told her, still intent on being quiet. "Guess who's right here?" The children looked up to see Alice smiling like a Cheshire; the screamed as she got down and brought them into her arms. "Bunny!" They squealed, trying to get out of her grasp, laughing the whole time. "Let's go find the others, yeah?"

She took each of them by the hand before running off to find the other four children. "I know where they are!" Kara squealed, pulling her harder. Alice allowed the little girl to drag her and Hayden towards throne room, finding Anakin laying on the palate with Padme. Kara let go and ran behind them, bemused eyes following her as she found Leia and Ben hiding. "Kara!" Leia rushed out with Ben hot on her heels, Kara squealing behind them.

"Oh, no ya don't, little girl!" Anakin reached around and caught Leia before she could get to far. "Daddy!" She whined, squirming. "Mommy! Help!" Padme chuckled, watching her husband and daughter fight. "Sweetheart, you know better than to go against Daddy..." She cooed, curling up next to the two of them with Leia in the middle. Ben sat at their feet, smirking as he watched his best friend squirm. "Ben..." She whined, flopping back and looking at him with a pout.

"You two stay here with Ben; I'm going to go find-" Alice stopped short, seeing Luke and Mara come running in. "Never mind, I found them." Before they could run away, one look from his father made Luke stay put. "Where's DakDak, Bunny?"

"I don't know..." She answered, frowning a little as she looked around. "Go find him, dear. We've got the kiddos..." Padme smirked, glancing behind at her husband. "Children, Ani needs a hug... DOG PILE ON ANAKIN!" All the kids yelled at the top of their lungs and jumped on the poor man as Alice slipped out of the room.

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"Dak?"

Alice peaked into the courtyard; she'd looked everywhere but here, though it was vacant when she started. Unless Dak had left the palace entirely, he had to be around here somewhere. As she walked down towards the fountains, there she saw a little blue box on the ground, curious she waked over and picked it up. Opening it, she saw the most beautiful ring that she had ever seen before. Alice touched it carefully as though she was afraid of breaking it. Surely somone wouldn't leave such an expensive and beautiful piece of jewelry on the ground...

Perhaps someone had lost it?

"It's almost as beautiful as you."

Alice turned around, seeing a smiling Dak about ten feet away near the base tree. He touched it, smirking at her, knowing he won the game. "You've been in my life for not even half a revolution and I alright know I don't want to spend another day without you. Not another morning do I want to wake up alone; not another night do I want to see and empty place in my bed." He took slow steps towards her. "I could care less if you dressed in the finest materials or the filthiest of rags; you're so beautiful, Alice. Whether it's right when you wake up and your hair is all over the place or after you've gotten all dolled up, it's like I'm enchanted everytime I see you."

Dak finally reached her, gently guiding her to sit on the fountain's edge. "I never thought I'd find love; I always believed that I'd die alone. However, ever since that first day you arrived here in that damned crate... I always knew you'd be special to me." He gently took the box from her, presenting the ring in his hands. "I could have anything I wanted but all I'll ever want is you. Alice Voss, I love you so much, I can't even put it into words..." He gave her a soft smile.

"Will you marry me?"