CHAPTER ONE.
Phoenix was standing in her studio, a pallette in her hand as she looked over the mid-sized canvas in front of her. She had been working on the picnic scene for weeks and it never seemed to look right. Which is why she stood painting it despite the presence of her father in the studio. A place she usually forbade him from entering.
He was sitting in the plush red armchair only a few feet away from the easel. He was a tall and rough-looking man. A scraggly beard, his features made up of sharp and blunt lines. They simultaneously made him look soft but also cruel in the same instant. A fact that made Phoenix, as a child, fear her father but now she thought it added to his charm.
He had decided to accompany Phoenix to her studio and although Phoenix was hesitant to let her father into her safe space, she allowed it. Just this once. Her father had never really been interested in her paintings, only what she could do in other areas. Phoenix was intelligent but creative and that intelligence and her own willpower is what led to Phoenix becoming a Senator for her home world of Mith. That's what her father was here to discuss. Not the most recent painting.
"Your mother would be proud of you," Brandaen spoke up after a long silence between the father and daughter. His words brought a smile to her face but it was hidden behind the canvas. Her mother had died during childbirth and she never knew her but she felt like she did with how much her father would talk about her whenever Phoenix asked. It was rare, however, that Phoenix would ask.
"And that's all I've ever wanted. I'm going to make the world better for her even if she can't experience it," Phoenix responded, her voice as poised and formal as ever. Speaking to her father was like speaking to someone high in power. Formality was of the utmost importance especially now they had a reputation to uphold. Phoenix didn't mind the formality, not when they had moments where they sat together in the library of their home, and read and talked for hours.
"Jax was speaking of your return to Coruscant. He would like to accompany you this time," Brendaen added as he watched his daughter. Her talent was always something that confused him. He didn't have a single creative bone in his body and yet, his daughter was wonderfully creative. Phoenix lifted her head to look up at him. A small smile tugged on the corners of her lips at the mention of Jax.
"I'll be returning in a few days and Jax coming would be lovely. He has not seen Coruscant in a long time," Phoenix said. Jax was her husband-to-be. A man that she had come to in some ways adore but there was always that nagging feeling that maybe she didn't love him, not like she should.
Phoenix wanted to marry for love, not just status. Jax would give her both if she could simply allow herself to feel that love again. It was something she hadn't felt since she was a teenager and part of her knew, she was still mourning that long-lost teenage romance. But with Jax, she knew she had to love him. She did not want to marry without being in love. A loveless marriage would be a cruel fate to resign herself to.
"Neither have I, little flame. When will I be invited to join you?" Brendaen asked, a teasing lilt to his tone as he moved his gaze to look out of the window. Phoenix's studio overlooked most of the capital city of Mith. Large skyscrapers and people milling around below her. It was a beautiful haven for her. Being able to watch but not be involved was how Phoenix liked to be at times. Brendaen was the same but few people were aware of that fact. He was a no-nonsense businessman with connections in high places to much of the galaxy.
Phoenix chuckled softly before she looked at him, looking past the canvas, "You have never expressed a want to go to Coruscant. And you regularly complain about stuffy Senators so I think you'd despise it," Phoenix responded, the smile growing on her face. Her father's own smile appeared as he turned to look at her, breaking his gaze away from the gorgeous view he rarely experienced. His smile warmed up his face and Phoenix adored seeing her father smile. It was a rare occurrence.
"I'm teasing, Phoenix. I would love to go to Coruscant but my duties are needed elsewhere," He said as he stood. His gaze moved to focus solely on his daughter. He walked over to her and Phoenix placed down her palette and paintbrush. Her fingers and up her arm were covered in splodges and splatters of dried paint. Something that would horrify any seamstress who saw how intricate and beautiful the dress Phoenix was wearing was.
"I know they are, father," Phoenix said as she looked up at the man. He dwarfed her and just about any person he met. He was over six foot and he definitely liked the intimidation that it could bring. He used it sparingly but in tough meetings, it was a good tactic he had long learnt to use. Brendaen took a hold of Phoenix's hands and looked at the paint that had dried on her skin. His smile still stayed even when Phoenix expected it to vanish.
"You must be more careful. If you get paint on this dress, it might well be ruined," He reprimanded her, though it was lightly. Phoenix was old enough to make decisions for herself and Brendaen was very much aware of that. He still liked giving her cautious words just to make sure. It was his role as a father after all.
"Are you leaving?" She asked. He nodded and she hummed, "I suppose I could leave this painting and clean up. I need to finish packing," Phoenix explained. Brendaen nodded and moved his hands to her cheeks. He cupped his daughter's face before pressing a kiss to the centre of her forehead. A sense of pride filled his chest as he pulled back and looked at his daughter. She looked so much like her mother and it made Brendaen smile just that little bit wider whenever he saw her.
"Jax will be coming over within an hour or two to accompany you. I have some business to attend to elsewhere so you will have to make your way home alone," Brendaen said. Phoenix nodded and pressed a kiss to her father's cheek. His hands dropped to his side. Straightening out his jacket, he gave her one last smile before he headed towards the large wooden doors across the room.
They swooshed open automatically for him but his gelled short hair was not even affected by it even with the gust of wind. Phoenix watched him leave and then she walked towards the small basin with taps and copious amounts of soaps that would surely get the paint off her skin. She then began the process of washing the paint off her hands and forearm. Something that took at least a few washes before she was completely clear.
Once she was done, she called a hover car taxi to her building and met it at street level. It then took her through the streets of Mith's capital and towards her home that was further out in the suburbs of the city.
-
Mith was always gorgeous in spring and especially the early morning markets had piqued a sixteen-year-old Phoenix's attention. She sat with a canvas in front of her on the grass hidden beneath the trees. A perfect view of the market to paint the crowds but out of busy shopper's way. Phoenix preferred to capture the ordinary life than paint the extraordinary.
As she sat back from the crowds, under the shade of a massive oak tree, she watched from afar. Nobody had approached her until she began to search her bag for the paint she wanted to start with. Her focus had been solely on the bag which meant that she didn't even notice the boy that had spotted her and walked over. Taking an interest in what the girl with a canvas was actually doing. Especially so early in the morning when people her age were often asleep or slogging through schoolwork.
Phoenix had finally got the colour she wanted, the bright smile spreading across her face and when she lifted her head up, the back of hers smacked the front of the boy's. A groan of pain escaped both of them as the boy held his nose and Phoenix rubbed the back of her head.
"Sorry, I didn't realise you were there, I didn't mean to, Oh my Maker-" Phoenix cut herself off as she noticed how he was cradling his face. She scrambled to her feet, "Are you okay?" Phoenix asked quickly. Her bag fell from her lap as she stood up, the paints spilling along the grass as she rushed to check on the boy. She placed her green paint down and he moved his hand away to check the damage she may have caused.
When she moved his hand, she quickly found a grin on his face. His eyes twinkled with mischief and Phoenix sighed, shaking her head as she stepped back. A small smile spread across her own face as she looked at the boy. His blue eyes looked beautiful in the shade and his smile had a boy-ish charm that she had never seen on a boy her age before. She buried the hands in the pockets of her breeches as she looked at him.
"What were you doing?" She asked, a slightly accusatory tone to her words. He gestured to the painting with his hand and went to explain but he seemed to have spotted someone in the crowd. His mouth fell closed and he sighed.
"I wanted to see what you were doing. Im sorry, I need to go, my Master is calling me," The boy said, a soft sigh escaping his lips. Phoenix's eyebrows drew together in confusion and she said a quiet goodbye to him as he walked away from her.
The confusion only grew as she sat down and watched the boy walk over to a man. He was much taller and intimidating. His hair was long and slightly greying. The man had a beard but his face seemed kind. The man sent her a smile and she returned it before her gaze moved back to the boy and his mesmerising blue eyes. They twinkled in the full sun of the morning and that made Phoenix wonder.
But before she let herself get lost in thoughts of a boy. She looked down at her sketch on the canvas and decided to finally start painting it. Leaving her spilt paint tubes on the grass as she pulled her canvas closer and sat down. Trying not to think about the boy with a braid and mesmerising blue eyes. His soft face wouldn't leave her mind though and as she filled out the grass on her painting, she realised that he must be a Jedi Padawan. Why he was on Mith, she didn't know but he must have been a Jedi. There was no question about that.
The ship jolted out of hyperspace and that brought Phoenix back to reality. The ship hummed and buzzed as they travelled through the vast void of space which is where she'd been staring off to. Her mind wandered and often went back to her teenage years. Her trips back to Coruscant always made her think about those years and there was never much to do on the ships. Activities were limited and boredom grew quickly so she turned to staring off into hyperspace to pass the time before finding herself on Coruscant.
Phoenix's hands moved to adjust her hair, feeling the strands that had slipped out from her bun. She pushed the hairpin back into its rightful place in her intricate hair design. It was a necessary action, especially considering she was meant to be impressing the Coruscant nobles that had a very specific way of dressing. A ridiculous way of dressing but specific nonetheless.
"You daydream too much," Jax said from his seat across from her. He was lounging back in the comfy green couches. He looked much more comfortable than Phoenix who had been fidgeting the whole time journey. Her hands never stopped fiddling with her rings even as her mind drifted off. Her fingers were still twisting the engagement ring on her finger.
Phoenix's gaze turned to her fiance. His red hair was as messy as always but he still looked immaculate with his suit on. A perfectly tailored black suit that made him look that little bit sharper. Of course, he came from a noble family so she would expect nothing less from him.
"I don't," She responded simply as she stood up. They were coming into Coruscant's atmosphere now but she wanted to watch as they approached the capital. She always adored the view of the planet as it came closer and closer. Currently, they were sitting on the wrong side of the ship to be able to see anything other than the darkness and the hints of other planets in the distance. So while there was a view, it was hardly desirable.
As she walked through the corridors, she heard Jax get up and follow. He took her hand and squeezed it gently, a smile spreading across his face. She smiled back at him, meeting his gaze for a moment before she then walked with him towards the other viewing deck. The other viewing deck was empty. The ambassadors much preferred their rooms to the viewing decks even if the view was much prettier.
"You know that it helps me think, Jax." She said once they were sat alone. Away from the prying ears of the other ambassadors and her personal entourage. She did not need the gossip spreading especially considering this was nothing more than a discussion. One they had very often.
Phoenix sat on the green couches, grabbing the belt and strapping herself in. The planet's surface came into view and grew bigger the faster they approached. They would be landing soon which meant she had to be prepared. The landings on Coruscant were almost exclusively bumpy.
"It may help you think as you say but it will look silly if you do it in the Senate," He responded. His words sounded harsher to Phoenix than he probably meant. Phoenix had always been a daydreamer, her mind wandering to far-off places and magical lands. It helped her comprehend the world around her and Jax didn't understand that. Jax didn't understand a lot of things but he was still a kind man, a worthy man.
"I'm always attentive in the Senate. I do not daydream then and you know that," Phoenix responded. Her words were blunt, serious. She had half the mind to snap at him but it was not worth the fight. Jax nodded. Phoenix smiled and leant over, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek before she settled back into the couch. The green couches always felt like they were sucking her under which made her a little more uncomfortable but she enjoyed them nonetheless. They brought her safety if she ever felt unsafe.
Her gaze stayed on the planet as it encapsulated the whole window and the city whizzed by them as they flew through the area. It felt a little haphazard and dangerous but there was a trainee pilot at the wheel so she understood why. Thankfully she had a strong stomach and as the Senate came into view, the flying became a little more precise. The senate building practically sparkled in the Coruscanti midday sun. It was blazing high in the sky and Phoenix let out a sigh of relief when they landed.
Unbuckling her belt, she stood up and brushed off her dress and then checked her hair one last time before she walked back towards the hull of the ship, where the ramp out was. Her arms rested by her sides and she pushed her shoulders back and stood up straight. Putting up the facade of a perfect Senator as she walked to meet the other ambassadors who were accompanying her.
Jax came and stood by her side, the pair looping arms before they exited the ship. Her personal entourage stood a few feet back. They all walked towards the Senate together. His words were playing over in her head and his concerns about her daydreaming made her wonder whether he actually believed she could be a good Senator. But the second those thoughts appeared, she squashed them. She had more important matters to worry about.
As they walked towards the Senate building, Phoenix saw Padme - her closest friend in the Senate - and Chancellor Palpatine had come to greet them. Chancellor Palpatine now overlooked the Senate and Phoenix was not entirely pleased with the change but had no real say in the matter. There were a few other people milling around but Phoenix was more bothered about talking to the two Naboo natives than anyone else. They had urgent things to discuss that were going to be debated in the Senate soon enough.
-
NOTE; hello and that was the first chapter of from the ashes!! i've been working on this like all month and i'm really happy with how it's turned out. it's fully written with twenty-six chapters and they're all edited to some extent so they should be okay. i hope you guys enjoy this story, i feel like it's my first story with a proper well-thought out plot and i hope the effort i put in is conveyed when you read it. anyway, i hope you enjoyed this chapter and will enjoy the ones to come! the next chapter should be out in four days time (29th nov)!