The Kingdom of the Clouds was nestled high in the Bespin Mountains. They were so close to the sky, Leia thought she might be able to reach out and touch the clouds, the way the jagged mountaintops did. The mining colony was a series of quaint chalets and charming old manor homes, built from the trees of the Enchanted Woods on the edge of the Kingdom. The most elaborate of the manor homes were gaily-painted and decorated with polished stones that shown like hard candy in the late-afternoon sun. The people they saw wore fine gowns and the latest in tailored suits and hats.
No matter how lovely it was, Leia still couldn't shake the feeling there was something wrong here. She sensed a growing darkness and discontent under the shimmering surface of those gingerbread homes. There was evil lurking somewhere in these mountains...very familiar evil. Too familiar.
“I don't like this,” she said as they rumbled through the town. They drove through a gate that glistened like a pearl before driving up a tree-lined cobblestone walkway. At the end was the largest manor house Leia had seen since Aldran was destroyed. It was a stunning Tudor-style wood-and-stone edifice, large and rambling but still airy, with gingerbread trim that made it looked nearly ready to eat and tall towers on either side.
“Everything's going to be all right,” Han assured her as four men strode out to meet him. “Trust me.”
The most elaborately dressed was a handsome, curly-haired man with skin the color of light cocoa, deep brown eyes, and a thin, elegant mustache. He wore a dapper pale blue and gold cape, suit, and hat in the latest cut and style. “You double-crossing, no good swindler,” the man growled. “I thought you ran out for good after that last time.”
Han's hazel eyes were at their widest. “Me?”
Suddenly, the man's mouth broke into a big, friendly grin. “I suppose we should let bygones be bygones, right? Maz sent someone ahead. Told me you'd probably end up here. I always did like that old lady. She still makes the best rabbit stew in the Seven Kingdoms.” He went over to Chewie, who snorted at him. “And how are you, Chewbacca? You still hangin' around with this peasant?” He stroked the big horse's mane and pulled a sugar cube out of his pocket for him, which he gobbled hungrily.
Leia chose that moment to step out of the carriage, followed by a curious Cecil. The curly-haired man made a beeline for her. “Welcome to our humble kingdom, my lady. I'm Baron Lando Calarissian, the head of the Bespin colonies. And who might you be, fair goddess?”
She thought he was laying the charm on a tad thick. “Leia.”
“Welcome, Leia.” Lando was kissing her hand when Han grabbed it from him.
“All right, enough.” He gave him a hard smirk. “Nice try. She's with me.”
Lando shook his head. “So, what brings you to the Colonies?”
Han pointed a finger at the Falcon. “Poor old girl back there needs repairs.”
The Baron made a face. “What did you do to my cart this time?”
“Your cart?” Han's snort nearly matched Chewie's. “You lost her to me in that card game fair and square.”
Cecil started to talk, but to his annoyance, they ignored him. “How rude!” he thought, wandering away from the others. He was hoping he could find the smithy, or at least a fellow butler he could talk to. He'd spent most of this journey feeling rather like a fifth wheel. He was pleased that Her Highness and Captain Solowolf seemed to be so happy with one another, even if she could have chosen a man whose station in life was a bit closer to hers.
He strolled through the manor, enjoying the lovely antiques and bright sunlight pouring through the windows. Now here was a home worthy of a butler. Perhaps he could get a job with Baron Calarissian. From the quality of the furnishings and carpets, he was obviously a man with some taste and refinement. How he was friendly with a ruffian like Captain Solowolf, he would never figure out.
He'd just turned the corner towards the gardens when he thought he saw two people conversing with their hands. “Arthur? Oh, it's been months since I spoke the Language of the Mutes! I wonder how he's coming along, anyway?” He followed the two men. The gardens looked rather pleasant, and anyway, it was such a lovely day for a walk...
Even before he saw them loitering in the shadows, he'd begun to feel uneasy. He certainly wasn't Force-sensitive, but even he could tell when something was wrong...and the trio of men in white Imperial armor certainly should not have been here. “Oh my,” he gasped. “I'm terribly sorry. Really shouldn't have intruded! I'll be leaving now. Really, I must...”
One of the soldiers finally leaned over and hit him over the head with the handle of their sword. “I think this man knows too much,” the soldier hissed as he collapsed. “Take him the dungeon.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Leia and Cecil weren't the only ones who suspected all was not well in the Kingdom of the Clouds. In the Dagobah Swamps, Luke was almost finished packing Tauntaun's saddlebags. Yoda waddled around him, looking as sulky as a little green goblin could manage. “You must not go!” he fussed.
The younger almost-knight was sheathing his sword. “But Han, Leia, and Cecil will die if I don't!”
He wasn't a bit surprised when Sir Benjamin Kenobi, or at least his ghost, shimmered into view. He and Yoda had been arguing with him about his decision for days. “You don't know that. Even Yoda can't see their fate. Nor can my old master Qui-Gon.”
“I don't know why you two can't understand,” Luke insisted. “I have to do this. They're my friends. I feel the Force, more than ever now. I can help them.”
“You feel it, but you can't control it.” Ben shook his head. “This is a dangerous time for you, my boy. You could be more easily swayed by the Dark Arts.”
“To Benjamin, you must listen,” Yoda pleaded. “Remember your failure at the cave, and to lift your horse. More learning, you need.”
Luke shook his head. “I promise, I'll be back to finish my training. You have my word as an apprentice Knight of the Force Order. ”
“Luke,” Sir Kenobi countered, “I don't want to lose you to Palapatine and his wiles the way I lost Lord Vader.”
Luke looked up from buckling the last saddlebag. “You won't.”
Yoda and the glowing Sir Kenobi watched as the young man swung onto his saddle. Arthur climbed on behind him. “Safe journey, Luke,” Sir Kenobi reminded him. “And don't give in to hate. That leads to darkness.”
“I know.” The young man nodded at them with determination. “And I'll return. I promise.”
Yoda and Sir Kenobi watched him gallop off into the distance. “Told you, I did. Reckless is he. Now, things are worse.”
The duo turned their gazes upwards as another blue glow emerged from the swamps. This one was of a handsome middle-aged man, a bit younger than Sir Kenobi, but not as young as Luke. He sported keen dark eyes and a long, flowing brown-silver mane over the gold and black armor of a Force Master Knight. “You always did worry too much, Old Sage. The lad still has much to learn, but I believe he was right in his decision. He needs training in the field, so to speak.”
“Yes, Master Qui-Gon,” Ben insisted, “but he's also vulnerable to Vader's treachery. You claimed Vader would the one to save us all. Now, it looks like that boy is our only hope.”
“That, he is not.” Yoda looked towards where Luke and Arthur had ridden off to. “There's his sister.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Leia and Han slept like babies that night, and for the next three nights, entwined in each other's arms under silken sheets on a bed bigger than the entire Falcon. Lando put them up in his largest and most elegant suite of rooms. They had every luxury possible, including a sweeping view of the majestic blue-and-purple Bespin Mountains.
Those were some of the happiest nights she ever spent. She thought she could only feel passion for a cause. Han made her feel the kind of love that had she'd denied herself since her parents died. He braided her hair, kissed her tenderly, and told her stories of his many travels. She hadn't known there were so many kingdoms outside the Alliance, so many places to visit and explore. She wanted to see each and every one of them with him someday.
During the morning of their third day, Lando announced that he was going to hold a ball for his visitors. Servants took her to a huge marble and porcelain bathroom, scrubbing her until her long hair gleamed like burnished copper and her skin glowed pink. She was taken to a suite of plush, comfortable chairs and couches and dressed in the finest gown she'd worn since the night of her ill-fated coming-out ball. It had a wide skirt of deep maroon satin trimmed with a heavy cascade of white silk roses, the lace and tulle ruffled underskirt practically floating underneath. The bodice and wrap were trimmed with slender golden strands. White roses pulled back her two looping braids.
Han couldn't help admiring her as she walked into their suite. “You should wear fancy clothes more often,” he teased. “They really suit you.”
“Thank you.” She made a face. “I really don't like this. Cecil's been missing since we arrived, and the repairs on the Falcon should have gone faster than this. There's something wrong here. Baron Calarissian is very charming, but I'm sensing something dark from him.”
Han took her in his arms. “Don't worry so much, Your Worship. I don't trust Lando, either, but he is my friend. We'll be all right. At the first sign of trouble, we'll leave.”
Leia gazed into his eyes. “And as soon as we find the Rebels, you'll be leaving us.”
For once in his life, Han didn't know what to say. He opted for kissing her instead. They were still passionately kissing in each other's arms when Lando strolled into the room.
The handsome dark-skinned man looked even more attractive today, in a fine uniform of blue, gold, and gray. His gold-lined cape billowed around him. “Sorry, am I interrupting anything?” He offered Leia his arm. “You are the most beautiful jewel in this colony. It's too bad you can't remain here longer. I could show you even more of our fair city.”
“Yes,” Leia said quickly, “but we really must move on. I have important people to meet, and Captain Solowolf has his own deadlines.”
“Yeah, I know about those,” Lando said with a chuckle. “King Jabba still hounding you, Han?”
“That's Jabba for you. He doesn't give up where gold's involved.” Han quickly wedged himself between Lando and Leia. “Sorry, she already has a date.”
Lando's saucy brown eyes roved over Leia's slender pale figure and elegant red and white gown. “Too bad. You're a lucky man, Solowolf.”
“By the way, Baron,” Leia started as he lead them down the gilt-papered hallways, “have you seen our friend Cecil anywhere? Tall man with dark hair and a gold outfit. He was traveling with us, but he's been missing since we came here.”
Han nodded. “The last time either of us saw him was when we arrived.”
Lando shook his head. “No, I haven't seen him. I'll get some of my boys looking for him right away. He may have gotten himself lost. There are a lot of little back alleys and dead ends in the Old Town.”
The Baron lead them into the largest, most glittering ballroom Leia ever saw. His butler, a tall older man with a stoic face and two bulky hearing aids on each ear, announced them as Princess Leia of Aldran, Captain Han Solowolf of Corellia, and the Esteemed Baron Lando Calarissian, Administer of the Cloud Colonies.
“Esteemed, huh? Who'd believe that of a huntsman?” Han asked with a raised eyebrow as they descended the two gilt-trimmed staircases. Unlike the elaborately decorated ballroom at Aldran Castle, the room here was done all in simple white. Sparkling chandeliers looked like thousands of tiny hard candies above them. White columns guarded the windows that looked out into the gardens.
“Yeah, I'm esteemed here,” Lando admitted with his own sly grin. “Price you pay for being successful.”
The band struck up a sprightly tune. “The other guests should be arriving shortly,” Lando explained. “In the meantime, help yourself to refreshments and enjoy the music. We have some of the finest musicians in the Alliance of the Seven Kingdoms.”
“I know you're not a dancer.” Leia took his hand. “I can teach you. I'm familiar with this song. They used to play it all the time in Aldran.”
Han never believed he could have as much fun dancing as he did that night with Leia. He was awkward at first, but once the song picked up and they were going faster, he found himself enjoying the music. It reminded him of the hard, driving rhythmic songs that were popular in his native Corellia. She never looked lovelier, her face flushed red from the exertion, her wide pink mouth turned up in sheer happiness. It didn't even bother him that there were no other guests, no one in the ballroom besides them, the musicians, and a few servants. There didn't need to be. All they needed was each other.
“That...that was great!” Han was panting when they were done. “That was dancing? Why didn't we do that the first time I met you?”
Leia picked up a white and red lace fan and waved it across her pink cheeks. “You were too busy trying to be a prince. Besides, they didn't play anything as fast as that.”
“They should have. That was a lot more fun.” He wiped his brow on his white silk sleeve.
Leia rubbed her head. “Maybe we should skip the rest of the ball. We really should find Cecil anyway. I have a bad feeling something terrible has happened to him. Besides, I'm getting a headache.”
“Come on, Your Worship.” The musicians had begun again, striking up a dreamy, romantic waltz. “You haven't taught me how to do a slow number yet. Maybe when the other guests arrive, they'll see us moving and join in.”
“Well...” She took his hands. “Just one more.”
For just a moment in time, it was as if the rest of the world didn't exist. Leia nearly floated over the floor as if on a pure white cloud. Han wondered if he'd somehow stumbled into heaven. His big hands and feet were something close to obeying him for once, even letting him spin her around in his arms at one point. All he wanted was just this night. Just the two of them. No Jabba, no Vader, no Rebels.
Leia, for her part, had reservations. She still felt something dark under the dreamy Kingdom of the Clouds. As lovely as everything was, events weren't adding up. There was Lando's behavior when they arrived, Cecil's disappearance, and this underpopulated ball.
Still, Han was here, and they were here. Why not let go and dance, just for one night? She didn't protest when Han gently swirled her into his arms, then lifted her chin for a deep kiss...
The music cut off abruptly as Leia realized too late why they were the only guests. She pulled away from Han, grabbing his hand. “I knew it. We're in danger. We have to get out of here.” The lovers hurried to the entrance, but Imperial soldiers blocked their way up the golden stairs. Guards had already positioned themselves around the windows and doors into the gardens.
Han glared at Lando as he joined Boba Fett at the head of the staircase. “I should have known. Once a huntsman, always a huntsman, huh pal?”
Lando looked genuinely hurt. “I'm sorry. They arrived right before you did. I had no choice.”
A chill descended on the room. Leia pulled back as well as she could. The formerly white room had been bathed in darkness. Black light swirled around, turning the refreshments to dust and murky water. . The musicians became snarling monsters with horns and long, bony scales. The chandelier's sparkle dimmed, then vanished all together.
Leia knew what was coming. She pulled Han as close to her as she could. “Father.”
“Daughter.” Vader strode in, his cape trailing behind him like a noxious black poison. “We would be honored if you'd join our ball.”
Leia glared at him, taking a firmer hold on Han. “I'd rather join a funeral.”
“That can be arranged.” Vader reached for her arm...but Han angrily slapped his hand away.
“I wouldn't,” he hissed, waving his finger at him. “I saw what you did to her the last time you got your hands on her, Ugly.”
“You're braver than you appear, gypsy.” Vader conceded. “I'll give you that.” He raised his right hand. A dully shimmering red light lifted Han into the air, to Leia's horror. “However, you're also stupid.” The light threw Han into the buffet tables. He landed with a crash, scattering wood, dust, and muddy water everywhere.
Vader snatched Leia into his arms before she could move. The young princess struggled as hard as she could. “Take Solowolf to the dungeons. I'll be along with my daughter shortly.” The soldiers roughly grabbed the now-unconscious gypsy thief by his long arms and legs and carried him up the stairs.
“Father, don't do this.” She looked into his eyes. “You'll let him go, and let us live in peace.”
“You still think you can use your pitiful powers on me, girl.” He concentrated, running his hand over her white cheeks. “You have much to learn.” The last thing she remembered was feeling so, so tired and so lost as the dark light overcame her. She collapsed in a dead faint at her father's feet.
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