heavy is the head that wears the crown

[realists]

Comments

hope your birthday is as special as you are

[realists]

"This is stupid!" Jyn whined, staring at herself in the mirror of her brother's flat. Bodhi laughed at her displeasure, rolling his eyes as he collected the rest of his accessories. Sunglasses, wallet, keys, phone. He looked handsome in slacks and a burgundy jacket, and comfortable beyond that.

"Why have I got to wear a bloody dress. I thought you said this was going to be casual," she hissed. The dress in question, a simple and delicate white lace number, was still half undone, waiting for Bodhi to do the buttons up the back. Jyn was struggling to pin her braids in place.

"You're the birthday girl. You're twenty one, Jyn," Bodhi explains, letting out a whoop as the door opened and in walked Cassian Andor.

The thing about the younger royal set is that they tended to gravitate toward their own age groups; thus Bodhi had, over the years, collected Cassian and his best friend Kay, both of the Organa twins, Shara and her new husband Kes. Jyn's inclusion was a byproduct of her older brother being friendly and personable, vouching for his taciturn younger sister. She was older than the twins but they were leaps and bounds more important and worldly than she was so it was like talking to her parents. Cassian was one of the quieter ones and over the few years since they'd meet at her 18th birthday, they had tended to orbit each other, talking quietly at the few state affairs they found themselves at together every year. He was smart and clever and so earnest and she loved the way his face lit up when he talked about the social programs he'd thrown his patronage behind.

Jyn knew he was just being nice, spending time with her so she wouldn't feel left out, but logic had not stopped the crush. Still burning bright if the warmth that floods her now is any indication. He's wearing just a tee shirt and jeans, unfairly attractive regardless, and Bodhi doesn't complain about his casual dress as they greet each other because it isn't as if Fest is close to Aria Prime. He'd had to fly in for this "casual" party.

Her hands drop from her hair to try to attempt the little buttons up the back of her dress herself while Bodhi and Cassian briefly chit chat, but before she can ask Bodhi to finally help her, he disappears out the door - presumably to greet Kay - and Jyn gives Cassian a weak, helpless smile.

"Hey."

apparently, a woman can only go so long without a sword between her hands

[realists]

Sometimes it seems like the only thing that gets them all together is a birthday party and this is no exception: Shara is turning 25! A whole quarter century, which Jyn supposes is a fun milestone, they call it her silver birthday and it is enough of a Festian tradition that before the young royals can go out drinking for her birthday, they need to celebrate traditionally. Which means a fancy state dinner where Jyn is sat across the enormous table from Cassian and tucked between Kes and Luke (which is fine, honestly, she and Kes get on like jam on toast and Luke is very sweet) and then loads of charitable pop ins and then a whole thing about celebrating the birthday girl's accomplishments.

And Shara is an accomplished fencer.

Since it is a state event and she and Bodhi have come as the Princess and Crown Prince of Aria Prime and not Jyn and Bodhi, they've been dressed in their national colors, Jyn in a red dress and her favorite tiara she inherited from her Gran nestled in her braids, and Bodhi is a grey suit with a pop of color in his red tie and the sash across his chest and the rosette that indicates he is the crown prince since he doesn't wear a crown... ever. She'd been content to watch Shara's exhibition when she found herself being summoned by the princess to be her opponent. Any excuses that she didn't have her saber were lost when Bodhi pressed it into her hand. The traitor.

The fact that both women are wearing tea dresses and heels — and Jyn is suddenly pleased she'd picked heels with a t strap so they won't fly off as the move — is irrelevant because this is all for show anyway and probably they won't reenact that scene from Zorro.

Two champion fencers means the duel is beautiful and Jyn finds herself smiling a bit as they spar. They're evenly matched, Shara has more experience but Jyn had won her championship only three months ago so she is more in practice and it is easy to fall into a rhythm of giving each other a chance to show off their best moves in swirls of skirts and the clack of heels across the marble floor, the clash of swords bringing applause and soft gasps every time.