By: Luke Skywalker
Based on the short story A Dream of Old Leaves by Bret Lott.
Amidala lye on her side in the soft, pillowy bed next to her second husband, Bail Organa. She could not sleep. She had found that ever since she had moved to Aldaraan with her daughter, Leia she had had trouble sleeping. All the memories of her life before Aldaraan were always swirling around her: her parents, the Naboo palace, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn and Anakin Skywalker. When she had been "married" to Bail Organa, they had promised simply to be friends in their private lives, but act as husband and wife in public. But her thoughts were always trailing back to how she got to Aldaraan in the first place-Anakin.
Oh Anakin Skywalker, how I miss you she thought to herself, smiling softly. She could still feel his strong arms around her, holding her tight and the soft touch of his lips against hers. She could remember how he used to whisper, 'I love you' in her ear, so soft and sincere. Yes, he had loved her a long time ago, and she had loved him.
But then, his terrible transformation had begun. She had been carrying his children when he had turned and Obi-Wan Kenobi had torn the small family of three apart. They had been ripped away from each other, forced to take a new identities. She still couldn't fully understand why it had to be done. But she had trusted Obi-Wan and followed his plan. And now she was almost utterly alone, dying of heartache. She could feel herself growing weaker as her life dragged on. Only one thing kept her alive; her joy-Leia.
She began to think about Anakin as Darth Vader and her eyes began to burn as they held unshed tears. She let them come, crying softly so as not to wake Bail. She still couldn't comprehend how a sweet, loving and tender man like Anakin could turn into…
"Mommy?" she heard a small voice say from her side. She opened her eyes, trying her best to hide her tears. She saw a silhouette standing next to her bed. Not tall at all and hardly even three years old, her daughter stood before her. "Mommy?" she said again. Amidala opened her eyes fully.
"What is it, my sweet?" she asked as she began to sit up.
"Are you okay?" Leia asked. Amidala put her hands to her face, worried that her daughter had seen her tears, but they were dried away. She looked up at Leia.
"Yes, sweetheart, I'm fine," she said, lifting Leia up onto the bed and holding her daughter to her chest. For the first time she felt that Leia was trembling. Amidala became frightened, but hid it well. "Why?"
"I don't know," Leia said softly. "I just woke up and felt that you were unhappy." Amidala's small smile faded. Obi-Wan had been right. Both Luke and Leia were very sensitive to the Force. She would have to hide this from Leia in the hopes that what happened to Anakin, her love, would never happen to her daughter. All of a sudden, she began to think about her second child, Luke, her son whom she'd never know. She wanted to be able to protect him, too. She didn't fully trust Obi-Wan any more, and she didn't think that he could to right by her son. "I got scared," Leia continued, bringing Amidala back from her thoughts. "But for you. I knew you were sad…somehow."
"Thank you for worrying about me," Amidala said quietly, and she kissed her daughter's sweet, clean hair. "But I'm alright now that you're here."
"Can I stay with you, mommy?" Leia asked, already getting under the silk sheets next to her mother. "I don't want you to be sad." She lye down next to Amidala and had her back to her. Amidala lay down and held her daughter by her waist.
"You know you can always stay with me, sweetie." She pulled Leia closer to her, smelling the shampoo on her hair, feeling her breathe, and having the warmth of her body radiating off her daughter onto her skin. Yes, Leia was her joy, her only hope for happiness, her life. She had to keep this child with her forever. She would not let go.
"I love you, mommy," Leia said before drifting off to sleep. Amidala also felt sleep calling her.
"I love you, too Leia," Amidala said softly. All her worries were gone, as if simply having her child with her brought release. She felt safe and warm, allowing her daughter's gentle touch to soothe her very being. It had been Leia's gentle touch that had brought her back to life. She would live because of her daughter. Forever.