Dark Flame
Silent Cobra
AN: This SW story is EXTREMELY ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. Very much so. All disclaimers apply, Lila is mine. Please read and review and always keep in mind that this does not follow the prequels or the originals in any sense of the words. And this will be updated, although not very quickly. Please review, it may make chapters come faster. Please tell me what you think.
Chapter One: Delegations to Naboo
Leia walked slowly through the darkened palace. She held her hand in front of her, wishing for some more light. There was some great disturbance in the Force. It was coming from the Great Hall.
She came to the doors and pushed them open. A gasp tore from her throat. The Great Hall was enveloped in black fire. It was the strangest thing that she had ever seen!
Wait…What was that?
She saw the silhouette of a man standing before the flames. She called out to him, her heart wrenching in fear.
He turned to her, his eyes filled with the fire. He raised a hand and called her name.
"Leia! Leia!"
STAR WARS
"Leia!"
Princess Leia Skywalker of Naboo sat up with a start. Her main guard, Mara Jade, was sitting on the edge of her bed.
"Mara?"
"Are you alright?"
The door to Leia's chambers slide open and a beautiful woman with long white hair walked in. She took one look at Leia and sighed.
"The nightmare again?"
"Yes, Winter." Winter was her main handmaiden, and one of Leia's closest friends.
Mara ran a hand through her red-gold hair and stood up.
"I came to wake you. You're father wants you to get dressed. The delegations are to be arriving soon."
Leia scowled heavily and stood up. She covered her eyes and sighed. "Why must Luke and I greet the delegates?"
"Proper edict, Princess." Winter said wisely.
"What does Mother want us to wear?"
"The silver bodice with the sheer skirt." Mara said.
Leia turned and looked at her. "You've got to be kidding."
"I'm not. Trust me, I wish I was."
"She wants us to look uniform, which means Mara and I will be wearing similar styles."
Leia snorted lightly. She closed her eyes and went still. The bodice disentangled itself and floated over to her.
"Wonderful, just great. A whole day of greeting men old enough to be my great grandfather."
Leia threw her nightwear aside and slipped into the bodice. It was tight and dipped down in the back. A leotard made of silver, basically. She pulled on the light silver shoes that went with it and grabbed the wrap around sheer skirt.
"Well, I'm ready. Why aren't you two dressed?"
"We are," Mara said. She pulled off her jade green cloak to reveal an outfit the same style as Leia's, only green. Winter's was an ice blue.
"Well, I think we're ready. Shall we?"
STAR WARS
Prince Luke Skywalker and his guards, Captain of the Guard Wedge Antilles, and First Mate Biggs Darklighter, stood at the bottom of the grand staircase. He ruffled his short blond hair and waited impatiently for his twin sister.
"There you are, Leia!" He reached out with the Force and touched her mind. She returned the touch, but with slight hesitance.
"The nightmare again?" Luke asked, frowning.
Leia nodded. "But don't tell father."
Luke nodded and held out his arm to her. She laced her arm through his, and they left to greet their parents at the space port.
King Anakin watched with pride as his heirs walked towards him and his wife, the Queen Amidala. They were trailed by their closest guards. As they reached the top of the grassy knoll where the delegates' spaceships would be landing, Luke and Leia dropped to their knees, followed quickly by their guards.
"Rise, my children." Amidala said. They stood and she hugged each of them. "You all look wonderful."
Luke was wearing black pants with knee high boots and a silver, long-sleeved shirt. Wedge and Biggs were wearing similar style in different colors.
Anakin pulled Luke into a hug. "Jedi Masters Qui-Gon and Obi-wan Kenobi are coming."
Luke grinned, he loved it when they came, and it meant much more training for him and Leia.
"Is Bail coming?" Leia asked.
"Yes, he is." Leia smiled and turned to watch the bustling city below. Mara followed her gaze and leaned into her.
"You know you can't."
"I know Mara," Leia whispered back, "But I have never been allowed out of the palace gates. It's all a mystery to me."
Mara smiled. "You'll have your day, Leia."
Leia nodded.
"I believe the first delegate is arriving," Winter said, pointing to the blue sky. Three black dots could be seen flying down.
Everyone quickly go set up in the prearranged order, and waited expectantly.
The ships slowed their descent and dropped gracefully to the green grass. The largest of the three ships dropped her ramp, and a row of green guards came tromping out.
Luke watched with polite interest as the delegates, royals from the planet Atlanta, followed the green skinned guards.
The female royal had long, dark green hair with a pink starfish intertwined in it. Her eyes were narrow and pointed, and there was another eyelid that could slid over her eye to protect it in water. Her skin was a pale blue.
Leia was amazed as the male Royal stepped off after his Queen. His hair was the palest yellow, almost white. His skin was the color of the inside of a shell. They both had webbed fingers and toes. Each wore a loose-fitting robe and no shoes.
They stepped up to Amidala and Anakin and inclined their heads.
"Greetingss to the Lord and Lady of Naboo. I am Slyska, Queen of Atlanta. This is my mate, Niaka, King of Atlanta."
"Greetings Queen Slyska and King Niaka of Atlanta. I am the Queen, Amidala Skywalker, my husband, King Anakin Skywalker. And our children, Princess Leia and Prince Luke of Naboo."
The delegates of Atlanta bowed their heads to Luke and Leia. They both bowed in return.
"There is a room set up for you in the palace. If you follow these men, they will lead you there." Anakin gestured to some guards standing quietly to the side. The delegates of Atlanta inclined their heads and followed the men.
Once they were out of ear-shot, Leia turned to her father.
"How many delegates are coming?"
Anakin smiled grimly. "Over one-hundred."
Leia's face paled. She groaned, and it was echoed by Luke and everyone around her.
"This is going to be a very long day."
STAR WARS
The hours dragged on. More and more delegates continued to arrive. Leia felt as if her smile was glued in place.
They were all tired of the same greetings from every single person who climbed off the ships. Leia and Luke decided to train a little while they waited for the next delegates to arrive.
A single blade of grass rose up and began to twirl around. A simple flower came up to greet it. The grass gave a courtly bow to the flower and the flower returned it with a curtsey. The grass and flower began to weave through the air, forming an intricate dance.
"Very good, young Jedi."
The grass and flower hit the ground as Luke and Leia leapt to their feet. Masters Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan stood before them, grinning.
Luke reached out with the Force and touched each of the men. They returned the touch. Leia repeated the gesture.
"You both have much more control than the last time we spoke. Perhaps you will both improve with your lightsaber studies." Qui-Gon smiled.
Luke and Leia grinned. Hopefully, the Masters would think they had improved.
Hours later, and it was dwindling down to the last few delegates. Mara walked up to Anakin. "How many are left?"
"Just one, the delegates from Corellia."
Mara gasped.
"Korul Solo-kal?"
Anakin frowned at her. "You know him?"
"My mother worked for him for a number of years before we came here. I liked them."
Anakin smiled as she walked back to Leia. They waited, their feet growing sore. Finally, after what seemed to be hours, sleek trading vessel appeared in the darkening sky. They watched as it descended gracefully to the grassy hill.
The grass was blown down as the repulsor system kicked in and settled the ship softly on the grass. The Corellian Royal Guards stepped off first, followed by a man and woman.
The man was tall, with dark hair and a rough beard. The woman was rather homely, Leia thought wryly, with her plaited black hair and piercing green eyes. Mara stared open-mouthed at the woman.
"That's not the queen," she hissed violently. Leia started.
"What?"
"That's not the queen-" Mara fell silent as the delegates greeted Anakin and Amidala.
"Greetings King and Queen of Naboo. I am Korul, King of Corellia. This is my wife, Brache."
"Greetings King Korul and wife Brache. I am Amidala, this is Anakin. Those are our children, Luke and Leia."
Korul's eyes traveled to the twins, and then to the red-haired guard standing behind Leia.
"Mara!" Korul rushed over to her. They embraced.
"Korul! It is wonderful to see you," Mara stepped back and smiled warmly at the aging king. "Is-"
"My son coming? Yes. He's flying in his own ship."
"A piece of trash that is disgraceful for a prince to fly to a royal delegation," Brache sneered from the side. Mara glanced at her, a frown evident in her eyes.
"Come Brache, we must go to our quarters." He turned to King Anakin and Queen Amidala. "Where to?"
"We will guide you to the palace. Luke, Leia, stay and wait for the prince of Corellia." The King and Queen started off, followed closely by Korul and Brache. Leia sighed and looked at Mara.
"Who is this Prince?"
"His name is Han. We used to play together when my mother worked for Korul."
Luke glanced at Mara. "What did you mean, Brache isn't the queen?"
"When I lived with them, the queen was a beautiful woman named Lila. She was gentle, and kind." Mara frowned. I wonder what happened to her…"
Suddenly above them was a roar. Everyone looked up to see a rather shoddy looking ship streaking towards them. It flared suddenly and dropped the final two hundred feet and landed gently.
The hatch opened and a black man ran out. He turned to face the ship and bellowed into it, "You are frelling crazy, Solo!"
He turned and stalked towards the waiting group. "You're majesties," he bowed, "I am-"
"Lando Carlissian."
"Mara Jade. Long time no see."
There was another bellow from the belly of the ship, and Leia was amazed to see a Wookie run off.
"He still pissed, Chewbacca?"
The Wookie bellowed and Lando shook his head.
"You can understand him?" Leia asked.
"Sure. It's not difficult."
Leia looked at her brother. He opened his mouth to say something when they heard a steady click coming from the ship. It was boots, someone was coming.
Leia felt a great anger walking towards them. From the way Luke tensed, she knew he felt it too.
She looked up as the man, the prince, stopped at the top of the ramp, and she was sure her heart stopped.
