Characters: Leia, Luke, Aayla Secura

Reasoning: To see how Leia came to have the Master that she did, and to show some bits about Luke's early Lightsaber training.

Timeline: 26:3:31


Leia Skywalker watched her eight-year-old brother, Luke, as he worked through yet another difficult series of Lightsaber drills

Leia Skywalker watched her nine-year-old brother, Luke, as he worked through yet another difficult series of Lightsaber drills. She practiced with him, sometimes, but it was hard. He was so in tune with the way of the warrior that even though he wasn't even a Padawan yet there were Senior Padawans, twenty and twenty-five years old, who couldn't beat him. Not many, but still. She'd never gotten particularly good at wielding a Lightsaber, but she could beat anyone in Boma Clan except her brother. It wasn't that difficult to be that good; she was a Skywalker, after all. It had finally started happening to them; some of their clanmates had started to pair off with Masters, and had left, and she missed them in their daily lessons.

She preferred to focus on different aspects of Force use, usually less combat-oriented tasks. She'd even been told that she'd been chosen. It wasn't right though. She didn't want Uncle Obi-Wan to be her Master. There was something wrong with it. It wasn't him, she liked Obi-Wan, but as much as she was like her father, she wasn't her father and she didn't want his Master. She noticed over her brother's head that there was a blue woman watching their class, a Twi'lek. She'd been watching the class for a week, and had even taken the time to talk to Leia. She would be a kind Master, Leia sensed. "Good afternoon, Master Secura." She said, in a properly humble tone for an Initiate.

"Good afternoon, Leia. I sense that you are troubled. Would you like to talk?"

Leia fidgeted, looking down at her toes. "I'm not sure it would make sense."

"Try me." She said, going to one knee so that she was better able to address the young girl.

"I don't want to be Master Kenobi's Padawan." She said quietly.

"Why not?" Aayla asked without judgment.

"It doesn't feel right." She said, distressed at not being able to better express herself. "I'd rather have anyone else be my Master. I'd rather have you be my Master. I don't even feel ready for a Master." The words came tumbling out.

"Is that so?" she said, cocking her head to the side for a moment, considering the idea. "I've been watching Boma Clan for a week, not sure which little voice was calling out to me. I had not even considered you or Luke, having Masters lined up for you, practically since the day that you were born. I will have to think on this."

"What do I tell them?" she said, meaning her father and Obi-Wan.

"Tell them that the Force tells you that it is not right for Obi-Wan to be your Master."

"Father won't like that. He's convinced that if we aren't Padawans by the time we finish our birthing day celebration, he's a failure."

Leia felt sympathy radiating from the Twi'lek. "I will be your Master, Leia'wa, if you wish. Your father has made clear his intentions to have you bound to his old Master. It is your choice, though. It may be to your benefit for your master to be someone outside the circle of the bonds you already carry. It is a tough decision, especially as young as you are. You have five years to choose a Master who will take you, Leia'wa. It is not necessary that you choose today, before you even have your tenth birthday. Just tell Anakin that it is not time for you, yet. If he does not understand, Obi-Wan will explain it to him."

"But Luke…" she started, knowing the coming protest that her father would use on her.

"Just because you were born the same day, does not mean that you will be ready for the same things at the same times. Luke has been ready to be a Padawan from the first day that he picked up your father's Lightsaber when you were two." Relief flooded through her.

"Thank you, Master Secura; I think that you are right. I am not ready to be a Padawan, yet."

"I will always have time for you, Leia'wa, even if you do decide that Obi-Wan will be your Master."

"Master Secura?" Leia asked as she got up to leave.

"Yes?" Aayla asked, turning to the girl once again.

"What does it mean?"

"Leia'wa?"

"Yes, what does it mean?"

"It is, in the Twi'lek language, a word meaning 'Great Determination.'"

"Why do you do that?"

"Shorten peoples names? A lot of names for some reason, sound like the vilest cursing in Twi'lek. Most Twi'leks do it out of habit. I usually don't worry about it, except for special friends," she said, winking, and headed out of the room.