Disclaimer : none of these characters are mine, they belong to George Lucas. I don't want to gain any profit from this story, it's just written for pure entertainment …
Author's Note: this story takes place 5 years after the events in "The Return of the Jedi".
My native language is Dutch, so I'm sorry if you find some mistakes…
I thank my friends Cho_chang and Sofie for their help with the translation !
Please R&R ;)
HIDDEN MEMORIES
Chapter One
Princess Leia Organa Solo had much difficulty concealing her amazement when she saw the girl before her. She couldn't be much older then fourteen. Was the Queen of the Naboo really so young? Quickly, she regained her composure and bowed respectfully. The young Queen nodded as an answer and asked the senator to sit. After she ordered one of the present servant girls to bring something to drink, she fixed all her attention to the senator.
"Senator, your visit isn't totally unexpected."
Leia smiled.
"Then you know why I'm here, Your Highness?"
Queen Salina nodded. She rose on her feet and walked to one of the many windows that the throne room possessed. With every step, her red, rich garment rustled over the marble floor. Ever so slowly, she let her eyes wander over the landscape that stretched out before her. The golden ribbons, which adorned her dark hair, reflected the sunlight. Silence fell, and Leia waited patiently. She knew that the Queen needed to sort some things out. Finally the Queen turned to face the princess. Her dark - almost black - eyes, now more accentuated due her white painted face, looked at her mournfully.
"Have you noticed the state my planet is in, senator?"
And she beckoned the princess closer.
Silently, Leia went to the window. She knew from ancient archives that Theed, the capital of Naboo, once had been a magnificent city, with grand and elegant buildings and much green – a perfect harmony between culture and nature. But now, many were in ruins and those who still stood upright were heavily damaged. Even the royal palace, Leia noticed when she had walked through it, showed some severe scars after twenty five years of imperial regime.
"The stormtroopers brought great devastation," said Queen Salina softly. "Perhaps Emperor Palpatine wanted to finish once and for all with his past and everything that reminded him of his mortality. He originated from here, as you might know … But others claim that it was particularly his right hand that ordered the destruction …"
"Darth Vader …" Leia whispered softly.
The dreaded name lingered between the two young women. Even five years after the Empire's fall and the death of the infamous Sith Lord, his shadow remained intensely present. Leia swallowed. She still had difficulties believing that the monster, before he became Darth Vader, also had been a man. Anakin Skywalker. Her father …
While repressing the sudden feelings of fear, sorrow and doubt, she said with a steady voice:
"If you join the New Galactic Republic we will find a way to collect enough resources to help you and your people with the reconstruction …"
"Can you assure me that eventually this Republic won't turn against us," the young Queen interrupted. Vigorously, she continued: "Oh, Palpatine had worked it out so nicely! He wouldn't stop at anything. He didn't have any difficulties of using us – his own people – to complete his perverted plan. And to think what Queen Amidala …"
The young woman stopped abruptly, as if she thought she had said to much. Leia didn't notice, and spoke quietly:
"There will be new laws to avoid something like that ever happening again. We have learned from the past …"
"Let us hope."
Leia felt a deep sympathy towards the young Queen. She knew all to well how it felt to shoulder great responsibility at such a young age. She saw her own youth before her. How her father – no, foster father - instructed her in politics and how she, barely twenty years old, carried one of the primary functions in the Rebel Alliance against the Empire. She had known many difficult moments, but she didn't regret any of them. There was always something that made it worth while. She remembered vividly her "rescue" from the Death Star by the eager Luke Skywalker and the arrogant but irresistible Han Solo. From that moment on, everything accelerated. Luke was trained by Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and Master Yoda to become a Jedi Knight, an order that became close to extinction during the Emperor's reign. At the same time, she sought a way to destroy the Empire for good, with the help of Han, the Rebels and Lando Calrissian – an old friend of Han's. And finally, after twenty five years of tyranny, they succeeded with the aid of the person they least expected – Darth Vader. Despite all the anger and hatred, imbedded in his being for so long, he had never renounced the man he once was. When he saw how Luke, his son, was being severely tortured by the Emperor, he killed his Master, hereby loosing his life. However, he didn't die as Darth Vader but as Anakin Skywalker, in the Light of the Force. He had only discovered some time before his death that Luke was his son. Around the same time, Leia found out that Luke was her twin brother. She had always known that she was an adopted child of the Viceroy of Alderaan, senator Bail Organa, but she never expected, not even remotely, that her real father was her sworn enemy. And her mother ? She only had some vague memories and impressions of her. She knew that she had been a beautiful and gentle woman, but also very sad … and that she had passed away too young. She didn't know her name, where she came from, who she had been … so many questions that would probably stay unanswered forever. Sometimes she had the urge to ask Master Obi-Wan about her mother, when he appeared through the force. But the courage failed her each time, partly because she knew that he didn't like to talk about the past - in which he had to face his own failures – and partly because she wasn't sure she was ready for the truth… .
During these reflections, silence had fallen. Both women were deep in thought. Eventually Queen Salina returned to her worktable, where now stood a decanter and two glasses.
"May I offer you a refreshment, Senator?"
"Please."
A young girl stepped forward and served the drinks.
After a while, the Queen spoke sincerely:
"We will accede to the Republic. We, the Naboo, care too much for democracy to stand aloof. But I wish to be informed about those new laws."
"Of course, Your Highness." Leia paused a moment. "You do have to assign a new senator …"
"We will have to deliberate this carefully. You must understand that this is a sensitive matter; Palpatine was our representative in the senate before he became chancellor… As soon as we've reached a decision, I will notify you."
"Thank you."
Queen Salina rose on her feet – a sign the conversation was over. She escorted Leia to the doors of the chamber. The senator bowed her head and said:
"The New Republic will do everything in its power to support you and your people with the reconstruction of this planet."
"I thank you. I sincerely hope you can restore our faith in the Republic."
"I shall do my best, I promise."
The Queen's dark eyes observed Leia intensely.
"I believe you," she said and she nodded goodbye. She turned and walked back to her worktable. Leia left the throne hall.
There was hardly any sound in the royal palace of Theed. Again, Leia noticed the many wounds, inflicted by the Imperial Stormtroopers. On some places, the marble was completely destroyed and the concrete construction was clearly visible underneath. Naboo, once one of the most flourishing planets in the whole galaxy, had been living on its reserves for years, which was now taking its toll.
Suddenly, Leia heard rapid footsteps behind her and she turned around.
She saw a middle-aged woman coming towards her.
"Princess Leia Organa?" Her voice sounded soft and melodious.
The senator nodded. She had the strange feeling she'd seen the woman somewhere before. In any case, she did remind her of someone she had known.
"I come to give you something," the woman continued. "Something that was entrusted to me years ago and that now belongs to you."
She gave the princess a little brown paper package tied up in string. Amazed Leia accepted it.
"But …"
"You will understand."
Surprised, Leia put the package in her bag.
"Who …," she began, but when she looked up, the mysterious woman had disappeared.