Cosmic Embrace

II.

"Father," Arabella's soft voice reverberated through the grand stone halls.

"Yes, Arabella, what is it?" King Ornova inquired, strolling at a leisurely pace, hands clasped behind his back.

Servants bustled past them, bearing clean linens, fresh produce, or attending to their duties around the castle. Arabella made a point to nod respectfully and offer a faint smile to each one as they passed. Fingering a small blade between her fingers, she hesitated, unsure whether to burden her father with trivial concerns such as nightmares. Reaching out to him, she sensed only serenity. He paused, glancing back at her, his brows furrowing as he scrutinized his daughter.

She stood before him, her long brown hair woven into a braid adorned with delicate gold star pins, framing her curly locks. Her lavender gown billowed in the gentle breeze, its silk fabric embellished with golden accents along the sleeves. A silver blade, a gift for her 20th birthday, rested at her palm—a weapon crafted especially for her, its handle entwined with vines and delicate roses, sparkling in the chromatic glow.

"Well, what troubles you, child?" her father prompted, intrigued by the princess's unusual demeanor.

"I've been experiencing these dreams..." Arabella trailed off, her voice hesitant.

"It must be nothing but it's been the same dream for weeks now, every night. I'm in a dark room, large and surrounded by stars. It's cold and there's a dark presence, something I've never felt before in me. And there's a man... his voice is urgent and scared. And before anything else happens I take my lightsaber and...stab myself." She looks up to see her father, she feels his emotions going from calm to worried. Scanning his face, his hand resting on his beard, Arabella can see his eyes moving around the floor trying to find the right words to say to his daughter.

"It must be nothing," she assures him. "Maybe I'm reading too many books before bed."

"Forgive me Arabella as I don't have an answer for you. If it makes you feel better I will have two of my best soldiers guard your door at night" He smiles at her, wrinkles creep around his eyes.

"Now, we have an open door ceremony tonight so please, do not be late again. I have some official matters to take care of, if you excuse me. I'll see you tonight Bella. DO NOT BE LATE" he walked out emphasizing his last words as his cape blew behind him.

"Well, that was unhelpful," Arabella muttered to herself, watching his retreating figure.

She made her way to one of the open galleries overlooking the verdant landscape—thick forests, towering hills vanishing into the clouds. She cherished Cosmara, though she had visited other planets in her youth. There was an innate tranquility here, a sense of responsibility she knew she would one day inherit—to preserve its beauty and peace. Draping her cream-colored cape, adorned with her planet's insignia—a lily-like flower—over her shoulders, she reflected on her mother, who had worn a similar garment.

Though she had never met her, portraits depicted her as poised, with fiery red hair and sharp features that left Arabella awestruck. She lamented not inheriting those traits, though she cherished the comparisons drawn between them—assured, brave, beautiful. The absence of her mother, a Force-sensitive, weighed heavily on Arabella's heart, leaving her yearning for guidance, for a Jedi master to unlock her potential. Her father, though well-intentioned, could not fill that void. She knew that if her mother was alive she would be stronger and more powerful. She often wondered if that's what her father feared. That she would be too powerful and overtake him.

No , she thought, I love him too much. He has given me the best I could have asked for. But again she wondered if there was something more, not something he was hiding from her but something he was protecting her from.