FORBIDDEN ATTACHMENTS ─ star wars

PROLOGUE

Prologue
Genevieve

The city looks so peaceful from up here. For a moment, I can almost forget what horrible things are happening within the streets, within the hearts of my people.

From my bedroom window everything looks at peace, if I stay in my room forever I might be able to live in blissful ignorance of the conflict arising all around me. Not just in my planet, but the others as well.

With the separatist alliance growing more and more followers by the day, the members of the republic are starting to worry if we are about to enter into war. I am one of these members. Father assures me that the government of our galaxy has been upheld for centuries and would not fail us now. But as the days go by I'm starting to wonder if his optimism is warranted.

A gust of wind picks up, blowing past the castle and making goosebumps rush down my arms. The wind brings a smell with it, something that sends me into alarm; smoke. Leaning against my balcony I look down towards the houses behind the castle to see that a fire has been started.

Rushing towards my bedroom door I yank it open, setting eyes on the first guard I see, telling him on a frantic tone; "A fire! There's a fire in the city! They need help!" The guard nods to me firmly, yelling to the two guards at the end of the hall to alert the Taris soldiers. The guard then turns to me, his voice growing softer but no less urgent.

"Your highness, your soldiers will take care of it. You must go back into your room where it's safe."

I shake my head firmly, frustration seeping into my voice. "I will not stay in my room when my people are in danger, whether it's a fire or a shoot out or the rebels. I don't care what my father says."

The guard looks sympathetic to me, but he doesn't back down. "I am under orders from the king to not let you leave your room."

I let out a sigh, trying to sound as calm as I can manage. After all it wasn't the guard's fault my father was over protective. "Then take me to my father. I would like a word with him. And before you object, remember that I am the princess of Taris, and you have sworn to obey my orders as well as my father's."

The guard contemplates this for a moment, before he reluctantly nods his head, beginning to lead me down the hall towards the elevator. My bedroom is on the top floor, so the entire ride down to the throne room takes a few minutes. My father at this time of day usually sits in the throne room to meet with our people and hear their complaints. Since the rebellion started however, he has done this less and less, but despite the warnings of his advisors, he still manages to hear and address the cries of our people as best he can. If only he would allow me to help as well.

As soon as the doors open, I walk down the hall with large determined strides, composing myself and trying to remain calm as the doors to the throne room grow closer and closer. The guard jogs in front of me to open the door, and once he does, I hear a gasp escape my lips.

My father sits in his throne, his eyes glued to the man standing in front of him. This man is wearing full body armor made of a dark silver metal, with blue accents around his mask. My father's eyes glance over to me, and I manage to see a smile form on his lips before the man fires the blaster he has been holding in his hand. I watch as the red blast makes it mark on my father's chest, making him let out a groan of pain before his body goes limp, falling forward off his throne.

"Father!" I hear myself scream, my knees buckling under me and my body beginning to fall. The guard catches me though, yelling something at me that I can't quite comprehend.

The man in the throne room turns around, his blaster still in his hand. I can't see his expression, but I know there is no regret, no remorse on the hidden face. I expect him to point his blaster my direction, but he doesn't, he points it at the guard next to me, who pushes me away from him, shielding me from the blast that hits his back.

Adrenaline begins coursing through my veins, my body forcing itself to move even though my mind is still stuck in the that throne room, still seeing the smile slowly leave my father's face as he died. I scramble onto my feet, picking up the skirts of my dress and sprinting towards the front door. The guards at the door look up in alarm, but all I can manage to do is point towards the throne room, not wanting to stop for even a moment in fear that my body will give out.

I clasp my hand around the handle, swinging it open and being hit with another gust of wind, the smell of smoke still strong. Now that I am outside I get a good look at the fire that had been set; the statue of my father is being burnt to the ground, with soldiers all around me fighting the rebels who lit it.

From behind me I hear more blasters being fired, and this sound compels me to continue running. I take the stairs two steps at a time, yelling at every guard in my vicinity that the king has died, that my father has been murdered in his own home. The more I shout it the more my throat grows tight, the more my lungs feel like they are about to collapse and the more I feel like I will shatter into pieces. Two of the guards I yelled at stick by me, grabbing onto me and pulling me towards the hanger a few yards away, holding all of our ships.

I glance over my shoulder, seeing the grey armored man shooting down the guards in front of the castle doors, his confidence and arrogance evident in the ease of his kills. I can't stop now, no matter how much my legs protest and how my lungs refuse to allow air to enter them. One of the guards notices my struggling, swooping me into his arms in one swift motion, continuing to run towards the ship. Once we reach it, one of the guards goes into the pilot seat while the other gently lowers me into the passenger area, asking me if I have been injured in any way.

I shake my head at him, not being able to form words. The guard nods to me, looking me over one more time before making his way to the copilot seat, telling the first guard to take us away.

Once I feel us lift off the ground, I finally let the tears fall down my face, feel the sobs escape my lips and being to wrack my whole body. I couldn't get the image of my father's dead body out of my head. Every time I close my eyes all I see are his brown eyes starring blankly my direction, all the light slowly leaving them.

"Your majesty, where shall we go?"

Your majesty. I pause a moment upon hearing this address. It dawns on me that with my father dead I am queen. I'm a queen fleeing her own planet, fleeing her father's killer and her rebelling people.

One name comes to mind, and without a second thought I know where I need to go, I know who can help me. "Coruscant. Bring us to Coruscant."

Fishing into the pocket of my dress, I find my holomessager. I turn it on, waiting patiently for the face of my best friend to appear, her eyes filled with happiness until she sees the look on my face, her smile fading and concern replacing the glee.

"Genevieve? What is it? What's happened?" Padmé Amidala asks.

I feel another sob escape my lips, my voice raw from screaming as I tell her; "My father has been killed. We're on our way to Coruscant now."

Padmé nods her head, her focus growing serious and her eyes filled with conviction as she says to me; "You'll stay with me in my apartment. I'm going to call a meeting with the chancellor, he needs to hear about this. We'll be needing help."

I nod in agreement, wiping my eyes on my sleeve. "I was hoping you would say that."

Padmé nods her head to me solemnly. "I will be waiting for your arrival, your majesty."

There's that foreign address again. I shake my head at my friend, feeling a tear slip down my face. "I don't feel like a queen. A queen doesn't run away from her planet, from her people."

"You cannot be queen if you're dead. The best we can do now is figure out our best options going forward. And I promise you won't have to do it alone."

I smile at her, feeling relief and gratitude course through me. "We are one." I say softly. It has been the saying of Taris since the dawn of time, but given all that's happening it feels ironic, no longer holding the weight and unity it used to.

Nonetheless, Padmé repeats it back; my one bright light in this chaotic storm; "We are one."