For the Love of Leia

Darth Vader had never liked being present in the Imperial Senate. Watching the hypocritical politicians suck up to the Emperor, the moffs scrambling for control of systems, always filled him with a feeling of disgust and revulsion. Darth Vader loathed seeing Palpatine in his element, hearing his oily phases, grandiose speeches about power and Imperial might. Every word would stab him with self-hatred, hatred for the complete and utter FOOL who he hated with all his being. Anakin Skywalker.

Hearing the senate chamber ring with empty promises and hollow lies also reminded him of what it had been. There had been plenty of lies back then, but there had also been hope, and progress. And there had been HER. Her divine voice arguing calmly, but determinedly for the good of the galaxy. A true heart beating for the right. A heart that no longer beat at all, because of him. What would she think of this?

Vader suspected this was part of the reason why Palpatine ordered him to accompany him to senate meetings. Why he was here, exchanging hardly pleasant pleasantries with puppet politicians when all he wanted to do was go to his private chambers and brood. A herald interrupted his thoughts.

"Princess Leia of the planet Alderaan."

The Emperor rose from his throne to give the young senator a neat little bow.

"How lovely to welcome you to our majestic Imperial Senate, Princess."

"The pleasure is all mine." said the princess in a voice singed with angry disgust.

At that tone of voice, Vader's eyes, which had been staring unseeing at the bowing nobles before the Imperial dais, snapped to the slight senator standing stiffly, STANDING, not bowing, before the Emperor's throne. Bail Organa swept in front of the princess to shield her from the Emperors attention, before whisking her off to a more secluded section of the room. Vader watched with interest as the older Senator began admonishing his daughter for her rude and, considering the man she was being rude to, deadly behavior. From the cock of her eyebrows and the fire in her eyes, he could deduce that she was perfectly aware of what she'd done, regretted none of it, and was probably going to do it again. He was too far away to hear their conversation, but she had no problem replying to her father and from what he could see, she was being pretty sassy about it. Vader half smiled behind the mask, before his burns reminded him that he was Darth Vader, and Darth Vader did not smile for any reason.

But as Darth Vader watched the perky young princess for the remainder of the party, he found that his burns were having to remind him not to smile very frequently. And when the Emperor bade all his senators, including Bail Organa and his daughter good evening, Vader had to smirk.

The Princess still had not bowed.

Hello Readers! I whipped this up because I love Princess Leia and was wondering. Vader probably went to the Imperial Senate occasionally and Leia was a Senator there. Wouldn't seeing a bright, sassy young woman speak her mind remind him of another certain senator? Would he have developed a soft spot for Leia? The father/ daughter relationship doesn't get nearly as much attention as the father /son one.

No incest in this story. I will continue.

PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!

All ideas are welcome!