The Falcon had just galloped onto the path down the Bespin Mountains when a red light sizzled out of nowhere, creating an enormous hole in the road before them. Leia just managed to get the cart around it in time, almost overturning them in the process.
“Princess, please!” Cecil popped his head out to glare at her. “May I remind you that we have an invalid in here? Maneuvers like that aren't good for his constitution.”
Lando screeched as they narrowly missed another blast. Leia felt an arrow whiz over her cropped dark hair. “Great. First Vader's on our tail, now two of his battle carriages.”
Leia flicked the reins harder. “We're just going to have to out-run them. As for Father, aim for his wings. They're his most vulnerable spot.”
“Father?” Lando shook his head as he loaded his bow. “How are you related to that thing in the air?”
“Believe me, it's not something I ever wanted.” Leia looked down the steep incline. “There's only one way we're going to out-maneuver them. Lando, did your men finish fixing the Falcon?”
He nodded as he shot off two arrows in quick succession. “So they told me.”
“Good.” Leia turned towards the edge of the mountain. “Get down and hold on. This is going to get a little rough.” She poked her head inside. “You too, Cecil and Arthur. Hold on and make sure Luke is secure. We're going down the mountain.”
“What? But...” Lando managed to grab the sides as Leia sharply turned Chewbacca and Tauntaun towards the edge of the cliff. They raced down the mountainside, trying to avoid the branches and large stones in their path. The Falcon bounced perilously. At least one of the Imperial battle carriages overturned as soon as it hit the mountain. The other lasted long enough to fire three arrows into the side of the Falcon before running off a cliff and into a gorge.
Lando's dark skin had a distinct ashen cast to it. “This was brilliant. They're off our tail.” He was clutching the sides of the seat so hard, his knuckles were pale. “Don't ever do this again.”
For her part, Leia's heart was pounding like an Imperial war chant. “Not unless we have to get down the sides of a mountain fast.” Another blast of light hit the mountain, sending a spray of rocks. “We still need to lose Father.” Leia looked down the side, trying to ignore the steady stream of debris threatening to overturn them. “I know how.”
The Falcon finally bumped and bounced into the gorge, staying in the long early morning shadows. Leia followed the twists and turns of the river until she made it back onto what looked like a farmer's road. They were flanked by the mountains on one side and vast fields of sun-colored grains on the other.
Lando looked over his shoulder and into the sky. “Looks like we gave Vader the slip. He's gone.”
Leia sighed. “Probably went to get more help from the locals. I know Father. He won't give up until he has what he wants.”
The sun was just starting its ascent when she finally stopped the carriage by a fork in the road, decorated by many arrows pointing towards the Seven Kingdoms. One branched southwards, towards Tatoon, Jakku, and other hot, dry lands. The other went north, towards Hoth, the Dagobah Swamps, the Enchanted Woods, and the Empire.
Leia's traveling companion turned to her as she parked the Falcon next to the sign. “Leia, I know you probably won't forgive me for all this. I wouldn't blame you. I'm going to have a hard time forgiving myself. I really do want to make it up to you and your friend somehow.”
“You want to help us?” Leia jumped off the cart. “Find Han. That'll do more for me and Luke than you could ever imagine.”
Lando nodded. “I can't go back to Cloud Village now. My name is probably on every wanted poster in town.” He gave her a familiar lazy grin. “I was getting sort of bored with that job anyway. It's time to move on.”
Leia's heart ached at that lopsided smile. It reminded her so much of Han's. She was already missing him, more than she could have ever imagined. She quickly wiped a tear away as she went around to the back of the cart to check on Luke.
“Leia?” Luke was sitting up on Han's bunk when she went in, propped up on every pillow in the cart. “Are you all right? Where's Han? I didn't see where they took him.”
Leia joined Cecil and Arthur in the bunk next to him. “We don't know. The huntsman Vader sold him to got away before we could stop him.” She winced at the shape he was in. There were deep cuts on his face and rapidly-darkening bruises on his arms and legs under the remains of his tattered gray shirt and leggings.
She had gone to get a rag to wipe his cuts when she saw his hand...or what had been his hand. There was nothing but a stump at the wrist where his right hand should have been. She couldn't help her gasp. “Oh...oh Luke...did Vader...”
Cecil nodded, his eyes filled with tears. Arthur blew his nose loudly on an old rag. “We saw it too, Your Highness. Poor Sir Luke is in great pain. We tried to make him as comfortable as we could, even with all the rattling and bouncing about.”
“V...Vader did this,” Luke whimpered. “He cut off my hand. He was so angry when I wouldn't become a Dark Magic apprentice...he cut my hand to keep me from fighting.” Luke closed his eyes, his face haunted and defeated. “I lost my sword again! If Ben were alive, he'd kill me.”
“We'll find you another one.” Leia tore strips of red silk from the skirt of her gown to wrap around the bloody stump. “Right now, what's important is you're here with us.”
That was when Luke's blue eyes roamed upwards...and saw Leia's head. His one hand reached for her shorn brown locks. “Vader did this, didn't he? Cut your hair, just like he did my hand.”
Leia only nodded as she pulled one of the fabric roses from the gown and used the petals to wipe the blood from Luke's wounds. “Didn't want me to heal Han.” She couldn't stand the sad, broken expression on his boyish face, so she gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. “I'm not worried. It'll grow again. It's not like losing a hand.”
“But you lost your powers.” Tears threatened to spill over the blue eyes. “And it's all my fault. If I hadn't decided to come back...”
“Vader would have done this anyway.” Arthur handed Leia a rag, which she used to wipe the tears from his haunted eyes. “Don't blame yourself. Father had this all planned. If anyone is to blame, it's him and his damn obsession with power.”
Luke leaned back in the small flurry of pillows behind him...but then Leia saw his eyes cloud over. Cecil and Arthur exchanged worried looks. A black light appeared in Luke's eyes. “Father?” He murmured. “Please...I can't go with you...”
Luke, intoned the deep, honey-thick voice, son, come with me. Train as a Dark Magic Magician. Your place is at my side. Together, we will rule the Alliance of the Seven Kingdoms. A family together.
No! Leia snatched Luke's one good hand and concentrated as hard as she could. Soft blue lights surrounded both of them. I won't let you take him, Father. You've caused enough harm! You took Han from me, but I won't let you take him, too! And that was when what Luke had said registered in her mind. Leave my brother alone!
I will find both of you. Vader's voice somehow reverberated in the small cart. There is no escape. It is your destiny.
It's nothing of the kind. Leia poured all her energy into her magic. The blue light pushed through the black, finally pushing it away all together.
Luke's eyes blinked open. “Leia? Vader...” His wide eyes turned to her. “You know. He told me at the tower, when we were fighting...he said I was his son.”
Leia nodded slowly. “I think I do. But we need proof.” She stood, wiping her hand on a rag. “We can't stay here.” She turned to Cecil and Arthur. “Get me those old sheets in the trunk. We'll make a sling for Luke's hand until we can get him to a doctor.”
“I know where we can go.” Luke nodded at one of the arrow signs. “The Dagobah Swamps. Master Yoda is very powerful. He might be able to heal my hand, and I know he could tell us if Vader's telling the truth. After my hand is healed, we'll go look for Han.”
“I don't think we have a choice.” Leia sighed. “No one will look for us there.” She smiled and squeezed his hand. “And I want you to know, whether or not Vader is telling the truth, I already think of you as my brother.”
Luke gave her one of his lovely, sunny smiles. “Thanks...sister.”
The sun was at its height, shining down on the two groups as they prepared for their departure. Lando was packing Chewbacca's saddlebags. “I don't mind leaving you two the Falcon. Really. You're going to need the medical supplies, and Luke isn't up to riding. I'm pretty good at looking out for myself. Besides, Chewie knows me.” He grinned down at the sturdy brown horse. “Right, old boy?” Chewie glared at him with a loud, annoyed whinny. He hadn't quite forgiven him for his part in Han's betrayal yet.
“All right, Lando,” Luke said with one of his sunny smiles. He was in the Falcon's driver seat. Luke wore one of Han's shirts and jackets, both of which were at least two sizes too big. The long sleeve nearly covered the sling that held his damaged arm. Leia had removed the voluminous petticoats and flowers from the red dress, making it look more like the ordinary day outfits worn by peasant women in many parts of the Alliance. “We'll meet you in the Kingdom of Tatoon as soon as we're finished in Dagobah.”
Lando gently kissed Leia's hand. “Leia, we will find Han and the huntsman, and we'll bring him home. I promise.”
Leia smiled at him. “Thank you, Lando. You too, Chewie.” She scratched Chewie between the ears, eliciting a satisfied whinny from the Wookie Stallion. “You be careful.”
“We will.” He turned Chewbacca around to head to their left, down the path to the dry desert kingdoms of Tatoon and Jakku. Leia climbed in the driver's seat, then turned Tautaun to their right, towards the Enchanted Woods and the Dagobah Swamps.
Luke waved his one good hand to Lando. “May the Force be with you.”
Cecil and Arthur waved from one of the cart's windows. “Force speed, Baron Calarissian!” Arthur's fingers flew. “Arthur also wishes you a safe journey.”
Lando waved back at them. “You too, kids.”
Leia rubbed her head as they clip-clopped down the road. “I don't like this. Maybe we should find another way to the Swamps. The Woods...something doesn't feel right. It's like they're dark somehow”
Her newly-discovered brother frowned. “I don't like it either, but it would take too long to get around them.” He took her hand and aimed his sunny smile at her. “Whatever it is, we'll face it together.”
She gave him a smaller smile back. “Right...brother.”
Luke swore he saw a long black form with wide, bat-like wings hovering in the shadows near the forest on the border of the road. When he turned to inspect it further, all he saw was a trail of black and red shimmering light.
No comments:
Post a Comment