A Run on the Bank

[Judah Lesan]

”Pale... no just... there were things he said that have me confused and not worth sharing. He simply reminded me of the fact that not all my visions can be as pleasing as the bliss I have found now.”

Xander sat down. Their first morning as a married couple and Xander was already lying, or withholding, already. His hand came to his forehead, fingers to his temple as they discussed Chiara. There was no reason for Zarah to have to bow her knee again. The king looked across to his bride. He could see the thought etched all over her face.

”Since she is a clone and your are not, doesn’t that make you the rightful heir?”

He sat back in the seat. What kind of right did the clone have? These were all question the royal court, or what remained of it, would have to settle amongst themselves. The unease, it would allow things to be solved by the one who wanted it.

”No you will not have to bow the knee again. I will be sure of that. I do not possibly see how the royal court gives the crown to a copy of the real queen even if her memories are there. You are the true heir, and we can prove it. Besides, what if Chiara sides with you? That is what we are asking, is it not?”

The conversation continued until the ship alarm sounded. They were nearing their destination.

[member="Zarah Viren"] [member="Chiara Viren"]

 

[Amz]

She’d waited a long time for this moment to come.

Yes, today was the day.

The day when she would see her cousin, and do what had not been done enough in the lifetime before: throw her arms around [member="Zarah Viren"]’s neck, and embrace her.

After their reconciliation that'd followed the Cronese War, there’d oft been times when she’d wished, and even considered, re-visiting the terms of her cousins sentencing.

It was pointless to dwell on that now, as far removed from the past as they were.

Times had been different then. Simply put.

Her reign so fragile in the beginning after the war, that, inviting Zarah back would cause her to appear as a leader who could not stick by her own judgments and ruling. Irresolute, ineffectual. Those qualities would have proven detrimental in any effort to try and survive the rancor pit, known as the Cronese court.

As mentioned before, however, times were different now. There wasn’t a Cronese court any longer, not in the sense that they knew, anyway.

In the time before they arrived, the Force had been stirring all morning, and told her of their approach long before the message to alert her was sent through.

Chiara stood with hands clasped in front of her and wore a calm expression, waiting with patience at the spaceport near the edge of Abha city. She was outfitted in the typical garb of Echani royalty, the flowing fabric dyed the signature grey of house Xextos. However, house Viren was not forgotten. Laying across the front of her chest was a gold chain, which lead up to the head of a krayt dragon at her shoulder, the paludamentum flowing freely behind her the shade of a deep blue.

Surrounding her were royal honor guards, two flanked near her side, barely a few paces behind.

It would be customarily expected, but they were also there for precautionary measures. She had sense enough, to not to greet a Sith like [member="Darth Vizios"] alone.

Seconds passed, and the roar from an approaching ship filled the docking bay. The gust it created caused a few wisps of red hair to come free from the neat braid that ended in an elaborate bun at the nape of her neck. Wind whipped the dark blue of her cape, dust and sand circling around her, the free-flowing fabric of her attire billowing against her booted legs. She held up a hand and turned her head to shield her eyes from the onslaught.

When it stopped, she looked up, hand lowering in beat with the ramp.

She swallowed, heart leaping into her throat while violet eyes anxiously searched for ones that matched her own.

 

[Yasha Cadera]

“Of course I’m the rightful heir. I always was, Xander. I was the first-born cousin, of the older born sibling. The only reason I had to bow to [member="Chiara Viren"] before was my Uncle’s gender… but the Echani there are Chandaari, Eshan and under [member="Manu Xextos"]’ command. Two Sith walking onto his planet with a snide turn to the clone meat daughter he loved? We’d never make it off the gangplank, let alone in the society which is now my own.”

[member="Darth Vizios"] would never make it off the ship for his boot to touch Sabarene’s sand unless Zarah committed some grand gesture. She held the secret of it in her heart, curling it around with the gossamer of her desire for the rightful crown of Cron to alight upon her head. Cousin by marriage or not, Chiara would… what would Chiara do?

The closer to Sabarene the ship got, the straighter Zarah’s spine. Lu Sii came in silently, taking Zarah away to her chamber to fix her cosmetics and tidy up the ‘young’ woman’s hair. Zarah could feel Chiara’s tug in her bones, as the closer to the planet they became, she could feel the swathe of Manu Xextos. He breathed as the atmosphere covered the sand with a breeze. Manu’s empathic thumbprint had taken the entire planet in its’ wake, tendrils of Light sided power echoing into the system itself. At one point Zarah gasped.

An empathic warning shot from below. Xextos knew they were coming. He sent a surge to Xander and Zarah’s minds, a thread of warning. Unyielding and mighty, the Light was no mere healer's fancy in Manu Xextos' control. It was perilous and absolute. It was grace and might. It was the inner voice, which barred their entry to Eden with a sword of flame.

‘Any mischief, turn back now.’​

Zarah came back out with the severe and prim face of the Duchess, the coronet snug against her brow. “Follow my lead.”

She dare not kiss her husband, lest he notice the trembling of her lips. Instead, Zarah put her hand in his, walking to the gangplank and making no motion as the unyielding light of the Sabarene sun poured into his ship. Lu Sii, dressed in her new best dress, stood behind them with the Cronese crown on a pillow.

The sun burned Zarah’s violet eyes, desert heat stoke what calm breath she had bolstered. At the base of the ship, Chiara… and her Honour Guard. Their silver hair and pale skin seemed to reflect the light of the desert world. Her fingers tightened on Xander’s for a second, his mother’s wedding band on her ring finger. As they descended, she kept her eyes on Chiara and ignored the guards… of course Chiara would be guarded. Of course she would have little trust.

“Cousin… may this life give you more joy than the last.” Zarah put her left foot behind her right, and bent into a low curtsey. Head down, she stared at Chiara’s boots, her Echani clothing, the etchings of her face.

“I bring you the gift of your ancestral crown… which was hidden amongst my possessions on Naboo. May you wear it well and bring plenty to our people.” The edge of her vocal chords shifted. Must she constantly bend her knee and give her crown to the Light one? The more she saw of the guards, the more Zarah knew… the road to reconciliation between the cousins was made rocky by the choice of husband Zarah made.

 

[Judah Lesan]

Xander almost scoffed at Zarah's words. The darkness in him did not fear [member="Manu Xextos"]. Were it not for their larger goal Xander would have uttered the man's death sentence in one breath. He could not and would not capitulate to a Jedi, nor would he see his wife bow lower than she must. His words almost escaped his mouth, save for the warning which came to them both from Manu.

How dare he invade their minds!

With a furrowed brow Xander cursed. He would let his rage be visible now so that it could be contained later. This reunion had nothing to do with any dark or wicked scheme. It was simply two cousins seeing each other after many centuries past. The Jedi always assumed those who followed the darkness were always up to no good.

Zarah wanted him to follow her lead, but only as far as she acted the role she had married into. She was the Lady Blackmoore, his queen. In that her Chiara were equals. He would trust her, as his nod indicated. Xander escorted her down the exit ramp with his chin held high and smiled as smuggly as ever.

When Zarah curtsied Xander offered a small nod directed to Chiara as a bow. His voice then directed itself to his new bride.

"You bow too low for your new station. The gift of the crown jewels is more than enough recompense for amends made eight centuries ago."

Xander's eyes then flicked to Chiara.

"You are looking much healthier than last we met. Even after I found you, rescued you, helped you recover, you greet with such an armed escort? Come now, does your hatred and distrust of me still run so deep that you cannot bear to come to terms with the kindness I have always shown you? We are not here for anything dishonorable, lest reuniting a long lost cousin bears no honor."

Always the silver tongued bandit, Xander could not dare to remain silent while Zarah would bow so low as to leave them with no position later when it came time to propose peace and compromise.

[member="Zarah Viren"] [member="Chiara Viren"]

 

[Amz]

If there was one thing Chiara had learned to do, was learn to be impartial. It was the most difficult position she’d ever had to master, and had required her to put away the Jedi robes. It was not something that came naturally to her, yet something that was needed to be put into practice now.

As such, the reaction to seeing Zarah emerge and holding the hand of Xander Blackmoore, and even Xander’s words, elicited no reaction, save a long breath.

Of course, there was going to be a position she held firm to, questions and opinions...shock, even; but now wasn’t the time for opinions to be spoken, nor positions taken. Not publicly. She thought it better to withhold in the moment, rather than give a knee-jerk reaction. Chandaari, Echani, they were all watching.

Though, the very brief and subtle way her eyes flitted over her cousins ringed finger before a stern violet gaze settled on the pair, was telling about what she thought.

Her chin turned Xanders direction, a brow lifting in response to his posturing and arrogance. Crimson stained lips pulled into a tight smile. “I cannot thank you enough, for bringing my dear cousin here to us. But, some things are difficult to be forgotten.” Chiara said simply. “That is partly why you were invited here, though, isn’t it? A new era to be born. A time to turn a new page. Though please remember well, your Majesty, that it’s on our good graces and tolerance that we have extended to you, that allows you to stand here now, on Sabarene.”

There was more to be said on that later, but her focus was brought back to Zarah and the gift she brought.

There was a pause as she gazed on the ancestral crown, each gem glittering as the sun bounced off its polished surface. Chiara delicately lifted it from the pillow, its weight familiar in her hands. It had been a burden on her brow. A crown of swords, with a history of needless bloodshed. Brother against sister. Lives and families ruined. For what? An ancient piece of metal, and the right to sit on an uncomfortable chair? Her thumb grazed a polished jewel and she looked on Zarah with contemplation.

How different would their lives be, if her own father had willingly made himself subservient to his sister, when she bent the knee to him? In that moment Chiara realized, the power to rectify the sins of the past rested in the palm of her hands.

Could they rebuild what had been destroyed? Close the rift before it widened? She needed to try. Zarah deserved this, and much more, than the hand she had been given.

“It was always quite heavy, wasn’t it?” She inhaled. “I meant what I said before, when we talked, that I would support you. Come what may, and I intend to keep that promise.” She placed a hand beneath Zarah’s chin and lifted it up. “My reign was over, the moment I took my final breath. If you are prepared for this, then it will be you who services the crown, the monarch that leads our people to prosperity.” Chiara delivered the crown to Zarah’s head and lowered herself to one knee. “I will follow your lead."

[member="Zarah Viren"], [member="Darth Vizios"]

 

[Yasha Cadera]

Zarah’s wince was not visible, but it was firm on [member="Darth Vizios"]’ hand as he called to her ‘new station’. A King without a Throne, his pride would, as ever, be Xander Blackmoore’s downfall. Of course he would say something, it was Xander.

He took to defending Zarah, and her honour, as a task to the death. She caught the look in Chiara’s eyes, a familiar look to those sported of the women in their line. Viren women held cunning like dragons held their gold. The fact remained, Chiara saw the ring on Zarah’s finger and decided prudence was a better course than Zarah’s groom believed.

“I will give due deference to her Majes-ty.” Zarah’s lips burbled shut as [member="Chiara Viren"] held the ancestral crown. Each finger pressing against a jewel, each second it was in Chiara’s hands was a second torn from the fabric of Zarah’s conscious state. She longed to tear the crown from Chiara’s hands, to battle and cling to a birthright taken by a prudent collection of nobles after Palpatine murdered the King.

Yet, the law of the universe Xander did not understand was the humble were always to be eventually exalted. As she knelt on the sand of Sabarene, Zarah’s eyes shut completely. It was all she could do to keep herself prostrate and not seize the respect Xander blasted across the dunes that his wife deserved.

“It is a crown meant for a strong neck, and proud shoulders.” For a moment, Zarah could not comprehend what Chiara was saying, as the Echani and Chandaari looked on.

It was the smooth skin of Chiara’s finger tilting up Zarah’s chin, which had the radiant Duchess open her lavender eyes and gaze at the face of the renewed Queen. She was being taunted.

Chiara was playing with the crown in her hands. Was Xander right all this time? Did she have to stand and conquer to take what by rights should be hers? A calm breeze in the wind whistled around Zarah, as Chiara spoke of the end of her reign.

No. There were other ways, better ways to usurp a Queen on her throne. The crown descended to Zarah’s head, and the woman stared shaking as that finite ring of precious metal pressed against her head. Zarah rested suspended in the moment of her coronation, standing only as she felt Xander’s hand in hers.

As she stood in the Sabarene sun, the Chandaari and Echani bowed to follow Chiara’s suit. Her jaw worked, teeth clanging together as she surveyed what Chiara gave as her people. Her domain.

“Stand, cousin. I will not lead with my Counsel prostrate on the ground. Rise, all of you! Rise for your Queen.” Zarah’s voice choked. She reached for Chiara, to put her arms around and hug her, but paused by the forming crowd, Zarah hesitated before throwing her arms around her cousin.

“Thank you.” Zarah whispered, hugging tight, before stepping back, wiping her cheeks with her palms, and taking Xander’s hand.

 

[Judah Lesan]

Xander could not believe the exchange he witnessed, and would not had he not seen it happen for himself. The lesson... which Zarah had employed and Xander had forgotten, was knowing when to purr and when to bite. Zarah purred when she should have and the reward of it was atop her head. She had come a long way since the time he fed her cheese and wine in the Sith dungeons of Munto Codru.

He smiled.

Though he had one word of contention before he would be fully satisfied.

"If we are here on your good graces as you say, then why did [member="Manu Xextos"] feel the need to threaten us upon our approach?"

Certainly Chiara had not been aware of it. However it was a moot point at this point. Zarah had the crown atop her head, and Xander had her as his wife. Should everything else fall apart from here it was a good day.

"This is certainly more than I expected to take place here. Perhaps it is time to venture indoors. Your dear cousin is still recovering from her time in the carbonite, and despite my reputation, I do care for her well being. I promise you @Chira Viren your cousin has helped me to discover a thing I did not think possible. If there is any noticed change in my behavior and character, you shall have her to thank for it."

Xander gestured toward the palace. More than pleasantries had been exchanged, and it was time for things to turn inside before the sun threatened to burn them all to a crisp.

[member="Zarah Viren"]