9 - Fair Play

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(a/n): I just wanna say that I know the image above isn't what the palace in Alderaan looks like, but this is how I imagined it for this story. The palace of Versailles is my inspiration😌💜

(y/n) POV:

"Is that the palace?" I asked in complete awe, staring down from our ship's window at the large structure as we started our descent into the capital city of Aldera.

It was so beautiful; everything on this planet was beautiful. The palace stretched out far and wide, and the main aspect of it that caught my eye was the vast terrain of territory behind the palace that consisted of a garden with a circle pond in the center. Around the palace, mountains and plains of grass stretched out for miles beyond what I could already see. The blue sky above us was enveloped in a white web of fluffy clouds, and at the far ends of Aldera I could barely make out the deep blue bodies of water. I had never seen so much nature and non-electric buildings all in one place. Coruscant was essentially the epitome of our galaxy's modern technology, so since I only ever spent most of my time there, I hardly got a true 'real world' experience outside of that planet.

(A photo of the garden because this place is so beautiful😌❤️)



I heard Anakin chuckle from where he sat in the pilot seat beside me, "Sure is. It's about time you went on a real mission instead of a another file exchange." He sighed as he turned the wheel of the ship to pull us into an open landing space at the front of the palace.

I snickered as I bit into the nail of my thumb while still gazing out the window, "Aw, but I had so much fun exchanging files, Master." I mock complained.

He scoffed, but I could sense amusement in his next words, "Clearly not, since you managed to miss our entire exchange last time. I swear, you can't go one day without embarrassing me." We lowered the ship to the glittery concrete ground and landed smoothly as we came to a rolling stop.

I remember how angry he was about that, and how he practically cornered me in that office just so I would tell him what I did that made me miss the whole meeting.

That was the one time I made the right choice to not sass him; as annoying as it is, he somehow always gets what he wants, and I had a feeling my sass wouldn't have gotten me out of that situation. But this last time he thankfully backed off easier than I expected. Nonetheless, I still find satisfaction in embarrassing him, no matter what the consequences are for me.

Smirking, I turned towards Anakin in my seat this time, "Well, like you said, it is my job to embarrass you on a daily basis."

He fiddled with the control panel before turning off the ship, and chuckled wryly without looking at me, "And it's such a shame that it's the only thing you're good at."

I glared at him even though he couldn't see since he was still powering off the ship, and focusing on the controls as if he didn't just insult me. I rolled my eyes and stood up out of my chair, filling my brain with the invigorating thoughts of today. My heartbeat quickened and I suddenly became neurotic; I'm here. I'm finally, and really here. My Mom and sister are supposedly just on the other side of the palace walls.

Coming home could theoretically be the stupidest decision I've ever made. There could be a whole battalion of assassins waiting here for me, even if they don't know what I look like. I could die today, and everything Alderaan has fought for will have been for nothing.

Or, pushing my pessimism aside, these next two weeks here could be really amazing. I don't know what to expect but I want to walk into this with confidence.

I took a deep breath, discharging all of my anxiety, and let down the ramp so I could step out into the open. The ramp hit the rocky concrete with a small thud, and from where I stood I could clearly see how the ground shone from the reflection of the bright sun. Everything looked so clean and polished, and I wondered if workers or servants actually cleaned the outside as well as the inside.

"Not so fast." Anakin's voice stopped me from taking another step down the ramp.

I huffed impatiently and spun back towards him, "What, did you forget to bring your speed to this mission? You're being excessively slow today." I put a hand on my hip, making my bold attitude clear in my voice and posture.

He rose an eyebrow, and because of the smirk I saw that was beginning to form, I knew he had an insult ready.

He walked up to me and stopped when we were a few feet apart, "Did you forget to bring your brain to this mission? We need to go over the most important battle tactics. We still don't know what we're walking into or who we could be dealing with."

Ignoring his brain comment, I tilted my head to the side, and smiled playfully as I remembered his concerned reaction when he saw the new bandage I put on last night, "I thought you didn't care about my well-being."

He scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes never leaving mine, "I don't. But I can't have you getting me killed if you can't even keep your lightsaber from being stolen." He then used the force to call the hilt of my lightsaber out of my utility belt and into his hand, a smirk forming on his lips as soon as it fell into his hold.

My eyes widened as I realized what he did, and he took it so quickly that I couldn't even react in time. I tried grabbing it back from him but he instantly lifted his hand to hold my lightsaber hilt above his head so I couldn't reach it.

I clenched my jaw in annoyance and balled my hand into a fist, bringing it down to my side as I had previously lifted it into the air to reach my lightsaber. Containing the urge to smack him, I crossed my arms and tapped my foot impatiently as I waited for him to give it back.

Still holding my lightsaber hilt above his head, he moved it next to his temple so that I would make eye contact with him again, "What's the most important rule when fighting an opponent?"

Flashback (4 years ago)

Drenched in sweat dripping down my forehead, I dodged a swing aimed at my shoulder from Anakin's lightsaber, using my own to block it so that our weapons clashed in a flurry of glowing blue. He was too strong for me, as I felt myself beginning to shake from trying to hold him off.

Anakin and I were currently having a mock lightsaber duel, and even though this was just supposed to be practice, it seemed as if he was fighting an actual villain.

"Master, this is just a practice." I reminded him in a strained voice, as I began stepping backwards from him pushing his lightsaber harshly against my own. His eyes narrowed and he moved our lightsabers slightly to the side so he could look at me properly, and I could pellucidly see the powerful fire that burned in his irises, and the way his hair practically clung to his forehead from the ardor of his truculence, "Practice or not, your enemies will never play fair in battle. You need to be prepared for any and all circumstances."

How am I supposed to get better if he hardly gives me a chance to fight back?

My back began to arch backwards as he subtly loomed over my smaller form, still pressing his lightsaber into mine as my upper body strength slowly debilitated. As I resumed walking backwards with every step he took forward, I took advantage of our synchronized movements and swiftly stomped my boot into his own as hard as I could, knowing it wouldn't cause him too much physical pain. His eyes widened and he instantly pulled away from me to grab his foot while he hissed from discomfort.

My pulse picked up it's already quick pace and I spun around, lightsaber in hand, and ran as fast as I could away from him so that I could maintain a good distance between us for when he regains his stamina.

But of course, his resilience proved to be extraordinary today. In a rush, my body unwillingly stopped running and was pulled backwards. My feet dragged against the marble floor, and they wouldn't slow down no matter how much effort I gave into pressing them into the ground for my body to stop moving. I hyperventilated in fear, swinging my lightsaber around aimlessly to have some sort of control.

But that was taken away too, as my body finally came to a halt and my back made a thudding contact with what I guessed was Anakin's chest based on the scent of vanilla and roses that filled my nostrils. I felt a warm hand roughly latch itself onto my wrist of the hand that held my lightsaber. I was instantly overpowered as my arm was swiftly brought up so that my wrist was held beside my head. In the next second, my lightsaber flew out of my hand by use of the force and suddenly I felt heat close to my chin as I could see below me that my own blue lightsaber was positioned right in front of my throat.

I gasped as the air came back to my body after leaving from the shock I just experienced. My body was pulled back so fast, and my lightsaber flew out of my hand so quickly, it all happened too rapidly for my mind to comprehend. I felt a small pressure on top of my head and because of my short height compared to him, I knew it was his chin just barely resting against my hair. I glanced downwards, careful not to move to much, and I felt like I could hardly breathe from how close the lightsaber was to my skin; I leaned my head backwards into the soft wall of leather behind me to create some breathing distance from the glowing weapon.

I'm so grateful no one else is in the training room; if the other Padawans witnessed this then I'd probably never leave my room ever again.

I didn't bother trying to fight back anymore, I'd rather not die in a practice duel. After a year of being his Padawan, I learned quickly that Anakin never misses a chance to show off his fighting skills. Fair play has never been his style.

After a few seconds of both of us catching our breath, I heard him sigh irritably from above me, "The most important rule when fighting an opponent is to never turn your back on them. Got it?" He demanded in a harsh tone, keeping his tight grip on my wrist and my lightsaber to my throat.

I swallowed nervously, but felt exceedingly frustrated at the same time. He's right; I'm not doubting him or his way of fighting, but he could've at least taught this to me in a less aggressive and unfair manner. Nothing with him has ever been and probably never will be fair, so I was just going to have to accept that.

I nodded gently so as to not make contact with the lightsaber, "Yes, Master."

Flashback ends

"Never turn your back on them." I responded, having memorized this rule immediately after he told it to me. I never wanted to have a repeat of that bogus training session. And I never did, which I guess means that Anakin's training tactics actually worked.

He rose an eyebrow in surprise, and then smiled down at me in satisfaction. With that he finally lowered my lightsaber hilt from above his head so that I could take it, "Good."

From there we went over a few other basic reminders and strategies, but since I pretty much memorized everything else as well, I hardly paid attention as I just thought about getting inside of the palace. When we were done, I all but ran down the ramp and up to the large double doors of the sweeping premises. My breath was taken away, everything; the air, the structures, the plants and the sky, it was all so grand and refreshing. I'd definitely have to explore that garden behind the palace sometime.

I'm so nervous; why am I so nervous? There's really no reason to be, but my nerves have a mind of their own at this point for a reason I don't know.

Well, maybe it's because after only ever seeing my Mom and sister over a hologram my whole life, I'm actually going to see them in person. It doesn't sound as exciting to say until you're actually experiencing it.

Curling my toes restlessly, I strained to control my breathing and keep it at a normal and steady pace, at least in front of Anakin, so he doesn't ask any questions as to why I'm unusually trepidatious.

He came to stand beside me, taking long strides that ended up being half the amount of steps I took to get over here. The cold wind picked up, and he ran a hand through his hair to keep it tamed. He gave me a tired glance, "Please wait at least a day before you do something stupid." He mumbled, now seeming like all he wanted to do was sleep.

And I actually felt bad, still not really knowing why he got up so early just to put heaters in the ship for me. I'd ask him later, but I doubt he sincerely did it out of the goodness of his heart.

I smiled sarcastically up at him, "Likewise." And I meant it; the last thing I want is for him to abase me in front of my family. He already does it unapologetically in front of the Jedi, and I need to make sure that he can at least be a decent human for our introductions.

I pulled on the large handle to open one of the double doors, and the first thing I saw in front of us were two armed guards. They were tall, wore silver and gold chest plates as well as shin guards, and were holding the handles of their swords that currently rested in their belt sheathes. Their heads were covered with gold and white helmets—similar to what the clones have—that hid their faces, so I couldn't see what they looked like. I could only assume they were looking at us based on their postures.

"State your business." The one in front of me spoke in a monotone voice, without moving a muscle.

"We're Jedi, and we were sent here to provide protection and assistance to the royal family." Anakin explained, also in his monotone work voice.

"Jedi?" The other guard titled his head to the side, all formalities leaving as his question indicated evident curiosity. His voice surprised me, though, because it sounded notably similar to the first guard.

They both turned their heads and looked at each other for a moment; though I didn't know how they could make eye contact with those helmets on. At the same time, they both nodded once at each other, and then turned back towards us, taking their hands off of their sword handles. They beckoned us inside, and as soon as we were in, the guard in front of Anakin moved behind him to shut the large door.

As if the outside wasn't fancy enough, the inside was a whole other level of elegant. And this part of the palace wasn't even a ballroom or a bedroom, it was just an entryway. Large pillars layered each side of the long hallway, all of them were marble white and decorated with what looked like real grapevines. The cleanly waxed floors were tiled gold and silver, and our reflections were tangibly clear inside of them. On the bronze walls, paintings and stained glass murals hung every few feet of what I assumed were the generations of rulers from my family. And above our heads hung magnificent crystal chandeliers, three in total as they were evenly spaced throughout the hallway.

For a place that was mostly destroyed into scattered debris, they sure did a good job rebuilding it.

I was brought out of my fascinated trance as one of the guards spoke again, "Miss, if you'll come with me?" He held his silver, armored hand out for me to take.

Right after, the other guard in front of Anakin tilted his head towards the direction of another hallway perpendicular to the one we were in, "You can follow me, sir."

Before I could consider taking the guards hand, Anakin narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "Why are we being separated?"

Noticing his suspicions, the guard in front of me retracted his arm and used both of his hands to lift his helmet off, and the other guard instantly followed along.

As soon as both of their helmets were off, I knew why they sounded so similar. They're twins.

The main difference was that one in front of me had dark brown hair, and the one beside him had dirty blonde hair, like Anakin's. The brown haired twin smiled at me, and I was almost shocked at how friendly they were being now
compared to when they first greeted us.

"The Queen Regent instructed us to escort you both to your temporary bedchambers, and provide you with the rules to follow while you stay here. You'll meet with each other again after your tours of the palace." He gestured to himself, and then to his brother, "My name is Aero, and this is my brother, Luca." (Imagine them as the Sprouse twins hehe; So Aero is Cole and Luca is Dylan🥰)

Now that I could finally see their faces, I smiled back in the same friendly manner. Despite Anakin's continuous skepticism, I felt in my gut that these two guards were trustworthy. And it was mostly because of their sudden change in behavior; I have an inkling that they know who I am.

"In that case," I reached my arm forward and linked it with Aero's, "Let's get going, shall we?" I turned my head in Anakin's direction, to look at him for confirmation that I could leave.

He gave me a strange look, like he was both confused and irritated at the same time. I don't know why he was so skeptical. If anything, these guards should be suspicious of us given how much of a liability this place has become, and how susceptible it is to an enemy attack.

And suddenly, the strange look on his face was gone and was replaced with pure boredom as he nodded, and began walking down the perpendicular hallway. Luca quickly followed behind to walk beside him, and I could scarcely hear him trying to make conversation with Anakin.

I felt bad for him; he won't have much luck conversing with a brick wall.

I began walking with Aero down the rest of the long hallway, continuing to admire the decor and architecture surrounding us. He bent his head down next to mine and spoke quietly, "Forgive me for my enthusiasm, but it's a pleasure to finally meet you, Your Highness."

My cheeks flushed as a wave of humility consumed me; it felt weird to be addressed that way, I didn't think I deserved it yet. I may be Queen but I haven't really done any of the hard work yet.

Still, I kept my friendly smile, and the excitement of being here pounded against my chest, "The pleasure is all mine. You and your brother have my gratitude for being here during these uncertain times." I assumed that if they knew who I was, then they'd know about everything else, including our secret plans and the threats from our rivals.

He sighed as we approached another door at the end of the hallway, "Our parents knew both of yours very well. We've always been loyal to your family, even after the attack seventeen years ago which unfortunately caused many allies to flee."

I nodded but instantly pushed those ominous thoughts out of my head. We would have time to discuss all the depressing matters later, but I wanted everyone to be happy at least for today.

At an attempt to lighten the mood, I nudged his

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