Lady Leia and the Prince, Part 11

The Marketplace at Coruscant Square was the main meeting place for the hundreds of thousands of people who lived within the city's walls. Leia had never seen anything like it. Every booth was draped with flowers wound around black crepe. Brilliant blooms heavy with scent covered every counter and window. Some clever shopkeepers even wound flowers around wire to create sculptures for their windows.

“Are we almost there?” Jyn poked her head out the cart's window.

“Not for a while.” Wedge waved his hands at the throngs of people. “There's too much going on here to get through quickly. We're just going to have to keep pushing until we can get to Solo Castle Road.”

Leia frowned as she passed by a long booth filled with cages. Most contained small animals likely to be sold as pets. Everything from a massive snake to a sleeping bat-cat to a tiny fluffball with fangs that racketed around it's cage like a creature possessed could be found on the booth's tables.

The vast majority of the creatures were little bear-like animals who wore leather head coverings and carried spears. They poked anyone who tried to pet them and growled at any human who came near them. Chewie tugged at the bottom of Leia's trousers, then nodded and whimpered at the creatures. Even he could tell that the little fellows weren't intended to be playthings for curious nobles.

Luke snorted and shook his head. They needed to keep up with the others. Leia tugged on his reigns, turning him towards the booth. “We can catch up with them later. These animals are obviously sentient beings in their own right. They're not intended to be pets!”

“Sir!” The grotesque man seemed to be nothing but rolls of fat under a worn pair of overalls. Leia glared at him. “Those bears in the cages. Where did you get them from?”

“Ehh, the woods, doll. They're called Ewoks. Buncha Empire fellas rounded them up. Got good money for 'em, too. Said they were causin' too much trouble.” He sized her up, his eyes roaming over her small, curvy figure. “For you, sixteen dollars each.” He leaned over Chewie as the wolf growled. “Fifteen if you throw in the wolf. I get good money for Wookies. Good hunters.”

“The wolf isn't for sale, and I'm not buying the bears.” Her fingers went around the hilt of her sword. “I want you to free them. They aren't meant to be pets. Can't you see how squeezed and unhappy they are in those cages?”

“What do you think I'm running, a charity operation?” The man, if he could be called that, made a face. “Fourteen. Throw in the horse, too. Nice animal there. Some fancy noblewoman would love to have something like that pulling her carriage.”

“Absolutely not.” She was about ready to use the Force to throttle this...thing. “That horse is family. I'm not letting it go.”

The man smirked. “Then you don't get the Ewoks. That's the rules Unkar Plutt plays by, lady.”

Leia went to the first cage she could find. “Stand back, little one,” she told the chattering Ewok gently. “I'm going to let you out.” She concentrated on her sword, the white light flowing through the crystal. The blade smashed through the lock like it was made of butter. Plutt protested loudly as the little bear leaped out.

The tiny creature sported a leather head-covering around it's round ears and fluffy neck, with little paws that held a small spear. “I'm not going to hurt you,” Leia insisted. “Look.” She pulled a hard biscuit out of her pocket. “Want something to eat?” It snatched the biscuit and gobbled it up quickly, chattering its thanks to Leia. “You're a jittery little thing, aren't you?”

“You bitch!” Four men emerged from the other pet booths. Plutt pointed in Leia's direction. “That lady opened a cage, but she didn't pay. Take the money out of her tiny little hide!”

Chewbacca didn't like listening to this. This mean human wasn't going to let all those poor little fuzzballs go, and his men were going to hurt Leia. He went over to Luke and bit into his rope, chewing it until it snapped. Luke nodded and went to the first cage. Chewbacca hurried off into the crowds to get help.

Leia managed to knock two of them into the booths behind them, sending them crashing into ripe purpleberries. Thick indigo juice squished all over the ground, giving them the look of sodden warriors in native makeup. Luke quickly used his horn to unlock the next cage that held a smaller Ewok in a pink leather covering before one of the men threw a loop around his neck.

Unkar Plutt smacked Leia's shoulder with a staff, forcing her to drop her sword. “You're going to pay for that, lady!” He grabbed the weapon before she could reach for it. “I think I'll take this in exchange for the furballs. Nice workmanship. Could get at least a hundred on the open market.”

“That is mine, you walking bag of diseased garbage!” Plutt wasn't expecting Leia to smack her foot in his tender male places...or a stormtrooper to hit him in the back. She looked up as Bodhi Rook helped her to her feet. “Thanks. That guy's selling illegal pets on the black market. We have to let them go, or at least tell Mon Mothma later.”

“No need.” He nodded behind him. Jyn and Cassian were unlocking the remaining animals from their cages. Wedge pushed his sword against Plutt's chest as Cyril and Artello helped his men tie up the goons. “We saw what happened.” He looked over his shoulder at Wedge. “I'd call that 'attacking a customer' and 'creating a disturbance,' wouldn't you?”

Wedge nodded. “I'll have a couple of the real troopers take these back to the castle.”

Leia ducked as a purpleberry went flying over her head. “Watch it!” The little Ewok hurried over, hitting it right back at the fruit booth owner who threw it at her. “Thanks, little one.” He chattered in his own language. “I'm glad I got you out of there, but I'm starting to think we'd better get going.”

“Lady Leia!” Artello's flute fluttered frantically as Cyril grabbed her sleeve and the Ewok squeaked. “Wicket says two of the stormtroopers are taking your brother!” Leia didn't hesitate. She pushed Cyril aside and dashed across the square. “Well, I never!” Cyril made a face. “She's not normally that rude.” Artello gave a short tweet on his flute. “Yes, I know her brother is in trouble, but still...urk!” Artello grabbed his friend's hand and dragged him across the way before he could keep going on.

“This is the one,” one of the soldiers said as Leia dashed over. “Look at it!” He tried to touch Luke...but pulled back. “Owww! I can't...he hurt me!” A green light zapped his hand when he tried again. “Owww! You little...”

His commander looped a rope around Luke's neck. “That'll keep you.” He tugged at the reins, but Luke stabbed at him with his horn. “Oww! Stupid nag!” Luke tried biting him, but he tugged him along into the crowd.

Leia turned to Jyn. “We have to stop them! They have my brother!”

“Here!” Wedge grabbed Leia's hand. “Come on. My boys and I will help you get him back.” His face fell. “There was something about him...it was like, he was almost human. I think he liked me. And I...”

“I'll explain it later.” She was about to get on the horse when she felt a little paw tug at her trousers. The Ewok was waving its spear, squeaking and pointing at the crowd.

“He says he wants to help,” Cyril translated. “He feels guilty that he was the cause of you losing your unicorn friend. He and his fell tribes-Ewoks are great warriors. Wicket claims they may be of some service. They owe a life debt to you and the others, much like Chewbacca here owes one to Prince Henry.”

Lando chuckled as he joined them. “Short help is better than no help at all.” He lifted Leia onto his horse. “Here you go, Your Ladyship. We'll get you as close to Solo Castle as we can.”

“I have an idea.” Wedge ran over to a cart abandoned by one of the fruit sellers. “Here.” He loaded the remaining Ewoks into it. “We're borrowing this vehicle. I'll bring it back or replace it after the Festival.” He tied the cart to his horse, and loaded the remaining Ewoks in, along with Cyril and Artello.

They followed the crowds down Imperial Road, past sword-swallowers and singers and lute players and more merchants selling flowers in every color of the rainbow from their carts and stores. The buildings gradually became grander, built from stone instead of timber and thatch like the ones near the gate. Leia kept her eyes open for anything that looked remotely like a unicorn. The only unicorn she saw was two people in an unconvincing costume, followed by young girls in white dresses trimmed with flowers, with crowns of flowers in their hair, dancing to a song played by a musician in the crowd.

“It's a fertility ritual.” Lando grinned. “They're dancing in the hopes of a good crop this year...and a good crop of husbands.”

They followed the ritual as well as they could up to the gates of Solo Castle. Unlike the main gates, these were wide open. Solo Castle was a sprawling ediface that hugged the edge of the Endor Woods and Crait Mountains. The lower spires were draped with black satin that made an odd contrast to the colorful garlands of flowers on the windows and the flags of Naboo flying in the breeze.

The moment the fertility dancers entered, they were joined by more musicians. As soon as the music reached its crescendo, they went into another dance, this one with several young men. Looking closely among the whirling dancers, Leia noticed Ezra and Sabine in brightly embroidered peasant costumes, both swinging around their flower hoops with the abandon typical of their ages.

Sabine separated from them, throwing one of her smoke balls into the air. When the pink dust cleared, Ahsoka stepped out of crowd. She'd changed her white cape for a flower-trimmed dress not unlike the peasants' garb, but with far less embroidery.

“What's she doing?” Leia raised her eyebrows as the older woman leaned over young people in the crowd, chanting in an unknown language, waving her crystal sword.

Wedge chuckled. “She's promising them all magic, a great deal of money, and an abundance of children in the coming year.”

Ahsoka brought her sword over to them. The sword flashed a lighter blue when it went over Wedge. She smiled a little bit. “Don't worry, Captain Antilles. You wonder why that strange supernatural equine has captured your interest. Look underneath the surface, for he's not what he seems.”

The sword flashed light green over Lando. “Ahh, Captain Calarissian. You seek to enrich your fortune and make up for past betrayals. Today, you may find you can do both...with interest.”

Leia watched as the sword waved over her, turning a delicate white. “There is much you seek, fair one. You are deeply in love with a man who has been stolen from you by an evil sorcerer, who took your brother as well and killed your parents. Perhaps, it's not revenge you need, young knight, but love. Find love, and you will end the evil that enslaves your brother and lover.”

Ahsoka leaned over Leia's ear. “The noblewoman who is spying on Palpatine's court ball will meet you in the castle, in the secret entrance behind King Josiah's portrait in the main hall. Look for a woman in lavender, who speaks of the stars.”

“But I...” Ahsoka moved on before Leia could continue. The tall Jedi witch announced the next act before she “vanished” in another puff of Sabine's pink smoke.

“Come on.” Wedge tugged at Leia's shoulder as Ezra and Kanan came in, wearing robes and turbans made from old rugs from Jedha. “I know where that secret entrance is. Let's go find it, before someone in the crowd sees us and wonders why we're dragging around fuzzballs in a cart.”