The Children of the Stars

The Dragon Throne

There was much work to be done— but that was for after this moment.

Allana waited in the hidden door alone. She could hear the crowd of Hapan nobles and Republic officers entering the magnificent throne room. She could picture it in her mind's eye.

The decorations were slapped together by Taryn Zel, the housekeeper of Castle Per'Agthra. Usually the circumstances of an ascension were more anticipated and prepared for. The Queen Mother was ill, or they were fighting a real war, not the half-attempt at one from the shadows that the Republic had tried. Or perhaps the Queen Mother had decided to abdicate. In those circumstances, there were preparations made while the Queen Mother was alive, or there was time after the death to allow for mourning.

But by the next morning, Hapes would declare war on the Imperial Remnant and there was no room for Allana to be doubted or her authority to be undermined by the lack of the technically correct title, even for mourning's sake.

To mark the gravity of the situation, Allana's ascending gown was a funeral dress altered rather than a coronation gown in its own right.

Allana preferred it that way. In their history, Hapan coronations were supposed to be moments of triumph and optimism. A new face and new ideas ascending to relative godhood, an ushering in of a new pantheon and a new era.

But they were about to go to a war that had lasted three generations now. It was like the story of the ancient Jedi warrior that Rey had once told Allana as a child. The Jedi warrior had to defeat a mysterious creature of some kind terrorizing some remote mining moon. It could not be killed by decapitation, as it would just sprout a new head, or so the legend went. The Remnant was like that, and like the Jedi warrior, Allana would have to strike at the heart instead.

The death of Tenel Ka had also cast a large shadow over Hapes. She was perhaps their most beloved queen, more so than her mother had. And Allana had realized that she'd held so much resentment towards her mentor for the games she had been forced to play, for what Tenel Ka had to do to secure this reign that had been in jeopardy ever since her birth because of her mother's blood.

Allana wished she had known her better, had tried to know her better.

But she would always treasure the time that they did have together, as well as the aid Tenel Ka had given her.

She smoothed the folds of the black skirt.

The gown was long-sleeved, with ruffled shoulders and wrists, a slim skirt lined with diamonds in the pattern of the Hapan royal star, and a jewel-like apparatus over the square neckline and bodice to make it look like armor— never mind that when up against a blaster, the jewels were relatively useless.

But Hapes was about images and impressions. And this gown sent an impression that Allana wanted everyone to see. She lifted her head. She was the Jedi Queen, she was a warrior and a leader— just like Princess Leia, like Breha Organa, like Padme Amidala. Like her own mother.

But also like her sister, a part of her mind whispered to her.

After all, the memories of a very different coronation on New Alderaan haunted her. Allana had never imagined that she would understand Thea as well as she did now. Her sister had become so incomprehensible after her shift into Darth Keera. But Allana could see it now, the responsibility, the expectations,and the lingering shadow of the Skywalker curse. Perhaps it was only a matter of time that one of them fell victim to it.

In the course of ten minutes, Allana would have so much power. With it would come great temptations and responsibilities.

How could she ever think she could do this?

Her heart rate rose, drowning out all other sound.

"Breathe. Just breathe."

Allana felt a light touch on her shoulder. She could smell exotic flowers and the vovina blossoms, the feeling of a cold wind, the excitement of a wild night.

When she opened her eyes, she saw the ghost of Tenel Ka standing next to her, hand on her shoulder.

Tenel Ka smiled encouragingly. She did not need to speak for Allana to understand.

Allana took a deep breath, as Tenel Ka had instructed. Then she walked into the throne room from her hidden door.

The royal march played as Allana kept her eyes trained on her crown. She would wear the very one that Tenel Ka had— golden, with several dragons sculpted from gold and curled around jewels in every shade of the rainbow. There had been some alterations— there always were, for every new queen.

On the straps on Allana's back, her saber-staff hung in full display, her braid swept over one shoulder to keep out of its way and show all the truth. That the Jedi were here to stay on the throne of Hapes. On a thin golden belt, clipped to her side was Tenel Ka's own lightsaber.

Allana planned to carry it with her. They would have once buried the lightsabers, as Rey had done with Luke and Leia's. But in a time of war for the Jedi, their signature weapon was too valuable to be lost to the sands of time.

It was like carrying a little piece of Tenel Ka with her.

She ascended the steps, and looked the royal sage directly in the eyes, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth— as she had been taught. But it was genuine.

There was sorrow— but Hapes would recover, and so would Allana.

As the sage recited the vows that Allana would speak, she glanced around the throne room. There were some Jedi still left to them, free from the effects of the Force psychosis, and the Republic was now their ally.

Sam, Danni, Nellith, Kyp Durron, and her father all stared up at her, smiling.

Allana broke her stoic look to smile back and wave at some small children present in the audience. Then she returned her gaze to the podium as the sage finished.

"I swear to protect and uphold the kingdom of the Hapes Consortium," she declared, her voice reverberating with the Force. "I will protect her from all who do her harm, from within these borders and without. I will vanquish all who dare to stand against us. This is my vow to my people and my crown."

She then knelt. The sage placed her crown amidst the center of braids. And just like when Tenel Ka died, everyone bowed. When they rose, the minstrels played and applause and cheering began.

Allana grinned. There would be work to do, and there would be responsibility and temptation. But she was Tenel Ka's chosen, and she had earned that. She would do her only master and mentor proud.

Of that, she was certain.