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“This is absurd... ridiculous... idiotic... and just completely unfair!”
Cora’s voice - far more high-pitched than usual - echoed down the halls of the palace on Keldabe. She currently stood pacing in the large parlor where her mother tended to have her afternoon tea. Sarai sat in her chair, looking quite patient as her eldest child appeared to be losing her ever-present calm.
The Duchess herself had been quite troubled ever since they returned to Naboo with the kidnapped children. Between the way they were able to so effortlessly steal the girls away and how her darling heir had been behaving ever since, she knew there was something else afoot, but simply couldn’t pin down what it was, even with hours of deep meditation.
Beyond that, it seemed that a young love had blossomed in her girl’s heart and showed no signs of wilting. Such a thing would normally please her greatly, but this had gone far beyond what one would call a ‘crush’. Rather, it was an obsession that did not seem to wane even with the time they had spent apart. Corran had seen the brunt of this possessiveness and had immediately become worried, suggesting that perhaps it would be best if Cora came home for a while.
Cora, however, was none too pleased with the arrangement.
Thus leading them to where they were. Day three of being home together and Cora, having realized this was not a small vacation, but something that was quite permanent in her mother’s mind, was expressing her frustrations quite vocally.
“You cannot keep me here. What of my studies? What of my siblings? What of--” “Jacen?” Sarai questioned, arching a delicate brow. “From what I hear, he hasn’t even noticed you’ve gone.” It was a bit cruel to point out, she knew, but if it was the truth, then she couldn’t keep it from her. “Jacen has returned to his studies along with the rest of the praxeum students, none the wiser of your absence, darling.”
Her mother’s words cut her straight through to the bone, leaving an icy cold in their wake. Such a thing-- it couldn’t be true. She sensed no deception, but she still could not believe that he hadn’t the faintest idea she’d been stolen away!
“He has not gone to your father to ask, nor has he gone to Hallie. From what I’ve heard, he has been spending his time with his sister. Just as he should be, given the circumstances.” Sarai sipped delicately at her tea, setting the saucer aside as she stood and approached her daughter, smiling as she took her face into her hands. “You must see that this love is one-sided. He does not feel so deeply for you, the way that you do him. Please come to recognize this as fact. Do not delude yourself. Do not lose who you are in your feelings for this boy.”
“You don’t understand...” Cora said, her voice choked as tears sprang to her eyes. “He is my family, I--” “Cora, this boy is not your family--” “Aliit ori'shya tal'din!” She exclaimed, voice high once again.
Surprise showed in Sarai’s eyes and her smile softened, giving a light nod. “Gar serim, ad’ika.” Chuckling, she leaned in to kiss her forehead and give her hair a gentle stroke, nodding again. “... to you, he is, then. But that does not change how he feels, for himself. It is nothing you can control. You cannot force him to reciprocate your feelings. If it is meant to be, then it will happen when it is meant to. Do you understand?”
Sniffling, Cora nodded and glanced away as her mother wiped gently at her tears. “Yes. I do.” "That's a good girl. Now, finish your tea. We've quite the evening ahead of us. I've arranged for some shopping and we'll dine at your favorite little hovel."
That news managed to brighten Cora's eyes, if only just. She took in a deep breath and squeezed her mother's hands before going to take her seat again, Sarai joining her.
__________________________
That night, Cora dreamt.
It was a strange view; nothing but grey around her, surrounding her like a fog. It was cold and she was floating, there were ripples all around her - maybe it was water, instead?
She didn’t know. It was too difficult to think. She always got confused so easily, could never quite remember things as well as others could... but it all felt so very familiar. Floating in a sea of nothing, of confusion, just praying for some sort of light to guide her way and make it all clear.
Letting out a soft sigh, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to float in this cold, familiar void. This... everything about it was like it was when she was awake; clouded, ephemeral, never quite made sense. Sometimes it was difficult for her to tell up from down. She had to rely on her feelings to guide her more than her own thoughts and logic because she couldn’t trust it to be right. It was one aspect of Force training that she had truly benefitted from: not needing to see to know her own surroundings.
Opening her eyes once again, she saw that the fog above her was peculiarly thin. Bizarre. She began to take in a breath when rather suddenly, her body was pulled backward, beneath the dark water she’d been floating in. Water poured into her mouth, filling her lungs, choking her. She twisted and tried to struggle to no avail. As she opened her eyes, feeling her strength leave her, she saw pinpricks of brightness above.
Through the dark water and through the fog, she could see them so clearly, as if there were nothing hiding them at all. She reached upward, grasping at that light as she felt her back hit a hard surface--
Jerking awake, Cora sat straight up, gasping for air. Her hands went to her throat, panicked, one going to slide up into her hair as she tried to calm down and regain control of her mental faculties. After a few moments of shaking, the panic subsided and she was left sitting in bed, eyes wide.
She could see.
Not that she couldn’t before, but it was different now, somehow. So clear. Completely different.
Something like this, something so startling, would normally frighten her terribly! However, she felt nothing but peace. Smiling, she sat there for a moment, simply running a hand through her hair, then brushing a finger down her cheek. Everything was... so open, so clear. It felt right. There was an intense, all-encompassing feeling of understanding. There was no fog blurring her vision or clouding her senses.
This clarity was so striking, so invigorating. Throwing back her blankets, she jumped out of bed, gleeful at how swift her reflexes were. She could move easily, unhindered by her old, crippling fear that seemed to have left her completely. Running forward, she thought back to her lessons and the things she was too afraid to try; cartwheels, safety rolls, back handsprings. She executed them all perfectly, her eyes closed all the while, using her senses to guide herself without hitting anything or injuring herself.
Absolutely giddy, she went to stare at herself in the mirror and continued to do so for some time. She could truly see and appreciate what was before her. This was a feat she had never quite been able to accomplish before. Never had she held the confidence to smile at her own reflection and know that she was her own guide.
Then, it struck her: he had to see this, too.
If he saw this, understood this side of her, was able to see her just as clearly as she could now see herself, then surely he would return her feelings! Jacen would not turn a blind eye to her any longer.
That meant she had to escape.
Quickly, she rushed to her dresser, pulling out simple travelling clothes and changing; leggings, a tight sweater, boots. Her cloak soon followed. She tied her hair back into a practical knot before donning her hood and slipping out into the hallway. Glancing to and fro, she was relieved that there were few guards stationed at this time of night; Mandalore was so peaceful that such a thing would be viewed as silly under normal circumstances. Obviously her mother didn’t harbor a single fear of her attempting to leave.
Foolish.
Cora snuck her way down the hall, managing to hide and slip past any who did happen to be patrolling nearby. The hangar wasn’t far from the residential wing; she made the short journey in only a few minutes. Finding it to be just as sparsely guarded as the halls, she easily made her way to the closest transport ship. It was small, private. On her own, she had never flown but on simulators. However, she was quite confident she would be able to manage.
The moment she snuck up the gangway and to the cockpit, she sat and took a moment to close her eyes and breathe. Relax. Meditate. Letting her memories flow, her lessons quickly returned to her, unhindered any longer by the fog. Her hands flew over the controls and it wasn’t until she had safely left the atmosphere and gone into hyperspace, coordinates set for Naboo, that she opened her eyes again.
Wow.
Sitting back, she grinned, the pride she had in herself overwhelmingly strong.
She was worthy of him now. She had to show him. He would accept her.
As she closed her eyes again, intending on getting some rest, she wondered briefly how long it would take her mother to contact her father. Hmm. Well, now that she could think, she was positive that she could bypass him and get to Jacen before anyone managed to stop her.
Drifting off, she smiled, feeling a mischievous little glimmer of hope that she would get the opportunity to try.
Cora’s voice - far more high-pitched than usual - echoed down the halls of the palace on Keldabe. She currently stood pacing in the large parlor where her mother tended to have her afternoon tea. Sarai sat in her chair, looking quite patient as her eldest child appeared to be losing her ever-present calm.
The Duchess herself had been quite troubled ever since they returned to Naboo with the kidnapped children. Between the way they were able to so effortlessly steal the girls away and how her darling heir had been behaving ever since, she knew there was something else afoot, but simply couldn’t pin down what it was, even with hours of deep meditation.
Beyond that, it seemed that a young love had blossomed in her girl’s heart and showed no signs of wilting. Such a thing would normally please her greatly, but this had gone far beyond what one would call a ‘crush’. Rather, it was an obsession that did not seem to wane even with the time they had spent apart. Corran had seen the brunt of this possessiveness and had immediately become worried, suggesting that perhaps it would be best if Cora came home for a while.
Cora, however, was none too pleased with the arrangement.
Thus leading them to where they were. Day three of being home together and Cora, having realized this was not a small vacation, but something that was quite permanent in her mother’s mind, was expressing her frustrations quite vocally.
“You cannot keep me here. What of my studies? What of my siblings? What of--” “Jacen?” Sarai questioned, arching a delicate brow. “From what I hear, he hasn’t even noticed you’ve gone.” It was a bit cruel to point out, she knew, but if it was the truth, then she couldn’t keep it from her. “Jacen has returned to his studies along with the rest of the praxeum students, none the wiser of your absence, darling.”
Her mother’s words cut her straight through to the bone, leaving an icy cold in their wake. Such a thing-- it couldn’t be true. She sensed no deception, but she still could not believe that he hadn’t the faintest idea she’d been stolen away!
“He has not gone to your father to ask, nor has he gone to Hallie. From what I’ve heard, he has been spending his time with his sister. Just as he should be, given the circumstances.” Sarai sipped delicately at her tea, setting the saucer aside as she stood and approached her daughter, smiling as she took her face into her hands. “You must see that this love is one-sided. He does not feel so deeply for you, the way that you do him. Please come to recognize this as fact. Do not delude yourself. Do not lose who you are in your feelings for this boy.”
“You don’t understand...” Cora said, her voice choked as tears sprang to her eyes. “He is my family, I--” “Cora, this boy is not your family--” “Aliit ori'shya tal'din!” She exclaimed, voice high once again.
Surprise showed in Sarai’s eyes and her smile softened, giving a light nod. “Gar serim, ad’ika.” Chuckling, she leaned in to kiss her forehead and give her hair a gentle stroke, nodding again. “... to you, he is, then. But that does not change how he feels, for himself. It is nothing you can control. You cannot force him to reciprocate your feelings. If it is meant to be, then it will happen when it is meant to. Do you understand?”
Sniffling, Cora nodded and glanced away as her mother wiped gently at her tears. “Yes. I do.” "That's a good girl. Now, finish your tea. We've quite the evening ahead of us. I've arranged for some shopping and we'll dine at your favorite little hovel."
That news managed to brighten Cora's eyes, if only just. She took in a deep breath and squeezed her mother's hands before going to take her seat again, Sarai joining her.
__________________________
That night, Cora dreamt.
It was a strange view; nothing but grey around her, surrounding her like a fog. It was cold and she was floating, there were ripples all around her - maybe it was water, instead?
She didn’t know. It was too difficult to think. She always got confused so easily, could never quite remember things as well as others could... but it all felt so very familiar. Floating in a sea of nothing, of confusion, just praying for some sort of light to guide her way and make it all clear.
Letting out a soft sigh, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to float in this cold, familiar void. This... everything about it was like it was when she was awake; clouded, ephemeral, never quite made sense. Sometimes it was difficult for her to tell up from down. She had to rely on her feelings to guide her more than her own thoughts and logic because she couldn’t trust it to be right. It was one aspect of Force training that she had truly benefitted from: not needing to see to know her own surroundings.
Opening her eyes once again, she saw that the fog above her was peculiarly thin. Bizarre. She began to take in a breath when rather suddenly, her body was pulled backward, beneath the dark water she’d been floating in. Water poured into her mouth, filling her lungs, choking her. She twisted and tried to struggle to no avail. As she opened her eyes, feeling her strength leave her, she saw pinpricks of brightness above.
Through the dark water and through the fog, she could see them so clearly, as if there were nothing hiding them at all. She reached upward, grasping at that light as she felt her back hit a hard surface--
Jerking awake, Cora sat straight up, gasping for air. Her hands went to her throat, panicked, one going to slide up into her hair as she tried to calm down and regain control of her mental faculties. After a few moments of shaking, the panic subsided and she was left sitting in bed, eyes wide.
She could see.
Not that she couldn’t before, but it was different now, somehow. So clear. Completely different.
Something like this, something so startling, would normally frighten her terribly! However, she felt nothing but peace. Smiling, she sat there for a moment, simply running a hand through her hair, then brushing a finger down her cheek. Everything was... so open, so clear. It felt right. There was an intense, all-encompassing feeling of understanding. There was no fog blurring her vision or clouding her senses.
This clarity was so striking, so invigorating. Throwing back her blankets, she jumped out of bed, gleeful at how swift her reflexes were. She could move easily, unhindered by her old, crippling fear that seemed to have left her completely. Running forward, she thought back to her lessons and the things she was too afraid to try; cartwheels, safety rolls, back handsprings. She executed them all perfectly, her eyes closed all the while, using her senses to guide herself without hitting anything or injuring herself.
Absolutely giddy, she went to stare at herself in the mirror and continued to do so for some time. She could truly see and appreciate what was before her. This was a feat she had never quite been able to accomplish before. Never had she held the confidence to smile at her own reflection and know that she was her own guide.
Then, it struck her: he had to see this, too.
If he saw this, understood this side of her, was able to see her just as clearly as she could now see herself, then surely he would return her feelings! Jacen would not turn a blind eye to her any longer.
That meant she had to escape.
Quickly, she rushed to her dresser, pulling out simple travelling clothes and changing; leggings, a tight sweater, boots. Her cloak soon followed. She tied her hair back into a practical knot before donning her hood and slipping out into the hallway. Glancing to and fro, she was relieved that there were few guards stationed at this time of night; Mandalore was so peaceful that such a thing would be viewed as silly under normal circumstances. Obviously her mother didn’t harbor a single fear of her attempting to leave.
Foolish.
Cora snuck her way down the hall, managing to hide and slip past any who did happen to be patrolling nearby. The hangar wasn’t far from the residential wing; she made the short journey in only a few minutes. Finding it to be just as sparsely guarded as the halls, she easily made her way to the closest transport ship. It was small, private. On her own, she had never flown but on simulators. However, she was quite confident she would be able to manage.
The moment she snuck up the gangway and to the cockpit, she sat and took a moment to close her eyes and breathe. Relax. Meditate. Letting her memories flow, her lessons quickly returned to her, unhindered any longer by the fog. Her hands flew over the controls and it wasn’t until she had safely left the atmosphere and gone into hyperspace, coordinates set for Naboo, that she opened her eyes again.
Wow.
Sitting back, she grinned, the pride she had in herself overwhelmingly strong.
She was worthy of him now. She had to show him. He would accept her.
As she closed her eyes again, intending on getting some rest, she wondered briefly how long it would take her mother to contact her father. Hmm. Well, now that she could think, she was positive that she could bypass him and get to Jacen before anyone managed to stop her.
Drifting off, she smiled, feeling a mischievous little glimmer of hope that she would get the opportunity to try.
