episode four — HAAKON
attack of the clones
warnings: knives, violence, blood, hostage

          Lillia Dione Val'eaon stood in her quarters, facing the windows of her room that sat on top of the mountains. She fidgeted with her silver rings, each one glimmering in the sun like stained glass of ancient deities. It was early morning, it felt like she was finally ready, and yet the planning of her coronation lasted for ages. Lillia Val'eaon had been studying for years, paying attention to very detail in the history books of old Valérian.

She knew she was finally ready.

Lillia was now eighteen stars old, the people of Valérian counted on her, they knew of the strength needed to be King or Queen. Somewhere deep down in her heart, Lillia was nervous. They counted on her. Her breath quickened slightly, her dress fluttering with the open window that casted warm sun on her face. Even though Valérian ever rarely reached such cold temperatures, the woman could not help but shiver. Her hands shook, but her forehead remained hot.

"Is everything alright, Your Highness?" Her lady in waiting,  Isolde, had walked in. Isolde was a few years older than Lillia — a beautiful woman in fact. Her blonde hair enchanted all those who met her, and her hazel eyes glowed in the sun. She had tiny freckles that danced around her face, they rarely shown though — despite the sun that brought them out, they faded as she grew. "Yes, yes, just nervous." Lillia turned, smiling to hide her once pained face.

"You have nothing to worry about, you have been training for this ever since you were a little girl." Isolde sat, patting the cushioned bench next to her. Lillia trailed over, sitting down next to her friend. "The only thing you have to worry about is tripping over your own foot." The woman's face lay straight. Lillia scoffed, "Isolde!" she lightly hit the woman's shoulder. "I'm kidding, you'll be amazing." They both laughed, looking out onto the kingdom from the windows.

Valérian had many different secrets that lay underneath its surface, values, riches, dragons and other various creatures. The mountains from the north represented their strength from the beginning — how Valérian built itself up with
time.

"Do you truly think I'm ready for this?" Lillia laid her head on her friends shoulder. "I believe you are — but it is not my opinion that matters," the woman started, moving her shoulder so she may look at the princess in her eyes, "If your family did not deem you worthy, it would not be you moving to the throne today." She put her hand on her cheek. Lillia smiled. Isolde was right, if her family truly did not think she should be Queen, she would not have the crown at the end of the day.

"You're right." Lillia got up, "I always am." Isolde followed, laughing at the girl. A gaurd had knocked on the chamber door, opening it up as he walked inside. "It is time, Your Highness." He stood next to the door. Lillia looked to Isolde, taking a deep breath in, a smile on her face — still not hiding her expression of worry.

⠀⠀⠀.　　　　　　　　　　　　　.　　　ﾟ .　　　　　　　　　　　　　. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　✦ 　　　　　,　　　　　　　.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　　..　　　　　　　　　　　　　. 　　⋆✴︎　   　　　,　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　⠀　　　　⠀　　,⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀.　　　　　 　　⠀　　　⠀.　 　　˚　　　⠀　⠀  　　,　　　　　　.
The Palace's throne room was filled with all those with titles. Nobles, Dukes and Duchesses, Viscounts and Viscountesses — even local farmers. Unlike other kingdoms, the Val'eaon family did not exile you based on status. If you treated your King and Queen with respect, you were treated the exact same. It did not matter if you had one coin to your name, or a thousand. You were Valérian, and you were important.

Chatter could be heard from all over, in fact, the chatter never stopped. Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi stood nearest to the front, next to the Val'eaon siblings, who waited patiently upon their sister's coronation. Talia and her husband were in attendance, along with their children, Circe and Verena. Circe was just three stars old when the Jedi were first welcomed to Valérian, but she had never met them.

Now she was twelve stars old, and could barely hold back the excitement. Helaena stood with her fiancé, Otenio Illian, they were set to marry in a few weeks time. When Lillia heard it, she couldn't believe it. She never really remembered Talia's wedding, she was too little, and probably dancing around — finding flowers to throw at the other children, or hiding away.

Verena stood next to Anakin, lightly tugging on his robes as she looked up at him. "Can you move things with your mind?" Her voice was soft and sweet, she was now seven stars old, and as curious as her aunt. Anakin looked down at her, she held a doll, and her hair was unsurprisingly messy. It reminded him of when he first met Lillia— how her hair was extremely out of sorts.

"I can." He smiled. "I don't believe it — Lillia said you could, but I still do not believe it." Verena sat on the chair next to him. "I can show you after the coronation." Anakin smiled. Verena nodded, then wondered off to go sit with her mother. "Behold, The heir to the Valérian throne, Your Princess, Lillia Dione Val'eaon." A knights voice rang loudly over the chattering throne room.

Everyone stood, looking towards the doors that now opened to reveal the princess. Lillia Val'eaon looked to the crowd in front of her. Sudden worries had tried to bolt her to the ground, but she forbid it. Instead of looking to the faces of her people, she looked straight ahead. Lillia's gown was all white, besides the embroidered gold Valérian flowers down the middle, which shimmered in the sunlight. Her cloak was also gold, Valérian gold — an important ore mined from the old caves, made and transported into fabrics.

The cloak was long, leaving about ten feet behind her. Isolde and a few other handmaidens walked behind the princess, also dressed in white. A headband shaped like sun rays sat on her head, dangling a piece of a fallen star crystal on her forehead. The princesses hair was fully straight, it laid down the sides of her shoulders, leaving just enough to cascade down her back as well.

As she walked, Lillia did not lay her eyes on anything but the throne in front of her. A Valérian priest, along with her mother and father, stood at the front.

Lillia's heartbeat raced out of her chest — and she wondered if anybody could see the imprint, beating faster and faster. As she reached the stairs, she turned to her handmaidens, who took the gold sun like headpiece off her head, and then smoothed her hair. She kneeled in front of the priest. "Lillia Dione Val'eaon, descendant of the stars, heir to the Valérian throne, do you swear to Haakon and Solae, that you may bring this kingdom to greater good." He looked to her, holding a sword in his hand.

"I swear to the stars and to the twin moons, that I, Lillia Dione Val'eaon, may bring this kingdom to greater good." She announced, her voice loud enough for everyone to hear. Anakin looked to her, he hadn't seen her in years, but once in a while they would talk. It was rare, perhaps twice a year, but it felt good to keep up with such an old friend. Anakin never bothered her too often, he knew that she was busy in the coming years of her coronation.

"Do you swear that peace will live in our system, under your rule?" The priest spoke once again. Lillia looked up, staring into his eyes. "I swear to the stars, that peace will live in our system under my rule." The priest held the sword over her right shoulder, then brought it to her left. He turned to Lillia's father, Kier, who held the gold crown in his hands. He handed it to the priest, who laid it on Lillia's head. "Rise." He spoke. Lillia rose, walking up to the throne as her handmaidens carried her train.

She turned, sitting on the throne. After all this time, she looked to her sisters — her nieces who turned red with excitement. She knew she was setting the future example for them, and she would do whatever it took to be a strong ruler, not only for her people, but for her family. The priest walked over as Lillia held out her hands, he placed a fallen star, now crystallized and shaped, and placed it in her hand. In the other, he placed the crystal sword. "Behold, Your Majesty, Queen Lillia Dione Val'eaon, descendant of the stars, and Queen of Valérian." The priest shouted.

Triumph had been achieved, every voice in the throne room cheered for their new Queen, a new ruler to finally sit on the throne. Lillia looked to Anakin, who smiled while clapping.

Lillia Dione Val'eaon was finally Queen, such a nerve racking thing it was, but for all these years, she had studied for hours. It had finally arrived, the hard work, the sleep she had lost, all of the strength it took, it was finally worth it.

Lillia rose, getting out of her throne, and handing the Eyhtorya (the fallen star), over to the priest, along with the sword. Lillia walked forward, moving to the tip of the elevated floor that held the throne. She smiled to her people, looking to the faces of every one, some were children, strangers to the life of royalty, some were old, who witnessed generations before her. She had reached solace.

But the solace did not last. A group of men came out of the shadows, holding knives and other various weapons. One had taken Isolde, holding a knife to her throat in front of Lillia. The other men had stood in front of the crowds, including Anakin and Obi-Wan. The people gasped, a sharp turn had been taken. "Stop!" Lillia shouted, looking at her distressed friend. "You must give us your dragons, we want your gold." The man seethed, he looked rather rough, almost beat up.

"Take me instead, I will be much better use." Lillia pleaded, "please, do not hurt my friend." She begged. Lillia hadn't realized how many men there were, they had taken their guards hostage, and they would not rescue her. The man looked to the others. "Lillia no, don't do this!" Soteria Val'eaon pleaded, being held back by the thieves.

He pondered for a minute, and then shoved Isolde down to the floor toward Lillia, who caught her friend with glassy eyes. She placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?" She asked. Isolde did not say any words, but instead nodded. Two of the men grabbed Lillia, bringing her to the man who had Isolde moments before. He held a knife up to her throat, Lillia gasped at the sudden moment, she hadn't even realized that her crown fell to the floor. "Let go of my daughter!" Kier shouted, trying to break free of the men's grip.

The Jedi had their lightsabers drawn, but could not do anything about it, especially with a knife held to the Queen's throat. "Or what?" The men smiled, laughing as he pointed the knife at the others. "You come any closer, and I'll slit her throat." He seethed, bringing it up to her once again. Lillia had tears in her eyes as she looked to her nieces and her sisters, who looked terribly scared. They shuddered with freight. Lillia then looked to Anakin, who looked enraged.

The man had began to walk backward, and Lillia almost tripped over her own shoes. "What do you want?!" Soteria shouted, sobbing as her daughter was being held captive by men who wanted her dead. "Power." He laughed, showing his smile, which had a few missing teeth. "We are only doing what our master told us to." He switched his voice to sound innocent — child like.

The man then held a piece of cloth over Lillia's nose and mouth. Her vision changed, and her breathing slowed. As she closed her eyes, she looked to her mother and father, unaware if it was going to be the last time she saw them. The Queen had dropped, but got caught by the criminal. He picked her up, and began walking out of the throne room while the men still held their weapons to the people of Valérian.

Lillia Dione Val'eaon had now done her first act as Queen — she saved her people. The men had now scurried out, running to their ship that was parked right in front of the building. The ship roared as it exited the planet. "Everyone stay calm!" Obi-Wan shouted, looking to the people. "We will find out who did this, and we will rescue the Queen, her Majesty." He reassured. In truth, Obi-Wan Kenobi had no idea what the stars he was going to do.

Anakin looked to the ground amongst the chaos, he saw a familiar flower bouquet where Lillia Val'eaon once stood. He remembered exactly where she got it — from him. Anakin Skywalker had made this for her in the fields during Reařys E Stella many years ago.

authors note. WHEWWW, a long chapter for the first of Act 2!!! 🤗 Soooo, this was a LOT to process, but also a lot of fun to write. I know this is a very serious kind of chapter, but unfortunately I had to do this to my bb Lillia for the rest of her story to work 😭 And also, once again, unfortunately, it'll only be worse from here :( I do hope you guys enjoyed the angst tho, it was hard to write, but I'm happy it's over with for right now! Until next chapter guys! Love you all :)

I would also like to show the inspo I had for Lillia Cornoation outfit. This drawing is not mine, and all credits go to original creator :) But this is exactly the dress I see her in, even the head piece.