Work Text:
"ECHOES FROM THE PAST"
A short "Star Wars" story
Written by Alison M. DOBELL
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Mon Mothma had asked to see Leia privately and she could not help but wonder what new responsiblities were about to be laid upon her slender shoulders. She sighed inwardly, feeling more tired than normal. Even though things were going well, keeping their allies together was a tricky balancing act to maintain and some days were more draining than others. This had been one of them. It had been so much easier when they were facing the might of the Empire. When their enemy was obvious and they knew what they were rallying against. Winning the war had never been so hard as maintaining the peace. Mon Mothma nodded to Leia and offered her a seat. She noticed the tired circles under her eyes and was aware how much she had come to rely upon this impressive young woman.
"I'm sorry I did not ask you to come and see me before about this but I never realised what it was. And there always seemed to be some catastrophe or emergency taking my mind away from other duties."
Leia looked up at her, a baffled look on her face. "I'm not sure I follow..."
"I was given something to pass on to you, Leia. Over a year ago now. I'm embarrassed to say that it did not seem particularly urgent at the time and then there was always some crisis or other keeping us occupied."
Leia had nodded politely and just sat there as the trunk had been manhandled into the room. It was old, dusty and had obviously seen better days but it was sturdy and.....ominous. Looking at the space it occupied she also noticed it was locked. In three places. She looked up at Mon Mothma and was handed a set of three keys and a piece of paper.
"I suggest you open it at home, Leia." She had advised kindly. "Wait until Han gets back."
So there she was looking at it three hours later. The children were still out with Winter exploring the Summer Palace. Han was due back soon, and Leia had read and re-read the short cryptic note until she was sure the paper would be worn out from the attention. She had them deposit the trunk in the master bedroom. It was the only room she could think of that was big enough to accommodate it without anyone falling over it and it would be out of the way of her three inquisitive children. Mon Mothma had assured her that there was nothing dangerous inside. It had been scanned and subjected to every test they could devise short of blowing the damn thing up. And given who it was from none of them dared to do that.
Han was surprised to find Leia sitting on the end of the bed when he got home. He had searched every other room first and could not understand why she had not answered him when he called. A ribbon of fear touched his heart. "Leia, what is it?"
Only then did he notice what she was looking at. The trunk. He approached slowly, carefully. Wary. "Where did that come from?"
Leia looked up at last and handed him the note. "It was my father's."
Han almost dropped the note. Leia gave a little shake of her head. "No, not him. Senator Bail Organa. Apparently it was put away in storage. For me."
Han swallowed. Uncomfortable. His eyes scanned the note. *My dearest Leia, this is for you. It is all that is left of your legacy. I should have given it to you a long time ago but what can I say? I am a coward and loved you far too much. Forgive me, your devoted father Bail Organa*. If anything the note made him even more nervous. "What's in it?"
She shook her head. "I haven't opened it."
He did not ask her if the note was in Bail Organa's handwriting. He recognised it as clearly as she did. "I don't understand why this turned up now. Where has it been all this time?"
"Mon Mothma had it a year but never got around to giving it to me. It was kept in storage on Tatooine."
"Tatooine?"
She smiled slightly at his reaction. She had reacted in much the same way. "Don't ask me why."
Han felt a chill go down his back. It was almost as if the Senator had foreseen what would happen to Alderaan. But that could not be. No one could have foreseen that. Could they? He sat next to Leia and put an arm around her. She felt so cold. "What are you going to do?"
"Open it."
He kissed the top of her head. "Look Sweetheart, you don't have to open it now. It's waited this long...."
As if his words had broken some kind of spell she started to stir. "No Han, it's alright. I need to know."
He looked into her eyes, his concern giving her strength. His love making her brave enough to do this. "Want me to stay?"
She nodded and he hugged her, gave her a gentle kiss then watched her set her shoulders and stand up. She looked so small. So tiny. So fragile. So precious to him. His heart ached at the thought of what he would do if anything happened to her. He was tempted to leap to his feet, brush her aside, and throw the damn trunk out of the window. But he could not do it to Leia. This was her legacy and she had a right to know what it consisted of. Leia sifted through the keys and matched each one to the correct lock. Han stood quietly and took a step closer, ready to act if she needed him. Slowly the lid came up and two pairs of curious, fearful eyes looked inside. A sigh escaped Han's lips and he straightened. Surprised and relieved. Clothes. Nothing but a trunk of old clothing. Where could be the harm in that?
Leia dipped her hands in and closed on the softest velvet, the gown as bright and resplendent as the day it had first been worn. Blood red, in long sweeping lines designed for elegance as well as State. The sleeves were a work of art in themselves, everything about the garment shouted quality. Leia stood and held it up against her. The wearer had been taller by three or four inches at least, narrow waisted and slim. She must have looked so regal. Gently she laid the dress out on the bed and lifted up the next item. At first she did not know what it was. It was in the same material, matching colour but padded like animal horns with tassles on the end. She looked at Han but he just shrugged. It was only when she saw the holocube tucked away at the very bottom of the trunk that she realised it was part of a royal head dress. Her heart stopped. The images were faded now. Han leaned forward to get a glimpse and gave a low whistle.
"Who is it?"
Leia knew instinctively. "My mother."
Han was stunned. He should have guessed but it still came as a shock. He helped her go through the entire contents. Leia getting more and more anxious as they dug deeper, sure there must be a diary or a recorder in the trunk somewhere. Anything that would tell her what had happened. Had her mother ever thought about her? Had she ever wondered how she was, where she was? Did she ever regret giving her and Luke up to Old Ben Kenobi? What was the real story behind what had happened? Had she ever loved the man who had become Darth Vader, scourge of the galaxy, dark Lord of the Sith? What had he been like when he was simple Anakin Skywalker?
Then Leia found it. A small thing, of no monetary value, but of value obviously to the lady whose things these had been. She picked it up and turned it over in her hand. It was a simple piece of jewellry. Home made by the look of it. A bracelet that had obviously been worked with care. She
touched the stones gently, traced her fingers over it and imagined the joy on her mother's face when she had been given it. What was it? A love token? Who had given it to her? Han brushed a kiss on her cheek. He could hear Winter returning with the children and did not want them disturbing Leia until she was ready. She was only vaguely aware of him going, quietly shutting the bedroom door behind him. Leia looked at the bracelet for a long long time. Her mind going through all that had happened, everything she had been through. How she had met Luke and Han. When she had first discovered Luke was her brother. The shock of finding out that Darth Vader was their father. The loss of Bail Organa, the only father she had ever known. And now these trinkets from her mother. A lady now long dead, a ghost gently reaching out across the passage of time to tell her she had been loved. Tears slowly coursed down her cheeks as she thought of all the years they had been parted, realising how hard that decision must have been. How much she must have loved her children to give them up in order to keep them safe. Could she do that? Could she do that to save Jacen, Jaina or Anakin? If she could, would she?
In the hallway, Han turned as the bedroom door opened. The children ran forward, cheeks rosy red, to show her what treasures they had brought back from their trip to the Summer Palace. Winter smiled at Han but he did not smile back. He was looking at Leia, noticing the simple bracelet she now wore. The plain stones more precious to her than pearls. Their eyes met and he smiled. Leia smiled back, knowing how lucky she was to have a husband who loved her and children she adored. It was as if a missing piece of the jigsaw had at last been found. One day she vowed to discover her mother's story. For now she was just glad to know that she had been loved. Later she would see Luke, tell him. Then between them, they would lay the last of their ghosts to rest....
********** T H E E N D **********