Private It's My Party and I'll Cry if I Want To [Complete]

[Queen of Devit]

A tropical island sounded interesting. She had never been to a tropical climate before, though of course she had read about them. She took her water and for a moment she just let it all sink it, staring down at the clear liquid and lost in thought. She was engaged, to someone who was basically family already, she was leaving her home against her parents wishes, and she was finally going somewhere new. It was so much.

Fate interrupted her thoughts. “It’s nice to meet you Fate.”

She waved at the little droid and finally took a drink of her water. The cool liquid was more welcome than she had anticipated. The crying earlier had dehydrated her and given her a headache.

She sat the glass down on a small surface and looked around, then looked at Caelan. It was weird that she suddenly had no idea what to say to him. She said the first thing that came to mind.

“Thanks for coming to my birthday party.”

It was such an absurd thing to say, given how it had turned out and suddenly she was giggling. She was laughing at the ludicrous party, the probably looks on her parents faces right now, the face that she had a finance, the ridiculous dress she was wearing, just all of it brought to surface laughter.

Caelan Valoren

 

[Caelan Valoren]

Fate beeped at her in greeting and then wandered over to a charge port and settled himself in to charge up.

"He likes you," Caelan noted, looking from the droid to her. "That's a good start. Granted, he likes most people who aren't mean to him."

The droid's history was one full of misery, so it came as no surprise that if people were nice to the droid he was nice in return. That being said, Caelan was quickly confused by Anavi bursting into a fit of laughter after thanking him for coming to her party. Of course he had come. But was that what she was laughing about? He doubted it. No, she was laughing at the absurdity of the whole thing. He couldn't help but smile about it himself.

"What do you mean: birthday party? That was clearly our engagement party."

His own attempt at humor. The smile was drowned in his drink as he finished off the glass of water. He hadn't realized how thirsty he had become between dancing with her, warding off all the people answering questions, their short conversation, and then their flight from the world. What a mess it all way. Now he was stealing her away from her home and running her around the galaxy. Oh the scandal that was going to bring! Not that he cared. They were engaged already, so it wasn't as if it was unheard of for engaged couples to spend time together.

Sliding over closer to her, he slipped his arm around her shoulder and drew her closer to him. He'd wanted to do that for a long time. Aside from platonic hugs, they'd never really been this close together before.

"It's going to be a new life for you, Anavi. I know it seems crazy, us getting married, but I promise it will be a good thing. You'll get to go to medical school and do the things you want to do."

---

ATTIRE: LINK (The First Image) | WEAPON: Lightsaber | COMPANION: BD-F8 | OTHER: Sigil Bead (Necklace), Prosthetic Left Arm

TAGS: Anavi Vandala ​

 

[Queen of Devit]

"What do you mean: birthday party? That was clearly our engagement party."

At this statement she started to laugh even more. It was just absurd that yesterday she had literally been a child and now today she was an engaged woman. The laughter was of course covering up the anger, grief, and fear that her brain just couldn’t process yet. Even Caelan smiled at how ridiculous it all was.

Finally she seemed to have laughed herself into silence and they sat there while her breathing evened out. She noticed he was a lot more touchy than he’d ever been when they were kids.

He mentioned going to medical school and trying to reassure her it was going to be okay, which she appreciated. She pushed her long red curls off her neck and nodded at his comment. Yes this entire situation was crazy but maybe it would be a new sort of freedom.

“So.. what do people arranged to be married even do? Are we going to go antiquing and then play bridge?”

She glanced sideways at him and grinned. The whole ordeal made her feel like she was suddenly a middle-aged hag when yesterday she had been a kid.

Caelan Valoren

 

[Caelan Valoren]

She really was being silly. But he understood it was covering up trepidation and discomfort. It made sense. The whole situation was strange for the both of them, even if it was something he had longed for. He hadn't wanted it to be like this. He'd wanted it to be at true courtship, something where it truly came to fruition of its own merit, not a forced marriage for political gain. Not that he was sure he was gaining anything considering Kashir was so crime ridden.

"I assume they spend time together and plan their wedding," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "Don't know what bridge is and I don't really have an interest in old collectables, unless they have something to do with Master Windu."

Yeah, he really was a Windu groupy.

"Under normal circumstances I think we would attend events together, perhaps take supervised trips to be seen in public together, things of that nature. Very much the usual sort of thing we both did growing up. What was expected of us. Prim. Proper. No freedom, just duty. Not to say I think we shouldn't do what is best for our people, but I think we still have lives to lead as well."

---

ATTIRE: LINK (The First Image) | WEAPON: Lightsaber | COMPANION: BD-F8 | OTHER: Sigil Bead (Necklace), Prosthetic Left Arm

TAGS: Anavi Vandala ​

 

[Queen of Devit]

​

A wedding. She hadn't even really thought about the actual ceremony itself. Just the thought made her stomach tighten in knots. She wasn't ready for this at all. She wondered too what her father was getting out of this deal, besides getting her out of his business. What all was included in this deal with Caelan? Did her father hope to keep the Jedi out of his affairs forever?

"Speaking of all this... my father isn't going to like me just leaving the planet without a chaperone. I know we used to play together unsupervised but I'm not so sure he's going to see it as the same thing anymore. I'm not really supposed to be away like this... especially in the company of .....males." She whispered the last part and nodded towards where the crew must be. Anavi was a bit naive and still hadn't put the pieces together that Caelan might not be the same innocent little boy she had once played with. Her father would have though.

As if on cue one of the crew came back to alert Caelan that indeed King Tor-Mar was waiting with a transmission.

Caelan Valoren

 

[Caelan Valoren]

"Men, Anavi. Men," he said as withdrew his arm in response to what she said. "And the crew isn't all men. There are women aboard to. You're free to chat with them if you feel more comfortable. Our pilot is a woman, even."

He winked at her, though that playful nature turned slightly sour when one of the crew came to let them know her father was calling. It wasn't unexpected. He removed his jacket and undid the top button of his undershirt as he stood. No sense in being so stiff now that they were away from the party. The nice clothes were fine, in moderation, but he honestly preferred his robes most of the time. Nothing more comfortable, plus they served a purpose.

"I'm sure he's not happy about it, but this isn't the old times anymore and we're adults. We're going to honor his wish, and the arrangement, but we'll do it on our terms."

Mostly he just wanted to get her away from it all, somewhere secluded, somewhere they could relax. He needed a break, too. He couldn't remember the last time he'd just had fun.

"I'll talk to your father. Why don't you have one of the crew show you to Kita's old room. She should have something more normal in there you could change into if you want. We are going somewhere tropical, so bear in mind it will be hot."

He lay his jacket across the back of a seat, and then headed for the holotank to talk to her father.

---

ATTIRE: LINK (The First Image) | WEAPON: Lightsaber | COMPANION: BD-F8 | OTHER: Sigil Bead (Necklace), Prosthetic Left Arm

TAGS: Anavi Vandala ​

 

[Queen of Devit]

Caelan didn't seem to understand her concern as he pointed out that some of the crew were women too. The issue was she needed someone from her own kingdom here to be the chaperone. She didn't want to argue this point however because it would mean keeping her father waiting and that would only make matters worse. Instead she nodded and went with a crew member towards Kita's bedroom.

Soon a hologram of King Tor-Mar was in front of Caelan. The king was still dressed in his party clothes and music from the party could still be heard in the background. Clearly he had found a close place to sneak away for this call.

"Ah King Valoren... forgive my intrusion... but we have a problem. Some of my party goers inform me that Princess Anavi was seen leaving in your company. I must say that is a bit peculiar... given that her entire kingdom is here to celebrate her and will now be disappointed by her absence. My subjects told me you actually grabbed Anavi and took her with you. They seem to think it was a kidnapping!"

He chuckled as if that idea was silly but his eyes were sharp. "King Valoren... Caelan... " He opened his arms in a fatherly gesture. "I've watched you grow up and seen you play with my children. I consider you as my own family! Given that... I know these reports must be wrong... surely you wouldn't kidnap Anavi before I've had the honor of giving her to you in marriage?"


Caelan Valoren

 

[Caelan Valoren]

"Hello, Tor-Mak," Caelan said upon the mans holo appearing before him.

He listened to what the man had to say, a small smile touching his lips as he did. As always the man was being grandiose with his gestures, trying to be politic. There was the subtle hint of a threat in what the man said, as well, but Caelan's smile didn't falter in the face of such. The little boy that the man was used to, the one who was easily guided and manipulated had been gone for some time now. The man he was speaking to was fully versed in handling himself, and had been even when he'd allowed himself to be goaded into agreeing to the arranged marriage.

"I can assure you that Jedi do not engage in kidnappings, even royal ones. Anavi is not being held against her will and is free to return to Kashir whenever she wishes."

The smile on his face quickly disappeared and he leaned forward, just slightly, allowing his position to become more threatening.

"As for her supposed party, you took that opportunity away from her when at the very beginning of it you made it into a celebration of your political gain by marrying her off. The party was no longer a celebration of her birthday, but of her engagement, something she wasn't even aware of, and people were asking her all sorts of questions she didn't know how to answer. You turned her joyous day into a nightmare for your gain and that is something that I, as her soon to be husband, cannot tolerate.

"I'm taking her somewhere quiet so she can celebrate in peace and process the news that you announced to the galaxy before even telling her, which was foolish of you as well. Then she will stay with me on Lazerian for as long as she wishes to do so. And I assure you, Tor-Mak, while some of the suitors you may have outlined for her were of a more salacious variety, I am not. I have no intentions with her until such time as we are married and that is how it will remain. We have no need for any chaperones or anything else. We're adults, and believe it or not, some of us know how to behave like them.

"If you think you know better, by all means do something about it, but Lazerian is part of the Galactic Alliance and I am a Jedi. If you do anything to harm any of my people, I will make you pay for it."

---

ATTIRE: LINK (The First Image) | WEAPON: Lightsaber | COMPANION: BD-F8 | OTHER: Sigil Bead (Necklace), Prosthetic Left Arm

TAGS: Anavi Vandala ​

 

[Queen of Devit]

Tor-Mak was visibly annoyed by Caelan's message and tone. For a brief moment the gracious disguise faltered and the man looked downright mean. The next second though he had hitched his fake smile back to his face.

"Anavi knows how to handle questions from her people. She's been trained since birth, as I'm sure you have. Of course the two of you would want time together, but you must understand Caelan this is not how we do things in my culture. We can fix this little misunderstanding of course. Just tell me where you are going and I'll send the right people to be with Anavi and we can chalk this up to a confusion of culture."

His face suddenly grew darker as he cleared his throat. "Caelan surely you wish to respect her culture and the alliance you are trying to make with her kingdom? I assure you that if you are unable to do this I will find someone who can. Anavi belongs to me until her wedding day. I want her taken care of and I want her home after this little trip."

Meanwhile the male crew member who had accompanied Anavi to find clothing was now hovering, clearly needing a word with Caelan but not wishing to interrupt.

Caelan Valoren

 

[Caelan Valoren]

"I understand your culture is different, Tor-Mak. You sell your children off for political gain," he said, his voice poignant, disdainful, angry even. "If you don't want me advertising that fact to the galaxy that you're controlled by criminal syndicates, and you want to keep our arrangement, you'll leave her be. I'll honor our deal if you do. She will be perfectly safe and perfectly capable of returning to Kashir if she wishes and you may send an attendant to Lazerian to watch over her there."

He caught sight of the crewmember out of the corner of his eye, waiting to speak with him.

"One second, Tor-Mak, one of my crew needs to tell me something."

Cutting the vocals on his end, he looked over to the crewman.

"What is it? Is Anavi alright?"

---

ATTIRE: LINK (The First Image) | WEAPON: Lightsaber | COMPANION: BD-F8 | OTHER: Sigil Bead (Necklace), Prosthetic Left Arm

TAGS: Anavi Vandala ​

 

[Queen of Devit]

Tor-Mak looked more than offended at being asked to wait as Caelan cut the vocals. The male crew member cleared his throat and stepped forward.

"My apologies for interrupting your excellence but there seems to be an issue with the princess. I escorted her to Princess Kita's room as requested and left some female crew members to help her dress. There seems to be an issue with the clothing. I assured her that I had been present to all the designings of the royal wardrobe and would be more than up to the task of altering any garment she'd need but that did not go over well. She's shut herself in the room and is refusing my entry. "

Caelan Valoren

 

[Caelan Valoren]

Caelan had to fight the sudden urge to laugh at what was said. Somehow he had an idea of what was wrong, and that was alright, but he had to deal with her father first, before he could go and take care of her. This wasn't a matter that could just be ignored, unfortunately, and as pressing as Anavi's needs were, her father did take priority here.

"Go and tell her I'll be there in a moment," he said before turning back to the hologram of her father and turning the vocals back on.

"Apologies. Anyway, as I was saying, she'll be staying with me for as long as she wishes, in a room of her own choosing, not mine, and you may send an attendant to the manse on Lazerian to attend to her once we return there. Our arrangement will remain intact so long as you leave her be and let her do as she wishes now that she's an adult and my betrothed. Are we understood?"

---

ATTIRE: LINK (The First Image) | WEAPON: Lightsaber | COMPANION: BD-F8 | OTHER: Sigil Bead (Necklace), Prosthetic Left Arm

TAGS: Anavi Vandala ​

 

[Queen of Devit]

Tor-Mak did not look at all pleased by this chain of events, but he also knew he needed to get back to the party and make the excuses.

“Be warned Caelan that if you are planning to use my daughter for a few days and then bring her back here with her reputation sullied and her value is diminished you will pay for it. Tell my daughter to contact me directly. “

With that he cut the transmission, clearly angry.

Caelan Valoren

 

[Caelan Valoren]

Caelan stared at the empty hologram for a moment after the man finished speaking. He was insufferable, her father, and clearly after far more than he was letting on. There was more to this than just political games and he was going to figure out what it was eventually. But the man was a cur and deserved nothing from him. Caelan had already said he wasn't about to sully Anavi, had no such intentions until they were wed, but the man wouldn't listen. All he saw her as was a piece of meat to be sold of for gain.

Unclenching his fists, he took a deep breath and strode out of the room and back through the ship. As he did so, he undid the clasps of the end of his shirt and rolled them up a bit to feel less stuffy. Then he went to Kita's old room and knocked on the door. Several of the crew were outside looking a bit nervous, perhaps worried, but Caelan sent them away since he was there.

"Anavi it's Caelan," he said. "I've sent the crew away. May I come in?"

---

ATTIRE: LINK (The First Image) | WEAPON: Lightsaber | COMPANION: BD-F8 | OTHER: Sigil Bead (Necklace), Prosthetic Left Arm

TAGS: Anavi Vandala ​

 

[Queen of Devit]

"Anavi it's Caelan," he said. "I've sent the crew away. May I come in?"

There was a moments pause and then the sound of the door unlocking. When Caelan came in he’d see Anavi wrapped in a blanket sitting curled up on his sisters bed. Some of the day finally seemed to be hitting her because she looked tired and worn down.

“Shut the door please.”

She waited until he was all the way inside and the door was closed before speaking.

“I can’t wear your sister’s clothes.” She opened the blanket slightly to show him the beach outfit the crew had dressed her in, then quickly pulled the blanket back around her and lay back down on the bed and curled up in a little ball and pulled the covers right up to her chin.

“My father will kill me if I wear something like this. He’s probably already so angry that I left. Did you tell him where we are going? Is he sending someone?”

She looked exhausted and miserable laying there and her eyes were red as if she’d been crying again. She wanted so much to just take a nap here but she knew she probably shouldn’t. There must be stuff she needed to do but the issue was she had no idea what those things might be. She was also worried about the backlash her reckless leaving of her party was going to cause.

“What did he say?”


Caelan Valoren

 

[Caelan Valoren]

Entering, he did as instructed. Clearly something was amiss, as she was distraught, and he could see the red rim of eyes that had been shedding tears. It was a struggle against his first instinct to move to her and embrace her, but he managed it all the same. Especially when she unwrapped the towel from around herself and his eyes went wide. Never in all his life had he seen her in such a way. He felt a flush rising to his face and he took a deep breath to calm himself as she curled up on the bed.

"Your father isn't going to kill you," he said as he moved over and sat on the edge of the bed, looking at her as she peeked out from the covers. "He's not overly happy. Accused me of kidnapping you. Accused me of wanting to spoil you to make you no good to him. Several other things that made me rather angry with him and how he's treated you."

He sighed and looked back at her.

"Anavi, you're an adult. You can dress how you wish and do what you wish. I know Kashir is different, that you are used to doing as you're told and nothing other than that. I know the idea of not doing exactly what your father wants is hard for you. The rest of the galaxy isn't like Kashir, though. You don't belong to anyone but yourself. Even with me you're free to be who you are, dress how you like, be happy in yourself. I don't want you subservient to me. I want you as my equal. I love you. I want people to know I love you by seeing that you are happy with me, and that, to me, means you are happy being yourself.

"And no, I didn't tell him where we are going, but I did say he could send you an attendant on Lazerian when we return as long as you're alright with that."

---

ATTIRE: LINK (The First Image) | WEAPON: Lightsaber | COMPANION: BD-F8 | OTHER: Sigil Bead (Necklace), Prosthetic Left Arm

TAGS: Anavi Vandala ​

 

[Queen of Devit]

Anavi knew that he didn’t understand or really agree with how Kashir did things but to her it was just normal. She was a princess and that meant her soul duty was to her people and her king. Even once she got married she was expected to still help out around the kingdom, or at least that’s how she thought it would be. There hadn’t been an arranged marriage on Kashir in hundreds of years but she had learned about them in history class. In the past an arranged bride would basically just go serve another king but continue to make bids for her own kingdom. To her this didn’t feel lesser, it felt like she played an important role in the kingdom. So when Caelan was talking about being lesser it was confusing to her, almost as confusing as finding out she was about to go somewhere without a chaperone.

She didn’t have time to really wonder about this though because his words of love shocked her. Sure they had grown up together but they had never said they loved each other or been romantic or anything like that. Even her own parents didn’t say they loved her directly to her. They talked about how much they loved their children but they never said it like Caelan did.

She didn’t quit know what to say now, but suddenly she felt like she would rather stay with him than be alone again, even in the ridiculous and inappropriate clothing. She just suddenly didn’t want him to go.

“Can you stay in here with me until we get there?”

She scorched over on the bed to give him room next to her, but then thought maybe she would be keeping him from something.

“Unless you have something you have to do?”

Caelan Valoren

 

[Caelan Valoren]

But he did understand. He understood far better purely because he was an outsider and saw the way things were on her world and how they were in the rest of the galaxy. Outside of Hapes and Ukatis he didn't know anyone that still practiced arranged marriages. The former did so because of sexist reasons, the latter did so because, well, it was the only way Horace and his ilk were ever going to produce offspring. Nobody liked those people and nobody ever would.

She was being married off to him to strengthen the ties between their kingdoms. That was the general premise behind arranged marriages. Caelan still had the feeling there was more behind it than that, though. Something was at play that Anavi had no knowledge of, that she was being used for, and he did aim to get to the bottom of it eventually.

"I can stay if you want," he said, leaning down to remove his shoes. "When we arrive I'll change into something more appropriate for warm weather. And you really needn't think you are dressed inappropriately. It's a deserted island. Only you and I will be on it. Plus you'll find people much less dressed than that in the galaxy."

He had seen things over the course of his training. Things he hadn't really wanted to see. A lot of that, really. It was why he had become the strong young man that he was. Either way, when he had his shoes off, he lay down beside her and turned on his side so he could look at her.

"I made your father a promise I intend to keep, that nothing would happen between us until we're wed, lest it be a kiss now and then should you wish. I'm a man of my word, a Jedi and King. I can assure you that you'll always be safe with me and free to be yourself and pursue what you wish to pursue."

---

ATTIRE: LINK (The First Image) | WEAPON: Lightsaber | COMPANION: BD-F8 | OTHER: Sigil Bead (Necklace), Prosthetic Left Arm

TAGS: Anavi Vandala ​

 

[Queen of Devit]

“Less dressed than this?”

Even the prostitutes on Kashir didn’t wear so little clothing to her knowledge at least. Anavi was starting to realize she hadn’t seen even a fragment of what was out there waiting to be experienced. Why had her parents kept her so isolated?

He lay down next to her and she was surprised he stayed. Most of the time she was alone. Of course she was never truly alone with servants and others around but as far as family or friends she spent most of her time alone. Her parents were always busy and her siblings were kept away to avoid making friendships. They had all played together when they were young but that gradually ended. It was nice to have someone stay when she asked and she wanted to tell him so but didn’t really know how to put it into words. Instead she reached over and took his hand, the same way he had the other day. She rubbed her thumb over his hand softly and felt herself blush as he talked about kissing and other things.

“Have you ever done .. any of those things … with anybody?”

Caelan Valoren

 

[Caelan Valoren]

The only way he would have left is if she told him she didn't want him to stay, to be honest. He could see she'd been upset, and he felt a need to comfort her as a result of that. If she didn't want him to comfort her, that would have been fine, but since she'd asked him to stay? He would. And he allowed her to take his hand as he lay on his side, looking at her as she brushed her thumb over his hand. This was a feeling he never thought he would get to experience with her.

"Once," he admitted. "There was a time I believed you were beyond me. Not long after the loss of my parents, when I was brought to the temple on Coruscant, I met a girl. She'd already lost her mother and her father was a Jedi master who shortly after we met died on Tython. I kissed her, but that was all. She disappeared not long after her father died."

Sometimes he still wondered about her, mostly because he wished to know if she was alright. They would never be anything more than friends, especially now, but he could still care about her in a friendly capacity.

"I never quite got to feeling for her as I did for you. Don't think I ever would have, though I could have been happy with her if I had to have been. I am glad that I don't, though. I want to be with you."

---

ATTIRE: LINK (The First Image) | WEAPON: Lightsaber | COMPANION: BD-F8 | OTHER: Sigil Bead (Necklace), Prosthetic Left Arm

TAGS: Anavi Vandala ​