Private Makin' Home A Little More Homey

[Hannah Charr]

Hannah reached, standing on her tippy toes on an already unbalanced stool. "There," she whispered as she got her stuffed animal onto the edge of the bookshelf. Her feet went flat, although the stool trembled and her hands grabbed the side of the bookshelf. So far, so good, she thought as she finally jumped off the stool as her eyes glanced around her room.

A little nod. It was much better than it was a few months ago when they first moved in. It was dusty, not homey, and generally pretty bland. But she had slowly put things away as she went, happy with the outcome at last.

Either way, she folded the stool and placed it against the wall. Green eyes caught the expanse of Coruscant through the window - flying ships, hovercars, and all sorts of wondrous things. It was overwhelming for the girl, who just months prior lived in a Palace on Kesh as a Princess. Well, she was technically still the princess.

"It's safer, alright?" That's what her dad had said. But more importantly, Zesiro , her mom was coming with her too. It was decided that Kesh was too dangerous, especially with the Bryn'adul hovering right on their border. Too dangerous.

Nonetheless, the young girl sighed as she skipped out of her room and down towards the living area.

"Mom?!"

 

[Zesiro]

Quite often in her life, Zesiro had been on her own. In the last few years, she had been with her husband on Kesh. This had made the woman quite happy and the two of them had raised their daughter together. Then suddenly their lives had the chance to become topsy turvy and Edric had requested the two of them to move as far away as they could just to stay safe.

So they had parted ways with Edric remaining behind on Kesh to rule. Mother and daughter were getting settled in on Coruscant. The bright center of the Galaxy and about as safe as any one planet could be. Granted it had been sacked before, it seemed safe at the moment and this was exactly what the pair needed.

She wasn't the brightest of people, but she did know how to cook and care for her daughter. When Hannah came running out to talk to her, she would smell dinner just starting to get warmed up on the stove. Food processors were great, but there was nothing like a truly home-cooked meal. It seemed this was almost a daily tradition by now, it was rare that they didn't get to eat dinner together.

Turning her head when her daughter came skipping out, she smiled and if the girl wanted it offered her half of a hug. With a light kiss to the top of her head, she looked down with that same smile.

"How are you settling in, Hannah?"

Hannah Charr

 

[Hannah Charr]

It could've been worse, after all. She loved her dad to bits, but she was definitely a momma's girl through and through. Hannah much rather would be stranded with her mom on a foreign planet than with her dad. She just felt she could be more of herself. But, perhaps, that was just the teenager in her coming out.

It would take a lot for the Bryn'adul to reach them here, in the Core, through several nations territories. Hannah only hoped the galaxy acted before countless billions more died at their hands...

But that didn't really matter to the girl - the smell of a delicious dinner smacked her right in the nose as she skipped down the hallway, stopping right beside her mom. A big, goofy grin as she gave her half of a hug back and a smile at the kiss on her forehead.

"It's... Different," she commented slowly as she peered over at the food that was cooking on the stove. "I think I like it, though. Are you doing okay? It's kinda weird here and outside smells pretty bad but my room is all unpacked!" She rambled as she stepped away from the stove and looked up to Zesiro with a big smile.

 

[Zesiro]

If there had been an easy way to keep the family together, Zesiro would have done that. That wasn't the case though and now mother and daughter had moved halfway across the Galaxy just to stay safe.

"When we can, we will return to Kesh. I promise that Hannah. Your father needs to be the king and he can't do that from here. Maybe we can arrange a meeting and we can have an outing or something. He could probably get away for a day. We'll ask when we talk to him next!"

Once the hug finished, she reached over the head of her daughter and took two plates down from the cupboard. Handing one of them to Hannah, she listened to the answer given. Nodding in understanding, she dished out their dinner and carried her plate to the table.

Giving Hannah a smile, she nodded.

"Someday, I'll take you to where I grew up. Perhaps, we can even visit my sister. You met her once when you were a baby, but life well has kept us apart. I will have to contact her."

Not yet answering her daughter, it took her a few bites to collect her words.

"I am doing pretty well actually. While we lead a normal life on Kesh, we will have one here too. Do you think I should get a job?"

So far they had lived on a stipend from Kesh. It was almost bottomless, but a job might help keep both of them out of trouble.

"You need to go to school too! Just because you can't have a private tutor here doesn't mean you should ignore your education."

Hannah Charr

 

[Hannah Charr]

Hannah naturally became more solemn as Zesiro promised that they would return soon. The Princess hoped so. She missed her homeworld and the beauty it held. And she missed her dad, and her friends, and the workers at their home. And while she wouldn't admit it, she was terrified of what might happen to them.

"I understand..." She whimpered as she held herself close against her mom. "That would be great! I can show him my room and some of the stuff I've collected from the city. And we're so high up, the view is pretty nice and..." She sighed a little.

A smile as she took the plate and her dinner served, she skipped to the table and sat down. "Really? I'd love that!" She had practically forgotten she had an aunt. "Oh? Yeah, that would be pretty cool! I'd love to see more of our family. It seems like it was just us on Kesh, which was great but..." She was rambling again.

A smile on her lips though that her mom was handling the changes well. But a job? What if they couldn't have dinners anymore? Normally, that wouldn't be a big deal but the changes... "It does have to get kind of boring here," she commented as she thought. "What kind of job?"

She frowned at the mention of her going to school. "I knowww, but I've been enjoying the break! And I was a bit ahead anyways so..."

 

[Zesiro]

Even though Hannah said she understood, Zesiro knew her daughter well enough to know that wasn't the whole truth. Both of them knew Edric wasn't likely to leave Kesh. Once it became safe, the two of them would return and they could be a family again.

"When we do get to see him again, make sure to take lots of pictures to share with him."

Following her daughter to the table, she sat down next to her. Most people would sit across from the other, but she felt the need for them to be just a little closer. The table would be a barrier between them and that was the last thing she wanted.

At the mention of Anya, she smiled slightly. That was one relationship that had gotten off on the wrong foot. Sisters that didn't even know it until a revelation happened. Almost as soon as that happened, the two of them were true sisters. Ups and downs, but always there for the other, just like Zesiro hoped to be there for Hannah.

Her daughter gave voice to a question that she didn't have an answer for. Not yet, at least. However, she shouldn't just blow off the question.

"I haven't started looking yet. Before your dad and I got married, I was sort of a police officer. Maybe I could go back to doing that? It can be dangerous work. As a queen, I could maybe be a diplomat? If you think I've got the skills for that. What if I learned the planet and became a tour guide?"

These were just a few options. Something about Zesiro, she might not have as much intelligence as another person, but that didn't make her entirely stupid. Hannah had more of that than her mother, but that was fine. They talked a bit more about education and then she shook her head.

"Tomorrow, let's start looking around at the schools in the area. We'll go together. Higher placed or not, we will find one you like."

Hannah Charr

 

[Hannah Charr]

She used a fork to twirl some of her food before munching down on it. Like a lady, she waited until she finished chewing before speaking. "I will..." She said with a little smile. She was a little worried, though. What if they attack? Or kill everyone on the planet?

Hannah shivered a little as she worried about the possibilities. But, more importantly, she was wondering about her aunt, Zesiro 's sister. She had met her when she was a baby, so that was a solid 13 years ago. What was she like? What'd she do? Was she from the same place as mom? Sooo many questions.

"Police officer could be... Really dangerous..." She said quietly, nervously as she leaned against her mother. "A diplomat sounds safer!" She tilted her head and looked at her mother as she mentioned being a tour guide. "A tour guide?" She chuckled a little. "I mean, what would make you most happiest?"

"Ugh, schooooool," she whimpered as she took another bite. "I guess I should go back."

 

[Zesiro]

Hannah mulled over the ideas she had put forward. Right off the bat, she at least hinted that she didn't want Zesiro to return to policing. Honestly, she really didn't want to either. She was getting older and here would likely start off on street patrol which was the most dangerous position to have. So much crime happened and there weren't enough cops to stop it all.

Giving the question some thought, she shrugged her shoulders. Since she was currently chewing on her own bite of food, it was all she could do at the moment. When she finished, she was still thinking and started to give an answer to her daughter.

"I think a diplomat would be nice. Do you think there are any embassies looking for help? We can look tomorrow as we look for a school for you."

Being quite stubborn, she wasn't going to allow Hannah to grow up without proper schooling. Just because her own education was lacking, that didn't mean her daughter's would too.

Smiling just slightly, she was happy her daughter realized she needed an education.

Hannah Charr