“The domrai,” the Empress stated, as though she were about to conduct a lesson on the florae and faunae of the galaxy at large. “An interesting fruit, to be sure. Being raised on a sand-savaged planet such as Jakku, with little in the way of proper sustenance, you’ll forgive me if I’m unaware of the habits and customs of others when it comes to the appropriate way of consuming certain things.”
The Supreme Leader, catching the play, had to hide his burgeoning grin behind his hand. By the Maker, did she impress him.
“If you would be so kind, I would appreciate the enlightenment,” she continued, nodding towards the fruit, “as to how one would enjoy such a delicacy.”
Hux swallowed hard, all semblance of bravado disintegrating by the second. “Er, you—my—my lady, Supreme Empress, I—I—I’m not sure I—”
“You heard her,” the Supreme Leader rumbled, impatient with delays and interested in seeing the culmination of the performance playing out in front of him. “Show her how to eat it, General.”
Hux looked like he was going to be sick. He glanced down at the fruit in his trembling hand. “My—my lady, I—”
“Eat it.” Her voice rang out, clear and distinct, echoing throughout the chamber. “Eat it, as you would have had me eat it last night, when it was offered to me on a platter by one of your lackeys. Eat it, as I would have, sharing a piece with my husband as well, if another had not warned me of your deceit just in time.”
She leaned forward in her seat, fingers clenched in the arms of her throne, her posture and bearing still befitting of a monarch — back straight, diadem resting perfectly at the top of her head, firegems and Naboo night pearls adorning it, glinting red and black in the dim light, with indigo-dark velvet robes pooling at her feet. Her eyes glinted darkly as well, capturing only a modicum of the light in the room around her. She met his gaze with her own, pinning him to the spot without even conjuring the Force. When she spoke again, her voice was low and vehement.
