Thumb-Leia: A Star Wars Original Trilogy Fairy Tale

This is the first in a series of short fairy tales I'll be doing over the next month or so that I've wanted to do for a while, but put off while I was writing those two novels last year. We start with one of the more obvious. Carrie Fisher actually starred in a version of "Thumbelina" on the 1980's cable fantasy anthology series "Fairie Tale Theatre." In the original story, Thumbelina isn't really a very proactive heroine. She mostly has things happen to her. Not to mention, we don't see or hear of her prince until the very end. That won't work for dynamic Leia Organa, who is the take-charge kind of girl, even when she's no bigger than your thumb...

Rating: G

Pairings: Han/Leia

Disclaimer: The franchise belongs to George Lucas and the Walt Disney Company.

Once upon a time, Breha and Bail Organa lived in the beautiful Alderaan Manor, known for its lush gardens. They had everything they wanted but a child to share their life with. They'd tried to have children for many years, but Breha was barren and could not bear a child. They were discussing adoption one rainy evening in the spring when they heard a knock on the door.

Breha let in an old man with white hair, a thin beard, and a craggy face. He carried a burlap sack and wore an old robe and tunic. “Thank you, Missus, for allowing me to stay. This weather is perfectly beastly.”

“Oh, I don't think so.” Breha smiled. “It's good for the plants in our gardens. The flowers always look their best after a nice storm.”

“Have a cup of tea with us?” Bail held up the porcelain cup he was about to take a sip from. “This will warm you up nicely.”

“Yes, I think I'll take you up on that offer.” The old man sat down at the table, noticing the papers scattered around its surface. “Were you catching up on correspondence?”

Bail shook his head. “We were trying to figure out how to adopt a child, but I'm afraid the red tape in this country makes that very difficult.”

“Perhaps I can help.” Breha brought the old man his tea. “Ahh. Thank you. That's most comforting.” He leaned into his sack. “I think I have just the thing to repay your generosity.”

Breha sat down next to her husband as the old man pulled out a small, round object. “A bulb?”

“Not just any bulb.” He handed it gently to Breha. “Plant this in your garden, my dear woman. Care for it every day, and when it blossoms, it will grant you your greatest wish.”

The next morning, after the rain had stopped and the old man went on his way, Breha planted the seed in a small patch of earth on the edge of her hyacinth patch. She and Bail spent weeks watering it, singing to it, giving it food and light. The plant sprouted quickly for a flower, finally growing a single white blossom.

Bail and Breha were working together in the garden one day in early summer. Breha happened to look over her shoulder at the hyacinths..and noticed that the petals on the flower the old man gave them were trembling. “Bail, look!” Breha rushed over to the hyacinth patch. “I think the bud is ready to open!”

She had no sooner said these words than the petals burst open. Standing in the center of the beautiful creamy flower was a tiny girl, no bigger than her thumb. She was a truly beautiful young woman, with long velvet brown hair that went down her back, wide brown eyes, and a smile that lit up everything around her. She wore a simple white dress that seemed to be made from the petals themselves.

“Hello there!” She waved her hand. “I'm glad to meet you! Are you my mother and father?”

“Yes, we are!” Bail waved back at her. “I'm Bail Organa, and this is my wife, Breha. We've waited a long time for you to come around, little one!”

“We can't keep calling you that.” Breha gently took the girl in her palm. “You're so small, you're no bigger than my thumb. I think we'll call you Thumbeleia, or Leia for short.”

“Oh, I like that.” Leia smiled up at her. “I'm looking forward to seeing your home, Mother! May I call you Mother? And may I call Bail Father?”

Bail and Breha exchanged happy smiles before returning to the little girl. “We'd like nothing more, my Leia,” Breha said warmly.

Bail and Breha were delighted to have a child, no matter how big she was. Breha made tiny dresses and outfits for Leia, and even a tiny bow and arrows made from string, twigs, and sharp bits of metal. Bail showed her how to hit every target perfectly.

Leia spent her afternoons roaming the garden, exploring every nook and cranny. She got to know the flowers and plants and animals who lived there even better than her parents. The tiny girl chased invasive insects out of the flower and vegetable patches. She was a quick study and learned the language of many animals, so she could convince mice and rabbits to find food elsewhere and sing along with the birds who chirped in the trees over her head.

In the evenings, Bail and Breha taught her everything they knew. They showed her how to read, write, count, and about the history of their country and the world around them. Bail was a lawyer who often brought his law texts home to show his curious daughter. Little Leia had a rather big temper and could get very hot-headed over certain subjects. Bail and his child had many debates over this subject or whether that law was just.

They did everything to make sure Leia was content. Breha built her a tiny pond in the garden where she could swim and row her own little boat made from a walnut shell. One of Bail's empty and cleaned snuff boxes became a bed, with sheets and a soft pillow made from bits of satin.

Leia had everything she could want...except friends her own age and size. As fond as she was of her parents and the birds and other animals in their garden, she sometimes felt lonely and out of place. None of the people who came to her father's office gatherings or her mother's garden parties were anything like her.

One day in the late spring, a little over a year after her flower had opened, Leia told her parents she was ready for an adventure. “I do love both of you,” she admitted, “but I'd like to explore more of the world and search for other little people like me.”

“We love you dearly, my child, and we'll miss you.” Bail gently nuzzled her. “But perhaps it'll be good for you to get out and see the world. After all, at your age I was joining the Republic Wars and going on spy missions for our country. There's no war now, but there's plenty of adventure out there.”

Leia's father packed her a tiny lunch of seeds, dried meat, and whittled-down pieces of fruit. Her mother gave her a sturdy green tunic, blue trousers, and soft shoes for walking, as well as a new quiver made from a piece of leather for her bow and arrow. They took her outside the garden gates and set her there, giving her a nuzzle before she went on her way.

She hadn't gone far when the biggest, ugliest green, red, and blue toad she'd ever seen scooped her into his arms. “What a find!” He croaked in a cynical monotone. “She'll make the perfect bride for my boss.”

The creature hopped far away, ignoring Leia's struggles and screams. He leaped into a large pond, dropping her on a thick, bright green lily pad. Next to her was the biggest, fattest, ugliest brown toad Leia had ever seen. It was twice as big around as Leia was, with bulging, dull yellow eyes and a nasty smile. “Here ya go, boss. Found you nice little wife. She'll look cute on your arm during all those fly raids and frog dances you go to.”

“Thank you,” the toad croaked. “Yes, she'll do very nicely. I don't know what she is, but she's pretty.” His long tongue shot out at her, leaving a trail of slime on her cheek. “We'll dress her in nothing but leaves and and flower petals and keep her with me at all times.”

“Wait a minute!” Leia shoved the toad aside. “Don't I get a say in this?”

The toad's laugh came out like a bellowed croak. “Of course not. My associate here just gave you to me. You're mine now, my little swamp flower.”

Leia tried to shoot at them, but the frogs jumped out of her reach before she had the chance. “Oh, blast it!” The tiny girl leaned over the lily pad, trying to get her bearings. “How am I going to get out of here? It's too deep for me to swim in.” Her hands tried to reach the stem holding it to the mucky ground, but they were too short, even with the arrow in it.

“Miss?” Leia nearly stumbled off the lily pad when the young man landed on it. He was about her age, and just as tiny, with golden hair, blue eyes, and a slender figure clad in a simple cream and tan tunic. Strangest of all were the soft blue and gold wings that fluttered on his back like sparkling jewels. A fluffy brown sparrow flew alongside him. “My name is Luke. I'm a fairy scout. I'm here to rescue you!”

Leia blinked. “You're a little short for a scout, aren't you?”

“Yes...well, no, all fairies are small.” Luke peered around her back. “I'm surprised you don't have wings. I've never seen anyone my size who wasn't a fairy or an animal or insect.”

“I really don't know what I am. I always assumed I was an unusually small human.” She sighed. “Look, the toads are going to be back any minute. Can we get out of here?”

“The toads?” He turned to the bird, who nodded and chirped. “Are you sure you saw that green and yellow toad with the king?” The bird nodded, his chirp darkening.

Leia frowned. “The king?”

“Oh, sorry.” Luke turned back to her. “We're searching for King Han, the head of the fairies. He tried to help defend us against the beetles, but then he vanished. We think they captured him, but we're not sure where he is now.” He nodded at the bird next to him. “This is Chewbaca, one of our best fliers and Han's closest non-fairy friend.”

Leia winced as the toads' croaks came closer. “If you get me out of here, I'll help you look for your king. I can't fly, but I could search for him on land. He might be trapped in a cave, or his wings were damaged and he's hiding until they heal.”

“That make sense.” Luke made a face. “I guess you haven't seen him here. He's taller than I am.” He raised his hands over his head to show how much taller. “His wings are navy blue and black, and he wears a white shirt with a black silk vest and a golden crown.”

“I haven't seen anyone here but the toads and me.” The toads' croaks were almost upon them now. She could hear them hopping in the brush. “We really must hurry. I don't want to end up married to a slimy toad!”

“Get on Chewie.” Luke helped her onto the bird's back. “He'll fly you far away from here.”

Leia looked up hopefully at the scout as he put her pack and bow in her lap. “Aren't you coming with us?”

“I have to find Han. The other fairies are counting on me.” Luke waved to her. “I hope I'll see you soon!”

“So do I!” Leia waved to him, just as Chewbacca took off and soared into the bright afternoon sunshine.

They flew over rivers and lakes, far from the toads' pond. He eventually let her down in a pretty meadow on the edge of an old forest. “Thanks for the ride, Chewbacca.” She fed him a seed from her pack when he nudged her head. “I like you too, boy. Now, you go help Luke find his friend. I'll be all right here. This seems like a nice, quiet place to explore.” The big swallow kept nudging her, but he finally took off into the bright blue sky.

No sooner had Leia started off on her journey than she came upon row after row of shiny black and gray beetles flying in formation. Their little legs almost looked like they were marching along. Behind them were smaller, white and black beetles carrying long, sharp sticks and bags of rocks. Leia had never seen anything like it, outside of the military marching units in some of her father's history books.

“Excuse me, sir,” she began, marching alongside one of the larger beetles, “but what's going on here?”

“We just returned from battle, young lady.” The beetle was the largest and shiniest of all. His rigid skin looked like heavy black armor, and his feelers were much longer than the others. “Yes...I sense something about you. A certain kind of...quality. Are you a fairy, young lady?”

“No, I'm not.” Leia frowned. This creature was obviously of some importance, and he'd mentioned he was back from battle. “You seemed to have marched great distances. Have you run into a fairy named King Han during your travels?”

“Indeed, young lady, we did.” The insect's voice was more like a rasp deep in its thorax. “He was among those we captured. I gave him to my master as a gift, but he found him distasteful. We turned him over to a group of spiders who found him far more to their liking.”

“Do you know where they might have gone with him?” Leia tried to march in front of him. “His people are searching for him.”

“I have no idea. Nor do I care. He's out of our way and cannot lead his people into battle. Master found him to be a nuisance.” The big black beetle's feelers waved around her, looking you over. “You, however...you may please my master. You're strong and attractive, and he is searching for someone to run our military garrisons.”

“But I don't want to run anything!” Leia protested. “I'm just looking for a fairy!”

Vader ignored her and gathered her in his arms. “All right, beetles,” he hissed, “stay in formation! We return to the tree fortress!”

The tree fortress turned out to be an old dead tree on the edge of the forest. Beetles of every size and description marched up and down on the withered old branches. Crumbling twigs were held together with sap and vines, allowing the insects to practice their drills on their surfaces.

The big black beetle flew into the wide opening in the center of the log, with Leia still struggling and kicking at his exoskeleton. A withered old beetle reclined on a throne made from cuts of bark polished to a hard shine. The old beetle was even more dried up than the tree he lived in. He looked like he was little more than an ancient shell. His black armor had faded to a rusty gray and hung off him like a cloak.

“My master.” The insect set Leia on the ground and pushed her before him. “I have brought you a beautiful female creature. If she pleases you, she will be your mate and rule our tree fortress with you.”

The elderly insect shuffled over. “She is not pretty, Vader. She's a fairy. She's not a beetle. In fact,” he tapped the side of her leg with his walking stick, “she's quite ugly. No, she won't do at all for a mate.”

“I'm not a fairy or a beetle!” Leia finally shouted, shoving his stick away. “I'm...well, I'm a Thumbelina. You have no right to call me ugly when you're hardly beautiful yourself!”

“I'm attractive by the standards of our kind.” The head beetle continued to circle her. “She is too slender to be a soldier, too small to shoot a sap cannon, and too sharp-tongued to take commands. Therefore, she is of no use to me. Put her in prison with the other fairies, Vader. Our men will question her later about her friends.”

“What?” Leia turned to the big shiny beetle behind her. “Wait! You're just going to obey him?”

“Yes. I have to. He is my master.” The big beetle once again gathered her in his arms. “I must obey my master, little one. Besides, we have other important things to concentrate on.”

He placed her in a small wooden cell in the back of the tree, then left her quite alone. No sooner had he left than she began to scrape at the bark in the back of the prison with a splinter from the floor. She managed to widen a knothole far enough to crawl out onto a narrow twig. It was too narrow. The twig gave way, dropping her onto a small, thick bush on the ground below. The tiny girl managed to take off into the woods, leaving the militant beetles and their army far behind.

The woods became her home for the rest of that summer. She explored every nook and cranny, from the tops of the tallest tree she could climb to the piles of leaves and needles on their surfaces. Her house was a hole cut open in an old log, with a mushroom roof. She ate nuts, seeds, and berries from the farm land, and befriended the birds and small animals who lived there.

Occasionally, Chewbacca would fly by or Luke would see her, and they would update each other on their progress. King Han was still missing. The spiders had turned him over to a stick insect, who sold him to a lizard for aphids, who traded him to a toad in exchange for flies. Leia did her best to cheer up both Luke and Chewie. She taught them the songs that Papa Bail and Mama Breha taught her. Luke showed her how to dance. Chewbacca took her for flights over the woods and fields. She was even able to visit her parents and assure them that she was doing fine.

As summer turned to autumn, Luke and Chewbacca began to visit far less. Leia was helping two chipmunks gather nuts for the winter when he landed before her. “Hello there, stranger!” She frowned at the despair in Luke's gentle face. “Still no Han?”

“No,” Luke admitted, “and now Chewie's missing, too. He went flying over the edges of the fields by the bramble bushes, then disappeared. I hope nothing's happened to him!”

“I'll look for him, too. He may have gotten tangled somewhere.” Leia shivered as another crimson leaf fell. “I think I'd better be moving on. You probably should, too. It gets a little colder every day. Sooner or later, the snow is going to start.”

“You're right.” He hugged her as tightly as his slender arms could manage. “You be careful. I'm going south, to the Land of the Fairies. I'm hoping King Han will show up there. If not...” The youth's lip trembled. “I don't know what will happen. He's my best friend, and we all need him.”

“I'm sure he will.” It took a few minutes for her to be able to let him go. “Now, you go on. It won't be easy to fly in deep snow.” The young fairy reluctantly took off into the sky, waving at her until he finally faded into the horizon.

Leia packed up and headed off shortly after. The truth was, she wasn't really prepared for the cold. Her clothing was light and summery, and while she tried to wrap herself in an old leaf, it didn't do much good. Her friends in the woods hibernated in their homes or joined the fairies in the warmer southern lands. Not only did food become scarce, but she had to share it with the few remaining creatures who did venture out of their holes in winter. The snows were so deep as to be up to her waist in some places. She could barely move.

The tiny young woman came upon what looked like a small, dark hole in the ground. “I hope they aren't hibernating,” she muttered as she knocked on a little wooden door. “I need to stop somewhere, or I'll freeze to death!”

“Hello?” A pale yellow fieldmouse with long, thick whiskers and slightly watery blue eyes peered out of the door. “May I help you, miss?”

“Yes.” Leia shivered and pulled the leaf further around her. “I was wondering if you could spare a few seeds or nuts, or at least a blanket or coat. I haven't eaten in days”

“Come in, my dear. Warm yourself by my stove.” His hole was studiously clean, almost to a fault, but warm and cozy. The furniture was so shiny with beewax polish, it seemed to glow. “There there. No creature should be out in that beastly weather!” He nodded at the shelves of books near the bed made of metal and wood scraps. “I'm a scholar by trade, and a tactician. I work for the great mole Thrawn, who lives down the way in the next hole over.”

Leia frowned. “Do you know anything about those beetles, who live in the old rotted tree? They claim they're at war, but I haven't really seen them do much besides bother some smaller animals.”

“We do indeed. We wanted to help them, share our knowledge.” Pelleaon sniffed. “Instead, they turned us away. Claimed we weren't beautiful or useful enough for them.”

“They did that to me, too.” Leia smiled as he placed a blanket around her shoulders. “Thank you. Would you mind it if I stayed a little while longer? I've never lived outside during the winter months before. My parents had a nice, cozy house and a little bed set up for me when the weather became too cold.”

“Why don't we make a deal?” Pelleaon brought them both a plate of seeds and nuts. “You help me with my household chores and visit my friend once a week, and I'll not only give you a place to live for the winter, but plenty of food to eat and warm clothing to wear. I was fortunate to be able to store more than enough supplies for the winter months.”

Leia smiled at him. “It's a deal. Thank you.”

“You're welcome.” He gathered her dishes. “And now, why don't we get these washed and start talking living arrangements?”

And so she made her home with the field mouse Pelleaon. He let her move into an empty hole next to his, even giving her a few sticks of furniture and books he didn't need. They spent many an hour arguing over politics and history in his kitchen over spiced cider, next to the old black stove. She became a very competent housekeeper. She swept and polished and dusted his hole and hers to even his satisfaction.

One day, about a week after she arrived, Pellaeon knocked on her door. He told her they were going to see a very dear friend of his. “He's more like my commander,” the little mouse explained as they made their way down the many tunnels that connected the holes of mice, moles, and other underground rodents. “Thrawn used to be an admiral, you know. He's the most cultured, handsome mole I know of. He's very learned. Knows everything about military strategy, history, and art. They say he's the greatest mole officer who ever lived. He's also very wealthy. Made a fortune in trading flies and aphids with the frogs and toads.”

The mole's hole was much larger than Pelleaon's, and far more extravagant. He himself was handsome, as moles went, with shiny blue-black fur, a sharply cut white suit in an elegant style, and red eyes that squinted in the dim light. His home was filled with simple, elegant furniture made from the finest oak from the forest, with a whole wall lined with bookshelves and maps of the area.

“My dear.” He bowed low before her. “Welcome to my home. My friend Pellaeon tells me you're a guest for the winter. He didn't tell me you were so attractive.”

“Thank you.” Pellaeon pulled out a chair for Leia, then one for Thrawn at the end of the long, polished table. Leia had to admit, the luxury was nice. She hadn't seen anything so fancy since she left her parents' home. Insects brought them rich cheese, well-aged dandelion wine, and delicious seeds and dried fruits imported from the southern valleys. “This is a beautiful home you have here,” she began.

“Yes, isn't it?” Thrawn sipped his wine. “I do quite well for myself here. You're Thumbelina, correct? Pellaeon has told me so much about you.”

“Yes, I am, but you can call me Leia.” Leia took a drink of the sweet and spicy wine. “This is a lovely home you have, Mr. Thrawn.”

“Thank you. I don't often have guests, especially in the winter.” He cut into his cheese. “So, what brought you to the woods? Pelleaeon told me you just knocked on his door, frozen and hungry. You don't look like the kind of woman who would normally be a vagrant.”

“I'm not. Not really.” Leia nibbled at her creamy white cheese. “I'm looking for King Han of the fairies, and Chewbacca the Swallow. They went missing last summer.”

“We did hear about the king's disappearance. Most unfortunate for the fairies. They rely heavily on his guidance and that of his scouts.” Thrawn dabbed at his lips with a fine spider's silk napkin. “I haven't seen His Majesty. However, I have seen a swallow, though it's not alive.”

Thrawn lead them down one of the many tunnels. “I was telling you about this, Pellaeon. Someone really should start reinforcing the walls. They're letting the most appalling creatures in. I'm not a fan of songbirds. When I want to hear great music, I'll listen to my Victrola.”

Leia gasped. On the end of one tunnel was a hole where sun and snow came in...and under it was Chewbacca, Luke's swallow friend! His wing lay at an odd angle over a bit of thorn bush. “Chewie!” She threw her arms around him. “So this is where you went. You poor, poor thing!”

Thrawn sniffed. “I can't understand why you'd do that. Birds are dirty creatures with no manners. Flying about in the air, of all things, making the most god-awful racket in the summer. They can't even create works of art or history!”

She glared at the blueish mole. “That doesn't mean they aren't living creatures!”

“Come along, my dear.” Pellaeon gently took her arm. “Why don't we go back to Thrawn's hole and have dessert? His cook makes an excellent apple and nut tart.”

Leia let him tug her down the hall, but there was no way she was going to abandon her friend. That night, after Pellaeon had gone to sleep, she gathered a warm blanket, a dish of water, bandages, and a basket of nuts from her hole and brought them to the bird. When she leaned into him, he was just barely breathing.

“He's not dead!” The tiny girl exclaimed in delight. “Just frozen. I can fix that.” She rubbed the bird's chest gently, increasing his circulation, then pulled the warm blanket over his feathery body. His chest started slowly moving.

“Chewie?” His wide eyes finally fluttered open. “Chewie, it's me! Leia!” The big brown bird twittered as she washed out his wounds. “You're in an underground tunnel.” Her hand went to his wing as he tried to move it. “Don't. I'm no nurse, but I'm pretty sure it's broken. You won't be going anywhere for a while.”

Chewie let out a frantic series of tweets. “Shh!” She put a hand on his beak. “There's other animals sleeping further down the tunnel. I don't want to wake up Pellaeon and Thrawn.” He calmed his twittering to a soft series of chirps. “You say you found King Han? Where is he? I haven't found him, and he's not down here. At least, neither Thrawn nor Pellaeon have seen him.”

The brown bird waved a wing at the broken wall over is head. “You were flying over the bramble bushes,” Leia translated, “when you thought you saw Han being carried off somewhere by spiders? Where?” He swished his wing around the water dish. “To the frog pond?” She nodded. “That makes sense. Luke said it was the last place he saw him.” A wing waved, creating a breeze in the warm tunnel. “You were caught in a draft,” she finished, “and landed in the bramble bushes.” Chewie nodded, ending with a shrug. “And then you don't remember anything until you woke up here.”

The girl patted his damaged wing. “It'll be all right. I know you want to find Han. So do I. I've heard so much about him from you and Luke. Besides, he's your king. You need him.” She sighed. “But neither of us are going anywhere until winter's over and the weather improves. It's much too cold and windy to go flying right now.”

So Leia remained in the caves through the rest of the winter. She spent most of her time with Thrawn and Pellaeon, admiring Thrawn's many works of art and arguing about politics and military strategy. Thrawn was a ruthless creature who, though he disagreed with the beetles' tactics and their obsession with themselves, did agree with their other goals. He thought the fairies were silly, useless creatures who wasted their considerable powers helping other animals and making beautiful flowers grow.

“Flowers are too bright and smell like my old maid aunt's perfume,” Thrawn argued with her. “I far prefer lichen. They glow with their own light, and the colors are more appropriately subdued. Not to mention, they last longer.”

“I think most flowers smell wonderful.” Leia sipped her dandelion root soup. “They give the air such a wonderful fragrance, and the colors look wonderful in the sunlight.”

Thrawn was fascinated by Leia. The tiny girl was the only creature that ever dared argue with him. She was strong-willed, intelligent, and as lovely as the statues in his art collection. She could clean a room as well as she could discuss law and military strategy.

At night and in the late afternoons, while Thrawn and Pellaeon napped, Leia would go to tend to Chewbacca. She told him stories of her adventures, and they sang every song they knew together. He told her through bird-speak about his beloved friend Han and their lives in the fairies kingdom in the south, where colorful flowers grew all year round, and it was never cold.

By late March, the snows had finally begun to recede. Leia was packing her hole when Pellaeon knocked on her door. Thrawn was beside him, his red eyes glittering like rubies.

“We've come to a decision.” Pellaeon's squeak could hardly contain its excitement. “Mr. Thrawn here is going to take you for his bride! Isn't that the most wonderful thing?”

Leia laughed heartily. “I'm sorry Mr. Thrawn, but though I enjoyed our chats together, that's all they were. I don't love you.”

“Who said anything about love?” Thrawn sniffed. “We're discussing a business proposition. Your parents are rich, and you posses a brilliant mind, for a miniature human. We could use our resources to bring these lands to their knees.”

“I don't care about money or power!” The girl threw her bag over her shoulder. “I want to explore, find people who are more like me. I appreciate everything you two did for me, but I didn't come here for a wedding. Besides, I'm not a mole or a mouse. I like the sunlight. I can't live in the dark, like you.”

“Well, I like that!” Pellaeon squeaked angrily. “I took you in when the weather was at its worst. I fed you, gave you a place to stay, let you work in my home and spend time with my friend, and this is how you repay me?”

Thrawn nodded. “You must be realistic, Leia. This is your best option. A hole isn't such a bad place to live. You'll like the darkness. It's cool in summer, and well away from any annoying disturbances, like sunshine and birds and frogs.”

The girl frowned. “Let me think it over. I'll give you my response later.”

“One hour.” Thrawn's red eyes glowed in the dim cave. “You have one hour to make your decision.”

The moment the two left, Leia quickly scribbled a note on onion paper and dropped it on her bed. She grabbed a satchel with seeds, nuts, a few twig arrows, and a newly-built bow and made her way into the tunnel. Chewbacca was testing his wing when she arrived. Watery sunshine streamed through the bird-shaped hole in the crumbling wall, while soft breezes ruffled Chewie's feathers.

Leia rubbed his wing gently. “How's it feeling, boy?” The big sparrow nodded and gave her an affirmative chirp. “You're ready to fly? Good. I'm coming with you.” The bird's chirps were both excited and surprised. “I can't stay here. I left Pellaeon a note. I appreciate him taking me in, but I'm not in love with his boss, no matter how rich and powerful he is. I'm sick and tired of half the animals in the woods trying to get me to marry them. I'd rather help you find your friend.”

No sooner had she climbed onto Chewie's back than they were through the wall and up in the air! It was wonderful. Leia had missed the sunshine badly, missed the wind and the perfume of the flowers in the air. Though it was early spring and the breezes were chilly, the sun felt warm on her back.

At last, they were soaring over the frog pond. The darker ends of the pond were still partially frozen over. Several thick chunks of ice lay on the banks, not far from where she'd been held captive on the lily pad. She was about to point them out when a blue and gold blur caught her eye. “Chewie,” Leia insisted, “is that Luke?”

The small fairy had traded his lighter tunic, suspenders, and trousers for a heavier ensemble made of shiny black rose silk. He fought with what looked like a long crystal rod that glittered with a bright green inner fire. Toads and frogs leaped on him, but he smacked them with his weapon or tangled them in garlands of flowers. His wings fluttered around him like jewels against the brown reeds. The young fairy almost seemed to glow in the spring sunlight.

“Chewie, you help Luke.” She nudged him, pointing at the icy pond. “I'll start looking for Han.” Chewie chirped his disagreement, but Leia shook her head. “Keep them busy until we can get more help.”

The swallow dropped her off by the reeds, then flew over to grab a frog by the leg and dump it in the pond. Luke and Leia both cheered for him before she pushed further into the reeds.

It didn't take her long to find what she was looking for. The chunks of ice she'd seen from Chewie's back were slowly melting in the bright March sun. The largest held the sleeping form of the handsomest man Leia had ever seen. His muscular build sported a white tunic and black vest made from the finest spider silk. A crown made of fine crystal beads topped his wet auburn locks.

“That poor man.” It took her a few minutes, but she managed to haul the block away from the banks and onto more solid ground. She leaned against his frozen prison, admiring his scarred square chin and strong cheekbones. “There has to be some way of getting him out of this.” Her fingers tapped under the ice, where his wings should have been...but there was only a large, white lump covered in thin white thread. The same thread bound his wrists and ankles. “I'm guessing he's likely the missing king...but what happened to his wings?”

She started chipping away at the ice with her arrows. “This is crazy,” she muttered. “I could be at this forever. There has to be an easier way.”

Her legs finally slid down in the mud next to the ice block. She leaned against the man frozen helplessly in the water. “I wish I knew what I could do to help you.” The sun beamed down over her as she wrapped her arms around the block. “If only I had magic...”

The fat brown toad who had tried to marry her the year before hopped over to see what was going on with his prisoner. He arrived just in time to see the sunlight gather around the tiny girl. “Leia?” Luke flew over as the light intensified. “What in the world...”

The girl looked at the light on her hands, her brown eyes wide. “I don't know what this is!” As she gazed down, she realized that the light was already melting the ice over Han. “But I know what I can do with it.” Her palms dropped onto the block. Chewbacca pushed away one of the toads with his wing; Luke held the fatter one away with his crystal rod.

She focused on the light, and how warm it felt. It flowed through her veins, her hands, her heart. It was a part of her. As she moved her hand across the king's prison, the light spread, dissolving the ice. After only a few moments, the King of the Fairies dropped into her arms, limp and motionless.

Luke hurried over to her. “Is he alive?”

The girl nodded, her whole body now bathed in a soft golden light. “His breathing is shallow, but he's alive. He should be awake by now.” She shook him a little. “Han? Your Majesty?”

“You'll never awaken him!” The fat toad's croak sounded more like a laugh. “That beetle Vader cast a spell of eternal sleep over him. He'll make a wonderful decoration for my lily pad, once I get him back in the ice.” He hopped menacingly over to the duo. “My bride came back to me! You're a smarter chit than I thought. And you, pretty golden fairy boy, will make a fine groom for one of the lady toads who live on the other side of the pond, once the spiders bind your wings.”

“NO!” Leia and Luke screamed at once. Leia was faster, leaping for a vine before the toad could reach for Luke's wings. “You'll never harm any living creature again!” She wrapped the vine around the toad's fat neck, throttling it with every bit of her strength. She didn't move again until the toad's long tongue flopped out of his mouth, and he finally fell down dead at her feet.

“Look out!” The blue, green, and yellow toad jumped over a log and onto her, his high jump making him appear to be flying. Luke shot the creature while it was in the sky. “Don't you dare harm her!” The moment the frog fell from the sky, Chewbacca swooped over and took him by the foot with his beak, then dropped him into the mouth of a waiting heron on the far end of the pond.

Luke looked up as Chewbacca landed next to him. “Good boy. We owe you a lot.” Chewie chirped happily as Luke stroked his back.

Leia still held Han in her arms. “How could that awful beetle be so cruel?” Her fingers glided gently through his soft brown tresses. “I'm glad his Emperor thought I was ugly. I never would have wanted to marry such a terrible creature.”

The fairy and the bird turned around just in time to see Leia kiss the enchanted monarch in her arms. As her lips touched his, the shining afternoon sunlight seemed to flow around both of them. Her fingers continued to caress his hair and forehead, while the light chased the last of the sleep from his mind and heart.

“Chewie!” Luke nodded as Han's long, slender fingers slowly flexed in their silken bonds, then took hold of Leia's. “He's awake!”

“W...where am I?” Han's voice was gruff, deep, and a bit rusty from disuse. He gently ran the back of his bound hands against Leia's cheek. “Who are you?”

Leia gently pulled the sticky white thread from his wrists, while Chewbacca bit at the thread on his ankles. “My name is Leia. The larger toad tried to force me to marry him, but your friends helped me escape. Since they helped me, I thought I'd help them.”

“I wish I could see you.” Luke and Leia helped Han to his feet as soon as Chewie had the silk off his ankles. “Everything is a blur.”

“It's probably from being in the ice so long.” The blond fairy frowned as he, Leia, and Chewie tugged at the wrapping around Han's back. “Han,” he said as he pulled a bit of sticky thread away, “how did they get your wings?”

Han winced as a wide swatch of sticky white goo pulled at his back. “Vader's boss thought I was too much of a pain and too ugly to keep around. I tried to fight them, but the Emperor ordered the spiders to tie me up with their thread, then ordered his beetles to force me onto my knees in front of Vader. He looked into my eyes and started chanting something about being sleepy...” He shook his head. “And that's all I remember.”

“He apparently put you under a sleeping spell.” Leia pulled the last of the thread from his wings. “Chewbacca said he saw you with the spiders shortly before winter set in. Vader must have turned you over to them, and they gave you to the toad. The toad was likely the one who froze you. He said something about using you as a decoration.”

“He did?” Han's head whipped around as he looked for the corpulent brown menace. “Where is he? I'd like to tell him what I think of that!”

“He's gone. I got rid of him.” Leia shivered as a chilly wind blew across the pond. “Let's get out of here, before other toads decide we're their next meal.” She ran a finger over Han's limp crimson and sapphire blue wings. “Do you think you can fly, Your Majesty?”

He grinned as flirtatiously as possible at her, even as he had to grab at her shoulder to steady himself. “Call me Han, sweetheart. No, I don't think my wings are up to a long flight. They're stiff and sore from being tied in spider silk and frozen for six months.”

“Then Chewie will take both of you.” Luke helped Leia onto the swallow's back, then Han. “I'll cover you, make sure no one follows us.”

Han gave Chewie the biggest hug he could muster. Chewie chirped happily in his ear. “Yeah, I missed you too, boy. Thanks for coming after me. All of you.” He grinned and stroked Chewie's back. “Now, let's go home.”

Leia looked over her shoulder at the beaming king. “Where's home?”

“Down south, in the Kingdom of the Fairies.” Han put his arms around her as Chewbacca took off into the sky. To her surprise, she found herself leaning into them. “Would you like to stay with us, Leia? I mean, you can go anywhere you want to...”

Her tender smile melted the remaining ice in his heart. “I'd love to, Han. I didn't really have any other plans. I will need to visit my parents at Alderaan Manor sometime soon, or at least get a letter off to them. They haven't heard from me in a while, and they must be worried.”

They flew over trees and fields, past marching beetles and Pellaeon and Thrawn's hole. The air gradually became warmer, the grassy fields greener and less brittle. The trees now had pointed leaves, rather than the rounded or jagged-edged ones she was used to. After flying over a river, they emerged in a wide meadow filled with the most colorful and sweetest-smelling flowers Leia had ever seen.

“Here.” Luke lead them to a familiar blossom at the edge of the meadow. “Leia, you can stay with me in my flower until we can find you one of your own.”

She touched the smooth, familiar petals. “This is the same type of flower I was born out of!”

“You too?” Luke climbed into the center. “I was born out of this flower. The others told me there were two seedlings that came from the same plant, but one was taken up north by an old magician. I never found out what happened to it.”

“Mother and Father told me an old man gave my seed to them.” She smiled. “Maybe that makes us flower siblings.”

“I like that.” Luke gave her a hug. “I've never had a real family before. Only the King and Chewbacca and my other fairy friends.”

Han still held onto Chewbacca. “Leia,” he said gently, “I'm wondering...how did you guys get me away from the toads?”

“I don't know what happened.” Leia shrugged. “I just...I wanted to free you. I had no desire to marry that toad, and I couldn't leave you in the ice like that. Then the sun came out, and I just...I absorbed it. I could feel it in my veins. It was like...the sun was a part of me.”

“That's because it is.” Han stumbled over to her, nearly falling over. She and Luke put their arms around him to keep him steady. “From the sound of it, you used fairy powers.” A faint gold light appeared in Han's palm. “That's how our magic works, sweetheart. It's based on the sunlight. When we're in the light, we open up, like our flowers. But take us out of it...” He pulled his arms around himself. “Our magic withers.”

“No wonder I always preferred being outside in the garden at Alderaan Manor.” Leia nodded. “And that's why I couldn't stay with Pellaeon, even though he was kind to me. Not just because I didn't want to marry Thrawn, although that was part of it. I couldn't stand the thought of never seeing the sun again.”

“You would have wasted away.” Han's shaky knees nearly went out from under him. Chewbacca propped him up with his beak. “When the beetles got their hands on me and a couple of other fairy soldiers after our battle, they locked us in the darkest cell possible. I had no power left when they dragged me out to face Vader. Even now,” Han made the watery gold light appear in his palm again, “it's still not in good shape.”

“We'll get you back on your feet, Your Majesty.” Luke chuckled as Chewbacca took Han by his vest and dropped him on his back. “Why don't you and Chewie go to your flower, and we'll get you settled in?”

“Sure.” He gave Leia his little lazy grin. “Hey sweetheart, want to come with me? You'll like my flower. I have the biggest one in the entire meadow.”

She matched his grin. “I'd love to.”

Over the next few months, Leia grew to love the fairies and their kingdom. She spent her days practicing her newfound powers with Luke, and her nights helping fairy physicians nurse Han back to full health. She grew to enjoy Han's company more than anyone's. The king of the fairies was charming, funny, and kind. She taught him chess and told him about the laws and culture of the non-magical world. He told her stories of his many adventures, including their fights with the beetles.

Chewbacca was busy delivering letters back and forth to Alderaan Manor. Breha and Bail Organa had been worried about their daughter. The winter was one of the worst in over a decade, dropping more than a foot of snow on their garden. They were delighted to discover that Leia had not only made it through the cold weather, but she'd found the friends her own age she'd been looking for.

One day in April, a little over a year after they got their first letter, they were quite surprised to receive an official invitation written on silken paper made from a daisy petal. They were invited to the wedding of King Han of the Fairies and Leia Organa of Alderaan Manor. They accepted with pride and happiness, taking a train, and then a cart, to the flower meadow where the wedding was to have taken place.

It was a beautiful wedding. Han wore the navy and gold robes of fairy royalty, his strong wings shining crimson and deep blue in the spring sunlight. Leia's simple white gown was made from fine spider silk, and she carried tiny lilies of the valley in her little hands. Breha and Bail sat down on soft tufts of moss nearest to the ceremony, which took place on an enormous poppy.

Leia and Han bowed before wise old Yoda, the oldest fairy priest in the entire meadow, who performed the ceremony. Luke, his protege, stood by, his blue eyes filled with tears. Chewbacca sobbed the entire time, as his wife and son tossed petals from their beaks over the happy couple.

Han set a golden crown on Leia's flowing dark locks. “I crown thee Queen Leia of the Fairies of the Southern Meadows!” As the other fairies cheered and the birds chirped their happiness, he waved his hands to calm them. “One more thing.” He nodded at Luke, who brought over a pair of glittering purple and gold wings. “You deserve these, sweetheart. You saved Luke and me from those toads and was a good friend to Chewie all winter, even when the mouse and the mole told you to stay away. We wouldn't be here without you.”

“Oh Han!” She threw her arms around him. “I've always wondered what it would be like to fly. Now we can do it together!” Her arms wrapped around him tightly. “I love you, my fairy king.”

He just gave her that famous lazy grin. “I know.”

She rolled her eyes. “I'm sure you do.” Her hand swiped at his wings. “Why don't we test these out? First one to the big oak tree and back gets to choose our honeymoon spot.”

“Oh, a challenge, huh?” Han laughed. “You're on, sweetheart.”

“Then catch me!” Leia laughed as she rose into the air. “After all, I need practice on these!”

“Hey!” Han took off into the sky. “That's not fair! You got a head start!”

Luke rose up next to him. “Well, she is new at this. She needs practice.”

“Practice, my eye.” Han sped off after her, with his blond friend trailing behind. “Sweetheart, wait up!”

Breha and Bail nearly fell over laughing as the trio glided over to the towering oak tree. They no longer worried about their tiny daughter. They knew she was in good hands with her new husband and brother, and that she'd finally found her place in their world. As long as they had each other in their hearts, there was no sky they couldn't soar in.

The End