The words echo through the halls.
Traitor. Traitor. Traitor.
The guards, tall and draped in red, drag her like a display. She imagines they are taking her through the longer hallways, through the more crowded squares. Let the people see the fallen Alderaan princess. See the rebel who defied the Emperor. Some sympathize. He did destroy her home world.
Others, the more faithful, narrow their eyes and hiss at her. They whisper to their colleagues and snarl as she is marched around.
Her hair only half braided now, otherwise falling into long and shaggy strands.
She watches everybody around her. The way they flinch when her eyes land on them.
She stood with them once. In long gowns and discussing meaningless politics. Palpatine ruled all of them in the end. But for as long as she could remember she was a rebel all on her own.
And now they knew and it was time to face the devil himself.
There was no fear. It was just her who had been taken. Luke and Han still with the Ewoks. Threepio had more influence there then all of them. It almost brought a smile to her lips. Almost. But their attacks failed and now the Death Star II was well on its way to completion.
She felt confident Luke would destroy that monstrous thing. Han and him couldn't give up. No matter what happened to her.
Luke was her flesh and blood.
The knowledge still left her reeling.
They'd been together for nine months and for whatever reason, were sent to opposite sides of the galaxy. One farm boy and one princess.
She couldn't picture who her mother was. But she knew (unfortunately) who her father was. And that alone gave her some reflection of her mother. She had to have been patient to deal with someone like Darth Vader. Or whoever he was before that.
The guards leave her in a cell to await her 'trial'.
She knows exactly what her punishment will be. Death. It will be recorded and even Tatooine will see it in the holos.
With every fiber of her being she hopes it inspires the rebels to continue to fight, not crush them as the Emperor must hope it will.
She's sleeping. Not very deep mind you.
Occasionally she hears the sound of boots clanking against the floor. Sometimes voices.
Never explosions or guns, the sound of a rescue.
But that's all fine with her. She's ready to become a martyr.
It's not until she hears the sound of a raspy respirator that she stiffens up.
The doors slide open, she doesn't move, merely opens her eyes.
She notices the two guards that must have stood outside her room are now on the ground. A much darker red then their uniforms slowly pouring out of them and onto the stone ground.
"Get up." He says.
"I refuse." They both know that he's not here to take her to the Emperor.
They both know their relation.
And Leia's not entirely sure what causes her to say it, perhaps anger or resentment, fear of her death looming ahead of her.
"He will defeat you. Luke I mean. You and the Emperor. He's going to kill you both."
Not a hitch in his breathing. "I know."
The surprise overwhelms her and spills onto her face.
And for once she has a hard time saying coherent sentences. "Then why- why fight with the Emperor. Why not with us? Why?"
"I choose the wrong side... This is me making up for it. I have somebody willing to take you back to your'e rebellion. You remember Admiral Piett?"
She does. But none of this makes sense. Is this a set up? Does he plan on killing her himself?
No. No. She's meant to be a martyr. She's meant to die for her rebellion.
Running away with the help of her biological father, Darth Vader, is not the way to live. It's tempting, but she doesn't move.
"I'm going to die tomorrow... That's that." She glares at him for a moment before falling back in the mattress.
This time his breathing does hitch.
And then: "You sound just like you're mother."
Slowly, reluctantly, he leaves the room. She knows, that between know and the morning she can bang on the door and beg him to come back and he would. He would take her to whatever rescue plan he has hatched and get her to safety. If she would just knock on that door.
She doesn't.
Hours go by. They feel like days and all to soon the doors open and the red guards appear once more. The hallway is clean of any blood and she wonders vaguely what happened to the bodies.
But there leading her down the halls once more. Though this time there is not a single soul present save for the occasional guard, standing erect and at attention as they lead her away.
Her clothes are dirty, her camouflage poncho and ripped pants still with her. Her boots stick to the ground and take a bit of force to pull up. Mapple? Some Endor version of honey that she must have stepped on in the last twenty four hours.
Her walkers stop for a moment and the great doors to the throne room open.
Vader stands at his right, breathing obscured by the sudden hum of talking the people begin to make. Palpatine relaxes in his throne and watches her, his hood slipping just over his eyes. She sees the glee in them. He's waited a long time for this.
The guards push her forward and she begins to shuffle. Despite the sudden pang of fear she walks like the princess she is. Shoulders back, perfect posture, head held high. They wont break her. They wont.
Palpatine stands. Shaky. How is he alive let alone ruler of the galaxy?
"Leia Organa! You have been brought her today for the crimes of rebellion against the Empire. Assistance in the destruction of the Death Star. Failure to turn in known criminals to the Empire. How do you plead?"
This is all a show. Everybody knows she is guilty. But he wants her to admit it to the people. Or deny it so he can whip out the proof and let everybody see.
"Guilty." She finally says. Her voice carries through the hall.
There is silence before the crowd erupts. She tries not to wince when she hears things like 'kill her' 'prove to her precious rebels that they will be defeated!' 'kill her like the traitorous jedi!'
Palpatine's lips twitch up at each suggestion.
Vader watches with steady eyes.
And Leia waits.
But there is something new in the air. She feels stronger somehow...
Palpatine slams his palm against his throne and the room hushes.
"For you're crimes, I Palpatine, Emperor of the Galaxy, hereby sentence you to death."
Cheers come from the people.
Traitors. Leia thinks. Was I not you're ally just a few years ago?
"Any last words?" He asks. His voice is smooth and cold. It leaves her with a second of fear. But she pushes it all away.
"They will destroy you."
Cries from the audience, pushing away her words. But she continues.
"Luke. He will kill you. And you're Empire."
Palpatine doesn't so much as flinch.
Instead he raises his hand and she know this is it.
"Such a waste of words." He grumbles.
And then there is pain. And cold.
Cold more then anything. Colder then Hoth. It sinks into her body, her flesh freezes up as it knocks into her heart. Seeping into her very bones.
Black. Black, very black.
And a voice.
"You can beat him. You can get away. Get away from him Leia. Oh Ani help her!"
A women's voice cries. She has no idea where it comes from. But it's comforting. And sad.
Her fingers twitch and without thinking she raises them. Instantly the cold leaves her heart.
Her feet slide against the stone, she lets them. They give her the momentum she feels she needs.
She thinks purely warm thoughts, finding out Luke was her brother, freeing Han, the kiss with Han, the pride she felt when they destroyed the first Death Star. And she thrust her fingers up. She's not sure who's more shocked. Palpatine, Darth Vader, or her.
Because the lightning leaves her and redirects at the Emperor.
He is sent shooting back, hitting the Empire flag behind him and taking it down to the ground as he falls.
It's almost amusing to think the galaxy is seeing this right now.
There's still some charge in her, and when the guards try to grab her they are blown back.
And she's running and running and knows Vader- her father won't hunt her down. Later. But not now.
A smile falls onto her lips.
It's time to continue their rebellion, as a living martyr.