III: What Princess Leia found under her bed

She expected something wonderful, something out of her world, something only her wildest dreams could come up with; what was there, was… a book?

Hmm. She sighed. Really Mr. Yoda? That's the best you can do? She thought, bored as she looked at the book.

She decided to give it a chance… and then she opened it. It had no pictures! No colors! No fun…

It was covered in dust, it smelled really, really old, and the pages were yellow for the time it had lived.

The World of Alderaan

Volume I

It said on the cover.

A history book? Really, though?

After getting lost in Naboo's castle' strange labyrinth, and befriending a fairy, was that really all the green creature had to offer?

She was disappointed and she just threw the book on the floor.

Then she heard a knock on her door.

"Miss Jyn?" princess Leia asked.

"No, honey. It's me."

"Mother! Oh, do come in!" she cried.

Queen Padmé Naberrie walked in, her belly now really too big for Leia's taste.

She grabbed her daughter under her bosom and covered her head with kisses.

"Oh Leia! Why did you go away like that? You really scared me, my dear!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I should've told you, I know. But I… well, I didn't want to interrupt the king…"

Padmé couldn't blame her. If she could, she would hide from Palpatine, as well.

"Just promise me that you won't do that again."

The princess looked at the floor, that wasn't a promise she wanted to make…

"All right, mother. I won't go again without letting you know. I promise."

Queen Naberrie kissed her daughter again, and then she made move to leave.

"Wait!" the princess cried. "Could you not go?" she asked.

"Honey, you know I can't…"

"Please!" Leia begged.

Padmé saw her daughter and it really broke her heart having to leave her. But she had to, less she wanted to deal with Naboo's king…

"Leia, you're a grown up girl now. Act like it, please. Don't get into trouble with your father, do not make him angry again!"

The princess almost broke down and cried upon hearing her mother's harsh words, for a second, she thought now not even Padmé loved her and wanted her. Her father was gone, her kingdom, her old friends—she really had nobody and nothing in the world!

She couldn't imagine how much harder it was for Padmé to say those things, than it was for Leia to listen.

Even worse for the queen, as she had to go back into Palpatine's private rooms, and share her night with him. Though thanks to pregnancy, she could be sure he wouldn't touch her for now—and that really was a consolation.


The night kept advancing, and the princess went on crying. Sitting in a corner of her huge bedroom, as the wide window showed her the bright moons and stars, above the gorgeous green fields that were technically her lands.

She sighed amidst her tears, hers? No, she had to keep in mind. It was all the king's property, and though she had a title, she was in truth, no one at all.

Her sad thoughts reminded her of something she heard earlier.

Know your true family, you don't want?

Go to your true kingdom, you care not?

The little green creature, Mr. Yoda, had said.

So she had a family? And a kingdom to go to? If she did, why did she even bother with tears?!

Her home-world was another, just like her name… oh what were they? What had Yoda said?

Oh yeah… Alderaan!

And princess Shmii.

But how could she go there and prove to everyone that she's the true princess?

What if she goes and they treat her as crudely as in Palpatine's kingdom, or as the Skywalkers in Tatooine…? And then she wouldn't see Padmé and she wouldn't be her mom.

But she had seemed pretty angry just now.

Well, Leia could apologize and tell her of her own kingdom.

That way, they both could run away from the evil king.

If she was a true princess, Princess Shmii of Alderaan, then since Padmé is her mother, she would become a true queen, by blood, not just by relation, that way, no one could hurt them again, nor put them on the streets to go hungry, nor tell them what to do…

How do I get to Alderaan? Leia wondered. Her eyes then fell directly on that history book she had disregarded earlier.

Again she opened it, though this time, with great curiosity.

It had one hundred and twenty two chapters. That's… a lot! Leia complained. But, oh well! She wanted to know.

Chapter one was called: "The first man of Alderaan. Mr. Alderaan and his son, young Bail Antilles.

She read till morning came.

By then, she was on chapter twelve: Colonists.

And that one made her not want to read anymore.

It had detailed descriptions of bloody acts of violence against Alderaan's remaining sons—from an unnamed villain whom they just called, Darth.

She was in the middle of a story which involved Darth killing innocents for fun, when the strange laughter of a stranger in her bedroom made her scream.

"Hush!" the little voice cried. "Found the book, you did."

"Mr. Yoda!"

"Princess?" the voice from a guard at the other side of the door, asked. "Are you all right?"

"Yes…" she cried. "I just—I fell out of bed. No big deal. Please, let me go back to sleep!"

"Very well, Your Majesty."

"Mr. Yoda, how did you get in here?"

"How, important is not."

"Of course it is! How did you get pass the guards."

"The Force, young lady. The Force."

The Force?

She believed in it as much as any religious person in all the worlds—so of course, not enough.

There was a time when people believed in the Force enough to move mountains, now—they only used it to ask for miracles or thank for them.

"Did you find the book interesting?" Yoda said, and she was frightened by the sudden change in his speech pattern. It also sounded less innocent and sweet; almost dark, grim and… scarily low.

She shuddered.

"Well, yes. It was interesting. But, sir… do I have to read all of it? I mean, don't get me wrong, it's very good, but…"

"But—it scares you, doesn't it?" again, that low voice scared her.

She nodded yes.

"Yes… yes! Very few living creatures have managed to read all chapters. Mostly everyone gives up. For the violent beginnings, the hopeless middle part, so they never reach that wondrous ending."

"Will I have to read all of it if—if I want to go back to my kingdom?"

"Mmhh. Maybe necessary, that isn't," his voice made her feel confident again. It was higher and bright like before. "If going back to your world of Alderaan you want, another alternative, you might have…"

"What must I do?"

"Prove that princess Shmii's reincarnation, you are. Become a Jedi lady, you will."

"How?"

"Three different tasks, you will undertake. If fulfill them you can, to your world you will return."

"I will! I will do anything, I swear! When must I start?"

"When again the night comes, the fairies will too. Show you the way to your first task, they will. Mmhh."

"I'll be waiting!"

Leia looked at the book on her small white hands, and when she turned to see Yoda again, he had disappeared as easily and fast as he had come.

When her handmaiden, Jyn Erso, came to bathe and dress the princess for breakfast, she couldn't ignore how different her attitude was from the night before. There was no hint of sadness, or of fear; princess Leia was madly radiant; all smiles and kind words all around. Even Padmé was surprised when she saw her, particularly since she was expecting to see Leia upset for what happened between them the night before.

King Palpatine of course noticed nothing different, he never even glanced on Leia's direction. He only occupied himself with political affairs, also without bothering to check on his pregnant wife (he had people to do that).

For most of the day, Padmé, Jyn and Leia sat on the library, while the king was out on the Naboo Parliament.

The princess couldn't wait for the night to come, so she could see the fairies again, and more importantly, begin her first task.