I read about Carrie Fisher's passing shortly after posting this at Archive of Our Own. I'm not good with death. I don't know what to say...except that with a heavy heart, this is dedicated to Star Wars' lost princess, and a wonderful fellow writer.
Leia
and the Warlock In the Woods
Rating:
PG (violence)
Pairings:
Han/Leia
Disclaimer:
The franchise belongs to George Lucas and the Walt Disney Company.
Once
upon a time, there were a sister and brother, Luke and Leia. They
lived in the Naboo Woods with their father, Anakin Skywalker, a
woodcutter. Anakin had once been a very rich knight, but he had lost
all his money to an evil warlock. He had wanted Anakin to work for
him, but the knight refused. The warlock stole his treasure and left
the man and his two children penniless.
Luke
and Leia were nineteen when Anakin sent them away with their Aunt
Breha and Uncle Bail to Coruscant, the largest city in the Kingdom of
Alderaan, to be educated. The twins protested. Their father was the
only parent they could remember, their mother having died when they
were small. Anakin insisted. He believed Breha and Bail could give
them a better life than he was able to.
It
wasn't that she didn't love her aunt and uncle, Leia thought as they
bounced along the road through the forest. She was especially fond of
Uncle Bail, who often sent her journals for writing and Luke
beautiful old fairy tale books. She thought she could be more useful
at home with Father. After all, they helped him chop wood, kept house
for him, and Leia kept track of what little money they made. Who
would do all those things for him now?
Aunt
Breha shivered at the sudden wind and the dark clouds that raced
across the sky. “I knew we shouldn't have gone this way. This is
the part of the woods where the warlock is said to reside.” She
pulled her brocade cloak further around her shoulders. “People have
disappeared out here. A wealthy merchant and his entire household,
his bodyguard and servants and even his home, simply vanished without
a trace. It's been over a year, and no one's seen them since.”
“Do
you think that'll happen to us?” Luke asked, shuddering. Though he
was a bit taller than Leia, he was slender and gentle, with his
golden hair and innocent blue eyes.
Leia
hugged her brother. “Of course, it won't!” She was smaller than
her brother, but far feistier. Her long brown hair, pulled into a
braided crown on the top of her head, framed snappy dark eyes and a
wide pink mouth. She had more of a temper than Luke and was even more
likely to attack without thinking.
The
black-haired lawyer patted his niece fondly on the shoulder. “We
don't know what's out there, sweet Leia. You can never be too
careful.”
It
had begun to rain while they were talking. The lightning around them
was rather strange, Leia thought. She'd never seen purple lightning
before. Even as the rain started, it didn't seem right. Luke and Leia
huddled close together. Breha leaned worriedly against her husband.
The
carriage suddenly jerked to a stop. Bail poked his head out, ignoring
the weather. “What's the trouble here?”
“Sir,
there's an old man in the path,” one of the drivers explained. “He
refuses to move.”
Bail
turned his attention to the shadowy figure in the dark cloak planted
in front of the carriage. “Sir, may we help you? Are you all right?
Do you need a ride?”
“Not
a ride,” purred a scratchy voice. His cackle sounded like that of a
witch. “I want your money, all of your money and fine goods and
clothes, or you will not be able to pass through this woods.”
“That's
ridiculous!” Bail glared at him. “These woods belong to the
Kingdom of Alderaan. They're open to everyone.” He finally waved
his hands at his men. “Drivers, go around him. If he won't move, we
won't be bothered with him.”
“You'll
regret ignoring my warning!” A bony white hand emerged from the
heavy, dark fabric. It stabbed at the air, gathering even more
unusual purple lightning from the raging storm. To Leia's horror, he
directed the lightning right at their carriages!
Breha
screamed. Bail was thrown back into Luke and Leia. The lightning
sizzled around them, throwing the carriage over into a tree. To
Leia's horror, their horses had fled back to Alderaan, and their
drivers and knights and servants were little more than sizzling brown
shapes on the ground, growing soggy in the relentless rain.
Luke's
blue eyes widened in horror. “He turned them into cookies!”
“Let's
not stick around for him to do the same to us!” Leia grabbed his
hand. “We have to get Aunt Breha and Uncle Bail and get out of
here!”
“There
isn't time!” They just barely dodged a bolt of purple lightning.
The carriage behind them sizzled, it's occupants screaming as they
shrunk into gingerbread cookies. “We can't let him see us!”
But
the warlock did see them. “You! Children! Come back here!” They
managed to dodge another bolt of lightning as they plunged into the
dark woods.
Leia
was surprised at how comforting the woods felt, despite the storm.
The trees had rather eccentric shapes and strong limbs that protected
them and held the warlock back. It was as if they were keeping an eye
on them, making sure they were safe.
After
running for what seemed like hours, Luke finally collapsed in front
of a tree. “I can't go another step,” he puffed. “I don't care
if the warlock gets us now. What are we going to do? We're lost! We
don't know this part of the forest.” He closed his eyes, trying to
push the horrible images they'd seen out of his mind. “And our aunt
and uncle...”
“I
can't believe he did that to them. They were such good people. I'll
miss them both terribly. And those men didn't deserve to die like
that.” Leia pulled her new silk cloak that her aunt gave her around
both of them. “It's too late for us to return to Father. Let's
sleep here and figure it out in the morning.”
Luke
rubbed his stomach. “I'm so hungry and tired. I wish we could find
a place to stay for the night.”
His
sister sighed. “Yes, but where? No one lives in this part of the
forest. There's no houses for miles.” She put her slender white arm
around his shoulders. “At least the rain's almost gone. Look, I can
see the moon!”
As
she pointed to the round, soft moon peeking through the treetops,
they noticed the form of a bird coming towards them. It was a
handsome falcon, with majestic reddish-brown wings, a peculiar scar
under its yellow beak, and large hazel eyes. There was something
about it's eyes, Leia decided, that looked almost...human. The way he
looked at her was rather cheeky for a bird.
The
bird landed first on Luke's shoulder, nudging his cheek, then on
Leia's. Luke scratched his back. “Hello there, boy. What are you
doing here? You seem very friendly, for a wild bird!”
“Ow!”
Leia winced as the falcon nipped her ear. “What do you want?” It
screeched in her ear...but it sounded like “Come with me, come with
me!” She let it sit on her arm, stroking its chin. “I wonder if
you belong to someone? Father said he used falcons for hunting when
he had the money to take care of them.”
“He
has that scar.” Luke ran his hand over his chin. “Do you think
his owner abused him?”
Leia
shook her head. “Probably had a fight with another bird or an
accident with a tree.”
As
the rain continued to lessen, the bird finally took off. He swooped
through the woods, occasionally looking over his shoulder to see if
they were following him. The twins couldn't help chuckling at the
very human look of annoyance on his face when he noticed they were
just staring at him.
“I
think he wants us to go with him.” Luke nodded as the bird soared
again, flying into the now-quiet night.
“We
don't have a choice.” Leia took Luke's hand. “Maybe he knows
where to find some food or an inn that will give us shelter.”
The
duo once again hiked for several hours, the falcon leading them down
muddy paths and through rambling bushes. Leia was worried and nearly
sick with fatigue and terror. She already missed their aunt and
uncle, not to mention Father. Once or twice, she spoke to the falcon,
asking him where they were going and when would they get there. She
swore his squawking sounded like, “Soon, kid. Soon.”
They
rested by a tree with blackish bark and soft green-orange leaves that
enfolded them in a gentle embrace. Luke snuggled against it, letting
it envelope him and his sister. He swore it felt like the tree's
branches were stroking his hair as they drifted off to sleep, the
falcon snoring on a thicker branch over their heads.
When
they awoke the next morning, they searched in vain for the falcon,
but it had vanished into the morning light. Fortunately, the path
here was less muddy and rugged. It looked as if it had been well
cared-for at one time. They had no difficulty strolling along,
enjoying what had become a fine, sunny spring day. The trees bowed
over them, filtering out the harshest light.
The
moment they reached the end of the path, Luke grabbed his sister's
hand. “Leia,” he shouted with delight, “look!”
Before
them was the most amazing manor house Leia had ever seen. Not only
was it enormous, but every last bit of it, from the steps leading to
the grand door made of almond bark to the tall roofs made of colored
wafers, was crafted from candy and gingerbread and cake. The fence
that surrounded it was stiff icing, the cobblestones under their feet
rock candy.
“Do
you think we could...try a little of it?” Luke's blue eyes gazed at
it hungrily. “I can't remember the last time we had anything to eat
besides those strawberries we found last night.”
“I
don't know...but I do know this house isn't ours.” Leia looked
around, trying to find the owner. “It must belong to somebody.”
But
Luke had already stuck his finger into the icing under one of the
windows. “Leia, you have to try this. It's delicious!” He broke
off a piece of the windowpane and nibbled at it.
“Well...maybe
just a tiny piece.” She pulled a butter cookie off the side. “It's
a huge house. I'm sure the owner won't miss one or two pieces of the
wall.”
They'd
been eating for a few minutes when the front door flung open, and an
elderly man stepped out He wore a fine suit with a navy blue velvet
cape that was too wide for his thin shoulders, flowing white silk
blouse, and chocolate-brown trousers that seemed just a little too
baggy and long. He had thick white hair and a tight-lipped smile in a
gentle, slightly withered face.
“Who's
nibbling at my house?” he asked, gazing down at the duo in a
squint. “What brings you two lovely children here?”
Luke
swallowed the piece of gingerbread he'd pulled off the wall. “My
name is Luke Skywalker, sir.”
“And
I'm Leia.” His sister wiped her hands off on the green and blue
skirt Aunt Breha had bought her. “We're sorry, sir, that we ate
your house, but we were hungry, and the falcon lead us here...”
“Falcon?”
The old man's thin smile grew wider. “Oh yes, him. He comes around
here all the time. I only see him at night, though. He sleeps in the
day.” The old man opened the door. “Why don't you children come
in? You look famished. I could give you a nice, hot meal and a room
for the night while we search for your family.”
Luke
blinked back tears. “Our family...they're dead, sir. A terrible
warlock killed them on the road and stole their money. I don't think
he saw us. We were able to hide in the woods.”
The
man's look of concern seemed a little too forced to Leia. “How
dreadful! Why don't you come in here and tell me more about it? I may
be able to send one of my men to alert the authorities about this.”
Leia
nudged her brother. “Luke, I don't like this,” she whispered.
“There's something about this man I don't trust.”
Luke
nodded. “I don't like this, either, but we don't have a choice. We
don't know anyone else here. At least this man can give us a good
meal for the night. He might even be able to tell us more about the
warlock and how to defeat him. He does live out here.”
“My
name,” the old gentleman explained as they followed him into the
house, “is Sheev Palpatine. I'm a merchant, and this is my home. I
do quite well out here, actually. I sell baked goods for many of the
largest bakeries in Coruscant, making sure their wares get to other
kingdoms.”
Leia
raised her eyebrows. “I thought the merchant who lived around here
disappeared.”
Her
brother nodded. “Aunt Breha said he and his entire household just
suddenly...vanished.” He frowned. “And that he was much younger
than you.”
Palpatine's
smile became even tighter. “I took over this home from the previous
owner. He was too foolish to follow my advice and join my company and
lost all his money.”
The
house was equally tasty on the inside. Every stick of furniture was
made of candy or cake. Lines of gingerbread cookies hung on the walls
instead of pictures. Every one was a different shape or size. She
couldn't help noticing that two of the cookies, a boy and a girl,
held hands. The boy had an icing mustache and messy black icing hair.
The girl had brown icing hair and rather intense blue candy eyes for
a cookie.
As
they passed the kitchen, Leia thought she saw a head peek out. A pair
of bright hazel eyes under scruffy brown hair gazed intensely at her.
He had just stepped into the hall when he grabbed his head, wincing
as if in pain. She was about to ask the poor man if he had a headache
when Palpatine gently pushed her down the hall.
“Who
was that?” Leia asked.
“Oh,
just my nephew. You'll see more of him in a minute.” The older man
lead them into an elegantly-appointed dining room. Dishes made of
delicate porcelain, with golden goblets and silver tableware, were
laid out just for them. “Sit down, little ones. Enjoy yourselves.
Eat as much as you like.” Luke held out Leia's seat and helped her
in, then sat himself.
The
nephew Leia had seen a few minutes before brought a huge platter of
with the biggest roast beef she'd ever seen in her life. He set the
roast on the table, not making eye contact with or speaking to
anyone. He was very handsome, despite his messy hair and dirty
peasant blouse, with thick dark eyelashes, a long, proud nose, and a
scar slashing his strong chin. Though the long-sleeved shirt covered
most of it, there were very distinct red patches on his chest and
hands that resembled nasty burns.
Their
eyes briefly met for a moment...and Leia was startled to realize how
empty and clouded his were, especially compared to a few moments ago.
He moved stiffly, as if he were a puppet and someone else was pulling
his strings. He was accompanied by the largest, shaggiest dog Leia
had ever seen. It was more like a furry mountain than a dog. He sat
at the nephew's feet, whimpering and gazing up at him with sad blue
eyes.
Other
men in red armor eventually followed with more dishes. The twins had
never seen so much food in their lives! There were all kinds of
vegetables, a fancy fruit salad, soft rolls, and tons more cake and
cookies. “Eat, eat!” Palpatine gave the pair his thin smile. “I
do so enjoy fattening up poor unfortunates like yourselves.”
Luke
smiled at the nephew, who served him green beans and almonds. He
didn't smile back, or even look at the boy. “Is your nephew going
to eat with us, too?”
Palpatine's
laugh sounded cruel to Leia. “Him? Certainly not. He's a mute
simpleton I took in because he had no place else to go. He's barely
useful for menial work.” She swore she saw the nephew wince at that
description, his eyes briefly filling with fire before the clouds
returned.
“I
don't think that's fair.” Leia played with her mashed potatoes,
despite her hunger. “If he lives here, he should eat with us. He's
your nephew.”
“He's
a servant.” Palpatine nodded at one of the red-armored guards, who
almost literally shoved the nephew out the door. The dog followed,
whimpering. The old gentleman turned back to them. “Are you
enjoying your meal, children?”
“Yes,”
Luke insisted enthusiastically, “it's delicious!”
Leia
finally decided she was too hungry to keep playing with her food. The
mashed potatoes were really good, so buttery they melted in her
mouth. The roast beef was perfectly seasoned, the vegetables sauteed
delicately. It was all incredible. “My compliments to the chef,”
she said as she finally pushed the last plate of cake aside. “That
was wonderful!”
Palpatine
noticed Luke yawning. “Perhaps you two would like a nap? You had
such a trying day yesterday. You must be very tired.”
Leia's
eyes were drooping. “I do feel a little sleepy.”
“Good!”
He helped Leia out of her chair. “One of my men will take you to
your rooms. I need to deal with a problem in the kitchen.”
Luke
stretched. “I don't know why I'm so tired. I guess it's because we
were out walking all morning, and I know I didn't sleep that well
last night.”
“Luke,
something is very wrong here.” Leia was just barely able to keep
her eyes open, even as she followed him. “I've felt it ever since
we arrived. The cookie people, that 'nephew' he treats like a slave,
the dog.” She noticed as they went upstairs that a mirror had the
monogram “HS” on a cameo near the top. So did a beautiful silver
box sitting on a chocolate table. “I don't think this is his
house.”
“You're
right.” Luke sighed. “It's too bad. This is such a nice house,
and really tasty. I wonder who it actually belongs to?”
They
both yawned at the same time and ended up laughing again. The guard
finally took them upstairs. Leia's room was all pink cotton candy and
lacy golden caramel strands. She couldn't fathom how tired she'd
suddenly gotten. It must have been all that walking this morning, she
decided. Sleep couldn't come now! She had to figure out who that
nephew was, and why his eyes were clear one minute and confused the
next. And there was Palpatine. Something about him frightened her.
Maybe it was the way he smiled. She didn't think for a minute that he
was a real merchant.
She
tried to stay awake, but sleep finally claimed her. The girl settled
down on her fluffy-sweet bed, unaware that a figure cackled by the
door...one who gazed over her rosy cheeks and pretty figure and
thought of what a tasty gingerbread morsel she'd make...
~*~*~*~*~*~
“Wake
up! Wake up, you stupid girl!”
Bony
white fingers shook her shoulder. She tried to pull the blanket up to
her chin, but it was yanked out of her hands. “Little lazybones!
Get up and attend to your brother!”
“I...my
brother?” Leia's eyes finally blinked open. The first thing she
gazed upon made her scream in terror. It was a hideous old hag in
Palpatine's navy velvet cape and outfit. “Who are you?” The last
rays of the setting sun fell on the...she couldn't call them “men”
anymore. Claws and scaly tails swished under their red armor. They
shoved knives and swords in her face. Two snatched her by her arms
and dragged her out of the bed. “Where's Luke?” She struggled
with all her might. “What have you done with him?”
“Leia!”
Luke was being shoved down the hall by two more guards. He started
towards her, but they held him back. “Please, do what you want with
me, but don't hurt my sister! She's all I have!”
“Luke!”
It took all of the men's strength to hold her back. She fought and
kicked with all her might. “Don't you dare hurt him!” The red
guards finally dragged Luke off, similarly kicking and screaming for
his sister.
“Oh,
I won't hurt him now, little one.” Palpatine's smile was definitely
cruel now. “I intend to eat him, and you. I'm a warlock, and I eat
pretty youths like the two of you. You'll both make a pair of dainty
morsels. But him first.” The bony fingers tugged her downstairs,
finally shoving her into the kitchen. “You will work with my
nephew, cooking the best food for your brother and bring it to him in
the carriage house. When he's fat enough, I'll eat him...and then,
I'll fatten you.”
“I
don't want to be fattened, and I don't want Luke to be, either!”
Leia reached for a knife...but Palpatine shot a small purple light at
her hand. White-hot heat flashed through her knuckles. She screamed,
the knife falling to the floor.
The
old man was surprisingly agile, despite his seeming fragility. He
held the knife to her throat. “Don't toy with me, girl. If you try
fighting, I'll kill your precious brother right now...or better yet,
feed him to the imps and demons who live with me. They don't care how
thin he is. They'll eat anything.”
Leia
saw the clouds briefly lift again as the nephew tried to lunge for
the knife as the dog nipped at Palpatine's heels. A bolt of light
from Palpatine sent them both reeling into the cookie cabinet. “You
will remember your place, nephew. Unless you want me to eat that
overgrown hound of yours after I finish the youths, you'd best not
meddle in affairs that don't concern you.” He looked out to the
rapidly darkening sky, his mouth turning up in a hideous sneer.
“Besides, night is falling. Once the moon rises, you'll be very
busy elsewhere.”
A
white finger pointed at the stove. “You, girl, will start the fire
and begin cooking the chicken and dumplings. I expect them to be done
when I return.”
Leia's
eyes followed him as he left the room. She'd never felt so angry and
so hopeless in her life. While her father had taught her and her
brother the ways of knights and how to defend herself, he hadn't
taught them anything about magic.
Two
groans from the cabinet finally drew her away from the door. The
nephew and his dog were emerging from the remains of the cabinet.
“Are you all right?” she asked him as she helped him to his feet.
He
nodded, wincing...and to her surprise, his eyes were clear again.
“Yeah, I'm fine, sweetheart. I'm a lot tougher than that old prune
thinks I am.”
She
was so surprised, she almost dropped him. “You can talk! Your uncle
told us you were a mute.”
“Only
when he's not around.” His gruff voice was so soft, she could
barely hear him. “And only in a whisper. That old crone doesn't
want anyone hearin' me and figurin' out the truth.”
Now
Leia was the one who was confused. “The truth about what?”
The
nephew ignored her question as the dog trotted over to him. “Hi
there, Chewie. Are you ok, boy?” His canine companion's bark
sounded like an affirmative. “Damn old warlock,” he whispered.
Leia
grabbed his hand. “Who are you?”
“Han.”
He showed her a lazy grin. “My name is Han. And this,” he patted
the dog, “is Chewbacca. I need you to keep an eye on him tonight.”
“Why?”
She shook her head. “What's going on?”
“I
can't tell you.” He squeezed her hand. “Not tonight. Just watch
Chewie for me. He gets worried when I go out.”
“But
why?” She started down the hall after him, but didn't get far
before she ran smack into Palpatine. “Where's he going?” The old
man grabbed her arm before she could go after him.
“I'll
attend to him.” He shoved her back into the kitchen. “You start
cooking. I want to fatten your brother up as quickly as possible.”
Leia
cooked for hours. Chewbacca the dog sometimes joined her by her side.
She'd feed him bits of beef or chicken. At least he'd get a
decent meal. After he'd eat, he'd stand at the window and howl at the
moon until Palpatine yelled at him to stop that racket.
As
she slid the chicken into the oven, she heard flapping. “Falcon!”
Their friend from the woods perched in the window. He cocked his
head, gazing at her with large, intelligent hazel eyes that seemed
almost uncannily human. She brought him a bit of chicken and some
dried berries. He squawked happily, gobbling every piece. She laughed
as he fluttered to her shoulder and nuzzled her cheek. “You silly
bird. I'm glad you're here. At least I have one friend.” Chewbacca
barked by her side. “Ok, boy. Two.”
It
happened like that every day for the next month. Leia would spent the
day and much of the night cooking and cleaning the house. She'd bring
all kinds of good food to Luke, who was imprisoned in the carriage
house, but she and Han only had crab shells to eat. At night, Han
would leave, Chewbacca would howl, and the Falcon would fly in, often
bringing berries and nuts from the forest in his beak that they would
share. Sometimes, they would play, teasing and nuzzling each other.
Other nights, the bird would perch on the window and just watch her
work.
“Leia,”
Luke said, a month after their arrival, “I haven't been eating the
food Palpatine's given me. Just enough to survive. I won't get fat
and let him cook us for dinner!” He buried the food in the back of
the hay in the stall where he was being kept. “I wish I could eat
my way out, but the gingerbread making up the walls here is really
stale. I tried two nights ago and almost cracked all my teeth.”
The
young woman rolled her eyes. “You and those horrible demons who
guard Palpatine are the only ones allowed to have decent food. Even
he eats very little.”
Luke
frowned. “What about Palpatine's nephew? What's the story with him?
Do you think we can trust him?”
“I
don't know.” Leia spoke in a hushed whisper. Palpatine was just
outside the kitchen, blowing on the fire in the huge clay oven. He
was close enough to the carriage house to hear their every word.
“During the day, I can't get a word out of him. He won't look me in
the eye, and he moves in that jerky way, like he's a wind-up toy
soldier. Sometimes, I'll see a gleam in his eyes, or he'll smile at
me and whisper a few words. That's when he's almost decent, if a bit
cocky, with that grin...but then, he gets a headache, the clouds come
back into his eyes, and he's stiff and distant again.”
“Do
you think Palpatine has hurt him, or is controlling him in some way?”
Luke waved his hand at the gingerbread and icing on either side.
“He's not Palpatine's nephew. I don't think he's a simpleton,
either.”
“It
wouldn't surprise me.” Leia got closer to her brother. “Last
night, before he took off, he told me Palpatine is is terribly
nearsighted. That's why he squints so much.” She grinned. “When
you eat turkey or chicken, show him one of the bones when he asks for
your finger. He'll think you're still thin. It'll give us a chance to
figure out a plan.”
Luke
nodded. “I'll do anything to keep us from being eaten!” His sweet
mouth turned down. “What do you mean, 'before he took off?'”
“Every
night, he disappears suddenly. He's usually at his most lucid then.
That's when we talk about you and how to escape.” She frowns. “I
don't see him again until he turns up the next morning, moving like a
puppet and avoiding my eyes and not talking.”
Luke
hugged his sister. “Please be careful, Leia. Don't let that
Palpatine and his magic hurt you!”
Leia
bit her lip. “I almost wish the animals had devoured us in the
forest. At least then we'd both still be together!”
“Don't
say that!” Luke gave her a fierce hug. “We'll get out of here,
and we'll take Han and the dog with us. It'll be all right.”
Palpatine
came back in, sniffing loudly. The bony fingers roughly dragged her
out of the stall. “You've been in here long enough, girl. You were
to give your brother his meal, not behave like a lazy slattern. Go
out and gather firewood from that idiot nephew of mine!” He shoved
her towards the door.
She
couldn't help stopping to watch as he turned to Luke. “Now, my
pretty boy,” he said, his cackling voice dripping with honey, “why
don't you show old Palpatine your nice, juicy finger, and we'll see
if you're ready yet?”
Luke
grabbed a chicken bone from the pile of hay and stuck it out of the
cell. Palpatine felt it, then let out a wail. “Four weeks! It's
been over four weeks, and you still aren't ready! You nasty little
brat!”
“Give
me time! I'll get fat!” Luke grinned. “Maybe in six months, or a
year, you can come back and I'll be ready.”
“I'm
not waiting that long!” He slammed the door shut, dropping the ring
of keys in his pocket. “I'll cook you today, whether you're fat or
thin!”
Leia
turned around and rushed out to the woodpile. Han was chopping wood,
his arms moving in a rhythmic, jerking motion. His eyes were focused
on the wood, his face strangely expressionless. It was like he was a
wind-up doll. His shirt was open at the neck, revealing a strong,
gleaming chest.
“Han?”
She went up to him, pulling wood into her arms. “I have to talk to
you.” He continued chopping, not acknowledging her. “Han, it's
Luke. Palpatine's going to eat him...and then probably eat us.” She
finally reached out and took his arm. “Han, look at me! You're not
a puppet! You're a man, a smart man, and you're the only one who can
help us!” Chewbacca came up behind her, nudging his beloved
master's leg. “You can fight whatever it is that's controlling you.
I know you can.”
Han
turned his back on her, putting his ax aside and reaching for more
wood...but suddenly, he grabbed his head. She gasped as he let out a
scream, his eyes squeezed in pain. He opened his mouth, but his voice
was too soft to hear more than “let go” and “servant” and “my
home.”
She
could barely reach his shoulders, so she settled for putting a
comforting hand on Han's back. “Hey, are you all right? Those
headaches of yours have been getting worse. You seem to have at least
one a day now.”
“Yeah,
I'm all right.” His eyes were perfectly clear when he turned back
to her. “I don't know for how long.” He gazed up at the rapidly
setting sun. “Let's get in the house and give Palpatine his wood,
before the old fossil splits a seam.”
Han
gathered a huge pyramid of wood into his arms. He tied a small cart
to Chewbacca, who pulled another pile. “Leia,” Han whispered
quickly, “there's a way to save all of us, including Luke, but it's
very dangerous. I don't know if you're up to it. I can't do it. It'll
be dark soon, and anyway, Palpatine knows me too well.”
Leia
gave him a small, knowing smile. “Try me.”
“Palpatine
keeps a gold key on a key ring in the room upstairs that holds all of
the treasures he's stolen. That key will open any lock in the house,
including Luke's cell and the silver box on the table in the hall.
The silver box holds many rings. You have to choose the plain one.
Ignore all the fancy rings. Bring the key and the ring outside to the
oven, where the falcon will meet you.”
Leia
shrugged. “That doesn't sound so hard.”
They
both winced as Palpatine's high, crackling voice rose above the
rustling leaves. “You can't make a sound while doing this, or we'll
all be lost.” Han shook his head. “Not one sound. You can't even
scream, no matter what Palpatine throws at you.”
Leia
nodded, her fists clenched. “I can do this, Han. For Luke. For you
and Chewie. For Father. He must be worried sick about us!”
Han
smiled at her. “It'll be all right, Princess.” She felt her heart
grow quite soft and mushy. “I'll distract the prune. You take
Chewie and find that key.”
Palpatine
was waiting for them when they arrived. The sun was just starting to
slowly sink into the bright, orange-red sky. “You may put the
firewood in the oven, then help me check how hot it is. Nephew,” he
smirked, “you will go outside. You'll be busy shortly.”
Han
turned to Leia and flashed her that charming lopsided grin. He then
proceeded to drop his entire stack of logs on Palpatine. “You...you
clumsy oaf!” Leia detached the cart from the enormous dog while
Palpatine was hopping around like a big, flapping bird on one foot.
“I should turn you into a newt for this!” Leia managed to grab a
sharp knife from a drawer as she and Chewbacca fled the room.
As
Leia fled, she heard Palpatine cackle and the sizzle of lightning.
Burnt gingerbread and cake reached her nostrils. “Foolish nephew!
You shouldn't have tried to interfere.” The moon showed the
silhouette of a large bird cage in the old warlock's bent fingers.
“As punishment, you will not fly free tonight.” Han's angry
whispers were eventually drowned out Palpatine's cackles...and the
shrieks of an imprisoned falcon.
The
beautiful gingerbread house now seemed distorted and ugly. Demons in
red armor grabbed at her arms and blocked her way. She remembered the
fighting moves her father, a former knight, had taught her and her
brother. She stabbed and feinted at each demon. Chewbacca tore into
them with his sharp canine teeth. Each demon they vanquished turned
into a pile of dust the moment it was stabbed or left in bloody
shreds by the dog's claws.
The
treasure room was in the last door on the second floor. It was
locked, but Leia and Chewbacca were able to cut and claw their way
in. Leia had to restrain a gasp when she entered. It was filled with
chests and chests piled with gold, jewels, and coins. She'd never
seen so much money in her life!
She
was searching through the chests of jewels when she heard Chewbacca
bark across the room. He bounded over to her with the keys in his
mouth, having found them hanging on the wall near a chest of pearls.
The young woman gave him a scratch between the ears and a scrap of
turkey left from Luke's dinner she'd kept for him, then put the key
in her pocket.
There
were even more demons in the hall, each one grabbing at her arms or
her dress. Her knife flashed and Chewbacca's teeth bit down hard.
They were strong and virile, but she was smaller than they, and far
more nimble on her tiny feet. She ducked around them, stabbing the
ones Chewbacca didn't tear into, until the floor was scattered with
their ashes.
She
hurried to the silver box and opened it, searching the contents for a
plain gold ring. There were rings of every size and shape, decorated
with everything from fancy jewels to elaborate scrollwork. Not a
single one was plain gold.
The
girl was about to give up in despair when she heard Palpatine's
cackle. “Come here, child! You spoiled, lazy little thing! I need
your help with the oven!”
She
ducked outside the kitchen. The burning wood in the thick stone oven
burned hot and bright, a beacon in the dark night. The old warlock
held a bird cage in one hand. Leia could distinctly see her friend
the falcon locked inside, holding a plain ring in his beak.
The
moment she reached for the cage, Palpatine hung it on a tree branch.
Leia thought the golden tree seemed to almost wince in pain. “Where
have you been, girl? The oven must be prepared to cook my supper. I
want you to climb in to test how hot it is.”
Leia
shook her head, stepping back. Chewbacca growled at him. Palpatine's
yellow eyes narrowed. “Are you such a fool, girl, that you don't
know how to prepare an oven? You've done it before with my nephew.”
Leia smiled and nodded. She wasn't about to let the old man cook her
for dinner! “What's with you, girl?” He leaned over and pinched
her. “Why don't you respond?” She had to swallow a yelp, her
brown eyes as fiery hot as the flames in the oven. The dog leaped at
him, but he kicked it aside. “Don't play games with me, cur!”
He
turned his squinting yellow eyes on the very angry Leia. “You're
getting as stupid as that nitwit nephew of mine!” She shrugged,
waving her hands at the oven. “I suppose I'll have to show you how
to do it again. My nephew is...in dispose.”
The
moment the old man climbed into the oven, Leia shoved him in as hard
as she could. She used the knife to lock the door, ignoring his
screams and shouts. The moment she stepped back, the ground under her
shook. There was a great explosion, throwing back Leia and the dog
into another tree. When the dust subsided, a warlock-shaped
gingerbread man stood where the oven had once been!
The
golden tree lowered the falcon's cage to the ground. Leia took the
cage in her hand and first went to Chewbacca to make sure he was all
right. He was fine, though a bit shaky on his four feet. They dashed
to the carriage house, where Luke met them at the door of his cell.
“Are
you all right?” Luke flew into his sister's arms the moment he was
released. “I heard the explosion. They probably heard the explosion
all the way in Coruscant City! What happened?”
Leia
hugged him as tightly as she could. “Oh Luke, we're free! I pushed
Palpatine into his oven! He's a gingerbread now, just like all the
people in that house of his.”
Luke
leaned over the falcon in the cage. “Isn't this the fellow we met
the night our aunt and uncle's carriage was attacked? The one who
lead us here?”
“Yes,”
Leia explained. “I think he's more than that, though.” She used
the golden key to unlock the cage. The falcon flew out, still holding
the plain ring in his beak. He sat on Leia's shoulder and dropped it
into her hand. “This is yours, isn't it?” The falcon nodded. Leia
held it up to him, sliding it onto his ring.
To
the twins' surprise, Leia slid the ring onto a human finger. When
they looked up, their friend the falcon had been replaced by Han, the
warlock's nephew. He was clad in Palpatine's navy robes, white silk
shirt, and dark brown trousers from the first day they'd
arrived...but the suit fit him perfectly. His brown hair was slicked
back and no longer scruffy. He gently rubbed Leia's hand, that cocky,
lazy grin plastered on his face.
“Thanks,
kids,” he said, his voice now gruff and strong. “You released me
and everyone in my household from that fossil's spell.”
Leia's
eyes widened. All around them, the carriage house was changing. Wood,
plaster, and metal replaced gingerbread. The house behind them became
a white manor with elaborate gingerbread trim that went on for miles.
People streamed from the house, including, Leia noticed, a young
woman with straight auburn hair and bright blue eyes and a handsome
man with a dark mustache, dressed in the Captain's uniform of the
Mexicalia army. The very trees around them shrunk and transformed
into humans. Chewbacca stood on two paws and grew and grew until he
became...well, he looked something like a human, but more like a
friendly giant, with his shaggy hair and thick beard.
“Master
Solo!” The giant threw his hands around the man in the velvet
cloak. “The spell's broken! We're human again!”
Han
smirked. “Or as human as you ever were, my friend.” He patted
Chewbacca. “This is Charles, my bodyguard and closest companion,
from the native island of Kashyyak.”
The
girl bowed. “My name is Jyana Erson, and this is Captain Cassian
Andorez. We too were lured from the road by Palpatine, who claimed he
could give us and our men a free meal. He turned us into gingerbread
instead.”
Luke
couldn't take his eyes of the small, handsome youth with black hair
and blue eyes who lead a whole line of servants in orange uniforms
from the woods. He too bowed before the duo...but he took Luke's
hand. “I'm Commander Wedge Antilles. My garrison normally protects
this part of the woods, including Master Solo's estate, but Palpatine
turned us and all of Master Solo's servants into trees to keep us
from stopping him.”
Han
only had eyes for Leia, who returned his dreamy stare. “I'm a
merchant with a profitable shipping business. My home is the only one
around for miles. Palpatine showed up on my doorstep a little over a
year ago, looking like the nice old man he appeared to be for you at
first. He said he had a business propasition for me.” The
merchant's keen hazel eyes darkened. “Yeah, profitable for him. He
wanted me to help him lure rich people with innocent kids into the
woods, steal their money, and roast the kids for him to eat. I said
'no way.' I wasn't going to take part in something that would kill
kids.”
Charles
nodded. “When Han refused his offer, the warlock showed his true
colors. He turned the servants and king's guards into trees and me
into a dog. Anyone who came near us, he'd lure into the house, cover
in cookie batter, and roast into gingerbread.”
Han
played with the ring on his finger. “As long as he had my ring in
that box, I would stay under his spell. By day I was a little more
than a human puppet. He had control of my mind and every move I made.
He told most people I was his idiot nephew, unable to speak or look
anyone in the eye. I kept trying to fight his magic, but it strong
and really killed my head.”
“That's
where the headaches came from.” Leia frowned. “From you trying to
fight the spell.”
“At
night,” Charles added, “Han was in his right mind again, but only
while in the body of a falcon.”
“Palpatine
let me fly free at night.” Han shrugged. “I guess he figured,
since I couldn't talk in that form, it wouldn't do any harm. I was
just about at the end of my rope when I found you two in the woods. I
saw him attack your people earlier. I knew you'd been able to
escape...and I thought you might be smart enough to help me and my
household escape the warlock's powers, too.”
Luke's
eyes widened. “You're the missing merchant!”
His
sister nodded. “Our aunt mentioned you right before we were
attacked. She said your whole household just vanished without a
trace.”
Han
bowed before Leia. “I can't replace your aunt and uncle, but I can
provide a home for the two of you and your father. Say you'll stay
with us.” He gave Leia that grin. “I know you have a good head on
your shoulders, Princess. I could use a partner like you who can
handle figures as well as she does demons.”
Wedge
kissed Luke's hand. The young man blushed pink. “And I'll make sure
no warlock ever locks up either of us ever again.”
Leia
smiled back. “We'll have to contact our father first. He's probably
worried sick about us, but...yes. Yes, we'll stay with you.” She
turned to her brother. “As long as Luke agrees to it as well.”
Luke
squeezed Wedge's hand. “Oh, please yes! I like it here, now that
the warlock's gone.”
They
finally returned to their father in Naboo several days later, in
Han's private carriage drawn by four white horses. Anakin Skywalker
was delighted to see his children again. Not only that, but as it
turned out, Han had recovered his fortune from the chests in the
treasure room. He and his children were now wealthy again.
Leia
and Luke both went away to university. When they returned, Leia wed
Han, and became his partner in all things. Han's shipping business
prospered for many years with his beloved wife at the helm. Luke
joined the king's guard and married Wedge Antilles. Charles remained
the devoted bodyguard to the Solos for the rest of his life. Anakin
Skywalker retired from woodcutting, eventually deciding he preferred
his small cottage and a quiet life in the woods to the life of a
knight in town. Jyana and her captain were married in Mexicalia City
a year after their rescue. Everyone attended their wedding, including
Han and the twins.
As
for Palpatine, the servants were instructed to take him out to the
woods for the birds to eat. When they ate their fill, there wasn't a
crumb left. And that was the end of the evil warlock of the Naboo
Woods.
The
End
