XVI: Lost Battles

Rebecca was startled out of her trance by a knocking at the door. "Rebecca darling-- it's time to eat? Won't you come down?" she heard from the other side of the door"

"....coming..." the girl replied. She trudged her way out of her room and followed her grandmother downstairs to the dining room.

"I had chef make your favorite," Elsa said, taking a seat at the head of the table. Rebecca sat towards the other end, far away from her grandmother. Once one of the kitchen staff brought in the food, Elsa immediately began eating. "Mmm, delicious. What do you think, dear?"

Rebecca only took the smallest of bites. "It's terrible."

"What? Why-- this is your favorite dish!"

"It's not how Mom used to make it..." Rebecca replied quietly.

"You'll just have to deal with it," Elsa replied harshly, "In case you haven't caught on yet, your mother isn't coming back."

"Thanks for the reminder." Rebecca said dryly, now picking at her dinner with her fork.

"Oh-- and I almost forgot. I'm taking you to the courthouse tomorrow--"

"Why?" Rebecca interrupted, " so you can take custody over my soul, too?"

"Don't give me that attitude, young lady. I would think you would be grateful for everything I've done for you!"

Rebecca angrily threw her fork down onto her plate, rose from her seat and glared at Elsa. "My mother was killed, and what did you do? You forcefully took me away from the only real family I have left! Why in kriff's name should I be grateful for anything you just did?!"

"I just saved you from being forced to live with a killer!" Elsa shrieked, also rising from her seat. "That man you call your father is a no good swine, incapable of compassion, and unable to properly care for you the way I can!"

"Don't you dare talk about my father! He's a great man! You're the only one too thick-headed to see that!"

"I'll hear no more of this." Elsa hissed. "Regardless of what your twisted sense of the truth is, you are coming with me and getting your surname changed to my own. I'll have no more references to that bastard in this estate-- and any future mentioning of his name from you will get you punished. Is that clear?" She waited for a response. "IS THAT CLEAR?"

Rebecca began to tremble, and unable to keep her emotions in check any longer, she stormed out of the room without a word, and ran back upstairs, slamming her bedroom door as loud as she could behind her.

Elsa slowly sank back into her seat with a wicked smile on her face. "Oh it's clear alright...."

XV: Moving in

Elsa led Rebecca through her large Coronet City villa, upstairs and stopped at one of the doors at the end of a long corridor. She opened it and led her granddaughter inside to a fairly large room.
"Here you are, honey--we fixed this up just for you. I hope it's to your liking."

Rebecca set her bag on a nearby table and looked around. There was a full size bed with far too many decorative pillows piled at the headboard surrounded by night stands on each side, a large antique vase on an end table in the corner next to a chair, two large windows along the back wall decorated with sheer white curtains tied back revealing a view of the grounds out back. The other side of the room had a dresser and mirror placed across from her bed, a small desk on the back wall, two doors at the corner of the room-- the closet, and one to a private fresher. Overall, she felt the room was a bit much for her personal taste, but she turned towards her grandmother. "It's fine, Grandma." She said quietly.

Elsa smiled. "Good. It'll suit you just fine then. Now, would you like any help unpacking?" Rebecca shook her head. "Alright then....I'll let you alone so you can get settled in-- my men will bring up the rest of your luggage." She left the room and closed the door behind her.

Rebecca opened her bag and began pulling out a few of her personal belongings, placing them around the room. One of which, the stuffed ewok she had since childhood, she picked up and went over to the bed and set it down in front of the massive frilly pillow-pile. She then hit the final item in her bag, a small framed holo projector. Returning to her bed, she sat down and pressed the small power button on the side of the frame. A projection of herself and her parents appeared with the imperial palace towering in the background. She placed the frame on her nightstand, lied down and just stared at the image, mesmerized by the love and serenity that it represented, wishing she could have those feelings again.

XIV: Saying Goodbye

At the landing pad at base 658, an imperial shuttle began prepping its engines. Outside at the ramp, Rebecca watched sadly as her father loaded the last of his luggage on board.

"Daddy, do I really have to go with Grandma?"

Deroh nodded, pulling her into a tight hug. "That's what the courts said, honey. I hate this just as much as you do..."

"But why can't I come back with you to Coruscant?"

"They feel I'm unsuitable to look after you because of my schedule. I tried to convince them you were strong enough to live on your own but they wouldn't hear of that either."

"This isn't fair..."Rebecca said quietly, holding back tears. "I'll still get to see you, won't I?"

"Of course. I'll always come home for the holidays and whenever I can. And--" He was interrupted as Elsa walked up and tugged on her granddaughter's arm.

"Come, sweetheart," she said. "Lets go home..."

"But..." Rebecca stammered, "I'm ...I don't want to go yet..."

Deroh glared at his mother-in-law. "Do you mind?"

"I do actually. Your shuttle wants to leave and I'd like to go home before I become ten years older."

 Deroh didn't take his glaring eyes off of Elsa. "Rebecca, could you take a few steps back?" he waited until his daughter was out of earshot before continuing. "You know, if I can take any satisfaction from you winning that custody battle, it's that I never have to see your sorry hide ever again." he growled.

 Elsa smirked. "So, you finally admit defeat. How noble of you."

"How noble of me? ME? That's cute coming from you. Now get the kark off your high horse and listen up. No, I haven't admitted defeat. If there's any loser here, it's you. I don't know how stupid you think I am, but I know you gave some serious shit testimony at that hearing. You think banning Rebecca and other character witnesses for my support from speaking would just slide right by? In any sane court, you would've been thrown out."

Elsa narrowed her eyes at him. "What are you getting at?"

"How is it that the one judge who finally manages to pick up the case happens to be one of your closest friends? And through all that obvious trash you presented, what made you win? I'd say you paid him off ahead of time."

"How dare you!" she hissed.

"You may have fooled the judges, but you didn't get me. You tried to hard and you know-- you only made the situation worse for yourself. YOU'RE the one who's stuck living with a terribly emotional teenage girl who by now probably hates your guts. So congratulations, Elsa." He paused, pointing an accusing finger at her face. "But...if I find out you brought any sort of harm onto my daughter, I will personally make sure you regret it." he turned back towards Rebecca.

"Was that a threat, Deroh?"

"You figure it out." He returned to Rebecca and brushed his finger over her cheek.
"Hey, don't cry cry, Becks." He said quietly, then pulled her into another hug. "I need you to be strong...if not for me then for Mom, alright? She wouldn't want you in tears. If she were here, she'd say make the best of every situation."

Rebecca cried into his shoulder. "If mom were here there wouldn't BE a situation..."

"Touche." He glanced behind him as the pilot beckoned him aboard. "Sweetheart, I have to go now. I'll write to you as soon as I can. Be strong, be well, and piss off Grandma to your heart's content."

Rebecca showed a weak smile. "I'll try, Daddy."

"That's my girl..." He kissed her forehead, gave her one last hug goodbye, then reluctantly retreated aboard the shuttle.

Rebecca took several steps back and watched as the shuttle switched into gear and took off, taking her father away, and feeling the same pain inside as years earlier--except now she felt it alone.