To Become Royalty

[Radon Mont]

Radon knew better than to interrupt his mother. He had more power than either of them, but here that didn't mean anything. Besides, he loved his mother and father, just as he loved his siblings. Incidentally, one of them had just walked out of a room down the hall and was looking down at them curiously. It was his youngest sister. She was likely too young to go on her journey. His parents had probably forbidden it now. The girl was only slightly younger than Lenne, though. Fifteen, to be exact. Navella was her name. Radon smiled a little when he saw her and she smiled back. This place was one of those places where Radon allowed himself not to be who he normally was. His family was that important to him.

Meanwhile, his mother continued to hold Lenne's chin as she looked down at her. Even Falleen women were rather tall. "So you love him. Easy to say such a thing. Even easy to carry a child in order to get close to someone with money and power." This was testing. Radon knew she was trying to see if Lenne really meant what she said. She was looking for some sort of fire instead of timidness. Timid, lovey dovey nature was a sign of falseness. His mother was really good at reading people, too. "Why and how does he make you happy?"

 

[Lenne Fayth]

Lenne had to watch her tongue. She almost lost it when his Mother implied she slept with him for him money. Almost. Those claws so near her throat kept her in check. She could kill her if she wanted to. Of course Lenne was scared. But she was also angry.
Why wasn't Radon defending her?
"Radon is my life," she answered, slowly, carefully, biting every word. She was going to be careful. "There are no words to describe how he makes me happy. He just does. Just being around him. He doesn't need to do anything to make me happy."

 

[Radon Mont]

The only reason he wasn't defending her was because he couldn't at this moment. She had to defend herself. "That doesn't tell me anything. Anyone could be happy to be around him. Why do you want to be with him? Prove to me you deserve to be with him." She said nothing further and she didn't move her hands from Lenne's jaw. She was still waiting, and if it didn't happen soon, she would deem Lenne unworthy of her son. That was the way she was. Navella was walking down the hall, but stopped a little ways behind her parents, unsure of what to do. Radon waved his hand at her, slightly, telling her to just stay back for the moment. Radon's father was looking into his eyes and he looked right back. There was a fire in Radon's eyes that told his father that he was angry with them for their line of questioning and thinking. His father just continued to watch him and then looked at Lenne and the Queen.

 

[Lenne Fayth]

Snap. Something inside her snapped. The girl wrenched her jaw from the Queens claws, her left eyebrow twitching in irritation. If this was a Zabrak world, she would have taken the insult to mean a challenge. But this was not home.
This was not home.

"I don't have to prove anything to any of you. Radon is the only one who's opinion I value."
With that she turned on her heel. She was going to go back to the ship.
"If Radon trusts me," she called over her shoulder, "if Radon loves me, then that is all I ever need."

 

[Radon Mont]

Radon stopped her by grabbing her arm. The Queen took a step back. Some of the guards had moved forward, but she waved them away. This was alright. Don't run from them, Lenne. You're doing great. It's that fire she wants to see. The words were directed only to her. This was something his parents did not know he was capable of doing. "Good. Then you have what it takes to be worthy of him," the Queen said as she moved to stand next to her husband. "Radon, I see your plan here, and I see you care for her. If you choose her then so be it. She is welcome here and when you two marry, she will be ordained as a Princess," his father said. "We will set the wedding for a week from today. That will give enough time for everyone to be ready for the parade." Radon nodded and bowed his head to his father and mother. "Thank you, Father. Thank you, Mother. Lenne and I are grateful for your blessing."

 

[Lenne Fayth]

Wait... Wait! They wanted her to get mad? They wanted her to disrespect them? Her eyes narrowed, frozen in place. Falleen culture was strange. If this was Iridonia, a real fight might have broken out.
She didn't know whether to thank them, or wrench out of Radons grip and continue on to the ship. She looked from face to face, entirely confused.

 

[Radon Mont]

"You know where your rooms are. They remain yours," the King said. The Queen took his arm. "We will see you for dinner." They turned to head away and Radon nodded his head in response before looking at Lenne. He leaned over to her and whispered in her ear. "Fire proved that you weren't just after my wealth. If you were subservient, they would have seen the opposite." He kissed her cheek and then looked over at Navella. "Hello, sister." He released Lenne and opened his arms as his sister walked over and hugged him. "I've missed you, Radon. There's been no one to run the boys away!" She giggled a little and then turned her head to look at Lenne. "Hello. I'm Navella, Radon's youngest sister."

 

[Lenne Fayth]

Lenne was still having trouble trying to process the odd turn of events. Absolutely a cultural difference right here. They just walked away as if they hadn't insulted her and she hadn't struck back. Radon said it was a good thing. How could any of that be a good thing?! Anywhere else in the galaxy and she would certainly NOT be invited to dinner.
The girl that approached them came at just the wrong time. She was still trying to process it all and some young Falleen was hugging her Prince. Lenne did not smile, but managed to stop herself from storming off at least.

"Navella," she repeated with a shaky sigh, "Okay."
Then it hit her. Sister.
"I-I mean. Hi. I'm Lenne. Nice to meet you."

 

[Radon Mont]

Navella let go of her brother and stepped over to Lenne, wrapping her arms around her as well. "You are going to be my new sister. I will make sure to look out for you here." If there was anything Radon could count on Navella for, it was that. The girl was nothing like her parents and hadn't yet been thoroughly ingrained with a dislike for other races. She also didn't hate humans the way that Radon did. For her, the exotic young woman that Radon was marrying was a visual and physical treat. Even at only fifteen she was taller than Lenne as well. Still, she had the physique of a young lady. "Navella is my littlest sibling. Always had to take care of her. The boys always want her attention so I have to beat them off of her at times. If there's anyone you can trust here aside from me, it's her. She'll take good care of you."

 

[Lenne Fayth]

Take care of her. Well, the girl did seem sweet enough. Lenne returned the hug, although a little reluctantly.
"Thank you. I have the feeling I'll need the help here..."

 

[Radon Mont]

"No, you'll be alright now. Mother and Father have accepted you, since you're joining us for dinner!" She smiled peered curiously at the horns on her head. She'd never met someone from another species. Lifting a hand, she tapped a green finger at a horn and then looked at her finger before pulling back. "I'll see you at dinner then!" She leaned down to Lenne. "You can sit next to me." Then she turned and wandered off. Radon shook his head and then took a breath before looking at Lenne. "Rocky start, I know. I said it would take a little convincing. You'll be alright now, though." He reached for her hand and gave a gentle tug. "Come on. I'll show you where we'll be living here."

 

[Lenne Fayth]

She touched her horns! Lenne had the urge to back away. Nobody touched her horns. She was proud of them, protective. All Zabrak were proud of their horns. The green girl wandered away, leaving Lenne feeling a little more than stunned.

"She... touched my horns!" she told him, rubbing the long horn in the center of her forehead. Suddenly she burst out into a sharp, nervous laugh. Her hand met him and she followed him.

"That was painful."

 

[Radon Mont]

"Forgive her, dearest one. She's never met someone that wasn't a Falleen. She was probably just curious." Radon knew she didn't like it much when people touched her horns, though he was certain that Navella was just exploring her curiosity. Falleen had ridgebones, which were somewhat similar, but not quite the same. Probably when she'd been touching her, hugging her, she'd been trying to get a feel for Lenne's body. At least Lenne laughed off what had happened. He smiled and leaned to kiss the top of her head as they walked down the hall. She would like their rooms, he was sure. "What do you think of the palace so far? Can you see our little one running through the halls here with aunts and uncles watching?"

 

[Lenne Fayth]

Of course Lenne would forgive her. This was not Lenne's home planet. This was not her world. Not yet. She would have to discard her old customs and adapt. That was how to survive.
"It's beautiful," she breathed, wandering down the hall, hand in hand with her fiance, "Our children will grow up here, happy and loved. I just know it."
She leaned in to press her lips to his cheek.

 

[Radon Mont]

"It was built a very, very long time ago. We take great pains to keep it the way it was then," he said as they walked the hall. She mentioned their children being happy and loved and he nodded his agreement. "Of course they will. Always. They'll have the best mother the galaxy has to offer looking out for them." He winked at her as they stopped in front of a set of doors. For a moment he just looked at her, and then he reached to open the door and usher her into their rooms. The first was the main living area, which he allowed her a few moments to look at as they stood just inside the door. He knew that this would all seem rather lavish and strange to her at first.

 

[Lenne Fayth]

The woman smiled at him as he opened the door. What was on the other side... she didn't know how to describe it.
"I... But... I can... stay here?"
She glanced at him over her shoulder before carefully, cautiously stepping inside.

 

[Radon Mont]

He laughed a bit at what she said. "Of course. These our our rooms. They belong to us." He nudged her backside with his hand, pushing her in further. Everything in the place was made of the most expensive and comfortable of materials. The seating? Plush and soft. One could fall asleep sitting on them and be as comfortable as they would be in the bed that was waiting upstairs in the master. He walked past her, the door closing behind them, and over to one of the walls where he poured himself a drink and her some water, which he brought over to her. They had to be careful with the baby. "Do you like it?"

 

[Lenne Fayth]

She took the water, drinking it slowly as she examined the beautiful room.
"I... I love it. I've never been in a place so wonderful!"

 

[Radon Mont]

Smiling, he took a sip of his drink. "The whole palace is like this. Even the dining hall is enormous and lavishly decorated." She was overwhelmed. He supposed it wasn't that surprising to him that she was. Given what she told him, and the wonder she always expressed at the things he showed her, a place like this had to seem overly expensive to her. Lifting his hand, he ran fingers through her hair lightly. "When we're married we'll get a portrait made of us to put on the wall so it won't be so bare." He stood beside her and motioned towards the stairs at the other end of the room. "Those stairs lead to our bedroom. I'm sure you'll find it just as large and comfortable as the rest of our space."

 

[Lenne Fayth]

The whole palace. It was so... big. And fancy. Why anybody would need to live in such a place was entirely beyond her comprehension. She look at the wall he indicated. A portrait. Now, THAT was really luxurious. She followed his motion to the stairs, taking the first step.
"Can we... explore the bedroom?" she asked, a little smile on her lips.