What's Best For Her

[bac]

*Coruscant, the central system of the Galactic Republic. The day was cold and rain fell throughout the vast cityscape. The Supreme Chancellor stood at the window of his office, watching the rain fall upon the speeders that flew by in a flash of lightning. He turned, sitting down at his desk. He opened a drawer and pulled a small box out of it. Inside the box was a large diamond ring, flickering as the sun tried to break through the clouds. It was an engagement ring, though he was not proposing to anyone. He was to give this to the one who would marry his daughter....the one he asked to marry her before Naboo....the one he was waiting for to come into his office.....Ussej Padric Bac III, the Bendu High Priest. Before he met the High Priest, Cos always assumed that he would have a Senator marry his daughter. But, that all changed when he met Ussej Padric Bac III. He was just the man he always wanted for Bella, and luckily Ussej agreed to ask for her hand in marriage.*

 

[Brandon Rhea]

*The lift came to a stop just outside the lobby of the Supreme Chancellor's Office. Chancellor Dashin requested his presence, and the High Priest knew that it was regarding the marriage proposal he would soon give to Bella. She was a handfull for him to protect at first, but after her kidnapping and rescue he found that he had fallen in love with her. It suprised him, to be sure, as he never thought he would love again after Jana died those ten tragic years ago. But, he was in love again and he would not prevent those feelings from rising to the surface. He suddenly remembered where he was and stepped off of the lift, standing at the door of the Supreme Chancellor's Office.*

"Here we go...."

*He adjusted his robes, sweeping off the dust and hair that had been attracted to the fabric. The door slid open and he found the Supreme Chancellor sitting at his desk. As he rose to greet him, the High Priest bowed in respect. Propriety was an important thing to him, and he never forgot his place. However, this bow was more emotional in any other as this could very well be the last time he saw the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic before the bombings started.*

"You wanted to see me, Chancellor?"

 

[bac]

"Yes, Sir Bac, please sit...."

*He sat back at his desk, the ring that once dwelled on his beloved wife's finger still shimmering as the sun tried to break through the rain clouds covering the cityscape. He slid the small box forward towards the Bendu High Priest.*

"This is the one I was telling you about....for Bella...."

 

[Brandon Rhea]

*He opened the box, starring at the diamond. It caught his eye, a remarkable piece of jewelry. Not doubt Bella would love it, not only because it had been her mothers. Anxious to see Bella again, he stood and bowed. He said nothing, though he could tell by the look on Chancellor Dashin's face that he was free to go. As soon a he left, he began his short trip to Isabella's apartment in 500 Republica.*

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

Coming back was risky and she knew it, yet Bella had taken no changes of clothing with her nor none of her personal effects. Thinking her father would have patrols scouring the docks, she believed enough time had passed that she could safely return and slip away again...afterall, she had done just that for years now.

The rain had soaked through her cloak and her gown under it. Golden tresses were plastered to her forehead as she tried to not notice the chill the air conditioned hallway offered. She had been careful to keep her face hidden and even making sure no one saw her as she entered the building. The guards were long gone, called off to the search no doubt.

Looking one more time down the hallway, she slipped her keycard out and slid it in the door. Hearing the click, she slipped inside quickly closing it very quietly behind her.

The cloak was heavy with water and she immediately uncinched it and threw it across her bed. Sighing with relief that no one had seen her, she turned to head to the closet and stopped dead in her tracks. Quickly putting a hand to her chest and stopping the scream that was about to leave her lips, she did a double take trying to figure out if her eyes were playing tricks with her.

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

bumpage

 

[Brandon Rhea]

*The shocked expression on her face did not suprise him the slightest, as he had been gone for a month already. As he stood in the rain, soaking wet, he gazed at her beauty and fell in love with her more and more by the minute. He stepped off of the balcony and moved towards her. He wanted to have her now, but he restrained as he did not yet know how she felt about him. He placed his hands onto her shoulders, gazing into her eyes.*

"I'm sorry I left you, Bella...."

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

Bella was uncertain about why he was here though it was good seeing him again. The way he had last spoken to her, he made it seem like he may not ever return. Anger at how he had left filled her as she looked into his face.

"Where did you go? You promised you would speak to my father and come back but you lied to me. You just left..left as they drugged me and carried me away. For days they tried to make me relive all that happened..."

 

[Brandon Rhea]

"I did speak with your father. He asked me something that, quite honestly, suprised me a great deal. I needed time to think.....time to be myself for a week or two."

*And, it helped. It allowed him to collect his thoughts after the hallowing ordeals on Naboo and Onderon. However, this day was more important. He turned, his back to her now. From his robes he removed the small box that housed the ring and held it against his chest, not letting her see it. He turned back, the box now open and the diamond relfecting against the light. Moving in closer, he bent down upon one knee.*

"There was something your father wanted me to ask you....."

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

Her anger grew even more as she could see the events on the platform not long after they had returned to Coruscant from Onderon. He had spoken as if he was going off to fight a war he wouldn't win and apologized. Yet, as she saw him turn around and began to really listen to his words, she began to see things falling into place.

Eyes falling to the ring that was in the box, she felt her breath catch as tears came to her eyes. She knew that ring very well. It had been upon the hand of her mother until the day she had died. Bella shook her head no as the tears fell down her face. She backed up to the bed and sat down looking at his face and seeing his sincerity.

"Please, Ussej...don't."

 

[Brandon Rhea]

*He stood, placing the ring on the table beside him. He took Bella's hand and lowered his head, unable to look at her at first. But, he gathered his strength and looked into her eyes. He had commanded men in battle, he had negotiated peace treaties and he had fought against three Dark Lord of the Sith though nothing compared to what he was doing now.*

"Bella....I can't let you be, as your beauty won't allow me. I've tried to move past what I thought was something similar to an adolescent crush, but if there's one thing that your kidnapping and rescue have taught me it's....it's that I love you, even if you don't love me. I know this must come as a suprise, but I had to tell you."

*He picked up the ring and placed it within his robes, ashamed that he had ever agreed to courting Isabella. The look on her face was one of disgust and dread, at least from his perspective, and he never wanted to see that look on her face again.*

"I'm sorry....I've embarrased you and I never intended to do so. This was a mistake, and I'm sorry. I should be going...."

*He turned, heading back towards the rain falling down upon the balcony. He loved her more than anything, but he knew that if he truly loved her he would leave her alone....leave her in peace.*

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

She felt horrible as she looked upon his face and saw the pain there. He really didn't feel that way about her. He couldn't feel such feelings toward her. Ussej had barely known her and what he did know of her was only what she had shown him. Only one had reached down deep into her and seen who she truly was.

"I'm sorry, Ussej," she uttered quietly though the words may not have reached his ears.

The idea to go to him and explain had occurred to her, but she knew it would only raise false hopes in his mind. Growing more and more angry with her father for giving him the ring and putting him up to this, she forgot her packing and stormed out of her room. Leaving the tears upon her cheek, she cared no longer about who saw her back on Coruscant. She knew he had given him her mother's ring thinking it might make her look more favorably upon an arranged marriage. His choice of picking the man who had brought her back home also spoke volumes of his character.

Ignoring the aides who tried to stop her from going further, she edged her way past his staff and bursted into his office looking for him with a fury in her eyes.

 

[bac]

*He saw her entering, a look of joy crossing over his face. He sat up from his desk and got up, ready to embrace her.*

"Bella, let me see your...."

*It was then that he realized that there was no ring on her finger and instead of the look of joy that he expected there was a look of anger, disgust and betrayal. He stopped in his tracks, unsure of what could have possibly gone wrong. He knew it had something to do with with her arrogance, though he said nothing more as he did not wish to upset her further.*

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

She turned around to the aides who had followed her in and glared at him.

"OUT!" she commanded them, though they were hesitant to leave uncertain of her stability.

Turning back to face her father, she shivered in the coolness of his room as the vent blew it's air upon her wet clothing. Furrowing her brows at him, she shook her head with unbelief.

"How could you do this? This was the plan all along wasn't it? Send me away to Naboo with Ussej to guard me only to have the two of us fall in love. Did you really think you could force love upon me, father? Did you even care to think about how this act could be playing with the emotions of not only me but Ussej himself?"

Anger filled eyes began to let the tears fall again as she felt as if someone was sitting upon her chest making it hard for her to breathe.

"You've never let me be my own person! You've always figured out what was best for me or what you thought was best for me. Never once have you asked what it is I want."

She paused long enough to wipe her hand hastily across her eyes and wipe the tears away.

"I'm not one of your men to command. I'm your daughter. Doesn't that count for something?"

 

[bac]

*He gentley put his hands on her shoulder, leading her to a chair to sit down so she could collect himself. He sat down at his desk, confused as to what all had just taken place.*

"Bella, throughout your life there are times when you've not made the best decisions. Ussej....Ussej is a good friend of mine. He loves you and he's someone who I know could take care of you for the rest of your life. I didn't do it to control you....I just want you to be safe, even if that means you would have to spend your life on the other side of the galaxy with the Bendu."

*He stood back up, and crouched down in front of her taking her hands into his.*

"I'm sorry, Bella. I just wanted you to be happy. That's all I ever...."

*A thump was heard above them, and followed by more and more that sounded as if they were moving towards the window. He helped her up and moved towards the back of the room, opening the door. On the opposite side, his aides and guards were all dead. He sealed the door shut, turning back to the window, seemingly waiting for whatever was to come.*

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

Raising her head at the sound of footsteps on the roof, she got a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was the same feeling she had when she heard the sound of the Mandalorians coming that one time. Thinking it was them again, but at least a little more prepared for it. She moved past him though he attempted to shield her with himself and went to his desk drawer. Grabbing his blaster, she threw it to him knowing he would ask questions later. She wasn't the innocent and helpless woman she once was.

Looking around behind her, she saw his decorative sword on the wall and immediately grabbed for it. Throwing the scabbord across the room and brandishing the durasteel weapon, she waited for it. Anger still filled her, but a sense of self preservation and even defense of her father kicked in now. The night child she had become was showing itself.

 

[Brandon Rhea]

*He allowed the rain to fall upon his face, no longer caring about anything for the moment. He had been rejected, even though he was sure she would agree to marry him. Perhaps it was a foolish idea, perhaps it was not. But, one thing was clear. He loved Isabella Dashin, even if she did not love him. But, if she did not want to see him, he would respect it but only because he loved her so. It was painful, to say the least, but it was something he had to do. But, one thing was still unclear to him. There were sparks between the two and there was no denying that. He had felt a strong connection to her, but obviously she did not feel that same connection to him. But, did he really love her or was it that he wanted so desperately to have his wife back that he created a fantasy world where he could love again. If it was, then it was a dream he had created and believed for far too long. But, one question still remained in his heart.*

"Did I dream this belief, or did I believe this dream?"

*Focusing so much on what was past, he almost did not see what was now. As he was passing by the Galactic Senate Office Building, he looked up to see a dark figure moving towards the window of the Supreme Chancellor's Office, and this figure was weilding a crimson blade. Sensing the man's presence, he knew it was the man he had fought on Yavin IV. But, even worse was that he sensed Bella within the office as well. He used the Force to pull his lightsaber from his belt into his hand and, as fast as he could, he began running into the halls of the Senate Office Building. Even if his love for Isabella was a dream or a false belief, he could not let any harm come to her....he would not let any harm come to her, even if it killed him.*

 

[Carden Mannux]

*Wearing a black cloak of terror, fear and despair, he leaped onto the balcony just below the window that would serve as his doorway into the Supreme Chancellor's office. As he landed, the very metal he now stood upon cracked and shook at his very presence. He grinned, his crimson blade sent soaring towards the grandiose window above, smiting the glass into thousands of pieces. He stepped back as the shards fell down the ground below. With the speed of a swoop-racer in the Jundland Wastes of Tatooine, he soared upward and found himself within the Supreme Chancellor's Office, his crimson blade called back into his hand as he landed. He fixed his eyes upon his target and began slowly but surely stalking towards her. With each step, the water from the rain dripped from his body sending chills through his hapless foes as it hit the ground, the drops the only sounds heard against the deathly silence that approached them.*

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

Her hands came up to shield her face as the glass shattered and littered the room. When her hands came down from her face, she looked upon the face of Carden with fear in her eyes. Her hand held the hilt of the sword firmly as she pointed it toward his chest from a guarded stance.

"Stop right there or I'll run you through."

Bella was backing up with each step the man took toward her feeling a cold hatred radiating off of him. As she reacted, she shivered when she saw his smile in reaction to her threat. Realizing he wasn't going to stop, she knew she had to do something. Pulling the blade back and then swinging it toward his chest, she cried out as she swung determined not to give in easily or go down without a fight. This man obviously had murderous intentions.

 

[Carden Mannux]

*As the pathetic piece of metal moved towards him, his crimson blade hummed to life and moved in the path of the sword, cutting it in half.*

"I do not think so....."

*He turned his sights on the Supreme Chancellor. Before the old politician had time to react, the former Dark Lord's arm flew out in front and sent a wave of invisible Force energy towards the man, throwing him against the wall. The Chancellor slumped to the ground, unconscious. Turning back to the First Daughter, his red eyes bore down upon her like the weight of the very building they stood in. As terrifying as the sight undoubtedly was, he still sensed rebeliousness within the young woman.*

"Will you be coming with me willingly, or must we do this the hard way?"