A.N. There is a minor Rogue One reference in here, but it's not a spoiler. If you've seen the movie, you'll catch it!
The Alderaanian air was particularly still today, and Princess Leia Organa slightly wished she could feel its wild wind once more before she went on her mission. She was sitting on the edge of the landing dock, the Tantive IV waiting expectantly behind her. Leia's feet swung beneath her, and she felt like a young girl again. One of the best views of the snow-capped mountains was from the palace's landing dock, and often she would come here as a child to think or vent after a fight with one of her aunts.
In an act of anger and defiance, Leia ripped off one of her heels and tossed it over the edge of the landing dock. She smirked and realizing how therapeutic this felt, she threw the other shoe too.
Leia flopped down onto the edge and swung her now bare feet back and forth. Something about not wearing shoes was very freeing to her. If only the rest of her could be free, not just her feet. How could her aunts do this? The ball tonight was only supposed to be her fifteenth birthday celebration, but instead it turned into a meat market. Leia swore every viable suitor from Alderaan to the farthest reaches of the galaxy was there. Sometimes Leia felt like no one took her seriously; no one believed she could become Senator, and no one believed she could make a difference. Tonight she was merely a royal token to be passed around to her many male prospects.
The mountains in the distance were blanketed with snow, always the same. Leia admired their beauty, and had many fond memories of her parents taking her into the mountains to play in the snow when she was young. But tonight, Leia turned her head upwards towards the stars. True beauty lived for her there. The stars meant freedom to Leia. She desperately longed to leave Alderaan and find adventure, ultimately bringing peace to the galaxy.
But for this evening, Leia was just a rebellious teenager stuck in a place where she didn't belong.
Today, Leia could not take her eyes off of the mountains. Instead of dying to go to the stars, Leia wanted to stare at the mountains forever. She wasn't sure how long this mission would take, and it could be a long time before she returned to Alderaan. To her family.
Bail exited the palace, surveying the Tantive IV and watching the mission crew board the ship. His eyes then found his daughter sitting on the edge of the dock. Her hair was tied up in two buns on each side of her head, and her white dress was immaculate. Knowing Leia and her notion to get involved in any fight that came her way, Bail assumed she would come back to Alderaan with the dress ripped and soiled with mud.
He smiled, as she looked so young to him in that moment. It seemed like yesterday that she was slouched over dejectedly in that same spot after her fifteenth birthday. Bail still couldn't believe his sisters did that!
Leia felt a strong arm come around her shoulders and turned her head to find her father sitting beside her. Bail lifted his hand and stroked her nose affectionately. Leia scrunched her nose in response, but Bail knew she secretly loved it when he did that.
"Are you okay, Lelila?"
Leia huffed loudly and shook her head. "I am not okay. Did you know they were going to do that?"
"Trust me, if I had known, I would have put a stop to it. I love my sisters, but sometimes they go a little to far," Bail replied. He looked down at Leia's swinging feet and his brow furrowed with curiosity. "Leia? Where did your shoes go?"
Leia's face broke into a tiny grin and she said, "Don't ask."
Bail had an inkling of where the shoes went, and glanced over the edge of the dock for a moment, chuckling softly.
"You do know that your aunts do all of this crazy stuff because they love you, right? They only want what's best for you."
"Best for me, or best for them?" Leia countered.
"Sometimes they get a little confused. They think they are doing what is best for you, but they forget that I didn't bring home a demure, soft-spoken girl fifteen years ago."
Leia turned to look into her father's eyes, while a solitary tear rolled down her cheek. "Do you wish you had brought home a demure, soft-spoken girl? Someone who actually acted like a princess?"
Bail looked upon his daughter with love and gathered her up in a tight hug. "Never. I loved my bold, confident, rebellious Senator-to-be when I first held her."
Bail approached Leia from behind and touched her shoulder lightly. Leia jumped slightly, startled from a reverie. "Father!" She stood up and turned to face him. "Is the ship ready?"
"Almost. It's just missing an important Senator who is supposed to be on board."
Leia blushed slightly. "Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts. I'm having a hard time leaving today. Alderaan is always so beautiful this time of year, and I'll probably miss the whole season."
"Summer was always your favorite time of year," Bail said wistfully. "Are you ready, Leia?"
"To board? Of course, I'm sorry it's taking me so long, I'll go-"
Bail laughed heartily. "No, take all the time you need. I meant, are you ready for the mission? This is probably the most important mission I've ever sent you on. I must admit I'm a little nervous."
"Why me? You could have easily sent anyone to Tatooine."
"Because I trust you with my life."
Leia smiled and nodded, proud of the strong relationship nineteen years had forged between her and her father. "I'm nervous too. I don't know why, just a strange feeling I have."
"Well, it doesn't help either of us to be nervous. You are ready for this task. Remember that hope can be found even in our broken galaxy. And if anyone can find it, it's you."
With that, Bail took Leia's chin and brought her eyes to meet his. He reached out and stroked Leia's nose gently, causing Leia to scrunch her face in response. When her face relaxed, Bail noticed tears in her eyes. Bail wrapped his arms around Leia and brought her into his embrace. She was still so tiny in his arms, but he knew she was strong.
"I love you, Papa," Leia muttered into his robes.
Bail kissed the top of her head and replied, "I love you too, Lelila."
With much hesitation, Leia broke their embrace. She wiped a stray tear from the corner of her eye and started to ascend the ramp into the Tantive IV. Leia stood at the top of the ramp as it closed, keeping her eyes locked with her father's. No one else she knew looked at her with such joy, pride, and love. Would she ever meet another person who would look at her like that?
Once the ramp slammed shut, Leia made her way to the cockpit of the ship. Standing behind the pilot's chair, she could see the vastness of Alderaan all around her before they took off. As she witnessed the mountains' might and seas' crashing waves from above, she truly believed Alderaan was "the planet of beauty."
Finally, Leia looked up as the Tantive IV broke the atmosphere and catapulted her into the stars. Alderaan would always be her home, but the stars still brought her freedom.