Pride

Chapter 1: The Longest Night

I sat at the window of my childhood room watching the raindrops cascade down the glass. It was rare to have this much rain on Alsakan. The meteorologists thought it would continue for the next week, possibly leading to a few blooms of the flowers which once covered the planet. The people of Alsakan had long since replaced those beautiful flowers with the sprawling city which laid before me; the bustle of transports taking people to and from work trickling in.  I was going to miss this city.

"I know you're not packed yet," my mother said, walking into the room.

"You're right. I am not packed yet. And I don't plan on packing," I said, turning slightly to look at her over my shoulder.

She rolled her eyes and walked to my suitcase on the bed.

"Well, you better begin, or else you won't have anything to wear once we get there."

I rolled my eyes in turn.

"I can't wear any of my clothes there anyway. None of them are warm enough for Hoth."

"Yes, that is true. But that's why we've had fur lined cloaks made. And once we're all settled, we can have some wool dresses made for you. But you still need to pack the rest of your things. Your father is expecting us to keep up appearances. People expect a certain level of formality from the family of the Allegiant General," she said with a wide smile.

My mother was immensely proud of my father after his recent promotion. Not so much because she believed in the cause of the First Order, but because she loved the prestige being the Wife of the Allegiant General of the First Order brought.
That had been my life for the last 25 years. Every step, thought, choice, and relationship we made was all to bring prestige to the Pryde name.

I leaned by head back against the window.

"My jewelry and books are already packed. The long gowns and dresses are already in the transport. There's nothing else I want to bring," I said in as monotone of a voice as I could muster.

"Oh good!", she said, clasping her hands together, "We can leave earlier than expected. I'll send the butler up to pack this into the transport and we will head for the ship. Your father will be so excited!"
With that she exited, leaving me alone in my misery yet again.

We were moving to Hoth. I hear freezing to death can be rather peaceful.
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Snow. There was a lot of snow. As in a terrifying amount of snow. And it wasn't the nice kind of fluffy snow that they have at resorts. This was a dense, hard ice that the galaxy somehow managed to form into tiny little pellets that assaulted your face.

"Darling, hurry along now. Your father wants us to meet him before the Allegency ball and that only gives us 2 hours," my mother tsked at me as she passed.

"Heels are not the appropriate footwear for this climate, mother. I cannot 'hurry along'," I huffed, attempting to walk on my tiptoes. "I won't be able to go to the ball if I my twist my ankle."

Reovar, the newly constructed Capital city of the Empire of the First Order, was officially being instated tonight. Father had been on Hoth for the last 5 months designing new Storm Trooper armor just for the occasion. Honestly, I have no idea what my father does, but I assume the Allegiant General would have a say in Storm Trooper armor design.

But this wonderful display of (unnecessary) power needed to be commiserated (showboated) by a grand celebration. Thus, I am forced to attend the Allegency Ball. A stupid affair where I will wear an overly expensive gown, drink copious amounts of alcohol, and pretend like I have done remarkable things with my life when, in all honesty, all I've done is read every piece of literature published about plants.