Lady Leia and the Prince, Part 2

Leia spent the next few hours in town, mostly haggling with old Watto over the price of the chairs. Father and Grandmother Shimi had worked for him as virtual slaves for many years, before Father entered the Jedi order and Grandmother married Grandfather Clieg. Watto was the same nasty old grouch as ever, refusing to pay half of what he owed her. She had to threaten to reveal some of his more odious business practices before he'd give her even part of the money.

She moved on to the marketplace next. While her mother did want her to pick up some fresh peaches and apples for their birthday dessert, she was mainly there to listen to gossip. Merchants from Coruscant, the main seat of Naboo, frequently passed through, bringing with them stories of happenings in the capitol.

“He's getting worse,” Leia's friend Shara Dameron complained as she browsed through her family's produce stand. “Ever since Queen Jania fell ill, Palpatine's been tyrannizing everyone. The taxes were raised by ten percent on all food and toll roads. I don't know how we're going to be able to afford to stay here.” Shara rubbed her swollen belly. “Kes and I need to find a better place to raise our child.”

“I wish you didn't have to leave. You're one of the only friends I have.” Leia slammed her tiny fist on the booth's counter. “I should ride to Alderaan Manor and talk to Uncle Bail. Maybe Father could come with me. My uncle is one of the Queen's closest counselors. He might be able to do something.”

Shara shook her head. “Fewer people have been speaking against Palpatine lately. Not since Counselor Satine of Mandalore was killed in her own home by phantom archers in red robes. Who knows what Palpatine will do when he takes the throne?”

“He's not there yet. Queen Jania has an heir, even if he's not a very good one.” Leia brought an armful of fruit to the counter. “Has anyone heard from Prince Henry? Is he still off carousing at Mos Eisley and Nar Shadda?”

Shara bit her lip. “The prince is dead. It was formally announced yesterday that he was murdered on the road just outside of Nar Shadda by brigands he owed money to.”

“Well, I'm not going to say I'm surprised.” Leia sighed as she handed Shara her few coins. “He's probably had it coming to him for a while now. I do feel sorry for his mother...and more to the point, for us. He wouldn't have made a very good king, but he'd still be better than Palpatine.”

Shara took the coins, then gave her friend a hug. “You'll keep an eye on yourself?”

“I always do.” Leia patted her friend's shoulder. “I really have to go. Mother's waiting for this fruit. Say good-bye to Kes for me...”

Suddenly, she reeled back, pulling out of Shara's arms. The light around her seemed to go wavy and soft, and then...the vision. She saw it. Her home, flames licking around the edges of the cottage walls, scorching the thatch roof. Her parents. The orcs...the phantom archers. Their red robes matched the color of the fire that consumed her home. Luke held on the ground by two fiendish goblins, while a shape in a dark robe, its bony white hand standing out in stark relief against the brilliance of the flames, chanted a guttural incantation she couldn't understand. Dark light writhed around Luke, who screamed in agony...his body twisted, changing...

“Are you all right, Leia?” Shara's hand was on her shoulder. “You just stopped, and then you turned pale. Is something wrong?”

“Yes. That's all I can say. I have to get home.” Leia dashed for the cart, parked in the near-by grass. “I wish you and Kes all the luck in the world! Give my love to the new baby!” The cart was flying down the road before Shara had the chance to reply.

She hoped she wasn't too late. She'd never had a vision like that before. Not that intense. Her parents...Luke...they were all she had in the world. Them and Obi-Wan. Thank goodness he lived at a separate cottage about twenty minutes from them. A rusty crow cawed overhead as she careened down the dirt path into the Endor Woods. “Strange,” Leia muttered. “I swear that's the same crow I saw when I was talking to Mother this morning. Nosy little fellow! I wonder why he's so interested in this part of the woods? Probably trying to get into Mother and Luke's vegetable garden.”

The smoke was visible well before she made it to the path that lead to their home. It was thick and black, and it obscured everything. Twilight wouldn't get near it. She left them on the end of the road, glad that she'd brought her armor and Jedi weapons, just in case of emergencies. Her fingers grasped the hilt of her sword as she leaped from the cart, ducking into the smoke.

Her home was destroyed. Nothing but cinders. They burned everything. Her father's workshop, where he had been working on a cradle for Shara's baby. Mother's kitchen, with its drying herb bundles and smell of cooking vegetables. The garden she and Luke had lovingly planted was trampled and blackened. The chickens and cow were gone, probably stolen by the phantom archers for their master.

“Mother!” Her voice was raw and choked. “Father! Luke!” Fingers reddened from clutching her sword threw scorched boards aside, ignoring splinters and sharp edges. Where were they? They couldn't...they wouldn't...her vision...

She found Mother and Father together, in what had once been the main room. At least, she thought it was them. Mother's body was so mangled and blackened, it was hard to tell. There was a pile of ashes and bones next to her that may have been her father.

Leia stumbled into the remains of the garden and promptly threw up everything she'd eaten that morning and in town. After wiping her mouth, she managed to stumble to her feet. One person was missing. “Luke?” Leia closed her eyes, trying to remember the vision. “Luke? Are you here?” He was alive. Her brother was alive. She could feel it. He was alive, but not...himself. Not right. As she concentrated, she felt the darkness all around her, cloaking her brother. It was a deep, thick evil, a concentrated corruption like she'd never felt before. It shielded Luke, whose light in the Force normally shined like a beacon of purity.

It was nearly dark when she finished digging a grave for her parents in the remains of her mother's garden. She buried them together. They would have wanted it that way. “I miss both of you already,” Leia gulped. “I...I loved you both more than anything. You two and Luke were my world.” The distraught young woman thrust her blue blade into the ground before them. “I swear on Father's sword, I will find who did this, and they will pay.”

Without another word, she sheathed her blade, then climbed into the cart and rode away, not looking back. The golden light deepened into pink, then red, then purple. The hot golden sun was replaced by a soft moon, round like the cheese many people claimed it was.

Obi-Wan's cottage was smaller than her parents'. It was still wood and thatch, but it had only one small room with a few sticks of furniture, including a large bookshelf. Leia had never been so happy to see it. Usually, Luke got along better with Obi-Wan than she did, but she liked her uncle well enough.

“Leia!” The old mage's cape fluttered behind him as he rushed out. “Get inside. Hurry!”

“What's going on?” He lead Leia inside. Her uncle's normally neat cottage was a disaster. Most of the furniture was in splinters of the floor. His cookware lay dented next to the fireplace, and his books were in ashes.

“I was in the garden when they attacked.” Obi-Wan pulled a small wooden chest out from under the floorboards. “Thank goodness I was able to fend them off.” He took out a soft satchel and dropped several dusty books from the chest into it, along with a few clothes and personal items that hadn't been smashed. “They'll be back soon, though. I know they already got your parents. I saw the smoke.”

It wasn't until then that she noticed the tears in the old man's eyes. “Your father...Anakin was practically my brother, and Padme was one of the dearest, sweetest women I ever knew. I didn't have the chance to go to them when the demons came and tried to take my energy.”

“Is that what happened?” Leia handed him an extra cloak. Uncle Obi-Wan was always dropping and losing his. “I found them dead and our house burned to the ground.” The girl wiped fiercely at her own brown eyes. “And Luke...he's alive, but something is wrong...”

“Palpatine has Luke.” Obi-Wan took a long oaken staff off the wall and swept a pile of blankets into his arms. “I had a vision...”

“So did I.” She gathered two of the less-dented pots. They were going to need something to cook with. “You said they tried to take your energy.”

Her uncle dropped the pots and a spoon in a burlap bag, followed by several bags of herbs. “Like all black magic beings, Palpatine feeds on corrupted magical energy.” His hand rubbed at his chest. “I could feel him drain the life from your father. It was like a torture device clamped on my heart. When a demon has finished draining the magic from a creature, the creature turns to dust.”

“That's why Father's remains were dust and bone.” She nearly choked at the thought of it. “He...he took his energy...” Her little fists slammed against the wooden walls. “I will kill Palpatine! I swear it! He can't go around, taking whatever energy he wants! If he's done it to Luke, too...”

“No, he can't handle Luke's magic. The boy is an innocent, his magic pure as moonlight. He'd have to find a way to corrupt it, make it easier to remove.” Obi-Wan sat on the satchel, but the metal clasp refused to close. “Palpatine stripped every Jedi in our order of magic but us and our elder. I have no idea where our elder is now, or if he's even still alive. To my knowledge, you, I, and Luke are the only ones left.”

Leia plopped next to him. “Why does he need all that magic?”

“Knowing him, I'm sure he's planning some scheme to wrestle the kingdom from the royal family, and has been for years.” He signed in relief as the clasp gave that tell-tale click.

“I'll bet he's the one who had the prince killed, not some brigand.” Leia hefted the satchel into her arms. “And he's probably been poisoning the queen, too.”

Obi-Wan nodded. “I wouldn't be surprised if he at least initiated the queen's illness.” He shouldered the staff in its holder. “Prince Henry isn't dead, though. He's very much alive. I can feel it. Besides, that brigands story seemed a bit fishy to me.”

“All right, Uncle Obi-Wan.” Leia sighed. She didn't entirely believe the prince had avoided his fate, but it was obvious her uncle thought he did. “Where to now?”

“Death Star Fortress, on the Salt Cliffs of Crait overlooking Calamari Bay.” Obi-Wan pulled a map out of the bottom of the chest and tucked it into his robe. “It's remote enough for Palpatine to keep a magic-user hidden.”

Leia was about to ask him how the hell they were going to break into a guarded fortress when the ground under her quaked. He heart twisted in her stomach as the sound of grunts and screams joined falling trees and the smell of freshly-decaying meat.

“Orcs!” Obi-Wan leaped aside as the back window of the cottage was smashed in by a needle-studded mace the size of her head. “Get out of here! Get to the cart!” Leia didn't need to be told twice. She and Obi-Wan ducked outside, just as a second massive fist slammed into the roof, bringing it down on shattered furniture.

Three massive creatures with muscles thick as muskmelons lumbered over the remains of the cottage, searching for any humans that might be left inside. “Hey ugly,” she yelled, “what was that all about?” She stabbed him in the foot and smirked when he jumped up and down, clutching his wounded toes. “You shouldn't go around wrecking houses that don't belong to you!”

“Owwww!” The orc massaged his cut toe. “Bad lady! That hurt!” He reached for Leia, who managed to duck away. “Hey, stop that! Master say he wanted girl with magic! She's the cub of the Knight we kill!”

Leia was about to leap at him when long, slightly more willowy arms reached around her. The lone female orc grabbed her from behind, holding her tightly and keeping her from reaching for her sword. “You will come with us, human girl,” the orc purred. “You have good magic. Our master likes good magic. He will take your magic, and we will feed on the remains.”

Leia kicked the orc at the same time a staff came down on her head. The orc screamed as Leia pulled away. “I'm afraid we don't have the time to deal with you.” Obi-Wan ducked the swipe she took at him with her thick green fist. “We have a very long trip ahead of us, and we must get going now if we're going to beat the morning cart traffic.”

The orc let out a shriek and collapsed...revealing Leia and her blazing blue crystal sword. “Don't you dare try to touch my uncle again!”

“Thank you, Leia. I'll handle the other two.” Obi-Wan moved back, concentrating. A green light circled around his hand. She kept them busy, barely managing to dive under their legs and deflect their maces with her sword, as her uncle worked his spell.

The largest orc had just gotten her on the ground when a glistening green beam mingled with the moonlight, writhing around the orcs. Their shrieks of terror shook trees to their roots and sent several skittish night animals into hiding. Eventually, the shrieks vanished as the orcs seemed to blend into the ground. When it subsided, they were now trees themselves, great black columns with fat twisted limbs rising into the sky.

“My god.” Leia's eyes widened. “I've never seen a spell used like that!”

Obi-Wan stumbled. “I haven't used magic like that in twenty years.” He took Leia's hand. “Let's get out of here, before Palpatine sends more creatures after us.” The girl leaped in and grabbed the reins, shaking them so hard, her uncle nearly fell off the driver's seat as the cart bounced into the woods.

“What happened back there?” Leia asked as she directed Twilight to the main road. It would probably be empty at this time of night, and she wasn't about to stay in the forest after running into those orcs. “I've never seen monsters that size in this part of the Kingdoms. I thought they only lived in the Hinari Mountains.”

“They're members of Palpatine's squadrons. His powers allow him to assemble whatever fiendish beasts will do his bidding. He has control over everything from demons to dragons.” Obi-Wan rubbed his rear as they went over a rut in the road. “I think we should stop for the night and camp out in the cart. We've had a busy day, and we have a long ride tomorrow.”

Leia let Obi-Wan sleep in the cart. His back wasn't as strong as hers. Besides, she didn't mind sleeping on a blanket on the ground. Father used to take her on trips into the woods all the time when she was younger. They'd lay on a blanket together and count the stars until they were too sleepy to talk anymore. She couldn't help the tears that fell as she thought of Father and Mother.

Slumber didn't come easy that night, or for the next few days. Her dreams were plagued by orcs and crows that transformed into devils with long talons and wrinkled white skin. She'd see Luke on his knees, reaching out to her before a dark light would engulf him. Chapped lips would cry out to him, but not a sound emerged. Slender arms reached for empty air. Brown eyes trained into the inky darkness of the forest fell on a slender figure. A man in a dark silk cloak...was it Luke? But the figure was too tall to be her brother. He cried out to her, but the words melted into the warm summer air. When she got closer, his helpless pleas had blended with the growls of a wounded wolf...a wolf that was poised to spring...

She shot out of her blankets, her mind still groggy with sleep. They were now on the edge of the Endor Woods, just outside the Salt Cliffs of Crait. The sun was just peeking over the tops of the trees as the growls became louder and more frightened.

Obi-Wan had just emerged from his own blankets as Leia took off into the woods. Ignoring his groggy calls to her, she followed the sound through the dew-soaked underbrush. The creature sounded like it was hurt. Probably an animal caught in a poacher or hunter's trap. They usually did their work early in the mornings.

Indeed, when she crept into a small clearing, she found a huge brown wolf with its paw caught in a heavy iron trap. “You poor thing!” The big dog looked up at her with large, pained blue eyes. “I won't hurt you. I want to help you.” It whimpered as she stroked his silky ears. It had the softest, thickest fur she'd ever seen. Between the fur and the massive body, it was easily twice the size of most wolves. It was more like a furry mountain than a wolf! When she put out her hand, it bared a set of sharp fangs that gave it a ferocious look.

“I won't hurt you! I promise!” The creature tilted its head as Leia scratched around its ears. “I'm going to have to leave you for a minute. I'll be back as soon as I can get my uncle.”

Obi-Wan was packing up their camp when she emerged, sticks and leaves caught in her hair. “Uncle Obi-Wan, you have to come with me. There's a wolf caught in a trap out there. I can get him out, but I don't know any healing spells.”

“I did feel something out there.” The older man made a face as he pulled out a bag of herbs. “I was never fond of poachers. It's one thing to shoot at the Wookie wolves to keep them from livestock, but I disapprove of hunting for sport or to sell them as pets. These are wild creatures, and they should be free in the woods, where they belong.”

The wolf looked up expectantly as they arrived. Leia managed to force the trap open with her sword blade. Obi-Wan petted the creature's back, whispering gently into its ear. Leia took over petting him as her uncle rubbed the herbs around his badly cut foot. They moved aside, allowing the wolf to test out its feet. He limped a little before going over to Leia and giving her a big lick on her cheek, then doing the same to Obi-Wan.

Leia couldn't help laughing. “Hey! You're awfully friendly, for a wild animal.”

“I'm wondering if someone tamed him.” Uncle Obi-Wan returned the bag of herbs to the pocket of his robe. “Most Wookie wolves are shy creatures who would rather roam with their own kind, but he's seems to like us.”

“We can't leave him out here.” Leia patted the wolf's head as he nudged her leg. “Could we bring him with us, Uncle Obi-Wan? He's a dog, or at least canine. He might be able to sniff out Luke.”

“That's not a bad idea.” Obi-Wan chuckled as the wolf rubbed at his leg. “And we wouldn't have to feed him. Most wolves are expert hunters. If anything, he might be able to share some of his catch with us.”

Leia rode in the back with the wolf as Uncle Obi-Wan took over the driving. She had to admit, she sort of liked the walking carpet. They'd had dogs and other domestic pets at her parents' cottage, and she missed having a furry friend. For his part, the wolf didn't seem to mind her attention. Obi-Wan smiled as the two fell asleep, Leia pillowed on the wolf's soft back. They needed the rest, he decided. They had a long day ahead of them.