#breha: not a pleasure trip? :(

[brcha]

As he came into sight of Padmé’s apartment block, he commed Breha. “Leave a light burning in the window this evening, my dove. Your shamefully neglectful husband is making a lightning visit home.” Her soft, sultry laughter lit a fire in his blood. “I’ll do that. How long exactly will the lightning last?” “Not long enough,” he said, regretful. “As long as I can manage.” “Ah,” she said, “So – not a pleasure trip, then?” He grinned. “I’m pretty sure I can squeeze in a little pleasure here and there. But no. It’s business.” “I see.” The two small words told him she understood perfectly. She knew him so well; could read every nuance of tone in his voice. “I’ll be waiting.” --The Clone Wars: Gambit Stealth (Karen Miller) 

this is the Sunday post. you cannot tell me this isn’t ~spicy~ 

[ofalderaan]

As he came into sight of Padmé's apartment block, he commed Breha. "Leave a light burning in the window this evening, my dove. Your shamefully neglectful husband is making a lightning visit home."   Her soft, sultry laughter lit a fire in his blood. "I'll do that. How long exactly will the lightning last?"   "Not long enough," he said, regretful. "As long as I can manage."   "Ah," she said, "So -- not a pleasure trip, then?"   He grinned. "I'm pretty sure I can squeeze in a little pleasure here and there. But no. It's business."   "I see." The two small words told him she understood perfectly. She knew him so well; could read every nuance of tone in his voice. "I'll be waiting."

The Clone Wars: Gambit Stealth Karen Miller

[jadedjo]

Star Wars Regency AU

Please accept this word vomit from my never to be finished Star Wars Regency AU.

moodboard from @celinamarniss​ 

~~~~

The candles flickered with light reminiscent of a thousand sparkles on the open ocean during sunset. It made Captain Luke Skywalker wish he were anywhere else then in the overheated ball room with said candles. In full Navel regalia, he longed for the open waters of the sea to cool his overheated body. But he had been ordered to attend the gathering held by his twin sister, and unofficial head of the house. He may hold the rank of Lord but it was the Lady Leia Solo who ruled the Skywalker estates.

Thus, his ship in port, and he himself on leave, Luke had very little choice but to make an appearance. As he gazed out upon the throng of pastel clad ladies and the dandies at their beck and call, Luke tried to hide a yawn behind his white gloved hand. 

After finishing a boring conversation with one of Leia’s political friends, he was about to head for the side door to the ballroom and his freedom when a flash motion caught his eye. 

Just entering the room, a woman in a scarlet silk gown that shimmered of the highest quality and complimented the cream color of her skin, stood at the entrance and let her gaze slide coolly over the guests. The red highlights of her hair blazed in the candle light amongst the gold curls, all swept up into a stylish chignon that left her elegant neck bare leading down to the expanse of her shoulders, uncovered by lace shall or chemisette. Luke could not see the color of her eyes from this vantage point and the low light, but when they passed his way and stopped for a split second before moving on, he felt a jolt of awareness spread through him. She was too exotic to be called beautiful by the current modes of fashion. But this captivating woman was worth sticking around for a while longer.

So transfixed by her presence, Luke almost did not see the man who stood at her side until he took her hand to lead her to a group of businessmen standing with his brother-in-law. Hoping to join the group before the woman and her escort got there, Luke slid through the crowd like a schooner through the rocks surrounding the outer bay of Alerra, arriving at his brother-in-law’s side just and introductions where being made.

“Captain Solo,” the escort said. “May I present Miss Mara Jade. My dear, Han Solo, Captain of the Millennium Falcon and our host.”

Han bowed and the woman curtsied before Luke nudged his friend and brother for an introduction. Up close she was even more captivating. Dark eyes, green perchance? Shone with enticing mystery.

Han shot him a wink only Luke could see before fulfilling his duties. “Captain Karrde, Miss Jade, a pleasure. And allow me to introduce my wife’s brother, Lord Luke Skywalker, Captain of the HMS Tantive. Luke, I’m assuming you heard the other half of the introduction so I’m not going to repeat it.”

Everyone gave the proper formalities before Luke asked, “Miss Jade, I’ve not heard that name before. Perhaps you are new to Alderaan?”

“In a manner of speaking,” she said in a throaty voice that sent shivers across his skin.

“Mara’s parents where from Alderaan before traveling east. She was but a child of 5 when they left. It was in waters off Jedha where their journey ended when the ship they traveled upon was attacked by pirates and her parents killed. I was a crewman of the ill-fated ship and managed to secret Miss Jade and myself away before the pirates found us. She has lived in Jedha ever since. It is only recently that I have brought her back to her homeland.”

It was as the man spoke that Luke finally took notice of him. 

Captain Karrde was of some indeterminate years older than Han, though not so old as to be labeled Miss Jade’s father. He carried himself like a man of the sea, stance slightly spread for balance and steadiness. His black hair was kept short and neat, as opposed to the current fashion of longer, curled hair. The gray at the sides gave him a distinguished air that would hold up to stuff with any courtier. The skin of his face bore the trademarks of a life of sun and salt but was of a darker hue then just an ordinary tan. The equally dark eyes seemed to see much and express little. His dress was simple yet of the highest quality and spoke to refined tastes and deep pockets. Luke had trouble placing his accent but it only added to his air of foreign allure.

“It is as Captain Karrde says,” Miss Jade added. “I have begged him for many years to bring me back to my birthplace. Finally, he has relented.”

“Bad timing if you ask me,” Han said. “War with the Coruscant is on the horizon and may happen at any moment. The Queen cannot keep the peace forever.”

One Han’s friends, a Mr. Calrissian said, “You worry too much my old friend.”

“And you don’t worry enough ‘Old friend,’” Han replied, but in a jovial fashion. The others in the group chuckled. Even Captain Karrde gave a slight smile as if also knowing of the good-natured ribbing exchanged by the two.

It was then that Luke heard the strains of a Naboo Cotillion beginning and saw his chance to get Miss Jade away from her chaperone.

“Miss Jade, would you do me the honor of a dance?” He asked. “I fear my land legs may yet trip me up, as I’ve only just landed but a day ago. But if you can bare it, I would be delighted.”

There was an indefinable pause as she considered his request before curtsying and replying, “Of course, My Lord. I have yet to fill up my dance card and have been looking forward to dancing tonight.”

“Please, I am but a simple Captain in her Majesty's Navy and would prefer to be addressed as such.”

“If you wish, my Lor… Captain.” She nodded to the assembled group before taking his hand.

Now standing beside her, Luke noted that she was taller than most of the ladies of his acquittance and once hand in hand opposite each other as the dance began, he found it refreshing not to have to look down at her. Even so close, the light was still to dime to make out her eye color but he found he was utterly captivated by them.

“How are you finding your homecoming, Miss Jade?” He asked as they danced.

“To be honest, Captain, I find it lacking,” she said dryly. “The whole world touts Alderaan’s tranquil vistas and peaceful society, but I have yet to find it to my tastes.”

“Is there something wrong with a peaceful way of life?” he asked, curious by her response. 

“As a man of war how can you say such a thing?”

“Because I am not a man of war but of peace and protection. I offer my service to Her Majesty and to the Navy to protect those I care about.”

“And what of the rest of the world?” she prodded. “Do they not also need your protection?”

“It has always been Alderaan’s covenant to provide aid to those who ask for it. Even now I have it on good authority that the Queen is considering a proposal that would extend our ability to provide said protection.”

“I would believe you if I had not seen the lack of Alderaan’s ‘protection’ with my own eyes,” she said with a touch of bitterness.

“I fail to take your meaning.”

“Were you not aware of Coruscant’s invasion of Jedha?”

“I was. I am very sorry that your home has fallen to Admiral Thrawn’s ambitions. But I fail to see what Alderaan could have done to prevent it.”

“Jedha asked for help. Help that was never given.”

“I see,” he replied. This dance was not going as well as he hopped. Her lack of understanding in upper political workings of his country, made her bitter and resentful. “All I can say is that I cannot presume to know the mind of the Queen only to say that that must have been a very good reason for any withholding of aid.”

The woman said nothing and Luke found her silence irksome. Jedha was on the eastern side of Coruscant, far from Alderaani shores. If he were one of the Queen’s advisors, he would have cautioned against sending a large force and provoking Thrawn into open war with Alderaan.

He brought them to a halt before the dance was done and asked, “You doubt me Miss Jade? My sister and I were once wards of the Queen and her Consort.”

“I do not doubt you Captain Skywalker, and I have heard of your connection the Royal Family. Even as far as Jedha we have heard of the rumors that Queen Breha wishes to make your sister her heir.”

When he did not confirm or deny the rumor she went on, “But I have yet to see any proof of Alderaan’s commitment to anything but its own self interests.”

“Then I am sorry for you Miss Jade. Perhaps now that you are no longer sequestered in the east the truth will be revealed to you.”

~~~~~

This ball takes place during a house party and Luke finds Mara snooping in Leia’s quarters, tries to arrest her but she gets awa.

She escapes on a horse and he follows.

She heads to Talon’s ship in the bay where Luke tries to prevent her from boarding only to get captured himself as a trophy for Thrawn.

~~~

A little back story...

Anakin and Padme are Lord and Lady Skywalker. Padme was a Princess of Naboo when she met Anakin, a minor lord of Alderaan and fell in love. Anakin was matched with many young ladies but it is said Skywalkers only marry for Love. This was the case with Padme as she was supposed to marry another but left Naboo for Anakin. It was a scandal when she wed so far below her station.

Unfortunately their love was short lived and Padme dies in child birth to twins. Anakin soon follows her from a riding accident a few years later. Though many that knew the couple we say he died of a broken heart.

Luke and Leia Skywalker. They are fostered by the Queen and Queen’s consort of Alderraan. Luke becomes a Navel Captain while Leia manages the estate. She follows in her parents foot steps and marries a merchant and humble background, Captain Han Solo ( who also is involved in “free trade”). This is an even greater scandal then her mother as at least Anakin had been a Lord. Luke looks the other way concerning his bro-in-laws activities since tensions with Alderaan and Coruscant are rising and Han’s enterprises are for Alderaan and against the Imperial Empire.

Mara Jade is a courtesan/spy for Admiral Thrawn of the Imperial Empire of Coruscant. He holds on her the safety of a group of warrior monks, the Guardians of the Whills, that trained/raised her and she must spy on her countrymen to free them.

Talon Karrde is her accompli. Doesn’t approve of what she’s doing and just wants her to go to the Alderaan Government and come clean.

[starmxras]

The Ghost Of You | Ch 2

Padmé has never felt so helpless.

 While she is many things, she certainly isn’t a quitter; and yet, she had never been in such a situation before. Three days came and went with absolutely no communication, (minus See-Threepio, but there was only so much a person could take of Threepio.) She grew more despondent.

 And yet every night, she managed to drag herself back to a bed that wasn't hers.

 Everything about this place feels wrong. It isn’t home. It is, in fact, a weak facsimile of comfort. Even her bed, plush as it may be, feels wrong because it isn’t hers. 

 She hoists herself out of bed with a grunt, ready to begin another bleak day.

 "Well, little one, this makes day four," Padmé remarks to the baby in her womb. It had become cathartic to talk to the baby. "Maybe today will be better."

 She knows it won't be.

"Rise, my Apprentice," Palpatine says. "Tell me, how is Lady Amidala fairing?"

 Anakin grits his teeth. "She is...unhappy, Master. I choked her on Mustafar, and now she doesn't trust me."

 "What a shame, truly," Palpatine replies, voice dripping with clearly fake sympathy. "She will understand when you save her from dying in childbirth. Remember, Lord Vader, only I can help you achieve this." 

 "Yes, my Master," Anakin replies, attempting to bite back his anger.

 "Perhaps a...firm hand will allow your wife to be sated," Palpatine suggests. "In any case, I'd like you to come to my Gala tonight as my personal protector. Your wife can come...assuming she can pretend to not despise you for a few hours."

 Anakin bites his lip. Padmé would most likely not want to come. "I shall see you tonight, my Master."

 Padmé hums to herself, See-Threepio trailing behind her as she explores every nook and cranny of her new home. 

 She pauses at what she was told was a storage closet. Something looks...off. She presses the button to open it and nothing happens.

 "Threepio," Padmé says. "What is this room?"

 "I'm not entirely sure, Miss Padmé. Master Ani went in there twice, so you'd have to ask him."

 She looks closer, squinting her eyes. "What kind of storage closet needs a key?" 

 "Perhaps Master Ani does not want us in that room," Threepio suggests.

 "Clearly," she mutters in reply. 

 "Threepio, go get one of my hairpins," Padmé says. "We're finding out what's in there."

 "Oh my, I hope Master Ani isn't upset that we've gone in there," says Threepio as he shuffles out of the room.

 A minute later, See-Threepio returns with a red hairpin.

 "Thanks," she murmurs in reply, quickly getting started.

 She's interrupted by the door buzzer.

 She wonders who could be visiting her, and she answers the door alarm.

 "Milady, Lord Vader sent a doctor here to check on you. We've done a background check, she's clear for entry if you'll allow her." A clone's voice rings out. 

 Padmé shrugs. It's better to be safe than sorry, and she could use some company aside from Threepio.

 "Send her in." 

 The massive doors part for only a brief moment, allowing the Twi'lek doctor inside. 

 The doctor smiles brightly. "Good morning, Lady Vader. I'm Doctor Ashla Eni, Lord Vader hired me to take care of you during the rest of your pregnancy." She finishes with a small bow.

 Padmé gives a small smile. "A pleasure to meet you, Doctor Eni. But please, call me Padmé."

 "As you wish, Ma'am. Is there a comfortable place I can examine you?" the doctor asks.

 "Yes, follow me to the bedroom." 

 The examination goes smoothly and the two women make small talk. 

 "Well, Miss Padmé, as far as I can tell, you and your babies are in excellent health. You have nothing to worry about, and don't worry, labor will come soon enough," Doctor Eni finishes with a good-natured chuckle.

 "... I'm sorry, did you say babies?" Padmé asks in disbelief.

 "Yes. I'm sorry, I thought you knew." 

 "My other doctor said it could be a possibility... but I didn't think-" Padmé murmurs, feeling like a total idiot. How could she have not noticed?

 "Things happen sometimes, Miss Padmé. At least you have something interesting to tell Lord Vader now," Doctor Eni shrugs.

 "Yeah," Padmé says, still in disbelief. "Let me show you to the door."

A few hours later, Anakin returns. He makes his way to the kitchen, where Padmé sits at the table, nursing a glass of fruit juice. Her head is being supported by one hand as she stares off into space.

 "Palpatine wants me to go to his gala tonight. Do you want to come?" Anakin asks, rummaging through the cabinets.

 "The doctor came today," Padmé says, ignoring Anakin's question. 

 "And?" Anakin questions, expectantly.

 "I'm carrying twins," she answers plaintively.

 Anakin nearly drops the mug he was holding in shock.

 "...Really?" He asks, taking a seat across from her.

 "Yes, that's what Doctor Eni said," Padmé responds.

 Anakin closes his eyes, reaching out with the Force. "I can feel them," he whispers. "They're powerful... untapped, raw potential."

 "You're not going to train them, are you?"

 "They need to be able to defend themselves. What if something happened to them? They need guidance." Anakin claims.

 "Oh, my mistake, remind me again what happened to your teacher? I don't want my children to be Palpatine's pawns, Anakin!" hisses Padmé.

 Anakin huffs. "I'm not getting into this with you, Padmé. Not right now. Here's what's going to happen tonight- you can either come with me or stay here; I really don't care."

 He leaves the room before she can answer.

Padmé mutters to herself angrily as she attempts to pick the lock on the "closet". 

Finally, she hears a faint click, and she's able to open the door.

The room is dark. The walls, floor, and ceiling are suffocatingly black and it makes the room seem much smaller than it actually is.

Her eyes strain to adjust to the low light of the room, and she bumps into a workbench. 

She takes it that this is Anakin's room, then.

In the corner of the room sits an unmade single bed with a thin mattress. She sits on it and it  creaks, quite loudly, a stark difference from her pillowy-soft double bed. 

She nearly trips over a discarded robe on the floor, caked in ash. 

Steeling her nerves, she makes it over to a simple, unsuspecting doorway in the room, and holds her breath.

The small, cramped room is equally as dark, lit only with two candles. In the center of the narrow room sits a small meditation mat.

She closes the door with a shudder, making her way over to the attached refresher unit.

The air is humid and warm as if Anakin had just gotten out of the shower, and she only notices a shattered mirror on the ground when she feels something sharp cut her bare foot.

She winces, making a soft noise of pain. She then backs up into...something warm.

"What are you doing?" hisses Anakin, freshly showered, towel around his waist.

Padmé whirls around.

"I was-" she pauses. "I wanted to see what was in here." she continues, heart pounding.

"You shouldn't have gone in here. This is  my  space - just like you have  your  space."

"I..." Padmé trails off. Wait, why did she feel guilty? She didn't do anything wrong.

Anakin sighs. "Look...if you want to come to the gala...there's a dress waiting for you in your closet." He looks at her expectantly, awaiting an answer. 

"I don't know, I feel so...bloated. And I don't have my handmaidens or much makeup, so-"

"You look beautiful," Anakin tells softly. "You always have. Look, I understand if you don't want to come, I'll be fine alone." 

"...Do I have to talk to Palpatine?" She grimaces.

"No, probably not." Anakin says. 

"I...I guess I can come," she responds. "I'm bored to tears here, anyway," she adds with a shrug.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything," Anakin breathes, pulling her into a hug. "I know this hasn't been easy for you. Things will get better, I promise. I'll make the three-...four, of us a better life. This is just...temporary."

 Padmé softens. His apology seems genuine, is she being too hard on him?

 "...We've made it through worse, Ani. We can do this." 

 "I love you more than anyone else ever will. Remember that, Padmé." He says, resting his chin atop her head.

 A chill runs up her spine at his words, but she ignores it.

Some hours later, Padmé emerges from the bathroom, hair pulled back in an elegant chignon. She wears deep red lipstick that compliments the red roses on the neckline of her otherwise black dress. 

 She smiles ruefully as she slips on her wedding band, remembering how Anakin had saved up his credits for weeks to buy her the simple golden band. 

 Today was the first time that she wore her wedding band in public.

 She pauses, stopping in front of her mirror. She smoothes the fabric of her dress over her stomach, admiring her reflection.

 Anakin pops his head into her bedroom. "Almost ready, Angel? I can't be late."

 "Yeah, I'm ready. Let's go," Padmé replies, grabbing her purse.

The Gala is nothing short of extravagant on the outside. Of course, this fits Palpatine perfectly - ceremonious, elegant, but soulless. 

 On the inside, the party, while still elegant, is dry and lifeless. Padmé notes that it lacks a certain...energy, despite supposedly being a celebration.

 Just before they part, Anakin lowers his voice so that only Padmé can hear. 

 His hood is up and she can't make out his mouth actually moving, but she hears his words all the same.

 "I want to see a smile on your face the entire time, no excuses." she doesn't respond, lips pressed into a thin smile.

They part to make their rounds.

"Padmé!" Calls Bail Organa, beckoning her over with a glass of champagne in his hand.

 Padmé quickly hugs him. "Bail, so good to see you. How have you and Breha been?"

 "We're great, thanks for asking, though this past week has been quite...hectic. How are you- are you...?" He trails off awkwardly.

 "Oh, I'm doing just fine. I just found out I'm carrying twins." She gestures loosely to her swollen tummy.

 "Congratulations, Padmé. I mean it. If you ever need anything, please, let Breha or I know, okay?" Bail says, concern evident in his voice.

 "Of course. But don't worry, I'm fine," she replies. It was getting exhausting to lie to everyone and say she was fine.

 "Yes, well...you know that the Deligation-" 

 "No. No, Bail, we don't need to talk about that. Not here." She says, lowering her voice.

 "Ah, right. You know where to contact me, of course."

 "...What are you drinking?" she asks, eager to change the subject.

 "Alderaani Champagne, best in the galaxy." 

 "Well, you'll have to remind me to try some in the future," Padmé chuckles.

 Bail laughs good-naturedly, and Padmé incidentally catches Anakin's eye.

 He glares at her, and she wonders if he was watching the entire exchange.

 Anakin beckons her over with a tilt of his head.

 "You'll have to excuse me, Bail. Say hello to Breha for me." Padmé says quickly, making her way over to Anakin.

 "What?" she asks.

 "Let's talk outside."

 They make their way outside, and the cool night air hits Padmé. She hugs herself in an attempt to keep warm.

 "What was that all about?" Anakin hisses.

 "What? I was just talking to Senator Organa."

 "I saw the way he looked at you," Anakin retorts.

 "He has a wife! Not to mention, all we talked about was champagne. You're unbelievable!"

 "Unbelievable?" Anakin cocks his head. His eyes slowly begin to look golden, making the hair stand up on Padmé's neck. "You know what'd be unbelievable? If I killed Bail Organa where he stood."

 She refuses to let her fear show, taking a few steps back, leaning against the railing on the balcony. "Stay away from me, Anakin. I mean it."

 "Or else what?" Anakin scoffs.

 She doesn't respond, glancing to the side, where the balcony ends, and speeders zoom by.

 "You can't be serious," Anakin states incredulously.

 "To get away from you? It'd be worth it." Padmé responds bitterly.

 "Go ahead," Shrugs Anakin. "I'll catch you anyway."

 A few tense moments pass until she relents. Head hung low, she brushes past him. 

 He stops her, grabbing her by the shoulder. "That's what I thought, Padmé. I knew you didn't have it in you to do it," he whispers in her ear.

 "I want to go home," Padmé says, blinking furiously.

 "Not until Palpatine leaves for the evening. Don't worry, he probably won't stay too long." Anakin responds flippantly. "Here's a thought, how about you stay by my side the rest of the night so we don't have any more little...issues like this again."

 Padmé inhales shakily. "...I'd rather not." 

 "I wasn't asking." He says simply, looping his arm around hers. He lifts her chin with his hand. "Hey...come on now, stop crying, Angel. It makes you look so sloppy."

[the-magic-lava-lamp]

Warm Months - ‘Heart Of Gold’

Summary: (I decided to re-write an old story of mine called ‘Warm Months’! It’s a little bit different but the concept is pretty much the same! ) *And for the sake of this story, Anakin was 19 when the twins were born & Padme was 23. Plus, I’ve made Padme & Obi-Wan the same age*

[ 1976 ] Han Solo is stuck in an uneventful time in his life that he likes to call the 'working at the car wash blues’ era. But starting from a pit-stop on on road-trip where he meets the mysterious Leia and oh so interesting Luke, his life takes a turn. And he wonders if he’ll see them again.

Unbeknownst to Han, Luke and Leia have decided to go out on a quest to find & meet their birth parents or what’s left of them, which amounts to missed buses and long walks. That is until they run back into Han Solo and his pal Chewie. And the greatest road-trip officially begins

Chapter: 2 - Heart Of Gold

Song to go with today’s chapter

Word Count: 3,364

Ships: Eventual Skysolo + Obikin

Leia pushed some of the hair that wasn’t slicked down to her moist skin with sweat behind her ear and sighed. The hotel carpet beneath her cradled her aching feet and she had to admit, it was the most physical pleasure she’d had in a few days. It had been non-stop walking and running to catch buses just a ways out of reach. They’d begun this trip on Saturday and it was now Wednesday night and she was dead tired. Cracking her neck gently, in a way her father Bail had advised her against many times, she sat down on her bed. 

Carrying through the room was the clean smell from the bathroom that Luke had called dibs on upon entry. It brought a fresh spring meadow to her senses that made her instantly envious. She thought of the many times Luke had come over to her home and hogged that bathroom all the same. 

It had been explained to them the same since early childhood days of understanding. Their parents were young and afraid. And tragically, their mother passed away in childbirth. That was something Leia tried not to dwell on. Bail and Breha never hesitated to tell her everything she wanted to know. Padme. That was her birth mother, their birth mother. Beautiful, headstrong, wise beyond her years and so much more. 

The situation they’d ended up with was to be given to relatives and close friends instead of strangers. Her birth father, Anakin, had decided he could not raise them alone. So he did what was best for them. Allowing them to grow up in the best environment possible. He was but nineteen and just lost the love of his life and was without a stable job. As Bail had explained. So Leia went to a close friend of Padme’s and Luke was set with Anakin’s stepbrother Owen & his wife Beru. Each family had wanted children and gladly helped the man when he needed it most. 

As she grew, Leia tried hard not to be bitter. But she realized more and more that it would be unfair for her to hold a part of herself back for the feelings of a man who was not in her life anymore. It was hard. she understood why he did what he did, truly. But because she was a daughter, it hurt. She loved their families dearly but the separation between her and Luke growing up, though minimal, was difficult.

That’s not to say their families didn’t tell them all they needed to know because they did. They were always aware they were siblings and were told stories of their parents. Most children wait to meet their birth parents just as they did. When they were eighteen the curiosity hit. But life got in the way. Jobs, dating, school plans, etc. Nineteen ended up being the chosen age to seek their birth father out.

And not for the first time did she wonder if it was the right thing to do. Not only was it a leap of faith to meet their father. But this would also be their first taste of true freedom outside of Tatooine. The town they grew up in. Where they worked meaningless jobs. Where they fought the fights of children and teenagers. Where they experienced first kisses and missed school buses. A town they loved was in the rear-view mirror for the first time in their lives. There was no guarantee they’d ever live there the same again after this. After all, they were nineteen now. 

Her thoughts were interrupted when Luke burst from the bathroom and hopped onto his own bed. That dopey smile on his face that made Leia scoff yet she returned the grin always. She strolled over to the small bathroom and closed the door. 

Her hair was flowing elegantly down against her skin. She grabbed at it, readying herself to do one of those braids her mother taught her. But as she went to go into the action without a second thought, the first steps seemed to fade from her mind. 

So she pictured the moments Breha had managed to wrangle her to stand still and shown her just how to pull her hair into fun styles. Though only away from home for a few days now, seeing the picture of herself and her mother put her at ease. 

As the hair slipped through her fingers, she thought about just how devastating it was that her birth mother never got to experience those little moments with her. Something dreadfully painful ached in her chest. Her feet moved before she registered an idea. 

Throwing open the bathroom door, she sped over to the hotel room telephone and dialed without even sparing Luke an explanation. 

“Hey mom.” She spoke softly into the phone. “No, nothing’s wrong. Just wanted to um, check in.” 

Luke crawled over to the edge of his bed to mouth a question. 

“Yeah, no. Luke is not causing any trouble.” She giggled and ruffled the boys hair. “Just wanted to say that I love you guys, ok?” She almost sighed at the way she’d brought it up without grace but she truly wanted to express it as soon as she could. Luke sunk back on his legs and smiled before opening his mouth like he’d remembered something. 

Leia nodded, understanding without words. “Luke sends his love...let Owen and Beru know.” She grinned. 

                         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Breakfast consisted of a paper tray of warm french fries that Leia and Luke consistently passed between them as they walked down the sidewalk. The salt coated their lips and made it increasingly hard not to crave water but they had left their drinks at the store like idiots. And they weren’t about to walk all the way back there. 

Leia would have much preferred their trip to be in a more stable company of a constant car. But they were forced to cycle from bus to walking because her own car had gotten stolen just a few weeks before. Neither of them even had the option of taking their parents cars considering they required them to get to work. It had put a real damper on Leia’s mood. She'd worked long and hard to earn the money for that El Camino. The old man had sold it to her heavily cheap, it was a steal really. Now it really had been stolen. She chuckled miserably at the dumb joke, if she could even call it that. She came up from behind where Luke was standing just ahead of her. He too had stopped. His chin tilted to the sky. 

“There a reason you’ve stopped?” She raised her brow and Luke gave her a side-eye as he continued to look up at the morning sky. 

“There a reason you stopped?” He retorted. Leia hummed and crossed her arms. The sky was a touch of blushed pink special to the early morning. She cradled the fry tray that she’d been so lucky to be stuck with do to Luke’s sudden wonderment. 

People had asked and asked loads of times during school if they had that lame psychic twin connection. They went from laughing it off to messing around with their classmates to fool them into thinking they not only had it but it was a superpower. You’d think they’d have grown out of that but they’d just performed one of their practice stunts on an unsuspecting bowler at the alley a few days ago. She laughed as she thought about it. 

But they actually did have it...to a rational degree of course. Luke’s thoughts were going a mile a minute, she could feel it just the same as if they’d been flowing through her. 

She let it ride for a few seconds, watching the cars zooming past them down the street just ahead. The sun bounced it’s rays down on them, glittering the pavement. 

“Do you think he’ll wanna see us?” Luke piped up, a small murmur in his tone that made Leia looked at him with wide, open eyes. She nodded. 

“I’m sure he’ll be shocked but...” She trailed off, nodding more so to herself. “We are his kids, Luke.” She smiled kindly. Keeping her answer vague on purpose, merely reminding Luke where they stood in this situation. She didn’t want to offer a hope or promise that might just be left unfulfilled. It was important to her that Luke remain level-headed and not blindly hopeful. 

He nodded, recognizing her tone. He hiked the bag on his back further up before he started to slowly stroll again. Leia took to his side and held out the fries which he gladly took from her. 

Luke wasn’t the wide-eyed innocent kid that he used to be...far from it. But Leia sometimes caught herself treating him as such. It was just instinct. Though neither of them was sure who the older twin was. As neither Bail & Breha nor Owen & Beru had thought to ask such a trivial question to Anakin during the emotional period of giving up his children. 

It had been a silly thing she and Luke would pretend to fight about. A fair amount of people assumed it to be her. It bothered her brother a lot more when they were little. He’d always huff and puff and insist that it could just as well be him. Leia would snort and say there is a 50/50 chance without much confidence in her voice. 

Though sometimes Leia got the feeling people could be wrong. And maybe that was just because Luke had always had somewhat of an old soul. His childhood wardrobe had really been that of a small old man it seemed. And his eyes, though wide, were also filled with a wonder she could barely understand. 

“Would you unfurl your brow for like five seconds and have some fun?” Luke whined, reaching out and rubbing the creases on her forehead. She attempted to bat him away as she laughed. And there was his childlike side. Which appeared most often.

“Since when is walking around in this boiling weather only to catch a dirty bus fun, Luke?” She shook her head and bumped his arm. He shrugged.

“It’s adventure.” He smiled, sheepishly. 

“I’ll give it that. It is an adventure.” She chuckled. In all honesty, it was not that bad. But she had never been one for hot weather. She preferred the cool and chilly winds of autumn. However Luke thrived during the summer. He could spend forever outside and remain content with the sweltering heat. Leia was sometimes convinced that he just couldn’t feel it.  

They slowed to shocked a stop just then as their bus whizzed by as if pulling from the curb with extra force. Leia almost felt steam coming from her ears as she tried to suck in her breath to stay calm. Luke sighed from beside her. 

“That sucks.” He pouted momentarily. “Are you sure we had the right-?” 

Leia was already fussing around for the bus schedule in her bag. Once she pulled it out, she darted her eyes around. “It left like ten minutes early.” She glared out into the empty black-top road. 

After about five minutes, Luke spoke again. “You know...” He gave her a cheeky grin. “They say a watched street never boils.” 

His lame joke momentarily distracted her at least enough to roll her eyes away from the dreaded stare. 

“So we’ll find another way. No big deal.” Luke grinned, the picture of naivety sometimes...he was a walking contradiction in the way. Leia frowned and rolled her shoulders back. 

“This sets us back by at least another day.” She sighed, rubbing her face like she was ages older. Sometimes it seemed like all of her mistakes were something that still weighed her down. Which Luke thought was ridiculous. She barely made any anyway. And maybe he was biased, being her brother and all but he doubted it. Leia had wisdom that he could barely understand. 

“So, another day in the town of Corellia ...not bad, huh?” Luke gestured out with his arms and Leia reluctantly just shrugged. She’d tried her best to avoid the obstacles that inevitably showed up on this trip yet here they were. 

Part of her just wanted this trip to be over and done with. It was proving to be a major source of stress. And maybe she felt a little bad for feeling as such. But she pushed her thoughts away to glance over the scenery of the town. 

It was hot but a nice shade of sunny orange. It was buzzing with rushed company and she could hear the sudden harsh sounds of the mechanic’s building just in her view. 

The town was a lot to drink in at once and the flavor was for sure that of a fresh Whiskey Sour. She kept the secret of why she knew what those tasted like to herself. She puckered her lips and allowed for Luke to take a semi-lead. He strolled down the sidewalk and took long glances as if he was an admiring tourist on a vacation. 

They were going to have to find another hotel or check into the same one for just one more night. And she debated that choice in her mind while blowing a strand of brown hair from her eyes. 

“Wanna just mess around for a bit?” Luke asked, sticking his thumb behind him as he turned to face her. He gestured to the down-town area with a curious expression.

“We don’t have very many options, so.” Leia shrugged and finally came to stand at his side. 

                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun’s curious children trailed the streets of Corellia, collecting prime and interesting gadgets from store to store. Leia would have liked to say she was considerably less guilty of this than Luke but she too had gathered a tiny collection of tinker toys.

Both twin fussed with their own mechanical puzzle as they attempted to find something else to do. It was unspoken between them but it was surely a test to see which of them was quicker. 

And in record time, Luke managed to beat Leia by just two or three seconds. He intended to gloat as he might’ve done when they were kids. But he was easily distracted when the sun rays caught beautifully on the metal of his puzzle and reflected a warm orange glow on his tender cheeks. It tingled slightly and he was sure he was edging close to the beginnings of sunburn. Which was odd. He spent so much of his time out in the sun and managed to avoid that nine times out of ten. 

Leia tilted her chin up and hiked her bag further up her back as they passed the front of some small home-y looking diner. She caught Luke’s admiring expression and made a note to come back round to the place around dinner time. However her mental note was interrupted when she slowly passed a lonesome looking bench and got a good kick around her hip. “Ow! Shit.” She whipped her head around and saw the outstretched shoe of some man who was asleep. 

She came closer to take a look only to have a dog jump up from what seemed like nowhere and bark, scaring the absolute shit out of her. She jumped back right into a oblivious Luke and both twins tumbled straight for the concrete underneath them. 

That was until the man shot up and used his shockingly amazing and convenient reflex skills to grab for Leia’s arm.

And it worked. Mostly...

Leia popped right back up so Luke took the fall for the both of them. Leia grinded her teeth together in horror as her brother hit the ground. And the man tightened his grip around her forearm on reflex. 

“Hey Kid!...You ok?” Han’s voice was familiar and Leia only just noticed it was him as she turned to look at him. His voice went from excited to concerned in seconds flat. Leia shook from his grip and pulled her brother up who was pretty bouncy for someone who just fell right onto the sidewalk. 

“I’m good, thanks.” Luke shrugged and grinned at his sister to let her know she didn’t need to worry, not that that would stop her. He then sharply took in all that was Han once again. 

“You two are still in town, huh?” Han played down the excitement that had been found earlier in his tone, Leia noticed. Luke strolled closer to pet the head of the dog that Leia figured was the one he’d excitedly left the bowling alley to meet just some days ago. 

Chewie’s was comfortably warm from the sunny day and Luke slowly threaded his fingers in his long fur. “Your sister seems pretty...prompt. I thought you’d be off early this morning.” Han spoke casually. 

“His sister has a name. It’s Leia. And I’m right here. Thanks.” Leia scoffed and bumped his elbow so it would fall from it’s perched position and send him for a tiny free-fall from lack of balance. It made Luke giggle. 

“That’s a hell of a way to say thanks for saving you from tasting concrete.” Han halfheartedly scowled as he fiddled with his arm. 

“Yeah, my hero. It was just my brother who got a taste of the concrete, huh? You also caused the accident if you remember correctly.” Leia said smartly, tilting her head and smirking. Teasing came easy to her. She’d always used that to advantage over Luke while they were growing up. 

“We missed our bus.” Luke interrupted the mini stand-off, only having paid half-attention to it. He had that simple and carefree grin on his face. It was no wonder all of Han’s attention was right back onto the young man. “Leaving us here for another day.” Luke dipped his chin down like he was being shy before running his tongue across his lips. It almost played off as if it were a move. His moistened lips parted just slightly and the summer afternoon breeze ricocheted throughout his body which just had to make him tilt his chin to the sky. The smooth skin of his neck now exposed to the suggestive heat-

“Anyway, take care of yourself Han.” Luke pulled back sharply and quickly from that slow moment with a refreshing amount of pleasure. It nearly gave the other man whiplash as he was sent reeling. Now...that had never happened to him before. Han coughed out of sheer fear that he’d had his confusion plainly written all over his face. From his side, Chewie barked once more. 

A small gray spider climbed it’s way up the side of the bench as the sun lit up the intricate web. It made Han realize he had two options. 

Continue his time lazily sitting on the bench with Chewie until he found the energy to go back home. Only to keep slipping into an easy sleep until he inevitably took it far too long and woke up with his shoes stolen like last time. 

Or, make the rest of his day interesting by offering to pay for his & these twin travelers lunch. 

He decided to make a gamble of his day and shot up, making sure Chewie was right at his side which he always was. “Long road-trips can really do a number on the wallet. If I treat you two to lunch would you mind watching Chewie here for say ten minutes while I go collect a paycheck?” Han spun it to make it seem like they’d be doing him a favor. 

Leia pursed her lips. She was tempted to take the offer considering they should probably eat something but might want to start saving their money. The twins shared a conflicted look before both nodding. 

“Sure.” Leia held out he hand for the leash but Luke swiped it as Han held it out. It made the other man chuckle before he turned off towards the street and walked off. 

As Luke kneeled to Chewies level and began cooing at the beautiful dog, Leia made a wish on a passing car that they’d be able to make it through this whole trip without anymore obstacles.

[ashlynncoy-blog]

Misfire: Recovering Part V

literally because @annae-gibson is awake right now and so am I

When Leia awoke the next morning, Han was nowhere to be found in her suite. She got dressed quickly and went off to find him. They’d agreed to take off first thing; she meant to be back on Coruscant in time to receive her morning briefing. She’d made it clear to Han in the speeder on the way to the spaceport to make this trip she had no intention of staying on Alderaan past breakfast. There was no way she was about to let the terrorist attack the night before keep her from going into the office in the morning.

She finally caught up with Han on her mother’s private terrace. Laughing together about something Leia hadn’t heard, they looked like a pair of old friends. Leia had always loved how deeply her parents had embraced both Luke and Han, but there was something different about the way her mother and her fiancé were relating to each other today. Leia wondered if the apparent ease and intimacy between them was a result of time spent while Han was convalescing in the palace.

Either way, it warmed her heart seeing them so close.

The near-empty plates of pastries on the adjacent cart told Leia they’d likely been at it for some time. Breha had never been one to offer nothing but sweets at breakfast time, so there was a good chance they’d had a proper meal in the dining room before coming out for treats on the terrace.

Leia suppressed the urge to express her surprise at this. She could never remember Han getting out of bed before she did. But it occurred to her this was the first night they’d spent together in more than a year. And the night he’d stayed over after she’d hurt herself aboard the Falcon he’d been up and gone before she was awake. Maybe months in a coma had turned him into an early riser…?

“Well hello there, princess,” Han greeted, rising from his seat to meet her near the doorway. He planted a kiss on her forehead before snaking an arm around her shoulders to walk with her toward where he and her mother had been sitting.

It was a lovely late-summer morning. The sun was peeking out through the mountains, and there was nary a cloud in the sky. Breha sat near the railing in a large patch of sunshine, smiling at the two of them as they neared. She had a blanket across her lap, which Leia found incongruous with the warmth in the air, but she chose not to mention it.

“Hello yourselves,” Leia said back. She sat down beside her mother on the divan and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “So what’s he been on about this morning, mother,” she asked, “ was it music…flowers…?”

“It was cake flavors,” Breha replied with a simper over the rim of her cup of tea. “Does the bride have an opinion to share?”

“The bride’s opinion,” Han injected, snagging another pastry off the tray as he plopped down beside Leia, “was that she wanted to elope. So I’m not sure her opinion ought to hold much weight.”

“Leia,” her mother said in a tone she easily recognized as feigned admonishment.

“I only meant,” Leia said back. She turned to look at Han and sneered, “I’d be happy to marry you right here, right now. All the rest is just window dressing, and I don’t need any of it.”

“Well,” Breha said, “as sweet a sentiment as that is, the Prince Elect has his heart set on every bit of window dressing Royal protocol can provide. And it’s my pleasure to oblige him in this regard.”

Leia shook her head.

“I’m not opposed to a formal wedding,” she assured them both, “and even if I was, there is no way I’d be able to fight you both. We can have as big a production as the two of you want to put on.”

“See, Han,” Breha said, setting down her teacup and patting the back of Leia’s hand with her own, “she can be reasoned with.”

Han nudged Leia with his shoulder.

“I’m guessing the reason you came and found me is that you’re ready to go,” he said, popping the last of the little pastry into his mouth.

“As soon as possible,” she replied.

“Won’t you stay, just for a bite?” Breha asked her daughter.

“I wish I could,” Leia replied, “but I have appointments back on Coruscant. We really need to be going.”

“See,” Han said, turning back to look at Breha,”I told you. If it had been anything else, I might have talked her into a longer visit. But this time it was an attack on her specifically—she’s not about to let the bad guys think they have her on the run.”

“And I couldn’t be prouder,” Breha said, reaching up to squeeze her daughter’s hand. “Go on, then,” she said “have a safe trip. And I’ll see you in a few weeks.”

Han took Leia’s hand as he bent down to kiss Breha’s cheek.

“See you soon,” he said.

They both turned to go.

“In a few weeks?” Leia asked quietly as soon as they were clear of the terrace. “Are we planning a return visit I don’t know about yet? Cake tasting?” she teased.

“Wait ‘til we get to the Falcon,” Han said gravely.

Leia was surprised when they reached the hangar bay that the palace team had already done a preflight check of the ship and that their departure window had already been arranged. She caught Han’s gaze and he winked at her. Clearly he’d been on top of things all morning. As the two of them headed into the cockpit, she gave him a grin that said she should have known.

Leia slid into the copilot’s seat and easily went about the business of assisting with their takeoff.

Han asked Leia to fly them to the jump point, which she did without question, although she was worried that his bedtime headache might still be bothering him. In case his head was hurting, Leia kept quiet as she navigated them to the edge of the lane.

Han dialed in the coordinates for Coruscant, the Falcon’s rebuilt navicomputer quickly and easily making the calculations. It was only after he’d pulled the lever to take the ship to hyperspace that he turned to Leia and frowned.

“You know your mom’s not doing well,” he said.

Leia nodded.

“I can tell there’s something wrong, but I have no idea what it is.”

“Yeah,” Han said back. He ran his hand through his hair and leaned back in his seat. “it’s probably not my place to be telling you, but I’m gonna tell you—because I think you should know, and I don’t think it’s good for us to keep secrets from each other.”

“Okay,” Leia said, turning in her seat to face him and folding her hands in her lap.

“Her CEM’s started to fail,” he told her.

“CEM?” Leia asked, shaking her head, “I’m not familiar.”

“Right,” Han replied, nodding. “You don’t speak hospital. It’s her Central Exchange Module,” he explained. “Think of it as the hub of her pulmonodes. It’s the main pulmonary unit—the thing that exchanges the gases in her blood. Without it, carbon dioxide builds up, there can be tissue damage—eventually your brain gets hypoxic and… and you die.”

“And hers is failing?”

“Yeah, well,” he said, “it’s old. Machines wear out. She’s had that one for thirty some years, and it wasn’t exactly cutting edge when she got it. They decided to go with tried-and-true for the future monarch. So she’s walking around right now with fifty year-old tech in her chest.”

“And she told you this?” Leia asked, allowing herself a sniffle as she blinked back the tears in her eyes.

“She did,” Han replied. “And I talked her into coming to Coruscant in a couple of weeks to see the guy who did mine.”

“Yours?”

“Yeah,” Han said back, “I think I’ve got more hardware upgrades than the Falcon.”

“I didn’t know that,” Leia said. “There’s not a…” she stumbled over her words, shaking her head as she processed this new information. “I mean, I can’t see…”

“The glow, you mean?” he asked.

Leia nodded.

“Yeah, well, mine’s the military model,” he kidded, “it’s designed for stealth.” Han could see Leia was in no mood for joking. He shook his head as he reached out to take her hand. “There’s more of me than there is of your mother,” he explained earnestly. “Distance between the unit and the skin determines the level of visibility. And I do have a newer setup, it’s designed to be less visible.”

“Okay,” she said, squeezing his hand as she tried to wrap her mind around what she was hearing.

“Your mom’s going to be fine,” he assured her. “She’s just got to take it easy until the doctors can decide what to do to make her well again.”

[sl-walker]

"So never forget that you have been blessed with the best wife." (referring to Bail / Breha but any take you want on it in any of your 'verses)

Bail knew his father had lovers. He had understood that from around the age of eight; that sometimes, arranged marriages were not the kind built on love, but on necessity or gain or alliance. His mother and father were kind to one another, and they were friends, but they were never in love. They had four children together, but aside to conceive, they slept in separate beds.

Bail didn’t know if his mother had lovers; if she did, she was exceptionally discreet about it. But then, she was the matriarch and Alderaan had taken a distinct turn towards being more matriarchal after the Civil War. She was held to a different standard than her husband, whether that was fair or not.

Bail had always assumed that he was going to end up much the same. Married for political reasons, rather than love. So when the Acendency Contention resulted in a marriage promise between House Organa and House Antilles, he couldn’t say he was surprised. He didn’t have any current lovers when it had happened, so while he was plenty nervous about meeting his future wife, he also was willing to see what happened.

“Well, it could be worse,” she had said when he stepped off the shuttle at the river port to meet her, looking him up and down, voice dry and good-humored. Bail had laughed, surprised, looking down over his casual clothes and when he looked up and she grinned at him, his heart jumped, sped up and-- that was it.

Just like that.

“Thanks, I think,” he said back, breathless and still smiling so wide his face hurt from it, as he took her offered hand and kissed her knuckles. “Wow. Okay, hi. I’m Bail, your, uh-- future husband, who is apparently not the worst.”

It was Breha’s turn to laugh, and she did. “That’s good to know. Otherwise, this would have become very awkward, very quickly.” She took her hand back, smile softening a little bit as she looked up at him. “Hi, Bail. I’m Breha, your future wife. Feel like having a cup of caf with me?”

“I’d love to,” Bail answered, and meant it entirely.

Despite all of the Alderaanian romantic poetry he had been exposed to thanks to having a sister who majored in Literature, Bail hadn’t honestly believed in such a thing as love-at-first-sight. It was a sweet concept, but it didn’t seem realistic. How could anyone fall for someone just on one meeting?

Boy, was he proven wrong.

Breha was-- beautiful. In her casual clothes, her black hair plaited over a shoulder with a winding seafoam colored ribbon, her bangs wind-blown, she walked with a dancer’s grace. She tucked a hand in the crook of Bail’s arm and walked with him like she had been doing so all of her life, and he kept stealing glances at her, even after he tripped on a bowed part of the stone walk they were on.

But even more than her physical beauty, there was her laugh. She had a vaguely smokey voice -- he wasn’t surprised weeks later when he learned that she used to sing in taverns during her first couple of years as a student teacher, both for some extra credits and also just for the pleasure of it -- and when she laughed, she’d let her head fall back, eyes closed, clinging to Bail’s arm and just-- letting herself give into it. None of the polite, quiet laughter of a politician or noblewoman, but the joyful belly laugh of someone who knew the value of such things.

She was sharp, too. Clever. Bail walked into a couple of different traps, only to have her sense of humor spring closed on him unexpectedly, leaving him laughing himself breathless. More seriously, she had formed opinions on a wide range of political and social issues, and they almost on the whole lined up with Bail’s, though even when they didn’t, she could present her point of view in such a way that he could understand it, even if he didn’t entirely agree.

And she was tough. Bail sat listening with his chin on the heel of his hand as she recounted what she had been doing before being called back to Alderaan, raptly fascinated as she described the situations she had not only lived through, but helped other people through.

Bail was so hooked by the time they parted ways for the night that he didn’t even feel the fact that he had been out hours after he had planned on being home. It was only a few hours before dawn when he finally made it in the door, and he still sat up just-- thinking it all over, unsteady and still-breathless and hopelessly, hopefully, strangely, wildly in love.

And Bail never stopped loving her.

Not when he traced the scars she picked up on worlds where there was no bacta to erase them. Not when they got into a stiff argument for the first time about an issue they both felt passionately about. Not when she ascended to the throne and time became precious for them both. Not when he became Senator, succeeding her uncle, and moved to Coruscant.

Not when she miscarried. Not when it happened again, and again, and again.

And again.

By then, he hated himself plenty, but he never, ever stopped loving her.

It really might have been the only reason that he never went over that final ledge; that fact that he loved her. And that despite his flaws, she loved him back.

"I’m lucky to have you, Dove,” he said, one late night when their conversation had tapered, nothing but a pair of blue ghosts to one another, so far away.

He didn’t need to see her in detail to see the sorrow in her eyes when he could hear it in her voice as she answered, “Oh, Bail. Luck had nothing to do with it, dear-heart.”

He wished then that he could believe that.

Some of it must have been in his mind, buried deep and covered like a grave, when he demanded Master Obi-Wan Kenobi take him to Zigoola only a couple of months later.