Chapter Text
Chapter 6
Cora Ardmore
Ren had been gone for the whole day, his ship nowhere to be found. Nobody even bothered to inform me that he’d left, the first I heard was when Flora asked a stormtrooper outside my quarters. Apparently, he’d returned to his master for further training. A part of me was relieved to not have him constantly breathing down my neck or staring me down. But another part of me felt a little more on edge without his presence. His job had been to keep me safe, and I couldn’t deny he was good at that job. Without him here and only my handmaidens for protection, I feared Hux may see that as an opportunity.
And I wasn’t wrong either, as a stormtrooper entered my quarters. Flora stood in front of me protectively, her arms folded over her chest as she scowled at the trooper.
“Haven’t your kind heard of knocking? These are royal chambers, and you just barge inside as if you own the place? Do you think your superiors would be pleased to hear that?” Flora snarled.
The stormtrooper seemed unbothered by her threat.
“General Hux has requested you to join him for dinner tonight at nineteen hundred hours,” the trooper explained.
My stomach dropped, but I kept my expression neutral. Taking a step forward so I was now beside Flora, I made sure to remain brave on the exterior.
“And you can tell him that I shall accept his dinner request,” I answered.
The trooper nodded and exited my quarters. The moment the door closed, I exhaled deeply, and my face fell. Flora had an arm around me, as if I might need support.
“Are you sure about this?” She asked.
“I can’t hide away in my quarters because Ren isn’t here. I have to face him some time and I’m sure if I declined, he’d drag me out himself.”
“He could try,” she muttered under her breath.
Thomison had already entered my walk-in wardrobe to search for an appropriate gown for the evening. No doubt she was searching for something that would allow me to conceal a weapon if need be. Minthe remained sat on the edge of my bed, silent but always listening.
“One of us could go in your place?” Thomison suggested from within the wardrobe.
“That’s not an option, considering the last decoy. The last thing I want is to lose any of you,” I replied.
“Cora, you know we would be willing to give our lives for you,” Flora reminded me.
“I know. But if we can avoid any unnecessary deaths, then we will.”
As I said this, I took Flora’s hands in my own and squeezed them gently, as if to reassure her. Flora met my gaze, her lips pressed into a thin line, clearly unhappy that I wasn’t willing to budge. My hand moved up to cup her cheek, offering her a small smile.
“I’ll be all right. It’s just dinner, I can handle one little dinner,” I continued to reassure her.
Flora’s expression softened slightly, and she squeezed my hand in return.
“We’ll be nearby if you need us. A princess doesn’t go anywhere without her handmaidens,” Flora insisted.
“I would expect nothing less from you. Even if I told you all to wait here, I know Minthe would at least be outside to eavesdrop,” I teased, glancing over my shoulder at her.
Minthe smiled softly, “it’s what I was hired for. Can’t blame me for doing my job.”
Thomison exited the wardrobe, carrying a few dresses she deemed appropriate before laying them out on the bed. Looking over the options, Thomison showed me all the hidden pockets that would allow me to hide a weapon of sorts.
“Or if we wanted to go for something a little easier to get to, there is always this,” Thomison explained, showing me a three-pronged hairpin only the prongs themselves were quite sharp.
“We could always do both,” I replied.
Thomison smiled and looked through the dresses to determine which one would match the hairpin. She settled on the black dress that had small gold details across the bodice and sleeves. Happy with her choice, I let her search for matching shoes and other accessories. Eventually, the time came to get me ready. After I put on the dress and Flora ensured my blade was completely concealed, Thomison led me over to the dressing table where she worked on my hair. She put half my hair up, holding it in place with the hairpin before working on my makeup.
There was an abrupt knock at the door, all of us pausing for a moment. Flora answered the door, and I watched in the mirror as she immediately became tense. She hesitated before stepping back and allowing General Hux into my quarters. My stomach sunk, unable to hide my displeasure at his presence.
“Good evening, princess,” he greeted.
In his hand, he was carrying a long rectangular velvet box, which likely had some form of jewellery inside.
“Good evening, General,” I replied, firmly but not exactly politely.
Thomison had resumed working on my face at this point, applying a little blush to my cheeks before searching for the right shade of red for my lips. Hux said nothing, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t tension in the room. His presence was not welcome by any of us, putting us all on edge, and yet Hux seemed to relish in our discomfort. A soft smirk tugged at the corners of his lips as he waited for Thomison to finish working on my face. She applied lipstick before spraying my face with setting spray to hold everything in place.
The second she was finished, Hux dismissed them. Flora looked about ready to unleash a string of verbal abuse at him, considering he didn’t have any power or authority over them like he thought he did. But she held it in, only glaring at him instead as she waited for Minthe and Thomison to leave first. She glanced at me, asking if I’d be okay with only her eyes, and I gave her a soft nod. Flora hesitated before leaving the two of us alone, the door closing with a soft click.
I remained seated at the vanity, watching Hux in the mirror as he approached. Standing behind me, he placed a hand on my shoulder. It took all my willpower to not recoil from him.
“I have a gift for you,” he finally broke the silence.
He opened the box before I could respond, removing the necklace from inside. He wrapped the thick multi-strand pearl choker around my neck, a heavy ruby in the centre acting as the necklace’s focal point. It was a beautiful piece.
Suddenly Hux pulled back on the pearls hard, now choking me with the necklace. My eyes went wide with fear and my hands went to my throat, trying to slip my fingers beneath the pearls to give myself some room to breathe.
“It seems that we need to lay down some ground rules, Cora. I expect respect, not only from you, but from your handmaidens. You are responsible for them, and I will give you the chance to correct their behaviour before I have to,” he sneered, “nod if you understand.”
Quickly I nodded, hoping he would release me, but the pearls remained tight around my throat. And from here, I wouldn’t be quick enough to reach my hairpin to defend myself.
“Good. Now, this is to remain on you at all times, as a way for others to know that you are mine. Nod if you understand,” he continued.
Once again, I nodded, not fully understanding what he meant at first. I was just desperate to breathe again. Finally, he clasped the necklace at the back and allowed me to breathe once more. His hands rested possessively on my shoulders whilst I gasped for breath. I realized that the necklace acted more like an overly expensive collar. Something that said he owned me, as if my future wedding ring wouldn’t be enough. I wanted to tear it off already, but kept my hands in my lap to avoid further conflict.
Hux smiled down at me, pleased with my compliance. He leaned down to place a kiss on my cheek, and I moved my head away from him. Hux thankfully gave up his pursuit with a soft chuckle.
“You won’t be able to do that for the wedding night, Cora. I’d enjoy your freedom while it lasts,” he warned, “now, let’s go to dinner.”
The General offered me his gloved hand, his eyebrow cocked and a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips as if waiting for me to give him an excuse. Taking a breath to gather myself, I then took his hand as I got to my feet.
The two of us left my quarters and headed down to the dining room where the table was set. Hux didn’t attempt the gentlemanly gesture of untucking my chair for me, sitting himself down instead. I suppose I shouldn’t have expected such a gesture to be in his repertoire. Sitting opposite him, we were served wine and the first course. A small portion of spring salad complete with edible flowers was placed in front of me, whereas Hux had a portion of scallops. The silence between us whilst we ate made me feel uncomfortable, and I wanted to find a topic to break the tension.
It wasn’t until the main course of bantha steak, roasted potatoes, and mixed vegetables that Hux finally broke the silence.
“I wanted to take the time for us to get to know each other better, Cora, considering the two of us will be married soon. You need to understand that I have no feelings for you, this is merely a political marriage. Although I’m sure you're already familiar considering your prior engagement to Prince Jax Grespa of Kuat,” Hux told me matter-of-factly.
So Hux had done his research, but that didn’t surprise me considering his position as General. It was a part of his job to know his enemies and allies inside and out. If he even had any allies. He certainly didn’t strike me as the type to have friends.
“I did not expect you to have any feelings for me, nor I towards you. Although, what is being done regarding my prior engagement? Kuat has been a powerful ally to my planet and people for millennia now. They are an ally you cannot afford to lose,” I warned Hux gently.
Although it also wouldn’t hurt to hear what his plans were, not just for my planet, but for those we had alliances with. Some of them understandably would not want to be allied with The First Order and may try to break things off which could cause problems. The last thing I wanted was the violence and bloodshed on my planet to travel to others.
Hux seemed amused by my question, “I have to say I’m impressed you aren’t completely naïve. Most princesses aren’t so invested in their planet’s politics, it’s what they have senators for after all. But you seem to enjoy sticking your nose in where it might not be wanted.”
That was obviously a warning. One that I chose not to heed. He had made sure to avoid answering my question.
“If I am to be queen, then I am going to be representative of my planet, therefore it’s important to me that I involve myself even in the more unsavoury things. So, what is to happen with our alliance with Kuat?”
“Kuat can choose if they wish to remain allied with Corellia or if they wish to cut ties. It doesn’t matter to The First Order. We have plenty of allies across the galaxy. It would be in their best interest to remain allied, of course. And whilst I will do my best to persuade them, I cannot make any promises, princess,” Hux finally answered.
Already I could see through his words. The First Order would not persuade a planet to remain allied, they would threaten. And if said planet did not comply, they could be invaded. After finishing our main course, Hux ordered the final course to be delayed.
“Now, regarding our marriage. You will produce one male heir before you are too old to do so. Once I have my heir, you will no longer have use to me, therefore you will abdicate your throne to me and I will let you live out the rest of your days in the country where you may do as you please,” Hux told me matter-of-factly as if there was no room for argument.
I scoffed, unable to believe the audacity of the man before me. He was so blunt in his words, so cold. He wasn’t lying when he said I meant nothing to him. Ren had been right to warn me about Hux, he really was detestable.
For a few seconds, I was actually speechless. I couldn’t recall a time anyone had ever spoken to me like that. He clearly saw me as nothing more than a walking womb, and that was probably what angered me most. Yes, children were to be expected between couples, more so royal ones. But the thought of carrying his child made me feel ill, and I was grateful for the delay with dessert.
“I’m not some broodmare,” I insisted.
“You talk as if you have a choice in this, princess. We both know you don’t. You will give me my heir whether you’re willing or not. And if you don’t wish to abdicate your throne, I have other methods that will ensure your early retirement.”
My stomach sunk further at Hux’s threats, and I could feel the blood drain from my face. If I had been uncomfortable around his presence before, it was nothing compared to the discomfort I felt now. And Hux seemed to thrive on that, his smug smirk growing.
“What’s the matter, princess? You’ve gone all pale. Was it something I said?” Hux asked, faking concern.
Being a royal, I had heard or read my fair share of threats. But there was something in the way Hux looked at me when he said it, the sheer determination and malice in his eyes that I believed him. He would follow through with his threats. And not because he had to, but because he enjoyed it. Ren had been right to warn me. I only wished he was here for my protection. But the question was, would Ren protect me from any and all threats, including those that he worked alongside? Deep down, I knew he wouldn’t.
Before I could respond, dessert arrived. Hux gave an overly polite smile to the maid who served him, acting as if nothing was wrong. My portion was again considerably smaller than Hux’s, which made me believe he had talked to the chef beforehand, now controlling what I ate and how much I ate. The maids left us alone once more.
“Well, eat up Cora. Don’t want the chef’s efforts to go to waste,” Hux encouraged me.
“I’m not hungry,” I replied, my voice coming out smaller than I wanted it to.
Gently, I pushed the plate away from me, avoiding his gaze. Hux didn’t push me to eat any further, tucking into his own final course. He knew he’d won; he’d gotten to me.
But I didn’t need to sit here with him any longer now that I was done eating. Rising from my seat, Hux’s gaze followed me. His smile seemed to drop as he realized he still yet didn’t have total control over me. I half expected him to order me to sit back down, but he allowed me to leave. Maintaining my composure, I headed to the door and didn’t spare him a glance. Rounding the corner, I could feel the tears gather in my eyes and a lump in my throat, but managed to keep it together just a little longer. Only when I was in the safety of my own quarters did I let the emotions spill over.
My mind was reeling, searching for ways that I could get out of this situation. Whilst I could make another escape attempt, there were too many factors to consider. Yes, Ren was gone, which would make things slightly easier as it was likely easier to elude Stormtroopers who didn’t posses the force. But it was predictable, and the tunnels were now guarded as well as the air space. All shuttles and ships were checked before they left the planet so I wouldn’t be able to stow away without putting innocents at risk as Hux would kill anyone who helped me. I was truly trapped in my own home with no way out.
A soft knock at the door before the click of the latch brought me out of my thoughts. I knew it was Flora from the knock and was grateful for her company. Not just her company, but her comfort. The moment she saw my tears, she pulled me in for an embrace, consoling me. Flora had always been so much more than a handmaiden; she really was a true friend. No doubt Flora, Thomison and Minthe had been nearby, as promised, during my dinner with Hux. And Minthe had likely told them everything he had said.
“He won’t lay a finger on you if I can help it,” Flora promised.
I wanted to believe her. There had been a time I would have believed her. But now, I knew deep down, there was nothing anyone could do to help me.