So I’ve decided to write more of Jade’s story. I’d love to develop the love relationship, because I find it amazing and adorable. So here we go:

Inspiration: Pardon me—He Is We

A few notes more before we begin. I think I should write Jade’s story from first-person, so I can show her backstory—things she would talk about readily. Hm. Wait, no, if I stayed 3^rd person constricted and focused only on her, though…never mind, we should be good.

Jade leaned her back against the wall of the cantina, the rain pouring down just outside the small lip of the building’s roof that protected her. She shifted in her armor and closed her eyes, her thoughts wandering back to Thaddeous. Her heart fluttered as an image of him flashed through her heart, but this time she didn’t suppress it. She exhaled and opened her eyes, gazing up at the dark clouds that constantly covered the capital city. She looked back down before the lightning made her jump out of her skin.

Falling in love would risk everything she’d worked for and everything she’d fought for. It would render deaths unimportant and unnecessary. It could get her family killed. Yet that smirk and those eyes tormented her so. As much as she hated it and tried to push it away, she couldn’t help thinking about him.

She hated it, but…

Jade shook her head and sighed. This had gone on long enough. She had a feeling he might feel the same, but wasn’t willing to make a move on her due to her hard skin. If she just said something, this could all end. She could admit her feelings and she could add how this also couldn’t work. That she wanted him to stay away from her. Sure, he was a Darth, but he had a knack for listening to her. Even when she didn’t want him to.

Her green eyes shut as her jaw clenched and her teeth ground together. How annoying. How pitiful and cliché. How many stories had she been told as a child that some strong woman decided to risk it all on love? Her fists tightened and she glared at her feet.

Once her mother told her about a warrior-princess who fought on the lines with her men.

“She was stronger than a hundred men and smarter than all the beasts of the galaxy.” Her mother swept her hand across the night sky and Jade’s young eyes widened. Jade’s mother smiled and tapped her nose. “But the princess was lonely. You see, when you’re stronger than every man, sometimes that scares them away.”

“That’s silly.” Jade squeaked, making a face. Her mother smiled wider and shrugged.

“Sometimes men are intimidated. And so, the princess decided that no men would be allowed in her palace. Men would have to send their wives to have an audience with the princess because she would throw them out otherwise!” Jade giggled. “But the princess became hard and calloused because of her loneliness. She fought and fought to keep her kingdom safe and never paused to make sure she took her armor off when she was at home. But one day, the princess saw a man. He was handsome and noble and as strong as her. He fought to protect her kingdom as well, you see. And soon, they began to talk and the princess, well, she finally invited him into her palace. And they fell in love. They lived happily ever after, and the princess was never alone or afraid again.”

Jade snorted. “That’s silly.”

Why had that princess decided to risk her kingdom to court a man? Why had that woman thrown aside her own rules for someone so easily? Jade forced herself to relax. She spread her fingers out to relieve the tension that built up in them.

How silly.