A Star Wars Fairy Tale: Return, Part 4

Leia and Cecil stayed on the fringes of the Kingdom of Aldran, heading towards the Kingdom of Endor. She was happy to see the Woods in this part of the Alliance had been less effected by the darkness that seemed to prevail elsewhere. The trees were still green here, and the air still fresh. Even so, she could feel the tension in the air. Yes, the scenery was beautiful, but how long would it be before the darkness spread this far? She tried not to think about it.

“Your Highness,” Cecil complained after walking with only a few hours' rest a night for a week, “we must stop somewhere and refresh. I simply cannot continue at this grueling pace! Besides, we need to find a source of fresh water and something to eat. It's nearly dinnertime.”

“Cecil, we can't stop anywhere.” She looked around. “Endor is one of the least-populated of all the Kingdoms. I don't think any humans even live here. It's mostly small tribes of natives.”

Cecil's round brown-gold eyes were raised toward the treetops. “What about those homes? They don't seem to be inhabited.”

Her own brown eyes followed his, until she saw what he was looking at. The massive tree tops were ringed by an elaborate network of wooden cottages and walkways. She'd never seen anything like it. “We could try it. I know it's trespassing, but you're right that we need a place to rest.”

She found a walkway made of weathered planks that lead to the forest floor. Cecil followed her as they walked cautiously towards the small village. She couldn't believe how tiny everything was! It was as if children lived here. Furnishings, weapons, utensils, clay jars, toys...all were built on a small scale. The largest barely came up to her chest, and she was considered short by human standards.

“Hello?” Leia poked her head in one of the cottages. “Is anyone home?” There was no answer. Cecil ducked around her and went in, sniffing.

“I say, Your Highness,” he insisted, “this cottage has the most delightful smell coming from it.” His long nose lead him to a heavy wooden table. Seven little bowls were set on the table, filled with some kind of stew. Cecil stuck a spoon in the bowl and took a taste. “Oh, Your Highness, you must try this soup! It is absolutely delicious. My compliments to the chef, whomever they are.”

Leia grabbed him away. “Cecil, that's not yours!”

“I'm terribly sorry,” the gold-clad servant apologized, “but I'm so hungry! We haven't eaten anything but fruit and nuts from the forest in weeks! That soup was invigorating, even if I didn't recognize the meat used...”

She gently pushed his back along. “Why don't we sit down for a minute? We'll wait and see who comes back here. If they're not friendly, we'll leave.”

“I could use a bit of a load off my poor legs.” Cecil sat down in the first, largest chair, but he couldn't seem to get comfortable in it. “Oh my. I'm afraid this chair is much too hard! It's all wood. Not good for one's posterior, or their posture.”

Leia tried the next one. She nearly fell into the feather-filled pillow in the middle. “Ooof! This one is way too soft!”

Cecil took the last, smallest chair in the row, barely more than a stool, as Leia tried a rocking chair. “This one is rather tiny for me. I wonder if children live here?” He leaned back thoughtfully. “Perhaps they're waiting for their mother, the poor things...oh!” He leaned back too hard and fell over, breaking the stool in the process. “Oh dear, I seem to have broken this one. I didn't mean to! Maybe we can fix it...”

Leia helped him to his feet, yawning. “We'll fix it later. Right now, why don't we check out upstairs? If the owners are children, maybe they're napping.”

There was only one room at the foot of the spiral staircase. It contained more weapons, mainly spears and bows and arrows, and seven beds, four on one side, three on the other. Leia ran her hands over the dirty and worn cloth bedspreads. “They aren't very clean children, are they?”

Cecil brushed a finger over a headboard. He rubbed the resulting dust off between his fingers, disgust plain on his long face. “Not at all. If they don't have a mother, they should at least encourage a maid to come in and look after them. This room is filthy, and I saw dishes in the water barrel downstairs.”

Leia was so tired, she didn't care how dusty the room was. She stretched and yawned, putting down her bag and pack. “We'll clean later. Right now, I just want a nap.”

Cecil put aside his own pack. “I could use for a bit of a rest myself. Just for a little while. We really should leave before the real owners return. We have rather disturbed their household.”

Leia was already laying on the set of three beds. Even with her her diminutive size, her legs still poked over the end. “We'll clean up...later...” She was asleep the moment her head hit the dried leaf-stuffed-mattress. Cecil didn't even make it that far. He collapsed on the other row of beds, his long, thin legs hanging off them like corn stalks.

The young princess was grateful she was able to sleep deeply, untroubled by the nightmares that plagued her for weeks. Maybe it was the Woods. The dark energy didn't seem to have reached this tranquil land. For the first time since the night she and Han had made love in the Kingdom of the Clouds, she felt at peace.

At least, until she was awoken by a sharp poke in her side. “Cecil, cut it out,” she muttered, pushing something sharp and flinty away. The thing poked her again, this time harder. “I said, cut it out!” She finally opened her eyes...and found herself staring into what, at first, seemed to be two round, glittering buttons. As she focused and managed to sit upright, she finally saw that the buttons were big brown eyes, and they belonged to...a bear. A small fuzzy russet-brown bear, like the toy bears she'd owned as a child. Cute as he was, she did notice he and his six equally adorable and furry friends carried spears and bows and arrows, and they were all trained on her.

Hello there, she said in the mind of the smallest. Who are you? I won't hurt you. I promise.

The little creature nearly jumped in surprise, chattering noisily. How can you talk to us? Are you one of the Great Human Magicians? My mum told me they were gone from this world. We haven't seen any of the Great Human Magicians in many years.

Most of them are, except for my brother and me. Leia pulled her last apple slice from her pocket. Here. Want something to eat?

Don't eat it, Wicket! Said the largest bear, a handsome fluffy fellow with thick tan fur. Maybe she's one of those Dark Magicians, the ones who have been poisoning the Woods. What if she poisons you, too?

I think she's nice! Wicket nibbled on the apple slice. A smile spread across his fuzzy face. Ooh, I like this! He sat down next to her on the bed. Do you have any more, She-Magician?

I wish I did, Leia admitted. That was my last apple. My friend Cecil and I are just about out of food. We didn't mean to eat your soup and break your chair, but we were hungry and tired. We had nowhere else to go.

Cecil chose that moment to groan. The other six bears hurried over to him as he poked his head out of the blanket. “Oh, my legs! I do wish these children were bigger. I may never walk right again!”

The moment the creatures saw his golden livery, they all drew back. All except for Wicket fell on their knees and began chanting. Cecil spoke to them in what sounded to Leia like their own language. “You understand what they're saying?” she asked in surprise.

“Why, of course, Your Highness!” Cecil grinned. “Remember, I am fluent in over sixty languages used in the Alliance, and...”

Leia cut him off, before he started rambling and they were there all night. “What did you tell them?”

“Hello, I think.” Cecil shrugged. “I may be mistaken, given their primitive dialect, but I do believe they think I am some sort of god.”

Leia stood. Wicket stood with her. “Well, then, please use your divine influence and get them to help us find Jabba's Palace.”

The tall, golden butler shook his head. “I'm sorry, Princess Leia, but that wouldn't be proper.”

“Proper?” she hissed, sounding very nearly like her father.

Cecil stuck his considerable nose in the air. “It's against my job description to impersonate a deity.”

“Listen, you stiff-legged moron,” she snarled, barely controlling her temper, “I don't care what's in your job description. While we're in this kingdom, in the home of these creatures, you do what I tell you. And that means, if someone tells you that you're a god, you say YES!” Her last words were shouted, sending Cecil back nearly a meter and all of the bears scrambling under the beds in terror.

The tall butler gulped, his eyes visibly widening. “I...I see your point, Princess Leia.”

That was when Leia heard a horn go off in the distance. Wicket jumped out from under the bed. Intruders!

Another bear looked out the window. It's the Bad Men. They've come to steal our trees again!

“What?” Cecil and Leia exchanged looks. The tall gold-clad butler stared down at them. “Why would they steal your trees?”

They say they want money, Wicket explained. We haven't any. We trade for the things we need.

We tried to trade with them, a smaller bear with grayish fur added, but they shot at us with their bows and arrows and took some of us away! His lip trembled, and he looked like he might cry.

They killed others for their fur, piped up a third.

Leia leaned over the bear in the window. She could distinctly see ten Imperial troopers chopping trees and cutting brush, loading them into carts. “Apparently,” Cecil translated, “these trees are sacred to the Ewoks. That's these creatures' names. They claim they speak to them.”

She turned to Wicket. If we help you, will you lead us to the Palace of King Jabba the Ogre? Endor borders Tatoon. If you don't know where he is, someone in your village might.

The little brown Ewok shuddered at the name. Oooh, we don't like Jabba! He's mean. He cuts down trees to burn in his castle and takes our water for his bad people. Sometimes, his people will shoot at us just for fun!

When we get there, Leia assured him, we'll make sure Jabba never bothers you again.

The Imperial troops never knew what hit them. They were busy cutting up logs when suddenly, two Ewoks released the logs they'd tied to a cart, sending them rolling underfoot. Two more threw rocks at their helmets. Three jabbed at their legs with their spears.

Leia confronted the soldier with the most elaborate armor, holding her knife under his chin. “What are you doing in this land? This is a peaceful place. The Ewoks have no money or jewels, and this is hardly a strategic port.”

The officer looked down at the very sharp silver knife and nearly went cross-eyed. “Lord Vader...ordered it. Taxes are to be tripled...in all parts of the Kingdom of the Empire. Even this one. All must pay, no exceptions.”

Leia concentrated, staring hard at the man. “You will take these men back to Lord Vader and tell them you found nothing in the Endor Woods. The trees were not usable.”

“I will take these men back to Lord Vader and tell them we found nothing here,” the officer repeated in a monotone. “The trees were not usable.”

“Good.” She turned him around, sending him towards his cart. Cecil was tying up the last of his men in the back with the help of two of the Ewoks.

The little brown one hurried up to her as Leia sent the cart bouncing off into the Woods. We got them! He gave her a chipmunk-toothed smile, chattering a meter a minute. We got them all!

Good work. Leia smiled. Why don't we go back to the trees and have some dinner? It's too late to go to Jabba's Palace now.

Another Ewok hurried over to Wicket, a big black creature with dark, snappy eyes. They chattered together for a moment before all of the Ewoks followed him. Cecil found himself swept along, protesting about this not being the proper behavior for gods.

Wicket took Leia's hand. Come on! Wiley just told me they found something much better for dinner than soup!

She chuckled as he dragged her back up the wooden ramp and to the main village. She had no idea what that “something better” might be...until she arrived at the largest of the meeting areas. Two Ewoks carried Lando, Luke, and Arthur, all tied to long wooden poles, to what appeared to be a huge fire pit. Two more lead Chewbacca in by ropes tied around his neck. The Wookie stallion whinnied in frustration.

Lando tried to give Leia a grin, but it came out more than a little sheepish. “Well, hello there, gorgeous! Didn't expect to see you among the baby bear set.”

“Leia?” Luke looked up at her. “Can you help us? They think we're their dinner!”

Leia's eyes widened as she gazed down at Wicket. What? You eat humans and horses?

Wicket shrugged. You're meat, aren't you? You don't have to worry. We wouldn't eat you. You're our guest! It isn't polite to eat a guest! Besides, you came with our god.

These are my friends! Leia protested. The human with the yellow fur is my brother! He's all I have in the world, since the Bad Men took my mate away.

Cecil rushed up to his shorter friend. “Arthur, what are you doing here? I thought you and Sir Luke were making his new sword!” Arthur's fingers could just barely move in the thick ropes. “Could you be a little more precise? I can't understand a word you're signing!”

“Isn't there something you can do?” Leia asked Cecil. “They think you're a god. Maybe it's time you acted like one.”

“Your Highness, begging your pardon, but I could never behave like a god,” Cecil fussed. “I don't have any powers! They'd never believe it.”

“You're wearing the gold uniform, aren't you?” Lando cut in. “That seems to be enough for them.”

“Cecil,” Luke started, “tell them if they don't release us, you'll become angry and use your magic.”

“What magic?” Cecil asked. “I've told you, I have no powers! I couldn't possibly...”

If Luke's hands had been free, he would have seriously considered throttling Cecil at that moment. “Just tell them!”

Cecil sat in the throne-like chair in the center of the terrace and related in the Ewok language exactly what would happen if they didn't obey him. The two largest Ewoks, one wearing an elaborate feather-trimmed leather hood, the other a bleached bird's skull, went into what appeared to be an argument. Logray, the healer in the bird's skull, was all for obeying the god. Chief Chirpa, the Ewok in the feathered hood, just wanted his dinner. Wicket tried to put in his two credits as well. Ultimately, it was the chief's word against the shaman's. The Ewoks fired up torches.

“Wait a minute!” Lando exclaimed as Chewbacca drew back in horror. “Can't we make a deal? I could play you guys for this. I have cards in my pocket. Double or nothing, what do you say?”

Luke just exchanged looks with Leia. She knew exactly what he had in mind...and she was going to help. They both closed their eyes at the same time. The moment they did, Cecil's throne slowly rose into the air, surrounded by a blue light. It whirled around, faster and faster. Lando laughed and Chewie whinnied with delight. The Ewoks scrambled for cover, running for the nearest available shelter.

The moment the blue light lowered Cecil's chair to the ground, the Ewoks rushed to the prisoners and freed them. Chief Chirpa ordered his men to bring gallons of soup for the newcomers instead. It was much safer, and certainly wouldn't anger a god!

Luke embraced first his sister, then Lando and Arthur. Chewbacca trotted over and nudged his favorite humans. Cecil stumbled over, getting hugs from all. “Thanks, Cecil,” the young knight said with one of his sunny smiles.

Cecil's long face was still dazed. “Why, I never knew I had it in me.”

It was when Leia felt something cold on her shoulder that she saw Luke's hand. The bone hand had been covered by one made of metal. “Luke,” she began, startled, “how did you...”

He realized what she was talking about. “Oh. My hand. It was Arthur's idea. He melted down all the metal cups and plates in Ben's cottage and reformed it into a new hand. Do you like it?”

She wasn't sure. “It's very...life-like,” she finally conceded. And too much like our father's, she didn't add.

They talked with the Ewoks long into the night. Cecil told them how they had come there, and why they were passing through Endor. Logray stood to address the crowd. Cecil translated for those who couldn't understand animals.

The trees have told us of you, Logray began. Ewoks are connected to the trees. They are our main source of energy, our life blood. Without trees, we would not exist. The trees tell us stories and songs of the outside world. This is how we know of the bad men who are called the Empire, and the terrible evil they do.

A few weeks ago, Chief Chirpa continued, the trees told us the story of two lovers, a male and a female, who were blessed by the Woods. They also spoke of a kind and gentle young warrior who wished to protect them. The human monster who lead the Empire stole the male away and left his mate to fend for herself. He cut off the warrior's hand, so he could no longer fight.

“Our friend Han Solowolf is the one being held in King Jabba's Palace.” Luke turned to address the group, speaking Basic so everyone would understand. “We're going to rescue him, but we need you to lead us there.”

“I have to go back.” Lando held out the fanciful scrolled helmet of Jabba's guards. “I've been working at Jabba's for nearly two weeks now. I'm just supposed to be one of his regular soldiers who patrol the grounds.” He made a face. “I had to have some job where I wore a helmet. Boba Fett is there, too. He's been there ever since he brought Han's coffin to Jabba. I was afraid he'd recognize me. One of Jabba's boys hired me, and they're not known for being bright.”

“Wait a minute.” Leia went to Chewbacca. “What if I went as a huntsman? I have Mother's armor. If I kept the visor down, no one would know who I am.”

“What about us?” Cecil asked. Arthur's fingers flew. “Captain Solowolf is our friend, too.”

“We'll all do this together.” Luke sat in a circle near the fire. Leia sat on his right, Lando on his left. “Everyone gather around. Cecil, translate for us. We have to make our plans...”