Admiral's Honor [ThrawnXReader][Arranged Marriage]

Chapter 11

You could hear the soft music coming from inside the Grand Reception Hall, turned Ballroom. And you could hear the subdued hum of the guests talking and chattering through the room you were sitting in. 

You were off to the side of the main entrance that lead to the main door of the Ballroom. The Emperor apparently wanted your arrival to be a bit dramatic, so he was having you wait till all the guests had arrived and were already in the hall watching his speech. 

There was a small holo-screen in your room that was playing the Holo-net's live recording of the event. Your uncle had sent you a long message detailing when you were supposed to come through the main doorway and make your way towards his raised dais where he sat on his throne, or more likely, would be standing in-front of it for his speech. One of the Emperor's many aides was in the room with you to make sure the timing was perfect and the longer you sat there waiting for the speech to begin, the more anxious you became.

Then suddenly it was time. The aide walked with you to the towering double door, then stepped to the side. He motioned a small countdown with his fingers- 3...2...1. The doors swung open and you caught the last couple booming words the Emperor had spoken as you stepped through, "-long lost Heir!"

You walked like your dance instructor had been kind enough to teach you on the side, slowly and with graceful confidence, but not too slowly. Your flowery, blue ball-gown swished gently around your feet as you went. The room broke out in a loud applause, and you tried not to think about how everyone in the entire galaxy was watching this on their screens. You finally made it to the foot of the small stairway leading to the Emperor and his throne.

He motioned for the applause to cease, and it slowly died off. You curtsied low, and tipped your head down, looking at the floor, holding the pose for a moment. Your performance of the action was markedly better than a few weeks prior when you had first met the Emperor. Again this was due to your dance instructor being kind enough to aid you.

"Welcome, my child." the Emperor said in that unnaturally booming voice. It seemed to bounce off the walls, echoing back and forth. You moved back up to a standing position, and only then looked up at the Emperor. You smiled softly but made sure it was a decently large smile that reached your eyes, doing your best to look younger and more innocent than you were.

 You didn't have to say anything as the crowd erupted in another series of cheers and applause. You walked up the stairs and stopped halfway up, and to the Emperor's left, turning to face the crowd, and smiled, your face heating up underneath all the scrutiny. You scanned the sea of faces, Most of them human, though you could spot a few aliens mixed among them.

The Emperor quieted the roar again, and continued his speech. "Along with the discovery of my heir, we have among us a victor returning from the front. He has faithfully, and  with much success, guarded us from the rebels and terrorists that plague our worlds, and drive fear into the very hearts of our homes." 

You hadn't really been informed about the whole speech. Just that you were supposed to walk out at that certain time, and that after the speech was over you were expected to mingle with the guests, and probably dance too, till the party was over. The Emperor continued as you remained standing halfway up the stairway. "Grand Admiral Thrawn," he called out, "Step forward!" 

The crowd shifted a bit and a path opened up a bit to your right, Thrawn, the Admiral who had transported you from Naboo to Coruscant, saved you en-route, and after arrival had provided you with a personal body guard, stepped forward. He wore what you had come to recognize in your brief time with him, as a blank expression. He must not know what was coming. He bowed, though didn't bend very low, and raised back to attention.

"Your victory at the Battle of Batonn is what gained you the rank of 'Grand Admiral'. Though since that time you have continued to impress upon me and my council your value as one of the greatest military leaders of our Empire!" The crowd briefly erupted in adulation before being summarily silenced with a wave of the Emperor's hands. "In light of this we have consulted among us as to what would be a proper and befitting reward for one who is so valuable to us. We have decided that so great and accomplishment as your's is, it must be met with an equally great and ancient reward. We follow in the steps of our wise and ancient ancestors," Here he paused briefly, and in that moment you could practically hear the anticipation of the crowd, and the approval that was already ringing in their minds, then the moment passed and exploded into something louder as the Emperor finished his sentence, "And grant to you the hand of the heiress!"

Your mind had been so caught up in watching and listening to the excitement of the crowd, that you almost didn't hear the words that were said. But a moment later your gut dropped as the words registered. Your hand. Marriage. That was so far from what you had been expecting to hear and you were floored. You stared down at Thrawn, and he locked eyes with you his face unreadable. You suddenly realized that your face was probably the only one in the room that looked unhappy and it was on display for everyone to see. You forced your mouth into a smile as your insides were spinning. You tore your gaze away from Thrawn's and looked back out at the crowd. 

They hadn't seemed to notice your moment of shock and you were greeted with thousands of smiling and ecstatic faces, cheering and clapping at Thrawn's good fortune. From the corner of your eye you saw Thrawn begin to slowly climb the stairway towards you, his red, almost glowing, eyes reached your level when he was still a couple steps lower than you, and you met them again for a moment as they passed your height, still unable to ascertain any of his thoughts, then he was next to you and holding out his arm. 

You threaded your hand into the crook of his elbow and returned your attention to the crowd. You heard the Emperor's closing words boom over the roar of the crowd, "LET THE CELEBRATION BEGIN!" And underneath the sound of the crowd you could suddenly hear music.

Author's Note: This story is actually getting more reads than I had thought it would and I would like to thank everybody who had read kept up with this and those who have voted on it :) It really means a lot to know that there are actually people out there who are enjoying this as much as I am <3