The Missing Prince of Alderaan

Chapter 1

News spread rapidly across the four kingdoms. The Kingdom of Alderaan had notified the neighbouring kingdoms immediately after the disaster had struck, amid the panic word slipped out and it wasn't long before everyone was talking about it. As a result of this, news reached the King of Coruscant's granddaughter, Princess Rey Palpatine.

It wasn't often that news from outside the borders of her castle came Rey's way, but even the servants were talking about it. The name Prince Benjamin Organa-Solo had floated around the palace walls and Rey immediately was interested. She had met the Prince on the few occasions her Grandfather had taken her to balls or galas; he had once even visited Coruscant for her 18th Birthday Ball, during which they had become quite good friends. When Rey had asked her lady in waiting, Rose, why everyone was talking about the Prince of Alderaan, she had been saddened by the news.

"It was discovered one moon cycle ago," Rose began as Rey prepared for bed, "That Prince Benjamin was missing from his bed. At first, the King and Queen had presumed he had awoken early and gone hunting or simply left to spend the day in the kingdom. However, when he did not return that night, a search party went out to find the Prince. Forgive me your highness but I do not know the details of what happened next, but the royal family came to the conclusion that the Prince had in fact been kidnapped."

Rey looked up at Rose who was in the middle of un-braiding her hair, "And is there anyone who may know of his whereabouts?" She asked curiously, she found it hard to believe that the Prince had disappeared so easily.

Rose shook her head, "There are men from both Alderaan and Tatooine out looking for him." she explained, "But it seems as though tragedy has struck."

"Surely we must not give up all hope," Rey replied as Rose ran the brush through her hair.

Rose sighed, "Forgive me if I am speaking out of turn your highness, but you have always been one to dream and hope, it has been weeks now and there is still no sign of the Prince. I think we all have reason to believe that the Prince may never return."

That night, the Princess had lain in bed contemplating Rose's words. She knew she was a dreamer, always believing in the best in people. But she couldn't allow herself to give in to the idea that the Prince was gone for good. The incident was suspicious and Rey quickly found that her curiosity was getting the best of her and she was desperate to unravel the mystery surrounding the missing Prince.

Sliding out of bed, she tiptoed across the stone floor and moved to her window. Sitting up on the window sill, she looked out at the kingdom below. Coruscant was the most powerful of the four kingdoms, ruled over by her grandfather, Sheev Palpatine. As Rey looked she wondered if maybe she could use her kingdom's power and strength to her advantage. Rose had mentioned that men from Alderaan and Tatooine were out looking for the Prince, but Coruscant was far more powerful and had much larger armies than both of them. Maybe she could convince her grandfather to assist the King and Queen of Alderaan in their search, with her grandfather's army, maybe they would be able to bring Prince Benjamin home more quickly.

The next morning, with a hopeful heart, Rey made her way down to her grandfather's throne room. Rey had lived under her grandfather's protection since she was a child after her parents were killed in what her grandfather said was a tragic accident. When she was a child she would often cry for them, wishing for them to come back, keeping tallies on her bedpost for every day she had been separated from them. Her grandfather was a cold man who had never shown her an ounce of affection, leaving her to be raised by nannies and maids until it came to lessons involving the kingdom.

Sheev Palpatine ruled with a firm hand, Rey often wondered if he even had a heart at times. Over the years she had lain witness to his cruel crimes, punishing his people and doing anything for power.