For everyone reading this story, please know that this a joint work, written by myself and StatsGrandma57. I started it; my good friend StatsGrandma57 picked it up and completed it. We hope you enjoy it!
Twenty Years After
"Jacen! Anakin! Whatever you two are doing in there, you need to stop it now!"
Leia stared at the closed door of her sons' room. The thumping sounds ceased. Satisfied, she continued on to Jaina's bedroom. As pleased as she was with their new, larger flat, every once in a while she pondered the wisdom of putting the two boys together in one room.
"You know, there's still time to leave them here. I'd be happy to keep an eye on them," Han offered, sticking his head out of the bedroom he shared with his wife of 15 years.
"Nice try, Flyboy," Leia called over her shoulder, "but they're going…and you're going too!"
Han shrugged good-naturedly. "Can't blame me for trying."
She shot a sharp look in his direction. "Yes, I can."
Leia paused, then knocked at Jaina's door. A mixture of sadness and awe filled her—her little girl was growing up. One of the reasons for a bigger flat was the fact that her daughter was maturing and needed some privacy. The other reason for their larger quarters had just completed what felt like a triple back-flip inside her expanding belly, causing her stomach to roil. Four children! She and Han must be out of their collective minds.
The door whooshed open. Leia entered tentatively. Maturity brought with it its own set of issues: unbridled hormones and body issues being chief among them. At any particular moment, she didn't know if she'd be dealing with Jaina the little girl, or Jaina the young lady. Playing sabacc, blindfolded, was more of a sure thing.
"I hate it!" Jaina wailed.
Okay, not enough clues yet to determine which of her daughter's personalities was front and center.
"Why do you hate it?" Jaina's mother asked, carefully neutral. She just needed a little more information…
"It's stupid! I hate the color, and it clings to everything," Jaina paused dramatically. "And everybody can see that…they are too tiny!" she finished with a sob, crossing her arms over her newly budding breasts.
There we go, Leia thought with a sigh. It's the young woman who's upset this evening. Leia didn't remember hating the white robes of the royal house of Alderaan quite as much as her daughter seemed to, but she'd been raised expecting to wear them. Jaina had been raised as independent as they come, courtesy of her strong-willed parents, and shouldering the mantle of royalty of the lost planet for even one night was going to be a challenge for her.
"Sweetie, don't worry. They're just the right size for a young woman of your age." Leia gave Jaina's shoulder a squeeze. "And yes, I have to agree the fabric can be a little clingy." She smiled, remembering how her own endowments had shown through the robes. They'd been particularly obvious when the fabric had been a little damp, and covered with stains from a short stay in a garbage masher.
"You're sure?"Jaina sniffed.
"I'm sure." Leia planted a kiss on her daughter's cheek. She was so tall! They were already the same height; it wouldn't be long before Jaina was taller than her mother. She'd obviously gotten her father's height from the gene pool.
"Come one," Leia continued encouragingly. "Let's get this all arranged."
Leia gently smoothed the white silk of Jaina's gown, remembering the first time she'd put her own on. Even though it was expected, it was a symbol of responsibility. Jaina's responsibilities were not those of a member of a royal family, but those of a typical girl her age.
Leia was about to begin braiding Jaina's long tresses, but Jaina protested. "Mom, I just wanna wear it down, okay?" Tears were forming in Jaina's eyes. Leia shuddered, remembering how volatile her own emotions had been at this age. She'd been taught to rein them in while in public, but there had been many nights when she'd end up crying because of a slight, real or imagined, and it was as if she didn't even have control of her own body.
"If you wear it down, the hood won't fit properly," Leia explained. "But I have an idea." Leia was unsure of how well Jaina would receive her suggestions, but she headed back to her own room for the box where she kept her headbands, clips, combs and snoods. Leia had acquired many of them over the years; some of them were elaborate, some simple.
Taking a deep breath, she knocked lightly to let Jaina know she was going to enter.
"Maybe you'll find something you like in here," Leia suggested. "Take your time and go through them."
Jaina wiped her tears and began picking through the collection. "I didn't know you had so many of these!" she exclaimed.
"I tend to wear the same few to work," Leia said. "A lot of them are really only for celebrations and ceremonies, so choose what you like."
Jaina's excitement grew as she went through the collection. "These are really gorgeous, Mom."
"Whatever you'd like to wear is fine," Leia told her.
Jaina took her time, oohing and ahhing over a number of the items. Finally, she plucked a jeweled snood from the batch. "I like this one best."
Leia smiled. "I found that after the war in a safe deposit box that was located on Chandrila. My father stashed funds and valuables like jewels all over the galaxy. It belonged to my mother." Leia smiled wistfully.
"You miss your mom and dad?" Jaina asked her mother.
"Every day. I so wish they were here to know you and your brothers." Han and Leia knew their fourth child was another son. "They'd have loved all of you."
"I can wear this?" Jaina's eyes glittered with excitement.
"You're the princess tonight," Leia said, smiling as she helped Jaina fix her hair to accompany the snood.
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"I hate my clothes!" Jacen protested. "Why do we gotta dress up?"
"Because Mom said so," Han said to his eldest son.
Leia glared at Han. "This is an important occasion to a lot of beings," she reminded him.
"But why do we have to go?" Anakin whined.
Leia turned to Han. "Don't say it."
Han gave his best 'who, me?' look. "C'mon, guys, let's take it easy." Han was determined to keep his sons in line. If he managed to get them–and himself–to behave, Han hoped he'd get lucky that night. He usually did after an evening in formalwear, and he was hoping that'd be the case tonight. All he had to do was keep Jacen and Anakin from getting into any arguments or goofing off. He grimaced; that might be easier said than done.
The family went up the steps to Cantham House, where Han and Leia had exchanged their wedding vows fifteen years earlier. Han and Leia passed a knowing, loving smile to each other. The house, which was really more like a palace, had been there for a thousand years. The gold and red twilight bounced off the windows and white marble in a beautiful palette.
"This way, sweetie," Leia said to Jaina, indicating a door to the left. It was the room where Leia and her attendants had dressed for the wedding. The room had a very old Alderaanian loomed carpet and a beautiful, equally ancient tapestry on the wall. It had been part of a series; there had been two of them at Leia's home in Aldera, and several scattered throughout the homes of people they knew. Leia was grateful that at least one had survived. Before they closed the door, Leia called out to Han and the boys, "Behave yourselves!"
Han turned to his two sons. "No fighting, no farting, no flinging anything. Got it?" His expression was severe, mostly for Leia's sake. "This means a lot to your mom."
"Whatever," Jacen said, and the three began the long walk to the front rows. Han remembered the walk down the aisle fifteen years ago like it was yesterday. He hadn't been comfortable being watched by so many beings, but he'd just thought of Leia being led by Chewie to the altar. It hadn't mattered then how many were in attendance; Leia was the reason he was there.
And the same held true for tonight. It wasn't about him. It was for Leia, and, by extension, for their only daughter, who would never be a princess, but would be his little princess forever.
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Leia appeared on stage first. She was clad in a white gown offset by a royal blue cloak, which was the official dress for the Queen of Alderaan. Wearing the gown and cloak brought tears to her eyes. Her father would have been pleased. Lineage was matrilineal, but her adoptive grandmother had not produced a daughter; hence, Bail was the leader of the people.
She would never govern Alderaan, and neither would Jaina. As much as she missed her homeworld, she was grateful that her daughter would never shoulder the burden of royalty.
Leia greeted everyone warmly, and thanked them for attending the memorial.
"Twenty years seems as if it were a million, and at the same time it seems as if it was only yesterday," she said to them. "We miss our families and friends as much as ever, and sadly, there is no consolation, no ultimate good, that can come from the horrific destruction of our home planet. That sorrow will remain forever. But we are nothing if not resilient, and we still carry out our legacy as best as we can."
There were tears in the eyes of many of those in attendance.
"A prayer for the dead will be given by the putative Princess Jaina," Leia said quietly, signaling Jaina to come forward. She looked a bit nervous, but only Leia and Han would have been able to tell. Like her mother, she was a contained personality. She drew her height up, cleared her throat, and spoke clearly.
"We miss everyone from Alderaan. We miss those we knew and loved, and pray that the gods of peace and charity are caring for them in another world. We miss those we will never know because they were never able to be born into our world of peace, charity and love...but our legacy lives because there are those who remember and will be born into those ideas. As long as there are those who can remember, Alderaan lives." Her voice was clear and strong.
Leia smiled proudly through her tears. Jaina, she knew, would have made an outstanding princess.
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There were songs, both mournful and joyful, and Leia delivered the closing remarks, to again remind the audience to remember from where they came or were descended from, to maintain Alderaan's ideals and principles, and to not let it all be relegated to history.
When the memorial ended, Jaina and Leia greeted many of the attendees. More than one told Jaina that she was a credit to her mother's family's legacy.
"You were wonderful, sweetie," Leia told her. "And you would have been a wonderful princess."
"It was kinda cool. But I still hate the dress."
Leia laughed, and gave Jaina a quick pat on the shoulder.
Han and the boys joined them. "You did great, honey," he said, kissing his baby girl on forehead. "But you forgot one thing."
Jaina looked aghast. "Mom? Did I?"
Before Leia had a chance to respond, Han said, "You forgot to thank all the brewmasters."
Jaina laughed, and Leia rolled her eyes. "You can thank them yourselves," she told her husband.
"I do, every time I have a drink." Han winked at his wife.
"So Mom," Jaina said, tossing her arm around her mother's shoulders, "can we do it again next year?"