ILLUMINATE • din djarin

PART TWO

"Lady Venelia, isn't it? I've heard a lot about you...Altair chose well." The Admiral placed a gloved finger under her chin and tilted her head up further. "He didn't say you were so mouthy though...perhaps we could put that mouth to a better use?"

"Go to hell," Venelia spat out.

The Admiral scowled and leant towards her face when the doors to the throne room opened and Altair was leading the seven advisors in, stormtroopers with blasters poised trailing behind them.

"Ah! Welcome, welcome! Ladies and gentlemen, I am Admiral Pelintal," He boomed, as he walked back to the throne and sat upon it once more. "Thank you for coming."

"What is the meaning of all this?" The oldest advisor asked, Venelia had known him since she was a child.

"I wanted you to all be here for this momentous occasion," The Admiral gestured to the room.

"You can't just barrel in here and expect us to bow down to you and your stormtroopers." The advisor boldly told the Admiral.

"Oh, but I didn't 'barrel' in here," The Admiral leant back in the throne, "Your Duke let me in."

All the advisor's heads swivelled towards her father, looks of confusion and disbelief swept across their faces. Venelia tried to implore them with a pleading look, but they were barely even looking at her.

Every second she felt more hopeless, she couldn't think of a way out of this. And she despaired at the thought of what could be happening outside these walls in Cor Meum. Whether there were stormtroopers already patrolling the streets, and if the beloved marketplace was being ransacked for all its goods; the livelihoods of hundreds of Fidelians stripped.

The Admiral stood, passionate in his determination to sway the advisors, "Do you want a ruler who is capable of this?" He stood up and gestured around them all. Stormtroopers lined the walls. "Who is not able to protect your people?" He gestured to the milites in the doorway, lying lifelessly on the floor. "Who cannot protect your planet?"

Venelia could see some of the advisor's start to shift in their stance, it was hard to ignore what the Admiral was saying when it stood right in front of him. For he was right, Cassius, her father, had failed to keep his people and his planet under protection. But it was not through any fault of his own. His kindness had been exploited by someone she thought she loved.

"Advisors, you have known me for many years, you know I would never let the Empire in here willingly." Her father said smoothly, but sternly. A ruler's statement.

The Admiral ignored Cassius, "The Empire can offer security and protection from future threats. In return, we will mine the Kyber Ridges to continue our effort to unite the galaxy under our rule."

The advisors broke out in an orchestra of murmurs and gasps. "But the Kyber Ridges are sacred to Fidelis."

"A small price to pay for your planet's protection under the Empire." The Admiral countered.

The Advisors looked at each other and silent words were exchanged. Venelia looked at her mother, who had a stoic look on her face as she met her daughter's violet eyes that mirrored her own, but Venelia knew her mother enough to know that she was worried. Venelia looked at her father, who nodded at her. He knew that the advisors would not crack easily – the relationship he had with them would outweigh the Empire's manipulation.

The Advisors all nodded and the eldest stepped forward. "We are loyal to our Duke; we will not allow the Empire to reign here and inflict pain and suffering upon our peaceful people."

Venelia let out a breath of relief, she looked over at her parents who nodded to the advisors, acknowledging their bravery and loyalty. They looked at her and gave a small smile, a reassurance of sorts. Like everything was going to be okay.